Getting Stronger

Michael slammed the phone down.

   "No one knows where Crystal is Jeff!" Michael said, his voice quivering.

   "So what?" Jeff said in a sassy tone.

   "Excuse me?" Michael asked, the sadness in his features began to fade. He sat up on the couch.

   "So WHAT?" Jeff said loud enough so Michael could hear. "What the hell are you going to do now?"

   "Jeff, what's your problem?" Michael asked, getting offended.

   "What's my problem? YOU are my problem!" Jeff shouted. Michael gave a confused glance. Jeff sighed, and turned his back towards Michael. He held his head for a moment then turned back around.

   "Mike, we've been partners...or shall I say...'friends' for how long now?"

Michael blinked. "For as long as I can remember....a very long time..."

   "Right. Ever since I've known you, I never really told you what I really think about you. I've been working FOR you for so long, and you are my boss."

   "That's not true. I'm your friend." Michael said softy.

   "Well now that we've got that cleared up. I want to tell you what I really think about you." Jeff started to pace the floor.

   "Alright...." Michael said slowly, curious to where this was going to lead.

James shoved Crystal on the bed as tears fell down her face. The small room Crystal used to sleep in felt so strange after she had stayed in the large guest room Michael had set up for her. James climbed on top of her, his eyes flaring with insane anger.

   "So you like Michael Jackson, huh??? You think he can statify you huH?" He fiercely yanked Crystal's pants down. Crystal's eyes widened as she realized what James wanted. Her breath suddenly came short and her chest felt tight again. It was her illness acting up again.

   "No! James! Stop don't do this. I have a---" Crystal tried to explain.

Her words were cut off when James slapped her. Her left cheek hit the pillow and her right cheek burned because of James' attack.

She looked up at James and his face was red with anger. She began to panic and that didn't help her lungs any. It started to take more energy to breathe.

   "I have an STD!" She said quickly. "You gave it to me."

James paused and looked down at her.

   "W-which means..." she stimmered. "You have it too."

   "You are so weak. You are a big chicken...let's put it that way." Jeff said as he stopped pacing to look at Michael.

Michael's eyes widened a little, but he said nothing.

   "You are scared to take any risks. And I understand that, because of all you been through, you don't want to be hurt anymore. But it's not right Michael. You always said you wanted a girlfriend back in the day. You always listed all the qualities you wanted in a woman. Then after 1993......" He paused. "you changed. You stopped trying. You stopped trying....with everything you do. Just so you won't get hurt like you did before. It's sad Michael. What kind of life is that?"

Michael seemed to have blinked his tears away.

   "Michael, after 1993, you lost all the confidence you had inside you. You let other people determine what you are. You want proof of that? Your attitude with Tommy Matolla and this Sony thing is an example. You are willing to let them TAKE your career away from you, JUST so people won't laugh at you? Michael!" James paused. "And then....there's Crystal. Michael, remember what you were BEFORE 1993....remember all the things you wanted in a girl? Doesn't Crystal match all those things?"

Michael blinked again and tears started to fall. He wiped them with his hand.

   "Michael I'm just saying the truth. Michael I KNOW you love Crystal. I KNOW you want her. But you want to block her out, just because there is a SMALL chance that your heart will be broken. Like what Lisa Marie did to you. Michael, be that man that you were when I met you. Now that Crystal has obviously been kidnapped, what are you going to do now?"

   "I have a disease, huh?" James said. Crystal nodded.

   "Well that means someone will die in this situation, won't it?" James said, with a smirk.

   "No, It doesn't have to be this way. You can get help...just please..." James cut off her words with a passionate kiss.

   "No...James....don't..." Crystal begged while they kissed. James stopped and began to pull down her panties.

   "No, I don't want to do this! James!" Crystal cried. James punched her in the jaw.

    "You wanna be killed???!" James shouted.

Crystal rolled over on her side and covered her mouth in pain. Meanwhile James started to take off his clothes.

   "Yeah, Mike! Now THIS is what I'm talking about." Jeff said with a smile.

"What are ya doing?" He asked looking over Michael's shoulder at the computer screen.

   "My fans....or former fans....always know what's going on. Sometimes before I do. I just hope these are one of those times."

Michael typed in the address for the King Of Pop Discussion Board and waited for it to load. Meanwhile, Jeff tried to back track in his head, to see if anything seemed suspicious to him in past events. When he looked back down at the computer screen Michael was reading something by a fan.

Rumor has it that someone kidnapped Michael's fiancé'...somewhere in California.....I think it was Crystal's husband. But of course this is all a rumor...also people are saying that if Michael does try to save her

   "Michael have you ever found your cell phone?" Jeff asked. This question popped out of his mouth and he didn't even think of it.

Michael stopped reading and looked up at him. "Ummm no...."

   "Do you have any idea where it could be?" Jeff asked.

   "Well I thought I took it with me when I visited Janet....when I got back home it was here so..."

Jeff smiled.