I head upstairs to the kitchen where I’m suspecting I’ll find the two remaining band members I have to interview. With Abuela down in Miami, I am sure the delicious aroma’s emanating from the kitchen are from A.G. Hiatt’s never-ending stomach and John’s fifteen thousand calorie a day diet keeps someone in that kitchen rather busy.

As I enter the bright room, I find the cooking is done and its lunch time. However, only John Lucas sits at the table and I begin to wonder if I’m about to interrupt a private meal between him and A.G.

 

John: “There you are. This is getting cold and I’m getting hungry, have a seat.” *Points to the chair next to him at the table. *

J.S.: “Just you and me? Where are Hiatt and A.G.?”

John: “Took their plates to park it in the man cave to watch recorded episodes of Shark Week. You know how nuts she is about that show. She rarely gets the opportunity to watch it and she convinced Hiatt they are the ocean’s vampires, so of course, he’s on board.” *Rolls his eyes. *

 

I chuckle as I approach the table and take my seat. However, the meal in front of me has me scrunching my nose and I all but forget my manners as this is caught by the host.

 

John: “Oh shit, we completely forgot you are a vegetarian.”

J.S.: “It’s okay, it’s not the first time this has happened.”

 

Back in the day orange chicken would have delighted me, especially this offering. The woman really knows her way around a wok apparently.

 

John: “Well, Hiatt isn’t the only one around here with a bottomless stomach.” *Takes my plate and scoops all the chicken onto his. *

 

As he sets my now noodles and vegetables back in front of me I smile at him. It smells so good and my stomach is in full agreement.

 

John: “Alright, let’s take the next few minutes and stuff our faces. I heard that from over here.”

 

I nod in agreement and dig in. Wow his woman can cook. For the next several minutes we eat in comfortable silence and I watch in awe as John shovels it in. After taking a sip of a delicious dry white, which no doubt he chose for the meal, my curiosity is getting the better of me.

 

J.S.: “Holy crap! Are you really that hungry?”

John: *Swallows last bite and nods and then picks up his own glass of wine. * “I’m completely off the meds which means my appetite is back. Now that I’m back in the gym full time, my body is starving for the protein and nutrients. Sorry if I come across as such as pig.”

J.S.: “No don’t be, you’re hungry. It’s a compliment to most women actually that men have a healthy appetite.”

 

He’s placated and starts digging in again. I also resume eating all the while attempt to see his scars under his tank top. So far, I’ve been unsuccessful. To my embarrassment, he catches me and stops eating. After putting down his fork, he moves his shirt to the side so I can get a good view.

 

J.S.: “Wow, a few of the scars are barely noticeable. And the one left where they opened your chest is practically invisible.”

John: “They did a good job patching me up. Now the question is will they have to again?”

 

I should have seen this question coming a mile away. He wants the answer to the cliff hanger. He knows my rule; I don’t reveal it to anybody, for any reason. They can try and torture it out of me, but I’m not budging. Everyone will read the answer at the same time. It’s a fair rule, it’s a good rule … oh who the fuck am I kidding? I haven’t figured it out yet.

 

J.S.: “You’ll have to wait and see.”

John: “Look J.S., I know you are one for pushing boundaries with your writing and all, but with this? Don’t.” *Glares at me. *

J.S.: “Are you honestly threatening your creator John Marc Lonewolf?”

John: “Yes. If it’s a decision between her or me, it’s me. Period. End of.”

 

Of all the pompous, Neanderthal, ballsy things someone could say to me, this is right at the top of the list.

 

J.S.: “I’m the writer, not you.”

John: “I’m in your head, so I’m a part of you. The logical side of me says you can’t shoot her because you can’t kill off your main character. However, after reading what I have? Anything with you is possible.”

J.S.: “Okay, that’s the perfect lead into my first question, how do you like the series so far?” *Scowls at him indicating I am far from amused. *

John: “Look I know you’re pissed, but is my reaction all that surprising? She’s my entire world J.S.”

 

If I have to be honest, it isn’t. To John, the sun rises and sets with her. It’s not every day you find your soul mate, and all of this had to have been terrifying for him.

 

J.S.: “Just like I shared with Cole downstairs, you’re going to need to trust me.”

John: “My answer, I love the series, sans your last book. I have to be honest J.S., I didn’t care for it. It wasn’t the writing, it was…”

J.S.: “There was a lot going on.”

John: “You didn’t have to do it.” *Shakes his head while staring into his wine glass. *

 

Again, I shouldn’t be surprised by his reaction about killing off Sister Maria Therese. She was Alex’s mom. John overall just wants to protect Alex from anything which could hurt her, he’s her knight in shining armor. However life doesn’t work that way and is often times, unpredictable.

 

J.S.: “Believe me, I was just as shocked when the idea was presented to me.”

John: “Bullshit. I think in a way you secretly get off on putting your characters through a bit of hell.”

 

Oh yeah, the man is several degrees of pissed at me for not sparing the nun’s life. Now I’m getting several shades of it because I’m feeling like I have to justify my decisions. I don’t like doing that with anyone, let alone a make-believe character in my head. However, if I want this one to cooperate, I need to settle this argument once and for all.

 

J.S.: “Alright, you want to know the real story behind it?”

John: “Just answer me this, did you write her dying before or after you lost your dad?”

J.S.: “Before, I didn’t get the phone call about my dad until I was in the middle of editing chapter twelve. Now, may I continue?”

 

He nods satisfied with my answer and rests his face on his hands and listens closely. While he’s far from amused, he’s willing to give me a shot.

 

J.S.: “Resurrection’s cliffhanger was all of you blowing up at each other at a conference table discussing you and Alex’s secret relationship. Drake Mitchell quits the band. Hiatt also resigns citing if they can’t support you and Alex, then he wants nothing to do with them. Cole quits as well after he finds out Seth fucking jumped. I finally end it with a huge speech from Seth where he blames you for the rise and fall of Hells Redemption and then goes to see if he can find his best friend worried he’ll die from a drug overdose death because you’re with Alex instead of Drake.”

 

John is giving me a shocked expression and then looks away blinking slowly.

 

J.S.: “I could have made it work, it would have been messy, but it was outlined. Then Sister Maria Therese paid me a visit like you all do from time to time and well, you read what ended up on paper.”

John: “Fuck, I hate to admit this, but what you came up with is better.”

J.S.: “Thank you. John, this story centers around the woman you love and her journey on the way to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It’s how she deals with the distractions and detours of life and whether or not they’ll prevent her from achieving her dreams. While death is far from sexy to write, it’s a fact of life. I know this all too well.”

John: “I just wish you’d let up a bit on her.”

J.S.: “I can’t John, you’re not listening to me. This entire thing is about her. The rest of you are simply along for the ride.”

John: “Damn it J.S., I love her, I can’t lose her.”

 

It’s then it hits me with stunning clarity who John Lucas exactly is in my psyche.

 

J.S.: *Smiles indulgently. * You’re my anxiety, stress, worry, doubt … fear. No wonder why I designed you to look the way you do. Strong and formidable in hopes you’ll hide all these things when in reality, they’re within you. Holy shit.”

John: “Was wondering when you were going to figure that out.”

J.S.: “All of that John, doesn’t fester trust at all. Now I see why you have such an issue with it. However, it won’t stop me from encouraging you to do just that. Please, just trust me okay?”

John: “It’s all I can do I guess. I hope you’ll come up with a clever away around this. By the look in your eyes, you have as you’ve been sitting here talking with me.”

 

I smirk at him and take another sip of wine, he’s right. While arguing with him, or essentially with myself about my insecurities about the next installment in this series, I came up with the answer to the cliffhanger, and it’s fucking brilliant.

 

John: “Alright Author, let’s get on with the interview. What’s your next question?”

J.S.: “Your character’s development so far, happy or unenthusiastic about it?”

 

I can’t hold my laughter in and let it rip, his expression is priceless. I just seem to be a masochist when it comes to this man.

 

John: “Smart ass.”

J.S.: “Well?”

John: “I’m actually quite happy how you’ve made me so far. I’m a lot like my dad, and that’s not a bad way to live life if you ask me.”

J.S.: “Your answer warms my heart, thank you.”

John: “Sorry if you feel like I’ve been beating you up today.”

J.S.: “Don’t be. Through this craziness is where my best ideas come from.”

John: “Okay, next question.”

J.S.: “Besides Sister Maria Therese’s death, what in your opinion has been the most surprising thing to happen in this series so far?”

John: “I really can’t think of anything else to be honest. Her death was pretty shocking.”

J.S.: “It was, to me too.”

John: “What else?”

 

I can sense he’s still feeling a bit of guilt for being so hard on me today and is hoping for something to steer away from the tension. I think about the next question and smile to myself.

 

J.S.: “Alright, now that you’re a music mogul starting your own label, I’m pretty curious about your take on this. What is your opinion about Gene Simmons comments about rock being murdered?”

John: “He was right, it is.”

J.S.: “Alright, go on.”

John: “It’s been dying a slow death for quite some time now. Corporate conglomerates and their influence have tainted the industry. It’s almost as bad as politics at this point. Look how many rock radio stations existed all but ten years ago and look how many there are today and tell me it’s not. How many are there here in Florida dedicated solely to contemporary rock or Heavy-Metal?”

J.S.: “Three.”

John: “See? Satellite radio service is what’s keeping it above water at the moment. Social media along with YouTube also keep it relevant. We’re in a different day and age. MTV used to be all about videos all the time. Now? You’re a shot. The trick to it will be making them relevant enough to survive. It won’t be easy.”

J.S.: “This next question may surprise you. If Seth Batista and Drake Mitchell hadn’t discovered you and Hiatt in a bar, in a little one stop light town in New Mexico, would Hells Redemption be what it is today?”

John: “Don’t you mean, would he and I ever have left the commune?”

J.S.: “Yeah, you’re right, that is the actual question.”

John: “I left it for Hiatt. I was okay with remaining there. My brother on the other hand, he just wanted out, and this was his opportunity.”

J.S.: “You really look out for each other, don’t you?”

 

I’m getting the sense things are about to get tense again, and the feeling becomes overwhelming as he looks at me with emotion in his eyes unlike anything I’ve ever seen. My going after his girlfriend in words is one thing, his brother? Whole different ball game.

 

John: “You’re going to bring that shit up in the next book, aren’t you?”

J.S.: “I’ve been dropping cryptic hints along the way about his past; those have to be answered sooner or later. Again, it all comes down to trusting me John.”

 

He simply shakes his head and looks away. I decide to ask the next question, not sure if he’ll answer it, but also in hopes it will distract him from his line of thinking. When this man broods, it’s as colossal as he is.

 

J.S.: “I know what I have in my head for your character’s future, but what do you want John?”

John: “I want everyone in my life to be healthy, happy and free from any pain. If they are, then I am.”

J.S.: “John, that’s not reality.”

John: “You’re a fictional writer J.S., you can make it so.”

J.S.: “I can, but it would be predictable and boring.”

John: “Nothing wrong with those two things.”

J.S.: “We’re never going to see eye to eye on this, will we?”

John: “Your books would probably suck if we did.” *Snorts and then toasts his wine glass with a smirk and knocks the rest back. *

J.S.: “Alright, go take a break in the back of my head somewhere. I have to come up with what to say to your girlfriend.”

John: “And you think I have trust issues? You don’t trust yourself with your own heroine?”

J.S.: “You’ve been harping on me about it today, I killed her mom.”

John: “And you lost your dad along the way, as well as your grandmother. I think you’ll find you both have something in common.”

J.S.: “Okay, seriously, go away now, I’m sick of crying.”

John: “She is too.”