"Your brother isn't going to save you." Biggins tossed a copy of the newspaper at Tommy's feet.

Gingerly Tommy picked it up. It was folded open to the page of death notices. In the center of the page was picture he had taken in school the year before, and a short piece about how he was loved and missed, as well as where and when the funeral was.

Funeral? This could not be happening. He was not dead. How could there be a funeral for someone who is not dead. Trent is gonna see through this, he has to. If Trent cannot see through the ruse then he might as well be dead. This cannot be the end there has to more than this. Trent cannot believe that the bastard would actually kill him before he had his fun. All right so Trent does believe that he is really dead, there has to be someone who does not believe it. Carlos! Carlos would come, there was not way that he would believe it.

Frustrated and angered, Tommy threw the paper at Biggins. He could handle the beatings he got for not doing as he were told. Four days with the man and his spirit was still intact. Biggins could do what he wanted with him but there was no way that Tommy was going to allow the sick, twisted bastard the pleasure of breaking him.

"I've found a way, boy," he said as if he were reading Tommy's thoughts. "Tonight." He left the room leaving the youth to imagine what he had planned for him.

**********************************************************************

Gage's cell phone rang the moment he stepped into what used to be a club, like he suspected it would.

"Gage."

"Didn't believe that I killed the kid, did you?" Taylor questioned.

"No, I didn't." He looked around trying to find clues of anyone having been there recently. "Why pretend that he's dead?"

"Because I decided to. I like him. Do you know how much I could make off of a boy like him. He's so spirited and cute. Just imagine . . ." Biggins trailed off to allow pictures to form in his own head as well as Gage's.

"You sick fuck!" He shouted his voice echoed off of the bare ceiling, floor and walls. "Why don't you let him go, you can have me."

"And what makes you think I want you? I have a cash cow sitting in front of me."

"Because I'm the one that got away."

"If you come to me unarmed, and without informing anyone, I'll think about letting him go."

"I come to you, you let him go, that's the deal," he said hoping that it would work that way.

"Deal." Taylor Biggins smiled. "Come to my old house at four sharp. If you're late, we won't be there. But I'll be more than happy to send you a copy of every tape we make." He hung up.

It was a deal with the devil, but if it would save Tommy's life Gage would do it. If Trent fully believed that Tommy were alive, Gage knew that he would give up his life for that of his brother's. Gage had seen Trent give his all for his family before, and he would expect nothing less of Trent, but a grieving mind does not always see straight. That is way Gage was now standing at the gates of hell ready to give himself over, be an angel of mercy of sorts, for the young man held at the devil's side.

Gage stared at his phone, debating on whether or not to call Walker or Travette. They should know what he was about to do and why. He knew that by the time they found him this time he would be dead. There was nothing that anyone could do about it. He did not want them to. He had been wanting to die since Biggins had broken him a couple of years ago. This time, though, he was going to take the son of a bitch with him. This time he was going to make damn sure that Taylor Biggins died and stayed that way.

Finally he gave in, and called his mentor, colleague and friend.

"Walker."

"It's Gage." He leaned against the door of the abandoned club.

"How are you doing?" Walker asked concerned for his young friend.

"All right." He closed his eyes. "I'm going to meet him today. Tom's still alive and I'm going to get him back for Trent, and for myself." There he had said it. The weight was off of his shoulders. He could breathe once again.

"What?!" Walker said in shock.

"Biggins. He called me and offered a trade," he said being vague. "Me for Tom Malloy,"

"When? Where?" was all that Walker could get out.

"Today at Four." He wanted to hang up the phone, but something inside of him would not let him give up his last life line.

"Did he prove that Tom's still alive?"

"No," he said gritting his teeth. "I can feel it in my gut, Walker. He's still alive. I can't let the Malloy's continue to believe that he's not."

"You're gonna need backup." He could feel that there was something wrong. Gage was acting different than he had in the couple of days since Tommy's death.

"No need," he said a sad tone hung in his voice. "I'm not coming back." He hit the end button on his phone.