James' P.O.V

I don't get it. Why on earth would Laf be taken? Why should the sweetest, nicest person I know be taken when there are a bunch of jerks that deserve it so much more? I give the pillow another squeeze when I hear a knock, and then the door slowly creaks open.

"Hey, James." John says, sitting down on the bed. "You're worried about him, aren't you?"

"Yes…" I say softly, a few tears dripping down my cheeks. "It's not fair that he got taken…"

"I know." John replies gently. "We're going to get him back."

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely."

With the silence, I jump at the sudden shout from Alexander in the next room. "Get outta here!"

"Look, I just need to ask you a question." I hear Thomas' voice respond.

John looks towards the door. "What the hell is going on?"

I shrug. "Should we check it out?"

"You really want to see Thomas?"

"Well, not really, but I want to see what's going on." I reply, sitting up.

"Alright." The two of us get up and I follow John out of the room.

"Hamilton, this is important." Thomas is saying as the two of us walk out. "I-" our presence catches his attention. "Jemmy!" He exclaims, his eyes lighting up.

John moves in front of me. "No, Thomas. You're not coming near him. What are you doing here anyway?"

"He says he has an important question to ask." Alex interrupts.

"It's 'cause I do!" Thomas shouts back. "Where's Laf?"

"Why on earth do you think we'd tell you that?" Alexander snaps.

"So do you know where he is?"

Alex looks about ready to punch Thomas when John steps forward. "No, we have no clue where Laf is located at the moment."

"Thank you. That's what I needed to know." Thomas replies.

"Why?" Alexander asks, arching his eyebrow.

"Because his dad wants to make sure it's not some scam."

"Make sure that what isn't a scam?"

"You really don't know?" Thomas lets out a cold chuckle. "And I thought you were supposed to be smart, Hamilton." He smirks.

"Just tell us what's going on, Jefferson." Alex replies in a low growl.

"Alright. Laf's father got a phone call that Laf has gotten kidnapped, and that he'll be returned for a ransom of two million dollars. His father called my father, hoping he would be able to get in touch with me. My father called me and told me to find out if Laf is actually missing."

"How does your dad know Laf's father?" John questions.

Thomas rolls his eyes. "They're business partners. Duh."

"Geez, sorry I don't know everything about you." John snaps back.

"I've gotta go gall my dad." Thomas says. "You coming, Jemmy?"

"I'm not going back to you, Thomas." I say, nervous he won't take no for an answer.

He surprises me. "Fine." He huffs, leaving the room.

"Now we know Laf got taken…" John says. "I mean, it was pretty much a definite, but now there's no doubt…"

"Two mil…" Alex seems shocked. "That's ridiculous."

"Alex…" John starts.

"Yeah?"

"Do you think we'll get him back?"

Just a few minutes ago, John was reassuring me that we would get him back. Now it seems that he has also lost hope.

"Yeah, of course I do, John. We'll get him back." Alex responds.

"What if his dad can't pay the ransom?"

"John-"

"What if they kill him anyway? Or if he ends up killing himself?"

"John, please, calm down."

"What if he goes silent again?"

Alex wraps his arms tightly around John. "He's not going to die."

"What if he goes silent again, though?"

Laf has gone silent before? I didn't know this. I know I don't want him to go silent. His voice is soothing to hear.

"Then he'll start talking again eventually. He did the last time." Alex says softly.

"In case you're forgetting, neither of us could get him to speak!" John shouts. "It was Herc! Herc broke him out of the silence! We don't have Herc anymore!" He begins shaking in Alex's arms, sobbing quietly.

"You don't need to remind me Herc's gone." Alex says, angling John's face upward and brushing a few curls out of his face. "There's nothing we can do, though. Laf, if he is silent, will start speaking on his own time, okay?"

"A-alright."

I hope we get Laf back soon.

Laf's P.O.V

There's a light on in the closet now. It's blinding, and it takes my eyes a few minutes to adjust, since I had just been asleep.

I sit up and look at the room. The walls are barren of any decoration and are painted a plain white. There's a shelf that's rather high with a box on top of it. That's all there is.

While I'm sitting, I hear the door open. I turn to see a guy standing there, but it's someone different than the guy that gave me the apple. He can't be much older than myself, maybe twenty-three or twenty-four.

"So you're the Marquis?"

I nod, shrinking back.

"Huh. You're pretty good looking." He says, eyeing me. "Get up."

I stand up shakily.

"Get over here." He demands.

I hobble over to the doorway, my leg still aching. He grabs my ponytail and yanks on it, pulling me across the room.

"Wh-what are you gonna do to me?" I stutter out, trying not to cry as he pulls on my hair.

"The boss said I could do whatever I wanted, just as long as I don't kill you before we get the money."

Does that mean they're going to kill me anyway?

"So, I think that you and I are going to have some fun." He gives my hair a final tug before pushing me down on a bed. Then he sits on top of me and begins unbuttoning my shirt.

"STOP!" I scream, kicking and fighting, trying to push him off. "GET OFF OF ME!" I cry, tears soaking my face.

"Shut up or I'll make you."

"NO! GET-" I'm cut off as he presses his mouth against mine. "MMPH!" I twist and turn, trying to roll off the bed or something. My mind is too panicked to think clearly as his hand slides towards the waistband of my jeans.

I hear the door open. "What the hell are you doing, Wesley?"

The guy on top of me, who I'm guessing is Wesley, sits up. "I'm just having some fun."

"I could hear his screams from outside." He moves, and I can now see that he's the guy from earlier.

"The boss said I could do whatever I wanted." Wesley replies.

"The boss doesn't know how loud he can scream." The man shoots back. "Just put him back in the room."

"Fine. Move, Frenchy." He shoves me off the bed and forces me into the room without returning my shirt to me.

How long am I gonna be stuck here? What are they gonna do to me?

I begin to cry. I was stupid. What idiot goes and sits in a cemetery by themself, especially in New York City? It's my own fault I got taken. I probably deserve all this pain.

And what had Wesley meant when he had been talking about getting money? Are they holding me for a ransom? They won't get much if they're asking for it from my mom, but if they somehow made the connection of who my father is...I don't even know if he cares enough about me anymore to pay for my release. I'm stuck here. They lights flicker off, and once again I am engulfed in darkness.

This is my last chapter I will be able to post before summer break. This story is far from done, and I'll try to update when possible. I'll see you all (hopefully) soon!