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To the story... I think it will end soon. Evan has a lot to go through until then... But it is about time the police gets to Eddie and Emily. Hank is so in need to know his brother is okay that there just has to be any kind of progress in the search.
He was in Seattle, finally. The flight had been uneventful. He felt well rested now and ready to go and find his baby brother. He didn't know where to go first though. It wouldn't make any sense to walk around and show people his brothers picture. He would do it, if he had to, but he knew it wouldn't help at all.
Hank kept trying to remember, if they had ever been to Seattle with their family or their father. But they hadn't had enough money back then to effort any kind of family holiday. With Eddie gambling and two kids, one a baby that had to had diapers. There hadn't been much money to spend on such things. Eddie had yelled at the baby that it was the boys fault. Evan had been scared off their father since his early life. Over the years it had changed to a desperate fight to be seen and loved by the older man, sadly he never succeeded.
Oh God, Evan, I'm so sorry. I should have cared more. It's my fault. Tears stung in his eyes and fell freely as soon as he sat in the rented Toyota. His brother would be surprised how many tears Hank was shedding lately, especially on his behalf. Hank was more the quiet caregiver, dealing differently with emotions. He wasn't as open as Evan that always needed to talk about everything. Right now he regretted being such an idiot. He should have told Evan more often that he did a great job, that he was proud of him and by all means, he should had let the kid know that he loved him.
Those thoughts started a fear in him that gave him a heartache. What if he didn't find Evan? If he never saw him again? Or alive? "No! He's alive and I'll get him back!" He wiped his tears away and drove around for a while to get his head free.
There was a red light and he stopped the car slowly. He watched the people that crossed the street. There was a man with his son, the boy was maybe five years old. They were wearing hiking shoes and this sight somehow pulled a trigger.
Hank is excited, he and his dad will drive to a house far away from home. They will hike and play soccer and maybe go fishing. That will be fun. But his little brother is crying. He won't stop, even after dad hit him in the face and told him to shut up.
Hank doesn't like that his dad hits Evan. He's only four years old and shouldn't be yelled at or hit, just because he's crying in sadness. When their father leaves the small room that is Evan's, he sneaks in to comfort his baby brother. The boys face is red and a little blueish. It's obvious that their father has used his fist to punish the kid. And it makes him as mad as a eight year old can be. "Come on, Evan, I hold you." Evan lays his head on Hanks chest and feels his big brothers arms around him.
"I want holidays, too."
"I know, Evan, but we will hike a lot and you can't walk so far. You can come along, when we go there the next time."
"Can't you stay home with me?"
The question breaks Hanks young heart. "No, but it will only be ten days."
"I'm scared without you. Who plays with me? Who takes care of me?"
"You can play with the kids in the neighborhood or your friends. Don't be scared. Mom is still here, remember? She's nice, isn't she?"
"I don't have any friends, the other kids don't like me. Only you. Mom, is sweet. Not mean like dad. But she's not you."
"I know and dad isn't bad, you know he just has problems and is angry sometimes."
"How comes he's always angry with me?
"Evan, he isn't always angry with you."
"Yes, he is. Always hurting me and... he yells at me."
Hank doesn't know what to say, he knows that his father mistreats the little boy, but he doesn't want Evan to feel like his dad wouldn't love him. "I will bring you a little gift from Seattle, I saved some money and bring you something, okay?"
It works. The change of the subject makes his baby brother smile. "Yeeeeeeeesssss! You are the best brother ever!"
Hank smiles. "I love you, cutie-pie."
Evan giggles. "Yeah! I'm your cutie-pie Love you, too." Before Hank knows his brother pushes him on his back and lays on him and kisses him all over his face and his lips. Just the wet sweet innocent way, that only little kids can.
Hank found himself smiling about the memory, but the drivers behind him didn't share that happy feeling. They honked, because Hank didn't drive. The doctor looked surprised up and drove ahead. He knew now he had been in Seattle before. He just had to remember where it had been. It's probably the only hint he had.
Not so far away, in a little town in Oregon, his brother fought the drugs in his system, wishing just a few minutes later he could still fight his mad inner demons. He's naked, hadn't showered in days, hadn't eaten at all, hadn't drank enough, never felt weaker and his body was bruised, not to mention that he hadn't seen a toilet in days either.
He heard steps coming closer, several people. They're talking, talked about him. He's too tired to open his eyes. Not really awake, yet. Someone grabbed his wrist and feet and freed him from his restraints, pulled him from the bed and on his feet. A voice from his right hisses: "Open your eyes!"
Evan shook his head once and even that cost him too much strength, no way he could move the heavy lids. The men, that held him until now, stepped away and he swayed heavily, just to end up on his knees a second later. He cried out in pain, his ribs hurt more than he had thought possible. A strong hand grabbed his hair and yanked his head back with full force. "OPEN your eyes!"
The accountant whimpered and fought with all the strength he didn't have to open his eyes. It took him several times, but when he finally made it, the bright light above him hurt his eyes that had mostly seen darkness since God knew when. It's not just a little burning like a look in the sun, it was more like a bright fire burning his eyes out of their sockets and he closed them instantly to protect them.
But his father didn't spare him the pain. He pushed a knife next to the corner of his left eye and hurt the skin there till blood ran down like a bloody tear. "Open your eyes or your eyeball will be next."
He tried to prepare himself for the pain the light would cause, but when he opened his eyes again, the light was worse. He kept them open, let the agony out in a loud scream. It seemed forever. Then the strong grip on his hair was gone and his head fell forward. His father and a second man pulled him up to his feet again.
There in front of him was Emily with five men. Evan was embarrassed, he felt exposed to those strangers. No, it wasn't embarrassment, it was humiliating treatment. The feeling grew when he realized that the men were exploring him with their eyes, his whole body, the sad dirty figure he was now.
The man in the middle reached out and tried to touch him along his ribcage and Evan instinctively flinched. That didn't stop the older man though, it excited him in a way, not sexually, but something close to it, honestly damn close. He stepped closer to the young man. Evan who was still held couldn't get away. The man let his hands run down on both sides of his face, along his neck, down his chest, down to his navel.
"Don't!" Evan whispered in a dangerous voice that he didn't believe was in him. He spit the stranger in the face, not knowing how he was able to after not drinking enough. The guy cleaned his face with the sleeve of his shirt, but didn't step back.
"You know, I'd love breaking you." With those words he made a move and crashed his elbow into Evan's ribs and left another one broken.
The younger man wanted to bent over or protect his ribs with his arms, but he had no chance, all he could do was scream and he didn't stop for a long time.
There was a nice little restaurant in Seattle that looked inviting and quiet. The perfect place to go through the traveler's guide he had just bought and to eat something to keep his strength. He would need it once Evan was back with him. He ordered some water and a steak with fries.
He closed his eyes for a while and tried to think back to the holiday he had spent with Eddie. There had been many trees. A long rocky road to the lonely small house his father had rented. A creek had been close enough for him to walk there. But what else? His thoughts were interrupted by the waitress that brought his water.
It sucked, there wasn't much he could remember, but he hoped to find something familiar in the book. There just had to be anything. As soon as he got his food he started looking through the book, reading and screening every single picture.
No matter how hard he tried, there was nothing he could find. He finished the coffee that he had ordered after the quite tasty food. He sighed as he had to admit to himself that he couldn't find his baby brother. Not alone, not without help, professional help.
He paid the bill and left the restaurant and went to the next police station he could find. It was time that Evan would be rescued. Hank talked to the cop, told them about the detective in New York. While the two cops talked on the phone, he closed his eyes, but this time his thoughts were only by Evan. All the times he had been annoyed and now he found himself hoping that he would be annoyed by Evan as long as he lived. He was finally more worried than before. Thinking about the condition his brother had been in a few days ago, when he had last seen him. Panic took over.
The cop came back to him and kept talking, but he had a hard time to follow. The fear was suddenly too overwhelming. He jumped up and moved around the desk, sobbing, falling on his knees. The cop looked alarmed, but the doctor locked eyes with him and begged him to find his brother before it's too late. Under different circumstances he would be embarrassed, but right now the desperation he was feeling was stronger than every stupid fear or embarrassment.
It took a while for him to calm down enough to tell the policeman about Scappoose and Portland, Maine. He didn't think they were already in Maine, but damn, it was the most important person in his life, his life and he was not going to lose Evan.
After Eddie and the strangers had left Evan was alone with Emily and the guy that had been with her and her husband all along. The man was his age. He wondered who he was and why he worked with them, but guessed that there were enough criminals out there that would do anything for money.
He still hadn't enough strength to stand on his own, but he didn't need to. The guy didn't bring him back to the bed. He pushed his fists into their victims chest and Evan fell backwards, he hit a wall with his back and his head and slumped down to the floor, his sight was gone and he was scared to death. But the sight came back. Restraints on his bloody wrists again. This time attached to the wall. The floor was cold and again wet. Emily hit him in the face again and the man kicked at his ribs. Evan passed out before the room got dark.
Emily and the guy, his name was Aaron, came back and found Eddie and their guests already sitting around a big table and enjoying their meal. They joined them and after talking about everything under the sun, they finally talked business and there was again the question how much Evan was worth to those men.
Hank didn't know about his brothers torture, when he smiled like he had just won a car. He was sure Evan would be with him soon and okay after he took care of him. The police had just found out, that Eddie and Emily had left Seattle and were in Scappoose now. They had also rented a second car. The smile grew and ended in a bright grin. Things were going to be okay.