Well, I guess I'll make my apologies now. I'm afraid you'll have to wait a while for the next two chapters- I'm going away to Jersey tomorrow for a fortnight. I would post them all at once now, but I'm still not quite happy with them. So this chapter's extra-long to make up for the wait. Thank you all for your marvellous-some reviews! They really made me smile!
darkangelintheshadows: I agree wholeheartedly, but your forgot that Brad's mad as well as a sicko...
Arsinen: I make them -deserve- a happy ending. I'm not much good at writing fics where everything just bounces along happily, because that's not at ALL realistic...
Just that good: Tyson's not being insensitive as such, he just doesn't know what to say. None of them have seen Kai really care about something like this before. And Kai might realise something...but then he might not...
BloodyShadows: I promise that after this chapter you won't need any more reasons to hate him.
tntiggris: I admit, I saw all those reviews and my eyes just lit up! My Mum was in the room at the time, I'm sure she thought I'd gone mad... And yes, I do love drama. Can't get enough of that dramatic, angsty stuff!
Little-Purple-Phoenix: I must say, when Brad ran away with my fingers and did what he does in this chapter, I was very angry with him. I considered thumbscrews...
Celestial-Dragon-Demon: Thanks!
Platinum Rei: Thank'ee kind sir (ma'am?).
Echo in the Dark: Oh, but we're in a -civilised- world. People like Brad always have to be given another chance, especially over here in Britain. It's a very sore point with me. People can murder little children and legal dudes start banging on about how it was because of their upbringing, and how we should rehabilitate them into society...it sounds awful, but I think it's all a load of cack. Lots of people live on council estates, etc., and they're not all criminals! Hee, sorry for ranting, but you sparked my outrage!
Mei Kimari: Mm, it's probably just us Northeastern England bunch who say it. And technically seeing as Rei isn't sixteen, what Brad's doing is paedophilia. It's very wrong, but what's worse is that it actually happens in the real world outside of fanfiction...
Jen Sweden: I'm glad you like it, here's the update!
Canadians Generally Don't Live In Igloos: I agree, I'd like to hug Rei too. His pixels might scratch a bit, though... And no, Rei can't escape like that because Brad lives in a cheapoid flat with no air vents.
neko yoka: Will do!
miriam906: Think of that desire to murder him and multiply it. Lots. That's how much you'll want to murder him by the end of the chapter.
WildChipmunkofYonder: Don't feel worried for Brad, feel worried for Rei!
Rick: I hurried, but like I said up top there'll be quite a wait for the next chapter. Sorry.
Ellen: I'm actually working on a HP set after HBP. I'm going to make Draco redeem himself dammit! Especially seeing as how NAMELESS PERSON'S death was a lot to do with him...and for the record, I was out for dinner last night. Pizza hawaii and ice cream all in celebration of someone's retirement. I sat at the end of the table and made stupid jokes about the dead cat pie someone near us was eating...so yeah, that might have had something to do with it...
xImperfectlyX: Here's the update!
skimmie: I'm glad you like it, here's the udpate!
SilkYuzu: I have Kai down as the suspicious, paranoid type. Just seems to fit him, I suppose... How's the next chapter of BCV coming along? I'm still waiting for you to update!
PandaPjays: He stole Rei-Rei because he's mad as a badger...and I can guarantee you'll want to kill him MORE by the end of this chapter!
animeobsession: Scot-free is just another way of saying nothing will happen to them. If I robbed a bank and got away scot-free it'd mean no-one caught me...
Helen: Being as he is incredible possessive and crazy, Brad doesn't really let Rei get out of his sight or reach much. Sorry you'll have to wait for the next chapters...
DarkLightJak: The locks are too small for him to get his nails into. That's my excuse. I didn't really think about it- it's kind of integral to the plot that he stays there and doesn't get the chance to escape...
Ashley: Good good. Here's the update, although the next one'll be slower.
Shin Rigel: Doesn't it qualify as paedophilia if they're under the age of consent? Where I'm from that's sixteen...not sure if it's the same where you are though...once again thanks for such a good review!
And now, the chapter!
Rei pretended to be fine when Brad came back with a video recorder and a tripod and set them up in the living room. He clapped his hands with largely fake delight and wondered how the hell he was going to tell the others where he was...and how he was. Obviously Brad wouldn't let him say that he was keeping him against his will, or where he was... He'd discovered a while ago from the door- there were numbers on the back talking about who to phone if there were any faults or anything.
It probably would have been fitting for it to be flat 666 in Dark Towers, but no. Brad had locked him into flat 12 of the Cheer Chase apartment building. Brad grinned as he finished wiring the camera and indicated that Rei should sit down. Rei blinked, and then it all came to him in a flash...he knew how he could get his message across...
Kai walked down the stairs numbly. It was three days since he'd shouted at Mr. Dickenson, and four since the night of Rei's disappearance. The house seemed lonely without him. Kai had never noticed it before, but Rei was the only person who always made an effort to talk to him. Max and Tyson sat and chatted, Kenny absorbed himself in Dizzi, and Kai was left alone.
He had always felt alone, but it seemed that only with Rei's absence did he notice that he had never been alone with Rei. Rei had always tried to help him, he could see that with harsh clarity now, and it only made him more desperate than ever to get Rei back. Kai sighed, about to walk into the kitchen, when he noticed the small parcel sitting in the hall.
He walked over and picked it up, then dropped it again suddenly. "TYSON!" Tyson came running out of the kitchen.
"What? What is it?"
"Go and call Mr. Dickenson!"
"What? I don't-"
"It's his handwriting, Tyson..." Kai whispered, picking up the parcel again. "He's sent us something..." Tyson made a choked noise and ran for the phone, grabbing it and speed-dialling Mr. Dickenson.
Mr. Dickenson was there in ten minutes, with a bomb technician, who opened the parcel ever-so-carefully before pulling out a video tape. Mr. Dickenson carried it into the living room and put it into the video player as if he were performing a religious ceremony. They watched the fuzzy screen with breathless anticipation the gasped as Rei appeared.
"Is it on? Right...um...well..." Rei sighed. "Well, I can't say everything I want to say..." He looked pointedly at something off screen. "Um...I miss you guys. I miss having a bathroom with a lock, as well. I'll bet you're glad you can't smell me right now, because I'm refusing to have a shower seeing as Brad wants to share it with me...and you all know I'm not one for sharing my shower!" He laughed, but anyone with half a brain could see that it was forced. "Brad's...um...a...well, it's mad really, but he's a big fan of mine. He's really...nice, not scary at all!" Another fake laugh, then Rei sighed. "I...I don't think I'm going to be getting out of here any time soon, but you know, keep up the cheer and all that! Don't waste too much of your time on a wild goose chase looking for me..." Rei paused, blinking a few times, then carried on. "I'm not in danger...yet, but Brad's very taken with the idea of sleeping with me. I keep trying to tell him I'm not ready, but...well." Rei sighed heavily, and for the first time the worry and fear in his eyes shone through unmasked. A hand swooped into the shot, stroking Rei's cheek.
"Are you done yet, babes?"
"No. Just...just a little longer." The hand disappeared, and Rei started speaking again, tears springing into his eyes. "I miss you guys...all of you...Tyson, I hope you carry on getting better, Max...keep everyone happy for me, okay? And Kenny, I know you still have Driger, and I want you to pass him on to Lee, and make sure you keep everyone's blades running okay, right?"
"Are you okay, baby?" Came that off-screen, deep voice again.
"Yeah." Rei whispered. "I'm fine. Just give me a minute, I want to tell them they won't be seeing me ever again..."
"Okay. I'm just going to get myself a beer, hon."
Rei turned back to the camera, taking a deep breath. "Kai, please...I know you'll understand...think about what I've been saying...and how I've said it..." He leaned into the camera, whispering. "I'm terrified. I think he's going to rape me or kill me..."
"Rei, where's the bottle opener?" Rei jumped and sat back.
"In the drawer!"
"Are you done yet?" Yelled back Brad. Rei sniffed and wiped his eyes.
"Yeah. I don't think there's anything else I can say." He took a choked breath and sobbed, reaching up a hand. "B-Bye guys..." And then the screen went blank.
The remaining Bladebreakers sat and stared at the blank screen for a moment, then Max started to cry, followed by Tyson and Kenny. Kai just sat there, numb. Rei had told him he'd understand...understand what? As Kai was trying to think about what it was that he was supposed to be understanding, Mr. Dickenson touched his shoulder, making him jump. "Kai? Are you okay?"
"I..." Kai tried to say something and found his vocal chords rebelling. "I..." He stood up, tears collecting in the corners of his eyes. He tried to contain a sob and ran, sprinting up the stairs and back in to his bedroom, throwing himself down onto Rei's old bed and bursting into noisy sobs.
He'd been right. Whoever that hand and voice belonged to was a madman, they had kidnapped Rei and they were going to...going to... He gave a growl of rage. Why did something like that have to happen to someone like Rei? Rei never hurt people, but he was always on the receiving end! Like with Bryan, but that seemed like nothing compared to...
"Why am I crying?" He whispered into the pillow. And then it hit him. He was scared. Scared for Rei, scared of losing Rei, scared of what might happen to Rei... But he was Kai Hiwatari. He was never scared. Fear was for idiots...fear was...exactly what he was feeling...
"Kai? Kai my boy, are you okay?" Mr. Dickenson looked down at Kai critically. The young man was lying face down, the blankets of the bed clutched tightly in his hands, back shaking with suppressed sobs. "Kai? I know you miss him. We all do, but-"
"You don't understand!" Kai wailed. "You don't know what it's like to be...to be..."
"To be what?" Asked Mr. Dickenson, confused.
"To be raped! B-Boris..." Mr. Dickenson's eyes went wide and he sat down beside Kai, laying a hand on his shoulder.
"Did Boris...rape -you-, Kai?"
"No! B-But Tala...and he was so...so...ruined! Even if we find Rei...even if I understand what he was trying to tell me...he'll never be the same! He'll never recover! Tala still has nightmares about it and it happened years ago! And I miss him! I'm scared for him, and I want him back more than anything in the world!" He sobbed harder, sitting up. "Can you go, please? I want to be alone..."
Rei sighed and rolled over, trying to avoid touching Brad more than was absolutely necessary. The dark-haired man was asleep, one arm clamped powerfully around Rei's slim waist, giving him no way of escaping. It was three days since he'd made Brad post the video...so that meant it was two since the Bladebreakers had received it. Perhaps his clues hadn't been clever enough? Or had they been too clever? Either way, no-one had come to save him, and he was running out of excuses to give Brad as to why he wouldn't have sex with him. It was early in the morning, although Rei had no idea as to the exact time.
He looked up at the window wistfully. He hadn't been outside in almost a week, and it was making him feel stifled and claustrophobic. Brad barely ever had the windows open either, so it felt like he'd been breathing stale air since he'd woken up there... Brad shifted suddenly and Rei automatically closed his eyes. A hand slid between his thighs and he tensed to stop himself from shuddering. Brad's hands crawled over him, over his chest, his crotch, his backside, his thighs...
"Rei...wake up, honey. I'm horny as hell and I want to take you right now..."
"W-What?"
"Take off your clothes and lay on your front, baby."
"E-Excuse me?"
"I'm going to make love to you right here and now, babes." Rei felt his heart start to thud, a deep bass note echoing in his chest.
"No." He said blankly, struggling away and standing up. Brad gave an indulgent smile.
"I know you're scared, Rei, but you don't have to be. I love you, and you love me, and I'm going to treat you so well...look, honey, I know it's your first time but I'll be gentle, I promise."
"N-No! I don't want to have sex with you!"
"But you're my lover. That's what lovers do."
"You're not my lover! I hate you! I don't love you at all!" Snapped Rei, backing away. This was going too far. Too far, and he wasn't going to just roll over and let some stranger, some mad possessive stranger take liberties with his body. Brad looked hurt, then he looked angry, standing up and grabbing Rei's arm, yanking him into a crushing embrace. "You won't sleep with me because you're shagging Jamie, aren't you?"
"W-What? Who's Jamie?" This couldn't be happening...this couldn't be real...
"You fucking slut! Get down on your hands and knees, I'm going to fuck you like the bitch you are!"
"NO!" Rei screamed, pleading, as Brad flung him to bed, tearing his clothes off and flinging them away, slapping away the hands Rei tried to cover himself with. "You're mine, you little whore! You're mine and I'll prove it! I'm more man than Jamie, and you're mine! You belong to me! I'm going to take you and you're going to fucking well enjoy it, bitch!" Insane...completely and totally insane...insane and heavier than Rei...insane and stronger than Rei...
"NO! Please! Please, no! NO! GET OFF ME!"
That same morning Kai was staring at the video recording, again and again. He'd banned Tyson from using the TV, and every second he had was spent watching and re-watching the tape, trying to find the bits where Rei had said anything amiss...
He rewound the tape again and played it through from the beginning, tears rising into his eyes as he watched Rei cry, frightened and alone. He started the tape again. Another couple of watches, and his eyes were starting to sting from all the tears he was blinking away...
Hold on a second...
He rewound the video, willing the machine to work faster, then pressed play. And there it was. Blinking. Rei was blinking on certain words... With a laugh of delight, Kai paused the tape and ran upstairs, snatching up a pen and paper and running back to the living room.
He watched the recording through again, writing down all the words Rei had blinked over:
Brad's a mad fan. He's really scary. Cheer chase. I'm in danger.
The mad fan bit, that made perfect sense, and so did the scary part. The danger was understandable, but 'cheer chase'...what did that mean? "Cheer chase...cheer chase..."
"What's up, Kai?" Tyson appeared in the doorway, looking pale and sleep-deprived. Kai could relate to that. None of them had really slept at all since Rei had been kidnapped. Kai waved the piece of paper. "It's a message, Tyson, but I don't understand it! He says he's in danger...actually...do you know what he would mean by saying 'cheer chase'?"
"Isn't that that old apartment building in town?" Tyson said slowly, then it dawned on him. "Could that be where he is?" Kai sighed.
"I'm not sure. Look, watch it through with me, and write down every word he blinks on." He held out the paper. "I'm sure that's what it is, it makes sense!"
"Every word he blinks on?" Kai nodded and restarted the tape, watching as Tyson scrawled words down in his messy handwriting. When the tape stopped, he handed it back.
Brad's a mad fan. He's really scary. Cheer chase. 1. 2. I'm in danger.
Kai looked down at the paper, puzzled. "Numbers?"
"Well yeah...when he's talking, he stops and blinks a bit, then starts again. But he blinked once and then turned his head to the side, and then he blinked twice. One and two."
"One and two...twelve!" Kai yelled. "Tyson, go and phone Mr. Dickenson!" Tyson obeyed, sprinting to the phone, while Kai stared down at the paper in his hands, breathless.
"Baby, you've been crying for hours, stop it!"
"I hate you! I hate you so much!" Rei spat. After Brad had finished with him, he'd shoved him under the shower and cleaned him. Rei had lolled against the wall like a rag doll, then been dragged out and dried roughly, forced back into clothes that his abused backside had bled on. And the tears just wouldn't stop rolling down his face. He felt so dirty, so utterly disgusting... And what was worse, Brad kept stroking his leg and telling him he had been wonderful and he did well, and that it'd stop hurting soon.
It would never stop hurting in his soul, his pure, innocent soul that Brad had snatched from him and destroyed with his lust. He slid off the sofa bonelessly then got to his knees, clasping his hands and praying in Chinese so that Brad couldn't understand him. "Please, please, someone find me...someone...anyone...just stop him from hurting me again...Kai, Tyson, Max, Kenny, Lee, Mariah, Kevin, Gary, ANYONE!"
Next Chapter: Kai makes plans to rescue Rei, but will he be able to get round Brad? And even if he does...will Rei be in any fit state?
Like I said up top, I'm on holiday for the next two weeks, so you'll have to wait for the update. Sorry and all, but I'm going to the land of the potatoes (Jersey potatoes, yay!).
Anyway, R&R please, you know it makes my day when you do!