Chapter Seventy-four

"You didn't really think you'd get away with this did you?"

Shivering in pain from the infected wound over his heart Jake's thoughts kept drifting back to the first time he had earned the mark. The memories of the event were somehow chaotic and crystal clear all at the same time. Having woken up bound and blind on a cold floor Jake's head had been swimming with drugs and adrenaline. He had battled to make even the slightest bit of sense of what was going on with no success. The piece of the puzzle that really didn't fit into the nightmarish kidnapping was that the last thing he distinctly remembered was being in police custody after a 'job' had gone South.

Jake had known from the start that there might be something wrong with the job. It had been a good amount of money for a fairly simple task and that always meant there was some sort of catch. The small gang that Jake had fallen in with had hesitated and passed it around, unsure if it was worth the risk. In the end the leader had decided that it was 'too good to be true' and everyone else had listened to him. The outlaw group had taken Jake in off the street a few months back and had seemed to genuinely taken him in as one of their own almost instantly. They didn't have much but they shared what they did have and they had kept a roof over his head, even if it was attached to a condemned building. Squatting in New York wasn't as easy as just finding a place and breaking in. There were rules and territories that had to be obeyed, trying to seek shelter from the rain in the wrong place had dangerous consequences.

What made the game even harder for anyone trying to live on their own was that the rules and rulers were constantly changing. There was safety in numbers and having found a group willing to take him in for the first time Jake had quickly grown to trust them and desire their respect. Jake hadn't been able to offer very much in the short time he'd known them, his main tool set lay in brute force and he wasn't very skilled at the pick pocketing and other thieving talents his new friends used to survive. With such a big score within easy reach Jake hadn't been able to resist the chance to prove his value to the group and he had decided to take the job on his own. He had asked very little in the way of questions knowing he wouldn't get any answers. It had actually been the lack of detail that had caused his more experienced friends to back away from the deal. However Jake hadn't thought that the 'who' in the situation matter as long as the 'what' was easy to get.

Everything had gone smoothly at first, but at the time he figured that there must have been a silent alarm because shortly after he'd broken in the police had arrived. Not looking to get shot over a simply B and E Jake had surrendered when the officer cornered him in the house. With no major priors he had expected to end up with a few months or at worst a year. If he had known that he'd end up several stories underground and far from anything that resembled due process he would have fought harder to escape.

"Going after one of my businesses is one thing," York had growled when he was sure Jake was awake "but breaking into my home…that is unforgivable."

Straining against his gag Jake had tried to apologize and explain that it hadn't been anything personal. He hadn't been there to hurt anyone, he was just looking to steal a small work of art that the man who had hired him desired. York wasn't interested in explanations, he was only there to enjoy administering his own particular brand of justice. The sudden escalation of violence of having his shirt torn open followed by the unexpected agony of branding had erased all of the apology from Jake's mind. Rage replaced his previous fear as he blindly kicked and fought back forcing them to nearly beat him to death to get him back under control. The men have very well murdered him on the spot of York hadn't called them off when he felt Jake had had enough. Exhausted and gagging against the cloth between his teeth from the final sharp blow to the stomach Jake laid on the floor trying to snarl insults at his tormentors.

"A fighter, I like that" York mocked approvingly. "You might just live long enough to properly regret crossing me."

Jake didn't need any extra time to regret breaking into the mad man's home, he had regretted it the second the police had arrived. However Jake had learned long ago that regretting the past didn't help improve the present or even help change future. With his anger seeping away Jake found himself oddly calm as he laid waiting at York's feet. He had always expected his life to end violently and that idea was helping him cope with accepting that it was just happening a little sooner than he thought it would.

"At least you're not a coward." York noted. "I respect that."

Jake didn't care about having his captors respect, he just wanted this over with. With his mood having shifted from fear to anger before settling on acceptance he was quickly sliding into defeat as the pain in his chest throbbed in time with his laboring heartbeat. Just as he thought he might black out Jake's anger returned, this time more at the unfairness of the cruel world he was about to be taken from rather than at York specifically. Realizing that death might actually be the best thing to happen to him Jake managed a brief rueful chuckle as his thoughts spiraled further out of control. He'd never known a time when he could keep a hold of any one emotion for any real length of time so the rapid shifts he was experiencing under strain didn't surprise or alarm him. Watching Jake's internal struggle play out in his body language York took a moment to calm his own anger as he looked a little more closely at the young man at his mercy.

"Hmmm." York mused wordlessly with a predatory tone.

Zoning out almost completely from the over stimulation Jake barely flinched when York bent down and ran his fingertips down the well sculpted landscape of his abs. Under different circumstances the shift to a gentle touch from someone who had been torturing him seconds ago would have turned Jake's blood to ice, but the continual stress and searing pain was pushing him into true shock. He did pull away slightly when York went to put his fingers into his hair but that was mostly an automatic response since in the past that move was usually followed by someone using his hair as a hold to hurt him. A knock at the door kept York's curiosity from exploring Jake any further at the moment.

"Sir?" A hesitant voice asked.

"This had better be important." York growled darkly.

"Officer Lansing has been arrested by Internal Affairs, I thought you'd want to know right away. As far as we can tell he's not saying anything about you."

"Of course he isn't." York said irritated. "I don't buy just any cop. Damn, this is going to slow things down. The good dirty ones are hard to find. Wait…"

Jake growled in pain and spit another unintelligible curse when York jabbed him in what was likely a broken rib with his foot.

"Were you paid to break into my house?" York demanded.

With sudden hope of possibly gaining some mercy and maybe even saving the life he'd been so quick to give up on before Jake nodded.

"Bait." York snarled in disgust.

"Bait?" One of the men asked not understanding.

"Someone set this kid up knowing that Lansing would hand him over instead of taking him in the station, then they ratted Lansing out to take him away from me. Now we're down a cop." York sighed sounding more disappointed than angry. "Who paid you?"

"I…I don't know."

"I suppose if you were stupid enough to break into my house you were dumb enough not to get a name." York said knowingly. "Are you with one of those East warehouse rat gangs? Which one?"

This time Jake hesitated to answer. He had no doubt that York would go after the others in search of a name and this mess wasn't their fault. When he didn't answer one of York's men sat down on his hips to pin him down and slammed his palm against his fresh brand. Crying out in pain Jake tried to thrash to escape the pain but with his wrists bound and his energy already failing him there was nothing he could do. Unlike Neal who had always fought to keep quiet out of defiance Jake had no reservations about screaming but he didn't let them degrade him to the point of begging. Determined to protect what little he cared about Jake just cried out senselessly waiting for death or unconsciousness to claim him.

"Enough." York ordered casually before standing over Jake. "Loyalty…that I wasn't expecting. It doesn't really matter. I bet this was Marcus, he's getting too bold. I enjoyed the competition and games at first but this has to end."

"Do you want us to bring him down to the Labyrinth?"

"No. Someone will take notice if he disappears. I'm just going to buy him out, he's hinted in the past that he has a price and it's a fairly reasonable one."

"What about this one?" The man on top of Jake asked clearly hoping to get the go ahead to kill him.

"Put him in the Ring, but start him off easy…I want to see how he adjusts."

Jake shuddered at the memory of just how quickly had had adjusted and how once the shock had worn off just how far he'd been willing to go to survive. There was even a time when he didn't even mind the dark turn his life had taken. He'd never fit in all that well into civilized society, but he was well suited for the barbaric world of the Labyrinth. At least he had been before York had decided to throw his previous caution to the wind and lock Jake up with two decent men. It had been so long since Jake had come across the positive side of human nature and spirit that he'd all but forgotten it.

The problem was that now that he had experienced that kind of companionship he was finding it difficult to live without it again. Closing his eyes Jake nestled harder against Ethan's chest and listened to his rapid heartbeat. Jake could feel the tension in his captive's muscles, usually he would have enjoyed the sense of power that brought, but he found his stomach churning in sympathy for the man's terror. No longer comfortable Jake struggled to sit up without causing his brand too much extra pain. Ethan whimpered quietly as the monster that had been seemingly sleeping peaceful against him started to stir.

Sitting up Jake faced Ethan. Having learned his lesson Ethan made sure to keep his eyes open to the point of barely blinking. Unable to bear direct eye contact Ethan kept his eyes down cast unless directed by Jake to do otherwise. Wanting Ethan to challenge him more directly the way Neal had Jake snapped his fingers a few times to get him to look up. Ethan quickly obeyed, but there was no fire in his sapphire eyes just a panicked terror as he sucked for breath against the tie wedged between his teeth. Rolling his eyes in annoyance Jake glared at Ethan.

"Scream and I'll crush your throat. Understood?"

Ethan nodded his compliance. Jake had pulled the tie out a few times to keep his charge hydrated, but this time he was more interested in a conversation. Neal had always tried to keep from engaging him in conversation but it had never taken much of a push to get him talking. Free of the gag Ethan licked nervously at the bleeding at the corners of his mouth. Frozen like a deer in headlights Ethan just stared silently at Jake. Jake just stared back to see what would happen. He could see Ethan's mind racing as he tried to figure out what was expected of him. Clearly working on steeling up some courage Ethan swallowed hard giving Jake hope that maybe Ethan had some fight in him afterall.

"Please," Ethan whispered hoarsely as he used his voice for the first time in days "I have a daughter, I have a hu…spouse. Please, they need me."

"I didn't see any pictures of your family in your wallet."

Ethan furrowed his brow in a moment of genuine confusion.

"Well?" Jake demanded.

"I don't…I don't keep pictures in my wallet, they're on my phone."

"That glass thing that wanted a passcode?"

"You don't know what a phone looks like?" Ethan asked without thinking.

"I've been down here a while, things have changed."

"If…" Ethan hesitated "if you still have it I can show you."

"I crushed it." Jake shrugged. "I figured that's what it was and even the last ones I saw were easily traced."

Having the small amount of hope he'd had at contacting help taken away from him was more than Ethan could take. Closing the eyes that had lead to this fate Ethan managed to stay quiet as tears slipped down his face. Studying Ethan Jake furrowed his brow at the increasingly deep pit that was opening in his stomach over his captive's plight. None of this was working out the Jake plan, although when he thought about it there had never really been a plan. Ethan had been a crime of convenience that was turning out to be anything but. Not even really knowing why he was doing it Jake reached out and with a quick jerked he tore open Ethan's shirt. Exposing his unmarked chest Jake traced out where a brand would be if York had been the one to take Ethan. Jake suddenly wished he could trade bodies with Ethan, a clean slate and a fresh start.

Still studying the flawless skin over Ethan's heart Jake was taken completely off guard when Ethan brazenly closed the small gap between then with an aggressive kiss. Surprised by the awkwardly forced affection Jake reared back before backing handing Ethan hard enough to split his lip open. Cowering as best he could Ethan trembled violently in renewed terror.

"I'm sorry," Ethan whimpered "I'm sorry."

"What the hell are you doing?" Jake demanded.

"I…I thought that's what you wanted."

Jake just stared in horror at Ethan.

"Please, please, I will do anything to see my family again…or even just a chance to say good-bye."

Ethan's heartfelt plea cut into Jake and made him physically nauseous as the pit in his stomach finally bottomed out. No one's pleas for mercy had ever effected him this strongly because none of his other victims were technically his to begin with. York was the one holding them captive and there hadn't been anything Jake could do about that. Ethan was different, Ethan he had true control over and it wasn't giving Jake the relief from his pain that he had been seeking when he'd kidnapped him in the first place. Finding the man's company unbearable Jake reached into his back pocket and pulled out the small knife he kept there. Seeing the weapon Ethan mewled in fear as he jerked uselessly at his restraints. Leaning into Ethan Jake reached around and cut him free.

"Go." Jake growled as he sat back.

Frozen in shock Ethan didn't move at first. Snarling in rage and his own despair Jake jumped to his feet. He reached down and hauled Ethan to his feet by his hair before throwing him back to the dirty floor in the direction of the exit.

"Go!"