Chapter 9: Still Waiting

Title: Scream

Genre: Drama / Suspense

Rating: M

Summary: Sequel to Haunted. James, Kendall, and Carlos must find ReaperToo while racing against time to save their loved ones from an imminent nightmare. WARNING: Slash, Death, Cannibalism

Written: November 2011

Word Count: 3,054 words

Authors Note: Thanks so much to Rhett9, Lovin' Big Time Rush, Fetish, IceRush, TheClaire24, WonderlandGirl457, rosiedoll, 801-chan, Love and Peace Forever, and squoctobird for your amazing reviews! You may be wondering why it took me so long to update—let's just say life was beginning to overwhelm me with certain things, but I think I'm better now. Anyways, I hope you like this chapter!


Carlos breathed in deeply, as a myriad of memories flooded him. It was all too simple. It had to be done. There was nothing he could do but perform this task, and hopefully prevail. It would hurt him in the long run, and he knew it, but he had to do it. He had to save Geraldo, his only son. He had to salvage his relationship with Stephanie, his only love. He had to save Katie, his only sister. He had to save Kendall, James, and Logan, his only brothers. He had to save Big Time Rush, his only hope for a better tomorrow.

Carlos glanced at the broken television set, which still cackled a bit of excess static electricity, and attempted to continuously inhale, hoping to gather enough strength and resolution within his frame to do it.

Carlos took another glance around. It made enough sense. There was something odd about the fact that there was a television set within his vicinity, and yet no door to escape. It was eerily cognizant of a ghost, and while Carlos certainly believed ReaperToo to be some sort of spectral creature, he knew that ReaperToo was still human, and employed human guards and assailants. Carlos slowly positioned his body, his eyes accustomed to the darkness, and tried to search for an exit of some kind—a hidden passageway in which he could escape this torture and rescue everyone.

It had been his dream for the longest time to be a superhero—specifically, to be El Hombre Del Flaming Space Rock Man. He thought, once he saw Geraldo for the first time, that his dream could still figuratively come true—he could be a hero for Geraldo, and figuratively save him from his troubles. However, life had a cruel turn and took Carlos's son away from him. However, now, more than ever, Carlos knew it was his true calling to be a hero and to save all those for whom he cared.

"I have to do this, I'm not the dumb one. I'm Carlos!" Carlos confided in himself, as he scouted around the impenetrable darkness for some access in and out of the vicinity. Carlos knew there had to be one, but he was simply not thinking enough.

"Think, think...what did I waste my time doing in school?" Carlos pondered, as he recalled himself sitting on the familiar orange sofa, watching cop shows and murder mysteries instead of doing the homework obviously in front of him. Then, it hit Carlos; there had to be something artificial within the room. He looked around, and was surrounded by four main walls, but there had to be something more. Carlos took a deep breath as he steadied himself. He began to walk around the room, leaning close to the walls and knocking on them softly to listen for an echo. If his suspicions were correct, then there was a makeshift wall. It was the only logical explanation to Carlos.

After what seemed like an eternity of walking around in a square, Carlos heard the sound he was looking for—a hollow sound, one without much substance. Instantly, Carlos's heart began to race, as he attempted to push against it and rapt his knuckles against the surface, imagining it to come tumbling down.

However, it was to no avail. The makeshift wall continued to hold in place, and Carlos huffed in frustration. It was tantalizing as to how nearby escape was, and yet how unattainable it was. Carlos wished bitterly that he still held his helmet, and could smash through the wall.

Like a spark catching fire, Carlos's eyes widened. The wall could not be very strong if it was makeshift, and was made to be disassembled upon notice. Carlos instantly straightened his back again and stared at the wall, as if it was taunting him. Carlos squinted his eyes, determination filling his blood. He would do this. It was all on him. He no longer had the luxury of breaking down, and letting others suffer for his inaction.

Carlos walked steadily to the farthest corner of the dark room, trailing his hand across the walls to find balance. Once Carlos felt as if he had walked far enough, he took another inhale.

"This is for Katie!" Carlos yelled, as he instantly ran and slammed his body against the wall. For a moment, Carlos expected the wall to come tumbling down, but instead, Carlos bounced and hit the floor. He winced in pain, and was sure that somewhere, he was bleeding, but he knew he needed to keep on trying. Carlos skipped back to the approximate location of his original spot, and instantly imagined Kendall, Logan, and James, with a smile on each of their faces. Carlos closed his eyes, and ran as fast as he could, slamming his body into the wall.

Once again, nothing occurred, although Carlos swore he felt as if some brick became loose. Carlos could also feel the grainy texture of dust accumulating around the bottom of the wall, hopefully suggesting the weakening of the wall.

Carlos paced back to his spot, and panted. He could feel his entire body quaking in pain, but he knew he had to keep on trying. It was to save Kendall from the alcohol; to save James from the psychotic doctor; to save Logan from being killed; to save his son, and Katie. It had to happen.

Carlos imagined Geraldo, smiling and hugging him. Carlos felt tears race down his face, as he remembered the warm embrace from the little boy. Taking another deep breath, Carlos ran as fast as he could, withholding any inhibitions, and slammed against the wall, hoping to see it cave and fall to pieces.

Unfortunately, it did not. Carlos once again sat on the floor, his eyes stained with tears, and his shoulder bleeding. His legs were screaming in pain, and Carlos's head was burning, but he knew he couldn't give up. He had to keep on trying. It was the only way out of this hell.

Carlos finally prepared himself, as he imagined Big Time Rush. He saw Mrs. Knight smiling at the boys, with James, Carlos, Kendall, and Logan playing video games, with Katie robbing Fruit Smackers from Bitters, with Stephanie dancing with him, with Geraldo playing in his arms, with his real parents hugging him, with everyone for whom Carlos cared. Carlos took a deep breath and ran, no matter the burn and pain.

Crash

The make-shift wall came tumbling down, as he panted. He had to escape, before ReaperToo realized it. Carlos grinned to himself, as he felt more and more blood cake at the top of his head. Carlos limped slightly, as his eyes slowly became accustomed to the murky light. He held his hand against the nearby wall, panting. He had just broke down through a wall, and lived to tell the tale.

"I have to find everyone," Carlos panted, as he felt his eyes tearing up again. The pain in which Carlos found himself reminded him of the results of all of his painful stunts, and he bitterly wished Logan was beside him, helping him through the injuries.


Carlos always went to his right, whenever he was lost. He figured if he kept on going right, he would either end up in his destination, or where he stared, in which case he would take left. However, Carlos continued to tread upon the path, hoping to find some life—and not in the shape of ReaperToo's men or women.

He hated the scraping noise his shoe made as he limped his foot across the ground. He hated the damp feeling atop his scalp. He hated the way his entire body was screaming at him to stop, but Carlos knew he had to keep on going. He had to save everyone, and it was his mission as El Hombre Del Flaming Space Rock Man. He was going to make everyone proud.

Suddenly, Carlos noticed movement. He limped slightly to his left, leaning against the wall, as if it would shield him from any impending danger. However, the movement ceased, and Carlos squinted his eyes. Whatever caused the movement was far too large to be a rodent, but far too small to be a body guard. Carlos decided to test his luck, and scooted closer and closer to where he saw the movement.

The scraping of his shoes continued to make an irritating noise, as Carlos started to hear breathing. His heart began to race, as he hoped he was nearby someone who could help him. He doubted any guards would be resting, and Carlos immediately enveloped himself into the darkness, hoping to find some sort of salv—

BAM.

Carlos felt his body cave into the adjacent wall, as a stinging slap spread across his face. He mewled slightly, as he felt his body drag down onto the floor. Instantly, two silhouettes towered over him, their faces shrouded by darkness.

"I was awake, you scumbag. You can't get me now!" A feminine voice hissed, as she grabbed the shorter figure's hand. Instantly, Carlos recognized the voice and tried to mewl as loud as he could.

"K-Katie! It's Carlos!" Carlos breathed, as suddenly the two figures stopped. Katie whipped her head around, and ran to Carlos, feeling him in the darkness.

"Oh my gosh, Carlos! I'm so sorry! I thought you were—What happened?" Katie whispered, as tears began to flow down her face. The darkness of the alleyway in the basement seemed to cover them, but the murky light provided a reflection to the crystals. Carlos mustered a smile, and grinned.

"I broke down a wall." Carlos breathed, as he coughed. Katie instantly withdrew her hand from Carlos's scalp, and giggled silently. Carlos reached his hand upward, as Katie helped him regain his poise. Instantly, another force ran forth and grabbed his waist.

"Cawlos! Daddy!" Geraldo squealed, as Carlos felt his breath return to him. He hugged Geraldo as tight as he could, without choking the boy. He had never felt so satisfied before in his life, and instantly Katie joined the group embrace. There was a tender and intimate moment, until Carlos slowly broke the embrace, reluctantly.

"Where is everyone else?" Carlos asked, as the group shifted slightly into the light so they could see each other better. It was then Carlos saw how disheveled both Katie and Geraldo were—although it brought him great relief to see them.

"I'm not sure," Katie shrugged, although her eyes suddenly began to glaze. Carlos raised an eyebrow, as he continued to breath deeply. Katie took a deep breath as well, and held onto Carlos and Geraldo.

"Logan," Katie took another breath, presumably to halt her tears, "managed to free us, and distracted the Aghori until we could escape. I don't know if he's okay or not, but we're hiding here until daytime, so then we could escape." Katie sobbed slightly, as Carlos instantly brought her back into another embrace. This was truly war—except it was a war where Carlos was unsure as to what perpetuated it. It was mysterious and eerie and dark.

"Let's try and find the others, and then we'll find Logan. I'm sure he's fine. He's the smartest, 'member?" Carlos smiled, as Geraldo squeezed his hand. Katie nodded silently, as they continued their trek across the dark hallways. Carlos was not sure what time it could be, but from the dim lights peeking into the cracks of the basement, Carlos assumed it was past midnight, but before dawn.

There was a comfortable silence as the trio walked, their hearts beating fast in fear of being caught. They assumed that if guards had been looking for them, they would have located them by now. That was their comforting torch of light as they traversed through the alleys.

Suddenly, there was a deep moan. Instantly, Carlos heard heavy footsteps, and noticed a small area covered in darkness to his right. He grabbed Geraldo and Katie and slid against the wall, hiding under the darkness. A heavyset man in a robe walked past them and cascaded away, into the darkness. Carlos, Katie, and Geraldo waited several moments, listening only to the sound of their heartbeats, until Geraldo got up, and peered. He glanced at Katie and Carlos, and smiled. Carlos limped forward, as Katie helped him walk, as the trio walked forward in the direction from which the robed man came. They knew that another member of their family was to be found.


"I am first going to rip out your guts, then slowly peel off your skin into ribbons, and then clean up the excess nectar of blood. Afterward, I shall apply this and make you my puppet...all the while, your heart will still be beating as mine does when I listen to your angelic voice." A sickly voice whispered, as James lay unconscious on the makeshift operating bed. Carlos watched with horror, as the old man teetered to his materials, and hummed a Big Time Rush melody. Katie gasped silently, as she covered Geraldo's eyes. This was too morose. However, Carlos and Katie stared at each other, and knew that they had to do something or else James would be gone.

"Stop!" A sudden voice robbed Carlos of his thoughts, as he saw Geraldo sneak past Katie and Carlos and glare at the old man. The old man stopped humming, and turned to see Geraldo glaring at him.

"Oh, what do we have here? A second puppet to dance with me?" The old man eerily grinned, as Katie and Carlos stepped out of the shadows, their hearts beating rapidly.

"Leave James alone—NOW!" Katie shrilled, as the old man looked bewildered, and glanced at the unconscious James.

"N-No! He is mine! He will be mine! He will dance for me, his beautiful self mesmerizing me every night..." The old man trilled onward, as Katie blanched slightly, looking sick. Carlos cast her a sympathetic look, as Geraldo glanced at his father for direction.

"Leave him, or we will hurt you." Carlos spoke bravely, his superhero persona flaring through upon the glance of his son. Geraldo gave a weary grin, as he turned to face the old man, matching his father's ferocity. Katie held her own anger and threat, as the man chuckled. He pulled a scalpel from his tray of materials, and stared at the trio. Carlos wanted to laugh—the poor, delusional stalker obsessed with James believed he stood a chance against a ten year old, a woman, and a debilitated but hyperactive man.

"You can't hurt me. He promised that I could have James, if I kept quiet about it..." The man spoke, his voice relying on a false religion. Carlos shook his head in disgust, as he imagined horrible thoughts of what the man was attempting to do. From the gross description Carlos had heard, it seemed as if the man wanted to strip James of his humanity, while preserving his good looks and creating a slave of some sort to sing for him. It was disgusting, and wrong.

"Let James go, or we will hurt you." Katie threatened. Suddenly, she took a step forward, and grinned wearily as the man stumbled backward slightly, trembling. Katie shook her head, as she motioned for Geraldo to come forward.

"Geraldo, tie him up with me. Carlos, untie James." Katie commanded, as the old man began to tremble more and more. Katie stared at him with scorn, with so much ferocity that Carlos began to shiver.

Hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn, or something along those lines. Carlos thought, as he worked on untying the unconscious actor. It was slightly difficult to do while his body burned in pain, and his head throbbed, but from the corner of his eye, he watched Katie use the string on the ground and work with Geraldo to tie this man.

"Please! Let me go! Don't leave me here! Please!" The man trembled, his voice quaking. However, from the look Katie gave him, he immediately silenced.

As Carlos trudged with the unconscious James, and left the room with Katie and Geraldo, they knew there was only room one left. However, the blood curling scream horrified Carlos, as he glanced at Katie and Geraldo. Kendall's roar was familiar—and it was horrifyingly familiar.

Carlos, as fast as he could waddle with the unconscious James Diamond on his back, followed Katie and Geraldo to the source of the noise. It was surreal as to the situation in which the group found themselves—lost in a basement full of rooms and torture devices. It was almost as if they were in some horrific movie, which would mean that no one was dead...

Another blood curling scream was emitted, as Katie found the room with Kendall inside of it. Fortunately, the make-shift wall on the outside was still moist, indicating that it could be taken apart. Geraldo began to follow Katie's actions of withdrawing the bricks from the wall, and throwing them as softly as they could against the ground to open up a hole in which the group could fit.

After what seemed like forever with the sobs coming from Kendall, Katie crept through the hole, along with Geraldo. Carlos shifted slightly, letting the unconscious body of James slide in first, after which Carlos entered. However, to his horror, he saw Kendall cradling a body, his back turned toward the group.

"P-Please...forgive me...I'm so sorry Logie..." Kendall's voice whispered into the darkness, the voice intoxicated with sadness. Carlos could not believe whether the body in Kendall's hand was Logan's, and from the horrified look upon Katie's face, Carlos took it upon himself to inspect the body.

However, what he saw shocked him. There was the pale skin, the short brown hair, and the familiar chocolate brown eyes, once full of warmth, now artificial and cold. Carlos gasped, as Kendall continued to sob.

Was it truly the end? Was Logan truly dead? Carlos could not swallow such a fact, and slowly felt himself dropping into the darkness, his eyes fluttering shock. He felt his back slide against the wall, as he slid into a fetal position, his eyes wet with tears...