Ransom

6

Exhausted, Aaron had fallen into a restless sleep. On waking he'd thought himself at home, in his own bed, and had for a few blissful moments forgotten all about his plight. Then he'd shifted position and a wave of pain had spread through him, memory of what had happened to him instantly flooding back. Despair overwhelmed him and tears threatened to fall, but he told himself not to give in to the sudden rush of emotion, and reminded himself that he had to stay strong, stay positive. If he did he would get through this, he'd gone through worse hadn't he? His coming out had been a nightmare, he'd been to hell and back when Jackson died. Then there was what he'd gone through with his father. He'd somehow come through all that, that meant he'd get through this too. He was a survivor, he couldn't let this... whatever it was break him, he couldn't give in now after surviving what he had, after battling so hard, he couldn't and wouldn't. And there were other people he had to do it for, his family, friends and most of all for Robert. His thoughts had again boosted his mood, bolstered his courage, as he congratulated himself on somehow finding the strength needed, the door opened and he was soon blinking against the sudden bright light.

Aaron gaze settled on the doorway and on the man now standing there, he had something in his hands. Aaron could see he held shop bought sandwiches and they were soon soaring through the air in his direction. He automatically reached out with his free hand and caught both packs but food was the last thing on his mind right now. "Why are you doing this? Why..."

"Just following orders."

"Whose?" Aaron demanded.

"Robert's!"

"No!"

"Oh come on, it's not that hard to believe is it?"

"He wouldn't do this, not to me. I know he wouldn't." Aaron insisted telling himself he had to hold on tight to that belief.

"Robert would do anything for money."

"No." Aaron shook his head in an effort to add credence to his protest but it wasn't his captor he was trying to convince, it was himself. Doubt had again raised its ugly head and this time he wasn't finding it so easy to quash it. There was a time when money and the power it afforded meant everything to Robert, but that had changed. Robert had changed... at least Aaron thought he had.

Shields laughed, he was enjoying his little game, only it wasn't just a game, it had its purpose. "You only think you know him, he doesn't give a shit about you..."

"Shut up!" Aaron ground out angrily, his insides were churning, his captors words beginning to eat at him. He hated himself for letting him get to him, for letting the bastard have that kind of power over him. But what if what he was saying was true? From the beginning he'd suspected his ordeal was something to do with Robert, his gut instinct telling him who was to blame. He'd determinedly crushed that idea, he loved Robert and truly believed Robert loved him, but then he also knew Robert was a master manipulator. Had he been playing him all this time? It was possible wasn't it? But why? It didn't make sense, and if it didn't make sense then it couldn't be true.

"You're just a means of topping up his bank balance."

Now Aaron knew he was lying, "I don't have any money, not the kind of money you mean.

"Robert might not give a fuck about you but he knows there's people who do, that they'll cough up whatever it takes to get you back safely."

"What?" Realisation was beginning to dawn on Aaron but he didn't want to believe the thoughts now filtering through his defences.

"A pub, a garage, a vets... all going concerns, all raking it in.

"No!" Aaron weakly voiced a protest, but it was now making sense. He was being held for ransom, and his captor was right, his family would pay up. They would do anything for him, anything.

/

Robert had been endlessly pacing his bedroom floor. Every now and again his gaze would stray to the bed he now shared with Aaron. Robert would tell himself that Aaron should be there now, safe, unafraid and he had to be afraid right now, Shields had already hurt him, god knows what he'd suffered at his hands and knowing Aaron he'd probably fought back. His head was filled with images of the younger man, hurt and bloodied, they turned his stomach and tore at his heart. He'd always known he loved Aaron but only now was he realising just how much.

He'd had to tell Shields he needed more time to raise the cash, Shields had grudgingly agreed, and had warned him he wouldn't wait much longer, and that he'd have great satisfaction taking any disappointment he experienced out on Aaron. Robert had pleaded with him then, promising to get the money as quickly as he could. The problem was he didn't know how to speed up things further, he was already pulling all the strings he could. He kept going over everything, trying to find a better way, a faster way of getting the money Shields was demanding but to no avail. His mind usually so agile, so quick to solve any issue was failing him, he was so tired, bone weary, worry having drained him of nearly every ounce of strength and reasoning.

Exhaustion finally forced him over to his bed, he flopped down on top of it, nestling his face on Aaron's pillow and breathing in the lingering aroma of his aftershave. A memory of the previous morning filled his head, holding Aaron close, kissing him, making love to him. One thing he hadn't done though was tell him how much he loved him, but he knew that didn't he? of course he did. But would he come out of this still believing that, still feeling the same way about him? No! No way in hell would Aaron feel the same way about him after this. His love for him would swiftly turn to hate. He'd realised that earlier but was still struggling to accept it.

Robert couldn't bear the thought of Aaron hating him, despising him... and he would. Shields was certain to tell Aaron that he had once paid him to kill his mother! Chas had been minutes away from death when he'd frantically rang him and called it off. He wouldn't be able to look him in the eye and deny it, no matter what that honesty would inevitably cost him. Aaron wouldn't forgive him for that moment of madness, who in their right mind would?

Feeling the sting of tears Robert wiped at his eyes. He wasn't going to give into his emotions, he needed to man up. His feelings, his heartache didn't matter, the only thing that did was Aaron. Freeing Aaron was his one and only concern now, and once he was safe... he was going to walk away, put as much distance between the two of them as was possible.

/

Aaron had lain motionless for hours, staring into the darkness that surrounding him. His thoughts just as black just as oppressive, and all centred around Robert. He'd tried and failed to silence the voice inside his head, and it had convinced him of Robert's guilt. He'd stopped believing in him, his trust shattered, his heart broken into as many pieces. How stupid he'd been, how blind. Robert had skilfully manipulated him again, shamelessly used the nightmare he'd gone through with his father to his advantage. Then, just when Robert had him in the palm of his hand, when he had him believing the two of them were meant to be ... it was all a game wasn't it? Some sort of sick power trip. Well it wasn't love for Robert that was going to get him through this nightmare... it was the loathing that now coursed through his veins.

/

Chas had barely slept, she had tossed and turned for most of the night. She had been awash with emotions, her inner turmoil almost too much to bear at times. Gordon's death had deeply upset but only because she feared how it would affect Aaron, she wanted to believe what Robert said, that it would prove closure for her son. But what if it didn't? What if he blamed himself for it? What if he turned it all on himself? She kept asking herself the same questions, they haunted, tormented her. If Gordon's death wasn't enough for her son to cope with right now, there was Hazel too. Aaron had texted her late last night, an all too short message but what little he had said made her think Hazel was at deaths door. How would he react should she die? Hazel was his last link to Jackson and Chas knew he cherished it. She'd texted him back, done her utmost to buoy him up and reassure him, she'd told him how much she loved him too. She couldn't do anymore than that and she felt so helpless. Aaron hadn't texted her back yet, no surprise there though!

After taking an early shower she'd gone down to the bar and found it already set up for the day ahead. Marlon had to have done it last night, she made a mental note to thank him later when he came to do his shift. Having the beginnings of a thumping headache Chas decided to take a walk to try and clear it. Stepping outside into the early morning air she was soon shivering in the chill wind blowing through the village. She quickly abandoned all idea of a walk deciding to head to the cafe instead, she was in need of something hot, something designed to give warmth and a measure of comfort. A mug of hot chocolate would do just that.

As she approached the cafe door she realised with a jolt that Bob, the cafe's owner would know all about Hazel. They'd been good friends, had been really close. Robert wouldnt have been aware of that fact or that they'd kept in touch. But she knew, why the hell hadn't she thought about that before?

TBC