Title: Blood is Thicker than Blue
Chapter 7 – Upping the Stakes
A few hours later, Jamie's head finally starts to pull him from his drugged stupor. However, it only takes him seconds to realize that something is very wrong. Panic starts to course through him when he can't move his arms or legs very well; his limbs still tightly tied, his wrists behind his back. He blinks his eyes several times only to find he's still in the dark, a dark but not tightly closed hood was draped over his head and a few pieces of heavy tape over his mouth were keeping him quiet.
Help me! He calls out in vain as he struggles, trying to find some room in the ropes keeping him captive. But his strength still wasn't up to par and so he quickly tires and slumps his weary head back down on the soft mattress he's now on, his mind racing with panic as to where he was and who he was with. Finally he hears some low laughter signaling that he's not alone.
"Sleep well baby Reagan?" Malvesky taunts as he yanks the hood of Jamie's head and glares down at him.
Jamie blinks away some dust particles and then looks up at Malvesky with a narrowed gaze, mumbling uselessly into the gag keeping him quiet.
"What? You want me to take that off?" Malvesky smiles as he leans in closer. "Children should be seen and not heard," he snickers as he pats Jamie's flushed cheek. The cut above his eye had mostly dried but his captor had done little to clean up the dried blood mixed with dirt that was now decorating the left side of his face.
"You know you really have only yourself to blame for your current predicament," Malvesky taunts with a wicked smile. "You know sticking your nose into places it doesn't belong seems to be a bad habit for the Reagan's. Well it already cost one of you…"
Bastard! Jamie growls into the gag at the inference of his brother Joe's death.
"Now you and soon…" Malvesky starts and then stops, cocking his head as another voice was heard. Jamie too lifts his head but is unable to clearly make out who is calling his cruel captor away.
"Well…" Malvesky starts as he slowly stands up and looms over Jamie with a grin. "Hope you had a boring weekend in mind," Malvesky huffs as he heads for the door. "Mine just got a lot more exciting. Oh yeah…" he pauses as he turns back with a wide grin. "Don't go anywhere."
Damn you! Jamie curses, once again being only rewarded by mocking laughter as the door to the small room is slammed shut. Only one corner light bulb was on and there were no windows. His runners had been removed and his bound feet were also tethered to the bed post to keep him in place. Jamie looks around, frantically searching the small room for anything he could use as a means of escape or at least to notify anyone where he was. The room was bare and he was trapped.
Maybe Malvesky killed Lydia and he was next? Who was in the next room? Who was he working with? Jamie's trapped lips offer a muffled grunt as he once more tries in vain to work at the knots keeping him tightly bound. But even if the drugs wore off he doubts he'll be given anything to give him an energy boost and with his mind too anxious to sleep he knows his situation was bleak.
But he wasn't about to give up so tries again, moving his wrists and not caring about the chafing on his skin; he had to get free. He tries again once more and then slumps back in angry defeat, cursing Malvesky's name and praying for help. However, about a half hour later, after just working up a needless sweat and not getting any leeway in his bonds, Malvesky returns with a sly smile.
"Miss me?" He mocks the helpless rookie.
Jamie just curses his twisted captor's name, but all that escapes past the few layers of heavy tape are garbled sounds. "Hmm you'll really have to speak up," Malvesky taunts. He sits down beside Jamie on the bed and chuckles when Jamie tries to roll away. "Yeah nice try rookie," Malvesky grabs a handful of his sweater and yanks him back. "It's not polite to turn away when I'm talking to you."
Malvesky lets go of his sweater and turns away for a few moments. Jamie tries to twist his head to see what Malvesky is doing; his mind racing with terrified thoughts. His eyes instantly widen as he spies a needle in his captor's hands and brings his knees up as far as he can and sends them into Malvesky's back, causing the needle to fall onto the floor. Another kick sends Malvesky stumbling off the bed with an angry grunt.
"Brat!" Malvesky growls as he quickly picks himself up and then turns and gives Jamie a punch in the stomach before he retrieves the needle once again. "You can't stop the inevitable so why bother?" Malvesky huffs as he punches Jamie once more to keep him at bay.
Jamie's stomach reverberates from the hit and his eyes squeeze shut but he refuses to give up. HELP ME! Jamie tries to yell as Malvesky nears him with the needle. Someone had to hear him.
"Sadly the guy in the other room sent me in here to give this to you, so yelling isn't going to work. He doesn't care and neither do I," Malvesky smiles as he grabs Jamie by the arm and pulls him closer, wrapping an arm around his neck and laughing as the youngest Reagan struggles in vain. Finally tiring of the game he jabs the end of the needle into Jamie's neck, pushing the contents into his veins. "Night night."
Jamie feels his temperature starting to rise and his panic instantly surges. He wasn't sure what he was given but he soon felt their ill effects as his limbs start to tingle and his heart race.
"Oh don't worry, it won't kill you," Malvesky says meanly as he pulls the dark hood over Jamie's head once more. "Yet."
NO! Jamie's mind yells before it's consumed by darkness and his body is still once more. Malvesky only laughs as he flips off the small light and then heads for the door, pulling it closed and then locking it behind him; sealing the captive Reagan inside his small dark prison.
"How did he fare?"
"He's pissed but alive and healthy, for now," Malvesky answers as he places the needle down on the table. "What do we do now?"
"Now…we wait. And when Commissioner Reagan realizes that his precious youngest son is missing, we'll put phase two into action and then…and then all hell will break loose. They will rue the day they decided to cross the Blue Templar's."
"And when do I get my cut?"
"Very…soon."
XXXXXXXX
"You're up early Francis," Henry comments as he comes down early Saturday morning.
"Still waiting on Lewis for word on Detective Gonzales. He said he might have found where Lydia is."
"So you think she's still alive?"
"Not sure yet," Frank huffs as he takes a sip of his coffee. "Sorry I missed dinner last night."
"I had good company."
"How was he?" Frank inquires, referring to Jamie.
"Tired and a bit angry over all this and I can't blame him," Henry sighs. "He's got instincts on him."
"He's a Reagan pop," Frank counters with a small smile that quickly changes to a frown. "He's young and taking this too personally."
"It is personal Francis," Henry reminds his son. "He's the one that started this whole brouhaha."
"Well hopefully we'll find Lydia alive and this will end and Jamie will have some peace of mind."
"Hopefully. But I think he'll just take today and rest…that is if he knows what's good for him."
"Rest?" Frank arches his brows. "Us?"
"Right what was I thinking?" Henry retorts dryly. They both settle into breakfast, talking lightly about the day and what they would be doing now that the weather was turning grey and threatening to rain. They both linger around the table for a little while longer, talking about the headlines in the paper and things in general.
"I think I'll go…" Frank starts only to have his phone ring a few hours later. Seeing Detective Lewis's number on the display he answers in haste. "Ron did you find anything?"
"Yeah I did. I found Lydia Gonzales and it's um…she's alive…barely. Frank they did a real number on her. I mean she's…oh god she's beaten badly. She…she must have put up one hell of a fight but…"
"Where are you?"
"Down by the docks. We found her in a nearly submerged shipping container. The medics are trying to resuscitate her now and I'm looking for her two children."
"I want you to get Ty McEvers to escort her to the hospital and stay with her at all times; we can trust him. Register her under Jane Doe and do not under any circumstances tell anyone else. Danny and I are on our way down."
"Sure thing."
"What? They found her?"
"Ron says it's bad. Beat her real bad; children still missing."
"Sons of bitches," Henry curses under his breath. "Want me to call Jamie?"
"I want to just go and talk to her right now without a lot of fanfare. Jamie already blames himself for part of this, the last thing he needs to see is her clinging to life and him going off half cocked thinking he was responsible for this."
"Because that is what you would have done?" Henry challenges.
"See you later pop," Frank calls out as he heads for the door, grabbing his jacket on the way.
"Because that is what I would have done?" Henry asks a now empty house. "These damn bastards messed with the wrong family."
"Okay yeah I'll meet you there," Danny tells his father as he hangs up and then looks over at Linda and the boys. "Guys I know we promised you a trip to the ball park today but I gotta take this call."
"Lydia?" Linda questions.
"They found her. She's alive…barely. I just need to talk to her but I think Ron will have most of it covered. I just don't want Jamie to know right now," Danny tells Linda, watching her offer him a remorseful expression.
"Oh Danny I'm sorry. And her children?"
"Nothing yet."
"Why don't you want Uncle Jamie to know this…whatever it is?" Sean asks.
"Because your dad is worried about his brother," Linda answers as she kisses Danny on the lips and then watches him go.
"I still don't get it," Sean shrugs and Linda just smiles.
"Trust me when you are older you will. Now who wants more chicken fingers?" Linda asks as they remain around the lunch table.
"Me!"
Beat her so badly…barely alive…children still missing…
"Damn bastards!" Danny curses as he speeds toward the private hospital Lydia Gonzales was taken. Even Ron's discovery and handling of the scene was done with quiet efficiency; Frank not wanting to take any chances that the person helping Sonny Malvesky would get wind and possibly end Lydia's already fragile life. They still didn't know who it was and so therefore couldn't trust anyone just yet. As it was they were still taking a chance with her life. Frank had called in the weekend CSI team to process the scene, all the findings sent directly to himself before he would tell Ron if they had anther lead for him to work on.
Danny reaches the hospital and sees his father's car already there and rushes inside. He hurries toward the ICU and then finally spies his father and Ron Lewis talking quietly. Officer Ty McEvers was standing guard outside the hospital ward.
"How is she?"
"Just coming out of surgery," Frank answers with a heavy sigh. "She's still not out of the woods and we might not even get to talk to her."
"Did you call Jamie?"
"Not yet," Frank answers with a small frown. "You?"
"Wanted to talk to you first. Think I should call him?"
"He's probably up and gotten my message already and I'm sure called the house."
"Well I'll just call him and give him an update. Any word on the children?"
"Yeah I found them also," Ron pipes up as he nears them. "I was just telling your dad…man it was bad. I have seen some ugly crime scenes in my day," the older man pauses, "but when you come across to children clinging to life and pleading for help well…"
"So they are okay?"
"They were both administered drugs and left in a small container that was nearly filled with water when I found them. They both had sustained some bruising and were weak and would have drowned alive. Whoever did all this is one demented bastard," Ron softly curses. "I think the water will have washed away a lot of the useable evidence but I am hoping we can still get something to work with. But as soon as they are ready, we'll talk to them and then hopefully they can tell me…well something."
"The children are with a trusted Pediatrician right now."
Ron's phone starts to buzz and he heads toward the private waiting area where he can answer it in the hospital without it causing interference.
"You okay?" Danny asks his father.
"If she dies…"
"We gotta believe she'll pull through," Danny sighs as he pulls his phone and dials Jamie's number. "Hey it's me. Call me about Lydia. We found her and…and she's alive. Just call me okay."
"If Joe's death was a cover up for something…"
"But what? I mean wouldn't he have told you that he was on to something that serious?" Danny wonders as he slowly paces before his father.
"Maybe I'm not as close to my sons as I thought I was," Frank states in a morose tone.
"This isn't your fault," Danny tries to assure him. "I think we're close."
"Jamie didn't want to talk to us," Frank retorts.
"He's special," Danny teases his absent brother.
"Danny a breakdown in family communication means a breakdown in trust. That isn't special; and that isn't us."
"Yeah but it's his choice right?"
"Trust among each other should be second nature to our family, there should be no choice."
"I guess we all learned a lot from this."
"I worry about him being mixed up in all this," Frank utters in a soft tone.
"I do to," Danny agrees as they head for the waiting area. "Joe probably stumbled onto something and was probably waiting for more proof before he made it public."
"Probably found that proof and then was killed just as he said he was going to make it public," Frank ponders as Ron Lewis comes back to them in the waiting room.
"Okay so the children will be finished soon. I am guessing you want to be with me when we talk to them?"
"You know," Frank sighs as he stands up from his chair. "Those kids are scared and probably talking to two strange men isn't going to be a good idea."
"Want me to call Jackie?" Danny suggests.
"I do. Ron we'll wait for Detective Curatola to arrive and then she'll talk to the children," Frank directs, prompting Danny to get up and call his partner with the news. "After we get what we need we need to take the children to a safe house. Ty will stay with Lydia for as long as needed. I'll work on getting him a trusted relief."
"I'm on it," Ron nods before he turns and heads for the elevator.
"Jackie's on her way here," Danny informs his father as he looks at his watch and then up at his father.
"Still no call from Jamie?" Frank asks in concern as Danny shakes his head no.
"I'm sure he's just sleepin' it off a bit later than normal. I mean the poor kid really hasn't slept all week," Danny suggests.
Frank looks at Danny and gives him a deep frown; a feeling of uneasy anxiety now starting to consume him.
"What?" Danny inquires.
"Try him again."
XXXXXXXX
The second time Jamie pulls himself from his drugged stupor, his body was warmer than normal and his stomach was tight with a sickly feeling starting to consume his frame. He could feel the hood over his face but when he had opened his eyes last time there was some light, this time there was only pitch black and that just heightened his feeling of foreboding.
He tries once again to pull at his captive limbs unable to make any kind of headway with the rope and only causing his frustration and anger to surge. Surely his absence would be noticed by now. But what if they didn't start looking for him until Sunday? Could he really survive that long as the helpless captive of twisted Sonny Malvesky? He wasn't sure if Malvesky was capable of murder but he wasn't sure he wasn't either. Would he still be alive in a few hours?
Jamie tries to bend himself downward a bit more, trying desperately to get his fingers to his ankles and try to at least free himself from the bed. But as soon as he hears footsteps he ceases his actions and remains still.
"Rise and shine rookie," Malvesky's tormenting voice resounds in the small room. "Oh come on I'll bet you aren't sleeping," he snickers as he yanks the hood of Jamie's head once more. "Ah I was right. Hungry?"
Jamie looks up and nearly says no but if it'll get him ungagged and maybe even his hands free he would give in. So he merely nods his head and is rewarded by Malvesky unfastening the rope that kept him tethered to the bed and then finally his wrists; but leaves his feet bound so that he wasn't able to run.
"Give me trouble and I will drop this on the floor and step on it to spite you," Malvesky growls as he mercilessly yanks the strips of tape off his mouth.
"Why…are you doing…this?" Jamie asks with a few gasps for air.
"Revenge. Now shut up and eat," Malvesky shoves a small egg mcmuffin into his waiting palms and small glass of milk.
"Who ar…"
"Seriously? You want to push me? Now eat. We need you alive a bit longer."
"Who's we?" Jamie asks automatically.
"Me and the boogey man. You know the one your father always told you to be afraid of," Malvesky winks and Jamie just rolls his eyes as he finishes his meager breakfast.
"Joe had something on you didn't he?"
"You know…"
"Didn't he!" Jamie demands in anger.
"Well well you aren't as dumb as you look. Yeah he did and it cost him. You found out something you shouldn't have and now it is going to cost you too!"
"Where is Lydia?"
"Waiting for you in hell," Malvesky smirks and Jamie's stomach instantly tightens. "Anymore stupid questions?"
"Revenge for what?" Jamie inquires.
"Listen kid…"
"Revenge for WHAT?" Jamie half shouts.
"You are lucky there is no one around to hear YOU!" Malvesky shouts back as he glares at Jamie with an angry stare. "The revenge part was only part of the plan."
"What is the…"
"The destruction of the…entire…Reagan family," Malvesky finishes for Jamie, "starting with you and moving up to the top."
Jamie looks at Malvesky in shock, realizing that this plan was just starting and he was only the beginning; his whole family was now a target. Not caring that his feet were still tightly bound, Jamie balls up his fists and lunges at Malvesky, swinging at his face and catching him in the eye and upper lip.
"What the he…" Malvesky starts as he tries to wrestle Jamie away. Jamie punches him again in the face but after taking another punch to his stomach he slightly falters back, allowing Malvesky to finally grab him by the wrists and hold his arms over his head to tire him out.
"You'll never…" Jamie grunts as he tries to pull himself free. But with only a meager amount of food in his system and the residual effect from the drugs still dancing in his system he wasn't able to do any more damage. "Get away…with this," Jamie continues as he once again tries in vain to pull himself free from his captor's grasp. He had hoped that if Malvesky went out in public that Danny would see his bruises and at least call him on it; at least that's what he was hoping for.
"I already have. You're here aren't you?"
"Never…get away with…" Jamie huffs once more as he feels himself tiring from the useless struggle.
"Yeah and who's gonna stop me? You? Yeah good plan so far," Malvesky laughs as he lets go of one wrist and pulls out his cuffs. Jamie hits him hard in the side but Malvesky quickly counters with a punch to the side which forces Jamie to falter and allowing Malvesky to and trap his wrist overhead, through one of the metal rods and then pulls the other wrist so that both of Jamie's wrists were cuffed overhead, rendering him helpless once more.
"Danny's going to kick your ass when he finds us!" Jamie growls in anger as Malvesky reaches for the tape.
"Yeah well he has to find us first!" Malvesky laughs as he rips off a strip and pushes it down over Jamie's mouth. "But maybe I'll call big brother and tell him where you are and then we can watch him storm through that door just before I put a bullet in him…and then you," Malvesky laughs as he pats Jamie on the cheek.
NO! Jamie's voice yells in vain as he watches Malvesky pull his phone and gives him a wink. Jamie struggles on the bed in vain, pulling at his cuffed wrists and continues to yell into the gag as Malvesky starts to dial.
"And then there…were…none."
A/N: think Malvesky is calling Danny? What do you think Lydia's children will say? Will they know their attacker? Will their mother actually wake up? lots more to come so stay tuned and thanks again.
PS: On a side note I have come up with 2 new Jamie/Danny action/peril story ideas that will post after this so hope you are still liking this and wanting more and please let me know before you go. Reviews = faster updates and more stories. Thanks everyone!
PSS: I have updated my BlueBloods forum with two new spoiler bits, one on Linda being kidnapped and one on Jamie and this whole blue Templar thing and Joe's death.