Guess who's back?! Yup. GoGreen43 is back in business! Nice to be back. Very nice to be back. I figured I left a few things unfinished, and it's my duty to finish them. All that's left now is… ENJOY!

~GoGreen43

Taken

Chapter 10- Trust

-Annabeth POV-

There was an awkward silence. Jackson looked like he wanted to say something every few seconds, and opened his mouth before closing it again. Needless to say, he looked like a fish. I thought it was hilarious.

His plump lips hypnotized me as he would force his lips into a straight line before trying to speak once more. His eyebrows were all scrunched up, and a worried gaze had taken over his sea green eyes. His hair was a mess from the amount of times his fingers had run through it, as a nervous gesture.

I couldn't help the small smile that graced my face. I knew he was guilty, and I knew that he said things that he knew he shouldn't have said. But I wasn't about to stop watching him squirm under my firm glare.

"Ch-Chase, I'm sorry… I was out of line," he spoke. His head was down, staring at the hands he fiddled with.

He looked up with a hopeful glance, and looked down again at the sight of my steely glare. "I-I don't know what came over me… I mean, I'm just so mad, and I don't know what to do, and-"

"Jackson, shut up." His eyes lifted to meet mine, and I smiled. "I accept your apology. Just don't do it again."

His eyes lit up as he smiled, and I couldn't help but smile back. But at the same time, I knew we were just wasting time.

"We have to figure out how we are going to get out of here," I said, suddenly being pulled back into the real world- not just the one Jackson and I had created for ourselves.

Jackson nodded, and started to get up before freezing in his place. "Chase, is this place bugged?"

"No, I don't think so. It wasn't the last time I was here."

Jackson's eyes darkened when I referred to the last time I was in this cell, and his body stiffened. "Shit, Chase…"

I cut him off, "It was a long time ago, and it's in the past. We just need to focus on getting out now."

He nodded, the look of guilt that once was gone was back on his face. I got up to help him search for bugs, but when we couldn't find any I figured that Luke doesn't really like to change his ways. I remember that from when Luke and Malcolm used to be friends.

I sighed, and leaned against the wall of the cell before looking at Jackson who had been looking at the other half. "Find anything?"

Jackson just sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "None. I was hoping I could find something that would help get us out, but I guess we're stuck here."

I shot him a look. "You forgot that I have been here before, Jackson. And we both know that I was able to get out."

"How did you get out, then?"

"Luck."

"So how are we supposed to get out now? I'm sorry, but I'm not placing my life in the hands of luck. Speaking of that, I don't know anything about you, Chase. How am I supposed to just go ahead and trust you?"

I shrugged, and leaned my head back against the wall. "How am I supposed to trust you either, Jackson? You kind of spent the last two years tormenting me every chance you were given," I sighed. "I guess we're stuck here, then."

I closed my eyes, and tried to forget. I imagined that I was back in my home, reading Pride and Prejudice in the family library with my shoes off and fireplace on. I almost missed the sound of Jackson moving over to sit against the wall next to me. Almost.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

I opened my eyes and tilted my head to face him. "Talk about what?"

"I might not be as smart as you, but I'm not an idiot, either. I know when something is bothering someone, and I can see something is bothering you. So, spill."

I let out a scoff. "And why exactly would I do that? Speaking to the person who has bullied me for the past two years about my innermost thoughts, I mean. That's absurd."

A low chuckle sounded like bells to my ears. "My mom once told me that it's best to speak to a stranger about what you feel, because they can't judge you on anything else. She also told me that strangers give their honest opinions. I don't know about you, but I think that we count as strangers."

"Even though you've been judging me for the past two years of my life?" I asked, surprised.

"I'm sorry about that."

"Yeah, I am too. You seem like a nice guy… sometimes, at least."

Jackson's eyebrows shot up. "That's a start. Now I know you don't completely hate me."

I turned my body towards his and took a deep breath. "Jackson, I don't think I really ever hated you. Strongly dislike you, yes; but hate you? I don't think I've ever hated you."

"Ditto."

I laughed. "I basically poured my heart out to you, and all you can do is say, ditto? What kind of world has this come to be?"

He chuckled again, and faced the blank wall ahead of us. "Chase, what do you want me to say?"

"I want you to say that you trust me. I need you to trust me so we can both get out of here alive. If you don't trust me… I'm not too sure we could get out of this mess."

His head turned to face me, and there was a look of intensity in his eyes that I couldn't place. "I do trust you, Chase. But I need to know… what happened the last time you were here?"

I took a deep breath and nodded. "You deserve to know."

Closing my eyes, I began. "I was seven at the time… so it was about ten years ago. Luke had some ties to my family, as he worked for my mother. The police think that's how he met me, and how he decided that I was going to be his target.

"His father was killed in a fishing accident, which was about the same time he snapped. He kidnapped me when I was walking home from the bus stop. I was only ten meters away when two of his goons took me off the street, drugged me, and I found myself here."

I felt Jackson's hand on my shoulder. "Did he ever…" he coughed, "you know…"

I put my hand on top of his and shook my head. "No. He never raped me. Looking back on it, I'm not exactly sure why. I was young and vulnerable… maybe he respected that."

"But he did kidnap you," Jackson clarified.

"Yeah. He did."

All of the sudden, the door swung open and hit the wall behind it, startling me. I felt Jackson put an arm around my waist and pull me closer to him, and I didn't think anything of it. I was much too terrified.

Luke stalked in through the door, his blue eyes glowing as if he were high. His eyes narrowed at the arm around my waste and he scowled at Jackson. "How cute. You two look to be getting cozy… but that won't last for long. Love never does, doesn't it Annie?"

I felt the muscles in Jackson's arm tighten at the sound of my name. Luke's eyebrows shot up as he took in Jackson's reaction, and a sickly smile crossed over onto his lips.

"Did you tell him, Annie? Did you tell him you weren't here alone?"

Jackson's arm snaked away and recoiled back to his body. I immediately felt like my cover was being blown. I've never felt so alone than I did in that moment.

"What is he saying, Chase?"

Luke's laugh cut through the tension in the air like a knife. "Oh, so she didn't tell you. This is brilliant! I can't believe it!"

"Jackson, I didn't know how to tell you…"

"I trusted you, Chase. I trusted you, and you didn't trust me."

"Trouble in paradise? Interesting. My sweet little Annie, when will you ever learn? I am always going to be one step ahead of you."

I glared at him as his goons started to fill in the room, and then my world went black.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Spiders were everywhere. They were crawling all over me, and I wouldn't dare open my mouth. With my luck, they would probably crawl inside. Tears were streaming down my face, but I couldn't feel it through all of the spiders.

My mom told me I had a phobia. A fear. A fear of spiders. She told me that she had it too, and that it was normal. But this isn't normal. Not at all.

I just want Malcolm. He'll know what to do. He's not scared of anything… he'll get the spiders off of me in no time.

Suddenly, something cold and wet hit my face.

"Get them off!" I screamed, my eyes jolting open. I could feel the coolness of the water that had been poured over my head to wake me up. It took a few seconds for my eyes to adjust to the change in lighting.

"Oh, Annie. Did you have a little nightmare? Maybe one about spiders?"

I looked up through my wet hair to see Luke standing in front of me with a smirk playing on his face. I lunged for him, but was held back by restraints. I looked down. I was tied to a chair.

"Shut up, Luke!" Jackson's voice yelled from next to me. I turned to face him, and saw that he had gotten the same treatment I had. You could see the muscles in his chest and shoulders ripple and strengthen as he fought his restraints.

Luke just smiled and walked towards him. "I don't see how you're in any position to be telling me what I can and cannot do. I am not the one who is tied to a chair. But I'm also not the one who had my trust betrayed."

Jackson's steely glare faltered and his eyes looked down. I had really hurt him. "Don't listen to him, Jackson! He's just trying to get in your head!"

Luke snapped his head to look over and me, and glared. "Oh, Annie. I haven't even began to have fun with you yet."

He turned to face Jackson. "So, where did I leave off? Oh, yes. Annie dear betrayed your trust. She wasn't alone when she was here before."

"Jackson…"

"She was with her brother. Who happened to be my best friend. You see, I wanted to get my revenge on someone, her brother got in the way, so I decided to take him and the apple of his eye- his younger sister. Annabeth.

"Annabeth was a beautiful child. Even though she is more beautiful now… she was precious, and I knew that Malcolm, her brother, would rather die than let anything happen to her."

Tears started to stream down my face. "You don't get to speak of him!" I screamed, "You killed him!"

Luke turned to face me, the same sickly smile went across his face. "No. You killed him, Annie. He sacrificed himself to save you. He died to so you could escape! And now you're back again!"

"I hate you!"

"No, dearie. Wrong again. You love me. You even told me once before!"

"I was seven!"

"Feelings never change, sweetheart. Now… it's time for the show to begin."

I turned to look at Jackson who was staring at me with pain in his eyes. He hates me. Hands grabbed my hair and forced me to look forward away from Jackson.

"I have a special treat just for you, Annie!" Luke's voice exclaimed, and suddenly an image appeared on the wall ahead of me.

Oh, God. It was the day Malcolm died.

He was going to show me Malcolm's death.

Tears streamed down my face and started to cloud my vision. But I still remember what happened like it was yesterday.

A boy about my age with blonde hair and a little girl around the age of seven with curly blonde locks graced the screen. The boy, my brother, was holding the girl in his arms. I was the girl.

"Annabeth, as soon as Luke comes in this room, you need to run, okay? You need to run just like we talked about," Malcolm said.

"You gonna come with me, right?" the girl asked, her voice ringing in the room like bells.

"Of course, Annie. I'll be right behind you."

The girl hugged the boy, and I couldn't control my body when it jumped as Luke walked in the cell on the screen.

"Malcolm!"

"Annie, run!"

"No!"

"BANG!"

On the screen, Luke was holding Malcolm in a choke hold. "Annie!" He gasped, "run!"

The little girl ran out of the room just as she was told, and Luke threw Malcolm across the room. Malcolm looked up at Luke without a shred of fear on his face. "You can't touch her anymore, Luke."

"I will find her, Malcolm. And then I will kill her. Just like you."

Malcolm's eyes went wide as Luke pulled out a gun.

"Goodbye old friend."

BANG

Blood spattered on the walls, and Malcolm's body crashed to the ground.

The image disappeared.

Luke walked in front of where the image had just been projected, a smug look on his face. "Let them go now, boys."

The hands released from my head and I immediately looked at Jackson, who did the same. I saw all I needed to from the look in his eyes. We were both sorry.

"Annie, don't you see? It's your fault your brother is dead. Not mine. Nothing is stopping us from being together."

I turned to face Luke, who looked like he solved the problem for world peace. "Why would I want to be with you? You're nothing but a monster, Luke! You're wrong, you did kill my brother. It wasn't my fault. I see that now."

The smugness on Luke's face turned to rage, and his steely eyes bore down into my soul. "You want to see a monster? I'll show you a fucking monster. Have at her, boys."

I glared at Luke's back as he walked out of the room. As soon as the door slammed shut behind him, a fist came flying at my face. I was restrained, so I wasn't able to dodge it, and the fist slammed into my right cheekbone.

"No! Annabeth!" Jackson cried.

The chair I was seated on flipped over to the side, and I became a human punching bag. I was being punched and kicked, and it seemed like there would be no end. I hung on to the sound of Jackson's cries and pleads.

The chair I was restrained to broke up from being beaten as well, and I was able to try to flee, and I got up and tried to run. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Percy fighting the restraints of his chair desperately.

"Annabeth look out!"

I turned around just in time to see a punch being thrown, and ducked then went into a powerful roundhouse kick just as my instructor had shown me. The goon that threw the punch was rendered unconscious as my foot hit his head.

I was desperately trying to fight off the goons, but there were too many of them. I grew tired, and then two were able to get a good grip on me. They grabbed my upper arms, and forced me to kneel on the floor. I was facing Jackson, and the look on his face could only be described as terror.

A single tear washed down from my eye, and then it all went black.