A Man For All Seasons (Queen or Freddie Mercury Fanfic)

How the Other Half Lives: A Change in Lineup, Part One

What a novel idea, why didn't I think of that myself, Roger griped inwardly.

He had no plan of course to walk away. Hardly. Roger had already made up his mind that he would personally swipe Freddie's key card on every single door in this massive resort until he found the right one, be arrested for attempted breaking and entering then forcibly removed from the premises before he would even entertain the idea of giving up. At the absolute bare minimum, he had to clear his name; over Roger's dead body would he let his best mate believe he was anybody's pawn, let alone Dr. Preus's.

Suddenly a new, female voice called out. It wasn't a voice he recognized, and most of the sentence sank unheard into the sea of noise. But he caught the name, a name he never anticipated a crowd like this to produce.

"...Preus..."

Why, speak of the devil.

Roger spun around, pushing his glasses further up his nose and squinting over the heads of his protectors. There behind the barrier waved a young woman. Her face seemed familiar somehow, but just yet he couldn't place the memory.

"Was that you?" he called, pointing at her.

The woman nodded frantically. Roger motioned to one of the guards. Ten seconds and a quick bag search later, the woman was admitted into Roger's semi-circular bubble.

"What do you know about him?" he demanded.

"I work with him," she said breathlessly. "You don't remember me, but I was there at the house with the other rats- with that totaled Benz, remember? My name's Madelyn Boyd. You're the drummer for Queen, right?"

Roger nodded. "I am, yeah."

"Are you trying to track him down?" He could tell from the furtive way she glanced around the lobby and the new hush in her tone that by "him", she was not referring to her boss.

"Well, I know you are," Roger muttered.

"Don't have to. I know where he is."

Just barely Roger reined in a maniacal shout of "THEN WHERE THE FUCK IS HE YOU TWO-FACED C---" and instead poured on the frost. "Then why don't you and your people go ambush him again like the lot of wankers you are and drag him away?"

Madelyn swallowed hard. "That's not why I'm here. Honestly, I'm not even supposed to be here at all. When C, Preus, all those guys learn I've gone AWOL, that's the end of my career."

"And yet you're letting all these people take photos of you, talking to me," Roger said dryly, gesturing at the crowd. "Yes, you're clearly putting a lot on the line."

"Actually, I am. My internship is likely being revoked as we speak. I just couldn't stay away, not when the stuff that really matters is happening here."

"What reason do I have to believe this isn't another trap to frame me for your people's antics? He already thinks we're working together, trying to catch him or some such rubbish."

Madelyn sighed. "Not everyone who works for Dr. Preus agrees with what's happening. Now, do you want my help or not?"

"How could you possibly help me?"

Madelyn's gaze drifted past Roger. "To begin with, there goes their bodyguard."

Roger followed her eyes, and gasped. Sure enough, that same hulking figure passed, loping stiffly toward the lobby exit alone. There wasn't a moment to lose. Selecting Madelyn and three guards to accompany him, Roger hurried after the BFG. Well, "hurry" in this case is somewhat of an exaggeration, considering how long it actually took for the rest of his security to clear a path to the door. By the time they managed to safely leave the building, Roger had already convinced himself it was too late.