Hello all!! Hope you guys are still enjoying the story :D Okay, so there are a few things I've had pointed out to me that may need a bit of clarifying O.o First of all, I'm not entirely sure why Jim didn't go to the police immediately after getting Frank's message. Seems like a logical idea but then the plot wouldn't have progressed as much so I just left that out. I included a reason in this chapter so hopefully it makes up for that. Second, I know I promise alot of hurt Jim and I'm sorry I haven't delivered that yet. I'm trying to work up to it so it seems more believable instead of Frank just pouncing him and beating him senseless. As much as I would love to do that, my muse would nag me about the reason and I'm pretty sure my head would explode O.o So yes, there will be gratuitous hurt Jim to come but it has to build up just a bit more. And trust me, when I say gratuitious I mean broken bones, massive blood loss, gunshots, and all the other carnage by sadistic little mind can dish out lol. So really, just stick with me a bit longer and it will come, I assure you :) Third, Frank is not only an asshole but a super genius. He's like Einstein with a keyboard. If anyone has ever seen Live Free or Die Hard just think of him as being on that level. They hijacked an entire country with a few computers so I'm basing his character off of people like them. Super genius and super pissed off at Jim O.o Oh how the dominos will fall...

Also, I just picked a random police station from somewhere near the Golden Gate Bridge because thats the only landmark I have to go by lol. And the navigation system seems like something they may have in the future; high tech computers in every vehicle, sound like the American dream, right?? Hehe, so I think I've covered just about everything I could in this note O.o Hope you all like it!!


Jim winced and groaned, opening his eyes slowly and blinking up at the sky as consciousness returned. It was still dark, the stars twinkling brightly over head. There was no telling how long he'd been sprawled in this parking lot; minutes maybe hours. He sat up slowly, ignoring the dizzying rush as he achieved altitude. His head throbbed sharply, the pain traveling down his neck and settling in his jaw where Frank's fist had connected earlier. Something warm and sticky oozed down the side of his face, the trail disappearing beneath the collar of his shirt. It was blood, tacky and caked with dirt from the parking lot. Jim winced again as his fingers brushed over the swollen gash along his hairline. His clothes smelled like beer and his shirt was damp with alcohol. A sudden wave of nausea assaulted him and he clenched his fists tightly, fighting back the bile that burned the back of his throat. It took several minutes to will the sickness away and when it dissipated completely, Jim was left breathing heavily and sweating.

The nightlife of Mavericks could be heard from around the corner; apparently the place didn't get any quieter once the sun went down. There were still plenty of cars left in the parking lot and Jim vaguely wondered if his motorcycle was still there. He felt his pockets and found that his wallet and keys were still there; odd considering the earlier conversation. If Frank wanted his money then why didn't he take his wallet first? Questions for another time; his head was killing him. With a sharp intake of breath, he pushed himself to his feet, swaying slightly as he stood. Balance came much slower than he was used to and it took a few seconds for him to clear the inky spots that kept trying to black out his vision. Concussion…he thought, taking a few deep breaths. Bones is going to be pissed…Once he was sure he could move without toppling face first back into the parking lot, Jim slowly made his way back to the front of the bar.

Amazingly enough, his motorcycle was still there, untouched save for some dust that had managed to settle across the body in his absence. Jim glanced cautiously back to the bar; if Frank was still here he didn't see him. He needed to go to the police. In all honestly, Jim wasn't sure why he'd come in the first place; maybe to prove something to himself more than anything. But now it was abundantly clear that there were very few options in this situation. Frank was dangerous and he was willing to tear Jim down by any means necessary.

Jim fished the keys out of his pocket as he approached the motorcycle. The nearest police station was a couple miles away, just past the academy. The engine roared to life and Jim slid onto the seat, flicking on the small, on-board computer system. "Computer, set course for Richmond Police Station, 94118." The directions crackled through static, the navigator's voice jolting and fading as it spoke. Frowning, Jim flipped open the control panel and examined the wires. There didn't appear to be any reason for the static, possibly just a glitch in the system. Just then something thin and silver caught his eye, gleaming softly in the dim light. Jim plucked it from the tangle of wires and examined it carefully. It was about the size of a quarter but thin as a piece of paper, the edges shining like aluminum foil. It was an audio disk. Frowning again, Jim carefully slipped the disk into the computer's drive and waited.

"Hello Jim, nice to see you back in the world of the living." A deep voice drawled sardonically. Frank. "You know, you really should look into some better identity protection. You wouldn't believe how easy it was to make a copy of your ID card." There was a sudden drop in his stomach and Jim gripped one of the handlebars a little tighter. He dug into his pocket and pulled out his wallet, slipping his Academy ID card from its holder. It looked the same but there was a faint streak along the back of it as if it had been jammed into a portable computer drive. "That's right kiddo, I now have access to everything you have access to, including voice and fingerprint recognition. Anywhere you can go, I can go. Anything you can do, I can do as well. I have access to your phone records, email accounts, ship records, everything you think is personal and private is now linked directly to me. Catch my drift? I have your every movement pinpointed and we can play this cat and mouse game for as long as you want but I'll go ahead and ruin the ending for you: I will win." It felt like a ball of lead had settle in his chest and Jim suddenly found it harder to breathe. Frank had all of his information; name, room number, security numbers, clearance onto the Enterprise. He could take down the entire ship without ever having to break past and the security systems and it would be with Jim's own ID. The world suddenly felt much colder and going to the police seemed much more appealing. "So do me a favor and don't try anything stupid. You keep your end of the bargain and I'll keep mine. But let me just make one thing absolutely clear James Kirk: If I even think you're about to tell anyone about our little "meeting", I'll kill your mother with no hesitation. That means no cops, no Starfleet security officers, nothing. And trust me Jim, when I make a promise I always go through with it." There was a pause in the tape and nothing but silence save for the pounding of Jim's heart. "So, do we have an understanding? You resign and I'll make sure your mother stays out of this." A soft chuckle broke through the static. "Have your official resignation letter tomorrow and I'll give you the location. See you soon, kiddo." And with that the audio disk stopped, the message having been delivered and completed. The navigator's voice spoke clearly over the speakers now, requesting a specific location and a zip code.

Jim felt like he couldn't breathe. He felt like someone had punched him hard in the gut and he was struggling to suck in a breath. Quickly, he turned off the navigation system and looked out across the parking lot. A few drunks were hanging out in front of the bar smoking cigarettes and the hazy windows blocked out the rest of the patrons inside. Once again there was no sign of Frank but Jim could definitely feel the malevolence in the air. He knew Frank would have no qualms about killing his mother; it was part of what had gotten him sent to jail in the first place. He couldn't risk it; between trying to protect his mother and his crew there didn't seem to be any other option. Resignation seemed inevitable.

The city lights gleamed warmly up ahead but Jim felt nothing but coldness settling through his body. He felt numb, even the excruciating throb that radiated through his head and jaw seemed to disappear. There was a new realization, one he never wanted to face. This was a no win scenario; he was destined to fail in either situation.

It took several minutes before he could convince himself to go anywhere. Everything felt like a trap, he was being tracked relentlessly by the man who nearly killed him ten years earlier. There was no escaping it and there was no way to alert anyone to his plight without Frank knowing. This sucked out loud. With a resigned sigh, Jim revved the engine and pulled out of the parking lot, making his way back to the Academy.

OOOOO

It was midnight by the time he got back. The lights were off in the room and the sound of Bones' soft snoring echoed in the darkness. Jim stepped inside quietly, setting his keys down on the desk next to the door. He tried to be quiet but years of being on call and practically living in the medical rooms for most of his adult life had made Bones a particularly light sleeper.

The older man sat up sharply, instantly alert and ready to jump out of bed at a moment's notice. His eyes fell on Jim and he let out a sigh, glancing between him and the door. "Jim, it's midnight. Where the hell have you been?" He asked, his voice gruffer than normal from being awakened so abruptly.

Jim forced a smile into his voice to keep from sounding like anything was off. "Just got caught up at a bar Bones, nothing to worry about." There was a brief silence followed by an undecipherable mumble that sounded a lot like "damn kids." Jim smiled faintly and closed the door as his roommate fell back asleep.

He stepped into the restroom and closed the door, flicking on the lights and squinting against the harsh fluorescent bulbs. He looked at the mirror and grimaced at his appearance. Dirt and dried blood clung to one side of his face and a dark, mottle bruise peeked just over his temple. A jagged gash sliced through his scalp above his ear and his blond hair was stained red. Another bruise had started to form along the line of his jaw, varying shades of reds and purples outlining the point of impact. All together, he looked like hell warmed over. With a soft sigh, Jim turned on the shower and slipped out of his clothes, stepping into the warm spray. The water caused the cut to sting and throb even more but he didn't care. Blood and dirt swirled into the drain, turning the water a strange rusty brown color. For a few minutes, Jim stared at the water, watching as the colors swirled and mixed together. It was almost comforting in a grim way.

He knows I'm here...Jim thought darkly, remembering he had to swipe his ID card through the slot in order to get into the room. Frank was following him everywhere; he wasn't even safe in his own room. Suddenly, he needed to sit down. The walls felt too close and standing became way too hard to do. Jim sank to his knees in the shower and gripped the bottom of the tub tightly. Water streamed into his eyes and he shook his head slowly. This is so bad….this is so so bad…He thought over and over, clenching his teeth tightly. Frank was going to break him down until there was nothing left; he wanted Jim to suffer and to fall apart as slowly as possible. It had been ten years, ten long years since the night Frank had been arrested and disappeared from their lives forever. It was possibly the best night of Jim's life to that point.

The abuse had become a regular occurrence with him when Jim was about twelve. He could handle it though, he was strong and he could at least block out a lot of the outside world when it was happening. The situation had been about the same: the choice usually came down to either his mother or him and Jim always chose the latter. He'd tried fighting back on several occasions but it did very little good. Frank was a good fighter but he also had little remorse for the things he did. Breaking a few bones was a lesson in his eyes. So Jim learned to lie like a pro; hiding the injuries and making up stories for the ones that actually did require medical treatment. His mother suspected but every time she asked Jim would simply lie again; protecting her was his main concern. Then one night she confronted Frank directly and accusation didn't sit too well with him. Jim had come home to find his mother in a crumpled heap by the door, beaten unconscious and covered in blood. Without a second thought, Jim had tackled Frank to the ground and let out years of pent up rage and sadness on the man. Frank was still bigger than him, however, and it didn't take long for the older man to throw his off and deliver a beating of his own. Jim could vaguely remember some kind of extension cord being wrapped around his throat and strangling him when the police arrived. Frank was hauled off in the back of police car and Jim swore that if he never saw him again it would be too soon.

However, too soon happened to be a few months later when he was called to testify at the trial. Jim's mother was still recovering at the hospital, having to learn to walk again with a healing broken femur. He angrily told the courtroom about the years of abuse and explained why his mother had been in a coma for three days after the attack. The judge had stripped Frank of his rank and title and sentenced him to the next fifteen years in jail. That was the last time Jim saw him, handcuffed and hauled away by the guard. The murderous look was still fresh in his mind.

Being stripped of his title meant that Frank could never work in Starfleet again. He had been the chief computer programmer for the past eight years and had written several of the programs for the newer fleets. He was incredibly smart but total asshole to pretty much everyone he came in contact with. Why his mother had married him, Jim would never know. As much as he hated to admit it, he had learned a thing or two from Frank in the time he and his mother were married. It was part of the reason he'd managed to hack his way through the Kobyashi Maru exam.

The water became colder suddenly and Jim realized he'd been sitting in the same position for a good fifteen minutes. His legs had fallen asleep and the water was becoming colder with each passing second. Pulling himself from his reverie, Jim reached up and turned off the water, shivering slightly as it shut off. He stood carefully, not wanting to add to the concussion he already had by slipping in the tub, a grabbed a towel. He wrapped it around his waits absently and stepped out, glancing at the mirror once more.

With all the blood washed away, the gash actually didn't look too bad. That still didn't mean that Bones wasn't going to rip him a new one when he saw it. Turning off the bathroom light, Jim slipped back into the darkened room and grabbed a pair of boxers from his side of the room. He got dressed and fell onto the bed, staring blankly into the darkness. It was quiet, save for his roommate's soft breathing, and Jim had struggle with the demons again. It was going to be a terribly long night and he needed to figure out what to say at the meeting he was planning on having with his crew in the morning.


Okay, so was it alright?? I know Frank has all of Jim's information now but I refuse to let him get the money himself becuase its more fun to torture Jim. Hope it was alright!! :D