[disclaimer] fan-fiction.

Against All Odds
-a call for help-

The room was dark and dusty. AJ followed Phil, staying close behind him. Her eyes scanned the room. It was small and dingy and the furniture was old and worn. They stood in the center of the room. He didn't move for several minutes, his shoulder's set. She wondered what he was thinking.

AJ continued her inspection of the room. One of the windows was broken – most likely from a stray baseball or rock tossed by the neighborhood children. The carpet on the floors was shabby and stained and she wanted to wash her feet after walking across it. She stepped forward and turned to face Phil. His eyes were dark as he scanned the room. His expression was grim and she got the impression that this was the last place on Earth he wanted to be.

"Are you alight?" she questioned. He looked at her and she felt the strange urge to reach out and touch his arm, to try to comfort him. She brushed away the thought, reminding herself that he was the man who had kidnapped her.

He nodded; his eyes began to scan the room again. "It's not in here," he said mysteriously. He walked into the next room.

She followed him stepping over broken floor-boards. It was clear by the lack of carpet and the dusty, broken chandelier that the room was supposed to be a dining room. Instead of a table and chair set, a rickety looking desk stood against the back wall. Another corner of the room showcased a row of dusty photos on top of a bookshelf, which was flanked by several dated chairs in need of upholstering.

"This place is a mess" The words escaped her before she could stop herself.

Phil grunted, "My brother never was much of a house keeper."

AJ looked at him, "Was?"

"He's dead," His tone was apathetic as he searched the room.

"I'm sorry." She didn't know what else to say.

"Don't be, I'm not."

AJ thought about asking him how he could feel that way about his family, but thought better of it. No need to upset him. She wasn't sure what would happen if she did.

"Must be upstairs," he headed for the staircase. AJ followed behind him. She eyed the staircase apprehensively. If it was in the same state as everything else in the house -

"What are you looking for?" She watched as he slowly ascended the stairs. She followed clutching the railing nervously.

"A clue."

"A clue about what?" AJ couldn't hide her annoyance. She was being dragged around on some stupid scavenger hunt and she had no idea why.

He didn't respond. She fought back the urge to punch him, unsure of what he would do to her.

At the top of the stairs he turned left and began down a narrow hallway. She followed eying the cracks in the walls. She couldn't believe that this house was still standing, where she was from, it would have been condemned. Phil stopped in front of the door at the very end of the hall. He inhaled deeply before pushing the door open. AJ followed him inside and gasped.

The room was in pristine condition. The thick white carpet was unstained. A full size bed sat in the far corner covered by a pink and white quilt. The room was barren of decorations besides a single picture on the white desk.

Phil looked at AJ's stunned expression and smiled, "My niece, on the other hand, likes her room immaculate."

"Where are all of her things, though?" Regardless of how clean the room was, it showed no sign of the girl who inhabited it.

"My house."

"She lives with you?"

Phil nodded, distracted. His eyes fell on the picture frame on the desk. He crossed the room and grabbed it. He flipped it over and took the picture out of the frame. AJ looked at the teenage girl in the picture. She was in a park with a cake, covered in candles, was sitting on the picnic table in front of her. Her long black hair was curly and a pink, studded headband kept it out of her eyes. She was smiling. She was beautiful.

"Is this your niece?"

Phil didn't answer; he was staring at the back of the picture, looking dumbfounded.

"Phil, are you okay?"

He pulled himself together, "I know where we have to go next." He pulled the hotel key card out of his pocket and sat it next to the empty photo-frame.

"Where are we going?" AJ asked as she followed Phil out of the room. "Why are you leaving the key card here? He quickly descended the stairs and AJ followed suit. "Phil does this have to do with your niece?"

Phil took her hand and dragged her out to the car. The sun was just starting to set and the air was starting to get chilly. "Get in; we're in for a long ride."

"Phil you need to let me go. I need to back. I'm going to lose my job." AJ pleaded, "My family is going to realize I'm missing eventually!"

Phil kicked the wheel in frustration. He began to pace the length of the car. "I need you to help me. I'll get you home safe. But, I can't let you go, not yet. Please, April." For the first time he looked desperate. He was pleading.

AJ looked at him – the crazed look in his eyes – the sense of desperation in his voice. She relented. "Okay, but you have to tell me what is going on."

Phil nodded. "I'll explain on the way." He opened his car door. "I just have to make a call."

She nodded, opened the door, and slid into the passenger seat. He got in and pulled out his cell phone. He dialed a number, and then waited, while it was ringing. "Hi, Eve. It's me, Phil. I'm not going to be in for the next few days. I'll call you when I'm feeling better." He paused. "Yea, just a little under the weather." Another pause. "Thanks, Eve."

He hung up. He glanced at AJ then at the phone. He held it out her. "Do you want to call in so you don't get in trouble at work."

AJ was surprised he was extending her so much trust. She could easily call 911 and at least inform them that she was missing.

She took the phone from him. She thought about calling, then she remembered that desperate look in his eyes. She dialed the number to her work and got the machine. She left a short message saying she had the flu and had to stay in bed. Then she flipped the phone shut and handed it to him. "Thank you."

He put the phone in the cubby by the gear shift and turned the keys in the ignition.

She just hoped she had made the right decision.

Eve left the studio half an hour later, locking the door behind her. She got in her car and started the engine.

She thought back to her phone call with Phil. Something was not right. Kylee had missed her lessons two days in a row and now Phil was calling in. He had never called in. Even when he was hurt or ill he came in to do the office work.

Eve made the split second decision to stop by the house and check on them.

She drove across town to Phil's house. She parked in the driveway and went up the brick sidewalk to the front porch. She rang the doorbell and waited.

No answer.

She tried the bell three more times, but still no one answered.

She looked around, all of the lights were off. She walked over to the garage and peered through the garage-door window. Phil's car was not inside.

Eve went back to her own car and pulled out her cell-phone. She dialed her boyfriend's number and waited for him to answer.

"Detective John Cena."

"John, I need your help."

[an] okay, guys that's it for chapter 6. I've already got chapter seven started so hopefully another update will be up by next weekend, time permitting. I know I haven't been around much, but I'm hoping to get a bit of writing done this summer. If you guys ever want to talk or have a question, send me a pm or hit me up on twitter – the link is on my profile. Eve and John are going to be minor characters, only here and there – this is still a punk/aj story, but I need Eve and John to further the plot. Hope you guys haven't given up on this story. Let me know what you think =D

Besos- Danie.