Standing in the employee area you found your self sighing again wanting to groan in nothing short of frustration. There was no one in sight! And to make matters worse you doubt anyone would go to studio one, and studio two was off limits until you all found some sort of key for that trailer. So here you were tapping your foot against the tile finishing of the employee area staring around with a frown creasing your lips.

"This is pointless! At this rate we're never gonna find this director and this producer" you sighed again but your words came out more as a pouty huff.

"No it's not!" Maya walked to you after you crossed your arms. "I think I see some one in WP's dressing room!" Maya pointed to the door and sure enough it was open partially and the shadow of a person inside the frosted window. But you couldn't see anything else but that, suddenly anxiety washed over you as you felt your heart beat quicken. Could it be the murder!

"Why didn't you mention something before! We've been standing here for two minutes already!" Phoenix groaned as quietly as he could shaking his head at maya who pouted.

"I didn't think it was worth mentioning it's hard to tell! Maybe it's just the coat hanger!" She was trying to defend her self.

"It doesn't matter let's just check it out" you waved your hand in dismissal walking towards the door before stopping, you were afraid. Afraid to open the door, afraid to see just what lurked behind it. In a way it was thrilling, not knowing what was there getting into trouble with Phoenix. But at the same time it was terrifying. Finally you reached for the door grasping the handle and swinging it open making a man jump turning his head to look at you in the doorway with Phoenix and maya behind you.

You had to bite back a repulsed expression, normally you tried not to judge people on appearances because you never wanted to judge a book by its cover. But there was no way this man was a decent human being, he was over weight, stains of god knows what on his clothes, his hair was greasy and he wore a baseball cap to cover up the roots.(Which you were certain he was beginning to bald and was trying to cover it up). You almost wanted to vomit at the amount of food crumbs this guy had, not to mention he just wreaked of something. Maya cowered behind you as the man's beady eyes widen looking you up and down. You've never been so uncomfortable having some one look at you that way(though if you were being honest he must of been undressing you with his eyes..gross. Sicko.).

"WTF? Who are jree d00dz!? LMAO!" The man finally spoke and you found your eyes widening, what did he just say? Was he speaking in text lingo...aloud?!

"H-huh!? W-we... Wait, you first! Who are you!? You look pretty suspicious to me!" Maya gasped out from behind you as Phoenix walked in a look on his face as he kept his distance close to you.

"Whatever, l4m3rs! How can j00 not know the great Sal Manella!? I make teh L33T SH0WZ! The Steel Samurai? Mine! RTFC!" Manella spoke and his voice was just, something unpleasant like the sound of nails on a chalk board. You didn't understand half the things this man said. You couldn't believe he directed a children's show, but then again he seems like a man child to the extreme.

"R-really!? You're THE Sal Manella!? I'm so sorry! I, just, you looked so... Sorry!" Maya looked shocked like never in a million years she'd of guessed him to be the director of her favorite show. You cleared your throat.

"No no, quite alright. Really. It's fine. ROFL!..." manella fell silent suddenly looking maya over from what he could behind you. Now you were angry did he know how old she was?!

"U-um" Maya noticed his uncomfortable staring.

"You know, on closer inspection... Mmm... Yeah... Hot! Hot! Hot!" Suddenly manella gasped out and that's when you had it, Phoenix couldn't even say anything too shocked some one would say that, sometimes he was too oblivious.

"Mr.Manella, I'm going to ask you once to NOT look at Maya that way again." You huffed finding that's just all you could say blocking her from his vision.

"Mm!-Yes! Yes! ROFL! You're hotter! hot hot!" Manella began to drool and that was when Phoenix stepped in blocking you from sight now. "You've Both triggered my CR34T1V3 P0W3RZ! Yes... yes, it's coming to me! "Pink Princess"! The sequel to the Steel Samurai... "Pink Princess: Warrior of Little Olde Tokyo!" ROFL... LMAO! Hmm! Yes yes!" Manella began to pant and you resisted the urge to make another face. Maya just looked confused.

"Why's it gotta be "Little" Olde Tokyo!? Why can't it have a cool name, like "Neo Olde Tokyo"!?" Maya gasped a bit and you just rolled your eyes. You wondered what Phoenix was thinking as he kept standing in front of you with a narrowed gaze. But he didn't say anything, you wondered why, maybe because there wasn't much he could say.

"Did you notice anything unusual on the day of the murder?" Phoenix talked through clenched teeth now and you wondered if he was angry.

"Oh, I know who j00 d00dz are. That security lady told j00 about us, eh?" Manella laughed a little and you found your self peeking over Phoenix to see him. You didn't want to see him laugh but you at least wanted to be part of the conversation.

"That's right." Phoenix seemed to have a hard time keeping himself level headed but then his eyes shifted over to you, you saw a fire but nothing like the kinds you're used to in his eyes. This one was different and you had to say sent chills down your spine.

"It was a pretty regular day. We had a run-through for an action scene in the morning. Then a meeting from lunchtime in the Studio Two trailer. Heh. I was so busy I didn't even get a chance to eat lunch!" Manella frowned seeming like he regretted not eating, honestly you don't think he was missing out on much.

"A t-bone steak, was it?" You spoke up now raising a brow.

"Yeah... sux0rz! I hate missing out on food..." Manella trailed off his gaze lingering on you.

"Nick, (Y/N)...what does "Sucksores" mean?" Maya spoke from behind you now and you just made a face.

"I don't know and I don't think I want to know, this man doesn't even speak the English language" you sighed a bit shaking your head.

"Anyway, I was in a meeting from noon till after 4:00. With the producer, and some bigwigs from the network." Manella waved his hand in dismissal and you had to look away not wanting to see the sweat drenched hand. If he was right though that meeting gave him a good enough alibi, though the question that still needs to be asked was if they took a break?

"About the producer who was at the meeting with you..." Phoenix spoke again seeming thoughtful now even though he made sure to keep you and maya behind him, it was almost sweet. You sort of liked this protective side of him. (Sort of was an understatement you liked it a lot.)

"Oh, you mean Dee Vasquez? She's a genius. M4d sk1llz, all the way. Scary, though." Manella seemed to sweat more at the mention of Vasquez. "She brought these studios back from the brink of destruction. She's the one who made it possible for me to make the Steel Samurai!"

"So she was in the meeting with you then, on the day of the murder?" You hummed a bit in thought.

"Yeah, we were together from noon to 4:00 PM, the whole time." Manella eyed you again only to back down suddenly when Phoenix took your hand in his. What was Phoenix trying to do? You weren't complaining.

"Who exactly are these "bigwigs" people keep mentioning?" Phoenix changed the subject with a new question.

"Oh, the boss over at the network, and some sponsors. Also a few production guys. They piled into a limousine and got here right around noon. Major tension!" Manella seemed nervous sweating again and you resisted making another face, honestly how do they take this guy seriously he can't even speak normally! And he was a major creep!

"Were all of them with you the entire time?" Phoenix narrowed his eyes a little more.

"Yeah, unfortunately. They're all gray-haired geezers..." Manella scowled as he talked before shaking his head. "But if that's all UR gonna ask then I'm done here LOL I don't pay attention to things that don't interest me!" Manella eyed you and maya licking his lip and you knew right then and there it was time to go.

"W-why are you staring at me like that...?" Maya looked uncomfortable as she spoke.

"Right!...well...then goodbye" you backed up to the door Phoenix's hand still in yours and your free hand gently making sure maya was backing up too.

"W-wait! Can I get your number! Hot hot lawyer lady!"Manella looked like he wanted to grab you but with Phoenix being in the way he couldn't.

"You're not getting anyone's number sorry" Phoenix made sure to close the dressing room door and as soon as he did all three of you rushed to the exit of the building in case Manella tried to come for you and maya like that again.

"I'd say it was nice to meet him but that would be a lie" you groaned as you all walked down the path to get to studio two again, in the vain hope that maybe this Vasquez woman would be there.

"He sort of gave me the creeps why'd he keep staring at us that way!" Sometimes Maya was too innocent never really seeing the whole picture, but you guessed that was because she's been living alone until recently.

"I'll tell you later, if he keeps staring at you that way it's a lawsuit ready to happen though, and I'll GLADLY be your lawyer" you scoffed a bit shaking your head.

"That Guy was..." Phoenix huffed and shook his head. "Something else.." He seemed like he was holding back from saying what he really wanted to say.

"Don't be so kind Phoenix he's a creep, I don't normally like being so harsh on people but he is a pervert!" You felt your self pulling your suit jacket more over your breasts with an uncomfortable expression. Phoenix looked at you as you did it before softly squeezing your hands, you didn't even realize they were still intertwined.

"I'll make sure he won't look at you that way again" Phoenix looked down at you as you looked at him your eyes a bit wide in shock before you smiled softly. "And- uh-you too maya!" Phoenix looked away from you with a blush to talk to maya trying to play off the fact you had made his heart speed up.

"Thanks nick! You're the best!" Maya clapped her hands together a bit. While you all had been talking you hadn't realized that you all had walked past studio two back to the main gate, but you didn't complain seeing it now that it was too late. You didn't want to run into Manella again. Penny was gone from the security booth and you wondered if she was running around doing something.

"Ah hah! You two again!" The voice was jarring and so loud that you jumped in fear that Manella had ran after you all only to relax seeing it was oldbag again. She was eyeing Phoenix and maya down and refused to look at you.

"Eeeek!" Maya seemed scared again jumping herself, she looked like she had seen a ghost.

"How rude, acting like you've seen a ghost!" Oldbag seemed to see Maya's expression.

"You... certainly got back to your post quickly." Phoenix shifted on his feet in the slightest.

"Oh the police took me away, they did. They pulled out a spare Steel Samurai costume! Told me to "put it on." Can you imagine? How could I, a sweet little old lady, wear a giant suit like that?" Oldbag gasped and scoffed as she spoke.

"Me.Powers is really tall" you hummed a bit in thought.

"As soon as they saw there was no way I could wear it, they let me go." Oldbag crossed her arms now. You guessed they had to rule her out for being the murder, that made sense on the bright side you were glad they let her go. "Anyway! Know this, whippersnappers! This old lady NEVER forgets a slight or insult! And you won't get any information out of me! My lips are sealed!" Oldbag huffed a bit again and you felt like you wanted to sigh, this was turning into quite the day.

"You sure are talking a lot for someone with sealed lips." Maya smirked a bit seeming pleased with her self for her "comeback".

"Starting now! One, two, three, mmmph!" Oldbag made a motion of zipping up her lips and you couldn't help but make a face. This lady was too much sometimes, you guessed your best bet would be go back to the employee area and pray Manella was gone and far far away. You felt like you were all starting to get no where!