Will slowly came to in a sitting position. He slowly blinked away his blurred vision and saw Sonny sitting across from him, unconscious. "Sonny…"
"Good, you're awake."
Startled at the sound of Andre's voice, Will gasped and tried to jump, but found he was bound to the chair. He grunted and panted for breath. He glared up at Andre. "How did you find me so fast? I left like five hours ago!"
"You know, it's funny. I was just at your apartment." Andre explained. "I planned on interrogating you there, but found the house empty. However…there was a note." He pulled out a piece of paper. "'Gabi- Would you mind dropping Ari off in the morning? Here is the address for the house I'm staying in.' Hmm." Will's face fell. He was relieved Gabi and Ari weren't home when Andre went over there. Andre continued. "Speaking of notes…" He leaned forward so he was face to face with Will. "I know you have my money."
"I don't know what you're talking about." Will said innocently.
"Really? Then what's this?" Andre showed him Will's note on his iPad, and tossed it aside. Will's heart quickened, and shivers ran up and down his spine. "Now…you're going to tell me where it is. Now."
Will glared at him defiantly. "No."
Andre chuckled, nodded, straightened up, and turned around. Will snuck a glance at Sonny who was starting to stir. Andre whirled around and punched Will in the face.
Sonny woke up to find himself bound to a chair. He saw Andre punching Will. "Stop! Let him go." Andre turned to Sonny. "Please, he's done nothing to you."
"Nice of you to join us." Andre quipped. He punched Will again.
"What do you want from him?!" Sonny demanded.
Andre turned to Will. "He's a little late to the party. You catch him up."
Sonny turned to Will, who sighed. "Andre knows we have the money. He wants it back."
"Shouldn't be that difficult, right?" Andre asked.
"What- so you can use that money to hunt Sami and the kids down and kill them?" Sonny asked.
"What do you think I'm going to do you and your husband if he doesn't?" Andre asked again.
Will scoffed. "You can't kill us. Only I can access that account. Sonny is a Kiriakis. Victor is already on edge from losing his son, his godson, almost losing his grandson, and his evil brother being in town. Killing him will result in a fate worse than death for you. So, I say you're out of moves. Can't kill me. Can't kill Sonny."
"Good point." Andre nodded. "True, I can't kill either of you. However…as several members of your family very well know…there are fates worse than death. One way or another…you will give me my money back. How I get the information can either be painful or severely painful. Choose wisely."
Will took some deep breaths and looked at Sonny, desperately. Sonny firmly shook his head, telling Will not to do it. Andre walked over to a large wardrobe. "Stunning wardrobe, isn't it?" He opened it to find it empty. "Spacious. Enough to fit a grown man." He started back towards Sonny. "Yes, I believe a grown man would be quite comfortable in there. Unless of course," Andre put his hands on the back of the chair. "he's highly claustrophobic." Both Sonny and Will stiffened. Sonny tried to keep calm as Andre started dragging him towards the wardrobe.
"Will…don't do it." Sonny said firmly. He tried to hide his anxiety as two of Andre's henchmen picked up the chair he was in and stuffed him in the wardrobe, closing the door after him. Sonny took deep breaths to calm his pounding heart. He could feel the floor with his feet, his head touched the ceiling, and he could feel the walls and the doors with his arms, back, and feet. He tried going to his happy place as his breath quickened and he started to lose consciousness.
"Hmm. I wonder how your dear husband is doing in there." Andre said to Will, who was glaring at him. "I'm assuming he's having trouble breathing. Then, I assume he's going to be sick…then he'll lose consciousness. Terrible ordeal for someone with claustrophobia. Give me the account codes to the account where my money is, and all his suffering goes away." Will swallowed and stood his ground. He shook his head. Andre sighed heavily. "You're trying my patience." He nodded to his henchmen who opened the doors to the wardrobe. Sonny was very pale and slipping in and out of consciousness. They took him out of the closet and carried him, still tied to his chair, back to where it was.
Sonny took deep breaths. "Don't do it, Will." He grunted as a henchmen held his head back and his mouth open. Another henchman slowly pulled one of Sonny's back teeth out, causing him to cry out in pain. Blood ran down his chin, neck, and down his shirt.
"Anything?" Andre asked Will, who still shook his head. "Man. Getting answers out of you two is like pulling teeth." Both Will and Sonny glared at him. "I'm sorry. That was in poor taste. Now…the account codes?" Will didn't respond. "Hm. I wonder which is more painful: pulling out teeth slowly…or ripping it out?" He nodded the henchman who yanked another one of Sonny's teeth out, causing him to scream in pain. "Ouch. That must have been severely painful. Do you really want your husband to suffer more, William? Hmm?"
Will held his glare on Andre. "I'll kill you. I swear to God."
Andre sighed heavily. "Okay…" He nodded to one of his henchmen who left the room and came back with a vat of what smelled like acid. Two more henchmen dipped a long, brick of lead into the acid. The smell of burning metal filled everyone's nostrils. They pulled the lead out, which was halfway completely gone, except for a thin, twisted chunk at the end. "Fascinating, isn't it? If that's what acid can do to metal…imagine what it would do to flesh and bone." Will and Sonny looked a little terrified. "Especially…the flesh and bone of little girls of daddies who won't do as they're told."
To Will and Sonny's complete horror, someone carried Ari out from another room.
"Daddy?" Ari asked, a little scared.
"Ari!" Will exclaimed, horrified. He glared at Andre again. "You son of a bitch. She has nothing to do with this!"
"Really? Well, that's just too bad." Andre said simply. "Tell me where the money is or you will watch your daughter die. Oh, dear. How will you ever explain this to her mother?"
"Kill her and your suffering will last for days." Will threatened.
"And how will I suffer, exactly? Your incessant whining? Your terrible writing?" Andre mocked.
"You will never get your money back." Will said.
"Hmm. It would seem we have reached an impasse." Andre said. "How 'bout we make a deal: my money for your husband and daughter. Fair trade, I would say." Will was silent, still trying to figure out how to save both Sonny and Ari and keep his mother, EJ, and the kids safe. Andre turned to the man holding Ari and nodded. The man held Ari by her hands and dangled her over the vat.
"Daddy!" Ari cried.
Will took a deep breath and addressed his daughter. "Everything's going to be okay, sweetie. I promise!"
"You're running out of time, William." Andre reminded him.
"You bastard. You wouldn't dare!" Will snapped.
"Watch me." Andre turned to the henchman. "Drop her."
"No! NO!" Will screamed as he watched the henchman drop Ari into the vat. He screamed in anguish as smoke rose up from the vat and the smell of burning flesh filled the air. "NO! NOOO! ARI!" He turned to Andre. "I'LL KILL YOU! I SWEAR I WILL!"
"Now, now William…let's focus on more important matters." Andre replied. "You just lost your daughter. You really want to lose your husband, too?"
"I hate you so much." Will seethed.
"Is that a yes?" Andre raised an eyebrow.
Will closed his eyes and bowed his head. This was an impossible situation. He really wanted the money, but he didn't want to lose Sonny, either. He suppressed a sob and blinked away tears. Looking up at Andre, he nodded. "I'll do what you want. Just…please don't hurt him again."
"That's what I want to hear." Andre chuckled.
Will swallowed. "I'll give you the account codes."
"Very good. But first, I need to know if I can trust you." Andre said. He walked over to the counter and picked up a cell phone. "Is this yours?" Will nodded. "Excellent." Andre walked over, and freed one of Will's hands and gave him the phone. "I need you to contact your mother and tell her to come to Salem."
"What are you going to do to her?" Will asked, his voice shaking.
"All you need to know is that if you don't do as I ask, you will be a widower. Is that what you want?" Andre asked. Will swallowed and shook his head. "Good."
"What do you want me to say?" Will asked.
"You call yourself a writer." Andre said. "Make up a story."
Will nodded and took the phone, his hand shaking. He opened up a new message. "Mom, you need to come back to Salem right away."
"I actually just landed in New York. I'm in a layover flight to Chicago. What's wrong?"
Will swallowed. "Something's happened. I can't explain it over text."
"Oh. Okay."
"How are the kids?"
"They're fine. They're with EJ."
"Oh. Well, I'm sure he'll keep the tigers away."
It took a minute for Sami to respond. "He definitely will."
Will swallowed. "She'll be in Salem in about three hours."
"Wonderful." Andre said. He chuckled. "Now…for your first task: the flash drive your mother stole from me. I want it back."
Will remembered overhearing John giving the flash drive to Paul. "I know who has it."
"Then you should have no problem getting it back." Andre said. "Clean yourself up and get moving."
One of the henchmen freed Will's other hand and feet, and he stood up and glared at Andre with purest loathing. He then turned to Sonny's whose head was bowed and his shoulders shaking with silent sobs. Will walked over to his husband, knelt down and grabbed his shoulders. "Sonny…baby, I'm so so sorry."
Sonny looked up and glared at Will. "I'll never forgive you for this."
Will swallowed back a lump, sniffed, and stood up. He went to the bathroom to clean himself up, then walked out into the living room, avoiding looking at the vat or Sonny. Andre gave him an earpiece. "So we can hear everything you're saying." He then gave him a gun. "That is your dearly departed great-uncle Bo's gun. Get the drive by any means necessary and then wait for further instructions."
Will nodded and slowly trudged out to his car. He was suddenly hit with memories of car trips with Ari and Sonny. He choked back a sob and climbed in.
"Testing, 1, 2, 3." Andre's voice came over the earpiece.
Will jumped slightly, gasped, and put his hand to his ear. "If my husband dies, I will kill you slowly and painfully."
"Perfect signal! Now…I believe you have an assignment." Andre said. "Start driving."
Will scoffed and drove off. As he drove towards Salem, he fought back tears. He wasn't going to give Andre the satisfaction of him knowing he caused Will the worst possible pain. How was he going to tell Gabi? Will the news cause her to miscarry? He considered just going to the police, but…he didn't want his baby to grow up without a father. As for Sonny…he will probably keep their baby away from him. He deserves it.
XXX
At the house, Andre started packing up. "Lewis, keep an eye on Kiriakis. The rest of you come back to Salem with me. Let's move out!"
Lewis waited until Andre and the others were gone before heading upstairs. He'd do a lot for money, but, killing a harmless young toddler? That was just despicable. Which is why he only faked her death. He opened a bedroom door and checked in on a very much alive, but sleeping Ari. He had given her a mild sedative shortly before bringing her out to the living room. When Andre ordered him to drop her in the vat, he only dropped her to the floor. He had previously added a delayed cherry bomb to the vat. By then, the sedative had kicked in. While everyone was looking the other way, he quickly and quietly snuck her upstairs. He knew that if Andre found out he betrayed him, he would be dead. So, he plans to sell Ari on the black market. With that much money, he'll be able to disappear and hide from Andre for the rest of his life.
XXX
As soon as Sami got Will's text message, she texted EJ. "Will's in trouble. He used the secret word. He told me that something happened and to get to Salem right away."
"Did he say anything else?" EJ responded back.
"No."
"Darling, you need to get back here now. If Andre put him in some sort of danger or if he compromised him, Salem's the last place you need to be."
"No. I have to help my son!"
Back in their safe house, EJ exhaled sharply. "Bloody hell." He muttered. He texted Sami back. "Okay, fine. Obviously there's no talking you out of this. Just please be careful."
"I will. Love you! XOXO"
"I love you, too." EJ sighed and leaned back in his chair. He knew Sami was capable of taking care of herself, but still…he couldn't help worrying. And William…if he's right and Andre's compromising him…Andre may have kidnapped Sonny and/or Ari and is using them as leverage against Will.
He had to do something.
XXX
Chad gently put Thomas down in his crib. He took a short nap, so Abigail wanted him to go to bed earlier. Of course that meant he'll also be up earlier, but, oh well. His phone buzzed and he went over to the couch and sat down. "Hello?"
"Chad."
Chad gasped in shock and nearly dropped the phone. He couldn't believe it. He never thought he'd hear that voice again. "EJ?"
