Welcome to chapter four! This just so happens to be the longest yet, since it'll be at least a week before I update again. I'm going out of town on Friday, and I won't be back for a few days – I plan on writing the next chapter while I'm gone, though.

I'd like to take a moment to thank Rosa Lui for beta-ing this chapter. You deserve truckloads of hugs, my dear.

DISCLAIMER/WARNINGS – I do not own 'Traveler,' or any of the characters, nor do I own any lyrics, quotes, etc. used in this story. This is rated Teen, for blood, violence, and especially in this chapter, very strong language. This is set after 8th episode ('The Exchange') so all spoilers are fair game. Also, all characters are liable to injury or even death, because when I write things usually get messy. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Begin Again

Chapter Four

"Only trust thyself, and another shall not betray thee."

William Penn

During the day, Chicago would have been packed, the streets thronging with people and chatter and life. But they weren't exactly there for the atmosphere – so Jay, Tyler, and Will slipped into the city in the dead of night, when the streets were empty and cold.

A light drizzle had picked up sometime during the drive, the raindrops tapping the roof of the car as they approached the city limits. But the further they trekked into the urban jungle, the harder the droplets fell, until the torrent wholly engulfed them. Between the downpour and the darkness, it was nearly impossible to make out the road ahead.

The clock read four minutes to midnight. Will drummed his fingers on the wheel as they waited out a red light.

"Where does your friend live?" Jay asked, watching as a lone figure as he cross the street, jacket pulled up over his head to shield himself from the rain.

"We're close," Will responded quietly. The light flicked to green, and he drove on.

"How do you know him?" Tyler wanted to know.

So many questions. Will fought the urge to sigh. He found himself wondering how he, of all people, had ended up with such curious friends.

But then again, he hadn't picked them, had he? They had just been an assignment – an assignment that couldn't have gone more wrong. And yet, here he was.

"We've worked together," Will said finally, leaving them to figure out the rest.

Tyler frowned. "And you're sure he'll help?"

"Positive," Will replied firmly. Whether he wants to or not.

At long last they pulled into a parking garage, and came to a stop in the farthest corner. He killed the engine, but sat for a moment longer.

"This might take a while," he told them. "If anyone shows up, just leave. I'll meet you back here in the morning."

"Will, wait." Jay frowned. "We're coming with you."

Will shook his head. "You're better off here – trust me."

And before either of them could protest further, Will climbed out of the car and slipped off into the night.

oooooooooooooooooo

"You still think he's coming?"

Kim lifted her head to meet her captor's eyes. She still hadn't remembered why she recognized him, but she just couldn't shake the feeling that she knew him from somewhere.

"He'll come," she replied firmly. She knew he would. It hadn't even been two days yet. Or had it? She'd had trouble keeping track of time down here.

The man shrugged. "If you say so. But personally," he added, a serpentine grin stealing across his features, "I wouldn't count on him so much."

He wanted her to ask why, and she hated giving in to him – but she had to know.

"Why?"

"He's already out of the city," the man told her matter-of-factly. "He left with his friends last night."

Despite her current ordeal, Kim was relieved – Jay had escaped.

But an instant later that feeling of dread had redoubled. If Jay wasn't here to save her, then who would? And something else the man had said bothered her.

"Friends?" she echoed.

"He and Fog weren't alone," her captor explained. "Traveler was with them. And they're long gone."

What? "But…he set them up," she stammered.

"That's right." He was smiling again, and he leaned in closer. "This looks bad for you, doesn't it?"

A shiver crept up her spine.

"Have you wondered what happens if they don't come back?" he whispered. He didn't wait for her answer. "You won't be useful anymore. You'll be worthless – like a sick animal. Do you know what we do to sick animals?"

She could guess.

"We put them out of their misery." He was leering again, and he had that knife in his hand. He brought it up close to her face, the point digging into her chin. She inhaled sharply through her nose, but didn't move.

They stayed frozen that way for several minutes, until her captor sighed and let his hand drop, and the knife with it.

"Three days," he told her seriously, taking a step back. "If they're not back in three days, you die."

oooooooooooooooooo

For a top secret government organization, his people sure had a shitty taste in real estate. Will climbed four stories of rickety stairs to his destination, dodging vagrants who littered the stairwell, and once a shouting couple whose argument had carried out into the hallway.

Finally he found himself outside room 407. After a quick glance to make sure he was free from prying eyes, he picked the lock and let himself inside.

The interior of the apartment was in total darkness – and it was silent. Granted, it was the middle of the night, but still…something was wrong.

Will tensed an instant before he was tackled from the side. The force sent both Will and his assailant into the wall – Will struck out with his fist, catching the other man in the chin. His head snapped back, but then he was lashing out wildly, trying desperately to make contact. When he finally landed a punch he had the fortune – or misfortune, on Will's part – to strike Will in the side, his fist connecting with the two day old bullet wound.

Pain exploded, and for a second Will saw stars. In that brief moment of weakness his assailant landed another two punches, and for the first time Will regretted not letting Jay and Tyler tag along as back-up. He finally found the presence of mind to burrow his fist into his opponent's gut, knocking the wind out of him. In the flurry of movement that followed, his assailant took another two hits in the stomach, and he managed to clip Will in the mouth.

At last Will wrestled him to the ground, pinning him down with a knee to his chest. The other man struggled, and Will finally had the opportunity to draw a knife from his belt. He forced it through one of his attacker's flailing hands, effective staking it to the carpeted floor.

His assailant let out a howl of pain – Will silenced him with a blow to the temple that knocked him out cold.

Will sat back, breathing heavily. His lip was split, but that wasn't the worst of it – the wound in his side had begun to bleed again.

"Dammit, Tom," he muttered to the unconscious man below him. With a sigh, he wrenched the knife from his hand, and began to drag Tom's still form into the kitchen. He was long and lanky – stringy red hair fell in curtains across his face, a scraggly beard stretched across his chin, and beneath his closed lids brown eyes danced fitfully back and forth.

By the time Will had him tied securely to one of the dining chairs, Tom had already started to stir. Will sat in a chair opposite him, watching patiently until his eyes fluttered open.

"I didn't do it!" Tom shouted automatically, his eyes frantic. He struggled furiously to escape his bonds.

"What are you talking about?" Will asked.

"I…" Tom trailed off, frowning. "Fuck, Will, you know what I'm talking about."

"No, I don't."

Tom's eyes darted around the room, as if he were afraid someone was listening in. "Maya," he said finally, his tone hushed and slightly ominous.

Oh. Right.

Tom was talking again – so fast now that his words were slurring. "'Cuz they're saying you're killing everyone you can get your hands on, Will. They said you've lost it." He paused, licking his lips. "I heard you even got to Freed. Fucking blew him to smithereens. But I swear, Will – I didn't know, I didn't have a fucking clue what they were going to do to her."

Will leaned forward in his chair and said, quite simply, "That's not what I'm here for."

Tom furrowed his brow in confusion. "Then what the hell did you tie me up for, then?" he demanded.

"I need information."

Furiously, Tom shook his head. "No, Will – I don't know shit. Honest."

Will shook his head. "Don't fuck with me, Tom," he said warningly.

"I swear!"

"This doesn't stop with the Drexler and you know it." Will's eyes were narrowed, his tone accusatory.

"I don't know anything!" Tom protested.

"You want me to blow you up, too?" Will asked, leaning close to whisper menacingly into Tom's ear. "Splatter you all across the fucking ceiling? Is that what you want, Tom?"

"Fuck, Will," Tom groaned, trying again to free his hands.

Suddenly the knife was back in Will's grasp. He watched as Tom's eyes flickered to it before crossing around to his back, out of his vision.

"But that'd be too quick," Will said slowly, calmly. "I don't know about you, but I'd like this conversation to last a little while."

He dug the butt of the knife into the slit in Tom's palm, eliciting a whimper.

"Where should we start, then?" Will wondered aloud. He brought the blade up against Tom's thumb. "A finger?" He moved it up to the side of his head. "An ear?" Now he reached around, holding the knife right up in his face, the point hovering just in Tom's periphery. "Hell, Tom, I'm even up for taking an eye."

"Please," Tom whispered. He was trembling.

"Talk," Will demanded harshly.

"I don't--"

Will jerked the knife closer, so the pointed brushed against his eyelid. Tom let out a terrified yelp.

"Alright," he gasped, sweat beading her brow. "Every month they send me this envelope," he began, his voice shaking as much as the rest of him. "I'm not supposed to open it – I just put it in a safety deposit box at this bank in Peoria." He took a deep breath before continuing, his gaze latched on the knife. "Somebody else picks it up – I never know who."

"What's the box number?" Will asked.

"214. But it won't do you any good – they only let joint renters or some shit into it."

Will knew he'd have a time getting around that, but he'd think of something. "When were you last there?"

"This afternoon," Tom whispered. "The other guy will probably pick it up first thing tomorrow."

"Is there anything else I should know?" Will asked finally.

"No," came Tom's reply, and Will believed him.

With a nod, Will pulled the knife away from Tom's face. Tom's body sagged with relief. He opened his mouth to speak, but by that time Will had snatched an empty beer bottle from the kitchen counter and basked it against the back of Tom's head. Glass shattered and tumbled nosily to the floor, and Tom slumped forward.

Will turned away and surveyed the cramped kitchen. His eyes fell onto a stack of letters next to the fridge, and he rifled through them until he found what he was looking for. A letter from the Busey Bank in Peoria – complete with an address.

"It was nice seeing you again." Will gave Tom's limp form a little wave before stepping over the shards of glass and hurrying from the apartment.

oooooooooooooooooo

"How long do you think he'll be?"

Jay and Tyler were still in the parking garage, waiting for Will's return, and Jay found the silence stifling.

Tyler looked up at Jay's query and shrugged noncommittally. "Who knows? He'll come back when he's got whatever he's after."

They lapsed into silence again – Jay wished they hadn't. If he wasn't talking, then he'd be thinking – and he really wasn't up for that at the moment.

Ever since he'd seen her last at the night club, Jay hadn't been able to get Kim out of his mind. They'd left so quickly – he hadn't even seen what had happened to her. And although he was loathe to admit it, even to himself, chances were she'd been arrested for helping him. Aiding a terrorist came with some heavy charges…and it was entirely his fault.

"Damn," he muttered, pressing his eyes closed, trying to block out images of Kim alone in a dark cell.

"What?" Tyler asked, tearing his gaze away from the window.

"Nothing," Jay replied mechanically. With a sigh, he struggled to find the words. "It's just…I don't know." He paused, shaking his head. "I'm worried about Kim," he admitted finally.

"Yeah," Tyler responded quietly, but his voice had a strange quality to it – Jay wasn't sure what to make of that.

"Tyler?" Jay questioned, glancing back at his friend. Something wasn't right.

"I mean, I get it," Tyler responded quickly. "Everyone we care about keeps getting dragged into this shit." He paused, shaking his head. "My brother's probably pissed as hell right now."

That threw Jay for a loop. In the years Jay had known him, Tyler had only mentioned his brother once or twice. He'd gotten the impression the two of them weren't close.

"What do you mean?" Jay asked cautiously.

Tyler shrugged. "He's never had to worry about…taking over the family, or anything," he explained. His voice suddenly took on a bitter tone. "Of course, that was before our father tried to have me killed." Tyler frowned, staring out the window. "I wonder if he knew…"

"He couldn't have," Jay assured him. At least, he hoped not. But as tangled as things had become, it almost wouldn't surprise him.

But something about the conversation was still bothering Jay. It wasn't like Tyler to bring up personal issues – and the way he'd rushed into the topic, it was like he'd been trying to change the subject. And then there was his reaction to Jay's mention of Kim…

Jay opened his mouth to speak again, but Tyler suddenly tensed, his gaze focused on something outside that Jay couldn't see.

"What--?"

"Shh." Tyler hissed.

"What is it?" Jay asked again, his voice low.

An instant later Tyler had climbed out of the back and into the driver's seat. He turned the key, starting the engine.

"That's the third time that cop car's driven past," Tyler explained, backing out of the parking space.

"It's a bad neighborhood," Jay pointed out.

"Yeah, and we're two wanted terrorists lurking in a parking garage in the middle of the night," Tyler shot back. He was already peeling away to the exit.

"What about Will?" Jay asked.

"We'll come back for him in the morning, like he said." Tyler's face was set. "He was right – we can't just sit here and wait to get caught."

Jay couldn't argue, so he just sat back as Tyler sped off into the streets of Chicago.

oooooooooooooooooo

Will shoved his hands deeper into his pockets. It had been a long trek back to the parking garage, but it was finally in sight. His side was still bleeding, and he could already feel the beginnings of a spectacular bruise blossoming on his jaw line. But at least it had stopped raining – and he was here.

The problem was, Jay and Tyler weren't. With a sinking feeling he realized that they must have run into trouble. He only hoped that they'd escaped, and would be back for him in the morning.

With few options left, Will trudged through the garage to the stairwell. He settled himself on the concrete, his back up against the wall, and watched the doorway.

He hadn't meant to doze off, but all of a sudden he was jolted awake. In the distance he could hear the sounds of busy streets and congested traffic – it was morning – and closer, two voices speaking in whispers.

"Should we wake him up?"

"We can't just leave him here."

"I know that – damn."

"What?"

"He's bleeding again."

The first voice was Jay, and the other Tyler. Now there was a hand on his shoulder.

"Will?"

"…fine," he heard himself mumble. Will forced his eyes open, and it took him a moment to adjust to the sudden brightness. Jay was crouched down in front of him, and Tyler leaned in the open doorway.

"Are you alright?" Jay was asking, watching him carefully.

In response, Will forced himself to his feet, and brushed past Tyler to climb into the backseat of the car. A moment later Jay and Tyler followed him – Jay taking the wheel and Tyler in the front passenger seat. He noticed both their eyes watching him in the rearview mirror – but he said nothing – he simply rummaged around his bag for bandages. The bleeding had slowed to a stop, but he didn't want to leave the wound uncovered.

"I thought you said this guy was your friend," Tyler said finally, recapturing Will's attention.

"Yeah, well, I used the term loosely," Will retorted, effectively ending the conversation before adding, "Peoria's about three hours away from here."

Jay picked up the hint and shifted the car into drive. "What's in Peoria?" he asked as they pulled out of the garage.

"A safety deposit box," Will explained. "We need what's inside."

"How do we get in it, though?" Tyler asked.

"I'll figure something out."

It wasn't really an answer, but it was all he could give them – so they sped off, leaving Chicago in the rearview mirror.

TBC

I rewrote the scene with Jay and Tyler in the car literally five times. It kept turning into "caring and sharing hour," and I hated it. Now it's at least close to what I wanted. And as far as giving Tyler a brother…that's not really something I made up – at least not totally. They said in the show that he's the eldest son – which implies that there are more. And anyway, everybody needs a brother.

So…I'm turning nineteen this Saturday…huzzah! And you know what I'd like for my birthday? Reviews – wink, wink, nudge.

Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter – it was my favorite so far to write (except that damn scene with Jay and Tyler…grr).

Cop