LAST TIME-

"She needs me." Those were the only words that he let slip from his mouth. His jaw was clenched so tight that he did think he could have talked properly anyway.

"Troy!—wait!—just think for a second." Chad's please were cut off.

"What if it was Taylor?" Troy asked, slamming his car door shut and finding his friends eyes for the last time. "I'm going to go get her." he bit out before pealing out of the parking lot, leaving his two friends in his dust. Thunder rolled over the two's head, the wind blowing and howling like a hunting wolf.

A storm was coming.

Chad paced back and forth in front of his car. He glanced at Taylor who was sitting on the curb, her body shaking every so often with sobs. He sent his hands threw his curly brown hair as he exhaled in annoyance, rolling his eyes. They had to do something. Anything. Just waiting was killing him! His thoughts were brought back to his best friend, Troy's last words echoing in his head. It was true. Chad would have done the same thing if it were Taylor. Blindly running off to face danger, anything for the woman he loved. He was brought to his girlfriend's face as she spoke out.

"We have to help them somehow," she stated, standing up and wiping the tearstains from her cheeks. Chad smiled. Her loyalty was what defined her and was the trait that he had fallen in love with.

"We can't do it by ourselves," he answered, taking a step towards her, as lightning flashed across the sky. "We need help."

"But you saw what they wrote—" she trailed off, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, "—and did. We can't afford to get any help."

He paused as the rain started to fall. "Maybe we could get help, without actually getting it." He grabbed Taylor's hand and forced her into his car before climbing in himself. He smiled at her confused look and turned the keys in the ignition. "I have an idea."

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Troy cursed the rain and the vermilion sedan in front of him. Of course, when he needed to get somewhere fast, God would stick him behind the slowest driver in the world. He honked his horn in frustration for the third time.

"Get out of the way!" he pleaded. Troy had always hated the one-way road to Gabriella's subdivision. He made a mental note to complain to the state if he ever made it through this.

No, don't think like that, he chastised himself. Thinking like that would only secure his fate; he had to believe that he would make it out, alive and with Gabriella.

He pulled into the turn lane of Sunrise Valley Subdivision, speeding past the sedan and power sliding into the turn. The rain was pounding down on his hood now, making it almost impossible to see out of his windshield. He slowed his pace as he turned onto Red Rocks Ct., Gabriella's street. He parked a couple houses away and turned off his car, leaning his head back against his headrest. He took a deep breath, now that he was here; he realized that he had rushed off with no set plan.

Going through the front door was too predictable, and most likely the plan that would get him killed, if that's what these men wanted to do. They had already hurt Gabriella; something a person wouldn't do if they weren't serious. Troy knew these people were serious.

He glanced to her white house; going through the back and up the tree to her bedroom was his best bet. He didn't want any confrontations. He only wanted to get Gabriella out of there and to safety.

He opened his car door and let the rain pound down on his shoulders. He snuck into her backyard with ease, hopping over her fence like he had done so many times before. The tree, however, was wet and harder to climb, but he made it to her bedroom door, finding the small key she had always left for him under the potted plant. He opened her door as quietly as he could, and softly passed through her room to the top of the stairs. He took a moment to glance at the wall, smiling at all the baby photos. Troy took the stairs slowly, skipping over the one squeaky step. He glanced around the family room and foyer.

Nothing.

His brows furrowed together as he made his way to the kitchen, peeking around the corner. His breath shook as his eyes fell upon the unconscious form of Gabriella. Against his better judgment, he made his way towards her, collapsing to his knees besides her. His hand hesitantly went to her cheek.

"Gabriella?" he whispered out to her. Happiness welled up inside of him as her body moved, but it was washed away when he saw how strained they were. She was in pain. His heart shattered when her hand found his and her eyes opened halfway. He threaded his fingers through hers as a smile crossed his face.

"What are…you doing here, you…stupid boy?" she asked, though a small smile was evident on her face.

"I came to get you," he answered softly as he touched his forehead to hers, loosing himself in her chocolate eyes. He went to pick her up, but her hiss of pain made him stop. He sent his eyes to her face, searching it for answers.

"Ribs—broken, knee—dislocated," she gasped out, her chest slowly rising, breaths coming in pants. She was sweating and the wound on the side of her head was trickling blood. Troy glanced down to her knee; there was blood staining her jean leg. He cursed softly as his hand went to her shirt, lifting it up to show the monstrous bruise running down her side. He choked as he looked away, sadness tugging at his heart. He had failed her.

Her hand tightened around his and he was brought back to reality, his blue eyes growing wide at the warning. He ducked and rolled away from her, feeling something heavy pass just over his head. Troy was on his feet in an instant, glaring at the two men who had tried to catch him off guard. One of the men advanced forwards, his emerald eyes glowing with delight.

"I must say, Troy Bolton," he smiled. "I am flattered that you would come for her yourself."

"What do you want?" Troy bit out, eyes narrowing as the man answered.

"Isn't it obvious," he laughed. "We want you."

Troy took a step back. "If you want me, I'm not going to make it easy."

The emerald eyed mans laughter filled the kitchen. "You know Troy, this situation isn't in your favor, and you're in no position to negotiate," the man took a step forward, not towards Troy, but Gabriella, who was still on the kitchen floor. "Again, you leave your one weakness, unprotected." The man's foot stomped onto her stomach, pinning her thrashing body to the ground. To the man's disappointment, she didn't cry out. The veins in her neck were popping out; her teeth clenched together, her piercing glare made him smile.

"NO! Stop!" Troy begged as the man pushed his boot harder into Gabriella's stomach, making her eyes shut in pain. "Please, I'll do anything, just, leave her alone, leave her out of this."

The man removed his boot as Gabriella rolled to the side and gasped for air. The second man, who had watched the scene play out with a smile on his face, walked behind Troy and pulled his hands behind his back. Troy felt duck tape wind around his wrists as he was forced to his knees.

"You are mistaken, Troy Bolton," the man behind him whispered into his ear. "She is what got you here, why would we let her go?"

The emerald-eyed man advanced towards Troy, but paused halfway, glancing down. Troy did as well, and his chest tightened. Gabriella's hand was clamped onto the man's ankle, stopping his movements.

"You are a persistent one, aren't you," he smiled down as he brought his other foot up. Troy was about to yell out when a cell phone rang. The kitchen fell silent, and Troy took the time to glance around. His eyes found Miss. Montez, whom he had completely forgotten about, unconscious on the ground. He felt the man behind him reach into his packet; the orange Envi cell phone was pulled out.

"Yeah, we have them, yes, both of them," silence again. "Understood." The man hung up and placed the cell phone back in his pocket before speaking. "It seems like were going for a ride."

"What do you mean?" Troy asked. He had not expected to be moved.

The emerald eyed man spoke. "It seems like our superior wants to move you."

Troy was pulled to his feet as his eyes found Gabriella's. She was pulled up as well as a small whimper escape her lips. They were both dragged to the front door as Troy's mind searched for answers. There was someone else, he thought to himself as the rain pounded on his face. These two were just subordinates, someone else wanted him dead. He was shoved into the back of a white van as the danger of the current situation hit him. He went to Gabriella as she was pushed in as well, pulling her close to him.

"Troy, this is bad," she whispered to him as she leaned her head against his chest. He looked down into her eyes, his heart threatening to explode as he let a sigh escape his lips. She was in his arms; she was safe, for the moment. He tightened his hold around her as she closed her eyes.

"I know," he breathed out, resting his chin on the top of her head. "It's bigger than these two."