A/N: Yep, I like author's notes. This story is finally almost the length I normally consider a chapter. But shorter chapters seems to be working for this story, so sticking with that. Really enjoying writing this. Will try to have another chapter up later this week, after I've gotten the things I need to done in RL. Thanks again for all the reviews and follows. Really does mean a lot to me. Don't normally do this, but sr ruser, really didn't understand what you meant. Sam, it's all right; I like that you like it! Big thank you to Winterschild11 for encouraging me to get back into writing! Enjoy!

Kendall glared as the first few pictures were taken. Next to having Gustavo on his front porch in the dead of winter wanting to sign him as a singer, this was the oddest moment of Kendall's young life. Despite kidnapping him, Adam didn't seem to want to hurt him.

As suddenly as Adam had started taking pictures he was finished.

"Why'd you put make-up on me?" Kendall said, his curiosity getting the better of him. "Why not just beat the hell outta me?"

"You won't like the answer," Adam said, turning away from the table to face Kendall. "We're going back to your room. Once there you will go in the bathroom, shower and put on the clothes laid on the bed. You will not fight me. As you have guessed I don't want to hurt you. I will, however, if you give me no other choice. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Kendall grit out, biting back his anger.

Adam quickly unlocked the cuffs, letting them fall to the floor with a clatter. Grabbing Kendall's upper arm in a tight grip once again, and hauling him from the chair. Kendall moved his feet in better rhythm with Adam's pace as they moved up the hall to the room he'd woken up in. Once at the room, he was shoved through the threshold.

Tripping over his feet, Kendal stumbled his way across the room to the tiny bathroom directly across from the door to exit the room. The tiny room was as gray as the other rooms he'd seen. A built in shower stall took up the back half of the room, while a toilet and sink took the front half. Shivering at the thought of taking a shower and wearing anything Adam brought him, Kendall turned on the water.

He was mildly surprised to find travel sized bottles of soap and shampoo on a ledge in the stall. As the water warmed, Kendall noticed a small, dirty mirror above the sink. Taking a quick breath, he stole a quick look. His jaw went slack at the site. He looked very beaten. Dark shades of make-up covered one eye, making it appear as though he'd been hit there. A thin line of sticky red appeared to be a split in his lip. Staring at himself in the mirror, Kendall found himself afraid of why Adam didn't want him to actually be beaten.

Kendall stared in the mirror until steam from the shower fogged it over. Shaking slightly from shock, the teen stripped the clothes from his body and leaving them in a pile before climbing in the stall to stand under the spray of mildly hot water. He relaxed minutely under the beads of the warm water. Carefully suddsing the soap in his hands, Kendall set to work washing the make-up from his face. Slowly the dark blues, blacks, grays, white, pinks and reds flowed down the drain. Less carefully he lathered up the shampoo and scrubbed it through his hair.

Feeling cleaner, the teen carefully stepped from the tiled shower stall to the cold concrete of the bathroom floor. Folded neatly where his clothes had been piled was a plain white towel. Nothing plush, and soft like had been waiting for him at the Queen's Hotel, but not thread bare either. He gave it a quick once over before deeming it okay to use. Somewhat dryer Kendall quickly wrapped the towel around his waist. Exiting the bathroom he tried not to be creeped out by the lack of door inside the room, and that his kidnapper had been in the room while he showered. The teen was certain the man hadn't stayed longer than necessary to deposit the towel and collect his dirty clothing. Given the lack of shower curtain or door on the shower stall Kendall knew it was a matter of fact that Adam had seen more of him than he ever wanted anyone to see. He wasn't sure how comfortable he should be with the knowledge that Adam seemed completely uninterested in him outside of being some sort of distraction.

Embarrassment and anger flowed through him as he began picking up the clothing neatly laid out across the foot of the bed. He frowned. There was no color. Every piece was white. White wife beater, thin white button down, thin white lounge style pants, and white canvas slip on shoes.

"Whoa," he said softly, staring at all the white. A shiver worked its way down his back, reminding him of just how chilly the room really was. Checking to make sure the door to the room was closed, Kendall began to dress as quickly as possible. "I cannot believe this is happening," he said to the empty air of the room.

"It'll be over soon," Adam said from the doorway, making Kendall jump.

"What's with all the white? What now? Just drop me off at the nearest police station. I won't tell them about you. I can just say that I wondered off and got lost."

"No can do, kiddo," Adam said, reaching for Kendall's arm. "I'm the bad guy, remember?"

BTRBTRBTRBTRBTRBTR

"Excuse me," she said, approaching the small, obviously upset group taking up most of the furniture in the center of the lobby. Her nerved flared slightly as all eyes were suddenly on her. "I couldn't help but overhear that your friend is missing. I think I might be able to help."

"How?" the youngest member of the group said, brown eyes narrowed in suspicion.

"My father is a detective."

"So where is he?" the tallest of the three boys bit out.

"He's on a case, but I can do everything he can," she said quickly.

"Can you really find Kendall?" the red headed woman said, looking up from her lap. Her green eyes were red rimmed and puffy from crying and worry.

Taking a sharp breath the young woman took enough steps to reach the woman seated on the couch. Kneeling before the woman, she took her hands within her own and looked directly in to worry filled green eyes. "I will do all I can to find Kendall and bring him back to you."

"Who are you?"

"Penny," she said, not looking away from the woman whose hands she still held. "Penny Lane."

Somewhere behind her Penny heard three sharp intakes of breath, followed by a whispered, "I told you!"