I don't own them.
Three Years Ago
Riley was glad to be away from Ian. They had been on a scouting trip all day -- in pairs. And guess who Riley's partner was?
Ben was with the guide, a native who spoke only broken English. Ben got to investigate the caves while Riley and Ian were stuck on Forest Duty. And it turned out that Ian's favorite past time was to make Riley's life miserable.
But now it was --Riley didn't know what time it was. He booted up his laptop, hoping to have some internet connection. It would be a lot more trouble if he had to create his own internet on top of everything else.
The twenty-four-year-old spread out in the most comfortable position he could. They were in Guatemala and it was hot. Not to mention the bugs that insisted on flying in the tents and landing on you and sucking your blood.
Whatever. It would be worse. He could be sharing a tent with Ian.
Riley absentmindedly rubbed his face, wincing as he came in contact with a sore spot. Maybe it wasn't visible. Maybe Ben wouldn't notice. Maybe the moon was made out of cheese (he never got that one. It wasn't yellow, for one thing)
He forgot about his sore face and the bugs and the heat when the computer finally started up. He lost himself in the layers of code, once again feeling a rush of admiration towards the Masons who'd created it. They had made layers upon layers of code without a computer. Which goes to show you how much you could get done when there wasn't a television handy.
The fact that he was, almost literally, lost in the code made it possible for him not to notice Ben when the older man came in. It wasn't until Ben was actually inches in front of him that Riley jumped at the sound of him.
The jump (not recommended for small tents) sent the laptop flying. Riley threw out a hand to catch it and ended up landing painfully on his elbow. Yet another sore to add to his growing list. "Hey Ben." Riley said, attempting to clean the PC with his already grimy sleeve. "How'd exploring go?"
"Okay. We found a couple of pictures -- well, some lines that look like pictures -- that I think might be dated back to 300 BC when the Mayan empire was thriving and…" his voice trailed off. Only that would have made Riley look up. Ben never got bored while given lectures on History. Riley usually just tuned them out.
"Riley." Riley wiggled at the tone Ben used. He knew what was coming, he knew it… "Riley, what happened to you face?"
"What happened to yours?" Riley asked, desperate for another few seconds without the Spanish Inquisition.
Ben didn't even crack a smile. His hands traced the place on Riley's face that was sore. And now swelling. For once, Riley was thrilled they were at least a hundred miles from the nearest mirror. "Did you trip or something?"
"Am I really that much of a klutz?" Riley countered. He sighed, rolling onto his back so he count the mosquitoes in the tent better. He thought for a second about telling Ben exactly how much Ian hated him. But what would Ben do about it? Ian had money to offer and Riley had…nothing. Just his computer and a tag-a-long little brother look.
Sixteen. There were sixteen mosquitoes in the tent. "Yeah, I am really that much of a klutz." He sighed, trying to smile. "They should really clear out those vines. Someone could break their neck out there."
Ben continued to stare at him in a way that made Riley feel like he was being X-Rayed. Then he tilted his head and nodded, as if he was trying to convince himself that Riley's story was true. Then he turned away.
For one pathetic moment, Riley wished he hadn't. He wished that Ben had asked what was really going on. And maybe Riley would have told the truth that time.
Instead, Riley flipped back onto his stomach, trying to ignore the bites of the insects and the rapidly swelling bruise over his eye.
Present Day
"Ben?"
Riley pushed his pain away. It was nothing, really. A couple of broken fingers, a broken nose, and some really nice cuts and bruises over the rest of his body. Oh, and the burn on his chest. And that big ol' gash in his leg.
But he'd be fine. It was Ben he was worried about. Ben had just been brought in by a big goon and was currently out cold. Riley, luckily not bound (he couldn't get very far on a bad leg) had crawled over to him while Ian was busy conversing with his henchmen.
Gently, Riley touched Ben's face, running his fingers up until he felt a bruise. The light was dim and one of his eyes was swollen shut but even Riley could see that the bump on Ben's head was pretty big. And when his hand came away from his friend's head, it was stained with what Riley could only assume was blood.
Quickly checking over the rest of Ben, Riley determined that his only injury was the head. But he still hadn't regained consciousness and the wound was bleeding a lot. "Ben, I tried to tell you to just leave me." Riley whispered, dragging himself closer to his friend, ignoring the pain radiating from every part of his body. "I'm sorry I got you into this, but I swear you won't get hurt." More than you already are. Riley cradled Ben's head in his lap, waiting.
One of the henchmen dragged him off the ground and another one went for Ben. Ian advanced on Riley until his face was inches away from the computer geek's. "So Riley, new question. Do you want to work with me or do you want Ben to die? Your choice."
It was the one thing Riley couldn't stand. He would have given up his own life in a heartbeat, would have taken any beatings Ian had to offer if it meant protecting Ben. But he couldn't willingly let Ben die. Not because of him.
He opened his mouth, about to give in, about to betray Ben and everything they'd worked for. Then everything happened at once.
The man who was holding Ben suddenly screamed as Ben took him out with a forceful punch to the face. Ian whirled around, aiming his gun at Ben, but it was already too late.
Riley had to move in his captor's now much too tight grip to see what was going on. He saw Ben standing mostly upright, pointing a gun at Ian. Ian was facing him, pointing a gun back.
"Going to shoot me, Ben? I'd love to see you try." Riley was disgusted to see a smile playing on the villain's face. Ben's grip on the gun tightened but his eyes remained steady and his voice cold as he said, "I will if you don' put your gun down and release Riley now."
Ian's laugh was harsh and he nodded at the man holding Riley. In a second Riley felt a hand at his neck, nearly choking him. "I can break his neck now and shoot you. Two birds with one stone, you might say." He nodded again and Riley felt his head being irresistibly drawn to one side.
Then a shot rang out and Riley crumpled to the ground.
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