Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I hope you enjoy this chapter and drop me a line or three.

Warning - There is non-consensual touching/sex in this chapter. I don't think the on-screen stuff is too graphic and the hard-core stuff is mostly off-screen. And Ebon is a potty-mouth. Please don't read if any of this bothers you.

Disclaimer - I don't own Static Shock or their characters. Keith and Taylor are mine. I don't take very good care of my toys, do I?

With each moment, the bus pulled further and further away from the campsite. Keith noted that the dark-haired man, Shiv, was driving, and the other three bad guys were lined up beside him. They were talking quietly and were staring out the front windshield. Keith was sitting in the seat behind the driver, and Richie was sitting on his left next to the window.

Keith turned his head to stare at Richie. The blond was about an inch taller, but right now he was hunched in on himself and looked very small. Keith didn't know what the black man had said to Richie, but it had obviously unsettled the other teen. That scared Keith. Richie was smart and cocky and funny and never took any crap from the jocks at school. He could joke his way out of any situation. A cowed Richie wasn't right. Keith had to do something.

He scooted to the edge of the seat. He waited until the bus was on a straightaway, then reached forward and wrapped his manacles around Shiv's throat. Using his feet as leverage he pulled with all his might.

Shiv slammed on the brakes as he tried to loosen the chains at his throat. The bus shuddered to a stop, and the three unseated men were thrown through the windshield while Shiv was soon rendered unconscious. Richie had been thrown into the back of the driver's seat and had landed on the floor near Keith's feet.

Keith reached down and helped Richie to stand. The blond was shaken up, so Keith helped him out of the bus. The teens could hear sirens approaching and in the distance a bright light was gaining in brilliance. The light coalesced into the concerned figure of Static Shock.

"Richie! I heard what happened over the police band. Are you OK?"

Richie replied, "I'm fine. Keith, I'd like you to meet Static Shock, my friend. Static, this is Keith Eggers - my hero." Keith nodded at Static, but his eyes were all for Richie. The blond teen smiled warmly at Keith and moved closer. Keith closed his eyes as Richie's face neared his own.

The bus hit a pothole and his head smacked into the floorboards; Keith was jolted from his daydream. Damn. Just when it was getting good. He would have to try and make his dream a reality. It would be a little tougher than his fantasy, though. Shiv was at the wheel just like in his dream, but the two guys who kidnapped him were sitting behind the driver; the black man was in the seat across the aisle.

Richie and he were face down on the floor of the bus with their hands cuffed behind their backs. Richie's eyes were closed and his lips were moving. Was he praying? Keith squirmed closer until their bodies were touching, his right side against Richie's left. The blue eyes, framed by wire-rimmed glasses, popped open in surprise.

"It'll be OK, Richie," whispered Keith. "I won't let them hurt you."

Richie, who was not known for his silence, could only gape at Keith, completely dumbfounded. Geeky little Keith Eggers was trying to comfort him, Gear the superhero. Was actually offering his protection. Of course, Keith had no idea about Richie's alter ego. It was terribly sweet. Richie was about to reply when he was kicked in the side by Ebon.

"Keep your mouth shut or I'll find some other use for it."

'Quiet was good,' thought Richie. 'Quiet was just fine.' Richie closed his eyes and tried again to subvocalize a command to Backpack. He had been upset about being cut off from the little robot when Dr. Todd's Bang Baby cure took full effect. After the second Big Bang, Richie had modified his creation so that it would accept, interpret, and respond to his or Virgil's vocal directions. Let's hope BP has his receivers on 'high.'

"Backpack! Start the homing beacon for Static, then alert the cops and give our location. If you can, figure out a way to disable the bus. Stick close and keep signaling." Richie repeated the orders a few times, hoping they got through. Richie had done all he could. His job now was to keep himself and Keith safe until Static found them. Which would be soon.

Lightning streaked across the sky and rain poured from the heavens.

Or maybe not.

After taking care of his immediate 'problem,' Virgil packed up and slowly made his way back to the campsite. He could hear the echoes of an engine - the school bus? Were they going somewhere? Virgil stepped up his pace but moments later froze in shock as he heard the unmistakable report of a gunshot. That was a sound forever associated in his mind with pain and gut-wrenching fear. His mom and the riots. Richie and Jimmy. Oh, God. Richie!

Virgil ran the rest of the way to the camp, dodging trees and shrubs that seemed to magically appear in his path. He couldn't be late. Not again.

As he cleared the tree line, Virgil saw two things immediately. One, the bus was gone; and two, the other students were crying and were gathered in a circle near the middle of camp. His heart clenched painfully and as he edged closer to the center of the circle, many of the students were looking at him with various degrees of sorrow and pity on their faces. That scared Virgil more than anything.

Finally, he could see the center of the circle. Ms. Pettibone was kneeling by a still form on the ground. Her shoulders were shaking with her sobs and her hands, which she had wrapped around herself in a body hug, were streaked with blood. At first, Virgil's fear would only allow him to see the shock of blond hair on the corpse's head. When the spots faded from his vision, he could see that it was Mr. Boyce and not his Richie who lay dead in the…mud? When had it started to rain?

Virgil kneeled next to Ms. Pettibone and placed a hand on her shoulder. She turned glassy eyes on him. "Ms. Pettibone? What happened?"

One of the girls brought over a tarpaulin. Ms. Pettibone smiled tremulously and allowed her, Virgil, and Taylor to cover Steven Boyce's body. It was the best they could do for now. She overheard the girl, Daisy, tell Virgil what had taken place. The poor boy. He and Richie were very close.

The teacher managed to pull herself together. She was the adult here. She couldn't wallow in self-pity even though her boyfriend was dead. She had to take care of the kids and get them to safety.

"Everyone gather round, please. Gather round." The teenagers gravitated toward their teacher. "Did anyone keep a cell phone?" The heads all shook 'no.' They had believed the dark man when he said he would kill them if they held anything back.

"Let's pair up and get into our tents. I'll go for help as soon as the rain eases." She held up her hand to stop the protests she knew were coming. "We can't do anything about Richie and Keith right now. I'll get to a phone, and the police will find them and bring them home."

Virgil, Daisy, and Taylor stayed behind as the other kids broke into their groups and returned to their tents. It took all of Virgil's willpower to remain where he was when Daisy had told him about the invaders. She knew Trapper and Specs, of course, and she had described the others well enough for him to know that Ebon and Shiv were also involved in Richie's kidnapping.

"Ms. Pettibone! I don't think that we should wait. The rain could last for hours."

"Virgil, no. It's dark, you don't know these woods, and the nearest ranger station is miles away. You'd never make it, and I can't allow you to endanger yourself. You three need to go back to your tents and get warm and dry. I'll let everyone know when I leave. Daisy, you'll be in charge while I'm gone."

Ms. Pettibone returned to her own tent and gathered some things for her upcoming trek. She was emptying her backpack of unnecessary items when a silver-wrapped package fell out. Her hands shook as she unraveled the ribbon, removed the paper, and opened the box. A diamond engagement ring shimmered in the beam of her flashlight. The words, "Brenda, will you marry me?" were visible in Steven's untidy scrawl.

The three teens could hear their teacher crying, though the rain and thunder drowned out most of the sounds.

"Taylor, Daisy, I'm going for help." Virgil touched Daisy's shoulder. "No way can I just sit here while those guys have Richie and Keith. I have to go get help."

"But, Virgil, Ms. Pettibone said…"

"Ms. Pettibone and Mr. Boyce were real close. She's in shock. I don't want her wandering around in the dark in her condition. Stay here and help her with the others."

Taylor volunteered to accompany Virgil. As they packed food, water, and first aid supplies, along with dry clothes, they decided that they would follow the road, but the boys would each go in different directions. It eased Virgil's mind. He had planned on going after Richie, then contacting the police. Now, Taylor could get help for those still in the camp in case it took a long time for Virgil to find the missing teens. The boys headed out and wished one another luck as they parted ways.

Virgil had crammed as many towels into his backpack as possible. He had to get dried off and figure out a way to fly through this downpour without shorting out. If he couldn't fly, who knew how long it would take to catch up to Richie.

The bus had broken down and the geniuses couldn't figure out how to fix it. Richie had an idea what was wrong, but he couldn't very well point out the sear marks where a small robot had severed vital connections. Good old Backpack.

Richie listened to the former prisoners arguing about their next move. He couldn't get over how much the two scientists had changed. Specs was even colder and more sarcastic, if that was possible, but Trapper seemed so vicious now. Not that he wasn't always an evil jerk, but as far as Richie knew he had never killed anyone before. Now, two guards were dead and Mr. Boyce was either dead or seriously injured.

Richie and Keith were chained to the wheels on the right side of the bus; Richie was at the front end and Keith was placed at the rear. Richie hoped to get Backpack to loosen the chains so that he and Keith could sneak away in the darkness, but he had yet to make contact. The rain was still coming down, though it had dwindled to a drizzle. In complete opposition to the stifling heat of the day, it was cold.

Thankfully, Ebon hadn't made any other sexual innuendos. That had totally creeped Richie out. Ebon had been a little touchy-feely when binding Richie to the bus, but Richie could handle that. It wasn't the first time he had been touched without permission. Speaking of brainiacs, Trapper and Specs were leaning out the window, taunting their captives.

"Their minds might be sponges, Mr. Specs, but I don't think their bodies are. They look a little damp."

"You're right, Mr. Trapper. Maybe we should invite them in. We could take turns warming them up."

"What are you in the mood for, Mr. Specs? Blonde or brunette?"

Richie didn't like the direction this conversation was headed. "I always thought you two made a cute couple. Getting bored with each other already?"

"Our decision has been made for us, Mr. Trapper." Specs stepped off the bus with Trapper close behind. They stood on either side of Richie. "Your big mouth just bought you a wild ride."

Ebon, overhearing their conversation, stepped out and said, "Back off. Foley is off limits until I get what I want."

Specs sniffed. He wasn't sure what the ex-Bang Baby was up to, but he would play along for now. "Fine. We'll take the little one."

Richie could only watch as they unlocked Keith's cuffs and dragged him into the bus. The pair ignored his pleas for them to stop. Ebon squatted beside the bare-chested blond and placed his hand on Richie's cheek. Richie shuddered.

"You're freezing. Better get you warmed up."

"N-no. I'm fine. I love nature." Ebon smirked at Richie's protestations and released him from the chains. Richie flexed his hands several times in an attempt to restart the circulation.

Ebon caught Richie's arm in a bruising grip to prevent him from running. Richie wouldn't have run; he couldn't leave without Keith. It was his fault the other boy was caught up in this mess. If Richie hadn't bumbled out of the woods when he did, the bad guys would probably have left semi-peacefully.

Richie's mind was racing. He allowed himself to be maneuvered onto the bus and next to a soft nest of blankets and a double sleeping bag.

"Strip," ordered Ebon. When Richie hesitated, Ebon grabbed him by the belt loops and pulled him forward.

Richie had to keep telling himself not to fight back. Not yet. Ebon was bigger and stronger than he was; he also had a gun tucked into his belt. Shiv was curled up in the driver's seat and had a gun as well, so the front exit was blocked. Trapper and Specs were likewise armed and blocked the rear exit. He would have to bide his time and try to keep his head. His and Keith's lives depended on it.

His resolve was greatly tested when Ebon's hands unzipped Richie's shorts and let them drop. His boxers followed. Ebon knelt in front of the nude blonde and ran a hand up the inside of Richie's calf. Richie twitched and Ebon lifted his captive's leg to remove muddy shoes and socks.

Richie met Ebon's hungry gaze with a mixture of anger, fear, and stubborn pride. As vulnerable as Richie was - no clothing, out in the middle of nowhere and the prisoner of desperate men - the young man would not drop his eyes. Ebon could only stare at the pretty blond who had featured in more than a few of his dreams while in prison.

The boy's golden hair was plastered to his skull. Raindrops decorated his body like diamonds. Ebon followed the trail of one rivulet as it moved from Richie's hairline, to his neck, then to his chest, only to linger at the tip of a taut pink nubbin hardened from the cold. Ebon could not resist the lure of that droplet; he leaned forward while pulling Richie closer and took the nipple into his mouth. He heard the startled gasp from above and felt the young man's hands on his shoulders trying to push him away.

Ebon let his treat slip from his lips. He drew the teen on top of the pallet and pushed him down onto the dry blankets. He quickly stripped off his own wet t-shirt, but left his trousers on. Ebon pulled Richie against his body and curled around him. He licked an exposed ear and whispered, "Get some sleep, beautiful, and relax. I'm gonna keep you cherry till Static gives me what I want."

Richie allowed some of the tension to leak from his muscles and asked, "What do you want?"

Ebon pulled some blankets over their entwined bodies before replying, "Power. I'm betting that old man Alva hasn't given up on his little genetic experiments. Static is gonna have to convince him to give up some of that Bang Baby gas he's got stashed away if the hero wants you back."

Ebon moved his hands lower on Richie's body and stroked the soft, soft skin just above the nest of blond curls. "But as soon as I get my Meta-human powers back, I'm coming for you." And you'll be coming for me - over and over again.

Richie tried to breathe normally as Ebon continued to touch him where no one but Virgil had ever been allowed. He could handle it, so long as Ebon kept his word about not taking him against his will.

Richie turned his head so that he could see Ebon's face. "Please. Keith. They're going to hurt him. Can't you do something? Can't you make them stop?"

Ebon licked Richie's shoulder and said, "Those freaks been locked up in solitary for too long. Only way to stop 'em now is to cuts their dicks off."

"So you won't do anything?"

"No." Ebon returned to nuzzling the teen's neck.

Richie's guilt at his classmate's torture wouldn't let him rest. He twisted his body in Ebon's arms and quietly asked, "What if you could have something you want in exchange for protecting Keith?"

"Like what?"

"Like me," replied Richie.

"I've already got you."

"Not willingly. But I could be."

Ebon felt like he had been punched in the gut. Having this young man as a lover and not as a victim or a whore? None of his dreams had ever considered such a possibility.

But no. Richie might mean what he says right now but when it was time to come through? Different story. Ebon would stick to his original plan - with his powers back, he would be able to force Richie to stay with him forever. And really, who cared if the blond were willing? Ebon would still get to fuck him whenever he wanted.

On the other hand…

"Maybe you should give me a little sample of what I might be risking my ass for."

Richie steeled himself to do what he had never done before. He was going to intentionally kiss a man who was not Virgil.

Richie put his hands on either side of Ebon's face and pulled him closer. Richie licked his lips and pressed them softly to Ebon's. Their mouths opened slightly and their tongues touched, tasting one another.

Richie had started the kiss, but Ebon took control. He rolled on top of Richie and thrust his tongue into the warm cavern. Richie kept himself in check and did not fight the kisses or the accompanying touches.

"God you taste so fucking good. You smell so fucking good." Ebon left Richie's mouth to kiss and nibble along the blonde's face and neck. Ebon could feel his control slipping. The warming body in in his arms spurred his arousal.

Positioned as he was, Richie could feel the evidence of Ebon's desire pressing against his thigh. Enough. He pushed Ebon's shoulders and turned his face away.

"I promise. I promise I'll do what you want, but you have to help Keith. Please!"

A wail erupted from the rear of the bus. The pain and fear laced in those chords made Richie cringe. Other sounds followed - the harsh sound of flesh slapping against flesh, rough breathing, sobbing.

"Too late, beautiful. Guess those boys couldn't hold their load any longer."

Richie was furious. He had tolerated this man's humiliating touch all for nothing. Keith was being horribly violated by not one but two vile excuses for human beings. As Ebon lowered his head for another kiss, Richie gripped the short hairs at the base of Ebon's scalp and roughly twisted. The resulting bellow of pain was gratifying.

The resulting backhand to Richie's face was not.

Richie followed up with a knee to the groin, but Ebon was too quick for the move to be effective. He trapped Richie's legs between his own and used his superior height and weight to overpower the younger man. He reattached the manacles to Richie's hands and secured the chain to one of the bus seats.

Ebon stood and glared at the bound teen prostrate at his feet. He wanted him, badly. But unlike the two losers in the back, he understood the value of a live hostage. From the way those two were going at that other kid, he wouldn't make it till dawn.

No, he had a plan and he was going to stick with it. No fucking the blond until he had the power to keep him. That didn't mean he was going to be stuck with blue balls tonight, though.

"Shiv!"

The dozing man jerked awake. Ebon stalked toward him and dropped into the front seat. He dragged the former Bang Baby from his perch, pushed him to his knees, and unzipped his own pants. Shiv wasted no time. He had done this countless times in the Meta-Breed. Ebon always told him that he was a natural.

Richie was in hell. He couldn't bear to look at Keith; the guilt was painfully crushing him. He couldn't look at Ebon; the escapee was moaning Richie's name as Shiv gave himan expert blowjob. Richie tried to cover his ears with his arms so that he wouldn't have to listen to the filth in stereo. He kept his eyes focused on the ceiling of the bus to keep from staring at the nightmares come to life around him.

Which was why he was the only one who saw Backpack crawling across the roof.

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