I'll Be The One

Chapter 49:

=Normal POV=
[Saturday, 5/4/2019-4:30 am]
[Archipelago; Sleipnir Island]
[Abandoned House]

Hunter's lie didn't hold for long; the leader learned that Hunter was responsible for defeating the six guards before shift change. Turns out there were hidden cameras around the property, so he was found out as the one who fought. As punishment; he was beaten into an unconscious state that night after getting brought back to his room. Upon awakening, though, Hunter noticed that they left him untied and unchained. Looking across, he saw the camera being guarded by one person who was fast asleep. The way was guarded by two who appeared to be asleep as well. Hunter knew he couldn't escape, but maybe he could do something else while eyes weren't on him. He knew for a fact that there weren't cameras watching him in his cell as it were, so this was his chance to alert everyone on the mainland of some clues that he found that may help them. Hunter hacked into the equipment and got to work with his plan, but he knew he didn't have a lot of time. Usually his day started at 5 am with these people, and that was only fifteen minutes away; he just hoped they could find him with the information he managed to gather about his location.

. . .

[7:00 am]
[Archipelago; Arc Isle]
[Archian House]

The cops worked nonstop in shifts to do what they had to do to try and find Hunter. Everyone needed sleep, so it had to be done in shifts so no one got overworked and worn out. Day shift was now up and ready to go; this included Dustin, Tallon, and his friends.

"We're only have to midnight, Dustin…" Salvatore reminded.

"I know, Sal, but we can't just hand all that stuff over. These people will just up and leave the Archipelago; then it's out of our control. And who is to say they leave Hunter alive after we give it up?" Dustin stated. Yes, the conversation picked right up where if left on Friday night; debating what to do about the demands.

"I agree with Dustin, Sal…" Gregory sighed. "Sorry, old friend, but there is too much risk in Hunter's life or losing them to just give them what they want,"

"Our only chance is to find the location and bust Hunter out," Drew stated. There was more back and forth between them as Flynn was studying the screen where the live feed usually came in. Tallon was first to notice his fixated look. Placing his hand up, he silenced the babbling of his father and the others.

"Quiet," Tallon said. "First off, we've already seen that Hunter isn't going to let them hurt him. Hunter is only taking all the abuse to wait for us so he doesn't have to go on a rampage and hurt anyone, and we've viewed first hand that he's very capable of breaking himself out. Hunter hasn't chosen to do this, so we can relax on the time frame. Hunter won't let them kill him; I'm sure he's already planned ahead for this. Secondly...Flynn," he got his friend's attention as Flynn whipped around. "What are you doing?"

"Sorry," Flynn backed up.

"No, you're fine…But what are you looking at?" Tallon asked.

"The screen where the live stream comes in…Something is different about it," Flynn informed. "Usually, it just says the channel is closed until the host begins streaming again…But this has a play button, which leads me to believe it's a pre-recorded video," he mentioned.

"Click the play button," Tallon ordered. One of the officers looked at Dustin for confirmation, and he nodded to go ahead. Someone clicked the button as the video loaded. At first; it showed Hunter standing against the wall and looking directly at the camera. Hunter brought hit hands up and started making symbols with them, after five minutes, he walked towards the camera and mouthed something to them and then the video cut out after that.

"Okay, don't know what all that was about. Why would they record Hunter doing that?" TJ questioned.

"Because they didn't record it…Hunter did," Avery said quickly.

"Of course, yes! It's sign language! Hunter is trying to communicate with us!" Gregory announced.

"How would he have had time to; he's being watched like a hawk," Salvatore inquired.

"It doesn't matter how. Let's take the clip and decipher it, fast," Dustin demanded. Everyone got right to work. After an hour, they couldn't figure out what Hunter was trying to tell them.

"I'm sorry, Director. I've done my best, but I can't make out what Hunter is trying to convey. It's not sign language; he is trying to pass a message, but I'm afraid I can't make out what the message it," stated a translator. Tallon ignored the woman talking to his father; he was studying Hunter's movements closely. This had to be the fiftieth time he'd replayed it, but he knew Hunter was trying to help them find him.

"Tallon, staring at the video isn't going to give us the answers," Seth said.

"The video is the answer…Hunter wouldn't have sent us something that wouldn't help…" Tallon remarked. "Just…Ssh for a second. Everyone be quiet and let me think…" he stated.

"Silence all phones and silence please," Dustin stood next to Tallon. "I know that look, son. You see something that the rest of don't, so if you need quiet to figure it out; then I'm happy to grant it,"

Tallon nodded to him as he brought the video up on the big screen and played it again. The movements were too fast at this speed. Tallon crossed his arms over his chest. "Replay and slow it down," Tallon said. The tech worker did as asked as Tallon kept watching; he grabbed a pad and pen, writing down the slowed things he could make out and what Hunter mouthed to them. "I can't make out everything, but I did see a couple things I understand," he moved to the white board and wrote down the things he had on the pad.

"That just a bunch of numbers…" Roxanne pointed out.

"To you…" Elijah sighed.

"But to someone who understands it's a message," Gregory stepped closer. "It's information if we can decipher it,"

"What he mouthed at the end was; hope it helps, please find me," Tallon stated.

"I think he's trying to tell us where he is, so we can narrow the search," Trevor mentioned.

"So we have; Island, 2 HRNML, abandoned, cellar, cabin," Dustin said aloud. "Safe to say he's telling us he's on an island,"

Tallon kept studying it while the others were talking among themselves on the meaning of what Hunter said. There was pauses in his movement between letters, but there was sign language in it too. Tallon thought. Moving forward, Tallon started to rewrite somethings under the original.

"Son?" Dustin asked.

"Ssh, Dad…" Tallon told him while working. Afterward; he stepped back again and continued to think. "Come on, Hunter…Show me where you are…" he whispered. Tallon closed his eyes; Dustin had the room dead silent. Tallon felt a breeze come in and push him forward a bit. "Give me anything..."

"We got a nice breeze today, winds are going North," someone mentioned.

"There was no wind until a second ago and everything is shut," another huffed. "You're feeling things,"

Tallon's eyes snapped open. "Island, two hours North Mainland," he said.

"What?" the others asked.

"That's what he's saying. Hunter is on an island two hours North of the mainland in the cellar of an abandoned cabin. That's what his message, or the best of his abilities, is saying. His symbols were for island, the number two, and the letters HR, N, and ML. Other symbols were for abandoned, cellar, and cabin. Just…Ugh, fucking trust me. I know my boyfriend, despite us only being together two months," Tallon informed. "Put that in your location searches. Any islands that are at least two hours from the mainland, but have abandoned cabins,"

"Put it on the big screen," Dustin ordered. Someone instantly did what Tallon and Dustin said as it brought up a few selections to choose between.

"About five choices…How do we pick where to go? We don't have time to check all of them," Drew said.

"Narrow it down. Three of these islands have active camping grounds with cabins for guests, so they aren't abandoned. The other two, though…" Elijah crossed out the ones that wouldn't count.

"This island suffered a fire a year ago and has only just begun to regrow what was destroyed; there would be no place for anyone to hide except caves, in the mountains," Flynn stated.

"That leaves Sleipnir Island! Two hours away, North of here, and it's the site of an old vacation spot that went out of business! Plenty of cabins to hold a gang of people, and if I'm not wrong-," Avery exclaimed.

"It's got a log cabin inn where there would be a cement basement for storage," Tallon nodded. "We've got him," he breathed out. "Let's move,"

"Woah, woah…Easy, son. We can't just charge in," Dustin said.

"For all we know; they'll kill Hunter if anyone shows up unexpectedly…" Cody interjected. "Hunter is very smart and can defend himself with them, but all those instances is because they hesitated and he had an open shot to make a move. If we back these people into a corner; Hunter won't be able to strike. They'll just kill him,"

"We have to play it safe. We told the guy in charge we'd give him what we wanted, and he gave us the place to be with it. He never said Hunter would be with them for the exchange," Harry stepped up.

"That means they want the goods, and their getaway, and once they are safely out of the Archipelago…We'd get Hunter back," Andrew informed.

"Then how about this," Gregory offered. "I think I got something that can work," he smiled.

. . .

[11:00 pm]
[Archipelago; Arc Isle]
[Mainland Marina; Southern Docks]

Dustin stood with his team at the drop off for the demanded items as a speed boat was coming towards the dock. A few stepped off when it pulled up.

"You have what we wanted?" asked a voice.

"Right here," Dustin motioned to the crates.

"Check them," the man ordered as workers went over to make sure everything was as it should be.

"All clear," one reported.

"Same here," another said nodding.

"You got what you wanted. Where's the boy?" Dustin demanded.

"You'll get him at sunrise when we're sure there aren't any surprises; he'll be brought right to the Archian House," the man scoffed.

"Very well," Dustin nodded at everything was loaded up and the group prepared to leave.

. . .

[11:00 pm]
[Archipelago; Sleipnir Island]
[Abandoned House]

Hunter was cold, weak, tired, hungry; he was barely hanging to consciousness after the last beating. Hunter was sure it was just for the hell of it that it happened. Hunter was in the cellar again, but that was to be expected. Tallon led two teams to the island, sneaking on and making their way towards the inn where Hunter was being kept. After ten or so minutes; they found it.

"Drew, Elijah; lead the teams. I'm going after Hunter," Tallon ordered.

"Got it," Drew and Elijah nodded. Tallon dashed off into the darkness towards the location. He knew the others could handle the bust, but his concern was getting to his boyfriend and getting him out of this place as fast as possible. Once inside, Tallon began his search for the basement. In the cellar, Hunter's attention was grabbed by someone coming in and holding a gun on him.

"It's been real, kid," he said. Hunter closed his eyes tightly, waiting for the end. A shot rang out in the silence. Hunter didn't feel dead; he opened his eyes slowly to see the person who was going to shoot him fall forward, dead. Standing behind him was someone else holding a gun up. The figure approached carefully, kneeling down and touching Hunter's shoulder.

"Hunter?" the figure asked. Hunter knew that voice; he forced himself to sit up and look closely. He saw green eyes.

"T-Tallon?" Hunter managed to get out. Tallon tore off his face stuff as Hunter's eyes filled with tears. "You came…" he let the tears slip.

"I promised you I would," Tallon used his knife to cut the ropes holding Hunter's wrists. Hunter launched himself at Tallon now; he only wrapped his arms around Hunter's wounded body. "I'm here…I'm here now. It's alright. Let's get out of here," Hunter nodded and went to get up with Tallon, but he was too weak.

"I can't…Everything hurts…" Hunter said.

"Tal! We're clear!" Trevor came to the door.

"Cover me," Tallon told him as he lifted Hunter into his arms bridal style. Getting to the main level of the cabin, Hunter felt himself slipping into an unconscious state. "Hang on, baby…We're almost out,"

"Tal…I love you," Hunter managed to get out before he passed out. Tallon's eyes widened a little. Hunter just said he loved him; they'd only been together two months and never discussed the subject of their feelings being deeper than crush or like. Tallon shook it off; he needed to get Hunter out of here before anything else.

"Transport ready!" Avery informed. Tallon and the teams headed for the docks and boarded to leave. Tallon set Hunter down to have two medics look over him and make sure there was no cause for immediate concern. The boat started up and immediately headed for the mainland.

"A lot of minor wounds, nothing that needs a hospital," one medic informed.

"Thank Odin…" Seth said.

"Hour and thirty minutes to home," the person driving the boat announced.

. . .

[Sunday, 5/5/2019-1 am]
[Archipelago; Arc Isle]
[Archian House]

After arriving to the mainland; a car was there waiting to grab them and continue on to the Archian House. Reaching that destination, Tallon picked up Hunter and carried him inside where Gregory and Salvatore were already waiting.

"Oh, son!" Salvatore cried.

"The medic says he shouldn't need a hospital, most of it is all bruises and cuts that will go away in a week or two," Avery mentioned as Tallon set Hunter down on the couch.

"And we got all the stuff back," Dustin informed, coming into the room. "There was a team behind you to handle clean up of the other members, so I think we just pulled it off,"

"They gave him one hell of beating before we got there," Drew sighed.

"All that matters is he's home," Gregory stated. "You all did great,"

"It was your plan," Dustin smiled.

"Well, I think it's safe to call it a night. Hunter will probably be out for a bit longer; he passed out as soon as I saved him from getting shot," Tallon remarked.

"I agree with Tallon," Gregory nodded. "Let's all camp out here for the night, and hopefully, in the morning Hunter will be up and we can make sure he's alright from everything. I'm sure Hunter will be willing to give a statement towards what these people did,"

"I believe you're right," Salvatore agreed. By 2 am; everyone was dressed in something comfortable and cots were set up for those staying overnight. Dustin went home to the family, but Tallon stayed. The friends, including Flynn, Madison, Harper, and the twins did as well too.

"Tallon?" Trevor asked while everyone was starting to fall asleep.

"Hm?" Tallon inquired.

"We scored a huge bust and rescued Hunter…I can't help but notice you don't seem happy about it," Trevor mentioned as everyone was listening in.

"The bust was just a bonus…All I cared about was saving Hunter. I'm overjoyed he's back where he belongs…But, I can't stop thinking about what he said before he passed out in my arms," Tallon stated, looking at his knocked out boyfriend.

"What…Did he say?" Gregory decided to push.

"He told me he loves me," Tallon said as their eyes widened.