Author's Note: Same rules apply: still not mine (darn it!), no money is
being made off of my use (and sometimes abuse) of them. I'll try and keep
the story going, but school is hectic right now so no promises. This
chapter is pretty short, I know, but I will update ASAP (
* * * *
Nick was mentally kicking himself as he and Greg sat in the back of the van with two of the three men. He was starting to seriously regret his plan. Why hadn't he tried to get them to leave Greg behind? Why did he have to go and make up some crazy story? His brain was telling him that he had made a big mistake, that he had put Greg's life in more danger by coming up with this half-baked story about him being deaf.
Yet despite his internal monologue screaming at him about the stupidity of his plan, Nick's heart was telling him that he had done the right thing. He knew that if he hadn't spoken up, the men would have taken Greg. The thought of the kid being left alone with these three madmen made Nick shudder, and he knew that he would much rather be here in the van with Greg than back at the bank wondering what was happening. Nick had a protective instinct when it came to his friends and he worried about Greg in particular. He was just a kid and Nick knew that he was completely unprepared for situations like this. Hell, Nick was barely prepared for this and he had been working in law enforcement for years.
They had been riding in silence until Greg suddenly gestured at Nick. Nick looked up and watched his friend intently. Greg "signed" something to him, and jerked his head at the man in the front seat, and inquisitive look on his face.
Nick thought fast. Greg had just asked him a "question". Now Nick needed to translate it into something coherent.
"What did he say?" One of the men jabbed Nick roughly in the side with his gun. Nick winced.
"He was just asking me if I knew your names" Nick doubted they would tell him, but at least it would give him time to formulate a next thought.
The leader, the one driving the van, laughed derisively.
"Like we would tell you. You must be pretty stupid to think that we would let you guys find out our real names. If I told you, I'd have to kill you". There was a nasty smile on his face as he said those last words. Nick paled slightly as he "signed" the message back to Greg.
Greg began signing furiously at Nick again. He gestured at the men, and then held up one finger, then two, then three. He gave the man in the front a withering look for emphasis.
Nick grinned in spite of himself. Fake sign language or not, Nick understood exactly what Greg was saying there.
"Well my friend here says that is all fine and well, but you might want to give us something to call you by, because we both feel stupid calling you 'Bad Guys 1, 2, and 3". Nick watched as Greg smirked slightly from his seat at the back of the van.
"You're friend thinks he's pretty funny, doesn't he?" This time it was the man sitting next to Greg who spoke. Nick turned to face him. The man glanced forward and met the eyes of the leader in the rearview mirror. The leader nodded.
Without another word, the man brought the butt of the gun crashing into Greg's temple. The kid slumped over, unconscious. There was blood oozing from the wound.
"You bastard!" Nick made a move towards the man in the back. He paid instantly for his actions. A burst of white-hot pain tore through his head for a split second before darkness engulfed him.
* * * *
Nick was mentally kicking himself as he and Greg sat in the back of the van with two of the three men. He was starting to seriously regret his plan. Why hadn't he tried to get them to leave Greg behind? Why did he have to go and make up some crazy story? His brain was telling him that he had made a big mistake, that he had put Greg's life in more danger by coming up with this half-baked story about him being deaf.
Yet despite his internal monologue screaming at him about the stupidity of his plan, Nick's heart was telling him that he had done the right thing. He knew that if he hadn't spoken up, the men would have taken Greg. The thought of the kid being left alone with these three madmen made Nick shudder, and he knew that he would much rather be here in the van with Greg than back at the bank wondering what was happening. Nick had a protective instinct when it came to his friends and he worried about Greg in particular. He was just a kid and Nick knew that he was completely unprepared for situations like this. Hell, Nick was barely prepared for this and he had been working in law enforcement for years.
They had been riding in silence until Greg suddenly gestured at Nick. Nick looked up and watched his friend intently. Greg "signed" something to him, and jerked his head at the man in the front seat, and inquisitive look on his face.
Nick thought fast. Greg had just asked him a "question". Now Nick needed to translate it into something coherent.
"What did he say?" One of the men jabbed Nick roughly in the side with his gun. Nick winced.
"He was just asking me if I knew your names" Nick doubted they would tell him, but at least it would give him time to formulate a next thought.
The leader, the one driving the van, laughed derisively.
"Like we would tell you. You must be pretty stupid to think that we would let you guys find out our real names. If I told you, I'd have to kill you". There was a nasty smile on his face as he said those last words. Nick paled slightly as he "signed" the message back to Greg.
Greg began signing furiously at Nick again. He gestured at the men, and then held up one finger, then two, then three. He gave the man in the front a withering look for emphasis.
Nick grinned in spite of himself. Fake sign language or not, Nick understood exactly what Greg was saying there.
"Well my friend here says that is all fine and well, but you might want to give us something to call you by, because we both feel stupid calling you 'Bad Guys 1, 2, and 3". Nick watched as Greg smirked slightly from his seat at the back of the van.
"You're friend thinks he's pretty funny, doesn't he?" This time it was the man sitting next to Greg who spoke. Nick turned to face him. The man glanced forward and met the eyes of the leader in the rearview mirror. The leader nodded.
Without another word, the man brought the butt of the gun crashing into Greg's temple. The kid slumped over, unconscious. There was blood oozing from the wound.
"You bastard!" Nick made a move towards the man in the back. He paid instantly for his actions. A burst of white-hot pain tore through his head for a split second before darkness engulfed him.