A/N: You guys are amazing. Really. I mean, 26 reviews, 47 follows, and 16 favorites for two chapters? I love you all so much! xp *hands out virtual cookies because you guys so deserve them* xD
I realized I mixed the agencies up in the last chapter. Let me say it here real quick to clear it up-
The director of the local branch of the DOD is Anthony Head (Uther). The assistant director is Rupert Young (Leon). Michelle Ryan (Nimueh) and Leander Deeny (George) are also part of the DOD.
The director of the local branch of the FBI is Katie McGrath (Morgana). The assistant director is Eoin Macken (Gwaine). Laura Donnelly (Freya- I think this is her last name, but I'm too lazy to double check right now xp) and Emilia Fox (Morgause) are also with the FBI.
Sorry about that! =(
Just in case you don't know….
Elena- Georgia King
Gilli- Harry Melling
Mordred- Alexander Vlahos
Elyan- I named him Elliot Coulby in this story. This isn't the actor's name, however.
Chapter 3
Colin's day was really sucking.
He woke up in the back of a van, sprawled out on the floor. The sides of the van were lined with computers and screens. At one computer sat a pretty girl about his age, dark hair twisted back into a bun and lips puckered in concentration, the keyboard clacking at she typed.
He turned his head slowly, moaning as his head throbbed. The girl whirled around and, upon seeing him, cried out, "He's awake!"
Colin squinted, struggling to recall what had happened.
"Hey, man." A face thrust itself into his line of vision.
Suddenly Colin's memory came rushing back.
"You!" he gasped. "What- where- you kidnapped me!" he exclaimed indignantly. Glancing down, he added with a scowl, "And I'm still covered in ketchup, because apparently you couldn't wait for me to get that off before knocking me out."
The man scratched the back of his head, looking vaguely uncomfortable. "Eh… uh, sorry 'bout that, man. Kind of had to do it, you know? My job and all that. Name's Eoin, by the way. Eoin Macken."
Colin shook his head disgustedly. "What's going on? Where am I?" He supposed he should probably be freaking out and demanding to know what was going on and why they had kidnapped him, but he was tired, and his head ached from the chloroform, and he couldn't bring himself to particularly care.
"Well," said the other man slowly, "I'm not sure how much I'm authorized to tell you, but I can tell you that we're with the local branch of the FBI."
"The government?" cried Colin, eyes widening. Oh, he cared now. "But I haven't done anything! I'm innocent!" His eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Is this about my father?"
"What? I don't know anything about your father, kid. This is about your brother."
"Bradley?" Confusion overcame the boy. "What do you mean? I don't understand."
"I'm afraid I don't have the authority to say anything more," replied the agent apologetically, sitting back on his heels so that Colin could only see his forehead.
A twisted knot of dread and sickening fear had formed in the young man's stomach. Bradley hadn't done anything wrong, he reassured himself. He wouldn't.
Or would he? Memories sprang to Colin's mind- tiny instances in which Bradley wouldn't tell him what he was texting Angel's brother about, or Tom became quiet when asked what he'd done that weekend, or Angel didn't look surprised by the TV news. Could it be?
No, he told himself. No, you're wrong. This probably is about Dad, and they're just trying to get to your head. Bradley would never do such a thing, not after what had happened with their parents. Colin's brother was the one who had saved him, had pulled him out of that downward spiral of depression. He'd never betray Colin in such a way, and Colin should be ashamed that the thought had even entered his head.
Yet, at the back of his mind, he couldn't help but wonder…
-Merlin-
Bradley sat at his desk, head bowed down, chin propped on his fist.
He glanced at his watch.
3:21.05
Tom Hopper, Bradley's closest friend after Colin and partner in crime, slipped into the room. "We're going now."
He didn't move. "Alright. Let me know when it's been hit."
Tom gave a brief nod, then murmured, "You ok?"
The other man knew that Tom must be truly concerned; Hopper was a man of very few words. But, as good a friend as Tom was, Bradley did not want to speak to him about the memories, and his fellow criminal had a mission now anyways. So he forced a smile and nodded.
"Colin alright?" asked the big man. He knew Bradley too well, knew there was only one thing (or rather, person) that could make him this moody. Even the arrest of Angel, his girlfriend, had been greeted stoically and calmly.
Bradley nodded, sitting up a little. "Yeah, I-"
The door burst open and Georgia King dashed in, crying, "Bradley!"
She never called Bradley by his name unless it was an emergency. "What is it?" exclaimed the terrorist, rising.
"It's Colin," she gasped, out of breath. "Come and see."
Bradley dashed from his office and into the main room of the abandoned warehouse that served as the terrorists' headquarters, Georgia and Tom on his heels.
The blond threw himself into Georgia's chair by her desk. On her computer screen was the footage from the library Colin worked at. Bradley's little brother was sitting at the checkout desk, scanning books for an elderly woman. The time read 2:57.43.
"I- I don't understand. What's the problem?"
"Look." Georgia began to rewind. After a few seconds, she stopped the rewinding and played the video. "Ok, here's Colin, at the desk, at 2:32. Now, watch this… 2:33, guy with great hair and a hot dog and drink comes in. See? Cute guy leans over Colin and, in a move that looks a bit too contrived to me, spills ketchup all down his shirt. Colin gets up, presumably to clean up in the bathroom, right? Now…" She fastforwarded briefly, until she reached 2:39. "Ok, here he is, coming back, shirt much cleaner, right? He sits down. Now, watch this." Georgia paused the video and zoomed in on the young man's face.
Tom and Bradley gasped.
The boy was not Colin.
"Who is that?" demanded Bradley, eyes wide.
Georgia shook her head, her lips pursed. "I don't know. I put Harry on it."
The blond nodded stiffly, running a hand over his mouth. "I don't suppose you have footage of the restrooms?"
"No, but I have some from right outside it. There's nothing."
"Nothing?" repeated Bradley.
"No, nothing. No one went in or out."
"Check the security cameras outside the building."
"Already did. Nothing there."
"No!" screamed Bradley, kicking the desk. He sank to the floor, head in his hands. All he could think was, I promised I'd look after him. I promised him it wouldn't happen again. And now he had no idea where Colin was or who had kidnapped him.
"James! James, come here!" howled a voice. Harry.
The man shot to his feet and dashed over to the younger man's desk.
"What is it? What have you found?" demanded Bradley. "Who is he?"
Harry grimaced. "You're not going to like this, James."
"Just show me!" barked the terrorist.
The young man turned the screen to face the other man, and Bradley gave another sharp gasp, followed by a low moan.
"What is it? Who's got him?" exclaimed Georgia, rushing over.
"The Department of Defense."
Several very unladylike words that expressed how Bradley was feeling very well escaped the young woman's lips.
"Hopper," said Bradley hoarsely, "your mission. I want it carried out now. Go!"
Tom gave a quick nod and left surprisingly silently for a man of his size.
"Where is Alexander?" demanded Bradley, running a shaking hand through his hair. The government had Colin. The government had his little brother.
It was their father all over again.
"I'll call him," said Harry quickly, rising from his chair and pulling his cellphone from his jeans pocket. He quickly scrolled to the man's number and dialled.
"Let me talk to him," ordered the blond man, holding out his hand for the phone. Upon receiving it, he lifted it to his ear just in time to hear a young man's voice saying, "This is Alexander."
"It's James," barked out Bradley.
"Oh. What's going on?"
"Do you remember the plan we discussed recently? The very large-scale one?"
A pause for a moment, then a cautious, "Yes. Why?"
"How long do you think it would take until we could implement it?"
There was a long shocked silence. Finally, Alexander gave a strangled, "Two weeks, maybe three."
"Make it two days. Two hours, if possible. Get on it right away."
"I, ah, I'll do my best."
"Is Elliot with you?"
"No, I'm at work. I'll leave now and pick him up on the way."
"Good."
"Bradley… what's this about?"
The other man was silent for a long moment, then let out a breath and practically snarled, "The DOD has Colin."
There was a quick intake of breath on the other end of the line, followed by a long silence. "I see," breathed Alexander at last, his tone shocked. "I'll do everything in my power."
"Thank you." James felt his face heat up a little when his voice cracked on the last word.
"Bradley." Alexander's voice was firm. "We will find him."
"We'd better." He hung up.
"What was that all about?" asked Georgia, frowning.
"Go find a way to contact the DOD and see what they want." Bradley's voice was hoarse. Later he would realize that the roughness was caused by unshead tears. "Harry, you're to give Elliot and Alexander whatever they need when they get here, do you understand?"
The young man nodded vigorously, a slight trace of fear in his face at the cold fierce rage in Bradley's eyes.
"Bradley, what's going on?" demanded Georgia, not one to be intimidated by others.
A wolfish grin spread across the terrorist's face. "We're going to bomb the White House."
-Merlin-
Anthony slid out of the DOD car, Michelle close behind him.
The disguised FBI van pulled up a few meters up the street. Katie, Rupert, and Emilia climbed out of the front. Emilia sauntered to the back of the van (she never just walked, she sauntered or glided) and rapped on it firmly.
"Macken? Donnelly? Is he awake?"
Anthony did not hear the reply, but he assumed it was an affirmation, for the blond agent then said, "Is he contained?"
Evidently the answer was to her satisfaction, for she gripped the handle and pulled the doors open.
The DOD director did not think "contained" was really the best word to describe Morgan at the moment. Eoin had a grip on the boy, true, and he was managing to keep him under some sort of control, but not much. Colin was struggling, kicking, throwing his head backward, and screaming at the top of his lungs, demanding to know what was going on and wasn't this against the Bill of Rights and that he get a lawyer right now. Macken had the boy by the wrists and was attempting to jerk him into the FBI headquarters and avoid the vicious kicks at the same time. Laura Donnelly climbed out after them, careful to keep her distance.
"Hey!" snapped Katie. "Hey! Macken, stop it, you're scaring him!" She dashed up to the boy, apparently unafraid of the wildly lashing appendages. "Colin! Colin, listen to me!"
The young man stilled remarkably quickly, eyeing her and the other agents warily as they approached.
"Listen," said Katie soothingly, "it's all right. We're not arresting you. You aren't in trouble. We just need to ask you a few questions, but we didn't want certain people knowing we were taking you in, ok?"
"What sort of questions?" demanded Morgan, not soothed in the slightest. "And who are you trying to hide it from?"
Katie sighed and, to his surprise, glanced at Anthony for help. She had always struck him as an independent woman who didn't like to rely on others, and he was certainly not the best person to turn to when it came to feelings. Nevertheless, he took a step forward and said, "Look, kid, we think you might have information on the terrorist that's been plaguing the city. We think he may be watching you."
"What… oh, Pendragon?" The boy's face was a picture of confusing, fueling Anthony's suspicion that the boy had no idea what his brother was doing. "Why would I?"
"We'll explain it all once we get inside," Head assured him, gripping Morgan's arm.
But Colin pulled away, looking puzzled. "But he- Eoin- told me it was about Brad…" His voice trailed off and his eyes widened. "No. No. You don't think…"
"Colin, maybe we should-" began Katie anxiously.
The boy pulled back, shaking his head, eyes still wide. "You really think that, don't you?" he whispered. "You think my brother is a terrorist."
-Merlin-
A/N: So what did you think? Please review; your comments are what motivate me! =) Well, that and Merlin and Arthur bromance xp
Question for reviewers! What do you think happened in Bradley and Colin's past? Also… who from the show do you think the president is? =)
Updates will probably slow down until after the Christmas season, since I'll be busy with the fifty billion college applications I have to do and then with all the stuff we do at Christmas time. After that, however, I'm hoping they'll be a lot more frequent (if the story's not over yet)- at least once a week- since I'm in senior year and will be on easy street xp.
Also, to the guest reviewers (there are a lot of you; I've never received so many for a story)…
Shivs- That's an really interesting idea! I hadn't thought of that. I'm considering it, but I haven't decided whether or not to use it yet. Know that if I decide not to use it, it won't be because of its lack of awesomeness, but because I didn't think it would naturally flow from the story. I usually find when I write that my stories take on a mind of their own and I don't exactly exert much conscious control over them, if that makes sense. xp Thanks for your input!
Maple Aiden- Thanks so much for reviewing! I'm so glad you're excited about this story! =)
Norly- Yes, I do intend to explain the whole thing eventually, just not quite yet. Gotta have lots of suspense, right? xp I don't plan on doing much torturing, don't worry. And I do plan on doing lots of protective and worried Arthur, I love writing that. =) Thank you for reviewing, it means a lot to me! =)
Guest- Have no fear, I do intend to keep going. I'm really enjoying writing this story. =) I may do a little romance later, but there probably won't be much. It's not really a romance-ish story, you know? It's more about Arthur and Merlin and their brotherhood xp Thanks so much for reviewing! =)