According to many, the cliff hangar last round means I'm evil.
...I'm somewhat proud of that. :D
I hope you'll all enjoy this chapter. Bit longer, bit more stuff happening...you may say I'm evil again. I hope the bonuses I've included will make you happy. Also, I hope this all makes sense. there's a reason I don't right crime dramas or mysteries, I'm really not very good at it...
Jim thought he had heard wrong for a second before Sarek barreled out the door past the concierge. He followed hot on his heels to the elevator. He apparently had a key that he put in, turning and getting the elevator there possibly five times faster. The boarded and again the elevator practically rocketed up the shaft in a way that had Jim stumbling and grasping the rails on the side. Sarek was out like a shot as soon as the door opened again, somehow sprinting down the hall and still managing to look somehow in control. Jim could see there were several security officers of the hotel already around their room. Sarek pushed his way through them and Jim followed close behind before they could try to block him. His heart clenched when he saw Amanda sitting in a chair crying, holding an ice pack to her face. She looked up as they walked in and Amanda stood, pulling the pack away to reveal a blossoming bruise.
"Sarek," she sobbed. "Sarek, th-they took him! I couldn't stop them, I-" Apparently damning whatever Vulcan propriety might say, Sarek wrapped his arms around her gently and held her close.
"Calm yourself, Amanda. It will be alright, we will find him." She sniffed and breathed as she tried to calm, finding comfort against him.
"What happened exactly?"
Still trying to breath, she pulled back enough she could see him without letting go. "I-I ordered room service for breakfast for Spock and me. A while later there was a knock at the door and a man in a uniform pushing the cart came in. I-I managed to get Spock to come out to eat, but the moment we moved to take the food I...I just remember something striking me and I went down on the floor. Then Spock was yelling but my head hurt and I-I think I blacked out for...I don't know! I just know when I pushed myself up he-he was gone! The man took him!" She suddenly looked up at Sarek with a glare. "Why didn't you respond! I was screaming at you through the bond but you had a wall up!"
Sarek winced and rested his forehead against hers, trying to remain calm. "I...I am sorry, Amanda. I was discussing a private matter with Jay and needed my full concentration..." She sobbed but didn't seemed consoled and still accusing.
"Is there anyone that would wish to hurt you or your family, Ambassador?" the head security guard asked.
"Not to my knowledge. Logically I believe this is the work of the same person or persons that attempted to abduct the Argellian Ambassador yesterday. I had thought it was a political maneuver, but as Argelia and Vulcan have little to do with one another even among others I am unsure of any leads..."
"Might be for profit then," Jim supplied. "They probably think if they ransom him they'll get money."
"And they will if it means the safe return of my son," Sarek said.
"I said might be, Sarek. There's still the chance they might ask for something political."
Sarek was silent, holding on to Amanda still. "...I will do what is necessary. But Spock is my priority."
Amanda managed a slight watery smile and leaned into him.
"Why the boy though?" One security officer asked.
"They probably thought Spock was an easier target cause he's young," Jim supplied. "They had problems with a full grown Argellian, they probably thought a seven year old would be easier. Thing is he's like ten times stronger than a human, so how could they get him out without getting their buts kicked?" Jim said, looking around. His eyes fell on something near the end table and his blood ran cold both in fear and instinct. Grabbing a napkin from the tray that was left, he grabbed the metal cylinder. "Shit...a spent hypo."
The security officer snapped to attention and grabbed it from him with the napkin. "That's evidence, kid!"
Jim frowned but didn't point out he was the one that found it. His mind was too busy being worried.
The officer looked it over. "If I had to guess, it's probably a tranquilizer. We'll get this to the police for prints."
"Yeah, that'll be quick and easy. But we got the how they got him, now we need a how they got him out of here since I'm assuming you haven't seen a guy lugging an unconscious boy around." The Security glared at him and he glared back with the authority his year as a captain afforded him. He turned as if to finish bagging the hypo in a plastic bag while the rest of the security guards looked around for clues more possible clues like some crime drama on TV. Some of the staff had gathered around earlier and were shifting anxiously around.
"There's the service elevator!" A maid suddenly said, hand up to her mouth in shock. "I-It's fast and it goes down to the bottom level where there's an emergency exit to the back lot!"
"Get someone down there now!" The security cheif barked. Jim moved to bolt out the door but Sarek paused him with a hand on his shoulder.
"You intend to find Spock?" he asked quietly.
"I don't intend to stand around waiting for them to," he whispered back.
"I will go with you."
"Me too," Amanda added.
"No, you two stay here."
"But—"
"It'll go quicker with one person. Spock would kill me if anything happened to you, Amanda. And you both should be here in case this asshole calls, then he won't get suspicious if I can get close enough."
"...There is logic in what you say," Sarek muttered, not seeming pleased by it.
Jim smiled though and put a hand on both their shoulders. "I'll make sure he comes back safe. I promise."
Amanda sniffed but nodded. "I-I trust you..."
"As do I." He pressed the Elevator key into his hand and then pulled out cell phone and handed it to him. It had the Starfleet logo on it and he figured it must've been given to him when they arrived. "Amanda has one similar, it is the first number. Starfleet is the second. Call if you need anything, I will give you clearance if necessary."
Jim grinned and pocketed it. "Will do. You two be safe."
"We should say that to you," Amanda said, giving him a brief hug. "Bring my boy back..."
"I will." He patted her back and then turned to rush out the door and to the elevators. He used the key and zoomed down to the bottom floor, making his way to the back area where the staff usually went. Before he could get far however, the security chief was in front of him.
"Where do you think you're going?" he growled.
"I'm going to see if there's anything-"
"You aren't going anywhere, kid. This is a crime scene, I don't need some friend of the family traipsing around and mucking things up before the cops get here. So we're securing the area."
Jim narrowed his eyes. "Yeah? Cause you were a big damn help upstairs."
The chief glared and leaned down. "Get out of here before I hold you in the back office for tampering."
"You know, you remind me of a guy I knew once. I called him Cupcake. And I became his boss," he grinned wryly.
The glare intensified and he leaned in more. "Yeah? Well you're not mine. So fuck off."
Glaring, Jim finally turned and quickly wracked his brain for a plan as he walked around. Inside is a no go...maybe I can around the side into the parking lot? Heading for the front door, he paused to look around. He muttered a curse when he saw there were already cop cars around the entrance to the staff parking lot. I wonder if Sarek could tell them to let me through...probably not, I'm not a full cop. Shit!
However, his eyes paused as they scanned around the other way. A man in a servers uniform, his coat over it, was standing there. Jim had learned to read people early on, to know how best to goad them into a fight or into bed or charm them away, and from the way this man was shifting and casting nervous glances at the police cars he knew something was up. He would also glance up and down the street as if waiting for someone to pick him up but his eyes always returned to the police cars. Then he saw he had a bruise on his cheek, about the size of a seven-year-old's fist...
Acting on instinct he sidled up to the man's side. "Hey."
The man started and looked at him in surprise. "Um...hey," he said, eyes flicking over him.
"Mind if I ask you how you got that bruise on your face?" He didn't have time for tact.
The server's eyes widened and he took a step back. "Wh-what? C'mon man, back off." He took a step towards him again, trying to regain his ground. "The hell you trying to pull?"
Jim hardened his gaze and the man flinched. "You got a bruise on your cheek. Looks pretty bad, but it's a weird place. How'd you get it?"
"I, uh..." He backed up again and Jim took a step forward. Then the man turned and pushed his way through the gathering crowd and Jim pushed his way through right behind him. The server was surprisingly fast and agile though, like a rat. He ducked down an alley a few blocks from the hotel and Jim barely jumped over a trash can he tried to put in his way. At the very end of the alley though he could see what looked like a man in a Starfleet's red ensign uniform walking past the other end.
"Stop that guy!" Jim yelled, almost desperate. "Stop him!"
The Starfleet ensign looked up and stopped in surprise. Jim was sure the server was about to get away past him when instead the uniformed man clothes lined him rather roughly with his arm. Grabbing the fleeing perp's throat as he reeled back, he then shoved him down to the ground and held him there. "Stay down," he growled.
Thank God for basic training! Jim rushed over and knelt by him, hauling him up by the front of his shirt. "Okay, asshole, what did you do to Spock?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," he said through clenched teeth. "I'll fucking sue you for my hospital bill you son of a—"
Jim lifted him with a surge of adrenaline and planted him against the alley wall. "You wouldn't have been so scared of the police and ran if you were innocent, shit head. But the police have nothing on me if you don't tell me where Spock is right now. I will break every goddamn bone in your body and then some before I turn you over to Spock's Vulcan father who is ten times my strength. Just think what he could do, never mind what he can do with your mind. In fact, maybe I should just take you to him so he can pull the information out of you mentally and then scramble whatever's left till you're a babbling, incontinent mental patient in prison. And since you kidnapped a seven year old boy, I wonder what the other inmates will do to you." He said this all low and level, perfectly calm. That's how angry he was that someone had dared to hurt Spock and his surrogate family.
The server was pale and sweating by the time he was done, shaking in his grasp. "I-It was my bookie! I owe him like thirty thousand and he said i-if I did this he'd wipe my tab! He's gonna ransom the kid, but he won't hurt him! They tried to kidnap that other guy yesterday but it didn't work so he said he got a tip about kidnapping the Vulcan guys' wife."
Jim just glared more and shook him, calm now gone. "Then why did you hit her and take her son?"
"I th-thought the kid would be worth more! I didn't know he was that fucking strong so I used a tranquilizer on him!"
"Was it meant for the woman?" Jim jumped and turned his head to see the ensign was still there, now apparently interested in what was going on.
"Y-yeah..."
"You idiot!" the ensign said. "A dose for a full grown woman isn't the same for a kid! What if he has complications? He could die!" Jim's blood ran cold at the thought.
The man blanched further. "I-I didn't know! I—"
"Where is he?" Jim yelled, pushing him more.
"I-I don't know! I snuck him out back an-and they took him away in a car! I was waiting for them to pick me up too!"
"They probably left you to take the blame," the ensign said.
The man shook. "I-Please, I'm sorry!"
"Tell me everything you know! You said he was your bookie, where do you usually meet him?"
He licked his lips. "H-He'll kill me!"
"That will be mercy compared to what I'll do to you! My earlier threat still stands."
She shook again. "The-The Crow Bar down town! I usually meet him there, he co-owns it! But that's all I can tell you, I swear! I was just a tool, I don't know what's going on!"
"Thanks. I believe you." Winding back, Jim punched him hard enough in the face to send him sprawling into unconsciousness on the garbage pile nearby. He shook his hand, not used to hitting things after a month of hiatus.
"So we need to head to the Crow Bar. I know where it is," the Ensign said.
Jim turned to stare at him incredulously. He was young, maybe about Jim's age and probably fresh out of the academy or even on shore leave. He had wavy sandy blonde hair and bright blue eyes that were somehow both lively and hard. Maybe he'd already had a tough mission in his past Jim thought. He wasn't bad looking either Jim supposed, in that boy next door way. In a way he looked oddly familiar. "Look, thanks for the help, really, but I can't ask you to come along. This could get dangerous."
"All the more reason I should come along," the Ensign said, crossing his arms. "Strength in numbers. Even if that number is just two."
"You're a fleet member-"
"I'm on extended leave. Have been for the last six months almost, and I'm going stir crazy. I could use a good fight to be honest. Off the record, I won't be telling anyone about this if you don't want me to. I just want to help because I really can't stand the idea of someone putting a child in danger. And I want to knock some heads. Also, having police or something raid the place would probably end up with them possibly hurting the kid if he's there. My uncle was a cop, I know how this stuff goes, so time is precious." Jim still looked dubious and he grinned cockily. "Plus, I have a cycle so unless you got a better idea of how to get across town in good time..."
Jim flattened his gaze at him before sighing. "Okay, you have a point. Just be careful, okay, I don't want someone else in danger on my conscience."
He grinned. "No problem. I got a hero complex I'm told so this works great for me."
Jim had to smile back. "Okay then..I'm Ji...Jay. Just Jay." He offered his hand.
The man smiled and grabbed it to give it a good firm shake. "Christopher Pike. Most people call me Chris. My bike is this way," he turned and started back down the alley but Jim was frozen where he was.
Christopher...Pike? No, no no no, the universe does not have this much of a sense of humor! Now though he could place those eyes and where he'd seen them before, though they were older and wiser at the time.
Chris turned back, looking at him. "Hey! We should get going if you want to rescue the kid!"
Jim snapped himself to attention. No matter how weird it was to see his old mentor young, the important thing was to rescue Spock. He followed Chris to a nearby parking lot where he climbed on a bike that would be classic in Jim's time but was practically new now. But somehow this didn't mesh in his mind. "You really do have a cylce?" His image of his prim but eccentric superior was being tilted on it's side.
"Uh, yeah? Easier to stow at Starfleet housing than a car."
"Right, yeah..." If I get to my time, Pike and I are going to have a lot to talk about...
Chris opened his seat storage and pulled out a sphere that expanded into a helmet when he pushed one side. He tossed it to Jim and pulled out another for himself. "Where that, we're no good to anyone if we crack our skulls open."
There's Pike Jim thought with a small smile, slipping it on. Chris climbed on the bike and started it up, a mike in the helmet letting him talk clearly to Jim. "Hop on and hold on." Jim did as he was told and awkwardly held on to Pike's sides. "What are you, a schoolgirl? If you fall off I'll go find this kid and take all the credit."
"Hey, I barely know you," Jim said, thinking it was somewhat true.
"Just don't go for second base or hump me and we're fine."
Pike was a cocky jerk when he was young... Jim wrapped his arms more securely around him and they took off at a jarring speed in a u-turn towards the other end of town. Jim was surprised how well he weaved in and out of traffic and more so that he somehow dodged any place cops might see them.
"You usually go this fast?" Jim asked as they barely made it through a redlight.
"It's why I always where a helmet. Don't want to tempt fate or slow down till I absolutely have to!"
I find that rather hypocritical of your older self he thought. They did finally slow however near a rougher part of town. Jim could see a bar off one corner ahead of them with a sign saying Crow Bar, a picture of a drunk crow leaning over the letterings. It looked like a place he might've visited in his rougher days. "Think your bike will be safe?"
"Got a friend in engineering. He rigged it that anyone that tries to strip or start it without my key gets a nasty shock."
"Huh, good idea..."
They climbed off and Jim stowed his helmet before quickly walking over to look in. "Know this place at all?" Chris walked up, having apparently hidden his Starfleet uniform top in his cycle so it looked like he was only dressed in a black undershirt, black pants and black boots.
"Nope. Nicer bars with less chance of tetanus near campus."
"How is it you are both the most cautious and foolhardy man I've met at the same time...?"
Chris looked at him before looking away as if examining the interior again. When he spoke it was quiet and reflective. "Let's just say after a near death experience and losing a lot of good friends, I want to risk my life on my terms. Even if it means risking it for someone else."
Jim now really saw the future Admiral starting to shine through and he smiled in sympathy before clapping him on the back. "I understand. Believe me."
Chris smiled before heading for the door and Jim followed. The inside of the bar was low lit and made of dark wood with wrought iron lamps hanging down. It was surprisingly clean for this side of town and Jim thought maybe it wouldn't have been a bad place if half the patrons didn't look like a bunch of extras from a revival of Grease. Lots of leather jackets and slicked back hair. "We need to find this bookie..." Chris muttered loud enough for just Jim to hear.
"Yeah...should've asked that little creep for a description."
"Not sure if bruises will help here either."
"Hey you two, this isn't that kind of bar. Either quit that whispering shit and order something, or get out," the bartender said.
"Sorry, just discussing something," Jim said smoothly. He sat down and Chris sat next to him. "I'll just have a beer. Whatever you got."
"Same here."
The bartender brought up two bottles and uncapped them, setting them down. "There you go."
"Thanks." Jim grabbed the bottle and sipped from it, then pulled over an apparently abandoned newspaper from nearby. He was glad to see it was from that day and flipped it around to the sports section. He needed to find something he could pose to bet on. "So...got any opinion on the Black Hawks game today?"
"I think without Mollineli they're screwed."
"Yeah," Chris agreed. "Sucks about his rotator cuff when they don't have a good stand in pitcher."
Jim vaguely remembered hearing about a pitcher named Mollineli being out for the count in a big game. A rookie named Obetz had been put in his place to pitch a near no hitter and began a career that led to Hall of Fame-dom. The urge to actually bet came up, but he wasn't sure if this was that fateful game anyway so he focused on the task at hand. "Care to place a bet?"
The bar-keep paused, looking him over suspiciously. "I'm not a betting man."
"Know someone who is?"
"Depends on who's asking."
"We're bored," Chris supplied. "And we got a bit of cash to burn."
"Spend it on drinks."
"We have work later, we can't go getting plastered. If you don't know anyone we'll just look elsewhere," Jim said, taking a longer swig as if to finish his beer faster. Chris followed suit, eyeing Jim with an unreadable expression. Jim for the most part was trying not to cough. Alcohol was a new feeling after so long since his last drink and it actually burned a bit. Hope my tolerance didn't go down...
"...Alright, alright," the tender sighed. "But I swear to god if you're some kind of undercovers you're in deep shit." He looked around and nodded to a table. "You want Sully. He's our resident bookie."
"Only one?"
"Sully doesn't like his own competition, kid, so we just need the one. He's also co-owner so don't go getting me fired, okay?"
"No problem, buddy," Jim grinned, standing with his beer and the newspaper. Chris followed, looking around as they walked up to the guy at the lone table.
The man they were looking for definitely looked like one of the more suspect individuals present. He was in his forties, dark hair was combed back and he a Hawaiian print shirt over a white muscle shirt and jeans. A gold chain hung down his chest and he screamed retiree in Florida not a trashy part of San Francisco. Not exactly a look of a legitimate businessman. Surprisingly all his clothes were quite clean though.
He looked up as they walked over and smiled charmingly. "Hello there, gentleman. Can I help you?"
Jim arched his eyebrows. Despite the lowbrow dress, the man was oddly well spoken. "Are you Sully?"
"Yes indeed. Since you don't know me and I don't know you, I'm guess this is a business meeting?"
"Yep," Chris said. "We were looking to make a bet on the Black Hawks game."
"Bit close to the wire, boys. That game starts in..." He checked his rather expensive looking wristwatch. "Forty five minutes. I usually close bets an hour before."
"We had trouble finding a good bookie," Jim said. "We sort of need anonymity..."
"You came to the right place. I prefer keeping things hush-hush as well, obviously. You don't even have to use your real names as long as you use real money. Try to skip out on me and, well..." He smiled charmingly but there was a hard edge to his eyes. "I do have my ways of finding you."
Jim felt a root of uneasiness in him. Either the man was good at intimidation without threat or there was some underlying darkness there. He didn't like the idea of him being anywhere near Spock. "So, think you can squeeze us in?" he said, trying to keep cool.
"I suppose, for a couple of new customers. Odds on the Black Hawks are 20 to 1."
"That high?" Chris said in surprise.
"Not a big possibility with their best pitcher benched. The Lions are a better bet at 5 to 1."
"...I like taking chances. I'll put ten on the Hawks," Jim said.
Sully's eyebrows went up. "Sure on that?"
"I'm looking for a metaphorically cheap thrill. Easier than sky diving."
Chris laughed a bit at that. "I'm with him. Ten on the hawks for me too."
Sully smirked a bit. "Alright then." He took out a book. "Names or initials."
"JK," Jim said, getting an odd look from Chris.
"CP."
"Okay then," Sully said, writing the initials and odds. "You guys sticking around or do I need your numbers too?"
"I think we'll stick around," Jim said. He licked a his lips a bit as he weighed his options. "I might need to run back to my hotel to make sure I got plenty of money. Bit hard right now, another hotel nearby has cops and shit all over. Something about a kidnapping."
Sully's jaw flexed and Jim knew it was a slight gesture you wouldn't see if you weren't looking, but he was. "No kidding?"
"Yeah, seven year old boy I think someone said. Damn tragic. I hope it wasn't some sicko..."
"Yeah, I know," Chris added, looking like he was trying to figure out what to say and not to say.
Sully looked at them a bit before nodding. "I hope so too...If you'll excuse me, I need to go put these into my system." He rose and made his way to a back room. Jim eyed him as he left, rolling the bottle between his hands before standing with Chris to walk around as if examining the bar.
"That seem suspicious to you?"
"More than a bit...though I might be paranoid."
"Me too. Dammit, if I just had a sign!"
"...Didn't that guy at the hotel say he pawned your kid off to some guys in an old black SUV?"
"Yeah?"
He nodded his head towards the window and Kirk looked. An old black SUV pulled up to a "company" marked parking spot. One guy stepped out and made his way into the place and up to the bar. "Yo, Marcus! Sully in?"
"Yeah, he went to the back. Something wrong?"
"Yeah, the..." He paused and looked at Jim and Chris who were nearby and then around. "Um, the chair we got for his friend isn't strong enough."
"Strong enough?"
"Yeah. He broke it. And he's not happy. We had trouble keeping him there."
Marcus frowned before nodding. "Go talk to Sully, not me man."
"Okay, just warn him. I don't want him biting my head off."
"Yeah yeah," he said. He waited for him to start over before he pulled out his phone and turned to the end of the bar, talking quietly.
Chris nudged him. "That was really suspicious..."
"No kidding. These guys have a lot of dumb luck on their side apparently."
"Think we do too?"
"I'm hoping it's not too dumb." He grabbed a napkin on the bar and quickly wrote his old number on it. When the bar tender turned around he held it out to him. "Hey, we forgot to take care of something. Shouldn't take us too long, but here's our number if your boss wants to make sure we don't Welch on the bet."
"Thanks, I'll make sure he gets it," he said distractedly.
Jim motioned for Chris to follow and they headed out and towards his bike. "What's up? We aren't giving up are we?"
"Hell no. But obviously Spock's not here. It would be stupid of them to keep him near they're base of operations."
"So we're going to follow the van," Chris finished with a smile.
"Yeah..." They walked back to the bike, and managed to situate it where they could see the van at the front of the bar without much difficulty. Minutes passed in tense silence before someone came out and tossed something in the back of the van before climbing back in and starting it up. Chris smiled as he clicked his key at the bike to disable the security system, taking tossing one helmet to Jim who quickly put it on. Before Chris could put his on he put his hands on his shoulders. "Pike? I gotta say something before this."
"If you're gonna try and talk me out of it, you're wasting your time," Chris said. "Like I said, my life my decisions on where I risk it."
"I know. I already figured you wouldn't let me do that cause that's how you are."
Chris arched his eyebrows. "You talk like you know me..."
"Not as well as I thought apparently. So, I'd like to say thank you for going so far to help despite not knowing me or Spock." Yet.
The other man smiled and patted his shoulder. "Really, it's nothing. Truth be told you reminded me a lot of an old good friend of mine when I first saw you. I owe him a lot... Felt almost compelled to help."
Jim nodded. "Thanks. And I'd also like to say sorry."
"That's not necessary."
"Yes it is. Sorry." Rearing his head back, Jim delivered a solid head butt to the other man's forehead. Chris reeled with a curse, his world tilted by the strike. Not hesitating, Jim pushed him back and grabbed the keys from his hand. "I need to make sure you keep on going and not risk your life before it really counts. For both our sakes." He hopped on the bike and pushed the key in with a turn and sped down the street and towards the van.
Jim kept as far back as he could to try and remain unnoticed as he followed them, confused as the buildings started growing higher and more respectable than deteriorated. Is this Sully guy really just a bookie?
He saw the van pull into a garage below one building and veered the bike off to the side into an alley. He clicked the key in hopes of at least keeping the bike safe and pocketed the keys. Keeping the helmet on, he made his way to the garage. The van was fairly obvious among various sedans and luxury vehicles. He stood a good distance away and watched them pull the bag out of the back. Before anything else happened though he felt the muzzle of a weapon at the back of his head. Close range the motorcycle helmet would do precisely jack.
"Okay, buddy, follow the leader is over." Jim cursed but put his hands up.
"What are you doing here?"
"I'm looking for my friend's son. He's seven years old and was taken this morning. I got some reliable information that he was put in a van suspiciously like that black one there. Not to mention a multitude of other suspicious activity."
Jim could here a murmer that sounded like. "Fucking Abel," before he shoved him. "Fine, you want to see him? Come with us. Try anything funny and your expendable unlike the kid, got it?"
"Yeah yeah...I just want to know if he's okay."
"Little bastard is a strong fucker..."
"He's still seven," Jim nearly growled.
One of the men, about five in total, looked up from making his way to the elevator. "What do we got there, A.J.?"
"Guy looking for that kid. He tailed you idiots!"
They all looked surprised then sheepish. "Uh, well-"
"The boss gave you this job to prove you can do something right! And so far, you've screwed it up royally. He thought you were talking about blackmail, not kidnapping!"
"Look, kidnapping isn't exactly old hat to us but it's profitable!" another said in a harsh whisper. "Especially a kid!"
"Yeah, well, you better make sure this guy doesn't get out and tell everyone what's going or the boss will have your balls."
"Don't worry, we got him and we can take care of that little brat too," another added, hefting the bag.
The guy with the gun shoved him at the others, two of which grabbed him around the arms to muscle him to the elevator. "We'll take you to the kid, don't worry. What happens by the end of it, Superman, depends on you."
Jim tried not to sneer at their attempt at big talk. Now it made more sense. Small fish trying to be big fish and screwing up in the process explains how ridiculously easy it was to find them compared to doing algorithms in space and warp 2. Sounded like the "boss", who he bet good money was Sully, was fully aware his boys were screw ups too.
Being manhandled into the elevator, Jim waited quietly while the others chatted around him. Some prodded him, still alluding him to a superhero.
"He's even got a mask!" one said, knocking his head around with a hand on his helmet. "Protecting your secret identity?"
"You could say that..."
"You didn't need to bother y'know, we weren't going to hurt the kid...more than necessary to get him to behave."
Jim felt a protective fire rise up into him, but he didn't lash out. He was beginning to empathize with Spock's control. "Vulcan's have a lot of control." They exited the elevator and started heading down a hallway of offices. It was dark, tarps up at the windows as if in construction though nothing appeared to be torn up. Jim quickly cast his eyes around, trying to find proof of Spock.
"Not right now," the guy Jim recognized from the bar said. "He's pretty pissy. Almost busted my damn ribs when he came too from that little drug dose. We got some toys for him though, maybe that'll cheer him up." Reaching in he pulled out what Jim recognized as a shock collar meant for dogs from his bag. The helmeted man felt his stomach drop at the thought of young Spock wearing such a cruel device. "It'll keep him quiet at least. It's even got a little remote if he gets out of hand."
Jim saw red. He socked the guy across the jaw, surprising everyone. Not pausing, Jim brought his foot up and sent another guy spinning with a hit to the head before he could get him.
"What the fuck?" One man reached for a weapon and Jim took him out with a one two punch before taking his knee out with another strike. The other two grabbed his arms and hauled him up, but he used the wall as a spring board to send them all tumbling back, Jim smashing their heads against the floor after rolling away. All of them appeared to be knocked out now and Jim smirked. He searched them all for weapons and dumped all but one in a nearby trash shoot. Tucking the basic phazer in his waist band he started searching the hall again. "Spock? Spock, are you hear?"
No answer.
Biting his lip, Jim began trying every door he could find. Most were locked, those that opened were empty. He paused though when he saw one a ways down that looked like it was crooked on its hinges. Almost like someone had been struggling to get out.
Please please please... He quickly went to it and pushed on it. It wouldn't budge so he took out the phazer and shot the lock off in a quick powerful burst. Pushing again, it opened and he moved through.
His first sight was of Spock, gagged, blindfolded and with his ears blocked as well as tied to a chair. He had a green bruise to the side of his face and a small trail of blood coming down his nostril. The sight filled him with both relief and anger, but the boy looked perfectly calm. Jim had a feeling he was meditating on a way to escape if he knew his Spock.
A guard looked up in surprise, moving for his weapon before Jim socked him in the jaw. Twice. That seemed to startle Spock who's senses were sharper than most humans even with them being dampened. Rushing over, Jim quickly took the blind fold and ear guards off. Spock blinked and then his eyes widened when he saw him before he began struggling. Jim had to jump back before flailing legs took his knee caps out.
"Spock, calm down! It's me!" The boy stopped, looking at him in unhidden shock. Jim quickly undid the gag and Spock shook his head, glaring at him angrily. It made Jim wince for some reason.
"You cannot fool me! You are not Jay!" he spat.
Jim was surprised. By what he wasn't sure. Maybe it was that Spock didn't believe it was him. Or the way that it sounded like he thought Jim wouldn't even come for him. Quickly he took off the helmet, smiling at him. "Spock, it is me."
Spock's anger melted into confusion and maybe even something like hope. "J...Jay?"
"Yeah..." He knelt down and worked to undo the complicated knots around Spock's wrists and arms. "You sound surprised.'
"I...I didn't think you would...You said you were leaving and I..."
Jim pulled back and looked at him, putting his hands on his shoulders. He squeezed them comfortingly at the slight tension there. "Spock, if I was a world away I'd find my way back and do what I could to get you home safely. No matter what. Heck, I stole a bike and bit the shit out of five guys to get to you. Nothing could stop me."
Spock looked shocked again, blushing badly. He looked down in embarrassment before something caught his attention. Jim wasn't used to seeing emotion on the normally passive face, but the sudden fear alerted him to the danger. "Jay, behind you!"
Jim barely had time to wrap Spock in a protective embrace and take them both to the ground before a shot from behind rang out.
Jim screamed in pain.