First Date

These good fellows don't belong to me but I promise when I'm done to pick um up, dust um off and with a kiss on the cheek return them safely home.

"There's nothing terribly wrong with feeling lost, so long as that feeling precedes some plan on your part to actually do something about it." Jhonen Vasquez.

Thanks so much to those who are reviewing. If you're reading and enjoying please let me know. As this story continues hearing feedback makes a big difference in what I type.

Chapter 13

Kanda drove with Jennifer curled up next to her in the front seat as the little one shivered more with fear than cold. Alder sat in the back with his gun kept on Johnny. At this point it was more for show than something he would need to use since the young man was not able to fight back. The blood continued to run down his face and it was obvious to the medical man that he was struggling to even remain conscious.

Johnny was battling the nausea from what he assumed was a concussion and his head was pounding like a brass marching band had taken up residence in his frontal lobe. He kept swallowing down the rising waves of his stomach as he felt along side of his head. Grimacing he realized he could put his fingers into the laceration that was still bleeding freely. Nothing like a head wound to make ya bleed like a stuck pig, he thought. If the head injury wasn't enough to hold his attention the pressure of the cold gun barrel into his side kept him finely tuned into their present situation.

As Adler gave directions to her Johnny tried desperately to keep up with where they were going. It would be critical for them to get out of this. He had no intentions of being with this psychopath for any longer than possible. Knowing what this man wanted from Kanda made him intent on doing anything he needed to save her.

The gun pressed harder into his side, "You have the same look as your sister when she has figured out the answer to a diagnostic riddle." The smile on his face did not help Johnny's feeling of nausea. "I won't let you interfere in my plans with your sister but if you behave yourself that little one might very well come out of this in one piece."

This man made his skin crawl. His eyes focused on the road and where they were going as he heard Jenny crying softly in the front seat. Kanda's soft litany of comforting words tried to reassure the little girl that they would be just fine. Johnny knew she was hungry, cold and scared to death.

After a few moments of listening to the two up front Adler barked, "Make her shut up."

His sudden command only seemed to anger Kanda, "She's scared and your screaming isn't helping anything."

Johnny knew she was upset and scared too but antagonizing him wasn't going to help. "Jennybear?" He called her in a soft voice. Her blonde head popped up over the seat and he could see the tears on her pink cheeks. "Come here, you can sit with me." He waited for Adler to object but with his consenting silence Johnny helped her crawl over to the backseat.

Sitting in his lap she wrapped her arms and legs around him, burying her head in his chest. "I want my daddy."

He rubbed her head, "We'll see him soon Jenn it's alright."

Adler had something to say but kept his mouth shut for once. At least he was keeping the child quiet for a while.

With some final directions they pulled up into a driveway then into a garage. "You sit still," he directed Kanda. Then as he slid out of the backseat he motioned for Johnny to follow with Jenny. "Come on." Johnny slid over with her grip firm on him showing she wasn't letting go of her Uncle Johnny anytime soon. As he stood up he pulled her up to his waist but had to lean against the car until the house in front of him stopped spinning. Last thing he wanted to do was have to put Jenny down but he questioned his ability to carry her and not fall.

Adler next motioned for Kanda to come out of the car. They watched as she hobbled around to the front of it and then stood with them at the front of the garage, near the house. He grabbed Jenny's arm and pulled hard at her which only forced her to increase her grip on Johnny with her little fingernails digging into this back.

"I can take her," Johnny said as he stood back up. He would figure it out; somehow he would get her inside. Anything that would keep her out of his hands.

They were at the coastline as Johnny could hear the surf on the rocks below them. The sky was cloudy and without a moon the road had been dark and indistinguishable for the most part. He knew they were north of the city but had lost track of how far north. He moved towards the kitchen door as the garage one came down and closed them in. The hard jabbing of the gun in his back pressed him on into the house.

Once inside Adler directed him to give Jenny over to Kanda. As he whispered in her ear comforting words the grip released and she slid down him then walked over to wrap her arms around Kanda's waist. Adler looked over to Kanda then smiled as he took the gun and rammed it again into Johnny's back pushing him down the hall. Looking back at the other two he made things clear with his eyes more than his works, "He's more trouble than he's worth so don't push me. I suggest you don't move."

He opened up the first door on the right and Kanda could see Johnny looking into the dark room. "Just remember that every action you consider puts their lives in danger." With that said, Adler pushed him into the room but after two steps he realized there were stairs behind him, lost his footing he fell. Kanda heard him cry out as he tumbled to the bottom.

"Better," the man said as he closed and locked the door. "One less to worry about for a while." His gaze then went to Jenny and Kanda's blood turned cold as the smile formed. "And now for you little lady."

Kanda pushed Jenny behind her in what she knew was a useless effort to protect her.

He looked back at the woman of his desires, "The kitchen is fully stocked. Fix her something to eat."

"He's hurt and needs help." She was a doctor and the very fact that her own brother was hurt and she was helpless to treat him cut her to the core.

Looking toward the stairs, "Out of sight, out of mind. If he's still alive in the morning when we are ready to leave then we will deal with him." He headed to the living room which was joined with the kitchen, easily viewed from where he sat down on the couch, the gun resting in his hand as he looked for something to watch on the TV.

Feeling the shaking body on her side she reached down and picked up Jenny, putting her on the counter. Bringing up her best smile she took her chin and pulled it up speaking in a low but soft voice, "Jenn you listen to me alright?" Jenny nodded. "We are going to get back home but you have to be brave for me."

"But I'm scared," she whimpered.

"I'm scared too but I also feel brave. You know why?"

Jenny shook her head.

Kanda gave her a genuine smile and her eyes sparkled at the little tyke, "Because we have someone who loves us very much and will find us."

Jenny smiled back, "My daddy, right?"

"Yes honey. You're daddy will work super hard to find us and take us back home with him." Just the thought of it made her feel stronger deep down where despair was fighting to take hold.

"My daddy loves you," Jenny said as she ran her little fingers through Kanda's long dark hair.

Taking her in a big hug, "I love him too honey." Standing back up she put her hands on her hips, "Now, what shall we eat?"

Johnny hit the bottom of the dark basement and for a moment just laid there. Before even opening his eyes the cold concrete underneath reminded him that at least he had remained conscious. Unfortunately now though, his head wasn't the only thing that hurt as he pushed up to his elbows then managed to make it to a sitting position. He knew he was dizzy even though he didn't have a good visual landmark to see the spinning because his stomach was telling him the world was spinning. He took a deep breath knowing that his right side was hurting but said small thanks to no sharp pains or restrictions on his intake of air. Hopefully that meant bruised and nothing broken. He had to keep it together if he was going to get them out of this mess.

Looking around he gave his eyes time to adjust to his surroundings. Basement obviously but the lack of light was annoying. He couldn't even see windows which would help at least a little for his eyes to find some type of landmark to grab onto. After a few minutes he reached out for the hand railing of the stairs and started to pull himself up. The moment was too much, too quick, and he promptly threw up.

Why did everyone always have to get him in the head? He wondered as he stood still while his stomach settled back down. Looking up again the room was starting to show him some shadows. As he scanned from right to left he could see a lot of boxes, taped closed and stacked up. Then a washer and dryer, a bookshelf with some unknown items and then pretty much nothing. Up the stairs the space under the door had some light but he knew it would be locked and although he wanted to bust through the door, rescue his girls and get out of dodge he knew he was ready yet. Surely in this basement he could find something to his advantage.

Slowly he worked his way along the wall until he felt the familiar sensation of cold glass, a window. But there was no way to see outside of it, boarded up? Painted black? He needed more light. Continuing to work his way along the wall he finally found a switch by the washer and dryer but when he flipped it down there was no change. It didn't work. Washer and dryer might have light, he thought as he reached down find the handle. Opening the dryer door the light illuminated the darkened space and let him see what he had to work with.

The house was now full of police and they had moved Paul's body out. Although Captain Layton had stayed close to his side he didn't feel so alone when he saw Hank come through the front door. Roy saw him stopped by Carter and presumably updated on what had happened. Deep down Roy was grateful since he didn't think he could say it all again. Hank's eyes shot over to his shift mate and friend as the detective talked. After a few moments Hank came over to his side and took him by the arm guiding him to stand up. He simply nodded to Layton his thanks for staying with the medic.

"Cap," was all Roy could get out when he realized that Hank was taking him from the room and up the stairs. But Hank didn't answer. He had to get him out from all the chaos and to somewhere more quiet. Roy simply followed. Hank knew this man well and was silently appalled that they just left him sitting there, covered in blood and in obvious shock over the events. Going up to the second floor he quickly found the bathroom and turned on the warm water in the sink.

"Wash your hands Roy."

Roy nodded and put his hands in the sink. As he rubbed them together he watched the blood swirl in the sink and go down the drain. Blood didn't bother him but this was Paul's blood on his hands and thoughts of Paul led him right back to thinking of Kanda, Johnny and of course his precious Jennifer. While he washed up Hank went down the hall until he found the room with Roy's bag. He had seen it at the station many times before. Opening it up he pulled out a clean shirt and pants then returned to the bathroom. Roy was splashing water on his face when Hank handed him the fresh clothes. The unspoken gratitude reflected in his eyes.

When Roy finished changing and stepped out of the room he found himself walking down the hall to the door at the end. Opening it he just stared into her room. Everything in it spoke of her, even the soft smell of lingering perfume that was in the air. He knew that Hank had walked up behind him in the hallway, "Where are they?"

Hank heard him although his voice was soft; it was more like a question to the heavens above than a direct question to his Captain. "They'll find um Roy."

Roy turned to him, "How? How can they look for them when we don't even know who took them?" The question was loaded and Hank knew it. Of course Roy was right but he also knew the police would do everything possible to find leads on who the kidnapper was.

They both looked up to see Carter coming down the hallway. "Roy?" The detective knew the man was barely holding on at this point.

Roy simply nodded his head in acknowledgement.

He dreaded telling him this knowing what was waiting for him.

"Joanne is downstairs."