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

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

Roger looked wildly around the motor court, but it was just as he feared; his six-foot, stone-faced white rabbit had vanished. An empty motor court lay before him.

"No, no, no, not again," he whispered tremulously, clenching his hair in his fists. "For fuck's sake, not again."

"He was just here," Madelyn exclaimed. "I saw him go! You saw him too, rig-"

"Ms. BOYD!"

With a precautionary wince, Madelyn turned toward the indignant third voice approaching her from some phantom location. At once the guards swept in front of its owner before he could draw too near, but Madelyn knew she could not hide behind the human shields for long. Better to just defang the snake before it could strike.

"Hi, Dr. K," she sighed.

"I thought I told you to stay put!" her superior exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"What I can."

K snorted, too frustrated to inquire how Madelyn had ingratiated herself with Roger enough to have joined him on his side of the security line in under three minutes. "How? What do you expect to gain by blowing your own cover? If we're both out of the game, what chance do they have at staying together?"

"Well, it's not like I could send them back anyway, I don't have the authorization. But- I couldn't just sit there. I wanted to help you and there's nothing I can do right now just waiting for you guys..."

Roger heard none of their bickering, too lost was he in his own thoughts. He shielded his eyes against the afternoon sun and squinted, straining his weak vision to its limit, unsure what exactly he was even looking for but doing his best to find it.

Why does this keep happening to me.

"For fuck's sake, Freddie, at least let me explain!" Roger exclaimed, throat tight with emotion. He took a few absent-minded steps forward. "I've come all this way to see you, I've waited so many goddamn years, don't fuck with me like this, I can't handle-"

Mid-sentence, Roger's shin collided with something hard and unyielding. Reflexively he looked down, and frowned when he saw only the motor court's glossy red pavement. Confused, he reached out his hands, expecting no obstruction, prepared to feel empty space- and gasped when his palms pressed against a smooth, cool surface.

Roger's heart fluttered. Right, my eyesight is bad, but I'm not blind. What's going on here?

As if in answer, something popped, hissed, and presently banged Roger square in the chin.

Stunned, he reeled back a little, but before he could gather his bearings any further, a hand grabbed his arm and pulled him in. By the time he had the chance to process any of this, he found himself sprawled awkwardly upon the seat of an unfamiliar car, whose passenger side door had just snapped shut and whose tires were already rolling away from the hotel.

"Don't be frightened, Roger; you've been borrowed, not kidnapped," murmured the man behind the wheel. "You are welcome to call the police, but there's not much point if you do because I will bring you back well before the public meltdown becomes permanent."

Roger whirled to face that same hulking, elusive figure he had chased out of the lobby only minutes ago. Instantly the panic rising inside him shifted to belligerence.

"Where are you taking me?" he demanded.

"Well, you said you wanted to explain," replied the BFG.

"Yes, to Freddie, not you." Roger twisted around and peered into the back seat, which was empty. "Where is he?"