“Exactly.”
“The nice thing about having you on the other side of the detail tonight is that maybe you’ll be able to rein Rebel in if he gets a wild hair and decides to do something that’s going to giveme another gray hair.”
If I’d been on duty, I wouldn’t have dared poke the bear, so to speak, but like he’d said, I was relieved an hour ago, so I cocked my head and made a show of studying his hair.
“Hate to break it to you, but there’s no room for another one; the last black one finally gave up the ghost.”
“You’re not funny.”
“Have you looked in the mirror lately?”
"Smartass.”
“Sometimes,” I admitted, though it had been longer than I could remember since I’d let my snarky side shine through.
Mouthing off to cadre had made my road through basic training a difficult one, filled with punishing physical tasks that had taught me how to keep my attitude in check. Heh, maybe I should start assigning Rebel pushups when he started mouthing off, though his suggestion that I put him over my knee had way more merit to it.
“Better than stalking around biting people’s heads off,” Sully declared. “Seriously though, you know my policies about dating a principal; just see that you don’t break any of them, and you and I will never have issues.”
“I wouldn’t say we’re dating,” I admitted. “More like feeling each other out to see if it’s going to be possible.”
“Should have done that in the first place.”
“Yeah, yeah,” I said as he checked the time, then motioned us back over to where everyone else was gathered.
Two backstage monitors allowed us to watch the show as it was taking place. If, for any reason, the guards posted in the wings were forced to rush onto the stage, we’d see that too and be able to back them up. We were fortunate that thus far, security at each of the venues had kept fans from climbing up on the stage, but we all knew one would slip through eventually.
On the monitor, I watched Johnny lean against Rebel, whose fingers flew over his guitar strings as he launched into a guitar solo. They’d ended several sets with this one. When their voices mingled on the final chorus, it sent a shiver down my spine; itwas that chilling.
We ache to dream in neon rainbow
Superimposing fantasy on reality
Until all your rules fade away
Rebel and Johnny bowed with their arms around one another, while Ozzy stood from his throne behind the drum kit to pitch his sticks into the crowd and bow before sitting back down. He’d only played the final four songs tonight, the fewest since he’d rejoined the band on the road. It was no secret that his hands were getting worse and that he was doing everything in his power to hold on until Rocktoberfest so he could go out on his own terms. Kit always remained in the wings, just in case Ozzy needed him to take back over. Now, he emerged, leading the rest of the band down so they could change and join Damaged Saints and the superfans in the amusement park.
“You’re still joining us, right?” Rebel asked, almost hesitantly, when he spotted me standing beside Sully.
“Yup. Now go change so we can get to it.”
“And don’t make me regret it,” Sully grumbled as he took up his post beside Rebel, who didn’t take one step to do as he was told until he was certain Sully was beside him.
It was a welcome change, and I’d be certain to praise him for it when we were alone.
A short time later, both bands were ready to mingle with the superfans and check out all the rides. Sully had issued a few simple instructions before we headed out the door to where they were gathered. Stick together. Don’t encourage anyone to get handsy. And for the love of everything he held dear, no one was to slip away to do anything without their guard by their side.
It might have looked odd to some that I walked between Kit and Rebel, but it was so their guards could remain on either side of them as a barrier between them and the fans that started firing questions at them the moment we stepped outside. From that point, we were all swept along by the excitement of the moment, as one of the fans pointed towards the Sky Sling and askedif any of the band members would be willing to ride it with him.
“Hell yeah!” Rebel replied, which immediately drew a groan from Sully because that meant that he was going to have to get on it too. “Kit and I will.”
“Not on your life!” Kit said, immediately shooting him down.
“I’ll go!” Johnny said.
“Me too,” Jagger said.
When several of the other superfans piped up to say that they wanted to ride it too, our procession headed in that direction, with Rebel nudging my arm.