The Lima Job
Chapter 2
"You cannot seriously need the bathroom again?"
"I pee a lot when I'm nervous! I already told you!"
"Seven times? Seven times? What did you drink before you left your house this morning? The sea?"
"I just want to know if you have a toilet, that's all!" Finn stepped into the doorway, his hands on the frame, blocking Blaine from entering. "In case I need to go later."
"Of course there's a toilet! It's not a wigwam."
"Do you have any entertainment up here? Games console? TV? Jenga?"
"Jenga?"
"It's the game where you have all these..."
"I know what Jenga is, Finn!"
"Well, why ask then? Geez. I just want to know that we'll have something to do while I'm here," his voice grew soft. "You said I'd be here awhile."
"Well, you don't need to worry about that." Blaine pushed the gun into the base of Finn's spine. "In you go."
"What do you mean? I don't need to worry about it. You're going to let me leave?" he asked in surprise. "For real?"
"Soon," Blaine licked his lips. "Kurt, er, changes things."
Blaine tried to ignore the excitement building in his chest. And the worry. It was too soon. All this planning. All these months. This wasn't the way that he'd wanted to see the boy again.
"...obsessed with him anyway?" Finn asked, still standing stock still in the doorway. "He isn't rich, you know? He can't pay a ransom or anything. He owes meten bucks."
"We, er, met once before." Blaine nudged again with the gun. "This isn't a toy, Finn. Will you move?"
"What? Where? How? In a bank?"
Blaine gritted his teeth. "If you go in, I'll tell you!"
Finn sighed and allowed himself to be pushed into the cabin. "Whoa. Is this Elton John's wardrobe?"
Blaine gave the room a quick once over. Still as ugly as he had left it. It was like Mae West had decorated it while being attacked by a wild, rabid animal. Wes and he had scouted it out about two months back, finding out the owner was soon to be in Spain on holiday. Possibly to have their cataracts removed because, damn. It would do, though. They weren't after luxury, after all. It was just a place to rest their heads until it was time to move on.
"Okay," Finn said walking ahead, "How do you know..." He broke off. "Who are you?"
Blaine frowned. Oh, God. Don't let him be seeing dead people. "Who is...?" He started as he saw the shadow on the other side of the room, lit up against the backdrop of the window.
"Hello, Blaine." A lamp flickered on. "Fancy seeing you here."
"You!" Blaine snapped on seeing Wes sitting opposite in the room's only chair, foot over knee, and looking as calm and relaxed as one man could be. "Where the hell were you?"
"At the bank, Blaine. You went in and I was waiting. I was waiting as you came out. I was waiting as you walked right out and climbed into this guy's car. And now? Now I'm waiting for a reason not to..." He revealed the Colt. in his hands. "Use this."
Blaine held up his palms, licking his lips nervously. "Let's just keep cool. Okay? You were there. Where?"
"Behind this moron! He took my space!" Wes laughed bitterly. "So this is what you do? Get me to do all the work and then take the credit and take off with another player? The arrogance that you'd still come here!" Wes hissed. "The sheer goddamn arrogance."
Blaine swallowed hard. "Wes, seriously. This isn't what it looks like! Honestly, I got in his car by mistake!"
"You expect me to believe that? Believe you two aren't in cahoots."
"Cahoots? Do you think we stole doubloons?" Blaine shook his head. "I thought you had chickened out, Wes! I got in the wrong car. I had to get out of there fast."
"It's true, dude. He just jumped in and began threatening me with potatoes."
"Don't help, Finn!" Blaine turned back to Wes. "You know I don't know cars. And they were both green!"
"I drive a van!" Wes looked at the bag that was clutched tight in Blaine's grip. "Is that the money? Throw it over."
"But..."
"Now, Blaine!"
"Just keep calm, okay? No need to freak out." Blaine held up his own piece. "You're not the only one with weapon, Wes."
Wes sighed. "That's not loaded. Remember, Blaine."
Damnit!
"What the hell, man!" Finn gasped. "You kidnapped me with an unloaded gun?"
Blaine ignored him and tossed it to Wes' feet, throwing the bag forward, too. "Fine. Fine. But I'm telling you. It's the truth."
Wes darted forward, grabbing the strap and dragging it back. The gun never lowered. Straightening up, he looked them both over. "Okay, suppose I buy this. For now. Go along with that you're that stupid, and blind. I want himtied up. And I'm keeping my hands on this," he held up the Colt. "And keeping it on you. Until I can be sure."
"Okay, okay," Blaine agreed. "That sounds fair."
"What? Not okay!"
"It's fine, Finn." Blaine took him by the arm and led him to the chair. "Do you have rope?"
"All out and ready for you." Wes put the bag onto the sideboard, giving it an affectionate pat. "Literally. I was going to strip you, cover you in honey and tie you to a tree."
"Er, been here awhile then?" Blaine said as he began to tie Finn down. "Thinking that up."
"Yes, actually. What took you so long?"
Blaine glared at Finn. "We took the scenic route."
"Why do I have to lie down?" Finn asked in a panicked voice. "Why is this chair so weird?"
"There's not many ways I can tie you to a chaise lounge, Finn. Just relax. This will all be over soon." He gave him a pat to the knee and smiled. "I promise."
"A word?" Wes jutted his head and walked away from the two. Blaine sighed and followed him out.
"Okay, I know this has gone astray," Blaine began once they were in the next room, but Wes cut him off.
"Astray? This is a little more than astray! This is a mess." Wes clenched his fists and sighed. "A hostage, Blaine? Really? The beauty of this job was the lack of people involved!"
"I'm the one who took all the risks!"
"And couldn't be trusted to get into a vanby himself! You've been off on this job from the beginning. I thought you were serious about this, Blaine! It was your idea to pull this in the first place!" Wes closed his eyes taking calming breaths. "Okay, what's done is done. I suppose a hostage could be useful. Sure, why not! We'll figure it out."
"Ah, yeah. There's something else. I've sort of...invited a guest." On Wes' look Blaine quickly explained about Kurt, leaving out the tricky part about how they knew each other. Wes didn't need those visuals. They haunted Blaine enough.
"Let me get this straight." Wes placed his finger tips to his lips. "Not only have you needlessly taken one hostage, but you've ordered another for delivery?"
"When you put it like that, it sounds silly."
"The word is reckless!" Wes crossed his arms. "That's it. We need to move. We'll take the BFG with us."
"But Kurt..."
"I don't care about this Kurt. For all we know he is coming with the A Team. I'm not waiting around for that."
"You don't understand! Kurt is... Kurt is..." Think, Blaine. Think."One of the most dangerous men in Lima."
"I'm sorry?"
"I'm serious. We did a job together. About six months back. The man was..." Blaine felt his neck heat up. "Wild. He runs with a pretty vicious crew. The moment I realized I had his brother, I knew I had to tell him. If I wanted out alive."
"Are you kidding me?"
"Yes, the guy is... Totally big in the underworld. They call him... Er... Kurt the Hurt. If we move and he eventually tracks us down. We're dead."
"Damnit, Blaine!" Wes made random rabbit punches at the air and gave a cry of annoyance. "Wait, this is too much of coincidence. You just climbed into a crime lord's sibling's car? By accident?"
"Er, yes."
Wes narrowed his gaze. "Either you're in on this, or your ex partner arranged it."
"I'm not double crossing you, Wes." Blaine said. "I swear."
Wes stared at him for awhile, his eyes searching Blaine's face. Finally he sighed. "I believe you. I don't know why but I do. Which means that this Kurt is stepping on our patch. And that tree in there is involved."
Okay, this had backfired.
"No, trust me. That guy is clueless. I swear. On the way here he tried to name all the Bonds in order. He put Matt Damon in there. Twice."
"Is he?" Wes raised an eyebrow. "Is he clueless? Or is he just playing dumb. Waiting for our guard to drop?" He smacked a fist into his palm. "And then he strikes!"
A loud crash came from the front room and Wes' eyes widened. "The money!"
He turned on his heel and ran into the other room, Blaine following closely. He came to a sharp halt causing Blaine to smack hard into his back. "Oh, my God."
Blaine walked round him and laughed softly. "No, you're right," he said, looking at the over turned chaise lounge and the tall boy trying to crawl across the room with his chin. "He's a criminal mastermind."
This was insane. He was currently committing every possible kind of insanity. He should be driving to the police station. He should be on the phone to Carol. What he absolutely should not be doing is following a hastily drawn map on a napkin. And he most certainly should not be running into the arms of his brother's kidnapper.
Kurt cringed, thinking back to how he had ran out of the restaurant before remembering Colin was even there. That was pretty rude.
But then again. It was Blaine.
Kurt squinted at the map, trying to decide if that turn in the road had been real or a result of his excited shaking hands. Blaine had come back! After all these months of hoping, of wondering where he was, wondering if the reason he had dropped from the news was because he had gone straight-or because something bad had happened. Yet now here he was. In Lima.
And Kurt was going to see him in less than ten minutes!
He tried to bite back a giggle and focus on the matter at hand. Finn. Finn had been taken away at gun point. This wasn't something to get giddy over. Finn would be confused. Finn would be scared. Terrified. Kurt wondered if Blaine would like his outfit, he had come from a date after all. And the jeans were especially snug around his… Stop it! No! Finn. Think of Finn.
He took the turn that was possibly a hand slip, and licked his dry lips. It had to be on purpose, didn't it? Of all the people Blaine could have ran into, why Finn? Did he really expect him to believe this was a mistake?
Nerves ran over his body and set up home in his stomach as the cabin came into view. Was this it? Kurt gave the map another once over. It had to be.
"Okay, okay. Here we go." Kurt killed the ignition and looked at the cabin. Blaine was in there. Blaine!Climbing out of the car, he lowered and checked his hair in the side mirror. If only Blaine had given him some warning, he'd have got his bangs trimmed. Kidnappers were fartoo impulsive.
"Hello," he called, approaching the cabin and a figure at the doorway. "Blaine?"
"Stay where I can see you," an unfamiliar voice said back. "I'm coming out."
"Who are..." Kurt froze as a stranger walked towards him out of the dark. With a gun pointed at his chest. "…you?"
"Hmm," the man said, settling in front of him. "You don't look like you once flayed someone."
"I did what?"
The stranger looked almost nervous. "Nothing. Nothing." He bit at his bottom lip. "Listen, I wanted to see you first. Blaine's inside. I wanted to make sure you two didn't arrange anything behind my back."
"I don't understand. Is Finn okay?" Kurt took a slow step forward and the man nearly shrieked in terror.
"Stay back!" He swallowed over a lump in his throat. "Blaine told me. All about you. And I know you and he paired up once, but you need to know he is with menow. We're partners. Don't think because of this mishap you can stroll in and take over. Double deal behind my back. Okay, er... Mr. Hurt."
Oh.
Kurt felt like his heart had dropped into the pit of his stomach. Stupid. How could he have been so foolish? Of course Blaine hadn't come back for him. This really was a mistake.
"Fine!" he snapped. "I just want to get my brother back. Okay?"
The other man nodded and gestured to the door with the weapon. "Go on in."
Kurt edged past him, keeping a distance. Idiot! Why hadn't he gone to the police? This was Finn's life!
His eyes blinked as the harsh light of the room hit them. Christ, he didn't know so many shades of pink existed.
"Finn!" He went to go to him but the man grabbed at his arm. "Why is my brother wrapped up like a hoagie?"
"It's the chair," Finn said. "It's French." He gave a struggle against the ropes, and sighed. "Man, am I glad to see you."
"Are you okay? Are you hurt?"
"He's fine," Blaine said, appearing at Kurt's side. "Hey. Long time no see."
Kurt's breath halted in his throat and his hands clenched into fists at his side. Oh, good God. He looked even better than he had remembered. Prick.
"Hello," Kurt said, lifting his chin with a sniff. "I see you're still up to the same old, same old."
Blaine smiled. "It's good to see you, Kurt." He moved closer. "How have you been?"
The other man stepped between the two, and Kurt tried to resist the urge to duck his head round his body, to get another glance at Blaine.
"Not to interrupt this beautiful reunion," he said in a snide voice. "But I think we need to talk business."
"Business?" Kurt asked. "I just want to take Finn and go. We don't want any part of this."
"And then you run back to your contacts? Tell them you've got a cash cow in the hills? I don't think so." He shook his head. "Blaine, tie this one up, too."
"What? That wasn't what we agreed, Wes!" Blaine looked shocked. "He's no threat to us."
"After what you told me?" Wes, apparently, turned and looked at him. "I'm not taking the risk."
Jesus. Talk about the jealous type.
"Look, I don't want involved in whatever you two have going on. I'm delightedfor you. Just let us go. We won't say anything."
"Oh, really? You think I haven't noticed the looks you've been giving Blaine? I know what you're thinking. You think you can just walk into here and crawl into bed with us. Don't you?"
"Oh, my God. No! I'm not European."
"Wes, you're blowing this out of portion," Blaine said, stepping around him. "We can trust them. Just let them go."
Wes turned to him, the gun leveled at his chest. "You're not out of the woods, yet, Blaine. If I were you I'd do what I say."
"Wow, he has you whipped," Kurt muttered.
Wes sneered. "Tie Mr. Hurt up."
"You can't be serious? Come on!"
"I said tie him up!" He pointed towards the small kitchen that was attached to the front room. "There. Where I can see him. Don't give me that look, Blaine. There's some rope left over from the brother. Tie him to a handle or something."
"Blaine," Kurt said in a whisper, he took his arm. "What are you doing?"
"It's okay, Kurt. It won't be for long. I promise you." He caught the rope Wes tossed and began to walk them to the kitchen. "I'll get you out of this. Get you both out of this."
For a moment their eyes met and Kurt's heart skipped a beat. Blaine broke the gaze with a dry cough.
"So, your date?" Blaine asked, his hand tight around his wrist. Kurt tried to ignore the spark of fire in his gut. "Serious?"
If Blaine could replace him easily enough, then so could Kurt.
"Very," he said smugly. "We've been seeing each other about, oh, five months now?"
Blaine's lips gave the flicker of a twist and then his face smoothed over. Blank. So much for making him jealous. "Really? How nice. What's he called."
"Colin."
"Colin?" Blaine laughed. "Is he a chartered accountant?"
"How did you...? Shut up. Least it's a respectable job. You, know, instead of stealing."
"But Colin?" Blaine gave a tug and began to bind the cord around the nearest handle and Kurt's hands. "I can see it now. There you are, deep in the throes of passion, he looks into your eyes, and unbidden from your lips you sigh... Colin."
Blaine really needed to stop talking in that throaty voice. And he really needed to not stand so close.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Not everyone can have a super macho name like Wesley."
"What's Wes got to do with anything?" Blaine grunted as he checked the knot. Slowly, he pulled himself up, his face nearing Kurt's as he rose, his breath ghosting Kurt's lips and his hazel eyes staring into his. "I... Erm. This will do for now." He stepped back and wiped at his hands. "That should hold you."
Kurt gave a tug and cursed under his breath. "I can't believe you've tied me to an oven! What am I supposed to do?"
Blaine crossed his arms, and leaned back against the counter. "Bake a cake?"
Kurt glared at him. How had he once found this idiot attractive? Honestly.
"So," Blaine began, looking at his nails. "Colin what?"
"He's called...called..." Kurt stared down at the ground. Don't say floor. Don't say floor. "Tile...lington. Colin Tilelington.."
"Colin Tilelington?
"The Third."
"The...? Where did you meet him? In an Enid Blyton book?"
"No, we met in a night club. He bought me a drink. Like, you know, a normalperson."
"Hmm," Blaine murmured. "Lashings of ginger beer no doubt."
"You...you...I cannot believe you tricked me into coming here. I actually thought..." Kurt bit his lip and looked away, at Finn tied to the chair across the room. At Wes on the other side of the room, watching them. At the gun. This was all his fault.
"You thought what, Kurt?" Blaine asked softly. "What?"
"That you...that you..." That you'd still want me.He gave a shake of his head. "That you'd let me take Finn home. Let us go."
Blain gave a nod and stepped forward, grabbing him by the shoulder. "I'll tell you what." Blaine said. "I'll let you go. Sure."
"Really?" Kurt gaped. "Are you serious?"
"If you can name a sexy Colin. Just one."
"I'm sorry?" Kurt blinked. "What?'
"A sexy Colin. Go on." Blaine smiled and tightened his grip, causing Kurt's knees to betray him with a shiver.
"Of all the..." Kurt snapped. "You are completely ridiculous! I am not going to stand here, and reel off...Firth!Colin Firth! Ha!"
"Colin Firth is not sexy," Blaine said blandly.
Good God. The man was unhinged.
"Yes! He is! He is very sexy! Have you seen Pride and Prejudice? The shirt, Blaine. The shirt!"
"Colin Firth is English. Not sexy. People always make that mistake when an accent is involved."
"How is that...? What are you? That's not fair! Why do you get the deciding vote?"
"Okay, fine. Let's have your brother decide." Blaine smiled. "Finn! Colin Firth? Sexy or not?"
"What the hell, dude? I'm not answering that!"
Blaine shrugged. "There we have it."
"No!" Kurt craned his neck trying to see the other boy. "Just answer it, Finn! Come on!"
Finn, trying to sit up, and sighed. "Okay, okay. Calm down. I guess...no? He seems so old and kind of chubby. With tiny eyes like pebbles. Isn't he ancient? I prefer that Hugh Grant. He seems sort of rogue like and charming. Especially in..."
"Shut up, Finn!"
"You're staying I guess. Now, Hugh?" Blaine laughed. "That's a sexy name."
"I don't like the way he keeps looking at you," Wes hissed an hour later. "Every time I look up he is glaring at you."
"Well, understandably, he's a tad upset." Blaine shifted on the carpet, his back against the chair Finn was tied to. The chair he was snoring loudly in. "He's expressing that."
"I don't think he's right in the head. Why does he keep randomly yelling names?" Wes leaned forward, lowering his voice. "Who in hell is Colin Hanks?"
"Someone not sexy." Blaine sighed. "How many times are you going to count this money? It's all there, okay?"
"I'm not worried about you. I'm worried about him." He started as Kurt yelled again. "Oh, my God. Colin Montgomery? Are these codes? Threats?" Wes licked his lips. "Just who the hell is he, Blaine?"
"He's..." Blaine began to play with the laces of his shoe. Kurt was what exactly? Involved? Off limits? Out of reach forever?
Had all this been for nothing?
"Kurt is complicated." He frowned at Wes who was balancing the gun on his index finger and twirling it every now and then. "Will you stop spinning that? It's not a water pistol," Blaine muttered, his eyes seeking out Kurt again.
How could he look so delicious even tied to an oven? Dimly, Blaine could hear Wes talking, but his mind had wandered back. Six months prior. He remembered how soft Kurt's skin had felt against his hands, how his lips had tasted. How much he had worked to get back into his life only to mess it all up when he was so close.
"Blaine?" Wes said. "You're not even listening are you?"
"Of course I am. It's just hard to concentrate when you're holding me under gun point."
"This plan was flawless! We spent months on this. Finding the right bank, collating the information, thisplace. And you messed it up in the space of three minutes. Three min...what's that smell?"
"Kurt!" Blaine called. "You've turned the gas on again."
"Colin Powell!"
"No! Seriously. These are just getting mental."
Wes shook his head. "He is really freaking me out. How did you end up doing a job with him in the first place? I thought you worked the highways?"
"It's a long, boring story. And you look tired. I wouldn't want to put you through it."
"Do I look like I have other plans?" Wes raised an eyebrow. "Go on, tell me about Kurt the Hurt."
Blaine licked at his lips. "Well, er... We first met on..."
"Colin Farrell!" Kurt screamed suddenly. "Colin Farrell! Yes! Colin, sexy as all hell, Farrell!"
"Jesus!" Wes cried in shock, his arm jerking forward, a shot ringing out.
The two stared at each other in horror.
"Did you just...?"
"I did! I did! Oh, my God," Wesley muttered staring down at the gun. "I didn't mean to... I didn't..."
Blaine reached up slowly, his fingers to his shoulder. He rose them higher, to his face.
They were red and wet.
"Did you just shoot me?"