Chapter four:

Near's P.O.V.

I groan slightly and I open my eyes to try to figure out where I am.

The room almost looks like a lab where people are experimented on, though there are also some tools that look like they could be used for torture, with a few chairs here and there against the wall all empty except for one that has a single cardboard box on it.

I am strapped to a table with my back against it and metal cuffs around both my ankles as well as my wrists.

The wound on my shoulder stings and I can hear soft drops of some blood every now and then dripping onto the metal table.

I ignore it for now and try to figure out a way to escape. I find no possible way out right now so I know what I need to do. I close my eyes and concentrate since I can't let the kidnappers know my little secret. I open my eyes once it's done.

Suddenly one of the doors open and I look to see a man dressed in all black with dark brown hair and brown eyes with a touch of green mixed in them.

He is carrying a knife. "Seems you were in the wrong place at the wrong time and heard something you shouldn't have." He licks his lips. "What a bad boy. You didn't behave like you should have." He moves closer.

"You won't get away with this. Both you, Rodger and whoever else you have working with you. None of you will get away with what you are doing." I say then I get a hard smack making my cheek sting but I push away the feeling of the sting.

"You shut up because we are going to get away with it. All of you will die by our hands after all." The man tells me.

I roll my eyes and this earns me a slash onto my hip by the knife making me almost yelp but I hold back.

"Now you had better start behaving." The man growls then starts tearing off my clothes using the knife, not daring to remove the metal cuffs as he just cuts everything off with the knife.

Though I expected he wouldn't dare try to release me even if I have two wounds since I put up quite the fight when they came to take me away.

Let's summarize it, one is dealing with a broken bloody nose, another probably still recovering from a hard kick to the crotch and the other from a possible concussion from being thrown to the floor pretty much head first.

Yeah I wasn't going down with a fight, then Rodger came up from behind me when I was fighting the other three.

Rodger put a rag over my mouth and nose.

Though I struggled and got free the damage was done so with one slash at my shoulder my drowsy self fell to the floor as my world went black.

I then woke up here where the man is now putting my cut up clothes into the cardboard box which he picks up carrying it out of the room. I take a look to the cuffs and I try to move my hand to see if I can get at least one hand out even if I have to break it.

It will be worth it to get out of here then to get this whole kidnapping thing finished while the ones responsible head for jail.

The door opens and I stop my attempts since I will need more time then I probably have.

The man comes over to me and puts a rage over my mouth and nose until I am drowsy then he dresses me in ratty looking clothing of a dusty grey t-shirt that has the sleeves ripped off to make it a tank top.

Then a pair of black pants that a few rips here and there. The pants are just a little tighter than what I am used to and the waist line is fit so the pants won't fall off unless the button is undone.

After that I am lifted up off the table and carried into another room but the drug is seriously annoying me because I can't fight back but I notice what's around me as it goes in and out of focus.

It is just a hall of cages that some may say are like cells or are like the cages people put dogs, too big to fit in smaller cages, in when the owners are going out for a bit.

The cages look big enough to fit two people but each cage has one bed that's a beat up mattress against the back wall almost having both ends of it touching the walls with one not touching leaving a space between the mattress and the wall. The cages seem to be big enough that with the mattress, that looks to have come from a single person bed that can fit two if they stay close together, then two people from kids to teens can lay on the cold cement ground side by side just barely without touching the mattress. The cages are separated by walls but the doors that go from almost touching the floor to almost touching the ceiling but not leaving enough room to escape are cage doors. Most of the cages seem to be filled with at least one orphan that was taken and a max of two orphans, with the doors closed obviously.

At the end of the hall of cages is a final cage facing the door and the only lighting in the room is a light overhead that is on.

The man takes me to the cage that is facing the door, he opens it and throws me in.

I barely hear him speak as darkness starts to take over once again.

"We will have the perfect roommate for you soon." He says as I slightly hear the lock click into place. "You little son of a bitch. You will pay big time for the injuries you gave my coworkers."

After that it is darkness.

No one's P.O.V.

Near's disappearance and it being so close to what happened a little earlier made Mello become highly suspicious of Rodger having some sort of involvement.

It also confirms that Near heard something he wasn't supposed to.

Mello keeps a sharp eye on Rodger as the man moves about his day.

Rodger glanced back and Mello walked past the opening to the hall way munching on the chocolate bar. "Mello."

Mello turns to Rodger and stops walking. "What is it Rodger?" He asks as soon as he swallows the chocolate in his mouth.

"You talked to Near before he disappeared." Rodger goes over to the blonde. "Did he seem off in anyway or anything?"

"No. He just wanted to discuss the case." Mello lies then takes another bite of his chocolate bar.

"Do you suspect he might have something to do with the kidnappings?" Rodger questions further.

Mello blinks. "No. There is no way he is. There was nothing about him that told me he was and the fact that the kidnappers hurt him as told by the blood in his room I believe he heard or saw something he wasn't supposed to."

"I see." Rodger says keeping his eyes on Mello. "Well then what did he say about the case? It might help."

Mello gets a feeling that something isn't right and he takes a step back. "Nothing more than what you seem to have." He answers and continues munching on his chocolate bar.

Suddenly a voice comes from behind Mello.

"Hey you!" A girl's voice says and Mello turns to see who it is.

Rodger and Mello look confused at the girl who looks to be about three years younger than Near.

She has white hair that is straight and reaches to her waist. She is wearing a black t-shirt with a white pirate skull on it and it has a few rips here and there but it's a fashion choice kind of rips so it's not revealing. She is also wearing knee high light brown boots and black short shorts. Her winter blue eyes stare demandingly and coldly at the two males. "I want to know where Near is. Can you point me out to where he might be?" She says.

"Why do you want to know?" Mello asks raising an eyebrow.

The girl crosses her arms over her chest. "Is it so bad for his little sister to be wanting to visit her big brother?" She demands making both males eyes widen at hearing this.

"I had no idea Near had a little sister." Rodger says.

"Yeah well hurry up and point me in the direction of where he is. It has been awhile since we had to split up years ago for safety reasons that I refuse to share with you." She says in a very demanding tone.

"Well sorry he is unavailable at the moment." Rodger says. "After all, classes are going on."

The girl lowers her head till she is giving the two males a very dangerous glare. "I want to see him now. It is very important."

"What is so important it can't wait?" Mello asks.

"That does not concern you blondie." The girl says then turns to Rodger while ignoring the flaming blonde. "Now I'll ask again. Where is my brother?"

Rodger sighs softly. "Sorry but he isn't here."

The girl's expression turns to worried. "What do you mean not here?" She asks.

"There's been some recent kidnappings and Near was the most recent one that was taken." Mello explains. "You are a brat." He adds with a growl.

Now the girl looks angry. "How dare you let my brother be kidnapped! You should be out there looking for him!" She shouts slightly.

"Calm down please." Rodger says. "We are doing our very best to find him. Did he contact you by any chance and told you anything that might be useful?" He asks.

"Didn't you hear me? We were split up for years. We haven't had any contact in that time but we knew where each other went. Well I am going to look for him myself and he had better be alright." She dashes off after that.

"Well that was strange." Rodger says.

Mello takes this time to slip away as his gut tells him that Rodger planned to have him attacked then dragged off. He needs to not be caught right now and he vows to work to solve this case no matter what.

Rodger turns to Mello but finds he is gone.

Meanwhile…

The girl, Near's little sister climbs into the black car. "They got him before we could." She informs the others in the car and she has Near's laptop with her.