Jen noticed changes in all the pilots. They had fully reverted back their wartime states. Even Duo didn't try to crack many jokes. Tracy and Robert had gone to the Preventers headquarters and were put into a safe house. Wufei came back to Quatre's house. All the pilots and ex soldiers operated under one roof. It helped them get more done. Jen was upset because nobody was going to the park, as the note had said. Kaylee was going to be there, and if they could at least get her back, they would have made progress. But the others figured because she was an ex soldier herself, she could handle herself better, and be better at protecting the kids.
'Well, that settles it. I'm going. Kaylee is my friend.' Jen thought. She walked out the door.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
The cell door opened and Jeff came in. Kaylee sat up off the floor, but was too weak to do more. She hadn't been given water or food since she had been there, unlike the children, who were taken fairly good care of. They really needed that ransom money. She had a couple of new bruises along with the dried blood from the manacles that had been taken off earlier so she could hold the children.
"Time to eat, you little brats. Go to the bosses office." Jeff said. He walked over to Kaylee and put her wrists back into the manacles on the wall. "And you," he said, trailing a finger down her jaw line, "get some bread and water. I think that should do." she spat in his face, but he only smiled evilly and walked out. Coming back in he set a tray down next to her.
"How am I supposed to eat with my hands tied?" Kaylee asked.
"You look smart. Figure it out."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Jen crept through the park, one hand on the gun at her waist. It was darker than usual, cloudy and no moon. She reached the fountain, but hid in the bushes. No one was there. After waiting a while she figured maybe no one was coming. Then she spotted them. It was two men, one dragging a struggling Kaylee. Finally, he just picked her up and slung her over his shoulder. She didn't fight back. She was so skinny and looked like she hadn't eaten in a while. She had manacles on her wrists, and many cuts and bruises. Jen stayed in the bushes until the men came into full view. As she was making a move to go out and meet them, Heero and Trowa came up behind her, causing her to squeal a bit from fright. It was too late by the time Heero had firmly clamped a hand over her mouth. The man holding Kaylee had taken off running and Trowa couldn't catch him. Heero bounded from the bushes and caught the other man before he could run. Jen helped him tie the man up.
"You scared the shit out of me!" Jen exclaimed.
"Then you shouldn't have been in the woods at night," the man said. Jen put her gun to his temple.
"What's your name," she asked him.
"What do you care?" and at the slight pressure of the gun, "It's El. Just El." Heero and Trowa didn't look like they would ask questions right now, so Jen kept going.
"What do you want with Kaylee and the kids?"
"Money and Revenge. What else? Now will you let me go?" Heero just tighten the rope.
"Guess not."
"Get up. You're going to answer some questions for us." Jen said and dragged him to his feet, pushing him ahead of her. Letting Heero take over, she fell back beside Trowa.
"I'm sorry I messed it all up by making noise."
"..."
"I know how you feel. She looked awful."
"And I can't do anything about it," Trowa said and walked away.