A/N: Twice in one week? Looks that way. ;) Review. Pretty please. *bats eyelashes*

*I own nothing. No copyright infringement intended.

…

Ch.11—Means of Escape

To say that Nate was uncomfortable with the situation would be a serious understatement. He couldn't think of a better source, other than the police, who probably wouldn't cooperate like they'd need them to, to help in this particular dilemma, but he certainly didn't like that they'd resorted to using Carter Baizen. On top of it, Serena – his girlfriend – had insisted on talking to Carter alone while her boyfriend waited by himself, unable to see how the nemesis of practically all of them was eyeing his girlfriend. Nate wasn't stupid. Despite the fact that Carter had been the one to sever the ties between himself and Serena, he knew he still had eyes for her. Serena had been heartbroken when he'd left, and he had hardly been her knight in shining armor then. More like an adversary.

Now, here he was, back in her life. If Carter wanted her back, he definitely held the upper hand, at least at the moment. The fact that Serena had sought him out probably stroked his ego even further. Nate tried not to think about what they might be doing in there, if Carter was hitting on her, sweet-talking her, or actually listening to the issue she'd called him in to help them with. If Nate had any luck at all, Carter would still be pissed at Serena for trying to save him, and refuse to help. Going off of what he knew of the jackass, that would be anything but the case. Carter didn't hold grudges, not for that long. It'd been months, and Serena had been the only girl that he'd ever been stuck on. It was extremely unlucky that he wouldn't have forgiven her by now, even if in reality there had not been much to forgive. She'd only been trying to help.

Nate and Chuck held grudges. Maybe not long enough to be called unhealthy, but with enough time to cause a sufficient amount of bitterness. They still hadn't forgiven Carter for how he'd cheated Nate out in that high stakes poker game during junior year. Nate pondered the possibility that the reason Carter didn't really hold grudges was because he was more mature them; older, and thus, more mature. He almost laughed at the notion, deciding that he didn't hold obvious grudges because he just didn't care. He was too flippant, and too confident in his own wealth and abilities to really get involved with small irritancies. Except with Serena. Nate saw how he acted around her. He didn't know how far back their connection ran, not as far back as his connection ran with her, he was sure, but far back enough to have her call him for help. It did not make him feel any better.

Behind closed doors, Serena was growing agitated. She had sat there and watched Carter contemplate the proposition she'd just given him for the last five minutes. There not seem to be any changes in his facial expression or distinct movements to be determined as something significant in his body language. He just sat there across from her and stared at the floor.

"Carter?" she prompted, hoping she did not sound nervous. He looked up at her and smiled. He rose to his feet and walked the short distance towards her.

"And what will I get in exchange for my brilliant strategic mind?" He cocked an eyebrow.

"I have a boyfriend," she said quickly, before even stopping to think.

She had not even taken into consideration that Carter might be a decent human being who just wanted a favor in exchange. She had jumped right to the conclusion that he wanted her back, even if just for a one-night stand. She had put up her defenses from the second she called him to invite him over. The subject was weighing heavily on her mind. She had convinced herself that after several months and more than one guy to devote her affections to, she was over him. But neither of them had really broken her heart. Carter had done that. She didn't want to admit to herself, let alone him, that she might not be over him. She just wanted him to help her in getting Chuck and Blair back safely, out of Jack's clutches, and then she wanted to be rid of him. If she wasn't over him, she could plunge into the deep blue depth's of Nate's eyes when he was gone and just lose herself in them. She could fall in love with him so deeply that feelings for Carter would seem impossible. If she was already over Carter, then nothing would be difficult to accomplish. Everything would be alright. She didn't want to analyze the situation.

He cracked a grin. "I'm aware of that, beautiful." He tucked a tendril of her long, blonde hair behind her ear. "It does not particularly make me happy, but it's a fact I'm going to have to live with." His sparkling eyes told her he was not planning on 'living with it', but she decided to ignore whatever he might be planning. She had more important things to think about.

"Okay, so what do you want?" she asked, now impatient as she crossed her arms across her chest. His closed lips smiled at her.

"Can I call a raincheck on it? Decide later?" he asked nonchalantly. Her jaw dropped, but she masked it quickly by scrutinizing him intensely for a brief moment, and then, seeming to give up, her shoulders slumped.

"I'm not sleeping with you," she said pointedly, her eyes widened enough to make a point. Carter up his hands in mock-defense.

"I surrender," he said heartily, and moved past her. He paused at the door and looked back at her. She seemed extremely wary of his intentions. He sensed his charming mood was doing nothing to win her over.

"For you, sweetheart, I will find my nemesis and his lover halfway around the world. You won't even have to play gold digger to motivate my spirits." He chuckled, opening the door halfway. He sensed how Nate shifted just outside the room in his chair. For some reason, the whole situation amused him greatly. He opened the door all the way and walked out, glancing at Nate as he headed for the exit. "But, like I said, everything comes with a price." He winked at her before the elevator doors closed behind him.

"Devil incarnate," Nate muttered, glaring still at the departed vision of Carter Baizen in the elevator. Serena sighed and ran a hand through her hair. She could have sworn that she was shaking.

"I thought that was Chuck," she said lightly.

"This was not a good idea, Serena," he said, finally turning to look at her. Very suddenly, Serena got defensive.

"Carter's the best there is, Nate. You've got to stop thinking he's only doing this to get close to me. I already drew the lines in this business deal, and those weren't his motivations the first time I went to him for help."

Nate's mind was spinning with everything she'd said, but one thing in particular stuck out. His brows furrowed and Serena knew she should have kept her mouth shut. "The first—?"

She held up a hand to silence him and closed her eyes in frustration. "Nevermind. Just…" she sighed. "Trust me, okay?" He said nothing for a long while and then silently nodded when he couldn't find anything good to say. Serena seemed incredibly relieved by his response. She kissed him lightly and walked into the kitchen for a tall glass of ice water.

A beat later her phone buzzed. It was Carter; he'd conveniently forgotten to tell her when they'd meet up to discuss the details of how to put a soon to be concocted plan into action. He said he'd call her when he'd gotten a few things together. Serena did not share everything he'd said to her boyfriend. The blonde boy sunk into a chair at the obvious knowledge of that, and groaned, drinking down Serena's full glass of water when she moved around the counter to finish her conversation with Carter.

…

It had been the first time during the entire project that she'd been unable to keep her head held high and her wit in check. Everything had crashed around her when she'd lied to her biological son straight to his face. The girl that had bravely requested the truth from her almost a month prior was now spitting in her face like she was the scum of the earth. Elizabeth didn't blame her, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt. Nothing had hurt her in a long time. Being caught up in Jack's evil plot – most of which had just been being "trapped" in his office with adjoining bedroom – was just an annoyance at best. She hadn't planned on really getting to know Chuck. Though, maybe she had and was just trying to protect him by fleeing. All the moments in those first couple weeks of her son trying to contact her had kept her completely on edge. She should have been more subtle at the cemetery, she'd scolded herself countless times afterwards. It didn't matter now though. The past was too painful. Getting out of New York was the only way she thought could remain stable. There were too many memories back there. Jack knew that all too well. He caught her arriving in London and made her a deal. It was a scheme she should have recognized from the very beginning, but she'd just barely escaped from re-encountering her past. She hadn't had a clear mind. So, she had signed the contract making her a business partner at Bass Australia.

It had seemed harmless at the time. She didn't have a real interesting job, and it was an excuse to get away and stay away. The contract also bound her to Australia for at least the first six months. She wasn't fond of Jack, but Australia was beautiful and it was a reason to keep her from returning to New York. She didn't have any other family. Having to deal with her late husband's little brother and his constant flirting ways towards her would be annoying, but tolerable. She could rebuild again, become Elizabeth Fisher like she'd been trying to for the last eighteen and a half years. If she got sick of being a business partner to one of the richest men in the world, she could always leave after those six months were through. Two days after she'd accepted the proposal, Jack had sprung on her his deceptive plan of luring Chuck in by using her as bait, making her look like a prisoner, and then forcing him to hand over the whole Bass Empire. The fine print of the contract – finer than she'd ever seen – spoke of restraining her to any particular part of the business' base if there was any threat of breaking the contract. It had been shown to her when she'd threatened to leave. Despite her fear of the past, she would not willingly put her son in danger. Now, however, she didn't have a choice. She had willingly signed the agreement, blinded by her desperation and fear of how close she had come to facing the shadows from her past that seemed to follow her even in the dark. She could not sue Jack for kidnapping because of her signature, and she could not even accuse him of sexual harassment. He had never tried to force himself on her, not even as a reckless sixteen year old with raging hormones. Seduction was his weapon of choice, not force. Even when he failed at something he had prepared to perfection, his temper did not rise. He'd never harmed her once. She hardly believed his tale of his almost raping the most recent Mrs. Bass – though she had now married again—just because she had never seen a violent side to him in the past. She didn't crack under pressure, but something in his voice was different when he told her about that experience. It was something she didn't like, but it didn't bother her unless she thought on it directly and for awhile.

But she hadn't been thinking about the attempted rape Jack might have done back in New York when she'd collapsed crying in the hallway outside the room containing her biological son and possible future daughter-in-law. She'd gotten used to lying to Jack, so it wasn't the act alone that had sent her over the edge. It was the look in her son's eyes. It was as if Bart was back from the dead staring her in the face and forcing her out of his life just like he'd done years earlier, despite on what grounds they had been. This time she was in the fault. She had lied directly to her son, and about something that couldn't have been farther from the truth. It was worse than what she'd experienced in New York. She should've never come back to New York…

"Tell me again how it could have been worse if I had left Australia before Chuck got here," Elizabeth said coldly, walking as elegantly as ever into Jack's breezy office. The sun shone through in streaks through the glass door. The screen was wide open to the wind, and a warm, balmy breeze enveloped both Jack and Elizabeth when she waltzed through the open door to his office.

Jack looked up from his work to look at her. The devious glint was in his eyes. She wasn't surprised. She'd hardly seen him not on top of his game. There had been a few times in his youth where she'd hurt him by blatantly telling him she hated him or that no one could ever love him because he was so obnoxious, and eventually, soulless. But it wasn't every time he bought into it. She'd hardly meant the truly hurtful things. She just wasn't born to be a bully.

"What is it, Evee? Just want me to get it over with?"

Her hands clenched tightly on the fringe of her dress. Jack looked at the motion in amusement. He got too much amusement from using that nickname, she thought.

"Don't you dare think of hurting that girl." Her face hardened. His expression did not wane. "Tell me," she demanded. He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms across his chest.

"Nothing," he said. She stared hard at him, looking for the lie. She could find none. "I was bluffing."

"You've got men. I observed every single meeting you held."

"All they're getting is money when I get all of Bass Industries," he said flatly.

"You've got hit men."

"Just as a threat so my nephew and his lovely girlfriend don't try to bolt."

She blinked. She didn't think that could possibly be all there was to it, but she wasn't about to admit her uncertainty by asking another question.

"And me?"

He leaned forward in his seat and appeared to get suddenly serious.

"I love you."

She scoffed, unable to help herself. But before she could see his response or whatever words he would use to try to buy her over – or at least irritate her further; perhaps another attempt to scare her, an official looking man walked through the door. It felt like an unnatural wind had entered the room, determined to enfold us in its nasty unseen substance. Jack turned his head to address him.

"What is it, Michael?"

"Your nephew has tried to escape, Mr. Bass."

Jack looked completely calm, not jolted in the least. "You've caught him, I gather."

"Yes." He nodded. "He's in the lobby."

….

Chuck didn't look at his uncle. He refused to give him the pleasure of failure upon his face. He was no doubt smiling, or at least his eyebrows would be raised in amusement. In hindsight, he realized it was not the smartest plan he had ever concocted. The news Elizabeth had delivered to them had affected them more than they'd expected, and with that heavy on their minds, a successful escape plan was unlikely to come into place.

"So," Jack finally spoke, eyeing the two teenagers from head to toe. "You checked the hallways, the majority of the upper rooms, and found the security cameras of everywhere inside the building. It was all clear, so you made a run for it."

Chuck looked up slowly, masking his shame well. Blair had held her glare firmly in place since they'd been stopped just outside the building. Soon after, they'd been led into a conference room on the first floor. She'd glared with an almost eerie perfection at whoever held them captive there. In her eyes, Jack was no different. At least, that was what appeared on her face. She imagined he admired her for it. That only made her angrier. He had admired her persistence in finding his nephew when she had slept with him on New Year's Eve the year before.

"Your mistake though, clearly," Jack took a step towards them, gesturing about almost as casually as a politician, "was finding the security cameras watching the outside perimeter of the building." He smiled smugly. Blair's eyes narrowed. Silence ensued, and finally Jack sighed, making to sound testy, though only an idiot would have guessed he was actually upset.

"Robert," he called to one of the men behind him. The man immediately walked towards him, inclining his head in question of what he desired. "Guide these two lovely individuals to the kitchen upstairs." He turned his gaze to Chuck and Blair, knowing their inner thoughts as Upper East Siders, even if their faces did not show it. "There's an adjoining room with an eating area where the two of you can enjoy your lunch. Don't worry. It's not hospital food."

The two brunettes were ushered to the elevators before another word was exchanged. Jack turned around to a couple of the security men. He gave them a few whispered orders about keeping security tighter. Then, he turned around to see Elizabeth looking at him with some expression he simply couldn't decipher. It was possible she was mad at him for his blatant lies, or maybe she was still trying to decide whether he had lied or not. Perhaps, she had indeed fallen into the natural maternal duties she must have held at one point. Maybe she was thinking of Bart again and how things might have been different. That thought made him burn. He hated to think of his brother and the woman he loved together.

"You don't know what real love is," she spat, walking straight up to him before heading towards the elevators after most of the service men and Chuck and Blair is. Her words jolted him out of his thoughts, but they were so close to the topic which he'd been thinking on, he wondered if she'd read his mind. It would not be the first time. If anyone knew him inside and out, it would be Evee Bass.

Both of the elevators' doors closed before Jack moved from his spot. Nobody remained in the room. When he finally moved out into the lobby, only the security men at the outside doors – standing both inside and out – could be seen. He wasn't over thinking his decision to mess with Chuck, to gain the Bass Empire he believed should have always been his to completion. It had been beyond disappointing to learn that Chuck, his then seventeen year old nephew, was to gain the majority shares of the entire Bass Company just by being the heir to the world renowned Bartholomew Bass. Jack had moved beyond the aggravating point in his life, and he would not falter now; not with this new plan in mind. It was foolproof. There was only one trophy he knew he could not achieve by the time the victory of claiming his rightful inheritance had come. His "foolproof plan" did not involve finally winning over Evee.

"Evee?"

She stilled, and instantly he knew it was her. He would recognize those silky auburn locks anyways, even if they had now been cut from halfway down her back to just beneath her ears. She was fashionably dressed as usual, but she was without his brother on her arm. He did not care to know why that was. He was just glad there was available space around her to be freely claimed by him.

Though she did not speak, she continued to stand there as if she had not heard them. He looked at the corner where she stood and came to the conclusion that she was waiting for the city bus. The city bus? In London? He walked up to her and tapped her on the shoulder. She turned towards him.

"May I help you?" she asked politely, innocently. He smirked.

"Evee." She gave him a blank stare. "It's me," he said, genuinely concerned that she might not recognize him even after just six months when she'd left New York to "travel the world". He'd expected she take his brother with her. He must have missed the memo, because he sunk into depression and vacated the premises when his assumption was drilled into him by the silence of his own mind.

"Jack," he said, to make it clearer. She looked at him, confused. But he saw the brief recognition flash before her eyes. He wondered if it'd been there long and he'd just been too distracted by her luxurious voice. He sighed, coming to the conclusion of just why she had decided to ignore him.

"Evelyn."

She blinked, then smiled slowly. "My name is Elizabeth now."

He raised an eyebrow in amusement. "Elizabeth?"

"Yes," she said, sounding very proud in the decision she'd obviously made on her own after great thought and contemplation. He smiled a bit, finding the very sound of it and the facial expression that accompanied it absolutely adorable. "Elizabeth Fisher."

"Ah," he said, holding back laughter, "I didn't know people changed their names when they traveled the world." She smiled icily back at him. "Where is my brother? Trying to call a limo before you hop onto the city bus and humiliate him completely?"

She looked stunned by his comment. It was not unlike something he would normally say. He wondered what the expression was for. "You don't know?" she asked, pleasantly surprised. His brows narrowed faintly. He did not want to be reminded of her engagement to his brother.

She shook her head, laughing a little. "Bart isn't with me. We broke off our engagement."

His jaw dropped and his eyes widened. "What?" he asked, disbelief clear in his voice. She sighed airily, sounding perfectly content.

"H-How? W-Why?" He could not seem to get a single coherent thought out.

"It was nice seeing you, Jack," she said cheerily, pushing her purse strap farther up over her shoulder as the bus came to a stop. "We should get together sometime." She winked.

It took him a full ten minutes to recover from what she had told him. She had not only broken off the tie she'd held with his brother – he was sure she'd done it, since she seemed almost happy about it – but she'd invited him on a, dare he call it, date? He was beyond blown away. And, though he'd never really found much use for P.I.s in the past, he pulled out his phone and found the number of his brother's P.I. on his phone. There had to be a legitimate reason Evelyn had broken things off with his brother. The last time he'd seen them, and her privately too, they'd both seemed so completely in love – as usual. That was only six months ago. He had to know what had happened. If he actually finally had a chance with the girl of his dreams, he had to make sure what the odds were for success. He would win, for sure, but he had to know what obstacles stood in his path.

….

A/N: So long. I hope you enjoyed. Please review. =) I'm almost having more fun writing Evelyn/Elizabeth & Jack's story more than the general SL! XD GWK should be updated next, though I was vaguely inspired for a CaS oneshot this afternoon…heheh.