Mac looked at his watch. It had been almost half an hour since he'd left Adam in the club, and so far there'd been no movement.
"I don't like this," Danny voiced the concern all three were feeling.
"I say we give it ten more minutes," Flack offered. "If he's not out by then, Danny or I will go and pull him out."
Mac opened his mouth to agree, when the back door of the club opened. The three men watched as a stranger walked out, followed by Adam.
"Heads up," Flack said, and Danny got the monitoring equipment in place. Mac radiated tension as they watched.
Adam looked around as they left the club. He relaxed a little at seeing the unmarked car still sitting where it was parked hours before. "Where are we going?" Adam asked.
"Not far," the man answered. "Just have to wait for someone."
"Who?" Adam was careful to keep his expression owlish, so the man didn't feel he was being interrogated.
"Just a friend," the man countered smoothly. "I don't do this kind of thing at my place."
"You got a wife?"
The man laughed. "No, but I do have a reputation to protect."
Adam remained silent and looked around. The man had yet to say anything incriminating, and he wasn't sure what to say to get more information.
"So your ex," the man started after a minute, and Adam turned his attention back. "He have a job?"
"Marine; retired," Adam offered. "So I know a thing or two about keeping things quiet."
"And you?"
Adam paused. "He took care of me," he kept his tone subdued. "He liked me to be available to him all the time, so he paid for a place to stay and everything just a block away from him. Don't know what I'm gonna do now."
"I'm sure you won't have to worry about it for long."
Adam was about to ask what that meant, but a car pulling up stopped him. He waited for the driver to get out, but he didn't. The man put a hand on Adam's shoulder, and tried to push him towards the car. Adam panicked.
"Wait." The man stopped pushing and Adam continued. "Do you mind if I meet your friend first?"
Adam was worried he'd angered the man, but he smiled. "Of course. Wouldn't want you going off with strangers." Adam sighed with relief as the man knocked on the window of the car, his hand never leaving Adam's shoulder. The window was wound down and Adam recoiled.
"That sub you got there is damaged goods."
"No." Adam pulled himself away from the man's grip.
"What?" The man seemed confused.
From inside the car, came a laugh. "Forget it, Jack. He ain't gonna come."
'Jack' looked from Adam to the man in the car. "What the hell, Bill?"
"I know this kid. He was here with a really protective guy; how'd you get him?" As he spoke, 'Bill' got out of the car. Adam watched each of their movements carefully. He wanted to run, but knew they needed evidence one way or another.
"They broke up tonight," Jack explained.
"You ruined it," Adam spoke up. Bill turned his attention to Adam, who continued. "Ever since he met you he was different."
"Ah," Bill smirked. "Found out you weren't the perfect little toy he thought, huh? Or was it the thought that you'd been with someone else that bothered him? You're all the same, you know that?" Bill was advancing on Adam now. "You pout and bat your eyes. Tell us you belong to us. Make us think you'll do anything we want, when really you only want us to make you do what you already wanted to do."
"That's not true," Adam protested; trying to push Bill further. He hoped Mac and the team were catching this conversation.
"That's what they all say," Jack cut in. "It's all fun and roses as long as it's 'kneel here' or 'suck this', but as soon as you get out of the comfort zone, you get the red light."
"You ever think maybe it's you?" Adam countered.
Jack moved towards Adam, but was stopped by Bill's hand on his arm. Adam turned his focus Bill, who reached into his coat and pulled out what Adam could only describe as a choke-chain made of leather. The back of his mind registered that the pattern matched their murder weapon, while the rest of him forced breath in and out of his lungs.
"On your knees."
"No."
The punch was unexpected, and Adam reeled from the force. His back hit the club door and, before he could right himself, he was forced to his knees. Adam felt the leather being slipped around his neck. He tried not to think about it. He heard the men talking above his head but tried to block it out. Grabbing the knife that was hidden at his ankle, Adam reared up and stabbed Bill in the leg. A scream and a shout were followed by a tightening around Adam's neck. Adam struggled as his vision began to swim. He couldn't make sense of the noises around him. It sounded like there were more than two voices, but he couldn't be sure. Breath refused to come, and Adam felt his eyes slipping closed. A gunshot sounded, and Adam was vaguely aware of hands at his throat. He wanted to struggle, but he had no fight left in him.