Jack bit his lip forcing his aching head to think. Mac was out cold. Jack winced as he slid the kid away from him and stretched him out on the stone. He wished he had a blanket or jacket to wrap up Mac, but he didn't. Jack stood stepping around Mac blindly reaching for the wall.
The complete lack of light was dizzying. Jack felt as if he had been thrown into the blackness of space. He had no sense of time and the stone blocked out all noise except his and Mac's breathing. It was so quiet his ears hummed with pressure. Jack had trouble staying focused his mind running fast as a train trying to escape mentally if not physically. He knew that if they were in this cell too long it wouldn't be physical needs that would do them in, but sensory starved madness.
Jack leaned on the rock and slowly followed it around the chamber. It was about ten feet long and six feet wide. He stopped at the door. It was heavy steel with a long hinge bolted into the stone. He felt no keyhole, knob or latch. Damn. Jack turned to return to Mac when the kid screamed. Jack's heart lurched and bright sparks blasted across his eyes. His ears rang with the echo of the tormented cry.
"Mac? Mac!" He called he could hear Mac tilting into panic. He cursed and tried to move faster, but he didn't want to trip over his friend.
"J...Jack?" Mac's voice was strangled with terror.
"Yeah, kiddo, I'm coming over to ya."
"Jack! I can't see! I'm blind! JACK!" Jack felt his toe bang into Mac's side. Mac screamed again. Jack closed his eyes trying to stop Mac's panic from causing his own to take over. He crouched and put out a hand finding Mac's forearm. Mac squeaked and tried to pull away crying out in pain.
"Hey, hey...shhhh, it's me, kiddo. You're ok, you're not blind we're in a cell without any light, you hear me, Mac." Jack slowly eased to the floor making sure he kept contact with Mac. He felt Mac's cold shaking hand grab onto his arm.
"Jack…" Jack could hear tears in that one word. Jack ran his hand up Mac's body until he reached Mac's head. He ran his fingers through Mac's hair and rubbed his thumb across the kid's wet cheek. Mac's hand grabbed Jack's wrist and his head tilted into Jack's hand. Jack could hear his partner slow his breathing until he regained control. Jack smiled. Even when his breathing was easier, Mac didn't pull away.
"Better?" Jack asked. Mac cleared his throat.
"I'm fine." His voice cracked. Jack shook his head.
"Why am I not surprised? How are your feet, and don't tell me fine." There was a long pause.
"I can't feel them." Jack's eyes widened. That was seriously not good. He could feel tension building again in Mac's quaking body. Jack moved forward and carefully eased Mac up until he was essentially sitting in the older man's lap. Mac groaned his fingernails digging into Jack's arm as he tried to get control of his pain. Jack wrapped his hand around the kid's shuddering body and pulled him close.
"Jack...don't…" Jack could hear Mac's embarrassment.
"Relax buddy, this will keep both of us warmer and I won't lose track of you in the dark." Mac snorted.
"I don't think I'll be wondering off." Jack laughed and rested his forehead on Mac's shoulder. He absently brushed back Mac's hair. Mac let out a deep breath, his body relaxing against Jack's chest. They were quiet for a long minute each lost in their own thoughts.
"Mac?"
"Hmm?"
"Who's Percy? You've never spoken about him before." He could feel Mac's muscles tighten then relax one by one.
"When I first went to MIT, I was a bit...lost." Jack thought about a midteen Angus who'd been bullied because of his brains. He could picture him being socially awkward looking for his niche in life. Mac sighed, "I...well, my first roommate...wasn't very nice. He was an economics major…" Mac's voice trailed off and Jack could feel the kid try to swallow his emotions. He cleared his throat, "His name was Ashley."
"Really?"
"Yeah, he came from old money...you know the type. He and his friends were...pranksters." From the tone in his voice, Jack knew that these pranks crossed the line into cruelty. Mac rushed on before Jack could ask for details.
"I didn't strike back because I'd just gotten into MIT and my grandfather...my gramps, I didn't want to disappoint him, you know?"
"I do."
"Anyway, one day I...I don't know I kinda snapped and ran away."
"Ran away? Back home?" Mac chuckled then bent forward in pain. Jack waited until Mac got his breath back.
"No, I was stupid I stormed off into Boston and got completely lost. I ended up wandering around Roxbury."
"I assume that's bad?"
"Think Mali without the music or soccer."
"Damn."
"Yeah, I reached the worst part where there is nothing but burnt out and boarded buildings. I ran into a group of the local residents…" Jack heard the sarcasm and could picture Mac's wry smile.
"Gangs?" Jack guessed.
"Yeah, the 7s. They were pissed off I didn't have any money so decided to 'take it out of my hide', their words not mind." Jack's jaw clenched. He knew how vicious gangs could be. The idea of his partner attacked by that pack of hyenas made his blood boil. He pulled Mac closer. Mac patted Jack's hand acknowledging what he knew was going through Jack's head.
"So they beat you up."
"Yeah, it's not the worst beating I've ever had...not like…" Mac's voice trembled. Jack automatically added in the 'now.' He put his head on Mac's shoulder. Mac leaned his head over and took a minute to bring himself back under control, "Anyway, I was not in good shape. They were going to put me out of my misery when Percy showed up. I have no idea why he did what he did, but he stopped them took me home and took care of me for a month." Jack closed his eyes. He knew there were a lot of gaps in that story that he would never hear from Mac, but at least he had an answer.
"How is he mixed up in this mess?"
"His gang, the 7s wanted to take over turf from the Irish Mob…"
"Daring."
"No kidding, let's just say they started to disappear at a fast rate."
"Killed." Jack assumed.
"No, disappeared. No trace of them ever again."
"The Cohn brothers?"
"No, Percy was one of the Cohn brothers…"
"What? Maggie said they're like the boogeyman at Cascade."
"Really? That's weird. I know Lubeman was making moves in Boston at the same time maybe that's how their paths crossed." Jack felt Mac shrug,
"Lubeman has connections in Boston." Jack said thoughtfully.
"What?" Jack told him about what they had learned about Lubeman.
"Refrigerator trucks?" Jack didn't answer knowing that Mac was chewing through ideas. Mac shifted and groaned. Before Jack could ask, Mac said, "Stop it, I'm fine."
"I didn't say anything." Jack said with fake defensiveness. Mac chuckled then gasped in pain.
"I can feel worry ooze out of you."
"Are you sure that's not sweat?" Both men broke into laughter. Mac broke off crying out and leaning forward. Jack again ran his hand gingerly through Mac's hair. Mac arched back and took in a shaking breath.
"I...re...really hate...fucked up ribs."
"I hear ya, kiddo. That's it just breathe...that's it." They were quiet again their breath the only sound.
"Do you think they're just gonna leave us in here?" Mac's voice was taut with pain and small with fear. Jack let out a deep breath shoving his own worry farther down.
"I don't know, bud."
"No one knows where we are." Mac sighed.
"I know, but Riley found us neck deep in quicksand in the middle of Uganda, she'll find us." Mac nodded, but didn't reply. Jack scowled feeling Mac spiral into defeat.
"So what's up with the refrigeration trucks?" Jack could almost hear the kid's brow furrow.
"I don't know," Jack knew how much that admission hurt Mac. Jack could feel Mac rubbing his forehead with both hands.
"Mac?" Jack asked his worry spiking.
"Headache." Mac mumbled. His voice was thick with fatigue. Jack frowned a new idea coming to him.
"Mac, how long before we run out of air?"
"It's not the lack of air, but the increase in CO2." Mac mumbled. Jack rolled his eyes.
"How long before we stop breathing?" Mac was quiet running calculations.
"About 8 hours, depending on breathing, activity…" Mac's voice trailed off as he slumped back. Jack leaned his cheek against Mac's damp hair wishing he could still the shaking in his partner's weak body.
"Aw, kid." Jack said feeling his eyes fill with tears.