Okay, I'm sorry to do this to all of you who want Mark and Jo to be together but that won't happen for a while . . . . you'll see why when you read the chapter . . . Sorry!!
Disclaimer: I don't Own, I RENT!! Except for my characters and my story line . . . those are mine.
Taken
"Mark?" Jo called as she entered the Loft with Roger, Collins and Mimi. They had been out at the Life Café for nearly two hours. Surely that was enough alone time for Mark who had opted out of going to lunch. As they entered the main room, they were greeted by a mess.
"Oh, shit." Collins said as he and the others maneuvered their way through the Loft, trying to avoid tripping on anything.
"What the hell happened in here?" Roger asked as he found his guitar. Thankfully, it was unharmed.
"It looks like a bomb went off . . ." Mimi commented.
"No . . ." Jo said in an almost dazed voice. "It looks like there was a struggle." She picked something off the ground and showed it to the Bohos: Mark's glasses. "And it looks like Mark lost . . ."
Suddenly, the phone rang.
"SPEAK!!" the phone blared before Richard's rough voice emitted from the machine.
"Jo! It's Richard. I know you're there. Pick up the phone, please!" Jo quickly tripped over to the phone and answered it.
"Richard?"
"Jo, throw down the key, your buzzer doesn't work." Richard said hastily, he sounded out of breath.
"Um . . . okay . . ." Jo hung up the phone and went to the fire escape to throw Richard the key. When she returned inside the Bohos looked just as confused as she was.
"What's going on?" Roger almost demanded.
Jo shrugged helplessly, "I don't know,"
The Loft door slid open and Richard ran to Jo, worry etched into his face.
"Jo, are you hurt?"
"No . . ."
"How long have you been here?"
"Umm . . . not even 10 minutes."
"Has anyone else called?"
"No . . . Richard, that's going— . . ." she was cut off by the phone.
"SPEAK!!"
"I'd be picking up the phone if I were you Josephine." A harsh voice erupted from the machine,
Jo looked warily at Richard before cautiously picking up the phone.
"Hello?"
"Long time, no hear Josephine. It's been, what, ten years?"
Jo was suddenly very scared, "Who are you?"
The voice paused before speaking menacingly, "You don't remember, do you? But how could you? You were well drugged at the time . . ."
Jo suddenly knew who this was. "You-- . . . you're-- . . ."
"The one who gave you that scar on your arm." The voice finished Jo's sentence.
"What do you want?" Jo demanded, trying to sound strong through her fear.
"To make your life a living hell," the voice responded, "And finish the job I started. Your little friend here is already helping me with the first part . . ."
Suddenly, Mark's voice was heard in the receiver. "Jo? Jo! Don't listen to him! Jo! . . ."
Jo was frantic, "Mark? Mark! Mark, talk to me!" Mark was replaced by the first voice who was laughing menacingly. "You son of a bitch! Leave him alone!" She was on the brink of tears.
"Oh, no Josephine," the voice said, "He's going to be very useful to me . . . just wait . . . Marky-boy and I are going to have so much fun together."
The line went dead.
"Hello?" No one answered, "Hello?!" Jo slammed the phone and screamed, "DAMN IT!" She dropped onto the couch and let her tears fall. She knew this situation was bad. "Oh god . . . He's got Mark . . ." Mimi made her way over to Jo and held her as she cried. Jo looked up to The Man. "Richard . . ."
Richard sighed forlornly at the petite girl. "Jo . . ." He sighed, "His name's Ray Gutierrez. He's the one we saved you from all those years ago. He found Tino and I and blackmailed us into giving information about you. We didn't want to, Jo; believe me . . . but- . . ."
Collins spoke up, "That's why you were rushing over here wasn't it? To warn us about him . . ."
"And to try and save Mark before Ray got to him. But . . . I was too late . . . I'm sorry Jo." Richard apologized.
"Wait," Roger needed clarification on something, "Why did he go for Mark? Why didn't he go directly for Jo instead?"
Richard explained: "He wants Jo to suffer emotionally so she won't be able to fight him when he finally gets to physically hurt her."
"No," Mimi tightened her grip on Jo, "N, he's not getting his hands on her. We won't let him."
Richard was getting frustrated, "He's smart. He'll find a way. He'll most likely use Mark as leverage."
"What will he do to him?" Roger almost reluctantly asked.
"He has access to Tino's drug supply . . ."
"What kind of drugs?" Roger demanded, suddenly scared. Richard looked mournfully at Roger and remained silent. "Richard, what kind of drugs?!"
""The same stuff I used to sell to you and Mimi." Richard whispered sadly, "If Ray uses it, Mark will experience the same euphoric feeling, and I think he wants Mark addicted to it so that later, if you get him back, he'll experience the torture of withdrawal. It doesn't take long to become addicted. But if he gives Mark too much too fast . . . Mark could die."
"No . . ." Jo said softly, "He's strong, he'll survive."
"It doesn't matter how strong he is Jo! The drug is stronger!"
"I know that damn it!" Jo screamed breaking away from Mimi's grasp. "But that bastard wants me to suffer as long as possible; so he'll make sure Mark experiences the worst possible torture even if it takes months! It doesn't matter to him! He wants to enjoy every second of it!"
"Chica, calm down," Mimi pleaded.
"I can't calm down! The man who almost killed me 10 years ago is after me again! And this time around, guess what? He's using my best friend as a way to get to me so he can finish me off! Would you be calm in my state? I don't think so!" Jo ended her rant and gasped for air, exhausted. "Oh god . . . oh god!" she started crying again. Mimi took hold of her and let her cry.
"Shh . . ." Mimi cooed, trying to comfort her equally small friend.
"I didn't even get to tell him yet . . ." Jo choked into Mimi's shoulder.
"I know chica, I know . . . you will. I promise." Mimi comforted her friend, "We'll get him back."
But Jo was still wallowing in self-hatred, "I had so many chances . . ."
"Don't think about it chica," Mimi rubbed small circles on Jo's back, "Forget regret. No day but today,"
As he watched the scene unfold before him, Roger couldn't help but feel confused. "What are they talking about?" he asked Collins, "What did she not tell him?"
"You don't know?" Collins was astonished. Roger shook his head. "Jo loves Mark. She's been trying to figure out how to tell him for weeks."
"Really?"
"Yeah, and I know he's been trying to tell her too." Collins let out a sad sigh. "This is gonna be hard on both of them."
Roger watched Mimi and Jo for a few moments before he spoke again, "What are we going to do?"
Collins thought deeply for a minute, "Call the girls, then go from there." He said solemnly. Roger nodded and continued to watch as a broken girl cried in the arms of her friend.
RENTRENTRENTRENTRENTRENTRENTRENTRENTRENTRENTRENTRENT
Two pairs of heeled shoes clacked up the stairs to the Loft. Mauren and Joanne were called and told the terrible news. Maureen was obviously upset. Mark was her best guy-friend even after she broke up with him for Joanne. The pair entered the loft and immediately saw Collins and Roger.
Joanne hugged Roger while Maureen hugged Collins, "Oh Rog, this is terrible!"
"I know," He replied quietly.
"Where's Jo?" Roger silently pointed to Jo's closed door.
"She's been in there with Mimi for a while now." Roger said.
"Can we see her?" Maureen asked, looking hopefully at Jo's door.
"You can try," Collins said, "But she's really unstable right now."
Joanne nodded and Maureen followed her to Jo's door. They knocked and carefully opened the door. The sight they found was heartbreaking. Lying on her bead, clutching Mark's beloved blue and white scarf, was Jo crying softly. Mimi sat next to the petite girl and rubbed her back, whispering "It's going to be alright chica. We'll get him back."
"Jo?" Maureen called, "Baby girl? Can we come in?"
Pained seal-grey met comforting olive-green and Jo nodded.
All four girls ended up on Jo's bed helping and comforting each other.
Back in the main room, Benny entered the loft and hugged Collins. Roger was sitting on the window bench.
"Benny," Collins acknowledged his friend, "Glad you could make it."
"So am I; how is she?"
"Devastated," Collins said sadly, "I've never seen her so . . . broken . . ."
"How could this happen?" Benny asked.
"Apparently this guy's got his heart set on hurting Jo . . . no matter what."
"My god, that's terrible." Benny gasped, finding it hard to believe that someone would actually want to hurt Jo. "Collins, we have to notify the police. They can help . . ."
"Benny . . ." Collins gave him a look, "She's not even supposed to exist. How do you think they'll take it if we all go and say 'Oh, hi, this is Josephine May. She's been dead 10 years but she's here now. Oh and guess what? The guy who tried to kill her has kidnapped her best friend and is holding him hostage because he wants to finish the job he started!'" Collins took a deep breath and sighed, "No, we can't go to the police. It'll only make it harder on both of them."
"But have you asked her about it?"
"No, it's too soon. Let her calm down first."
"I hope Mark's okay."
"I hope so too."
Again, Really sorry!!!! But I couldn't help myself!!! I've had this chapter written for a LONG time. . . I couldn't cut it . . . I just loved it too much. Next Chapter: We'll see Mark in his kidnapped surroundings!!! MUAHAHAHAHA!!! Please don't hate me . . . Jo and Mark WILL get together eventually . . . . but it make take a while. PLEASE REVIEW!!! REVIEWS ARE THE SCARF (and Jo) TO MY MARK!!!