Thank you very much Elf! For your continued reviews. I love hearing from you. I hope you enjoy this chapter as well! Thank you also to all of you who are reading this. I know you're out there, I can see the numbers increasing. I'd love to know what you think!!

Susanne

CHAPTER SEVEN

By the time dawn was colouring the eastern sky the four men had travelled nearly five miles. They were much deeper into the hills. Connors was hoping that they could find a nice quiet place to spend the day. He'd all ready decided that they were better off moving at night. During the day they were a little too obvious, especially carrying the semiconscious civilian.

"How much farther do we have to go?" Anderson whined. He'd been responsible for carrying the dead weight civilian for the last fifteen minutes. He figured that was all ready long enough. The man was heavy despite his build. If he thought Connor wouldn't beat the crap out of him, he would have dumped the man into the thick undergrowth and left him there.

"Do I look like I have a map?" Connors growled. Anderson was really getting on his nerves. In the short time he'd been carrying the civilian he'd been complaining every step of the way. If his own back wasn't all ready tired from carrying the man the last three miles, he'd have taken him back. "We'll know when we get there, all right?"

"Can we rest for a few minutes?" Anderson asked. He could see the frustration level rising in Connors' posture. He knew better than to push it any further. Across his back, Anderson could feel the man beginning to stir. While he enjoyed the sensation, it made him significantly harder to hold onto him.

"Fine," Connors grumbled. Anything to shut the guy up. Looking around, he spied a small clearing off to their right. Grumbling under his breath, he set out for it.

By the time they reached the clearing, Roy had come around. It took him a few moments to figure out why he was staring at a sweaty back. Pain sliced through him with each step but at least he hadn't been raped. Everything after that was a bonus. Swallowing painfully passed his swollen throat Roy attempted to prevent the moan that tried to get out when Anderson tossed him on the ground.

"Damn it, Anderson," Connors hissed. Concerned for the civilian, he moved over to his side and helped him sit up. "Are you okay?"

"Where are we?" Roy managed around his throat. It was hard to swallow and talking wasn't a lot of fun either. Memories of what had happened kept playing through his mind, obscuring what was going on around him. Still, he was aware that they weren't in the cabin anymore and that Johnson didn't appear to be around.

"Lost?" the elder brother offered helpfully. They had each taken a turn carrying the man. They had no idea what Connors' plan was but they trusted him to do the right thing. After watching the man in prison, they knew he had a plan of some kind.

"What?" Roy grunted. He shook his head to try to get the images out of it. It had happened, it was over. He had more important problems at the moment. Gingerly, he ran his fingers over his side. Pain erupted, taking his breath away. Yeah, he had a few cracked, possibly broken ribs. Damn. He could tell by his slightly blurry vision and a pounding headache that he probably had at least a mild concussion. Double damn.

"Can you walk?" Connors asked as he crouched down beside the civilian. He was pale and sweaty. Pain flashed over his features with too much regularity. Johnson had done a rather thorough job on the man. Well, maybe not as thorough as Johnson would have liked.

"Where are we going?" Roy asked rather stupidly. He was having trouble concentrating on the here and now. His injuries were conspiring against him, completely shattering his ability to track things for more than a few seconds.

"I know where there's a cabin nearby," Connors told him. The man's blue eyes were blurry and pain filled. Suddenly the cabin wasn't close enough. "There should be supplies and fresh water there."

"Water would be good. I'm very thirsty," Roy said. He allowed the inmate to pull him to his feet and barely managed to keep upright for a few seconds. Then Roy began to sag.

"Here, let me help you," Connors said as he gingerly slipped Roy's left arm over his shoulder. He was careful to not grab the man's injured hand. A second later, the younger brother was on Roy's other side. Roy hissed in pain as the brother inadvertently brushed against his cracked ribs.

"Sorry," the younger brother said instantly chagrined. He had been trying to help, not hurt.

"S' ok," Roy slurred. Consciousness kept threatening to leave him. That wasn't how Roy wanted to be, completely at these men's mercy. Desperately he fought against the darkness even as the men on either side of him took a step forward, jarring his side. He decided to try to distract himself. "What's your name?"

"Jared," the young man on his right side replied. Roy could have sworn he saw a shy smile spread across the handsome man's face. Jared was taller than him by nearly six inches but he could still barely see the boy's eyes behind his long brown bangs. Roy got the feeling that was intentional.

"I'm Roy. When are we getting out of here?"

"Your guess is as good as mine at the moment," Jared responded, that smile ghosting across his lips. At this moment he was just along for the ride, much like the civilian. He just hoped they found someplace safe for the time being. He also hoped they found food and water like Connors had promised. He was desperately hungry and thirsty. He imagined they all were at this point. Sighing, he felt the civilian go slack in his grasp. Well, this was easier than carrying him.

OOOOO

The search wasn't going well. After leaving the jewellery store they'd split up. Now that the firemen and policeman knew where Roy wound up they had a better idea of what direction to head in. Vince had decided that they should rendezvous at a small park approximately half way to the wreck.

Frustrated beyond words, wanting desperately to speed off to the bus accident, Johnny ground his teeth to keep from screaming. Beside him Hank was busy scanning the blocks as they passed them. The captain was hoping against hope that he'd see the familiar countenance of his blond paramedic.

Finally they reached the park. Quickly, Johnny pulled up beside Vince's black and white squad car in the parking lot. Climbing out of his Land Rover, Johnny was instantly struck by the grim expression on the police officer's face.

"What's up, Vince?" Hank asked as he too exited the vehicle. Something was up. From the look on the black officer's face it wasn't good.

"The inmates that were caught in Roy's car have finally started talking. It's not good," Vince replied. He had a really hard time looking Johnny in the face. Bile rose in his throat at the thought of what he'd been told over the radio just a few short minutes ago.

"What do you mean 'not good'?" Johnny demanded. He was rooted to the spot in fear. Instinctively he knew something very bad had happened to his partner. How was he going to explain this to Joanne?

"Apparently one of the inmates cuffed himself to Roy after he rescued them. The man's name is Johnson and he's well known in the prison for his level of violence and his complete lack of respect for anyone or anything else. If Roy's still attached to this creep he is in big trouble," Vince said, the words tumbling out of his mouth in his haste to get them out. Maybe the news was like a Band-Aid. If he said it fast enough it wouldn't hurt as much.

"What?" Johnny breathed. Visions played through his mind. Terrible, heart wrenching images. Unable to prevent it, the younger paramedic abruptly bent over and vomited. What was Roy into?