Chapter: what chapter is this anyway?
The ringing phone brought Alec out of his thoughts a good four hours later.
"Alec, where are you?" Logan asked. Alec frowned, with him being slightly inebriated it made him more than a little confused as to why Logan would want to know where he was.
"At home. What is this about?" Alec humored him.
"Asha never checked in. I was hoping she'd be with you." If Alec didn't know otherwise he would have sworn his heart had stopped. She should have been back by now. Alec couldn't ignore the sinking feeling that something was wrong.
If something had happened...it was all his fault. He should have gone after her.
"No she isn't." Alec managed, his voice sounding strangled in his throat. "We had an argument and I left her." he found himself adding. "I told her not to go, that the others could find out what was in the bags..."
"It's okay Alec. She's been in sticky situations before. She'll be fine." Logan comforted. Maybe Original Cindy had been right about the two of them after all. Still it bugged Logan that she wasn't back yet.
"I'm going after her." Alec burst out. Grabbing his jacket he headed out the door.
"Do you have any idea where she is?" Logan asked.
Sighing he realized that he didn't. This was starting to suck, royally.
"No. I have no idea where they could have gone." he admitted defeatedly. This is what happens when you get attached to someone. Once more he realized how stupid they'd been in thinking that they could just play around with each other and not get hurt.
"...Alec....Alec?...Are you still there?...Alec?....hello?" Alec was dimly aware that Logan was still talking to him but he couldn't concentrate on that. Visions of Asha out there hurt started to fill his mind. Hanging up the phone he headed toward Foggle Towers, by the time he got there maybe Logan would have worked some minor miracle for them.
Asha had one killer headache.
Rubbing her head with her bound hands she found that it was bleeding. She wondered what they'd hit her with.
Looking around she found she was in a dark room with a few other people, all women ranging from what looked to be mid teens to late twenties, all bound, a few were even gagged.
Things were not looking any better when she got a look at what was in one of the bags she'd seen smuggled out of the warehouse. A similar bag conveniently lay open just to her right, close enough so she could read the labels on the boxes which filled the bag.
Among the standard mix of illegal drugs were many boxes of a drug used commonly in the late half of the last century as birth control.
Shit.
"What is going on here?" she ventured to ask.
A redhead in her mid twenties turned to her and laughed.
"Honey, you got a good look in that bag same as the rest of us. Now I'm no Sherlock Holmes but I think we both know that that stuff ain't just candy." she answered sarcastically.
"They've been taking some of us out every few days. No one has come back yet." a small brunette who looked to be the youngest of them all added quietly.
"I was here with some friends. They can get help. They will once they know I'm missing." Asha offered. Damn she should have listened to Alec. Now she'd probably end up as someone's play thing, an option she didn't like at all.
"Yeah. I hope you're right and that your friends don't turn up in the harbor." the redhead answered cynically.
Asha hoped that the redhead was wrong.
"Do you have anything?" Alec demanded bursting through the door and heading straight toward the computer.
The look on Max's face told him that they didn't.
His eyes started to burn as he nodded briskly and slammed his fist into the glass partition breaking a hole through it.
"Sorry. I'll pay for that." he muttered as he started to pace.
"Why don't you sit down Alec." Logan offered. Alec turned on him and exploded.
"Damn it Logan! I can't sit down! Not when she's out there and could be hurt because of some stupid quest!" Max came up from behind and put a hand on his shoulder to get him to calm down only to have him shake it off.
"It's my fault. I never should have left her." he continued. "I should be out there right now looking for her. If she's hurt I...." Alec turned away. He'd said too much. Leaving the room he headed for the bathroom with the flimsy excuse of bandaging his bloodied hand.
Max moved to follow but Logan detained her.
"He needs to be alone."
Alone in the bathroom Alec stared at his reflection. He had to pull himself together.
She was Asha. A friend. She'd be fine. Like Logan said she'd dealt with sticky situations before. He just had to calm down.
But then hell, it was Asha and she wasn't "just" a friend. Every part of him wanted to protect her, and every part of him had failed to do so.
As the minutes passed Asha only grew more nervous. What if no one came. What if they were too late.
When this was over she was going to have a serious talk with Alec.
They couldn't keep pretending. It was all or nothing now.
She hoped he'd choose all.
frantic knock on the penthouse door sent Alec running from the bathroom and Max and Logan running from his office.
Logan and Max reached the door first flinging it open to reveal a very out of breath and worn looking Marta.
"Are you Logan Cale?" Marta asked, then noticing Alec figured she was in the right place and continued as Logan started to nod. "We followed them to an airport. Got too close and they got Asha. Most of us got out with our lives but a few weren't so lucky. I don't know what they did with her, they dragged her into the building and I couldn't get any closer." she puffed out between breaths.
"Please come in and sit down." Logan offered leading the woman to his couch where she continued.
"Eyes Only wanted to know what was in those bags, what they were smuggling. Among other various drugs, all of which are illegal. One was a commonly prescribed birth control used in the late part of the century." Marta continued.
"Why would they want birth control?" Max asked confused. Marta grimaced.
"Asha and I did get close enough to see inside before they took her. Drugs weren't the only thing they were smuggling. There were at least eight women in the hanger."
Max swore under her breath as Logan looked away in disgust.
"At least they're planning ahead." Alec let out bitterly. "Too bad I'm gonna have to kill them for it." he growled rising to his feet.
"Where is this airport?" he demanded roughly.
"Alec you can't just barge in there." Logan offered reason. Alec's glare however told him that he could and would just barge in. God help anyone on the wrong side of him.
Logan turned to Marta and asked the same question, where was this airport. They didn't have much time. They knew they'd been found out and chances were they would clear out as soon as possible.
Much as he hated to admit it Alec's choice was probably the only one they had if they planned on saving the girls.
"Alright girls. Time to get out of here." A man wearing a bulletproof vest ordered as he entered the room carrying an intimidating looking weapon. He was followed by three more men dressed in similar fashion.
"Overcompensating are we?" the redhead, who Asha had found out called herself Sri, asked, winning a small smile from Asha.
"Shut up Bitch." the first guard ordered smacking her on the head with the butt of his gun.
"Don't think your customers are gonna be too happy with damaged goods." Sri continued.
The guard grabbed her by her collar and pulled her to her feet with one hand.
"Boss doesn't care what you look like now. Figures you'll have plenty of time to get all pretty again before any customers get to see you." he smiled. "Which means you better listen to me or you could find yourself in a world of hurt."
Slowly the rest of the women started to rise. All that is, except Asha who had been busy fighting unconsciousness ever since she'd woken up.
Ordering the other guards out of the room with the rest of the girls the first guard went over to Asha.
"You deaf, Bitch. I said get up." he kicked at her but and she struggled in vain to remain consciouis and get on her feet.
Out of her heavy lidded eyes she saw him raise his gun again.
"I said get up!" he barked and Asha tensed waiting for the blow.
But the blow never came. Instead Asha heard the sound of a seemingly quick but efficient fight ending with the sound of bones snapping, Asha struggled to open her eyes.
"Asha. Come on. Open your eyes." Alec's gentle voice soothed as his hands found hers giving them a squeeze.
"Why you?" she joked softly with him as she opened her eyes. Worry was etched in every crevice of his face. Offering him a smile she watched as it melted away.
She never thought he'd cared enough for that, strange.
For some reason unknown to her she felt safe with him there. In the other room she could hear fighting, gunshots, and chaos. She was still bound and they were still in real danger but with him here she finally let go.
All of her fears poured out in the form of tears that she had no control over.
This wasn't the time to lose it and she knew it but she couldn't help it.
He pulled her to him and whispered in her ear.
"God, Asha I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. If they hurt you...I'll...I'll..." Asha pulled away as she felt a quiet tear fall on her face. Throwing her arms around his neck she pulled him to her.
"We need to talk." she admitted before kissing him. He smiled against her lips as he lifted them both up and he carried her out of the building and out of danger.
She was in no shape to walk, hejustified. And besides it gave him the opportunity to hold the woman he loved.
The End
Oh harsh mean author. I am aren't I. Sorry. This way it is still open to a sequel but not an unfinished fic. Loads of reviews motivate me to create sequels. So...
The ringing phone brought Alec out of his thoughts a good four hours later.
"Alec, where are you?" Logan asked. Alec frowned, with him being slightly inebriated it made him more than a little confused as to why Logan would want to know where he was.
"At home. What is this about?" Alec humored him.
"Asha never checked in. I was hoping she'd be with you." If Alec didn't know otherwise he would have sworn his heart had stopped. She should have been back by now. Alec couldn't ignore the sinking feeling that something was wrong.
If something had happened...it was all his fault. He should have gone after her.
"No she isn't." Alec managed, his voice sounding strangled in his throat. "We had an argument and I left her." he found himself adding. "I told her not to go, that the others could find out what was in the bags..."
"It's okay Alec. She's been in sticky situations before. She'll be fine." Logan comforted. Maybe Original Cindy had been right about the two of them after all. Still it bugged Logan that she wasn't back yet.
"I'm going after her." Alec burst out. Grabbing his jacket he headed out the door.
"Do you have any idea where she is?" Logan asked.
Sighing he realized that he didn't. This was starting to suck, royally.
"No. I have no idea where they could have gone." he admitted defeatedly. This is what happens when you get attached to someone. Once more he realized how stupid they'd been in thinking that they could just play around with each other and not get hurt.
"...Alec....Alec?...Are you still there?...Alec?....hello?" Alec was dimly aware that Logan was still talking to him but he couldn't concentrate on that. Visions of Asha out there hurt started to fill his mind. Hanging up the phone he headed toward Foggle Towers, by the time he got there maybe Logan would have worked some minor miracle for them.
Asha had one killer headache.
Rubbing her head with her bound hands she found that it was bleeding. She wondered what they'd hit her with.
Looking around she found she was in a dark room with a few other people, all women ranging from what looked to be mid teens to late twenties, all bound, a few were even gagged.
Things were not looking any better when she got a look at what was in one of the bags she'd seen smuggled out of the warehouse. A similar bag conveniently lay open just to her right, close enough so she could read the labels on the boxes which filled the bag.
Among the standard mix of illegal drugs were many boxes of a drug used commonly in the late half of the last century as birth control.
Shit.
"What is going on here?" she ventured to ask.
A redhead in her mid twenties turned to her and laughed.
"Honey, you got a good look in that bag same as the rest of us. Now I'm no Sherlock Holmes but I think we both know that that stuff ain't just candy." she answered sarcastically.
"They've been taking some of us out every few days. No one has come back yet." a small brunette who looked to be the youngest of them all added quietly.
"I was here with some friends. They can get help. They will once they know I'm missing." Asha offered. Damn she should have listened to Alec. Now she'd probably end up as someone's play thing, an option she didn't like at all.
"Yeah. I hope you're right and that your friends don't turn up in the harbor." the redhead answered cynically.
Asha hoped that the redhead was wrong.
"Do you have anything?" Alec demanded bursting through the door and heading straight toward the computer.
The look on Max's face told him that they didn't.
His eyes started to burn as he nodded briskly and slammed his fist into the glass partition breaking a hole through it.
"Sorry. I'll pay for that." he muttered as he started to pace.
"Why don't you sit down Alec." Logan offered. Alec turned on him and exploded.
"Damn it Logan! I can't sit down! Not when she's out there and could be hurt because of some stupid quest!" Max came up from behind and put a hand on his shoulder to get him to calm down only to have him shake it off.
"It's my fault. I never should have left her." he continued. "I should be out there right now looking for her. If she's hurt I...." Alec turned away. He'd said too much. Leaving the room he headed for the bathroom with the flimsy excuse of bandaging his bloodied hand.
Max moved to follow but Logan detained her.
"He needs to be alone."
Alone in the bathroom Alec stared at his reflection. He had to pull himself together.
She was Asha. A friend. She'd be fine. Like Logan said she'd dealt with sticky situations before. He just had to calm down.
But then hell, it was Asha and she wasn't "just" a friend. Every part of him wanted to protect her, and every part of him had failed to do so.
As the minutes passed Asha only grew more nervous. What if no one came. What if they were too late.
When this was over she was going to have a serious talk with Alec.
They couldn't keep pretending. It was all or nothing now.
She hoped he'd choose all.
frantic knock on the penthouse door sent Alec running from the bathroom and Max and Logan running from his office.
Logan and Max reached the door first flinging it open to reveal a very out of breath and worn looking Marta.
"Are you Logan Cale?" Marta asked, then noticing Alec figured she was in the right place and continued as Logan started to nod. "We followed them to an airport. Got too close and they got Asha. Most of us got out with our lives but a few weren't so lucky. I don't know what they did with her, they dragged her into the building and I couldn't get any closer." she puffed out between breaths.
"Please come in and sit down." Logan offered leading the woman to his couch where she continued.
"Eyes Only wanted to know what was in those bags, what they were smuggling. Among other various drugs, all of which are illegal. One was a commonly prescribed birth control used in the late part of the century." Marta continued.
"Why would they want birth control?" Max asked confused. Marta grimaced.
"Asha and I did get close enough to see inside before they took her. Drugs weren't the only thing they were smuggling. There were at least eight women in the hanger."
Max swore under her breath as Logan looked away in disgust.
"At least they're planning ahead." Alec let out bitterly. "Too bad I'm gonna have to kill them for it." he growled rising to his feet.
"Where is this airport?" he demanded roughly.
"Alec you can't just barge in there." Logan offered reason. Alec's glare however told him that he could and would just barge in. God help anyone on the wrong side of him.
Logan turned to Marta and asked the same question, where was this airport. They didn't have much time. They knew they'd been found out and chances were they would clear out as soon as possible.
Much as he hated to admit it Alec's choice was probably the only one they had if they planned on saving the girls.
"Alright girls. Time to get out of here." A man wearing a bulletproof vest ordered as he entered the room carrying an intimidating looking weapon. He was followed by three more men dressed in similar fashion.
"Overcompensating are we?" the redhead, who Asha had found out called herself Sri, asked, winning a small smile from Asha.
"Shut up Bitch." the first guard ordered smacking her on the head with the butt of his gun.
"Don't think your customers are gonna be too happy with damaged goods." Sri continued.
The guard grabbed her by her collar and pulled her to her feet with one hand.
"Boss doesn't care what you look like now. Figures you'll have plenty of time to get all pretty again before any customers get to see you." he smiled. "Which means you better listen to me or you could find yourself in a world of hurt."
Slowly the rest of the women started to rise. All that is, except Asha who had been busy fighting unconsciousness ever since she'd woken up.
Ordering the other guards out of the room with the rest of the girls the first guard went over to Asha.
"You deaf, Bitch. I said get up." he kicked at her but and she struggled in vain to remain consciouis and get on her feet.
Out of her heavy lidded eyes she saw him raise his gun again.
"I said get up!" he barked and Asha tensed waiting for the blow.
But the blow never came. Instead Asha heard the sound of a seemingly quick but efficient fight ending with the sound of bones snapping, Asha struggled to open her eyes.
"Asha. Come on. Open your eyes." Alec's gentle voice soothed as his hands found hers giving them a squeeze.
"Why you?" she joked softly with him as she opened her eyes. Worry was etched in every crevice of his face. Offering him a smile she watched as it melted away.
She never thought he'd cared enough for that, strange.
For some reason unknown to her she felt safe with him there. In the other room she could hear fighting, gunshots, and chaos. She was still bound and they were still in real danger but with him here she finally let go.
All of her fears poured out in the form of tears that she had no control over.
This wasn't the time to lose it and she knew it but she couldn't help it.
He pulled her to him and whispered in her ear.
"God, Asha I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. If they hurt you...I'll...I'll..." Asha pulled away as she felt a quiet tear fall on her face. Throwing her arms around his neck she pulled him to her.
"We need to talk." she admitted before kissing him. He smiled against her lips as he lifted them both up and he carried her out of the building and out of danger.
She was in no shape to walk, hejustified. And besides it gave him the opportunity to hold the woman he loved.
The End
Oh harsh mean author. I am aren't I. Sorry. This way it is still open to a sequel but not an unfinished fic. Loads of reviews motivate me to create sequels. So...