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Chapter 4 – Communication Means

.:The Dungeon:.

Infection had already set in. The white-hot searing pain was just unbearable. Justine had become too weak to do anything but moan. Sometimes, she felt so sick she threw up – enough to get on the walls of the dungeon.

C'mon Danny, she wailed in her head. Can't you figure it out?

Meanwhile, while she was hoping Danny would come and save her soon, she had been trying to get the thing which light was blinking out of her pocket.

She tried to loosen the ropes tied around her wrists, which were stinging like a thousand nettles piercing her skin at the same time, but they were simply too tough and thick that her nails almost came off instead.

Dammit! She cursed in head. Now not only did her wrists hurt, but so much of her nails broke off that the raw skin underneath was exposed to the dirty, rusty dungeon air.

Not infection again! Justine sometimes felt so miserable she just wanted to pull all her hair out to vent her anger and all her frustration.

She persevered, however, determined to escape from her assailant no matter what happened. She continued to struggle for ten minutes, finally freeing her right hand. Putting it into her right pocket, she reached for the blinking light.

She touched the cold metal with the tip of her fingers. Reaching in some more, she clamped her hand around it and pulled it out.

The vintage red Samsung flip-phone's light was blinking, indicating that she had an SMS. It was on silent mode.

.:Danny's House:.

His cell phone shrilled loudly, shattering his worried thoughts about Justine. He reached over to it expectantly, hoping it was her assailant or something.

"McCoy." He said, trying to sound calm, but his shaky breath gave him away.

"Danny?" Came a female voice sprinkled with a distinct British accent. "It's Nessa."

"Oh, hi," Danny's heart sank with disappointed. "What's up?"

"Maybe I should be asking you the same question," she said, her voice sounding concerned. "Why aren't you at work today? Ed's worried you'd do something to yourself."

"Oh, um…" his voice trailed off. He had fell asleep on trying to figure out who'd dare to take Justine away, forgetting that he had to go to work the following day. "I'm fine, really. I'm just, erm…I'm caught up in a jam. Tell Ed I'll be there in a couple of minutes." He hung up, ignoring Nessa on the other line who was shouting, "Ed says you needn't come!"

Dressing up, Danny punched himself mentally.

Danny: How could I forget about work?

He bolted out of the bedroom past all the police and walked straight out of the door.

.:Ed's Office:.

"Look, Danny, if you're too worried about Justine or feel sick or anything, you shouldn't have come in the first place," Ed Deline said seriously, eyeing his handsome young protégé. "Now because of you, we've lost Casey and Christopher-John."

Danny looked down at his shoes nervously. "Sorry, Ed," Maybe he really should have stayed at home and try to figure everything out. But Ed and his people just needed Danny too much for him to let go. "But I really can do this."

Ed raised his eyebrow questioningly. "That's what you said," He got up, placing his hands behind his back and walking back and forth. "But now I'm starting to wonder - does 'Can do it' mean 'can allow him to escape from right under my nose' to you?"

Danny: Haha. Very funny.

"Erm, no…" Danny fingered nervously, still looking down.

Ed sighed. "Look Danny," he sat down again. "If you want to come to work, make sure you are in full and one hundred percent concentration. This is a world of crime, McCoy. You have to be alive all the time and not half-dead. If you are feeling half-dead, please excuse yourself from work." He rubbed his eyes tiredly. "Being half-dead everyday, on the other hand, is another story."

The youth still did not look up. "Well, then maybe I should go home, then, and sort things out?" he asked.

"Yes."

Danny finally looked up at his boss and smiled. "Thanks, Ed."

Well, this is the 4th chapter! Thanks for reviewing once again. RR please! Thanks!