~29 reviews and counting! Thank you!~
Disclaimer: I own no one.
Warnings: Slash, language, violence.
The next morning Daniel called Dylan ASAP. He wanted to call as soon as Henley told him about Jack and this so-called Donnie guy, but Merritt had convinced him not to, since it had been close to midnight.
"Shit, guys, do you have any idea how busy I am? Okay, okay. I'm on it. It'll take a few hours though."
"That's fine. Just call me as soon as you find anything."
"I will. And Danny?"
"Yes Dylan?"
"We'll get the kid back."
Daniel found himself smiling, actually believing it this time.
"I know."
With that said they hung up.
Daniel sighed as he plopped down on the couch next Henley.
Across town Donnie and Jack were sitting down to breakfast in Donnie's apartment.
"I thought you said you were a lawyer." Jack wondered as he sipped at some orange juice.
"I do, but I just found my little brother again. I want to spend some time with you. I'll go to work tomorrow. Besides, I don't have any cases at the moment."
Jack nodded, "Okay."
"What do you want to do today, Jackie?"
Jack shrugged. He hadn't stopped seeing Henley's face in his head; her pained expression as he ran away from her.
"You alright?" Donnie asked, putting his newspaper down on the table.
"I'm fine." Jack said, even though he wasn't.
"I think I know what you need; some fresh air. Let's take a walk around the park." Donnie stood and grabbed up his coffee mug and took a sip.
As he walked passed his brother he patted him on the back.
"Come on. Get dressed."
Within fifteen minutes the two brothers were strolling down the street and into Central Park.
Back with the rest of The Horsemen, Dylan had called Daniel back within an hour.
"We got a match. Donald, A.K.A Donnie is Jack's older brother. He lives right across the street from Central Park in The Molloy hotel, at the very top in the penthouse. Do you need me to come with you?"
Daniel shook his head, even though Dylan couldn't possibly see him.
"No, we're good. Thanks Dylan."
"No problem, just don't let anyone recognize you."
"Yeah, okay, bye." Daniel said a bit too fast and hung up.
He turned to his friends, "I know where jack is."
"Then what the hell are we standin' around here for? Let's go drag his ass back home." Merritt said as he walked over to the door, grabbing his fedora off the coat rack.
Daniel thought the Taxi ride over to the hotel seemed like an eternity. His right hand was buried deep in the pocket of his jeans as he rubbed over the ring he had given Jack.
Arriving at the hotel Daniel rushed to get out of cab, barely giving Merritt any time at all to pay the driver. Henley and Merritt had to practically run to keep up with him as he made his way to the elevator.
Inside of the elevator Henley half-glared at her friend.
"Geez Danny," She huffed, "We're excited to see Jack too, you know."
Daniel didn't hear her though, he was just too excited and nervous.
The elevator dinged, signaling that they were at their destination. Daniel was out of the elevator in a blink of an eye and already down the hall before Henley and Merritt were out of the elevator.
All three magicians stood in front of the door leading to the penthouse.
Daniel raised a shaky hand and knocked on the door. They waited and were only met with silence. He knocked again; still no answer.
"If you are looking for Donald Wilder, you aren't going to find him here. Well not at the moment anyway. He left a while ago with Jack."
The Horsemen turned around to see maid. She was tall and skinny with blonde hair.
"You saw them?" Daniel asked.
She nodded, "Yeah. I sure did. Donald's little brother, Jack, is so adorable. I could just pinch his cheeks, yeah I could."
She had a thick Swedish accent.
"Um, do you know when they will be back?" Merritt asked.
"Sadly no. I'm sorry. They are usually gone almost all day, when they go out. So, you will be waiting for them a long while, yes. Well, I'll leave you to...wait then."
She turned to leave, but Daniel stopped her by asking her a question.
"Is he happy?"
She turned around to look at the control freak.
"Pardon?"
"Does Jack seem happy with Donald?"
She smiled, "Oh yes. Ever since he has arrived he has been nothing but smiles and laughs. Except for last night. When he and Donald came home, he had this look on his face. The poor thing was almost in tears, he was. Oh, I wanted nothing more than to just scoop him up and rock him like a baby!"
Henley and Merritt chuckled lightly at her words.
"Um, thank you for your time." Daniel told her.
She just smiled before walking down the hall and to the elevator.
"Let's get some grub. I'm hungry." Merritt stated.
Henley rolled her eyes, "When aren't you hungry Merritt?"
"You guys go ahead. I'm going to wait here." Daniel said.
Henley got behind him and began to push him towards the elevator.
"Oh no, you're not. You are eating! Do you think Jack would want you to go hungry?"
Merritt got in front of Daniel and started to pull on his arms.
"She's right! And besides, lunch is a very important meal!"
"You say that about every meal, Merritt!" Daniel joked.
The other two magicians stopped in their tracks.
"Did, J. Daniel Atlas make a joke?" Henley said in disbelief.
Daniel rolled his eyes and walked the rest of the way to the elevator.
"I'm leaving without you guys if you aren't here when the elevator comes."
Henley and Merritt stopped laughing and rushed over to their friend.
Leaving the hotel, the three magicians began walking down the street. What they didn't know was that there was a hooded figure following them.
They stopped to decide where to eat.
"Okay, where do you guys want to eat?" The red head asked.
Before anything else could be said the hooded figure was behind Henley. She felt a gun pressing into her back.
"In the alley, now!" The man motioned behind them.
Daniel and Merritt did as they were told. The hooded figure had Henley up against his body tightly, not wanting her to get away.
Henley was an escape artist. She could get out of this guy's hold if she wanted to, but it was just too risky with his gun.
The two magicians were now in the back of the alley; pressed against the cold metal fence.
The man threw Henley on the ground roughly at her friends' feet.
They quickly bent down to help her stand.
"Are you alright?" Merritt asked as he held Henley safely to him.
She only nodded.
"Who are you? What do you want?"
Daniel to a step forward and the man pulled the trigger, shooting the trashcan behind him.
Henley gave a small gasp.
"Look, this is a fancy ass part of town and I'm just looking for some extra cash, alright? I've been working the streets all day, getting money." He said.
"Hey!" A loud voice echoed off of the walls.
Everyone turned to look. Daniel tried to move toward him again, but the man looked at him and cocked the gun.
"I - I just called the cops!"
"Um, okay? Get your ass over there with them!" He pointed the gun at him.
Donnie reluctantly moved over to stand by Daniel.
The magician's eyes widened, "You."
Donnie looked up him, "This didn't turn out like I had planned."
"Where's Jack?"
Donnie looked up at him and before he could reply a playing card came flying down the alley, hitting the gunman's hand, slicing it.
The man yelped in pain, almost dropping the gun.
"What the hell?" He muttered and turned to look behind him.
There stood Jack in all his glory.
"I don't think its them you want. Its want me." Jack said.
"Kid, why the hell would I want you for?" The man said with a sneer.
Jack held up a black leather object.
"Because I stole your wallet."
He had the biggest grin on his face.
Daniel and the other magicians chuckled softly.
Daniel couldn't help but to be mesmerized at the younger man. He was so beautiful; breath taking.
The man quickly reached into his back pockets, checking.
"You little shit! I'm going to kill you!"
"Ah, my friend, you will have to catch me first."
He took off down the alley, but not before shouting, "Donnie, stay there! I'll be back!"
Jack and the gunman disappeared out of the alley.
Donnie was having a hard time breathing.
"We have to call the cops! Jack is going to get hurt or killed! Oh my gosh, oh my gosh. Breathe Donnie, breathe."
"Hey, man, calm down. Our Jackie is one smooth criminal. He can take care of himself." Merritt said, trying to calm the man down.
"Don't worry, Donnie. Any minute now Jack will be running up to us telling in detail how he beat the hell out of that guy." Henley said.
"Don't worry until I start to worry." The fedora wearing man commented.
So the four of them waited and waited.
As soon as Jack took off he could hear the gunman following close behind him.
"Don't think I won't shoot you, just 'cause you're a kid!" He growled.
Jack cut a corner and ducked into another alley.
After endless minutes of running up and down empty streets and alleyways Jack made the horrific mistake of running down an alley that lead to a dean end.
No. Jack thought as fear gripped tightly at his chest.
He turned around to leave, but the gunman was there, smiling. It sent a chill down Jack's spine.
Jack walked backwards until his back hit the cold brick wall. The gunman following him.
"Now listen here, kid, give me my wallet."
"What happens if I don't?"
The man placed the gun right between Jack's eyes.
Jack punch the man in the face. When he was bent over, cupping his bleeding nose in pain, Jack proceeded to grab the arm in which held the gun. He tried to break his arm over his knee, but the man was stronger than Jack.
He thrust the backend of the gun towards Jack, hitting him hard on the left side temple. Blood gushed from the wound, running down the side of his face. He was momentarily dazed.
This was a great opportunity for the gunman. He grabbed Jack by the shoulders and slammed him into the brick wall as hard as he could; leaving Jack gasping for air.
"You think you're so tough, kid?" He thrust the gun in Jack's face.
"Oh, I think I'm adorable." Jack commented with a grin.
"You're really pushing my buttons, kid."
"Well, since I am a kid, a curious one at that, I like to press as many buttons as I can."
The man punched Jack in the ribs. The said boy let out a grunt of pain.
"I was going to let you go, but you've just pissed me off too bad."
Jack kneed the man in the stomach, making him stumble back. In a blink of an eye cards appeared between Jack's fingers.
"Are you going to show me a magic trick, kid? Oh, that is adorable." The Gunman said in a mocking tone.
Jack then sent one card at a time flying, hitting the man every time. The man groaned in pain each time a card would slice through his skin. He tried to doge them, but it was no use. He finally dropped the gun and began to walk backwards, but Jack followed.
Much to Jack's dismay he ran out of cards. As fast as he could he lunged for the gun and took off running. The man followed.
Jack's vision was blurring and he couldn't stop the dizziness that was taking over his body. He stopped running to catch his breath.
The man caught up with him, spinning him around.
"You stole my wallet." He punched Jack in the ribs.
"You stole my gun." Another punch.
"And you made me look like a fool!" Punch.
Jack fell to his knees, unable to take anymore. His head was spinning and his ribs were aching.
If I don't do something quick, I'm done for. I just wish, Thought Jack, I wasn't so dizzy. Damn, what's wrong with me.
Jack conjured up all of his strength and punched the man right in the head, the man went flying backwards.
"Hey! What's going on here?" A loud voice said.
Jack looked up to see two cops running to his aide.
"I - I was just checking to see if he was okay! I swear!" The man said as he tried to get up.
He groaned and fell back down.
One cop had hauled him up and was already handcuffing him and saying his rights, while the other bent down to Jack's level.
"You alright, kid?"
"Here," Jack handed him the gun.
"He was trying to shoot me. I - I managed to get it." He said weakly.
"Let's get you to the hospital." He helped Jack stand.
"Uh no. I'm fine, really. I just need to get back to my brother." Jack tried to pull out of the cop's grasp, but he had a firm grip on the young man.
"No, I think it would be best if you saw a doctor. You don't look so good. I'll call your brother for you."
"Please, let me go!" Jack shouted.
"Let him go, Frank. I'm sure his brother will take him to the hospital." The other cop said as he began pushing the ex-gunman down the alley.
"Alright. Go on. You are one tough, kid." The cop released Jack.
Jack stumbled down the alley, clutching his ribs. With his vision blurring with each step, he couldn't get the picture of Daniel staring at him as he distracted the gunman's focus on his friends; his family
~It's kind of cliff hanger-ish! Sorry, I had to! This chapter was so long that, I had to split it up...Well I didn't have to, but I wanted to, because I can be evil. And I wanted all of you to be on the edge of your seats! I'm sorry.~