AN: Guess this took longer than I expected. This was all I could crank out in a month. Don't know about the next chapter, looks like you'll just have to keep a look out.

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Lucero considered himself to be an honorable man. Although he has killed he had never taken a life that did not deserve to be taken, at least according to his own personal view.

Sydney Fox had to die. He needed to kill her.

She had taken the one thing in the world he had cared about. The one person that could make everything better once the day was over. She was the only person that could look at him with such love and trust, but she was gone now. His baby girl was dead because Sydney Fox prevented him from using the one thing that could save her.

He was in Florida, trying to escape the hurt from his wife's death. His seven year old daughter sat in his lap and stared out at the passing terrain. Her hair had long ago been lost, but her eyes still glowed with life. She was beautiful.

They were here for business as well as pleasure and even though he knew that was never a good mix, he felt that his daughter needed some time to enjoy life after a brush with mortality, her mother's as well as her own.

So he left her in the care of her personal doctor as he went to seal a deal. He had been searching for the cave for months and there were people who said they had the map. He knew that the cave was a legend but he had a feeling that it was real. And when he found it, he would have to power to save his daughter.

She suffered from Leukemia and he knew that time was starting to run out. He couldn't lose her; she was the last person he had left. The cave was the answer. It held the power of the gods and if he could find the jade collar he could save her.

He stood facing the men who had his salvation. Their price was high, most likely unreasonable, but he was willing to pay it. With a wave of his hand his men produced the two suit cases stacked full with cash. The men handed over a decorative wooden box. He opened it and inside was a parchment, hand copied hundreds of years ago.

He looked over the parchment and placed it reverently back into the box.

The men left and he and his own followed. He was personally holding the box and leading the way to his car when a woman dashed out of nowhere and knocked him to the ground. She was stunning to say in the least. Dark skin, almond eyes, and black hair falling everywhere, she was a hard one to miss. At first he thought she had just knocked him down on accident but before he knew what was happening she picked up the box and ran, jumping into a moving vehicle and taking off with his last chance of saving his daughter.

He yelled furiously at his men and they tried to follow her, but she had gotten away.

He furiously went back to the hotel; he had to see his little girl again. She didn't know what he was trying to do, but he had promised her that he would do everything that he could to make sure that she was all right. He felt like he was failing her. She deserved to live, she shouldn't die. Not now, not when her life was just beginning. He would gladly trade places with her if he could. But he was helpless and the one shot he had to save her, he blew.

When the doctor saw him he hung up and tried to keep him out of the room. Lucero pushed him out of the way and opened the door.

He walked in to find his daughter lifelessly slumped on the bed. He moved carefully. Almost disbelievingly towards her. She was so little compared the queen sized bed. Her angelic face was pale against the dark yellow covers, contrasting deeply with her long black hair.

He kneeled down next to the bed and touched her face, hoping that this was just a misunderstanding. Her head lolled limply to face him and he cried softly. He distantly heard the doctor say that she went peacefully but he didn't see how that could help. It didn't change the fact that she was gone. It didn't change the fact that she wasn't suppose to die.

Lucero took a sip of his drink, shaking away the memory of what followed that fateful afternoon and thought of what he could do now.

---

They took him.

They had no reason to take him. Lucero had nothing against Nigel. Only her.

Why would they take him?

Sydney paced their small cell, practically walking in a small circle, scrutinizing each brick as she passed.

"Sydney," Oscar called, "that's not going to accomplish anything."

Sydney didn't answer but she knew he was right. But she didn't know what else to do. The only way out of the cell was the door and they blew the only chance they had with that.

Sydney took a claming breath and sat down on the cot which paralleled the bars. She stared at the bars but looked past them. She let herself go, losing the anger, confusion, and anxiety.

She began to come back to herself when she realized that the only way to get out is to find the right opportunity and that meant they had to wait.

They waited in silence for what seemed like hours although Oscar reassured her that it was only one hour.

"What does he want?" Sydney broke the thoughtful silence which Oscar somehow maintained. "He still wants the jade collar, but what does he want from Nigel?"

Oscar sighed, "I think you know, Syd, but accepting it is a different story."

On some level she knew. She knew that Lucero found a way to hurt her as much as he was hurt by life. But she couldn't see any deeper at the moment. She was too worried. Too preoccupied had just been done, what was going to be done.

---

At first there was nothing but fear but soon that dissipated because of the suspense then the suspense turned into boredom and he had to wonder how that happened. He was terrified at first but now he was bored stiff.

Then again, sitting in a dark room, on what felt like to be a wooden chair, blind folded and tied up left one with very little things to do.

Nigel tried to keep track of time but he could only estimate that it had been under an hour even though he felt like it could be more.

His thoughts began to drift and he felt like sleeping again but he fought it. He didn't like the light, it was beautiful, memorizing, and even desirable but he knew it was dangerous. It held power he never knew could exists and it told him he didn't belong there.

He tried to leave but couldn't find the way out. He knew telling Sydney would result in unneeded worry, so he knew keeping quiet was the best way to deal with this until they got out of Lucero's prison.

Then the door creaked open and the boredom instantly turned into terror. He sensed people walking into the room, although he couldn't tell how many, he was sure that there were at least three.

Footsteps came closer to him and he tried to scoot away but that was impossible. Rough hands removed the blind fold and stood him up. Nigel experimentally pulled on the ropes still binding his hands behind his back but that only caused the rope to sink further into his broken flesh.

There were three men, like he suspected. Two of which who were easily over six feet tall and built like a house, while the other man didn't look like he belonged there. he wore a black suit with a red tie on top of a dark blue dress shirt.

Nigel watched them warily as Lucero motioned for his guards to block the door. Nigel tried to stand up tall and show that he was afraid, but the problem was, he was scared shitless. So he did his best to prove otherwise.

Lucero walked around him and kicked the chair away when it got in his path. As Lucero circled him, Nigel stood stalk still, waiting for whatever Lucero wanted to do, because he knew there was no way he could stop him.

Starting on his second round, Lucero flicked a small knife out of his pocket. Nigel's heart was thundering in his chest, he had always felt that psychopaths shouldn't wield weapons of any sort.

Lucero must have seen him flinch, "Do not worry," Lucero comforted eerily, "you will live."

"That's comforting," Nigel muttered.

To Nigel's surprise, Lucero smiled, "You Americans and your sarcasm."

Nigel kept quiet but it was hard. He wasn't insulted that he was mistaken for an American but he wanted to correct him so much.

Lucero stood behind him and Nigel felt the knife run lightly down his arm. Nigel repressed the impulse to shiver and felt Lucero smile.

"You may not know this," Lucero explained, the knife paused near his wrists. He could feel the cold steel brushing against his skin. "But Ms. Fox has done me a great wrong. And the only way to repay her is through you."

A chill ran through Nigel as Lucero grabbed his bound wrists and held them still. "This is nothing personal, but this must be done."

Nigel felt the knife come closer, then the flat of the knife was pressed against his skin and the rope was gone. Blood began to rush into his hands as Nigel wondered when they went numb. He wrapped his arms across his chest and rubbed his wrists absently.

Lucero stood against him, one arm draped over his shoulder, his other arm holding the knife half a foot from his side. "You understand." Lucero stated and drove the knife into Nigel's side, right below his ribs.

Nigel cried out and tried to wrench the steel out but Lucero shoved his hands away then turned him until they were face to face. For a moment Nigel actually looked at the man and realized that Lucero saw him as a means to a solution. Nigel knew that the man would not be overcome by emotion because he had lost those pesky things long ago. He lived for revenge.

Lucero punched him hard, knocking him off his feet and onto the cement floor. His head was reeling, he propped himself on his elbows and watched as Lucero walked out the door, commanding his men to finish this up and put him back.

Nigel leaned his weight over and pulled the knife out, sticking it in one of the pockets in his cargo shorts, it was small but it was something.

He collapsed against the cement floor as he watched the two lumbering oafs gaining up on him.

---

Oscar sat quietly watching Sydney fret over her friend. He liked Nigel enough, but they had only just met so even though he was worried, he wasn't that worried.

The door banged opened, startling Oscar out of his thoughts and two men entered the room dragging Nigel between them. Blood ran from his nose and lips blazing a path down his throat. While bruises and cuts scattered across his arms and legs.

The men ordered Oscar and Sydney to back up against the far wall then one of them opened the door while the other flung Nigel onto the cell floor. The guards locked the door and left without a word.

Nigel stayed on the floor, flat on his back with one arm slung over his diaphragm holding himself in a half hug. His breaths were short and strained as he tried desperately to breathe deep enough. Oscar looked closer he took in the blood that stained Nigel's shirt and how his hand was trying to inhibit the blood flow.

Oscar and Sydney gently picked him up and laid him on his cot. Sydney quickly and efficiently took off Nigel's shirt and handed it to Oscar. "Get some water."

Oscar picked up a cup of water they had given them that morning and soaked a small portion of the shirt. He handed the shirt back to Sydney and took a good look at Nigel. He was pale, bruised, and bloody, but he looked like he would survive the night.

Instead of being reassured, Oscar was now bothered. Lucero seemed to have a lot planned out for them.

---

While Nigel tried to get to sleep, Sydney and Oscar were discussing their plan of action. Which amounted to very little, but it was the most they could do.

Nigel pulled the thin blanket tighter around him, but it was no use. No matter how hard he tried he was still cold. His shirt was now wrapped around the knife wound and he was left with a tattered rag, no matter how much he tried he was still freezing. Then again that might have been shock…

He would have to think about this, but thinking took too much so he was going to go to sleep. He tried to get comfortable but there didn't seem to be a way that he could without pain, so he settled for an awkward angel that avoided the most of it.

Nigel began drifting away when he heard a distant shout. Oscar must have gotten one of his ideas again, which he must admit, aren't half bad.

---

Sydney sat against the wall on her cot. She had a good view of Nigel from here and she didn't want him out of her sight at the moment.

She didn't know what to think. This couldn't even be possible. But she saw it with her own eyes and she wasn't about to doubt herself there, they would all be in serious trouble if she doubted herself there.

Nigel was fine; all his injuries had mysteriously healed overnight. Impossibly.

She wondered if she was dreaming but dismissed the thought as soon as it came to her. When she had woken up she decided to check and make sure Nigel was still, well alive, he was fine. The lesser cuts and bruises were gone, leaving nothing but smooth skin. The deep gash below his rib cage was reduced to a light bruise. His ribs, had been at least fractured last night, but as Sydney gently felt them today, they felt fine. She then carefully pealed the makeshift tourniquet off of Nigel's head and saw that the graze was now completely gone.

She sighed, this didn't make any sense. But she was only frustrated with that, as far as she was concerned it was miraculous.

Both boys were still asleep and she took the time to collect herself. Once the guards flipped on the lights, it would be time for their one and only meal of the day.

Sydney closed her eyes and breathed deeply, clearing her mind. After a few minutes she heard footsteps coming and then the door slammed open, like always. They seemed to think that they had to slam a door open or shut around here.

Sydney nudged Oscar, waking him up almost instantly although he stayed still as if he were still sleeping.

One of the two guards held a tray while the other walked up to the door. He took a glance at Sydney and the two sleeping and opened the door without a word. The first guard entered the cell and set the tray on Sydney's cot. As the other guard kept watch, the first guard then faced Nigel's cot. He stared down for a moment and Sydney glared at the guard. "Get away from him."

The guard didn't reply and roughly shook Nigel. Nigel didn't even move. He must have been more tired than Sydney suspected.

The guard tried again and met the same results; he turned to his partner and shrugged. The other guard sighed and motioned for him to get out. They slammed and locked the door, leaving them alone once more.

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AN: Are you starting to like the turns this is taking?