The Bad Tour(ture)

Chapter 49 - Another Part of Me

The bus stopped in front of the hotel.  I woke up as soon as I heard the screaming and sirens again.

"We're here, Button," Michael said with a kiss.  "Get up.  You're going to go after me.  So just wait.  Keith knows when to tell you to go inside."

"This isn't even my hotel."

"I know.  But you can stay here with me.  I want you to."

I looked him up and down as he was standing in front of me putting his jacket on.  He grabbed my hand and I slipped my sneakers on before standing up.  He opened the door and told me to wait in a seat in the middle of the long bus so I wouldn't be seen through the front window.  When he went up front, I noticed Benny hopping on to the bus.  When that door opened, the screams just poured in. 

"Wait! Wait! Wait!" I heard someone shouting from outside. 

Keith shut the door and Michael stepped back. 

I saw police officers outside with helmets and sticks.  I knew they would use it if they really had to.  Benny was talking to someone over a walkie-talkie.  They were saying the crowd was too large and too close to the bus.  Then I heard someone say "use Shakira as a decoy."

Michael quickly shook his head.  "No," he said sternly.  "I'm not putting her in danger."

Benny put the walkie-talkie to his mouth.  "Michael said we ain't doin' that.  Just clear the doors, man.  Get these people out of here."

"Why are we so far from the entrance," Michael asked him.

"We can't move up.  The crowd is blocking off the path.  We just have to make a run for it."

Michael looked over at me.  He walked towards me and assured me that I would be okay.

"The door is right there," I said putting my hand out towards the window.

"Yes, but trust me.  If it's overcrowded like this, a five second walk can take forever and be potentially dangerous."

"We're going around the side of the building," Benny yelled to us.

"No, we can't even move you just said."  He started walking up front.  "Just get me in there."

"There's a crowd forming in the lobby.  They weren't expecting us this early," someone said on Benny's two-way.

Everyone sighed at once.

We had to sit around and wait for them to clear the lobby now.  People started banging on the bus again. 

"Alright, we're ready to go."

"Let me go first," I said standing up.

"No," Michael said looking at me.

I tied my hair back into a ponytail and walked up to Michael.  "I'll be fine."  I took his shades out of his front pocket of his jacket.  I threw on his ran bans and put the jacket over my head.

"No, Shakira!" he said again.

"Just take me through the right revolving door and once I get out, hurry and take him through the left. 

"They're not going to mistake you for him this time.  They can still see you."

"I don't care.  It'll distract them for a few seconds and that's all you need."

Michael shook his head as I walked up front.  "Come here."

I ignored him and told Keith to open the door but he wouldn't take demands from me.