Happy Wednesday y'all! Just wanted to give a quick thank you to everyone who has reviewed our stories. We appreciate every one and even if they are constructive criticism, we really take it to heart to try to make our stories better. So thank you for taking the time to give us feedback or even just saying you liked it. - A and K
PS- we apologize for any spelling/grammar errors. We read this until our eyes bleed, but sometimes stuff slips past. Should we get a beta?
Warnings for mild violence and language. We don't own glee.
Now, on with the story!
Burt grunted and tried to figure out what the hell to do with this turnip. He could only assume Kurt meant to turn it into some type of stew, but he wasn't home yet and dinner time was crawling closer and closer.
Eyeing the grandfather clock in the hallway for what seemed like the thousandth time, he shook his head. Kurt was going to get a serious lecture about being home at a reasonable time. He understood first love. Even if he never felt it towards a boy like his son, he did remember his first romance with a girl. It was fresh and exciting and fun, but Kurt had responsibilities.
At least now Burt had an explanation for why Kurt had been acting so strangely. It made total sense. Watching him with Blaine, Burt was a little embarrassed he didn't figure it out before. He had assumed Kurt was inclined towards boys, but not necessarily this boy. It's not that he didn't like Blaine, but he just hadn't made the connection before. He realized how weird Blaine had acted at dinner the other night made sense too.
The knife sliced through the turnip with a clumsy hand, an obvious sign to anyone else that he was not a cook. Burt mumbled his prepared speech about being late to himself as he thought about the look on Kurt's face when he delivered it.
Burt was just trying to decide what else besides turnips and water he would need for dinner as the front door smacked open and someone he assumed was Kurt rushed in.
"Well, what have we been up to- oh, Ms. Lopez!" Burt's eyebrows went up in surprise as he wiped his hands on a kitchen towel. "Is everything okay?"
Santana was breathing heavily and leaning against the kitchen counter. She had the countenance of a grim reaper.
"Mr. Hummel, I'm afraid I have bad news…"
It was a testament to Kurt's state of mind that all he could think about was how the meat he had bought for the stew he meant to prepare for dinner was going to spoil.
His father wouldn't find it where he had left it at blacksmith shop so he could grab it on his way home. What would he eat for dinner? Burt was a pretty self-sustaining man, but he was helpless in the kitchen. Maybe Carole would be able to cook him something? Kurt gnawed on the dirty gag they had stuffed in his mouth and tried not to panic. His dad would be fine. What he needed to worry about was how they were going to get out of this mess.
Blaine groaned from the ground beside him, his voice also muffed by a gag. His hands were bound like Kurt's and he was disheveled from being knocked over the head and drug away to a cave behind a waterfall not much farther away. Kurt had played here when he was younger, but all the town's kids knew about this place and since he wasn't keen on being around them, he had sought out his own refuge. That's when he discovered his secret spot that he had taken Blaine to. Where they had been kidnapped from…
At his lover's moan, Kurt shuffled over to him and tried to call out to Blaine, but it wasn't very intelligible. He was just happy to see Blaine's eyes flutter open. Maybe he wasn't too hurt. Kurt helped Blaine sit up as much as he could with his hands bound behind his back and Blaine made questioning noises. Kurt shrugged in an effort to say he had no idea. He had no idea why they had been taken, what they wanted, or how to escape. He felt useless.
Blaine's gag was apparently looser than Kurt's because he was able to wiggle his jaw enough so that it slid from his mouth and down to his neck like a dirty, badly tied scarf. Blaine licked his dry lips and smiled grimly at Kurt.
"I'm going to try to get yours off," Blaine said quietly. His voice sounded a bit hoarse, but his eyes were clear. "Is that okay?"
Kurt nodded and turned his face so that Blaine could pull the gag down with his teeth. It was awkward and definitely not the attention from Blaine's mouth he usually got, but he was relieved when the gag was removed and he could wet his own dry lips.
"Are you injured, Kurt?" Blaine looked over at the chestnut haired boy in concern, his trained eyes trying to assess any damage.
"I'm fine," Kurt answered after clearing his throat. He flexed his aching arms as much as he could so they wouldn't fall asleep. "Well, as fine as I can be tied up like this."
Their hands were tightly bound at the wrist as were their ankles. Although they had removed their gags, Kurt knew he wouldn't be able to manage the knots with his fingers going numb from poor circulation.
"This isn't what I had in mind for our outing." Blaine smiled as Kurt knocked his forehead to Blaine's.
"Me either."
Kurt looked around the small cave, the familiar etchings on the sides carved into the rock with pocket knives. There were initials enveloped in hearts and some lewd, poorly done drawings. They were seated near the entrance, by the rushing waterfall that acted as a watery curtain. They were so near, in fact, that Kurt was damp on the side nearest the waterfall. If they weren't tied up, Kurt would have suggested they jump out the opening and risk the sharp rocks at the bottom. But Blaine had sustained a head injury and Kurt figured they would drown without use of their limbs.
The man who had taken them had lashed them together as soon as they got back to the cave in stony silence. Blaine was in and out of consciousness the whole way there, which worried Kurt, but he didn't have an opportunity to do anything about it. After depositing them in their current spot, they were bound and gagged before he stomped off to the back of the cave where a few other men were talking heatedly amongst themselves.
Kurt had no idea what they wanted or what was going on, but he knew they were in trouble.
"What do you think they'll do to us?" Kurt had an edge of nervousness in his voice.
"Hopefully they'll let us go," Blaine said in what Kurt assumed was an effort to comfort him. He only succeeded in sounding naive. "But that's the best outcome."
"I don't see that in our future."
Blaine rustled his bound hands slightly to see if there was any give. There wasn't.
"At least they didn't hurt us too bad."
"That could change."
Blaine looked sharply to where a large man was towering over them. He had a black scarf over his face so that only his eyes were showing. The other two men that had been huddled in the back flanked him, their faces covered with the same black scarves and hats pulled low. Kurt could tell that one of them was the guy that had kidnapped them and he wondered what the point of trying to hide his identity now was. The other one was shorter and more wiry built while the third was taller than the other two, but thinner. He could tell they had smiles on their faces, but they didn't seem friendly. Something tickled in the back of Kurt's mind about the scarves, but he couldn't quite remember with the cold eyes glaring back at him.
"We could play with them a little bit," the tall thin one said. Kurt didn't like how he said the word play. Somehow he figured it wouldn't be as much fun for them as it would be for them.
"You sick fuck. I don't want to see that. Never again." It was the short wiry one.
"We aren't touching them," the biggest one said, who was their original captor. "The boss will be back any minute-"
"Oh, come on! I never get to have fun anymore!"
"Because your type of fun always ends with me losing my lunch and I've seen some shit. I've done some shit. I don't want to watch or hear it."
Kurt felt his chest seize up and he had trouble breathing. The pieces clicked together like a puzzle.
"Um, hi. Hello. My name is Blaine. Blaine Anderson." Blaine piped up. He made a jerky motion like he was trying to stick out his hand to shake, but his hands were tied together so he just did an awkward shoulder wiggle. "Ah. Anyway, I think there has been some misunderstanding here. I don't think you meant to kidnap us and we certainly don't want to be kidnapped. So if you let us go, we promise to forget this whole misunderstanding. We haven't even seen your faces so there's that."
Blaine had apparently chosen the optimistic approach, speaking to these animals like they were old chums. Kurt felt a cold shiver down his spine and he licked dry lips.
The shortest of the men leaned his back against the cave wall while the tall thin one chuckled deviously. The third (the one who had kidnapped them) crossed his beefy arms over his chest. "You can appeal to the boss when he gets here."
Blaine gave him a charming smile, only diminished by his messy hair and dirty clothes. "Well, that's good. We can get this whole mess straightened out."
Cruel laughter met this statement, but Blaine's smile never wavered. "Yeah, I'm sure the boss will just cut you free and let you walk away with a pat on the head." Blaine's smile slipped a little at that, but he kept his smile.
"You're the Crawford Gang," Kurt whispered with wide eyes. Everyone turned to look at him and Blaine's mouth fell open. The shortest man grunted and shoved away from the wall.
"Yeah, what about it?" he sneered.
Blaine gasped and looked horrified. Before he could say anything else, another voice cut through the tension.
"Well, what do we have here?"
About a dozen more men had entered the cave, all with black scarves tied around their faces. The man in front had spoken, authority clear in his voice and set of his shoulders. His eyes glittered, but Kurt couldn't say whether of not that was good for them. Their three captors immediately straightened their spines and stood to attention. The leader waved them to the back of the cave where all but two of the men hurried off to. Kurt estimated there were about twenty of them not counting outside guards and he knew the odds weren't good. The remaining gang members stood watching the entrance and keeping an eye on Kurt and Blaine.
"Blaine, I think we are in trouble here," Kurt whispered so they wouldn't attract the attention of the guards. He could hear arguing from the back of the cave and wondered how much longer he had to live. Blaine's color had returned, but his mouth was a thin, worried line and his brows furrowed. He looked like his mother like that.
"I agree," Blaine replied. "I had no idea they were the Crawford Gang. I should have guessed with the black scarves."
"Listen, from what I've read about these men they are dangerous and only care about money. Don't expect mercy from them."
"Don't worry, Kurt," Blaine whispered back, a smile smoothing the line in between his eyes. "I have an idea."
"What-"
"Hello, boys. Stand up, please. I'd like to look you in the eyes when I decide exactly what to do with you," the leader of the Crawford Gang interrupted in a tone that meant they better follow directions or they would be sorry. Some of the others heaved Kurt and Blaine to their feet roughly to face him. Kurt willed his legs to hold him up as he chewed his lip nervously. He loved Blaine, but the boy didn't always have the most stellar ideas. Kurt looked back to the gang's leader and noted he was around the same height as Kurt, but his hat and scarf covered most of his face, obscuring most of his features except his steely eyes. He had an accent Kurt thought sounded English, but he couldn't be sure it was even real. The gang went to such lengths to keep their identities secret, a fake accent wouldn't be too far fetched.
"It seems one of my men happened upon you by mistake," the leader continued. "However, you have seen our headquarters and I can't let you go knowing where we are. Unfortunately for you, that means you must be silenced. Permanently."
Kurt swallowed and tried not to let fear show on his face. He thought of his dad and stood up taller. He would meet his death with bravery and stubbornness, like a true Hummel man. He would make his father proud. He wouldn't-
"I would rethink that plan," Blaine had interjected. Kurt glanced at him nervously, but Blaine was giving the gang his most friendly smile. "Hello, my name is Blaine Anderson. Pardon me, I keep forgetting my hands are tied or I would shake yours. Probably due to the concussion I suffered at the hands of your henchman. I'm studying to be a doctor you see and I am fairly certain of my diagnosis-"
"I don't think I was inviting you into a conversation, boy," the leader said coldly.
"Of course. I ramble sometimes," Blaine laughed as he dodged the gag one of the men was trying to stuff back into his mouth. "My point is that if you kill us now, you will miss out on all the money!"
The leader tilted his head, interested now. "Money?"
Kurt whipped his head over to Blaine and tried to keep his mouth from dropping open. Blaine mumbled in the affirmative, his gag now replaced in his mouth. The leader motioned for it to be removed. "You have exactly one minute. What money are you talking about?"
Blaine spit out the gag as it was untied and smiled winningly at the leader. "Thank you. Yes, we are quite wealthy and will be missed very soon. I'm sure our parents would pay dearly for our return. See, it's a boon for everyone."
Kurt's eyes widened in shock. While he and his dad were comfortable, he would definitely not consider them to be wealthy. Blaine and his mother weren't either, so Kurt was confused and alarmed at the lies Blaine was spinning.
"Plus, we don't know any of your identities. And we are great at forgetting what we have seen."
"That's a lie," said the one who had kidnapped us. "You have seen my face!"
"That was your own fault, dumb ass," muttered one of the others. He was met with a glare.
The leader scratched thoughtfully at his covered chin with a dirty nail. Without speaking, he crooked a finger at his gang again and they returned to the back of the cave. Although they weren't yelling, there was definitely some whisper shouting going on. Kurt tried to slow the beating of his heart.
This wasn't good.
"You're sure they were here?" Cooper asked Santana with an uncharacteristic frown creasing his face. It made him look even more like a petulant child than he already was.
Santana rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. She was used to this. Nobody listened to a woman, let alone one who used to work at a brothel. "Of course they were here! I told you what happened!"
"I know you did, but I don't even see any signs they were taken. Shouldn't there be drag marks or something?" He scratched at his ear without taking his eyes off the ground. Santana could almost feel her blood boiling.
"I TOLD you that I gathered up their stuff and they weren't drug away, Blaine was knocked unconscious and Kurt carried him off at the end of a pistol. Now, prove to me you have more than lustful mush between your ears and find them, sheriff." She spat the title like an insult and was gratified to see Cooper blush in what she hoped was embarrassment.
"Hey, there is no need to get angry," he retorted and something in his eyes gave her pause. He looked older than his years. Santana's temper bled away into understanding. He was just tense and worried sick about his brother. A memory flashed in her mind of a little boy with a gap-toothed smile and sparkling brown eyes grinning up at her. He would be fifteen now. She ground her teeth and pushed the memories away before they swallowed her whole. She knew a little bit about trying to keep little brothers safe.
"Everyone needs to calm down," Burt Hummel said in his matter-of-fact way as he examined the place where Kurt and Blaine had last been seen before Santana tore off to find him. Others were there too, looking through the underbrush and all around the water for clues. Some had rifles in the crook of their elbows while a few brought lanterns since it grew darker by the second. "We won't find them if we are too busy fighting with each other," he continued, calm and steady as usual. Something in his voice made even Santana feel like everything would be okay. She wished, not for the first time, that she had a father like Kurt. Someone who would have come looking for her when she was in trouble.
Cooper was nodding with his hands on his hips and a frown still etched on his face. He blew out a breath before pointing towards the trees she had seen them disappear into. "So they went that way?" Santana nodded, biting back the sarcastic reply she wanted to give. "Well, wouldn't it make sense to go that way and look for them?"
Burt finally stood from squatting to look at a footprint on the ground and grunted in agreement. "Definitely. The longer we are here, the farther away they get. Santana?" She met his eyes and swallowed back the urge to burst into tears. This was killing him. She could see in the hollowness of his gaze. "They went this way? You're absolutely certain?" The way he spoke, she knew he was just confirming details, not doubting her. Burt Hummel was a fair man.
"Yes. They went that way before I ran into town to find you."
Burt nodded and began to organize the men into groups to split up looking for Kurt and Blaine when a man Santana recognized from town came running breathlessly up to Cooper.
"Sheriff! Sheriff! You have to come back to town! Sue Sylvester is trying tp take over everything!" he panted. "She says she's the mayor now and she's going to change the name of the town to Sylvester Town and everyone has to worship her. You have to come stop her!"
Cooper groaned into his palms. "I don't have time for this!" He growled before his eyes snagged on Santana. His frustration melted into inspiration.
"No."
"Oh, please Santana! You're the only one she will halfway listen to!"
"No way. I'm going to look for Kurt and Blaine." She crossed her arms defiantly.
Cooper looked like a kicked puppy. "Please Santana!"
"No. I don't speak to her if I can help it. She put her urine in my tea one time. She's lucky I haven't murdered her in her sleep."
Cooper swallowed and his face crumpled. It almost made Santana cave, but she was determined not to be left behind or to try to talk Sylvester down. That woman was insane. Additionally, she felt sort of responsible for the boys. Maybe her little trick with the poison sumac had caused others to put two and two together and someone was going to harm them. She wouldn't be able to forgive herself if it was her fault.
"Santana, please." His voice cracked and he had tears swimming in his eyes. "He's my little brother. I can't focus on anything else right now. Please can you help me? I know you don't owe me anything, but I would be so grateful if you could help me out with this. Please."
"Alright. Let's go," Burt called. He wasn't paying attention to their little moment which was understandable considering he was worried about his son.
Santana's eyes flicked back to Cooper as a lone tear streaked down his cheek. Her resolve broke at the utter devastation clouding his face.
"Ugh. Fine," she said without much heat. "But you better find them."
He let out a relived breath and before she could stop him, he was scooping her up in a tight hug. "Thank you so much Santana! You're the absolute best!" He took off after Burt and the others before calling back over his shoulder. "Tell that crazy lady you're my deputy and you'll lock her up if she doesn't cut it out! Thank you!"
Santana shook her head at their retreating forms before taking a deep breath. "Bold of you to assume I wasn't going to lock her up anyway."
"Blaine. I have a question."
"If it's what was I thinking, I don't have an answer."
Kurt wanted to smack his head into the wall of the cave until he lost consciousness. They were in a mess now.
"You bought us time," Kurt hissed into Blaine's ear. "But how are our parents going to pay a ransom they don't have?"
Blaine winced. "I don't know. It was the only thing I could think of so they wouldn't kill us."
A shout came from the back of the cave before it was swallowed up by several other shouts. Kurt couldn't understand what they were saying, but he could bet they were divided on what to do with the two of them. He sucked in a deep breath, then let it out slowly. They had to come up with a plan for escape, but Blaine was right. This might be their only way to at least buy more time. Kurt chewed his lip and glanced at Blaine. The poor boy looked close to tears. Kurt felt his heart soften towards him and he wished his hands were free so he could hug him. Blaine seemed to respond very well to hugs.
"Hey," Kurt said softly. Blaine looked up at him, but before he could reassure him, the leader came back with all his men. Kurt and Blaine both gulped as they awaited their fate.
"We have decided to spare you long enough to send a ransom. If it isn't paid promptly, we will execute you. So if you're lying about all this, you have just prolonged your inevitable fate."
Kurt felt himself relax at the proclamation, but before he could get too comfortable, some of the gang were surging forwards and pulling at their clothes. Kurt squeaked as hands ran over his chest and backside. "What are you doing?" They dug through his pockets without finding much other than a crumpled scrap of papers that had some figures scrawled messily across it. It was from the shop and he had forgotten to throw it away.
Blaine cried out as one of the men pulled out his father's pocket watch. "Hey! That's mine!"
"Shut up," the man responded with a slap to Blaine's face.
"Don't touch him!" Kurt roared and tried to shove at the one who hit Blaine. The man just laughed. Pain shocked Kurt into silence as he was punched hard in the face. Colors burst in his vision as he fell back onto the ground and was immediately swallowed up in the sweet blackness of unconsciousness. He thought he heard Blaine cry out, but everything happened so fast that he couldn't be sure.