BROTHERS

Chapter 2

"Ready?" David said this with a proud expression. "Ready!" We spoke in unison. The doors opened, and one by one, we walked out. The bright lights of the venue blurred our vision, and my heart raced with thrill and excitement. This was going to be our best show yet! I thought to myself. "Hello everybody!" Bill called out. The crowd screamed, and posters were erected around every corner. "Shall we get this show started?" Bill said, looking over at me with a bright smile. I nodded and looked over at Georg and Gustav. Gustav followed my opening sequence, and Georg joined in later. We were engrossed in the music. Bill sang the first few lyrics, and the audience began to sing along with him.

I recall looking up at the crowd, smiling, and feeling very accomplished. This show was supposed to be the start of our success, as it was Germany's largest event. However, that was short-lived. By this point in the show, I had focused solely on my playing, playing every key I had relentlessly practiced for weeks prior. As I continued to play, the crowd's screams and echoes faded away, and so did Bill's voice.

Eventually, I became lost in the music, Gustav's loud drums appeared quiet, and the space in the music that Georg would fill with his bass had vanished. My hearing had diminished, and I was coughing uncontrollably.

I experienced delirium. "S-somethings wrong," I said, looking up. I noticed the crowd had vanished into a white cloud of smoke. Still perplexed, I looked over at the guys. Gustav and Georg have disappeared from view. Was I having a dream? I thought to myself. I looked over to see where Bill was; he had vanished. By this point, I had stopped playing and approached him. "Bill?" I said, hollering out. I began to see more clearly as I got closer. I knelt beside a black object on the ground, waving away the smoke. Bill's microphone sat on the ground. I panicked and picked it up. But the moment my fingers touched the microphone, a powerful force drew me back.

When I looked up, two men in masks grabbed me and dragged me off stage. "No!" I yell out, kicking around aimlessly. Immediately, my mouth was covered. I tried screaming and fighting back. But my vision blurred and my muscles weakened. And then, nothing. I could no longer see.

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At some point, I awoke with my head pounding. Confused and disoriented, I tried to open my eyes, but it was pitch black, with the sound of a moving vehicle beneath me. "Tom," a familiar voice said quietly to me. "W-what is going on...?" I asked. My mind immediately switched to the show. Where exactly was I? Why didn't we finish the show? Did anything happen? Why was there fog in there? I tried to rationalize that perhaps something went wrong and I passed out. But as soon as I thought those words, images of two men holding me began to flood my mind.

"Bill?!" I yelled out in terror, gradually recovering from my cognitive process, and my first instinct was to get up. But the moment I tried, I was restrained by cuffs, the metal clacking against a pole. "What the hell," I said, pulling and pulling until the cuffs began to leave red marks on my skin. "Tom, please calm down!" The same familiar voice speaks, prompting me to look up. "Bill?" I replied softly. "Yes, I'm here"

We had passed a bright street lamp that illuminated the vehicle we were in. For a brief moment, I saw his face, a tear running down his cheek. "What happened? Where's Georg and Gustav?" I asked confusedly. "They were put in another vehicle," he explained, his voice cracking. It was obvious that he had been crying.

I could tell he was about to have a panic attack because his breathing was becoming heavier. I knew that if either of us had not been strong enough at the time, something would have happened. "Bill... it's okay. I'm here!" I spoke in the most reassuring tone I could muster. But I was fearful. "Tom... I am so sorry," Bill broke down. I could not see him, but I could tell what was on his mind.

I knew he blamed himself, and most likely hated himself. But none of this was his fault. "J-just try to explain what is going on, okay?" I said, my voice shaking slightly. He took a deep breath to calm himself. "All I remember is the performance and the smoke... men were running across the stage. They..." Bill was starting to lose himself in his thoughts again, and his breathing quickened. "Bill, please calm down. If we want to make it out of here...alive, we must stay strong," I begged him. I must have triggered something because he took a deep breath right away.

"R-right," he said as he wiped away tears. "The men had come up to Gustav first. They wrapped something around his head and dragged him away...Georg was quick to follow. I tried to fight back, but they had already captured me before I could reach you." He said. I could tell he was distraught and terrified. "We were all awake, but I suppose you caused them trouble, so they put you to sleep...At least that's what I had overheard."

"So what about Gustav and Georg?" I asked. "Well, they had taken two cars and placed you and me in one and Gustav and Georg in the other. Most likely to keep us apart."

"Maybe this is just some sick joke from David?" I asked, attempting to reason with myself. "No, Tom. These people are American...they are not like us." He said. "I heard them speak; it was not German, and there was no accent that would have led me to believe they were German either. I believe we are being taken to America."

"That's not true...We can't just leave Germany? What about Mom... David?"

"Tom, I don't know. I am simply scared..." Bill spoke softly. "Bill... I promise to always protect you. Nothing will happen to us? Okay..." I reassured him.

"Yeah," he replied, his tone hopeful but quickly dissipating.

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I believe Bill and I fell asleep during the car ride. We awoke to loud, muffled voices, and a light shone through the back window of the vehicle. "Is it the next day?" Bill expressed his confusion. "I suppose so," I said, sitting up.

The doors suddenly swung up. Two men were standing in front of us. They wore all black, including black sunglasses and a face mask that covered their noses and necks. "What is going on?!" I exclaim. "This is the same one we had trouble with," one of the men explained. "Knock him out," the other person suggested.

"No! Don't hurt him." Bill shouted out. The two men exchanged glances before closing in on us, grabbing our legs and pulling us closer to them. Bill began to scream, and I started to kick. "Nick, lion. Leave them alone," a deep voice said from behind. The two men immediately froze, "Yes, sir!" They said in unison, immediately letting go of us. "Let me see the boys," the same deep voice demanded.

The two men stepped to the side. A tall, dark man stood before us. He appeared to be in his fifties. His hair was black with noticeable grey hairs. He had a mole beneath his left eye and one directly beside his right eye. He wore a gold ring on his pinky finger and was holding a cigar and a cane. He looked at us, a faint smile forming on his lips. "You both. You look exactly like him," he said, crossing his arms.

"Who are you referring to?" I exclaimed angrily. He looked over at me and confidently said, "You are Tom, the one who is ten minutes older." "Okay, what is the problem?" I said, attempting to pull myself free of the cuffs. He chuckled, "You have his attitude too," he said, smiling. "Please tell us who you are and why we are here..." Bill said, tears running down his face.

"I will save the introductions until later, Bill." He said. Bill and I exchanged glances, perplexed as to why he seemed to recognize us but we did not. We were not well-known enough to be noticed by Americans. And, based on his appearance, he appeared to be more concerned with other matters than ours. "I am a friend of your father," he responded.

"How can you be a friend to our father if he died when we were only a few months old?" I shouted in anger. What exactly was he up to? Mock us? Make fun of us?

"I am assuming that is what your mother had told you. Convenient excuse." He scoffingly replied. "I believe I have told you two enough for today. You two seem intelligent enough to recognize that I am not from Germany. I come from another country. One that will become your new residence..." He laughed horribly as he spoke.

He turned to face the two men, saying, "Release them and bring them inside." He said, turning around and walking away.