"I was just getting to that. New York isn't safe for you four, and the Eye can't afford to have you captured. We're moving you out."
The Horsemen looked between each other, unsure whether to be excited or anxious.
"Er, where?" Daniel asked apprehensively.
"A small Massachusetts town – not far, just a little over an hour by plane. I know a guy there who owns a bunch of rental houses; he owes me a favor."
The Horsemen looked relieved; they could handle Massachusetts. Merritt spoke up.
"I feel like a lot of people owe you favors, Dylan."
Dylan smiled slightly. "Yes," he agreed. "Anyway, pull whatever things you have here together. I'll be waiting in the lobby. And hurry; the favor chain that's getting you out won't last forever." He turned and walked out through the door.
"Wait!" Henley called, stepping out into the hall after him. She shook her head and came back inside. "He did his damn vanishing thing again. Ugh – I wanted to ask him more about where we're staying."
Jack shrugged. "It can't be worse than the apartment, right? We cleaned that up well enough. We'll manage. We always do."
Daniel was already moving about the room, picking up clothes and leftover food and putting things into bags. He paused a moment and said, "Let's just do what he says, guys. You heard him – we have to get moving."
"Whatever you say, boss," Merritt replied with a smirk.
Ten minutes later, the dingy motel room looked exactly like it had when the Horsemen found it. Daniel pushed open the door only to walk into Dylan, who stood outside looking upset.
"Hey, we were just on our way," Daniel began, before Dylan cut him off.
"No time," he replied. "The FBI – the other FBI, I mean – is here. I was on my way up to hurry you all along when Alexanders texted me to say they'd found the motel the Horsemen were staying at. Alexanders and a few other agents are downstairs now." He waved them back inside the room before entering himself and locking the door. Just for good measure, he grabbed a nearby chair and shoved it up against the door as well.
"Uh, Alexanders?" Jack asked, confused.
"The tail I set on you. I had to keep up appearances, and at the time the FBI's help in finding you suited my purposes just fine. When you slipped him, I told him to go home. Apparently, he didn't listen." Dylan shook his head disapprovingly. "But that's not important." He strode over to the window, opening in and peering outside. Though the drop was only two stories, there was nothing to break their fall. Dylan motioned Henley over. "Any ideas?" he asked.
She glanced about the room before her eyes settled on the beds. "We could probably use a blanket or two as a rope, it'd get us at least part of the way down. Throw down some pillows too – it'd be better than nothing."
Dylan nodded and the Horsemen began tearing the pillows and blankets from the beds. Suddenly, heavy footsteps could be heard pounding through the hall. Jack and Merritt began tossing pillows onto the alley below as Daniel and Henley worked to twist blankets together into vague ropes.
"Done!" Henley exclaimed. "But someone will have to hold the rope up here while the others climb down…"
"I will," Jack cut in. "I'm light, but stronger than I look. I'll jump down after, someone can catch me."
There was a sharp knock at the door. "FBI, open up!"
"Shit," Dylan hissed. "Alexanders."
"Dylan, you go first," Jack whispered. "They can't know you've been here. They see you, we're all fucked."
Dylan nodded and grabbed the bottom half of the blanket rope. Jack wrapped the top around his fists as Dylan stepped to the windowsill. Bracing himself against the wall, Jack counted down.
"Three, two, one!"
Dylan slid out, using the rope to slow his descent. As soon as Jack felt the blanket go slack, he yanked it back inside and nodded to Henley. "Your turn."
The knocking at the door grew more insistent. "This is the FBI. We demand that you open this door!"
Henley jumped out and Jack turned to Daniel.
A cracking noise could be heard from the other end of the room as the agents began breaking down the door.
"No, let Merritt go," Daniel insisted. As soon as the older man was safely outside, Daniel turned to Jack. He pressed a hurried kiss to his lips before grabbing the end of the blanket. "I'll catch you," Daniel whispered. "I promise." With that, he leapt out the window and landed softly below.
The door slammed open. "Stop where you are!" Jack didn't turn around, and instead made for the window. There was a loud bang and a searing pain in the back of Jack's leg as he fell through the open air, landing, as promised, in Daniel's arms.
Daniel made a move to put Jack down, but Jack squeezed his arm tightly. "Shot," he breathed, trying valiantly to stay conscious.
"Oh, shit, shit, shit!" Daniel exclaimed. He wrapped his arms tighter around Jack and ran toward the car where the other Horsemen already waited. Dylan sat in the driver's seat with Merritt next to him. Henley sat in the back, waiting nervously for Daniel and Jack to arrive. Daniel climbed inside, careful not to hurt Jack further. Henley blanched when she saw the blood covering Jack's leg.
"He was shot," Daniel explained as he tried to catch his breath. A collective round of cursing came from the other passengers in the car. Dylan tore off his blazer and tossed it into the backseat. Daniel wrapped it around Jack's leg, his hands shaking.
"Here," Henley said, "Let's lay him across the seats. Put his head on your lap, I'll deal with his leg."
They carefully adjusted Jack into position and Daniel brushed a few stray hairs out of his eyes. "Hey," he said softly. "Hey, Jack, I got you. You're gonna be fine, okay? It's just a leg wound. You'll be patched up in no time, you hear me?" Jack blinked sleepily back and mumbled something. The car went over a bump and he cried out in pain, every muscle of his body tensing.
"Shit, Dylan, can't you be careful?" Daniel nearly screamed.
Merritt turned around in his seat. "Daniel, he's trying. You need to calm down. I – Dylan, permission to put him to sleep?"
Dylan shook his head. "Unfortunately, we rather need him awake."
Henley reached over to Daniel and squeezed his hand. "He'll pull through, Danny. He's tougher than you give him credit for."
Daniel nodded and returned his attention to Jack. He stroked the younger man's hair and studied his face. If there's one reason to get through this, he thought, this is it.
a/n: Hey Horsemen! Is your fic getting boring? If so, SHOOT SOMEONE! Hah. I'm kind of sorry, but not really.
See you tomorrow!
Julia