Title: Red Headed Goddess, 9/?

Author: Goddess Evie

Date: September 12, 2007

Category: J/JHR, Angst

Summary: Race is still trying to get information, Jonny starts his wild goose chase, and Jessie faces her stalker for the first real time.

Disclaimer: I do not own JQ. I am only using the characters for my own unique story. I am using lyrics from the song "I Need You" by "3 Door Down" from their first CD. I do not own it, either. Well, heheh, I own the CD, just not the rights to all the songs. If you get my drift.

Author's Notes: Wow, I am so on a roll with this story. I just can't seem to stop writing it! For all of you who have been faithfully following along (and I do hope you've also been faithfully reviewing. It gives writers such a warm, happy feeling inside to receive a good review), lucky you! Keep praying it continues until the story ends. And once again, I end the chapter with a cliff hangar. I've been pretty good at that, recently. Of course, what's a good story climax without the cliff hangars. Anyways, although it's very light, there is the beginning of some sexuality. I know it really isn't as bad as plenty other stuff you can find on here or elsewhere, but I admit I'm a goody two shoes, so it seems like pretty deep stuff. Hey, at least I'm warning you, even if you do roll your eyes at my story and go "Lightweight." Teehee. I just want to cover all my bases! Anyways, enjoy! No promises on the next chapter, as usual, but receiving reviews and having certain people update their stories certainly helps! eyes those certain people who know who they are!!!!

Chapter 9: Oh no, I can't let you go, my little girl, because you're holding up my world, so I need you.

It was forty minutes before Detective Dougan arrived at the old camera shop where Race was waiting. He seemed calm enough, Dougan decided as he climbed out of his car and strode quickly towards where the man was watching his approach, standing almost motionless.

Slowly, but in a dangerously quiet voice, Race neatly recapped the progress he had made during his trip into town. The complete bust the first store had been, and the resistance of the man, Mark, in the store they now stood outside of. Race was sure the man knew something, but he was unwilling to talk. Dougan wondered at the control Race had shown, knowing the man before him was as dangerous as a ticking time bomb, and that the clock was quickly nearing zero.

"I can't promise anything. There's nothing I can do to make him talk, not without a warrant or a subpoena. And I'm not sure we have enough evidence here to get either one of those," Dougan warned as Race handed him the sketch.

The white haired man nodded at the Detective and Dougan turned to walk into the shop. He was surprised, when he glanced over his shoulder, to see that Race hadn't followed him. Was it a sign of trust? Or was the man just smart enough to know when he wouldn't be able to control himself? Whatever the reason, Dougan was glad to be doing this alone.

The shop was empty for the moment, except for the cameras and supplies hanging from the walls from floor to ceiling. Detective Dougan rang a bell on the counter and in a few short moments the man Race had described, Mark, appeared through a doorway into the back room. Dougan immediately pulled out his badge and held it out for the man to inspect as he introduced himself. He wanted to make sure Mark knew he was the real deal, after Race's pressing interrogation.

"What can I do for you, Detective?" Mark asked congenially, taking a seat on a stool.

Detective Dougan handed the sketch to Mark and watched his face harden while the man looked it over. After only a couple of moment's he tried handing it back to the Detective, but Dougan declined. Once Mark realized that Dougan wasn't going to take it back he set it on the counter, but kept his eyes on Dougan.

"You're the second person to show this picture to me," he admitted stonily.

"You know who this person is," Dougan said softly, making it a statement and not a question.

After a long hesitation the man nodded and commented, "He's a nice kid."

"Maybe not so nice," Dougan returned.

"That's exactly what Mr. Bannon implied," Mark said, showing he had made the connection.

"We have compelling evidence to think so," Dougan assured, keeping his tone of voice light.

Mark shook his head. "I can't imagine this kid doing anything bad. You should see some of the pictures he's taken."

"I've seen more than enough," Dougan cut in, and received a curious look from Mark." He paused for a moment, deliberately, before he asked, "What's his name?"

"You sure this kid's done something wrong?" Mark asked in reply. "Sure this is the right kid?"

"He hasn't done anything serious…yet," Dougan reassured. "But we fear he will. We need to stop him before he hurts anybody."

"He's just not capable, I tell you!" Mark yelled, rising. "He's just a quiet, gentle young man. Kid couldn't hurt a fly, and never wanted to,"

"It's always the quiet ones," Dougan sighed, feeling like an actor in a bad cop movie. He received a glare from Mark for his comment. "Look, I'm sure you have every reason to stand up for him, but I need to know who this guy is before he gets himself into trouble and does some serious harm to an innocent victim."

There was no reply from Mark, but Dougan could see the inner struggle on the man's face as he stared between the picture on the counter and Detective Dougan's face.

"All I need is a name," Dougan added softly.

The man smiled, not a happy gesture, and muttered, "That's what Mr. Bannon said."

Dougan didn't say anything, could see Mark was still deliberating. This could be the pivotal moment and he had a feeling if he uttered even one word the man would shut up.

"Zach Ellis," he finally identified. "His name's Zach Ellis."

"Thank you," Dougan said sincerely, grabbing the picture and slipping out of the dusty shop.

Race pounced on him immediately, but Dougan gave the information before the man could even get his first question out.

"All I got was a name, but hopefully, that'll be enough," Dougan informed, repeating the name Mark had given him.

"That's all we need," Race assured, and Dougan didn't miss that even through his serious demeanor he sounded hopeful again.

Detective Dougan watched as Race climbed into his car, leaving the door open, and began keying something into the center console. He realized there was a small, full color, LED monitor set into the dash, an extension of the center console between the two front seats. He remained quiet while Race worked, sure he was seeing more than he probably should be. After a few minutes, Race turned to Dougan, almost smiling.

"I've got two addresses for a Zach Ellis. We'll check the closer one, first. Hop in Detective, I'll drive."

Without questioning the older man, Dougan obediently ran around to the other side of the car. He just barely had the door closed before Race sped out of the parking spot and squealed into the street.

JQ

"He's not here."

Jonny felt the panic rise within him with that statement and closed his eyes for a moment until he could make it go away. "Do you know where he is? I really need to find him," he pleaded, ready to drop to his knees and beg.

"How the hell should I know? I haven't seen him since he moved in with his asshole of a father."

Jonny felt a glimmer of hope return to him. "Where does his father live?" he asked frantically.

"What's so important that you're in such a hurry to find the little shit?" the woman asked, squinting her eyes.

I don't have time for this, Jonny thought, wanting to yell it at the woman.

"Uh, senior pictures," he blurted out, instead. "He promised to do mine for me-you know, save a buck-but I haven't been able to get a hold of him and school's about to start. Please, if you know how I can reach him, I'd really appreciate it."

Still looking skeptical, but also like she was tiring of the conversation, the woman rambled off an address, which Jonny committed to memory.

"Thanks, Mrs. Ellis," Jonny called even as he was already running back to his car.

He heard the woman go into hysterics, cussing and yelling, but Jonny paid her no attention. He was already in his car and driving off. He didn't recognize the street name the woman had given him, but as he drove he pulled out his phone and dialed the GPS service. Punching in the address along with his current position, the phone started firing off directions and Jonny followed them, still driving at dangerous speeds.

With his eye now mostly clear, though still aching, Jonny didn't feel so apprehensive driving on the main roads when the GPS led him there, though he hated having to slow down in the increased traffic. The stoplights were a problem, too. He swore he was hitting every single one red.

This was taking too long. He wasn't going to reach Jessie quickly enough. Too much time had passed. Zach was probably already…Jessie could already be…he…she…they…

Just drive, Quest, he mentally ordered himself.

JQ

Jessie's mouth was dry and there was a dull ache in her eyes when she awoke, groggy and disoriented. Reflexively, her hands moved to rub at them, but jerked to a stop after only a couple of inches. The alarm ringing in her head fully woke Jessie and she craned around to see her wrists were bound above her head to the rungs of a metal headboard with tightly wrapped ropes. As she turned her head to gaze around the rest of the room she was in, the memories of the earlier attack flashed across her memory and she felt the wrath beginning to build in her.

The room she was in was small and dingy, though nowhere near as bad as the room with all the pictures of herself. In stark contrast, the walls of this room were naked and bare. The only piece of furniture in the room was the bed she was currently lying on-No, tied to, she thought seethingly-and a small, well abused night table on her left, with a drawer in the front. The only thing on the night table was a thick layer of dust. There was enough dirt and grime on the only window in the room to turn it yellow and keep anyone from seeing in or out. Shadows from outside shrubbery moved in the breeze, darkening the majority of the pane, but weren't enough to let Jessie know if she was on the ground floor or a higher level. A bald light bulb hung from its base in the middle of the browning, popcorn textured ceiling. The closet's aluminum, accordion style doors stood partially open in the opposite corner of the room from Jessie, but she wasn't at the right angle to see anything useful in there. To the left of the closet was the door out of the room, but it was securely shut.

Immediately, Jessie began to pull at the ropes holding her down. Her feet, at least were free, but the ropes binding her were thick, tightly tied and wrapped several times around her wrist and halfway up her hands. The headboard itself was composed of hollow, aluminum tubes with white matte paint, ranging from shortest on the ends to tallest in the middle, a curving piece running along the tops. A smaller version held up the foot of the bed. The sheets she lay on at least were clean, and the pillow beneath her head smelled fresh.

As futile as her efforts seemed, Jessie didn't give up trying to free herself of the ropes holding her down. There was no way she was going to just lie around and wait for…him. She didn't really want to find out what promises he had inferred behind the words of his letters. "Paris." "Actaeon." Whatever.

Jonny, where are you? Are you okay? she asked herself as she continued to struggle. She remembered keenly, though she had been unconscious through most of it, the burn in her eyes from the pepper spray they'd been attacked with and the way it had inhibited their breathing. Was he still laying out in the park, unable to see or breath or even move? Had their attacker gone back to make sure Jonny didn't interfere? He had to have known they'd recognized him the moment he stepped out from behind the tree. Would he have taken extra precautions with Jonny to make sure her best friend didn't come after her?

As if her thoughts had summoned him, the door opened to admit Zach himself. Hearing the creek of the hinges, Jessie snapped her head to the side to watch him as he entered. When his dark hazel eyes met her green ones and he saw she was awake, he smiled eagerly. Jessie met his expression with an icy scowl.

He stood just about six-one, just as Jonny and Hadji had deduced from the video footage of him delivering the first package. He wasn't quite as well built as Jonny, was scrawnier in the shoulders, arms and torso. His thick, dark brown hair was slightly disheveled, and he ran a hand through it as he stood in the doorway, staring into her eyes.

"Let me go," she demanded, angrily through clenched teeth.

"You are my goddess," he answered softly, carefully closing the door behind himself. "By all rights I should do as you ask, but I guess I'm just too selfish to let you leave. If this is the only way to have you near, then so be it."

Jessie's eyes narrowed dangerously as he approached, and every muscle in her body tensed. She watched him carefully, her mind racing to think of every possible counter attack she could use in her current position. There weren't many.

Three-quarters of the way between the bed and the door Zach fell to his knees, his arms raised in the air above his head. He closed his eyes for a moment as he worshipped her silently. Jessie refused to take her eyes off of him, as every moment her instincts screamed at her to get away any way she could.

After only a few moments Zach's eyes opened and he crawled forward on his knees until he could rest on the bed, his head on the sheets and an arm across her waist, still staring up into her face with adoration and obsession. Jessie twisted her body away from him, but he slid his hand across her lower abdomen to press gently but firmly on her hip to make her lay straight again. Jessie resisted with all her strength, but without the leverage of her arms, she lost the battle.

Zach pulled himself up to sit next to her on the bed and reached out to gently caress her face with the back of his fingers. Jessie turned her head away from the touch, every cell in her body cringing from the unwanted contact. She felt him shifting himself on the bed next to her and a moment later his lips pressed against her temple. He trailed kisses down the side of her face, curving along her cheek and towards her lips.

Jessie turned away from his searching mouth, burying his face into her arm. She felt his hands rubbing along her outstretched arms as he sought her lips with his own and the weight of his body on top of her own as he was forced to reach farther and farther to attain his goal.

Finally, Zach forced her to look at him, placing both hands on either side of her face and tilting her head towards him. No amount of resistance could stop him, he was definitely stronger than he looked. And the cold, wrath-filled look in her eyes did nothing to change the soft, admiring way he gazed upon her. He dipped his face towards hers, ready to finally steal her kiss.

"Stop," she whispered, her voice low but dangerous.

He hesitated. "I can't," came his simple reply and he ran a thumb back and forth across her cheek. "I love you."

He lowered his head again, and Jessie squirmed beneath him, tossing her head back and forth in an attempt to find freedom from his strong hands. But he wasn't going to be deterred and his mouth crashed down on hers despite her best efforts to avoid him.

Jessie froze in the first moment, the panic spreading through her immobilizing her as his mouth worked against hers. She squeezed her eyes shut, unable to react through the sheer terror she felt in that instant. In the second moment, her mind called out for her father and Jonny and the rest of the family. Wasn't this the part where they came crashing through the door to save her? Her dad would pull the creep off of her and knock him out cold in ten seconds flat while Jonny and Hadji and Dr. Quest rushed past them to untie her and help her out this hellhole. Any moment, now.

But they weren't coming, and Jessie knew it. They didn't have any idea where she was. She didn't even have any idea where she was. And to make matters worse her watch, the one they all wore with the homing beacons in them, was buried under piles of rope where she couldn't get to it in order to activate it so they could find her.

She began thrashing around as she felt his hands leave her face and begin to slither down her body. They slid over her t-shirt along the sides of her breasts and then his fingers fanned out as they reached her abdomen. Once they hit her hips one shot back up, rubbing along her side while the other one slipped farther down to knead the inside of her thigh through her jeans. She managed to pull her mouth free of his, but undeterred, he merely began to kiss and lick along her neck and around her jaw. Somehow during all this he had maneuvered so he lay completely on top of her, and his weight trapped her effectively.

Jessie realized she was crying hysterically, the tears streaming out of the corner of her eyes and into her hair. She was uncontrollably begging with him to stop, let her go, don't do this to her. He paid her no mind as his mouth searched around the base of her neck and the tip of his tongue found the dip just above her collarbone.

"No, dad," Jessie cried aloud, trying to summon help by sheer willpower. "Jonny."

Zach suddenly froze, his mouth hovering millimeters above her neck. Jessie tilted her head down to look at him. Slowly he raised his gaze to meet hers and Jessie saw something different than what had been there before. A look in his eyes that was unreadable, but dangerous. A look that scared Jessie almost more than how he was violating her and what his intentions clearly were.

The look slowly dissolved, became worshipful and adoring, and Zach shifted himself so he was looking straight down at her. He supported himself on all fours, straddling her hips with his hands on the mattress on either side of her head. She watched him with a guarded, untrusting expression, waiting for him to strike again. His eyes never left her face as he reached out with his right hand for the night table.

Unwilling to take her eyes off Zach for one second, Jessie listened as the drawer opened with a squeal of protest from disuse. He scrabbled around in it as he felt for whatever was looking for, his gaze unwavering as he continued to stare at her. Once he had found what he was looking for he shoved the door closed again and drew his hand back. Jessie's eyes went wide when she saw what he was holding.

Zach laid the tip of the double-bladed knife against her stomach just beneath her breasts and his breathing quickened with anticipation. She felt the sharp tip through the material of her shirt as he dragged it along her abdomen to the waistband of her pants. Squeezing her eyes closed and lifting her chin, Jessie screamed with everything she had, even as she felt Zach pulling the bottom of her shirt out of her jeans.

But was anyone near enough to hear her scream?