Author's Note: So here's chapter 2. I really hope you guys like it and I'm extremely thankful to my lovely friends Di and Mhairi. If it weren't for them, I don't know that I'd have the courage to open my heart at least a little again. There are others that encouraged me as well, but these two pushed me to really write this story.
Chapter 2: Missing
If Peter had felt bad before about Micky being upset, he felt even worse now. After Davy had returned to their home, they'd looked for Mike, but they couldn't find him. They'd gone to bed before either Micky or Mike had gotten home, but they knew the next day something had happened. When Mike entered a room, Micky left it. He tried to ask Micky what was wrong, but Micky waved them off saying he was tired. Mike had begun sleeping on the couch in the living room and Peter decided three days had been long enough. He was going to go talk to Mike and get some answers. He steeled himself to confront his best friend and walked into the living room. But Mike wasn't there. Peter checked his watch in confusion. It was nearing midnight. Mike should be home by now. He looked up and saw Micky sitting outside on the porch.
"Peter, come to bed," Davy said with a small yawn.
"I think I'm gonna talk to Micky again," Peter said. If Mike wasn't here, he'd just confront Micky and refuse to leave without an answer. That was hard for Peter, but so was watching the dance his friends were doing to avoid each other. Peter made his way toward the door that led to their back patio and had only just approached it when he saw Mike walk towards Micky up the back steps.
"Don't leave," Peter heard Mike say through the open window next to the door as Micky moved to get up.
"I really have nothing to say to you," Micky said. Peter started to back away not wanting to eavesdrop, but Davy pushed him back.
"Don't you wanna know what's wrong with them?" Davy asked.
"Of course, but eavesdropping is wrong," Peter said.
"Well, they aren't going to tell us, so this is how we find out," Davy argued. "I know it's wrong, but so is what they're doing to each other." Peter almost put up another argument, but couldn't think of any. Yes, eavesdropping was wrong, but his curiosity and concern got the best of him.
"I know you don't wanna talk to me, but…" Mike had said slowly enough for Peter to hear over Davy's pleas. "We have to."
"Mike, you shouldn't have followed me and that's all I'm going to say," Micky said. "Where I go is my own business."
"It's not that," Mike said. The tone in his voice sounded heavy, as though he were carrying a large weight around. "I...I really don't know how to tell you this. You're probably going to want to kill me…"
"I may be mad, but I would never kill you," Micky said. Peter didn't know why, but he felt relief wash over him. Mike had never spoken like that before. Whatever Mike had to say, it must have been serious, but Micky seemed to be relaxing a little.
"I wouldn't be so sure of that," Mike said. "I...I have been sorta seeing your sister, Rose."
"Yes, I know," Micky laughed. "Five years ago when we all lived together."
"No," Mike said. "A few days ago. For a year."
"What?" Micky asked confused.
"I ran into her a year ago," Mike said. "I know I should have told you, but I figured you were still really mad at her and she asked me not to."
"Of course I'm still mad at her," Micky said getting angry again. "She turned her back on me! On you!"
"I know, but she had a very good reason for that," Mike said.
"What would that be?" Micky asked.
"She needed to stay behind to fix some things," Mike answered.
"Fix what things?" Micky asked.
"She found out that...someone betrayed all of you," Mike said with a heavy sigh. "She needed to find proof and fix it. Prove he set you up. So we could go home if we wanted."
"I know someone betrayed me," Micky snapped jumping up. "For the very fact that I was set up! Who was it? Did she tell you?"
"Yes, but this is the part where you might kill me," Mike said. "You really need to take a deep breath and just trust me. Trust her."
"Mike?" Micky pushed impatiently.
"Robert," Mike answered quietly; almost too quietly for Micky to hear.
"Robert; as in my father?" Micky demanded angrily.
"I know it's hard for you to believe, but I do," Mike said quickly trying to appease Micky. Micky was now pacing on the porch and Davy and Peter backed into the shadows more to avoid being seen. A pang of guilt washed through Peter. They really shouldn't be doing this. "I never made a secret of the fact I never trusted him; I always thought he was creepy and he kicked you out. His own son. If he loved you, he never would have thrown you out like that."
"That's a far cry from setting me up," Micky said quietly.
"I know," Mike said.
"Then what makes her think it was him?" Micky asked.
"Remember when she was acting very strangely?" Mike asked. "About a year before any of this happened? When we thought something was happening to her but we didn't know what?"
"What, are you saying he did something to her?"
"Yes."
"Like what, he hit her? He's the one who broke her wrist? Why would he do that?"
"Do you believe me?"
"I don't know yet. I can't see him as hurting anyone. I never said I thought he was a good father, but he's not an abuser. Why would he hurt her?"
"She wasn't his daughter."
"So? Still doesn't explain why he'd do something like break her wrist."
"She said he twisted it to keep her quiet."
"Quiet about what?"
"About...him sneaking into her room when the rest of us were asleep."
"What? Why would he do that?"
"Micky, I really don't wanna have to spell it out for you. Hell, I don't even want to tell you. But he...he's a sick person. Why else would a grown man sneak into a 17 year old's room in the middle of the night? Why did I used to do it?"
"Well, you two were dating and…" Micky trailed off and Peter's heart sank. He heard Davy let out a quiet gasp. Peter wasn't stupid. He knew what Mike meant. They all did.
"Micky, I'm sorry," Mike said.
"Why wouldn't you tell me something like that!?" Micky shouted.
"She told me not to," Mike said. "She said she knew you'd get upset and try to kill him and only end up getting yourself killed. I can't say as I disagree with her. And that was only if you even believed her."
"She's my sister."
"And he's your father."
"We've already established he's not a very good one."
"Look, Micky, the only reason I'm telling you any of this is because she didn't show up tonight."
"So? Maybe she forgot."
"No, she said if she ever missed a meeting...something had happened to her. She's missing, Micky. She told me to tell you if something happened to her." Both Mike and Micky fell silent for a moment. "I'm sorry, Micky. I understand this is hard for you to take in and I understand how mad you must be at me."
"I just never thought my own father would be capable of-" Micky didn't get to finish speaking. Or at least Peter didn't hear it. There was a loud noise behind them and Peter and Davy whirled around to see four men standing in the doorway.
"Who are you?" Davy asked a little shakily.
"Where are the Assassins?" one of them asked pointing a very deadly looking gun straight at Peter and Davy.
"Who?!" Peter asked confused.
"Don't play stupid, boy," the second asked. "Your friends. Where are they?"
"We really have no idea what you're talking about," Davy said backing slowly toward the back door. Peter chanced a quick glimpse over his shoulder but saw nothing outside. Micky and Mike were both gone.
"Maybe a bullet through the knee will help jog your memory," the first man said.
"What!?" Peter and Davy exclaimed in unison.
"I think you have the wrong house," Peter heard Mike say from upstairs. Peter wasn't sure how Mike had gotten up there, but supposed he must have climbed up the side of the house.
"You're the Nesmith boy," the second man smiled. The third man had yet to speak; he just kept looking around intently.
"Yeah, I am," Mike said. "Guess maybe you have the right house after all." Peter jumped when suddenly Micky popped out from behind the men through the front door, looped a wire around the first man's arms and yanked. The man was surprised and dropped the gun to the floor as he fell backwards. The other two men turned on Micky, ready to fight him, but Micky moved faster than Peter had ever seen him move before. He slipped back out the front door and ran. Just in that moment, Mike jumped over the side of the railing on the stairs and landed on the second man, knocking him to the floor. Both men didn't move, but the third had taken off after Micky. Mike quickly scooped up the gun the first man had dropped.
"Get in the car, now!" Mike barked at Peter and Davy before taking off after the third man.
"What's going on!?" Davy exclaimed.
"Just go!" Mike yelled back at them. Peter and Davy ran through the front door, leaping over the two unconscious men and toward the car. Davy and Peter were startled when Micky popped out of the bushes.
"Get the car started and stay in it," Micky said.
"But-" Peter started, but Micky wasn't listening. He went back in the house. This time Peter and Davy stayed put. His curiosity had his stomach in knots, but he was really far too terrified to do anything. Davy jumped behind the driver's seat and started the engine. After a few minutes, another man walked up to them. Peter tensed, but stood there.
"Where are you two going?" the man asked taking out a second gun.
"Nowhere," Davy squeaked. The man didn't say anything else. He just smiled and raised the gun at Peter. Peter heard the gun go off, but had no idea where the bullet went. Mike had run up behind the man and knocked him over the head with a rather large piece of wood.
"You guys ok?" Mike asked.
"I think so," Davy said. Peter felt numb. He had no idea what was going on and he was terrified.
"What happened?" Micky asked running out of the house.
"Peter!" Mike exclaimed rushing over to him. It was only in the moment that he saw the look of fear and panic on all three of his friends faces directed at him that he realized the bullet had torn through his shoulder. He felt no pain at all, but somehow his legs stopped working and he collapsed.
"We need to go," Micky said catching Peter in his arms before he hit the ground.
"Did they tell you anything?" Mike asked.
"That more are coming for us," Micky said. "And that they know about Peter and Davy."
"Which means they're in danger now," Mike sighed.
"Will someone please tell me what the bloody hell is going on!?" Davy exclaimed.
"We have to take them with us," Mike said ignoring Davy as he helped Micky get Peter into the car. Micky pulled out a handkerchief and pushed it against Peter's shoulder. Peter groaned, finally feeling pain as Mike shooed Davy out of the driver's seat.
"Where is that exactly?" Micky asked as Mike sped off.
"The hospital!" Davy yelled.
"No," Mike said.
"HAVE THE TWO OF YOU COMPLETELY LOST YOUR MINDS!?" Davy screamed. "THEY SHOT PETER! HE NEEDS A HOSPITAL!"
"Too open," Mike said.
"Davy, you are just going to have to trust us right now," Micky said.
"Rose said if anything ever happened to look for Krystal and Maxie," Mike said. Peter could hear sirens in the distance and wondered why they were leaving. "Do you have any idea what that means?"
"Yes, do you remember that mine we used to play in when we were kids?" Micky asked.
"Yes," Mike answered.
"There's a shack near the entrance," Micky said. "Rose and I took care of two cats that were hurt pretty bad one summer you were in Texas. We'd go to the shack and feed them. If she hid something for me, it'd be there."
"Got it," Mike said making a sharp turn that sent pain down Peter's arm. He winced in pain and Davy shot him a worried look.
"Ok, if someone doesn't explain to me what the hell just happened, I'm jumping out of this car and going to the cops," Davy said. "Those guys said they were looking for you and they called you "Assassins" and you two took them out like it was nothing! And why aren't we taking Peter to a hospital!?"
