CHAPTER FOURTEEN: DEADLOCKED

April 7, 2004

It's now April, and No Rules have wrapped filming the 'acting' parts of Dare 2 Dream. They still haven't gotten the songs from their albums. They just got the reject songs and b-sides from their two first albums. So the producers remixed the songs to give them an urban pop, even though it's not the musical direction NR were going. They're pretty much stuck since Epic hasn't given up all the songs.

But for the songs they did get, they had no choreographer. They persuaded Alex to be the band's temporary choreographer, so he agreed. On top of all that, they had to re-record some songs that had Alex's voice since he's older.

The NR members were just leaving the dance studio after a few hours of dance rehearsals when they got an anonymous text message. It told them to meet at a nearby Starbucks. When they arrived, they saw Jake and Libby.

Hannah asked, "Did you two text us?"

Jake replied, "Yeah, we did. We read on your website that you're in a deadlock with Epic on the lawsuit."

Edward, feeling irritated, said, "Yea, we are. What are you gonna do about it?"

Libby said, "My parents are very well-known lawyers, and they're also our lawyers. We decided we want to give you the lawyers."

Ashley asked "Who are they?"

"You ever heard of the law firm here in London, Walsh-Stewart?"

Alex chimed in, "Yeah, I think I've met them once. I don't remember too well. I was about 5 when I met them. I think."

Ashley said, "Yeah, we've heard of them. They're actually your parents?"

Libby beamed, "Yep! They're very good, so they should be able to force Epic to give you the rest of your songs."

Jake said, "Whilst we're here, is there anything we can do to help you."

The members looked at each other, and they all sat down. Edward said calmly, "Well, we're worried about our fans. We're afraid that we're going to lose fans if we don't continue being in the public."

"Hmm. Are you currently doing magazine interviews and photo shoots?"

"Yes."

With that, Jake and Libby talked amongst themselves for a few minutes. Then they turned to NR. Jake said, "Okay, we think you're doing good, but you feel like you need to do more."

Libby added, "We think you should participate in music festivals across Britain. Present your new music."

Alex scoffed, "It's fine as long we stay in England."

Libby asked, "Why do you say that?"

"It's cuz the music festivals that are held in Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland do mainly folk and traditional music. They wouldn't accept a mainstream teen pop band. Even if I am from Wales."

Edward said, "I agree, but we could at least try. It's not like we only have fans in England. We got fans all over Britain."

Jake said, "True. Are you gonna take this up to your managers?"

Ashley said, "We should."

So the members left Starbucks, and went to Dillon to meet with their managers. They told the ideas about hiring Libby's parents as their lawyers, and performing at music festivals across Britain. Logan and Peter agreed to the suggestions.

As the NR members were leaving, they ran into their rival B.A.S.E. When the B.A.S.E. members saw them, they gave NR dirty looks.

Blake asked roughly, "What are you rubbish lot doing here?"

Edward asked, "Blake, why are you pissed off?"

Marissa said smugly, "Well, we can't complain that we now have Simon Cowell as our new manager."

Mariana said, "Really? That's not bad. So why are you giving us dirty looks."

Andrew said, "We lost Dillon cuz of you. He's too focused on No Rules. Besides, why are you still together? Haven't you lot disappeared by now or something?"

The NR members were growing frustrated. They felt they had to explain the situation they were going through. Edward spoke: "Okay, we're still together is because we're now signed onto EMI Records. We're recording our third album. We're also filming Dare 2 Dream. We're also in the middle of a lawsuit. As for Peter Dillon, he, along with our other manager Logan Fulton, are working their arses off to get everything that's ours back from our old labels, Epic and Sony. We're in a deadlock right, but I guess you don't care."

Andrew scoffed, "Yea, you're right. We don't care."

With that, the B.A.S.E. members stormed off, indifferent to NR's troubles.

A week later, NR were at a music festival at Alex's home country, Wales. They were scheduled to close out the show. The concert organizers didn't like having NR perform because it was a last minute addition, and NR were a mainstream pop band. It didn't matter to them that Alex was from Wales. Nonetheless, the members were going to perform. They even announced it on their website.

The crowd was unusually large, but that was because it was filled with teenage NR fans. After several performers, NR was ready to perform. They perform brand new songs: This Is Our Day, Now It's You, I'm Gone, and Running Out On You. The last three songs were written by Alex. All the songs were on a CD, and were instrumental so they can sing live. The dance routines were choreographed by Alex.

The crowd loved the new NR sound, which was pop-rock. The members are on their way to their comeback, but they still have one thing holding them back: The lawsuit against Epic.