Izaya chewed at his lip as he waited to hear back from Akabayashi. The Red Demon had asserted himself to be in charge of taking care of the unsavory group that worked for Jiro. Shiki had been hesitant as usually he himself was the one who did any and all communication and dealing with Izaya, but it seems Akabayashi had insisted when he found out a certain young girl in glasses that he was fond of had gotten involved. At least Izaya could be sure the man was taking this seriously since it was now a bit personal for him as well.

It had taken some digging and a bit of accessing certain people's personal computers via his most reliable tactic of a remote access trojan, but eventually Izaya had stumbled upon something interesting. It was a listing for an exotic bird. For a split second Izaya almost overlooked it, but the description of the bird had caught his attention. Something about being "tame" and "a good listener" was in the description along with its age (thirteen) and sex (female). Izaya had really hoped he was wrong until he found an article about a missing teen from several weeks prior.

He wasn't sure what the expression on his face had been but it was enough for Shizuo to start asking questions. When he filled him in on what he had found, Shizuo went pale.

"We have to call the police," he said, clearly distraught.

"I'm working on it. Akabayashi is taking a few men out to confirm the information. If he finds what we think he's going to find, I will be sending the information to the right people. I'm just waiting for his signal."

"I don't like waiting. Especially not for something like this."

"A few more minutes isn't going to make a difference," Izaya said darkly, "The damage is done."

Shizuo tensed, cursing as he stood and placed a cigarette between his lips. He paced back and forth for a few seconds, eventually deciding to step out onto the balcony to smoke. Izaya sighed. He didn't like having to wait either, but at least there was a plan to get the girl out. That was something Izaya never had.

After what felt like forever, Akabayashi finally called and Izaya immediately sent the necessary information to Kuzuhara Maju. If there was anyone on the police force he could trust to handle this situation well it was her.

…~-~...

They only had the new base for 2 days before members of the Awakusu-kai came knocking. It was a secluded shop with a back door that was the perfect place for trading off merchandise, but now the location was compromised. Izaya had to be behind it. When he'd first found Izaya he was already in contact with the local yakuza. It wasn't a stretch to imagine those connections were still there. Still, it seemed unlikely that Izaya would involve himself in organized crime, but he must have his reasons for staying in contact with them.

Of course the yakuza getting thrown into the mix could be a coincidence, but he couldn't say that for sure without evidence. Izaya's involvement was them much more likely reason. Still, the loss of such a prime location–and of course one of his more trustworthy partners–was unfortunate. They still had their other established places around town as well as transport to keep dealings running, and in time they would have the resources to be able to operate right under the Awakusu-kai's nose.

"The severe macaw deal was interrupted," Yuito reported, "It was that damn Akabayashi guy. He still lives up to his old nickname. He took out all three men I brought and took the merchandise. I barely escaped with my life! How the fuck do they keep finding us? We should just leave town, it's getting too dangerous!"

"I'll sort this out. Just stay hidden for now"

Izaya was too bold. He seemed to be losing the fear that Jiro had so carefully cultivated in the young man. He would have to fix that.

…~-~...

"You sure you'll be okay?" Shizuo asked for the fifth time as he put his shoes on.

"It's only an hour, I'll be fine." Izaya replied, waving a hand dismissively from his spot on the couch.

"If you say so," Shizuo sighed, "Call me immediately if you need me."

"I will," Izaya said, the corner of his lip turning up to smile at Shizuo's determination to protect him. It was nice to have someone that actually cared about him.

"Okay, see you soon."

Izaya waved again in response as the door closed. Although Shizuo had taken the next few days off, Tom had called for his help for one quick job. It shouldn't take more than an hour so Izaya insisted he would be fine alone for an hour.

He was getting his strength back–both physically and mentally. While he definitely wasn't at 100%, he felt confident enough not to freeze up next time he saw Jiro's face. His wrist was improving with time as well, though it would still be a problem if he needed to defend himself.

Izaya stretched, testing his arms. The dull ache was almost entirely gone, only being a problem if he tried to lift heavy things. Needless to say, freerunning around the city like he used to was still out of the question.

With a long sigh Izaya stood. He almost offered to go with Shizuo just for an excuse to get out for some air but he'd decided against it with his physical condition still questionable. Instead he opted to get some air on the balcony. Izaya leaned against the railing as he went through his emails on his phone. The fresh air was significantly helpful despite the chill in the air. It was much easier to keep calm when he could feel the wind against his skin.

Which is why he was able to stay relatively calm when his phone began to ring, the caller ID popping up with the same number Jiro had called from before. Izaya took a deep breath of fresh air and willed himself to remain composed as he accepted the call.

"What is it now?" he answered flatly.

"Oh is that malice in your voice, pet? We will have to address that." Izaya's lip curled in disgust. He really despised the way Jiro talked to him.

"How's your business going? I heard about the severe macaw deal falling though. What a shame," Izaya taunted.

"You should know I don't care about that. I just want my little pet back."

"And you should know I'm through playing," Izaya let his anger seep into his voice. "You should probably just turn yourself over to the police. You'd be safer back in prison compared to what I will do to you."

"Now you're threatening me again? Really, did I teach you nothing?"

"What can I say," Izaya grinned, "you must just be a terrible teacher."

"Heiwajima is out tonight I see."

Izaya's grip on his phone tightened. He tried to convince himself the chill he felt was just the cold air getting to him.

"That's a good boy. I knew you remembered how to listen."

Izaya's jaw clenched. He was about to pull the phone away from his ear to hang up when Jiro spoke again.

"You might remember this, too," he sneered.

Before he could even process what Jiro meant by that he felt a sharp pain in the back of his shoulder. Izaya turned to see something embedded in his skin. Immediately he reached around and tore it out but he knew it was already too late.

He'd never actually seen one in real life but there was no doubt what he was holding in his hand was some type of tranquilizer dart.

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" Izaya exclaimed. He could have laughed at how ridiculous it was. Of all the ways he could have been attacked again, something like this had never even been on his radar.

But he couldn't dwell on that. He knew he had to act fast. Jiro's words gave him enough information to know exactly what he had just been dosed with. He had roughly ten seconds and he'd already wasted about five. Izaya dashed back inside the apartment, hanging up Jiro's call and quickly pulling up Shizuo's number.

His grip on his phone went slack before he could even hit the call button. Either he was given a higher dose or this stuff was stronger than he remembered. His legs gave out and he hit the ground hard as a disgustingly familiar feeling of paralysis creeped over him.

Izaya tried to lift his arms to reach for his phone but his body wasn't listening to him. His heart pounded in his ears as adrenaline rushed through him. His chest felt tight and quickly found himself gasping for breath. It was difficult to tell if it was the drug or panic setting in, but it was taking all of his focus just to keep breathing.

There was a fumbling sound at the door and within a few seconds the door was open, Jiro standing in the frame putting away a lock picking kit. Izaya desperately tried to move, but his limbs felt stuck and heavy as if they were encased in concrete.

Black spots invaded Izaya's vision as Jiro stepped closer. His heart was racing but because of the drug's paralyzing effect his chest couldn't expand to take in enough air. He was helpless. Completely at Jiro's mercy. Images of that dark room began to flash into his head. The torture he'd endured, the humiliation.

"N-no…" he muttered weakly.

He couldn't go back. It would destroy him.

But as Jiro approached him, grabbing him by the jaw to force his head up and look him in the eyes, Izaya knew it was over. There was no running away and Shizuo was nowhere to be seen.

"That's a good boy. Don't try to fight it. Your master is here to take care of you."

Izaya fought back tears as Jiro's face was obscured by blackness until he finally lost consciousness.

…~-~...

Izaya woke up when a sharp kick collided with his stomach. The pain immediately reminded him of his current situation as he attempted to take in his surroundings. It wasn't the room he'd been in before but something about it was familiar.

His arms and legs were tied up tightly, but it didn't matter. The effects of the drug were still in his system, further immobilizing him. Not only that, but he had been gagged. There was no way to talk himself out of here either–not that it would have worked anyway.

"Ah, good, you're not dead," Jiro's voice rang out, echoing in the large space. "You had me worried there for a moment, I didn't expect you to black out on me like that."

Izaya mustered up his best glare at the man in front of him. It was all he could do.

"Now, now, don't look at me like that. Did you already forget our rules?" Jiro knelt next to Izaya, finger tips trailing up Izaya's thigh and resting on his hip where Jiro had marked him years ago. "You are my property. Did you forget that?"

Jiro's hand slid under his hoodie. The feeling of those cold hands on his skin instantly made him nauseous and he couldn't hold back a whimper as that hand slid up his stomach and then back down to his pants. Jiro quickly undid Izaya's belt and pants, slipping a hand down past his pants and underwear and giving him a small squeeze–just enough to hurt. Izaya winced and let out another small whimper, the nausea reaching a peak and making him dizzy.

"Good boy. I still haven't properly punished you for running away on me and getting me into trouble. I've been thinking of a suitable punishment."

I guess that answers the question of if he let me go on purpose… Izaya thought, his stomach tightening as his mind suddenly began to imagine the ways he might be punished.

Izaya closed his eyes and tried to ignore his own intrusive thoughts and Jiro's words. They were meant to scare him, and unfortunately it was working. If he could move his body at all he'd be shaking. It disgusted him that he could feel this amount of fear from one person.

"And then there's your little boyfriend, Heiwajima."

Izaya bit down hard on the gag in his mouth.

"I'm sure you've fucked him by now, you fucking slut," Jiro gripped Izaya's hair, sharply tugging his head up, a rough finger sliding down to prod at his entrance. "This hole is mine. He is going to have to learn not to touch my things. I think I'll have to kill him for that."

Just like the last time Jiro had threatened to hurt Shizuo, Izaya felt a deep seeded rage begin to boil inside him. Very quickly that rage bubbled over and Izaya thrashed against his restraints, a growl slipping out past the gag in his mouth. His body still wasn't properly listening to him, but some movement was better than none. Jiro pulled his hands away in surprise.

"Oh, did that make you angry? I'd ask you to tell me about it, but for now I think I'd rather keep you quiet. He's on his way here, you know? I just gave him a call and sent him the loveliest picture of you with this location."

Izaya paused as he finally realized. This wasn't a trap for him. It was a trap for Shizuo. And Shizuo was just stupid enough to take the bait and rush in without thinking.

"I imagine he will be here soon," Jiro mused, checking his watch, "and I want you to watch me kill him."

Jiro reached behind his back, pulling out a gun. From what Izaya could tell it looked like a higher caliber than the gun Horada had once used to shoot Shizuo. Was it enough to kill him? Izaya couldn't be sure.

But he very much didn't want to find out.

"Honestly, I'd love to toy with you a bit more, but Heiwajima will be here any minute and for this plan to work I will need to be hidden. Just think about it this way, pet. When you see him burst through to come to your rescue, it will be the last time you ever see him alive."

Izaya thrashed again, wishing he had the strength to break his arms free to maul the man hovering over him. He had never felt a rage quite like this before. His chest hurt and the edges of his vision were dark as if nothing else mattered besides murdering the man in front of him. He only barely noticed he was shouting behind the gag. Had he finally snapped and lost his mind? Is this what Shizuo felt when he lost control? If he wasn't tied up, could he kill Jiro with his bare hands? Nobody had ever gotten this type of reaction out of him before.

Another sharp kick to his ribs knocked the wind out of him. His shouting broke down into coughs as he tried desperately to get air back into his lungs.

"What awful behavior," Jiro spat, kicking Izaya onto his back. He stepped hard on Izaya's chest, making it even more difficult to take in a breath. "I'll have to take my time reconditioning you."

The pressure on his chest built until it bordered on unbearable. Izaya felt his body on the verge of breaking, his ribs in particular straining to hold the crushing weight on top of him. He still couldn't breathe, the pressure making his diaphragm unable to properly expand.

Then finally the pressure was removed and Izaya took a deep, ragged breath. He coughed again, quickly curling into himself the best he could to try and prevent Jiro from being able to do that again.

By the time he finally felt like he had caught his breath Jiro was gone from his sight. There was someone else there instead. Standing in the entrance to the warehouse, silhouetted by the light behind him.

Shizu-chan…

"Izaya?" Shizuo called out, immediately stepping forward towards where Izaya lay on the ground.

He still couldn't see Jiro.

Izaya struggled, trying to speak but the gag was too tight. Instead he began violently shaking his head. Trying to somehow signal to Shizuo that this was a trap.

Please… Shizu-chan…

A sound from behind him startled him. It didn't sound like a gun, but Izaya couldn't fully trust his own senses right now.

But he was right. It wasn't a gun. Or at least not one that fired bullets. Shizuo paused his movement to inspect what had hit him. Izaya whimpered when he recognized the same type of dart that had hit him at Shizuo's apartment.

"What the fuck?" Shizuo exclaimed, looking at the dart in his hand.

Izaya's heart pounded as fear once again flooded his senses. Shizuo took another couple steps towards him before he finally stumbled. He didn't completely fall as Izaya had, but there was definitely enough of an effect on him to bring him to one knee.

"Fuck!" Shizuo swore as he struggled to get back to his feet.

Izaya watched in horror as Shizuo took a few more stumbling steps before once again falling to his knees. Had Jiro known to give Shizuo something stronger? He was definitely holding on longer than Izaya ever could have. How much longer would he be able to fight it?

"Izaya," Shizuo said, sounding strained, "are you hurt?"

Before Izaya could even try to respond, Jiro's voice finally spoke up behind him.

"Damn," Jiro said, sounding disappointed, "I was really hoping that would work better on you."

Shizuo's eyes raised to look behind Izaya, his glare darkening. "You," he growled.

"Yes, me. I'd say it's nice to finally meet you, but I find myself rather upset with you at the moment."

"Likewise," Shizuo reached into his pocket, quickly removing something. There was a flash of silver as he threw a familiar looking knife.

"Gah!" Jiro made a pained sound behind him. The knife had hit its mark. Izaya tried to see over his shoulder, catching a glimpse of his knife embedded into Jiro's side.

"You…" Jiro grimaced, speaking through the pain, "You defiled my pet. Unfortunately I can't let you live for touching what's mine."

Shizuo stood, fists clenched as he shouted. "He's not y–"

A loud bang cut Shizuo off, his body jerking as if he'd been forced back. Red began pouring from his chest as he fell back to his knees.

NO!

Izaya stopped breathing. He was sure his heart stopped beating too when Shizuo fell, slumped on the ground as more and more blood poured from the wound on his chest.

Izaya screamed.