The chapter is up.

Why didn't J/S have the same problem when he got pushed into the pool?

When he was pushed into the pool, it wasn't in deep water; his head didn't go all the way under.



CJ

You caught me in mid-edit. When I looked back at Chapter 22 I realized why the same thing hadn't happened earlier. Good job on the continuity.
Jerry didn’t go all the way under, but the waist-deep water came up to his shoulders before he regained his balance enough to stand up.

Also, this was a spooky chapter. It seems as if we know what's in store for nearly everyone now. Eeevil goathanger indeed!

Jerry's present definitely has made me suspicious of Helen. Maybe she was evil after all. Also, as a member of SPiCE, I must object to giving Eric tequila. He also was close to being slashed with a knife. Need I say more?

I'm certainly no fan of Helen. I've been consistent about that throughout this entire story.

Which present are you referring to because there were two presents (alright one was technically from Gunter) and she thinks both of them are going to the same cause?

If anything I'm more suspicious than ever about Gunter. Helen's just a bitch. Gunter appears to be capable of much more evil than merely being a bitch. And he was absent when something might have happened which would have given him a solid alibi. Could that be J/S giving a trusted ally a solid alibi?

Nice chapter, CJ...

I do wonder what Vlad is planning now...and what Gunter is up to...



BeaStKid

.........Now the goat has you believing evil of Helen and Gunter?? I wonder what Gunter did on his day "off". He picked up a giant stuffed kangaroo for Vlad, that certainly was nice of him. I wonder if he slipped something inside the present, notice J/S is slipping? He didn't bother the "scan" this time, instead he immediately handed the gift to Vlad. Gunter is most likely a goverment agent, I wouldn't be surprised to learn that Vlad is working with him also.

Uhhh...

A few hours later, The Scar parked the Land Rover at his Toowoomba facility. A concerned Dimitri was there to meet him. After sweeping both the vehicle and the giant stuffed kangaroo, Dimitri asked, “How is the situation, Vohzd?”

.......How in the hell did I miss that, I am blaming lack of sleep!!

I was talking about the stuffed kangaroo.

Why would that make Helen evil?

It's the shock value more than anything else. I know that as an author I like to present shock value. Besides, there has been plenty of shock value in this story. Why should we not expect more?

I guess it's because I don't see how that gift could be evil or shocking.

Great chapter, CJ. I particularly liked:

Alcohol abuse. That's a good line. Eric seems to have mastered controlling his tongue when drinking tequila. Jerry didn't get any damaging information from him. The effect of tequila on Eric seems to be primarily pranks (throwing ice water on the lovers and pushing businessmen into the pool).

And there's no cliffhanger this time. I am sure everyone agrees.

However much I do not like agreeing to this fact, but yeah...there wasn't any cliffie this time...

Perhaps there were no new cliffies. There were certainly plenty of reinforcements about existing cliffies! Especially with regard to what J/S has planned for any number of groups and individuals.

That will probably be resolved in the final chapter. I have no idea which chapter is the final one.

Great chapter CJ

I really like the hi jinx that Eric gets into when he has had a shot or three of tequila . Although I'm a member of SPICE, Eric seemed to come out unscathed.....this time. Still, I think Jon should become a member as well by his comments that why would Jerry have an son that is an addict, and yet turn around and ply Eric with his weakness at the same time.

Actually this made me wonder....did J/S get Joe addicted in the first place? Yes we know that Joe was weak when he lost his mom, but it appears J/S will use substances to control who he wants



Far from me to disagree with a few people , but there appears to be a plot line that is building, which could be construed as a cliffhanger .

And I have to give credit to Gary for getting me thinking about it, it has to due with Helen .

Now follow me on this one.

Way back in chapter 21, we have this conversation between J/S and Mario:


Now this passage was enough for me to start a poll over. He describes how he hates security risks, and that he has some loose ends which would make me think that who would be a security risk.

Next in this chapter we have this between Helen and J/S:



This would only be ironic if Helen's personal money was to have her personally killed.

So this made me start thinking about Helen as being the security risk or the loose end that needed to be tended to.

I know that I may have argued that Joe was the loose end who maybe knew about J/S's activities but what if I was wrong , and it has been Helen working close with J/S all this time.

Really, she has done quite a few things in the past that kind of could show she maybe has a relationship with J/S and knows more than what is good for her.

Things like:

• She kind of controls the group maybe a little more than a manager would normally due.
• She knew to go to Jerry when she needed some evidence that would direct the police to Gabe and maybe leave herself and him out of the police investigation.
• She really has been the only one pushing for the guys to like Jerry.
• She controls the guys money, I think they said once before that they really don't know where there money is, but Helen assured them that it is stored away in case their careers come to an end.
• She helped convince the guys to get rid of Joe, and at the same time brings Jerry on the scene.

I'm just getting really suspicious of her all of a sudden.

So what do you think?

Steve

Wow... there is a lot of Helen Bashing going on. you guys are turning into a bunch of haters

I'm going to disagree

• She kind of controls the group maybe a little more than a manager would normally due. -- Controlling a group is a managers job. I have seen no actions on Helen's part to indicate she is stepping out of her purview, other then some motherly feelings that bubble to the surface now and again.
  
• She knew to go to Jerry when she needed some evidence that would direct the police to Gabe and maybe leave herself and him out of the police investigation. -- Did she go to jerry, or did Jerry come forward with the information? I seem to remember him showing up and volunteering the information provided that Instinct keep his company, and provide help with Joe in the Future
  
• She really has been the only one pushing for the guys to like Jerry. -- Her Soft spot for the man is born of his lies and deceit. If she knew the real jerry I doubt she would push for the guys to give him a break.
  
• She controls the guys money, I think they said once before that they really don't know where there money is, but Helen assured them that it is stored away in case their careers come to an end. -- Once again typical of managers, How do you think MC hammer ended up broke all of the sudden? The entertainment industry is rife with stories of less then savory managers embezzling money. Yet what person high on Fame wants to be hassled with the monotony of paying bills?
  
• She helped convince the guys to get rid of Joe, and at the same time brings Jerry on the scene. -- She most certainly did not! She agreed with the Carlise brothers decision to be rid of Joe now that they had a suitable replacement, and noted Brandon would have more stage presence the Joe Clump. Let's not forget the position Joe Left Instinct in in the first place with a string of No-Shows. Joe Forced that situation on Himself it was not Helen.

Geeze guys, stop hating the woman. I have seen nothing yet to give me any reason to hate, or even suspect her.

...................I gotta agree, some people are looking too Hard!! I guess we needs some cliffies

I'll concede one point about Helen even though I continue to think she's a bitch. Does anyone remember this from Chapter 5 when she was talking to Brandon about money and his debit card?

Exactly. That is not typical management behavior. What does a manager care how much money their charge spends? As long as the money keeps rolling and they still receive thirty percent they could care less. Helen at least displays the forethought to keep the guys financially stable, even after the fickle entertainment industry is done with them.

Well, let me throw this back at you then

We know that J/S's fund raiser back in LA was a ruse to raise money for his special project .

We know that J/S has a legitimate shipping business.

We know that Gabe was skimming money, and to this day I believe that it was for J/S's activities.

Does this not mean that he may or may not have a confidant within the Instinct close circle?

Maybe the investment fund is all a ruse for actually the "Jerry takes over the world fund"

How and where does he get the money to buy radioactive material, kryton switches, vast amount of land and buildings in Australia, precision machinery needed to make nuclear devices, fly everywhere at a whim to take care of a 'situation'?

I think Instinct is more broke than what they know.

Steve

I don't care how successful Instinct is, fact remains this is their sophomore album. To put it bluntly, they are not that successful. You forget Instinct gets their share after the record company, after promoters, and after venues. They are simply small fries in the fast food kitchen that is Jerry's revenue stream. Was Gabe involved in funneling money? Maybe, but why would Jerry extend the risk for such a small reward?

Jerry doesn't need the band for money, Jerry needs the band to smuggle the devices. nothing more. As for the inside man, he had Joe, If Helen was his "inside guy" why would she wash away Joe and replace him with an unknown roadie? That would imply a grudge against Joe, and possibly upset the status-que.

I believe what the story has presented so far, Instinct is just the unwitting currier. Gabe and the skimming was just an incidental that was not connected.

I still think there's something off about Helen. She seems rather harsh at times. I also wonder if she really doesn't know about how Jerry really is. What if she knows everything? I still think there is a possibility that she is part of the conspiracy. I may be wrong, but I'll find out for sure when the story reaches its conclusion.

Meh! Helen is a sweet little bitch lady

CJ never mentioned how much money Gabe was skimming. The money seems to have been that which was intended to house and feed the roadies. That might be a significant amount of money to Gabe, but I'm sure it amounts to nothing in terms of the kind of money J/S needs.


There is no investment fund. Helen told Brandon that each of the guys puts most of their money into investment funds and expected Brandon to do the same.


Shadowgod is right up to a point. The only real money a band like Instinct makes is what they earn from being on the road.

..........If she is part of a conspiracy, where is it? She gave money to J/S for his charitable work and yet J/S is going to use for a down payment on Helen's demise?? So what part does she play in what conspiracy??

Bingo...my thoughts exactly...

I still think Helen's being framed.... Only a formal declaration of IHH is left... (I HATE HELEN)

IMO none! She's just a bitch woman who got lucky and snagged a lucrative contract with a fairly successful band.


May I be a member please?

I am not starting that club...

Coward!

I am not in agreement with the club's ideals... I have nothing against Helen...though, i do agree that she's a bitch

.........As I stated earlier in this thread, she is exactly what Instinct needs, bitch or not. She knows how to publicize the group, shields them from papparrazi, with characters like Eric running around they need a strong hand.

I suppose I can start it. I just thought of a name, HuMiD for Helen Must Die.

I don't know about a conspiracy. And I honestly haven't made my mind up about Helen.

But, Helen may knowingly give money to help out J/S with his evil plot. At the same time J/S views Helen as a means to an end: the movement of the bombs. When that is accomplished why is there any reason to keep Helen around? He could be using her to accomplish a goal and then plan to kill her once that goal is complete, just like Vladdimir.

........Still doesn't make sense to me, if nothing else she has bought hook line & sinker Jerry's charitable works. And yes, J/S is using them.

Respectfully, what role does Helen have when it comes to moving the bombs? None. She manages the band, not their equipment! The equipment used to be the responsibility of someone who is now dead!

Poor Helen...

A good manager will care quite a lot about his/her clients' financial welfare. Smart entertainers will have a professional investment manager handle their money rather than their performance manager and the manager should be totally in favor of that. It wouldn't reflect well on a manager whose clients are "established" performers (i.e. no longer very popular) and broke at age thirty.

........I wonder what role Barbra has in this, seems she is frequently on the net, maybe she is moving the bands money for them.

Respectfully, what role does Helen have when it comes to moving the bombs? None. She manages the band, not their equipment! The equipment used to be the responsibility of someone who is now dead!


Due to Helen's wonderful abilities to protect the band from paparazzi they now have photos of them sneaking around J/S's trailer wherein lies a dead body and some speakers-cum-bomb cases. And while technically not paparazzi there's that photo of Brandon and Chase holding hands on the beach.

........Hey, she did all she could...Eric leads them to their own demise...and Chase & Brandon, well boys just wanta be boys!~!

Well, she can't be everywhere...

What role does she have in moving the bands equipment? Thats easy shes hires the company that does so.

As for knowingly giving money to Jerry for his evil plot... Well that was a ridiculous statement. She was giving money to help Jerry's Kids ( Jerry Lewis should be outraged, probably is and calling us all sorts of colorful names while he thinks the camera is off ) Therefore, she did not knowingly give Jerry money to aide in his evil plot.

Yeah she is a manager, so thats 1 strike. She can be pushy and forceful, that isn't her fault, she is, after all, a woman. Is that her only trespass?



My Point exactly mike. She could give a care less about where they are in thirty years. She could only care about what she can reap from the harvest before it runs out. She is obviously thinking further down the road then just her own gain. She is highly commendable in that regard.

In fact i think she does a damn good job of managing the bad. What was her harshest restriction, making sure that bars knew not to serve tequila to Eric in advance? Geesh cry me a river, she could be like another character who just took the money and gave it to someone else. Beyond that what? wanting them to make sure Gunter was with them whenever they were running around the city?

hardly any of these qualify her as the name you guys keep putting a strike-through across. Honestly, if I were in Instincts shoes, I'd WANT Helen looking after my interests.

........There lies the problem, with everyone complaining about Helen, when she gives the "freedom", the band screws it up. Not her!!

I could have sworn it was the boy's father who hired J/S and was involved in a few other business relationships with him. That's based on what J/S stated in Chapter 8 when he first met the boys after J/S helped expose Gabe's embezzling.


Isn't that enough?

Ahh yes, when the boys father was their manager, thanks for helping prove my point Gary . However, Helen still retained Jerry after the misfortune with Joe came to light.

Okay, She seems to be a bad judge of character, but I'm sure we have all been in the same boat as well. ( the bad judge of character boat, not the retain a national arms dealer boat.)

.........I'm wonderring if the "father" will make an apperance in coming chapters. Was he also involved with the shipping business?