I Would Do Anything For You

by tj12398

How far would you go in the name of love?

23. Chapter 23

It's time again for a long(ish) author's note. A few things/warnings that I feel the need to point out. To make up for it, this chapter is almost twice as long as my normal chapters, which are already pretty long. I should have split this in two, but I won't be mean and make you wait.

-I generally try to keep things linear and tell the story through select POVs, but that does not always work with the story I'm telling since all the main players are not together experiencing the same things. Just in case it's not obvious, some of these events are happening simultaneously. Even simultaneous with the last chapter. Hopefully, it's not confusing. I thought it was important to check in with most characters at this point of the story.

-I had to physically stop myself from writing more flashbacks in this chapter. Was having way too much fun with that mechanism. They just pour out sometimes and take over.

-So I did write both versions of the rescue – as promised. I went back and forth a few times, but here is where I landed for the 'official' version of the story. I generally don't worry about getting reviews. Honestly - I love writing so much even if no one reads it, but if you only review one chapter – make it this one. This has been in my head for a few years so definitely very curious what people think on it.

-I'll post the second version as an alternative chapter in next few days. It will be under the 'outtakes' version of this story in case you are not following that version. The beauty part here is hopefully I make everyone happy between the two AND I won't be offended no matter which people like best because I love them both. If I didn't, I wouldn't post both!

-On the topic of the 'outtakes' version. I've been posting the extended adult scenes for each chapter there in case there are folks that don't like that. For this chapter, there is a little of that and I'm just leaving it in here (fair warning) – because I thinking having THREE versions of this chapter would be excessive. Don't you? If you're not into it, I promise it's obvious where you should just scroll down quick. The story is rated M for a reason.

-Also rated M for other reasons as I've warned in the past, but will again. Would never offend intentionally. Just telling the story that's in my werido head.

So, if you're the type of guy or gal that reads the stories you like more than once (like me – shout out to everything the Goddess has written) and you like the other version of the rescue better– here's your reminder to switch to Chapter 23 – Alternative under the outtakes version in the future.

Also - special shout out to Cubbies. Phil was always in my story, but I didn't realize he was sexy until the first few chapters of her current story enlightened me to this fact.

I had fun doing this. Happy reading and now I'm excited to go catch up on my reading because I have fallen WAY behind on some stories I love!

XXX

"Can you stop pacing?" Mark complained. "It's distracting."

Jade stopped and glared at him. "Well…I'm not sitting on anything in this dump you call an apartment. I pay you more than you deserve. Maybe you should upgrade?"

Mark waved his hand in front of himself. "You're looking at sixty grand in equipment, darling."

"Call me darling again and I'll slap the shit out of you," she threatened. "You insisted we come back here so you could focus. Work faster," she ordered. She was pissed they had come to Jacksonville in the first place, but it was her best option. With no lead, she was at best useless on the island and at worst a liability.

"Do I get paid overtime for this?" he asked.

"You get the joy of helping to save a human life," Jade told him.

"I'd prefer the money," he muttered.

Jade rolled her eyes. "Jonny should've broken your jaw. This would be easier if your fucking mouth was wired shut."

XXX

Benton was having a hard time focusing on his computer screen so he closed it and ran a hand over his face.

'Maybe a power nap will help,' he thought. He had been awake for well over twenty-four hours now. He stood from the desk and moved to the couch a few feet away. He did not lay down, but he did lean his head back and close his eyes. The only sound in the room was coming from the vents. A constant hum that ensured the room stayed warm. Between his lack of sleep and the relative quiet, he should have passed out immediately. His brain was not having it though. His eyes kept shifting to Hadji, who had finally fallen asleep on the couch across the room. Unconsciously making sure that his son was still safe.

'At least I know one of them is safe,' he thought dully.

"Hey Pop," Jonny cleared his throat. "Am I interrupting?"

Benton looked up from his microscope and straight at his obviously nervous son. 'Oh know,' he thought. He could not help it. Jonny was a good kid, but he tended to find trouble easily. Benton removed his protective glasses and gloves. "Come sit down," he gestured to the chairs in the corner.

Jonny sat down heavily, wringing his hands together. Benton braced himself and then joined his son.

"What're you working on?" Jonny asked.

Benton smiled. "I always love sharing my work with you kids…when you're actually interested. That's not why you're here."

"You got me there," Jonny cleared his throat again. "Is it dusty up here or is that just me?"

"Now you're really making me nervous," Benton chimed in. "What did you do?"

"Nothing," Jonny exclaimed. "I swear," he added when Benton looked at him skeptically. "I just…sorry. This was dumb," he jumped up. "I'm gonna let you get back to work."

"Wait. Wait, son." Benton stood and followed him. "I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions. Tell me what's on your mind."

Jonny visibly relaxed. "I need some advice about girls…a girl."

"Oh?"

"Will you help me?"

A noise to his right startled Benton out of the memory. It was Estella coming out of the bedroom. He offered a sad smile as she sat next to him on the couch.

"I guess that means no news?" she asked quietly and her eyes started to water.

"Phil is leading the investigation now," Benton offered. "He's out there with all those agents, scouring the island instead of wasting their time here."

"That's something," she acknowledged. "Makes me feel a little better."

"Race will bring her home," Benton added confidently. "He will, Estella. I know it."

Estella closed her eyes and let those words fall over her like a security blanket. "I know," she whispered and grabbed Benton's hand. "He'll bring them both home…I just wish he'd hurry the hell up."

"Me too," Benton let out a small laugh. "I was hoping you'd sleep a few more hours."

"No offense, but you look like you need it more than me," she joked.

"I've tried," Benton shrugged. "No luck." Estella looked at Hadji next and Benton noticed. "He's been running around checking on everyone. Making sure their eating. He finally closed his eyes about an hour ago."

Estella smiled. "You raised two fine young men, Benton." A wave of guilt hit her when she thought of Jonny and how dismissive she had been towards him.

"I had a lot of help."

"You were smiling when I walked in," Estella changed the subject. "Mind if I ask why? I could use the distraction."

Benton's face lit up. "I was thinking about the first time Jonny asked me for advice about a girl. I was shocked."

"Why?"

"Mostly because he was thirteen," Benton grinned. "…but also that he asked ME. Don't get me wrong, I have a great relationship with both my sons, but there were always certain things they came to me about and certain things they went to Race about growing up. When it came to girls…" he paused, realizing who he was talking to and suddenly feeling like an inconsiderate jerk.

"I get it," Estella nodded. "Go on."

"Clearly, I was not expecting to be the recipient of that conversation," Benton stopped and looked out the window wistfully for a moment. "You know, Jonny never came right out and said who the girl was. It took me about an hour into the conversation to realize that he was talking about Jessie. And you should have heard the way he was talking about her. Like she was…an unobtainable princess in the tower. I probably should've seen it coming a mile away, but I didn't."

"What did you do?" Estella asked.

"Completely freaked out on the inside, but didn't let him see it. When it's your kid…he was SO young, Estella. So young, but telling me that he thought he might love her. I can still see his face when he said it. He had such a serious look on his face. I actually almost laughed out loud when he said it. I remember having to stop myself."

"I had a…similar reaction," Estella hedged.

"Jonny's always been more mature than most young men his age," Benton continued. "He grew up quicker. He had to with my work his mother…well," Benton trailed off. Estella sat there silent, letting him organize his thoughts. "More mature or not though…it still seemed ridiculous to me, but my son came to me for counsel and I wanted to help him."

"Of course," Estella nodded.

"Anyway, once it became obvious why he didn't go to Race, I started to help him strategize how best to approach Race about it. That seemed to be his biggest concern at the time."

"Probably a smart move," Estella commented.

"Yeah. It was difficult not saying anything to Race about it, but Jonny was adamant that he wanted to do it on his own. It took him another six months before he worked up the courage to ask her out on a date AND talk to Race about it. I swear, by the time we got there I think I was more anxious than Jonny. I'll be honest with you…part of me was hoping he'd lose interest before he got up the courage. Not because Jessie…"

"I understand," Estella whispered. "Believe me."

They were both lost in thought for a while before Benton started to speak again.

"Once they began dating, I didn't think it'd last more than a month. They fought constantly as children and I was quite concerned about the potential fallout. About teenagers dating and living together," he sighed. "But now here we are five years later...and Jonny still talks about her like he can't believe she gave him a second look," Benton marveled. "They certainly proved me wrong. Hard to believe." A strange looked crossed Estella's face. "What is it?"

"I just realized they've been together longer than Race and I ever were." She squeezed Benton's hand. "I'm shocked Jessie hasn't pointed that out yet."

"Why would she do that?"

"I haven't been very supportive of their relationship," Estella admitted. "I haven't been fair to your son."

"Nonsense," Benton consoled.

Estella wished she could believe him. Now she just hoped she would get the chance to make it right.

XXX

Jade scrunched up her face in disgust as she watched Mark work. He would type like a maniac for five minutes straight and then stop to shovel candy or orange soda down his throat. She was to the point where she found the sound of his breathing to be an annoyance.

"Have you ever had a girl in here?" she asked snidely.

"Has anyone ever told you that you're a real bitch," Mark shot back.

"At least twice a day," she smiled. "Anything less and I'd think I was losing my touch."

"You're also a…whoa…got something," he announced, focusing back on his computer.

"What?" she demanded, coming to stand right in front of him.

"Temple just turned on his personal cell," Mark offered. "My job just got easier."

"Really?" Jade asked in surprise.

Mark shrugged. "Locating now."

"Gonna need to borrow your car," she informed him.

"No fucking way," he scoffed.

"You wanna come with me?" Jade growled.

Mark sank into his chair and then threw his keys at her in resignation.

XXX

Race was within throwing distance of Houston's in under five minutes. The fastest he had run the mile in years. He counted several potential entry points from his position, but quickly decided he was going right in the front door. He checked his phone and Temple's one more time before moving. There was a small unoccupied security booth attached to the lobby with its own entrance. Race made the determination as he was walking toward the building that the lock on the security booth door would be easier to pick than the one on the main entrance.

He pulled the tools he needed from his back pocket and fluidly crouched down to pick the lock. The whole thing took less than a minute. Once inside the booth, he sat in the security guard's chair and looked around. There was a set of keys on a hook underneath the desk that he grabbed just in case. He also grabbed a map of the facility. To his left were four old school security monitors. They were shut down, but he decided to power them back on. If there was a chance to get a look at what was going on inside before he entered, he was not going to pass it up.

XXX

Jonny parked three blocks away. Just like Race had instructed. He leaned back against the headrest and stared out the front windshield. If the sun had not gone down, he would be able to see the house from this position because the blocks were not long. But it was December so all he saw was darkness and a ton of Christmas lights that all blurred together. Before turning off the car, he glanced at the clock again.

"Twenty three minutes," he whispered.

That was how long it took him to drive here and park, following the traffic laws. That was how long it would take him to get back and help Race. The whole ride over, he was praying to get a call from Race. News that he had gotten in and out quickly. Jonny's heart rate spiked just imagining Race hand the phone to her so they could talk for a minute. He tried to rationalize why that had not yet happened. Because Race was being smart and careful. Because Race would not rush or make a rash decision. So no matter how much Jonny wanted to be rash and then rush back to Race, he could not. He forced himself to ignore every instinct and listen to Race's voice instead.

'Be aware of your surroundings, kid.'

Jonny got out of the car and looked around. He was on a residential street. It looked like every other suburb Jonny had ever seen. Every house was glowing with Christmas lights and activity. He had to assume people could be watching him and did not want to draw attention. He walked as naturally as he could without looking like he was about to break into an all-out run. He was acutely aware of the picking tools and the penguin keychain in his front pockets and the two phones in his back pockets. Hers and the burner Race had given him. Not to mention the gun pressed against his lower back.

'The essential toolkit for saving the love of your life,' he thought lamely. All things considered, he wished he had a rocket launcher or at least a second gun. 'It's just one man,' he told himself. 'One gun is plenty. Besides, she's not here.' That thought did not help with keeping him focused on Race's voice. It made him want to rush in and out.

When he stepped foot onto the block that the house was on, the pressure of the gun at his back shot to the forefront of his thoughts again. His next breath caught in his throat and his heart dropped. Heavy and burning. That sensation he got whenever he was about to do something that made him really nervous. And he was undeniably nervous. He had gotten in and out of many difficult situations over the years, but some combination of luck or a family member by his side had always been present. Now he was alone and luck would not cut it. The stakes were too high. In a way, his nervousness felt like a betrayal. He wanted to be brave for her. Like he knew she would be for him. He had no doubts about that.

'Keep focused, Quest. She needs you.'

Jonny started toward the house again. Determined. Everything Race had taught him came flooding back.

"Wake up."

Jonny heard the words like they were far away. Like they were being spoken to him from across a parking garage.

"Wake up, Jonny." This time, a very bright flash accompanied the words.

Jonny's eyes shot open and he instinctively threw a hand up to block them from the assault of light.

"What the hell are you doing?" he asked Race, who had a flashlight pointed directly at his face. Jonny rolled to his side to look at the clock on his bedside table. "It's four in the fucking morning. Go away," he grumbled, throwing one pillow at Race and the other over his head.

Race slapped Jonny's ankle hard, causing him to sit up in surprise.

"WHAT?" Jonny yelled.

Race shrugged and gave him an evil grin. "I thought you wanted to learn, kid. Or do you just plan on sulking for the next three months?"

A smile lit up Jonny's face when realization dawned. "A hundred and seven days actually."

"I think I can teach you a lot more than I already have with that time," Race considered. "If you stay focused and are willing to do the work. No sulking allowed."

"I'll meet you downstairs in five," Jonny grinned.

XXX

"Holy shit. My legs feel like jelly," Jonny admitted, collapsing onto the gym mat. "I'm gonna be sore tomorrow. Do you wake up and do this every morning before we go for run?"

"Hell no," Race laughed. "…but it's like riding a bike. If you're serious about this, lesson number one is it'll always get harder before it gets easier. So…should I wake you up early tomorrow?"

Jonny smiled big. "I can set an alarm."

XXX

"Are you teaching me how to use an M40?" Jonny asked excitedly when Race pulled into the shooting range.

"No."

"Please, Race."

"No," Race parked and then turned to Jonny. "I'm not gonna teach you something that I'm not proficient at myself," he admitted. "I was never a master marksman. Not patient enough."

"I doubt that," Jonny scoffed. "You're great at everything."

"No I'm not," Race laughed. "Maybe that should be the lesson today. Knowing you're weaknesses is more important than knowing your strengths."

"So you can turn your weaknesses into your strengths?" Jonny asked.

Race pursed his lips. "Maybe you can target one or two and make that a reality, but no that's not my point. You need to understand your weak links so you can work around them."

"How do you work around not being a great marksman?" Jonny wanted to know.

"Shooting from long distances is not a required skill in my day-to-day. Up close and personal works just fine, but when I was in the field I made sure to surround myself with the best.

"Phil?"

"No…someone else," Race smirked and opened his door. "Let's go, kid. Allies you can trust with your life are rare. Amassing one or two means you tend to live longer. I'm lucky on that front. Phil and a few others have saved my life more times than I care to recall."

Jonny followed dutifully. "So what are we doing here?"

"Signing you up for a membership," Race announced. "I want you here at least twice a week for an hour."

"But I'm a pretty good shot," Jonny stated. "You already taught me."

"I did and you're not half bad," Race admitted. "…but that's not good enough. I want to see perfection because you often don't get a second chance when you have to shoot a gun for real. And you've never had to do that. Your aim could improve, Jonny. Also, I want you to learn how different handguns feel. Their weight. Their grips. They should all feel like an extension of your own hand by the time we're done. As soon as you pick them up, you should be able to tell me how many bullets are left. You can also improve your breathing. You don't control it well. It always speeds up after your first shot. Then your second shot is never as good. That's natural. The adrenaline kicking in…but you can learn to control it and focus better."

"Alright," Jonny nodded, taking it all in. "Where do we start?"

XXX

"You're improving," Race stated proudly as they ran along the beach. The sun was not yet up. "Takes more to wind you each day."

"Thanks," Jonny smiled. "…but stop deflecting. What's the dumbest thing you've ever done while on a mission? I'm trying to learn here, man."

"Oh," Race huffed. "That's why you want to know?"

"Only reason," Jonny shot back sarcastically. "I swear."

"Hmm," Race considered. "It's not hard to think of one, honestly. Ask any commanding officer I've ever had and I'm sure they could name at least two per operation. When I think back…"

"What?" Jonny pushed curiously.

"There's a reason I don't want this life for you or Jess," Race sighed. "At least forty seven."

Jonny sobered. "Forty seven? Is that how many people you've had to kill?"

"Only those I looked in the eye before pulling the trigger," Race answered honestly. "I've lost count of the rest."

Jonny was quiet for a while. "How do you live with that?"

"If they went home to their families, that meant I wasn't," Race said simply.

"I haven't changed my mind," Jonny started. "I don't want that life."

"Good."

"I do want to build a life with Jess though. Whatever that looks like. I haven't thought much beyond the next five years. Getting through school and being separated from her more often than not. But I know that's my end game and…I hope I never need any of this, Race. I hope that if a situation arises again where it's needed, because let's get real we all have a knack for finding trouble, that you're right there to stop it. But I NEED to be able to protect my family in case you're not. The way you've always protected us."

"Jade," Race offered after a long moment.

"Huh?"

"The dumbest thing I've ever done while in the field was get distracted by her," Race smiled. "I almost blew a three-month operation."

"Holy…what did Phil say?" Jonny asked curiously.

Race laughed. "It'd be faster to tell you what he didn't say. He almost sent me back to Navy."

"Wow," Jonny shook his head. Amused. "Do you think I could meet your old Navy buddies someday? Or would they just give me a bunch of shit for not being of them?"

"Yes…and definitely yes, kiddo."

XXX

"Good," Race praised. "Stay low. Left. Right. Be more aggressive on the left. You can't always favor your right. Too predictable. Good…take a break."

Jonny spit out his mouth guard and smiled when Race patted him on the back. With each day, he felt more confident. Race helped him remove his boxing gloves and then Jonny sat down on the mat to stretch. "So what's today's lesson, Obi Wan?"

Race wiped away some sweat before responding. "We've spent most of our time in the gym working through how to defend yourself against someone with an advantage…bigger than you, faster than you, more weapons. But if your back is really against the wall, you need to gain the psychological advantage."

"How?"

"Rule number one, keep them talking. Don't ask yes or no questions. Ask open-ended questions and do it calmly. Don't provoke. People like to talk about themselves. It gives them pleasure. Neuroscience has proven it with MRIs. Understand that and you can wield it. All you have to do is ask and pay attention."

"To what end?"

"Depends. Get them to reveal something you can use for your benefit later, distract them while you figure out what to do next or even get them to change the subject or do something you want, but think it was their idea. Sometimes…it's the only way to get the upper hand," Race finished and Jonny got really quiet. "What's wrong, kid?"

"Have you had this conversation with Jess?" he asked quietly.

"Yes," Race said slowly.

"I gotta go," Jonny stood and started to walk out of the gym.

"Where the hell are you going?" Race asked.

"To start a long overdue argument," Jonny admitted.

"Stop. We're not done here," Race ordered. Jonny froze. "Kid…"

"She is one hundred percent using this reverse psychology bullshit on me, Race. What the fuck? I'm questioning every conversation we've had in the last year. She's manipulating me."

"That seems overdramatic," Race pointed out. "She loves you. She's not manipulating you. What's really wrong?"

Jonny stewed for a minute and then the floodgates opened. "I'm on edge I guess. She's studying for finals. We've barely talked the last few days. It's getting to me how much I miss her, Race."

"What's gonna make you feel better?" Race asked. "Starting a fight?"

"No," Jonny grumbled. "Suppose this is a nice distraction. Fine, what next…wait are you fucking doing it to me right now?"

Race grinned. "I'm pretty good, right?

Jonny started to laugh. "Have you been doing this to me my whole life? If I end up in therapy one day questioning my entire childhood, I'm blaming you." Jonny shook his head, laughing again and thinking back. "She has definitely used this tactic to win arguments."

"That's my girl," Race said proudly. "Can I make a suggestion?"

"I'm afraid to ask."

"Don't start an argument. Turn the tables on her," Race winked.

XXX

Phil hated grid searches. Always had. Too slow and even slower in the dark. Over an hour had already gone by. If he kept doing this by the book, it would take another three. Minimum. As the team leader, Phil was dead center with ten agents flanking either side of him.

Phil thought about Race and Bartlett as he traipsed through the woods. Very different men, but both desperate fathers. Then he thought of his own young daughter and the world she was growing up in. He was overcome with an urge to go get her. Scoop her up in a big hug, build a cabin in the woods and forget about everything else. Except protecting her for the rest of his life.

He would not do that though. He was dedicated to making the world she lived in a better place. And he would start by bringing his goddaughter home.

"Shit. Shit. Fuck me."

Agent Clarin's outburst shook Phil from his thoughts. She was directly to his left. He turned, pointing his flashlight in her face. Her eyes were wide with fear. She motioned to the ground so he crouched down with his light.

'Fuck me is right,' he thought.

"Is that what I think it is?" she asked. Phil could tell she was trying hard to fight the nervousness that made her voice shake.

Phil stood and gripped both her shoulders to keep her steady. "Everybody freeze," he yelled.

"Oh shit," Agent Clarin blew out a breath.

"Look at me," Phil ordered and he waited until she did. "Do you see the way I'm breathing? I need you to mimic me and stay calm. It'll be fine. Trust me." Then he let go of her cautiously and addressed the other agents. "You all need to turn around. Follow your own footprints out of here. Agent Clarin has stepped on an IED, but she's going to be fine. I'll stay with her until the bomb squad gets here. Someone call them please. Go right now," he ordered. He heard a few 'sirs' objecting. "GO."

Phil watched the agents fade away and then scanned the area with his flashlight. First the ground around himself and Agent Clarin, looking for more devices. He did not see any. Next, the forest in front of him. After a few minutes, a glint of white from one of the trees caught his attention. About thirty feet off the ground. He squinted and moved closer to confirm. Double checking the ground in front of him as he went. He narrowed his eyes when he was right under the tree. It was an outdoor camera. He had seen them before. They were usually used by hunters or animal lovers to enjoy a live stream of the wilderness from the comfort of their own homes.

Phil glared into the camera. "Motherfucker," he growled. He would not put on a show for anyone. "Agent Clarin…don't flinch," he directed and then shot the camera right out of the tree.

XXX

Two pings from his computer interrupted him. He stared at it in annoyance and then walked over to the desk. He ran his hand over the desk and smiled nostalgically. He had built it with his own two hands. He put his camera down and reached for the mouse to wake the three sleeping computer monitors. He shivered. The corner was drafty, but it was the only spot he got a signal down here so he accepted it. The first monitor showed the same image as the last two days. An empty factory floor. 'Good,' he thought. The second showed a lit up side yard with a dog running in circles chasing its tail. 'Annoying mutt.' The third showed several agents out in the woods about to find a surprise he had left for them. He smiled and then walked back over to Jessie. He was not immediately concerned, but having agents sniffing around out in the woods was not ideal.

He would have to accelerate his timeline to be safe.

His eyes roamed Jessie's body as he injected the drug into her vein. He wanted it to take effect faster and knew that it would this way. He pressed his hand into her stomach firmly. He could not resist the urge to touch her. Then he leaned down to whisper in her ear.

"Stop struggling. You're tearing up your wrists. Don't hurt yourself. I want to do that. I had to give you an extra dose, beautiful girl. You're dangerous. I can tell. It turns me on."

XXX

Race closed his eyes and listened hard as he stepped foot onto the factory floor. He had to pick a few more locks to get to this point. The only thing he heard was tree branches hitting the windows. All appeared to be quiet. He had sat and watched the security monitors for a while, flipping back and forth between all the cameras in the building to see if they would clue him in on the safest way to approach. The monitors had also seemed to indicate that all was quiet.

When he glanced up, he saw an Arlo security camera on the wall to his right. A higher tech version of what they had left back at the dealership. He recognized the brand because he had the same one in his home office. It was motion activated and dependable. He got an alert to his phone and computer any time someone walked into his office.

Shooting it down would be too loud and shutting off the power in the building was not an option. It was battery operated. All he could do was stay out of its path. According to his map, there were seven floors. He decided to find the stairs and start from the ground up.

XXX

Jonny stopped when he hit the property edge of the last house on the block with lights. He glanced around and then crouched down, trying to make himself invisible. He was staring into a dark cul-de-sac. It took a minute for his eyes to adjust. In the interim, the quiet unsettled him. To him, every breath he took sounded like a sixty mile per hour wind whipping by. Every time he shifted his body, the subsequent rustle of clothing was an alarm bell. He was frozen to the sidewalk, trying to figure out what to do next.

'Establish a perimeter, Jonny. Find two ways out before you go in. Preferably three.'

There were three houses making up the perimeter of the cul-de-sac. By all appearances, they were empty. No lights on and no cars in the driveways, but they all had garages. The one he wanted was dead center. Fifty yards in front of him. Three stories. A wrap around porch. In the dark, he could not tell if the house was blue or gray. He was too far away to see if there were any cameras and not confident enough he could approach without being picked up by one if they were there. He could try to go around and approach from the back, but that would provide him with no cover. All of these homes were oceanfront. Approaching that way would make him a sitting duck. He was not afraid of the danger. He was not afraid of getting hurt. He was afraid of screwing up and getting his girl killed.

"Fuck. What would Race do?" he whispered to himself.

"Why are we in the middle of nowhere?" Jonny asked. "Is this where you kill me and hide the body for dating your daughter?" he added dryly. "Were you just lulling me into a false sense of security the last few years?"

Race rolled his eyes. "What do you hear?"

Jonny looked around, trying to figure out what the test was. He shrugged. "Nothing. We're in the middle of fucking nowhere."

"Listen harder?" Race suggested. "Control your breathing, focus on something that calms you."

"My happy place?" Jonny joked.

"Whatever you want to call it," Race said a little annoyed. Jonny noticed and decided to get serious. "Open your ears, kid. What do you hear?"

Jonny closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He saw big green eyes and smiled. He had to force himself to push that aside. Listen beyond his own beating heart and the obvious quiet. "I can hear the stream. To my left."

"How could you use that to your advantage?" Race challenged.

"Well…I know that stream leads to Lake Cumberland. If I got lost out here, I could follow it to the lake and find my way home from there."

"What else?" Race pushed.

Jonny concentrated again before answering. "I can smell wood burning," he offered and then opened his eyes to try and locate smoke. He shrugged when he did not see any and eventually looked at Race. "Just because I can't see it doesn't mean I couldn't find it. It's relatively close. If I was lost and knew nothing about this area, I would head toward the smoke. Hopefully, find someone to help or at least follow back to the real world."

"Good," Race nodded. "Being hyperaware of your surroundings will not only keep you safer, it could provide you the tools or knowledge to move forward if you feel stuck. Control your breathing. Forget about everything else, including why you're doing it…especially when it's personal…and just do it."

Jonny closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He saw big green eyes and smiled.

She leaned over his shoulder and whispered in his ear. "You're purring like a kitten."

"You're hands are magic," he sighed, dropping his head and closing his eyes. "A little to the left?" He was sitting on the edge of his bed and she was sitting cross-legged behind him. The movie they had been watching was long forgotten once she started to massage his neck and shoulders.

"Why are you so tense?" she asked.

"Not enough blow jobs?" he teased.

"Bullshit," she stopped massaging him and slapped the side of his head lightly.

He turned around quickly, wrapping an arm around her waist and then pinning her down on the center of his bed. She was smiling up at him softly once he settled on top of her. She lifted her head to kiss him, but he leaned out of her reach.

She raised an eyebrow. "Are you playing hard to get?" she laughed, running her foot along his calf.

"Never," he admitted, giving in and pressing his lips to hers firmly. "And you probably give me more blow jobs than any man deserves."

She laughed against his lips. "That's definitely true."

"I'm tense because I have an important question to ask…and I'm kinda nervous," he said it playfully.

"Oh, I can't wait to hear this," she said dryly. "What do you want?"

"Will you go to your prom with me?" he asked. "I know this isn't one of those fancy promposal things…"

"Sooo not your style, Hotshot. Neither is going to prom at all. What's up?" she chuckled.

He shrugged. "I don't know, but I really…really want to take you, Jess. Maybe it's those big green eyes," he said wistfully. "They make me do things I never planned on. Feel things I didn't even know were possible."

"Okay," she grinned and then looked away. "Let's go to prom."

"Are you blushing?" he teased.

She turned back and met his gaze, shrugging. "You still make me. What? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You're my happy place, beautiful."

"You know what would make ME really happy," she flirted, running her foot up his calf again.

"My dick," he responded confidently, kissing her neck.

She leaned into his lips and threaded her fingers through his hair. He felt the laugh bubble up in her throat as he kissed her.

"Your smart-ass mouth…Oh" she panted when he pushed his hips into hers roughly. Then he lifted her leg up and did it again. She moaned and it made him instantly hard.

He kissed and licked his way up to her ear, sucking on the soft skin. "What was that about my mouth?" he teased. He faltered for a second when she locked her knees around waist and met his next thrust eagerly. "I love you," he whispered.

She threw her head back against his mattress and trailed her hands from his hair, over his back and then gripped his triceps for leverage. He kissed under her chin and up the other side of her neck.

"Your smart-ass mouth is gonna get you in trouble," she said out-of-breath. Now completely focused on the movement of their hips.

He laughed. "Baby, if this is what trouble feels like I'm never changing."

Jonny pushed up on his arms and hovered over her face when she did not respond. Her eyes shot open at the loss of contact and she did not look happy. He went with it when she rolled him over and climbed on top of him. Her enthusiasm was such a turn on. She started to move her hips in a circular motion and he closed his eyes, placing his hands on her waist and moving with her.

"Jessie," he eventually called out. "You need to stop, babe."

"Why?" She did not stop. Neither did he.

"Fuck," he grunted. "You're gonna make me come."

She planted her hands on his chest and increased the speed of her hips. "That's the intended outcome of this amorous encounter," she over pronounced every word. "Oh," she called out. You feel so good."

His hand hurriedly started to undo his belt, but she stopped him. "Take off my pants," he begged. "Please," he added as an afterthought.

"No," she mumbled incoherently.

He quickly slipped out from under her and off the bed unsteadily.

"Jonny," she growled in frustration, staring up at him from her back.

"Take off your clothes," he ordered and started to undress clumsily. He almost tripped twice, trying to focus on taking his clothes off and watching hers disappear at the same time. Once she was naked, he stared at her for a glorious moment before reaching down to grip both her ankles. He pulled her to him, guided her legs around his waist and ran his hands up her smooth skin to her waist. Her eyes were already closed in anticipation and she was still breathing heavily. He had zero intention of being gentle and every intention of making her scream his name, looking around the room to decide where he wanted to take her because he did not plan on staying in the bed.

"Wait!" she called out as he was about to sink inside her.

"What?" he asked desperately. "Are you okay?"

"Yes," she sighed happily. "I just want you to go slow, baby. Will you do that for me?"

Jonny took a deep breath and finally met her eyes, which cleared the lust cloud…a little. He smiled softly. He could not help it. "Get under the covers," he whispered.

She scrambled under them with a happy giggle. He quickly lifted them and followed, laying on his side. He pulled her close and kissed her deeply. Passionately. Holding on to the base of her neck so their foreheads were still pressed together when they came up for air. "I love you," he breathed against her lips.

"This exact moment is my happy place," she smiled and he kissed her again.

Jonny eventually slid his hand from her neck to her breast. She arched into his touch as he circled his thumb around her nipple. "I can't stop touching you. You're so soft, Jess. Feels amazing." Then he ducked his head down and replaced his thumb with his mouth. She shifted to her back and he climbed on top of her. Never letting up with his tongue.

She moaned again. "This moment too, babe."

Next, he trailed kisses across her stomach and reached down to spread her legs. He could feel the wetness between her thighs and knew that she was more than ready, but still could not resist slipping a finger inside her quickly followed by a second. He groaned against her skin at the feeling. "I want you, Jess."

"Please," her back arched off the bed. "I need you."

Jonny removed his fingers, licking them and then kneeling between her legs. It required every ounce of his concentration, but he put a hand on her hip and took his time. Half pushing inside her and half lifting her off the bed to pull her towards him. Enjoying every look that crossed her face. Once he was fully inside her, she opened her eyes and placed her hands over his to still him. He froze and memorized how she felt. How she looked. He had the sudden urge to say something profound, but his mind was a total blank. Except for the thought that he wanted to move. He wanted to hear her soft noises. For him.

She reached for him, kissing him again before he could do anything else. He pressed her into the bed and then gave in to instinct, moving over her tenderly. A relieved sigh escaped his lips and hit hers mid-kiss. It sounded almost painful. Like he had not had her in years. "Jessie?"

When he opened his eyes, she was already staring at him. Intensely. She was staring at him like she was trying to read his mind.

"Stop," she said it quietly. He did. She bent her knees and then wrapped her legs tightly around him. She threaded her fingers into his hair again and started rocking against him. It did not take them long to find the perfect rhythm.

He smiled and increased his pace when she began making those soft noises. He watched her get lost in her pleasure and he marveled at the warm feeling that was cresting through him. And it was not due to an impending orgasm or because he was under a think comforter. It was all her.

Twenty minutes ago, he was completely engrossed in the movie they were watching. Five minutes ago, he thought they were going to have a not so gentle quickie and then rewind the movie. Now, all he could think about was how much he loved her. How desperate he was to keep her forever. It was overwhelming and he had to turn away from her eyes. The feelings snuck up on him.

"Baby?" she asked. "You okay?"

He turned back, leaning his forehead against hers and closing his eyes. He could not look at her. It was too much. "So in love with you," he said gently.

"Yes," she called out. "Don't stop."

She tossed her head to the side and he buried his head in her neck. Groaning. They raced each other over the precipice. His next memory was one of euphoria and then breathing heavily into her damp skin, soaking her in. "How do you always smell so amazing?" he praised. "Seriously…I think I could find you in a room full of women with just my nose. Do you think that'll ever be a useful tool?"

She laughed while running her hands over him lovingly. "So romantic, my love. And so random. Do you ever run things through your head before saying them out loud?"

He nuzzled her neck before answering. "On occasion. Want me to filter more?"

"Not even a little," she said quietly. "I was only curious."

After a few minutes, he rolled off her and onto his back. He stared at the ceiling and smiled to himself. He was happy. Undeniably and sickeningly happy. Eventually, he propped himself up on an elbow and watched her. She was on her back. Eyes closed and a peaceful look on her face.

"You look like Sleeping Beauty," he said and the corners of her mouth turned up.

"You've seen Sleeping Beauty?" she challenged.

"Not exactly," he laughed. "But I know enough."

"Hmm," she sighed. "You're so cheesy, but I'm ridiculously in love with you anyway. I think THIS moment is the winner for sure. My happy place."

He caressed the side of her face and then leaned down to kiss her forehead. "Open your eyes, love. We have all night."

"Can't," she smiled. "Too tired. You make love like a champ, baby. I'm down for the count."

"Can you PLEASE make sure that's on my tombstone?" he asked and grinned when she started to laugh again.

Then he went under the covers and climbed back on top of her. He kissed her stomach, right above her belly button, and leisurely made his way up her body. He stopped when he reached her lips and hovered over them. She had a big smile on her face now, but still refused to open her eyes. "No," she started. "You're not allowed to die on me, Quest. I need you too much."

"I'm not going anywhere, babe."

She finally opened her eyes and kissed him firmly. "Good. So…are you still tense?"

"No, but I do have another question for you," he answered.

"Oh jeez…I can't handle any more big asks," she teased. "Isn't prom enough?"

He kissed her nose. "It's a softball. Promise."

She looked at him skeptically. "Fine. Shoot."

"Spend forever with me?"

Her eyes got wide and her breath hitched. "Jonny..."

"This is a surprise?" he asked a little uncomfortably when she went quiet. "It's not like this is the first time I've said something like this. I was only messing around anyway. Don't let it…"

"Jonny," she cut him off, wrapping her arms and legs around him to keep him from rolling away.

Jonny closed his eyes and shook his head. 'Stupid. Stupid,' he thought. "Jess…you don't spend a lot of time worrying about other girls. It's still too much in my opinion though. I don't understand when you react like this. You worry about other girls, but when I tell you that I want to spend..." he stopped himself from saying it again. "…you freak out. You confuse the shit out of me sometimes. Truly."

"Woman's prerogative?" she shrugged.

"Try again." He rolled his eyes in frustration.

She held his gaze and stroked the side of his face for a meaningful moment. "Do I look freaked out, baby? Because I'm not. It just always takes me by surprise when you say things like that and sound SO sure."

"I am sure, Jess."

"It makes me think about how amazing our life would be…and then I worry about fucking it all up and losing you," she rambled.

"Well," he interrupted with his trademark grin. "Don't fuck it up. Word around town is I'm a catch."

She laughed again. "Good advice. I'll try not to. I'd be a fool to mess it up with a guy that makes me laugh so much while we're in bed."

Jonny's eyes got wide and then he started to tickle her with no mercy. "Don't put that on my fucking tombstone," he yelled.

They fell off the side of his bed and landed with a thud in front of his nightstand. Laughing hard and breathing heavily. A tangled mess of limbs and bedding. He was hovering over her again.

"You were only messing around?" she eventually prompted.

"No," he admitted. "But you already know that. What do I have to do to convince you?"

"Spend forever with me," she whispered, emphasizing the word 'spend.' Then she pulled him into a deep kiss.

When the kiss came to its natural end, Jonny nudged her nose with his and then started in on her neck again. "My sexy little scientist," he said against her skin. "Won't believe anything until she sees it for herself."

"I love you, Jonny."

It came out as a half moan. She kneaded the muscles of his back, while he trailed his lips down her neck and along her collarbone. His hand was moving between their bodies on a mission. He pushed her knees apart and then pushed inside her with one enthusiastic thrust.

"Jess," he called out. It was guttural.

She reached back blindly and braced a hand against his nightstand so her head would not bang into it. He pulled out slowly and then pushed inside her again wildly. Harder this time. So hard that her head knocked against the nightstand before she could stop it. She shot him a surprised look and then bit her lip.

He just smiled back. "Hold on tighter, baby."

She did and then tossed her head back in surrender. He set a demanding pace and she met it. Like always. His partner in everything. He could not take his eyes off her. The way she stopped thinking and gave herself over to him completely. She was his. He knew it even if she could not always say it.

"Lamp…lamp," she called out suddenly, but did not stop moving beneath him. "Jonny!"

"Huh?" he asked confused and then followed her gaze up to the lamp that was about to fall off his nightstand and smack her in the face. "Shit," he laughed, leaning down to absorb the hit. He did not want to stop.

"Why did you let it hit you?" she laughed. "You could've just…Oh."

"Seemed like a good idea at the time," he panted.

She was getting louder by the second so Jonny knew she was close. "Right there," she screamed and scratched her nails down his back. Then she screamed his name and he felt her tightening around him. It was his complete undoing. He was blinded by his need for release and only heard bits and pieces of what she said next.

"…so good…love…give in…"

He collapsed on top of her a minute later and closed his eyes. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me," he worshipped.

"You still awake?" she asked. He felt her tugging at the roots of his hair.

"Of course," he scoffed.

"Just checking," she giggled. "You haven't moved a muscle in ten minutes."

He shifted to his side and pulled her with him. "I was taking advantage of the quiet to formulate my response to the hypothesis you and my dad were talking about at breakfast," he yawned.

"Really?" she raised an eyebrow.

"No," he huffed. "I dozed off on account of the amazing sex I just had."

"It was pretty great," she grinned. "You broke your nightstand, stud."

"Technically you broke it," he shot back and then reached up to grab two pillows from his bed.

"What are those for?" she asked.

He propped them up against the broken nightstand, laid down and then pulled her tight against his chest. "I'm not moving," he announced.

She curled into him and ran her hands lazily over his chest. "I like falling asleep to your heartbeat."

"Now who's cheesy?" he teased as she shifted up and kissed him. He grabbed her chin and kissed her again. "Goodnight," he add quietly. "I love you."

"Ask me again?" she whispered.

He paused for a beat, staring at her and trying to figure out for the millionth time what she was thinking.

"Wanna spend forever with me?"

"Yes," she said simply and then smiled. "I want that so much."

"Some things you just have to take on faith, baby."

"I have faith in you, Jonny Quest."

Jonny was concentrating hard on his surroundings. He heard the wind making its way through the trees and a dog barking behind him. He pivoted and saw a black lab puppy yapping at him from behind the chain linked fence.

"Hey buddy," he greeted quietly, sticking his hand through the fence, trying to make friends and to get the small dog to quiet down. He held his breath, while the dog licked his fingers and he watched to see if the owners were alerted. After two long minutes, Jonny zeroed his focus in on the dog. "You wanna help me?" It was a risk, but he had to work with what he had. Jonny stood, leaning over the fence and grabbing the dog. Then he crouched back down, holding the animal in front of him. "Go crazy," he encouraged, tossing him lightly toward the cul-de-sac. He squinted to keep his eyes on the dog, who immediately went to the house on the right and ran around the front yard like crazy. Jonny was holding his breath again. Nothing happened. He grabbed the closest stick he could find and popped back up. He approached the house on the right. He did not breathe again until he was in the shadows cast off the side of the house and comfortable that no one was alerted.

He whistled and the dog came running. He leaned down with a genuine smile to pick him up. "Good boy." Jonny walked along the side of the house in the direction of the ocean. The house was to his left and trees were to his right. Enough to block his view of the dog owner's house and, more importantly, their view of him. When he ran out of house, he closed his eyes and listened again. All he could hear was crashing waves. It reminded him of arriving at the first safe house and meeting Temple. That felt like a lifetime ago. The back of the house was lit by the moon. Jonny's eyes roamed every inch meticulously. There were no cameras and no motion lights. He swallowed and then darted across the back of the house until his back was leaning against the other side. Now he was only twenty yards away.

"Alright boy. I hope you know how to play fetch," Jonny sighed, releasing the dog and throwing the stick as far as he could. The animal took off like a shot toward the house. Ten yards out and motion activated lights lit up the side yard. Jonny sprinted to the edge of the light and scanned the side of the house. It was blue. Atop the motion activated light, Jonny saw one camera with a straight line of sight. He ran along the edge of the light and then toward the house, avoiding the camera. He pressed his back into the siding and sidestepped until he was crouching under the light and camera. Waiting. If he did it right, the camera only picked up the dog. He reached back and grabbed his gun. Ready for anything. After five minutes, the yard went dark again and Jonny crawled ten feet to the right. There was an egress window that led to the basement. He dropped down into the opening and studied the window. It was a dual pane that slid to the right and would leave enough room for him to fit through. He pulled the phone from his back pocket and pointed the lit up screen against the window pane, trying to see if there were any sensors on the window. The visibility was not great, but he did not see anything attached to or beyond the window. He wished he had a flashlight.

'Fuck,' he thought. 'It's a chance I'll have to take.'

Next, he pulled the picking tools from his pocket. Jonny pressed the sharp edge of the hook pick against the edge of the glass. As close as he could get to the latch on the inside of the window. Then he used the torsion wrench as a hammer, weakening the glass as quietly as he could. When he felt like he had caused enough damage, he took off his shirt, wrapped it around the gun and punched the glass lightly. A short thrust. Suddenly, the light came on again and it scared the shit out of him. He crouched down as low as he could and unwrapped the gun.

'Please,' he prayed.

He sighed in relief when he realized it was just the dog again.

"Fuck," he huffed. "Just breathe."

He waited again, putting his shirt back on. Another five minutes for the light to turn off. It felt like an eternity. When it did, he reached through the broken glass, undid the latch and slid the window open. He slipped inside easily and hit the ground. Then he closed the window behind him and leaned back against the wall, allowing himself a few seconds to slow his heart rate and adjust to the dark again.

'One challenge down,' he thought. He kept his grip firm on the gun and reached for the phone again. The shitty light it emitted would have to do. He scanned the area directly in front of him and did not see anything useful. He ran it along the walls and ceilings, paying closer attention to the corners. When there were no sensors immediately noticeable, he felt confident enough to move. He stuck close to the wall and made his way to the nearest door. He pressed his ear against it and heard nothing. He knelt down and looked through the keyhole. The room was dark, but enough moonlight shone in that he could tell it was the garage. He tried the knob and it was unlocked. It was a two car garage and there were two cars. His heart leapt into his throat. A silver SUV and a blue sedan. He debated calling Race right there, but decided it was not enough.

He exited the garage and went over to the stairs that led to the main level. He ascended them slowly, grateful that they were stone so he did not have to worry about creaking. At least that was one thing he could remove from his list of worries.

When he reached the top of the stairs, he followed the same routine of pressing his ear against the door and looking through the keyhole. He did not hear or see anything. Opening the door, he quickly found himself standing in an empty hallway. His eyes immediately darted to the front door. There was no number pad, which caused a sigh relief to rush through his lips. There was no alarm. He looked around. To his left was the living room. To his right was the kitchen. Both were unfurnished.

He walked toward the kitchen first. He had almost convinced himself to turn around and head back to Race. Confident that if she was not in the basement than she was not here at all. However, the device sitting dead center on the kitchen counter gave him pause and sent a chill down his spine. A cell jammer. He looked at his phone to confirm. No signal.

'Fuck.'

The only other item in the kitchen was a sleeping bag close to the back door. He pushed forward, intent on checking every inch of the house.

XXX

"Clarin, what do your friends call you?" Phil asked. He was leaning against a tree a safe distance away, trying to decide his next move. Whatever it was, he knew he needed to act fast and keep her calm in the process. For all he knew, that psycho was watching and could remote detonate the device. He could not assume otherwise.

"Max," she whispered. "My name's Maxie, but everyone calls me Max. My dad thought it'd be cute to give me a boy's name for some reason. I hated it growing up. Thought it sounded more like a dog's name, but it grew on me. Why hasn't this thing gone off yet?" she rambled.

Phil swallowed and answered honestly. "Mostly luck. Partly because you're a quick thinker and recognized what was happening fast enough to freeze. Who's waiting for you at home, Max?"

"My son and my grandmother," she whispered. "It's just the three of us now."

"What's your son's name?"

"Max," she smiled. "We call him MJ."

"I was kinda hoping you'd say that," he admitted.

She laughed, but it was forced. "Not too vain?"

"No. Totally badass actually."

"What about you?" she asked.

Phil grinned. It was an involuntary reaction no matter what situation he found himself in. "A little girl. Avery. She's almost five now. She lives with her mother so I don't get to see her as much as I'd like, but she's the best thing that's ever happened to me."

"They usually are," she smiled.

"How old is MJ?"

"Only ten," a tear fell, but she kept it together.

"I find it hard to believe you have a ten-year-old," he teased.

"Had him young," she pointed out the obvious. "What's the plan?" she then pushed.

"Can't wait for the bomb squad. Too risky," Phil sighed.

"Do you know how to disarm it?" she asked hopefully.

"Nope," he said bluntly.

"Awesome. This day keeps getting better," she said sarcastically. "You should go," she added.

"I'm not leaving you," he promised, pushing off the tree and rolling his shoulders.

"What're you doing?" she gave him a confused look.

"Getting you home to MJ," he shrugged. "Close your eyes and don't move."

She did and then he charged, picking up speed as he ran toward her. 'What the hell are you doing?' he thought. 'This is dumb. You've been hanging around Bannon too long.' Avery's face filled his thoughts as he crashed into Max and they both went flying as the device exploded.

XXX

'Fight it. Fight it,' she repeated to herself. 'You're not giving up. Bannons don't quit. Someone will come. Someone will come.'

She knew he had injected her with something else. She was fighting hard to stay conscious and hold on to reality. She had signaled her brain several times to pull against her restraints and open her eyes. Her eyes were not cooperating, but she was positive he had told her to stop struggling. Did that mean she was moving? She could not tell, but her wrists did hurt badly.

'What can I do? I need to do something.' She felt frustrated tears rolling down her face. 'What can I do if I can't fucking move?' All she could think of was to scream. When someone came, that would help. And if they did not make it in time, she was not going quietly.

She told her brain to scream and she did hear screaming, but was not sure if it came from her. It sounded far away.

XXX

Jonny descended the stairs from the second floor of the house two at a time. No longer worried about being quiet. There was no one in the house. His thoughts were singular as he ran. 'Please have her, Race. Please be okay, baby.' He was in a rush to get back outside so he would have cell service again. 'Please have her.'

His hand was gripping the knob of the basement door when he heard it. It was faint, but sounded like a scream. He barely heard it over the sound of his own heavy breathing. He closed his eyes and tightened his grip on the door, trying to focus and determine if it was only his imagination.

"Heeeellllpppp," he heard it again. Faint, but clear.

"Jessie," he whispered, pivoting and running back into the kitchen. He thought it had come from that direction. He looked around desperately and then dropped to his knees in the center of the room like he was praying. The call for help had sounded far away.

'Why is that?' he wracked his brain, but nothing was coming to him.

"Where are you?" he asked her silently. "Come on, baby. Help me. I'm here."

"Pleaaaassse."

The fear in her voice made his blood run cold. His head whipped to the right and focused on a small tube coming out of the wall. He half crawled and half ran over to it.

"Stooop. Stop this!" she screamed. It was coming from the tube.

Jonny stood and started talking to himself. "An old talking tube. What are you connected to?" He looked out the window and only saw three options. The two neighboring houses and a tiny springhouse that would not fit multiple people. Even though it was too small, the springhouse made the most sense.

"Heeellllppppp…"

Her voice propelled him into action.

XXX

Phil opened his eyes with a start and lifted his head. Bad idea. His head was pounding and his ears were ringing. He put his head back down with a grunt. With his eyes closed, he started to mentally assess if anything hurt. Besides his head, he was having trouble taking a deep breath. He cracked an eye and saw that about a hundred and ten pounds of dead weight was the cause. Other than that, he felt fine.

"Max," he croaked. "Max?" He lifted his hand, pushing the hair from her face and checking for a pulse. "Thank God," he muttered, closing his eyes again and trying to get his bearings. He did not open them again until he felt her stirring against him. He forced himself to, knowing that he should not fall asleep.

She lifted her head from his chest and looked at him. Confused and sleepy. 'She's beautiful,' he suddenly found himself thinking. He thought she looked like Kate Hudson, but with dark hair. She had the bluest eyes he had ever seen. There was something about blue eyes and dark hair that always caught his attention.

"Am I dead?" she moaned.

"No," he sighed. "Being dead doesn't hurt this much."

"Ha," she rolled off him and he groaned in pain. "Sorry sir."

"It's fine. That's the most action I've gotten in a while," he blurted out and then cringed. "Ignore me. I think I have a concussion."

"Yes sir," she smirked.

XXX

Jonny crashed through the back door and ran across the lawn without thinking. It was reckless, but that did not occur to him until he was crouched down and his back was resting against the springhouse. Right below a window. He looked back at the house and sighed in relief that no warning lights had turned on and given him away. Then the realization hit Jonny that, if he was in the right place, this guy would not want to draw attention to it. Still, he could feel Race's disapproval.

"Don't fuck this up," he whispered to himself.

He stood slowly and peaked through the window. There was enough moonlight shining into the small space for Jonny to see everything. There was not much to see, but Jonny was convinced he had the right place when his eyes landed on the inside of the door. Leaning against it were several small tools and pieces of lawn equipment. Not heavy enough to keep anyone out, but they would make plenty of noise if someone entered. It was makeshift, but would be an effective warning as intended.

Jonny's heart began to beat even faster.

He reached for the burner and cursed quietly when there was still no signal. He knew Race would be pissed, but it was not Race's voice in his head any longer. It was Jessie's. Afraid and calling for help. He could not take the chance. He turned off the phone just in case. He did not want to risk the noise if the signal came back and Race called him.

He pressed his hands against the window, but it did not budge. It was either stuck or locked from the inside. Frustrated, he ran around to the window on the other side.

'Please…please…please…YES,' he celebrated for just a moment when it opened. He lifted himself inside and then got down on his haunches again. There was a trap door right in front of him. He studied it closely. It was made of wood that was warped and had just one simple latch to open it. There was a crescent-shaped hole on one side of the door, allowing the talking tube to pass through. He flashed back to the sleeping bag in the kitchen. It was right by the other end of the tube. This asshole was listening in case they tried to escape.

She screamed again and his stomach wrenched. It was clearer, but still sounded far away.

"Don't fuck this up. You're so close. Stay calm," he told himself. "You need to keep the element of surprise." Easier said than done when the girl you would die for is in immediate danger.

Jonny undid the latch and got flat on his stomach. He lifted the door no more than an inch and used the light on his phone again to inspect the dark space. He was afraid that another makeshift alarm was attached to the door. He did not see anything, but still lifted the door slowly.

A relieved breath rushed out of him when the door was fully open. There was a latter, but he could not see how far down it went. Without another thought, he climbed on it to find out.

XXX

Race wanted to throw up again. The feeling started when he hit the seventh floor and hit him full force when he cleared the last square foot of the building. He turned and took off at a full sprint down the stairwell. He had made a mistake. He chose the wrong location and now they were both in danger. As he ran, he checked Temple's phone first. There was no movement at the dealership. Then he grabbed the burner. He knew he should not call. If it was anyone else, he would wait. He hit redial.

"The person you are calling is not…"

"Damnit," Race yelled and it echoed throughout the stairwell. A minute later, he burst out of the building and onto the sidewalk. He headed in the direction of the dealership, scanning both sides of the street as he went. He was looking for an older car that he could easily hotwire. When the phone started vibrating in his hand, his heart jumped.

"Jonny?" he rushed. "Talk to me, kid."

"Race?" It was Phil.

"Fuck," Race growled angrily. "Where the hell have you been?"

"Almost getting my ass blown up," Phil sighed. "Where are you? What do you need?"

Race was about to relay everything when he saw a car slam on its brakes in the middle of the street.

Jade stuck her head out the window. "Need a lift?"

"Phil, I'll call you back." Race hung up and darted to the car. "Move over. I'm driving," he ordered. He barreled into the car, pushing Jade the rest of the way over the console when she did not move fast enough.

"Race!" she yelled at him as he took the car out of park and floored it.

He tossed a distracted 'sorry' at her and then sped up.

"Where are we going?" she asked. No answer. "Where are Temple and Jonny?" No answer.

"How did you find me?" he asked instead.

"Temple's phone," she offered.

"Right," he nodded, coming to a quick stop in front of the dealership. He pulled Temple's phone from his pocket, punched in the number to his burner and tossed it in her lap. He nodded toward the dealership. "Don't have time to explain everything, but I need you to sit on that door. If anyone enters, call me. If they leave before I get back follow, but don't engage."

"Fine," she agreed. "…but where are you going?"

"JADE…"

"What?" she interrupted. "You don't trust me now?"

"That's a loaded fucking question on a good day, sweetheart. I have to go. Are you gonna help me or not?" he asked.

"Of course, but you need to calm the hell down. There are..."

"TWO OF MY KIDS ARE IN DANGER," he interrupted. "I can't calm…" he stopped himself and pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to find an ounce of patience. "Please?" he asked nicely.

"Be careful," she offered. "It's Christmas Eve. There are state police patrols out in full force."

XXX

Jonny estimated that the climb down was fifty feet. He had to go slower than he wanted. The moisture was thick all around him. He could feel it in his pores and every breath he took. It made the bars slippery. As soon as he hit the ground, he reached for the gun.

He still could not see where she was being held, but her screaming had not let up. For that he was equally thankful and heartbroken. She was a fighter.

The space he was in felt half cave and half mineshaft. It reminded him of the small cave dwellings by the Compound that he and Jessie used to explore before they discovered Questworld and then each other. Small LED lights shone every fifteen feet along the path in front of him. The next thing he registered was anger at the fact that he would have to continue moving too slow for his liking. Then he looked down and smiled. A real smile. The ground was a mixture of mud and sand and footprints. He concluded that if there were any traps, stepping in these footprints should make him invisible to them.

He stepped lightly, but quickly. He tried to count his steps. Anything to block out the screams and keep him focused on what he needed to do. He stopped counting at one hundred. That was where the path curved. He peeked around the corner and his breath hitched.

'This is it.'

A few feet in front of him, light was coming from another cave dwelling. He crept forward and allowed himself to listen again. He immediately wished he had refrained. In between the intermittent screams, and even over them, he heard the distinct sound of a man grunting and skin slapping.

'No. No.'

He started to sink to the ground at the implication, but then forced himself upright and forward. Once he was close enough, he pressed his back hard into the wall and inched toward the entrance. His grip on the gun was firm. He had to suppress the urge to go in shooting.

'Be strong,' he told himself. 'No matter what you see. Stay focused. Don't get emotional and give him an advantage. Nothing else matters if you don't get her out alive.'

One more inch and his shoulder would no longer be masked by the wall. He turned his head to the left and saw the cage in the corner. What the rest of the dwelling lacked in lighting, the space he was looking into did not. Jonny could see a girl in the cage. Curled into a tight ball. He could not see her face, but knew it was not his girl. He assumed it was Keri.

His girl was screaming. So loud that he could feel it inside his chest, ripping him apart.

Jonny knew he needed to see what was happening before making a move. He turned to face the wall and crouched down. Then he leaned to the right and looked in the room. His eyes immediately found his target. The mountain of a man that had taken her away from him.

He had long dark hair that was currently wild and all over the place. He was naked and slick from the energy he was exerting. It made Jonny sick to watch, but he did not look away. He studied his adversary. He was all muscle and covered in tribal tattoos. Everything about him was formidable, including the look in his eyes. The way he was looking down at her was possessive and dangerous. He held a knife to her throat as he forced himself inside her.

'Don't hesitate. This animal won't think twice about killing. You can't hesitate.'

Jonny finally looked at her face. Brenda. She was completely quiet and her eyes were squeezed shut. Any relief he felt was short-lived. He could tell she was trying hard not to cry. That would only push the blade into her throat further.

Jonny ignored the angry tears that pricked at the corners of his eyes. Then he turned his attention to Jessie. She was about fifteen feet from his target and still screaming her head off. That was all she could do and Jonny thanked every deity at once that she had and he had heard her. She was tied down to a gurney. All he could see clearly was the top of her head and her left arm. Her wrist was all red from struggling with the restraints. It made him want to break the fucker's wrist in addition to a long list of other things.

Jonny leaned back until he was completely hidden again. He stood and touched his forehead to the rock. Thinking. When he entered the room, Brenda would be to his left. Jessie and Keri would be to his right. He could not do anything until the knife was away from Brenda's throat. Too risky. So he listened to Jessie and waited. Her screams tore through him.

'I'm here,' he thought, hoping she would somehow feel it. 'I'm here and I love you so much.'

Then Jonny blocked out Jessie. He had to. He listened only to his target. When the bastard finished, he would be distracted. Less focused and Jonny planned to take advantage.

"You feel so good," he panted. "We're so good together. That bitch finally stopped screaming. It turned me on, but now I can just focus on you. My beautiful Brenda."

Jonny's heart dropped again and he listened for Jessie. He did not hear her anymore. 'Why did you stop screaming?'

"You'll be MINE forever now," he groaned. "FUCK YES! Oh, oh thank you. I'll never forget you, beautiful."

Jonny risked glancing in again. He was lying on top of Brenda. His head was buried in her neck. The knife was dangling at his side, but his grip was still firm. Brenda was crying now. Almost to the point of hyperventilating.

"Please. Please don't kill me," she begged. "Please. Whatever you believe in. Whatever it is…please. My baby is innocent. PLEASE."

'Oh no. Can this get any worse,' Jonny thought, watching as he pushed himself up on his forearms and hovered over Brenda. He cupped her face. If Jonny did not know better, he would say it looked like a loving embrace. Then he smiled at her evilly and that thought evaporated.

"Don't waste your breath, sweet girl."

He stood and pushed away from the gurney Brenda was strapped to. His smile grew when she started to cry harder. To Jonny, it felt ominous and like it was all happening in slow motion. When his gaze turned to Jessie, the breath caught in Jonny's throat. He took a step toward her.

'Go.'

Everything inside him pushed Jonny through the entrance with no real plan. Gun raised and confident. "Don't move," Jonny growled.

It had the desired effect. The man froze. He looked surprised for a moment and then quickly hid it. He cocked his head and smirked. "Hi Jonny," he said it smoothly and stood there just as confident, making no attempt to cover himself up.

Brenda and Keri started asking for help when they realized he was there. Jonny heard Race's voice again.

'Don't get distracted, kid.'

Jonny ignored the girls. Harder, he ignored his instinct to call for Jessie. She was so close and it unnerved him that she had gone quiet.

'Keep your eyes on your target. Watch his shoulders. They'll give him away.'

"We haven't been introduced. I'm Clay. Well…," Clay laughed. "We haven't been FORMALLY introduced, but I watched you fuck your girl the other night. So I kinda feel like we've already met, man. You inspired ME to want to fuck her. Thank you."

'DON'T let him get inside your head, kiddo.'

"She's amazing," Clay continued. "…but I don't have to tell you that. Do I?"

'Always assume someone's watching unless you know for sure otherwise.'

"Drop the knife," Jonny ordered. "Get on your fucking knees. You're threatening multiple lives and I will use lethal force if you make me."

Clay laughed again. "You're a smart one," he complimented. "If I'm taping this, you just won your self-defense case didn't you? I'm not taping this, Jonny. Not my style. I remember and document these special moments…in other ways."

"Your pictures?" Jonny challenged and noticed Clay's face fall a little. "Found that too, asshole. Now get on the ground. Last warning."

"What did you do with my pictures?" Clay accused.

"You have bigger things to worry about," Jonny warned. "Get on your knees and drop the knife."

Clay did not move, but a slow smile started to form on his face. "No. I like the view from here," he said with no emotion, leering at Brenda and Jessie in turn. He did not even try to hide it.

Jonny swallowed the saliva that had gathered in his throat and became acutely aware of his overactive heart. He could feel the sensation in his head. The look in Clay's eyes made his skin crawl. Jonny could not keep his thoughts at bay. The reality standing in front of him was worse than the unknowns he had conjured in his head the last two days. 'What did he do to you, Jess?'

"You didn't like my photos?" Clay taunted. "Our girl looked unbelievable in the moonlight."

Jonny's jaw clenched and then a calmness washed over him. He knew what he needed to do.

'One step at a time, kid.'

"I'm not gonna tell you again," Jonny responded quietly. "Don't you sick fucks all want the chance to be interviewed by Diane Sawyer? Spout your psychotic credos to the world? You're about to lose that chance forever if you continue to test my patience."

"How did you find me?" Clay asked.

Jonny could tell how badly Clay wanted to know so he stayed quiet. He would not give him anything he wanted. "You picked the wrong girl," Jonny said through his teeth.

Clay did not move a muscle in response, but his eyes did shift completely over to Jessie.

Jonny kept his eyes on Clay and moved closer to Jessie at the same time. "Don't even think about touching her," he warned.

Clay licked his lips and laughed. "I've already had the pleasure."

'Don't let him get inside your head. Don't let him get inside your head.' Jonny repeated that mantra to himself, but he could not hide the devastation on his face.

Clay laughed again. "Oh…you thought otherwise? Or maybe you were just hoping? Brenda was dessert, but Jessie…"

"SHUT UP," Jonny yelled. "Keep her name out of your mouth."

"Our girl," Clay pushed. "…she's a screamer. If it makes you feel better…"

"Shut your disgusting mouth," Jonny interrupted and depressed the trigger with his finger a little. Clay noticed and took a step back. Jonny wanted to fire right then. To make him bleed. For everything he knew Clay was guilty of and everything he may have been.

'JONNY. Wait for the right moment.'

He would. Just like Race taught had him. He would not let Clay play mind games. He would not lose control.

"Calm down," Clay took another step back. Slow and deliberate. Closer to a standing tray by Brenda. It looked like something you would see in a hospital. "I'm sure we can work something out," he reasoned.

Jonny could not see what was on the tray, but knew it was nothing good.

"Stop," Jonny ordered with authority, moving himself to stand fully between Jessie and Clay. He considered it his greatest feat of self-control when he managed not to look down at her. He could feel her behind him and that gave him strength. Jonny continued to stare at Clay's shoulders. Waiting. Trying to be patient.

"Let's work something out?" Clay conceded. He had not taken another step, but was still gripping the knife firmly.

"Tell me what you did to her," Jonny demanded. He needed to know. "Don't lie to me."

"And you'll let me live?" Clay raised an eyebrow.

"Only if you cooperate," Jonny shot back. "You're not doing a good job so far." They were squared off like one of those old westerns Race used to make him watch. Jonny saw Clay tightened his grip on the knife and Jonny raised his gun an inch in response. "Give me a reason," Jonny threatened.

"This isn't exactly a fair fight," Clay commented, causing Jonny to narrow his eyes.

"Did you give my girl a fighting chance?" Jonny sneered.

"Yes."

Jonny's next words came out low and threatening. "I said not to lie to me."

"Calm down," Clay said again. "Let's not overreact."

"Overreact?" Jonny scoffed. "You took the woman I love away from me. You hurt her. I'm not overreacting."

"Put the gun down and I'll tell you everything," Clay offered.

"This isn't a negotiation," Jonny shot back.

"Yes it is," Clay grinned. "I have something you want."

'Let it go, kiddo. Nothing he says will make you feel better and you can't trust a word anyway. Put him down.'

"No," Jonny whispered. "You don't. This is over. You failed," Jonny baited. "I beat you."

Clay's face turned to stone.

'Give me a reason,' Jonny thought desperately. 'Come on.'

"If it makes you feel better," Clay started in. "…she didn't seem to enjoy it. Much. She kept calling out for you, but you weren't there…I was."

'Steady breaths. Steady hands.'

"She was worth it," he continued to taunt, looking over Jonny's shoulder and staring at Jessie longingly. Then he met Jonny gaze and smiled. "She's mine forever now," he started to shrug, but never finished the motion.

Jonny did not hesitate. He could sell that shrug as aggressive if he had to. The shot rang out loudly and echoed all around them. Clay reached for his neck and a surprised look crossed his features. Jonny held the gun steady, ready to fire again if needed. He managed to hide his smile as Clay fell backwards, dropping the knife and taking the standing tray down with him. Jonny rushed forward before Clay hit the ground, kicking the knife and everything that had been on the tray away. Then he knelt down beside Clay, who now had both hands at his throat. Trying in vain to stop the bleeding.

Jonny put his gun away and hovered. He wanted to be the last thing Clay saw. Clay's eyes got wide as he choked on his own blood. Jonny knew it was almost over and leaned down until he was closer to Clay's ear. He also wanted his words to be the last that Clay heard.

"If it makes you feel better, I was never gonna let you live," Jonny whispered. "But she'll live a long and happy life. And the day will come sooner rather than later, when she won't even remember your face. I'll make sure of it."

He sat back and waited until Clay took his last breath. Until the awareness left his eyes. Jonny watched and he felt nothing. Then he felt and heard everything all at once. The chill of the cave. He had not realized how cold it was before. Brenda and Keri crying for help. The deafening silence coming from…

'Jessie.'

He jumped up and spun around on his heels. "Baby?" he called out loudly, hoping she would answer. She did not. He ran to her, immediately wrapping his hands around her face and trying to gently shake her awake. "Come on. Open your eyes for me. Please?" he begged. Then he softly slipped his thumbs from her cheeks to under her chin. Her pulse was strong and steady. He sagged in relief at that, but was still shaken that she was so unresponsive otherwise. He leaned down until his cheek was against hers and his lips were at her ear. He reveled for a moment at the contact. "You're safe now," he whispered and then pulled back.

He ran his hands along her sides and his eyes down the rest of her body, assuring himself that she was there and checking her for any obvious injuries. Hot angry tears rolled down his face. She was covered in bruises, tiny cuts and what looked like a few cigarette burns. He caressed a large bruise on her right hip, hoping his touch would cause a reaction. Even if it was pain.

"Come on," he sighed in frustration and then realized that being impatient would not make her wake up sooner. "Alright," he wiped at his eyes. "Okay…we'll do this on your time, baby. Like everything else," he laughed lightly. He also realized how cold her skin felt and that forced him back into action.

He removed his shirt to cover her as best he could. He left her side to retrieve the knife and used it to cut her arms and legs free. Then he sat on the gurney and forced her into a sitting position, hating that she was dead weight as he put her in the shirt. He did not want to lay her back down, but a quick look around told him there was no better option and he could not ignore Brenda or Keri any longer. It was not right.

Keeping one hand behind Jessie's neck so she did not fall back, Jonny used the other to push the hair out of her face. He needed to see her face. For a moment, he felt like they were the only two people in the world and he could feel a warmth growing in his chest because of her. Looking at her, he had a sudden urge to pick her up and run. Find someplace where no one would ever find them. Where no one could hurt her. Never look back.

"Baby, this would be more romantic if you were awake," he quipped and waited a beat. "Okay," he sighed. "You're okay. It's okay." He kissed her forehead and eased her into a prone position. "I'll be right back."

Jonny stood, turning to look at Brenda behind him and then Keri in front of him. He blocked out their pleas for a few more seconds as he made a mental checklist. He allowed himself one last look down at Jessie before moving.

He went straight for Clay clothes, which were lying in a pile by Brenda. He searched the pockets quickly and cursed to himself when he found them to be empty. He jumped up and rushed toward Keri.

"Do you know where the keys are?" he asked, but she did not seem to hear him so he asked again.

"Help," she cried. "Let me out of here. Please. Please." She was standing by the door of the cell, gripping the bars so tight that Jonny could see the whites of her knuckles.

"Keri?"

"Please," she begged, sinking to her knees. Still gripping the bars. "Please. Help me."

Jonny got down on his knees too and tentatively placed his hands over hers. That got her attention. Her head shot up and she stared at him wildly. Like she was surprised to see him. She ripped her hands from beneath his and crab crawled away. She was breathing heavily.

"I'm sorry," Jonny said softly, putting his hands up so she could see his palms. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you. I'm gonna get you home. I swear. All of you…but I really need your help, Keri."

"How do you know my name?" she asked.

"The news," Jonny responded, assuming her face was all over it by now. "Look…how I got here is a long story and the details aren't important. I know asking you to trust me is a lot right now, but I won't hurt you."

She opened and closed her mouth a few times before speaking. "I know. I'm sorry…I guess I'm a little jumpy."

Jonny saw that her breathing was starting to slow so he kept going. "They're hurt," he pointed behind him. "I need you to help me get them out." He smiled when Keri nodded and got back to her feet. "Do you know where the keys are?" he asked again.

"There," she pointed to a hook on the wall about twelve feet away. "He put them…where we could see on purpose," she added in a shaky voice. "He…"

"He can't hurt you," Jonny interrupted her train of thought, opening the cage.

Keri barreled into his bare chest immediately, wrapping her arms around his waist and knocking the wind out of him. "Thank you," she mumbled. "Thank you." Jonny hugged her back, counting to three in his head and then slipping his hands around her forearms to push her back gently.

"I'm sorry," she apologized again.

"Don't do that. This isn't your fault," he assured. "Did you see where he put their clothes?" he asked next.

Keri swallowed before answering in a low voice. "He cut them off after tying them down. Threw them away," she nodded in the direction of the trash can.

'That doesn't help,' he thought, trying hard to push the visual of her clothes being cut off from his mind.

"Come one," Jonny directed, guiding Keri to stand by Jessie and blocking her view of Clay as they walked. "I need you to stay with Jessie while I help Brenda."

"Alright," she agreed.

Jonny rubbed his hands together and then closed them around the top of Jessie's foot as Keri watched. "She's cold. Too cold. Using your body warmth will help," he explained. "Just focus on her and we'll be out of here before you know it."

"I got this," Keri assured.

Jonny thanked her and then picked up the knife again. His heart jumped into his throat when he finally focused on Brenda. She had stopped calling out to him, but was crying hysterically. He approached her slowly. Afraid of frightening her too. She looked worse than Jessie, but he did not let his eyes linger anywhere besides her face for too long. He cleared his throat.

"Brenda, I need you to open your eyes and look at me," he asked softly. She took two big gulps of air, meeting his eyes and then anxiously looking at the knife in his hand. "I'm Jonny," he started. "I'm gonna cut your restraints off. It's faster than trying to untie these knots. You have to stay still, okay?"

Jonny started with her right wrist after he saw her nod in understanding. He explained what he was doing as he moved around her counterclockwise with the knife and cut through the ropes. His voice seemed to be keeping her calm.

When Jonny helped her sit up, she cried out in pain and it startled him.

"What hurts?" he insisted.

"Left arm," she said in a breathy voice. "I think it's just a sprain."

He watched as she pulled her legs to her chest and curled herself, as best she could, into a ball. He considered his options and then sighed. "You're not gonna like this," he apologized, bending down to pick up Clay's flannel shirt.

She put her head on her knees and started to cry again when she saw it. Without asking, he wrapped it around her like a blanket. It was more important that she warmed up. She tensed for a moment and then used her good hand to hold it in place.

"I'd give you my shirt if I had another," he said.

"Thanks," she whispered and then she looked over at Clay on the ground and froze in fear.

"Don't look at him," Jonny urged.

'Distract her.'

"We need to stabilize that arm before we move," he continued, scanning everything around him for inspiration. "I don't want to risk more damage before we get to the hospital." His eyes eventually landed on Clay's jeans. It was his best option. He reached for the knife again and kneeled down to start cutting at the fabric. "Does anything else hurt?" he asked. He wanted to keep her talking.

"Just the shoulder," she sounded out of breath. "He yanked me out of the cell pretty hard. I didn't really notice the pain until the drugs started to wear off. About twenty minutes ago." Jonny turned to look at Jessie again at the mention of the drugs and Brenda noticed. "He was giving her larger doses," she offered. "Said she was causing too much trouble."

Jonny closed his eyes for a moment. 'Jess.'

"Do you know what he was giving you?" he asked.

"I can't be sure, but I think Ketamine or other muscle relaxants. Maybe a combination of things. I'm having trouble concentrating. Sorry."

"Please don't apologize." Jonny stood again. He wanted to keep her talking. "Do you have medical training?"

"I'm a nurse," she offered.

"Shit," he smiled and held up the makeshift denim sling. "My work is about to be judged professionally."

She huffed and then let the flannel shirt fall away from her onto the gurney. "I'm used to better working conditions," she added lamely.

"Knees down?" he asked. She uncurled herself until her legs were hanging over the edge and her good arm covered her chest. She turned her head away from him and started to cry again. "Hey?" Jonny waited until she turned back. "I won't look. I promise." She let her good arm drop slowly and spread her hand over her stomach instead. "How far along are you?" Jonny asked, inching closer.

"A few weeks," she choked out.

"We'll be at the hospital soon," he said, putting the sling over her head and then sighing.

"Do it," she said through her teeth. "I'm ready."

She screamed in pain again when Jonny slid her arm into the cradle. When he finished, he noticed that her breathing was shallow and sweat had started to form on her hairline.

"Are you sure nothing else hurts?" he asked again.

"Yes," she swallowed.

"I'm gonna put the shirt back on you and button it up, okay?" Jonny told her, reaching for it and waiting for her to put her uninjured arm through the sleeve.

"How old are you?" she asked once he started to button it.

Jonny furrowed his brow. "Why?"

"Curious."

"Eighteen. How old are you?" he countered.

She smiled. "Don't you know never to ask a woman that?"

"Oh…so you're pushing thirty," he teased, hoping to lighten the mood and make her smile.

"Not quite yet," she laughed and then sobered and then started to cry again. "Sorry," she wiped at her tears. "This doesn't feel real. A few minutes ago he was…"

"I know," Jonny interrupted. "And I'm the one that's sorry. I shouldn't be making stupid jokes. One of the MANY reasons I need my fully conscious girlfriend back," he smiled. "She pokes me when I say dumb shit until I shut up."

Brenda smirked, but stayed quiet.

"You should really wear his shoes too," Jonny spoke up. "Unless you know where yours are? It's a bit of a walk to the car."

"I don't know where mine went," she sighed.

Jonny took that as confirmation and knelt down to put on and tie up the shoes too. "I'm sorry that I didn't get here sooner," he whispered, standing. "That I couldn't stop it. I really am."

"You're one of those, huh?" Brenda commented. "My fiancé is too. Drives me crazy, but I love him anyway."

"One of what?" Jonny asked nervously.

"The guy that blames himself for everything. Tries to fix everything," she trailed off.

Jonny looked away and stared at Jessie for a long moment. Keri was rubbing her legs to keep her warm. "Primal instinct. Can't fight it," he mumbled and then held his hand out, helping her off the gurney. Brenda squeezed her eyes shut and gripped his hand when her feet hit the ground.

"You okay?" he rushed.

"Yes," she answered quickly, but did not open her eyes or loosen her death grip.

"Are you sure you can walk? I can come back for you."

"I'm good," she insisted. "Adjusting to being upright."

"I can't tell if that's true or you're just stubborn," he said quietly.

"Both," she smiled.

Jonny grinned. "I was kinda hoping you'd say that."

She laughed lightly and leaned against him for a minute, taking deep breaths. Then she straighten and Jonny recognized the determined look in her eyes. He had seen it many times before. He was staring at her. He knew he was, but could not stop.

"She said you'd come."

"Hmm?" Jonny asked.

"Jessie," Brenda clarified. "She kept telling me not to worry because you'd come…and here you are," she smiled as a tear fell.

Jonny absorbed her words, but could not think of anything to say in response so he deflected. He called Keri over to help Brenda and then crossed the room quickly back to Jess, leaning down to kiss her forehead. "Just a few more minutes, love."

He straightened and walked around the perimeter of the dwelling. He was not looking for anything specific, but thought it would be prudent to take inventory before leaving. He started over by the cage. Where she had spent most of the last two days. He fought off the angry tears again and kept going. As he approached Clay, he felt like the gun pressing into his back was calling out to him. He had to fight the desire to empty it into Clay's lifeless body. The only thing that stopped him was knowing that the momentary relief it would provide him would not be worth scaring the girls. He glanced at Brenda and Keri, who were embracing.

He stepped over Clay's body and headed for the desk in the corner. There was a Nikon camera sitting in plain view, which Jonny immediately grabbed and put the strap over his head. He opened all the drawers, but they were empty. Next, he woke up the three computer monitors. The first was an undisturbed image of a factory floor. He assumed it was Houston's. The other two were black screens. He was about to walk away when he realized that a live stream of the factory would require a signal. He turned the burner back on and mentally crossed his fingers.

"Two bars," he smiled, immediately selecting the last missed call and putting the phone to his ear. He turned to look at Jessie.

"JONNY?" Race yelled. He sounded out of breath.

"I have her," Jonny rushed. "She's safe."

"Is he dead?" Race asked.

"Yes. I…"

"Don't say anything more," Race cut him off. "I'm on my way. Don't touch anything else. Let me talk to her," Race insisted.

"She hasn't woken up yet," Jonny sighed.

"Is she hurt?"

Jonny was not sure how to answer. "No obvious injuries. She'll be okay," he added confidently. "Listen, I don't have a great signal down here. There's a springhouse on the property. We're under it. I need to go and get the girls out of here. Are you close?"

"I'll be there in a few minutes," Race told him.

"Okay. Good," Jonny responded. That made him feel better.

"Jonny…" Race paused.

"You don't have to say it. I'll see you soon." Jonny hung up and then jogged back over to Jessie. He bent down and lifted her into his arms reverently, focusing on the rise and fall of her chest for the span of a few heartbeats. He would say she was sleeping peacefully if he did not know better. Tears gathered in his eyes again, but this time they were from the relief he felt. He did not let them fall. She would be okay again. He would make sure of it. "I missed you," he whispered. "It's confirmed by the way. I'm a fucking mess without you, baby. So you can't ever go away again. You promised me forever, remember?" He waited a moment, hoping for a reaction. "It's okay," he smiled. "I'll wait. Let's go home."