Author's note: Aww, come on guys. Ian's not that bad; he's just having a really hard day. Yeah, he's got an attitude, and yeah, he's got a nasty temper, but he's not the only one with a bad temper in this story – he's just not as good at hiding it and controlling it as some others are. Besides, not all the good guys have to be angels, that would be boring!

OOOOOOOOO

"I'm going to go check and see if they're waking up."

Major Clay nodded to Payne, who'd spoken up, and then looked over at Moore once the Captain had left the room.

"How's the jaw?"

"It'll be fine, just a bit swollen."

The Sergeant moved the icepack he'd been holding against his jaw, and Clay winced. It was swollen, all right. Already bruising, it was going to look like that kid's cheek in only a matter of hours.

"He really clobbered you, didn't he?"

Moore scowled.

"He got lucky."

"Yeah."

Real lucky.

Moore put the icepack back against his jaw, more to keep his CO from looking at the evidence that he'd probably lost that fight with that cadet than because of any hope that the cold would keep the swelling down. There was too much swelling to hope that mere ice could help.

OOOOOOOO

The entire basement of the safe-house was a warren of cells in two small hallways. The basement itself was soundproof, since it wouldn't do to have the neighbors hearing anyone who might be visiting the place against their will, after all, and there was only one way in or out. Through the basement door which at that moment was guarded by Lieutenant Marcus Chambers.

The Lieutenant was the youngest of the five – only a few years older than the cadets he was guarding – but Payne rather liked him.

"Heard anything from them yet?" He asked as he walked over to the door.

Chambers shook his head, smiling. He was pretty sure that the moment they woke up they'd be shitting their pants to find themselves in such an unfriendly place. Probably crying or screaming to be let go, and maybe even threatening them with what their father was going to do when he found out what was going on.

"Not a peep."

Payne looked at his watch. The drugs should be wearing off any time.

"Be right back."

Chambers nodded, and leaned against the door as he watched Payne head down the short staircase to the first hall. Less than a minute later he heard a loud curse, though, and turned and headed down the stairs as well, taking them two at a time. Payne was standing in front of the cell that held the primary target – the cadet that had been hit with the butt of the Captain's gun. Correction; the cell that had held the cadet. It was empty.

"What the..."

Payne turned on Chambers.

"Where is he?"

"No one went past me!"

He reached out and tugged on the door to the little cell – it was locked.

"He didn't get up and fly away, Lieutenant," Payne said, tugging on the door as well, swearing again when he couldn't get it to open. The door was locked! How did the kid get out? He brushed past Chambers, and headed down the hall, stopping in front of the cell that held the cadet with the bright ugly pajamas. It was empty, too.

"Shit! Go get Major Clay!"

Payne went over to look in the other cell, only to find the dark-haired cadet was gone as well – not that he was surprised, now. If one had vanished, of course they all had. But where had they gone? And how?

He heard the clatter of boots on the stairs, and went back to the first cell, pulling the key out of his pocket and unlocking it then going inside and lifting the blanket – even though there was absolutely no way the cadet could be hiding under the blankets.

"Sonofabitch..."

"What's going on, Captain?"

He turned and saw Clay standing at the door, and he shook his head.

"I don't know, Sir. Chambers said he didn't se anyone go past him, but they're not –"

"Where are they?"

Clay had turned on Chambers, who was pale and visibly shaken.

"I don't know, Sir! I swear they didn't get past me! Nothing-"

He was interrupted by a flash of brilliant white light, and felt something grab him. A moment later – and another flash of brilliant light – and he found himself standing in one of the cells. Before Chambers had time to register any more than that, there was another bright flash, and out of nowhere he was joined by Moore, who looked just as shocked as he, himself, felt.

"What the hell-"

"Not very fun, is it?"

The two men turned and saw one of their captives suddenly standing on the other side of the cell door, looking slightly battered but very much awake. At his side was a huge black dog, who was watching them intently.

Moore reached into his shirt to grab for his gun – only to find it wasn't there. The black dog growled warningly, and a formidable row of very sharp teeth were suddenly plain to see.

"What the fuck is going on?"

Ian didn't answer him. He was watching the two men just as intently as Jaffer was, and he knew immediately that the one with the bruise on his jaw was the one that he'd gotten into the fight with.

Either too shocked to be afraid of the dog, or unaware of the warning the lab was sending him, Chambers lunged against the door of the cell, determined to get out and either fight or run – he hadn't actually decided which one just then. He only knew he wanted out.

There was a blood-curdling snarl and the impossibly large dog lunged against the door of the cell from the other side, his teeth raking Chambers' fingers where they'd wrapped around the bars. The Lieutenant fell backwards with a yelp of pain, clutching fingers that were suddenly slashed wide open.

"Do it again, and he'll go for your throat." Ian warned the man, his dark eyes smoldering with anger.

Payne knew that the kid wasn't bluffing; he'd really set that dog on them if he could.

"What's going on? How did you-"

"None of your fucking business," Ian told him. Of course, he didn't have a clue how he'd managed to escape and get back, so even if he'd wanted to tell him – fat chance – he wouldn't have been able to, anyways. Better to keep them off guard by acting like he knew exactly what was going on.