Chapter Four

Ring. Ring.

Kendall tore his gaze away from the large screen in front of him, locating his cell phone that sat on a table at the far end of the room. He was in the media room of his shared mansion, sitting on the white leather couch, watching a hockey game on the television. He furrowed his brow in the direction of his cell phone, the ring almost drowned out by the deafening roar of the audience on the television, the announcer's screaming along with them. Reaching for the white remote next to him, he quickly muted the sound and pulled himself up, balancing awkwardly on his cast.

Padding across the room, his footsteps muffled by the shag carpet, he reached for his phone. It sat on the table where Logan's bouquet stood, the exact place where Kendall had told them he wanted to get back into conning. The memories washed over him, feeling as though it happened just a few hours ago, rather than a month. Picking up his phone, he saw two words that quickly caught his attention. Carlos Garcia.

Sliding his thumb across the screen to accept the call, the blonde man held the phone up to his ear, feeling his heart-rate quicken. "Hello?"

"Hey, Kendall!" Carlos' cheerful voice echoed through the phone, sounding slightly muffled. He must be in his office - the walls were pretty thick and cell phone reception was relatively low, as Carlos had told him the night he had sat at dinner with them.

Kendall smiled as he remembered that night. James' mutinous scowl had been aimed at him the entire night, only to be broken when Carlos spoke to him. The latino man had explained that he had recently inherited his father's business, and started seeing James Diamond, whom he was dining with. They'd talked for a solid two hours, James and Kendall exchanging casual small talk, as if they'd never met before. Carlos had been very interested in Kendall's military history - why he'd enlisted, where he'd been stationed, and everything he'd done. Thanks to all the research he'd conducted with Logan, Kendall could easily come up with answers to all of his questions. He'd explained that it was his father who inspired Kendall to join the Navy, and he'd been stationed in Key West, Florida, before being sent to Germany. Carlos had asked why a Naval unit be needed in Germany, to which Kendall responded with a shrug, saying that the German embassy requested that they be stationed in Munich.

James had scoffed, mumbling something under his breath about amateurs, which had gone unheard by Carlos. Kendall had shot him a scathing look, but continued to answer Carlos' questions. They'd gotten along well, exchanging phone numbers before finally parting ways.

The three of them had stood outside of the restaurant, the sky a deep blue as the last rays of sunlight vanished below the horizon. Kendall stood under a street lamp, his crutches nestled under his arms as he faced the other two men. James had his arm around Carlos' waist, and the shorter man didn't seem to mind. Kendall had fought the urge to frown at the casual display, feeling the familiar jolt of fear that James might win. He mentally shook his head, adjusting his coat subconsciously and hearing the buttons click together at the motion.

'How will you get home?' Carlos had asked, to which Kendall chuckled slightly, running a hand through his hair as he let one crutch rest against his rib cage.

'I took the bus here, I expect I'll be getting a ride back as well.' Kendall had explained. Carlos looked as though he was going to protest and offer Kendall a ride home, but James had quickly intervened, whispering something into Carlos' ear. The blonde asked James what he'd said exactly, when the hazel eyed man finally returned home after dropping off Carlos.

'I told him to let a man have his pride.' James explained with a smirk. Kendall had rolled his eyes, knowing that James had found the perfect opportunity to make sure Kendall didn't soil the end of their date. Kendall expected that more had gone on than a simple exchange of words when James dropped Carlos off, but he didn't question him. He didn't want to make James think that he was afraid of the competition.

What he hadn't expected was for Carlos to call so soon. Resting the cell phone between his shoulder and his ear, and hobbled back to the couch and sunk into the cushions with a sigh, "Hi, Carlos. What's up?" He replied cheerfully.

"Listen, I have an idea," Carlos began, clearly eager to get to the point, "I had a client come in this morning - a young guy trying to launch his career as a film director. He was telling me about this script he wrote, a story inspired by his brother's experience in the military. He'd been injured as well, and had to be put in a wheelchair. Apparently he was treated here in the city, so I asked who his doctor was."

Kendall felt a smile tug at the corner of his mouth, knowing where this was going. "Who is it?"

"Logan Mitchell. He's a trauma specialist at the hospital down town. From what my client said, he was able to help the guy back on his feet within a matter of weeks!" Carlos said happily.

Kendall closed his eyes with a knowing grin, remembering Logan's part of the plan that they'd gone over a week before. The "client" of Carlos's was actually an aspiring actor, and was happy to carry out their plan for a decent amount of money. Logan hadn't said when the actor would carry out their plan, but Kendall knew now that this was it. This was finally Logan's chance to get in the game.

But Kendall also knew that he had to remain in character himself. He wasn't about to let his own excitement ruin his chances. "That's nice, Carlos, but how on earth could I afford this guy?" Kendall asked.

Carlos sighed through the phone, "Don't worry about it, Kendall. I made an appointment for three o'clock, today. I'm taking you, and you can't change my mind, so don't even bother."

Kendall smiled into the phone, but he knew he had to object in some way, "I can't let you-"

"Shut up, man." Carlos interrupted, "What's your address?"

Kendall yawned, feeling the first chill of fall ruffle his blonde hair. He sat at the bottom of the stairs outside of the Red Woods apartment complex, a domain he'd chosen carefully for his character. The apartment complex resided little more than a block away from the restaurant where he'd met Carlos, and was dingy enough to sell the story that Kendall couldn't afford better living arrangements. He could hear a couple shouting upstairs, and the faint barking of a dog. Here and there, windows were broken in or boarded up, and most of the apartments looked more like sketchy motel rooms than actual homes.

He'd rented one of the apartments on the third floor two weeks after the boys returned from Vegas - knowing he would need it for his con. He'd hired professional set designers to decorate his apartment as a Navy vet, specifically one that could barely afford a bed. He wasn't a fan of the apartment, but he knew he would have to spend a significant amount of time there now that he'd finally began his con.

Stretching out his bound leg, he leaned back on his elbows on the stairs above the one where he sat, waiting for Carlos to arrive. Checking the dim screen of his phone, he saw that it was two twenty-three. Carlos had promised to pick him up at two thirty, so they would have time to make it for the appointment. Kendall hoped that the other man wouldn't be too late.

As if on cue, he heard the distant roar of an engine, and a black car turned the corner onto his street. Unlike James, he wasn't very educated in types of cars, so he had no idea what the fancy insignia on the hood meant. He smiled as Carlos pulled up and stepped out of his car, padding up to Kendall with a friendly look on his face. The other man reached down, offering Kendall a hand, and pulled the blonde into a standing position.

"Come on, we don't want to be late." Carlos called over his shoulder as he turned away, pulling the passenger side door open for the blonde. Kendall slid into the car, taking note of the tan leather interior. Whatever car this was, he knew it cost a lot of money. The familiar twinge of excitement made Kendall smile as Carlos climbed into the driver's seat and pulled away from the apartment complex.

Kendall smirked as he stepped into the familiar lobby of Logan's practice. He winked at the receptionist, who rolled her eyes as she answered a phone call. She had worked for Logan for almost five years, and knew all about their history with cons. Kendall guessed Logan had filled her in on their latest escapade.

Carlos padded up to the front desk, signing the patient sheet before sitting down in one of the deep blue seats in the waiting room. Kendall slid in next to him, cupping his hands together in his lap. "Thanks for doing this." He muttered.

Carlos looked at him with a confused expression and Kendall explained, "Thanks for helping me. I don't think I would have been able to come to place like this on my own."

Carlos shrugged, looking down at his feet bashfully. "My dad always said to help people when you can."

"He must have been a great guy."

"He was."

They sat in silence for a few moments, the blonde allowing Carlos to be alone with his thoughts. He knew what it was like to lose a father - even if he hadn't been as close to his as Carlos had been. He opened his mouth to offer comforting words, but was interrupted when a door at the far end of the room opened and a nurse called his name. "Kendall Knight."

The two men stood up and followed her into a long hallway. She smiled kindly at them, keeping one eye on Kendall as he balanced ungracefully on his crutches. She led them to a room at the end of the hall, the door already open and waiting for them. "If you'll wait here, Dr. Mitchell will be with you soon."

Kendall hobbled into the examination room, wincing at the bright lights from the ceiling. A cot-like bed stood at one side of the room, covered in a layer of paper to protect other patients from germs. Two wooden chairs stood side-by-side next to the bed, beside a countertop equipped with a sink and several tubs of medical supplies. The floor was made up of blue tile, glistening against the bright fluorescent lights from the ceiling.

Resting his crutches against the cot, Kendall pulled himself on top of it, letting his leg hang off the side while pulling the other under him. Carlos fell into one of the wooden chairs, resting one hand on the countertop and tapping his fingers restlessly. Kendall wondered how he truly felt about helping him. It was strange that someone he had only ever met once was so committed to helping him, but he didn't question it. As long as he got the money in the end, that's all that mattered.

The door creaked open as a familiar raven-haired man stepped into the room. Logan smiled at them both, his eyes meeting Kendall's slightly longer than the other. "Hello, Mr. Knight, Mr. Garcia. How are the two of you doing today?"

Carlos leaned back against the chair, "I'm great - happy to see Kendall here."

"Yes, I read your report, Mr. Knight," Logan said, turning to the blonde, "You were injured in a training exercise, yes?"

Kendall nodded with a slight sigh, "Yes. We were doing hurdles through mud, and my leg got caught in a particularly thick part of the mud. I fell on my side and cracked my hip and femur."

Logan shook his head with a slight chuckle, "I'd be lying if I said that you aren't the first patient I've had who was injured during training. I had a guy come in a few months ago who trained at West Point - shattered his knee by tripping over a tire."

Kendall rolled his eyes, "I bet he felt as embarrassed as I do."

"Well, he was more angry that the VA refused to pay for his medical assistance." Logan said, stepping over to the sink and washing his hands thoroughly. He motioned for Kendall to scoot back on the cot, and the blonde rested his bound leg on top of the bed. He watched as Logan tapped on the cast, wincing believably.

"It'll take a while for a fracture like this to heal, but something worries me. Sometimes a bad enough hip fracture can cause…. other problems." Logan muttered rubbing his chin quizzically. Carlos tipped his head to the side, "What do you mean?"

"Well… let me make sure before I cause unnecessary worries. Can you roll onto your side, Kendall?" Logan asked, wiggling his eyebrows mischievously at Kendall with his back turned to Carlos. Kendall narrowed his eyes but turned onto his side, facing the wall with a scowl. He didn't know what Logan had planned - but whatever, as long as they got Carlos to believe it.

Logan lifted the back of Kendall's shirt, poking the base of his spine with ice cold fingers. Kendall couldn't help but gasp at the unexpected cold. "Just as I suspected," Logan murmured.

Kendall couldn't help but obtain a confused expression as Logan continued to press on his spine. Whatever the raven-haired man was doing, it wasn't good. He yelped when he felt Logan pinch at the skin, causing Kendall to turn his head and glare at the other man.

"Come here." Logan motioned to Carlos, and the shorter man stood up and crossed the room to stand beside the doctor. Kendall felt Logan press his thumb to his spine, cringing at his cold fingers. Trust Logan to have the coldest hands in the universe.

"You see that?" Logan began, "He feels pain at the slightest touch. With a hip fracture like this, it's not unusual for there to be an abscess in the spinal area. Look, you see that red area?" Kendall felt Logan pointing at the area where Logan had pinched him, and scowled where Carlos couldn't see his face. "That's the start of it."

"What does that mean?" Carlos asked worriedly.

"If it isn't taken care of properly, he could lose the use of his legs." Logan explained, leaping back when Kendall sat up rapidly.

"What?" Kendall demanded, giving Logan an incredulous look. Carlos was staring at him with concern, but Logan just looked smug.

"You're going to need to be in a wheelchair for a few weeks, at least." Logan explained, "We don't want you putting a strain on the area and making it worse."

Kendall opened his mouth to object, but closed it when he realized he couldn't say anything to change Logan's mind. Logan was the "doctor" here, and Kendall had no choice but to do what he said. Trust Logan pull a fast one.

"Don't worry," Logan said, smirking at Kendall's furious look, "We'll lend you a wheelchair from our office."

Turning to Carlos, Logan gave the shorter man a stern look, "I'm going to trust you to make sure he stays in the wheelchair." Carlos nodded and Logan continued, "He's also going to need help around his house. He won't be able to do a lot on his own. Will you help him?"

Carlos nodded against, smiling kindly, "Of course! I'd love to help him in any way that I can."

"Good." Logan smiled, turning to look at a dumbfounded Kendall with a smug look.

Kendall furrowed his brow, feeling his blood boil with rage. He sat again in the passenger seat of Carlos' car, his hands in fists at his sides. The wheelchair that Logan had lent him sat in the back seat, resting against the leather seats. Kendall should have known that Logan would have done something to sabotage his plan.

Carlos glanced over at him, clearly mistaking his rage as being against using a wheelchair. "Hey, it won't be so bad. He said it would only be for a few weeks."

Kendall shook his head, "How can we be sure that this guy even knows what he's talking about? I don't even feel any pain in my spine now."

"Maybe not," Carlos confided, "but I saw the spot he pointed at. It was dark red and you cringed at the touch. You can't tell me that that was nothing."

Kendall rolled his eyes, grumbling under his breath as Carlos pulled up to the Red Woods apartment. They parked in front of the building where Kendall had sat just a few hours before, and the blonde couldn't help but look at it with disgust.

"Don't worry, once you're better you'll be able to get a job and afford a nicer place. Maybe even a condo like mine!" Carlos sounded as though he were trying to cheer Kendall up, but the blonde shook his head. He knew he shouldn't have trusted Logan to completely push aside the competition while they were trying to get James out. Logan was too smart to pass up a chance to get ahead in the race.

A few drops of rain pattered against the windows as Carlos cut the engine and stepped out of the car. Kendall waited miserably as the shorter man got the wheelchair out of the back seat and placed it on the concrete beside Kendall's door. Pushing open his door, Kendall heaved himself into the wheelchair, shaking off Carlos as he tried to help him. He ignored the hurt look in Carlos' eyes as he rested his bound leg against the foot rest, using the other to push himself up and make himself more comfortable.

Carlos noticed Kendall's strain, "It'll get easier in a few days. I bet soon you'll be able to jump in and out of the chair with no effort at all!"

Kendall sighed, pushing on the wheels to roll backward so Carlos could close the door. He didn't protest as Carlos stepped behind him and took the handles, steering him away and onto the sidewalk.

"Which apartment is yours?" Carlos asked.

"2J," Kendall replied, "On the third floor. There's elevators in the lobby."

Carlos nodded, though Kendall couldn't see it, and steered the blonde towards the lobby on the ground floor. The rain slowly got harder and Kendall wiped a few raindrops from his face irritably, sighing with relief when they pushed through the doors and into the lobby. Kendall pointed in the direction of the elevators at the far end of the lobby, where a girl with curly brown hair was talking on the phone. He nodded to her as Carlos pushed the "up" arrow on the wall next to the metal doors, and wheeled Kendall into the elevator as soon as they opened.

"Where do you keep your jackets?" Carlos asked, holding Kendall's ratty old hockey jacket in his hand. He'd offered to put it up from him, and Kendall had taken it off gratefully. Even though being confined to a chair was awful, it was nice to have someone to do things for him. Kendall pointed to the coat rack beside the apartment door, and Carlos nodded before hanging the coat up on one of the wooden arms.

They stood in Kendall's miserable apartment, but the blonde couldn't help but admire the interior design. The carpet was ratty and stained, and there were holes in the walls, but the designers he had hired did a great job. On one wall was a set of photographs - some of sights in Germany, Kendall in a Navy uniform, and Kendall photoshopped into a group photo of him and other men in uniforms. The kitchen was very small, only a stained countertop with a built in oven and sink. Kendall didn't look forward to having to hand wash the dishes he would use in this miserable apartment.

A few feet away from the kitchen was the living room: much, much smaller than the one in his mansion. A ratty, polyester couch stood in the center with a standing lamp next to it. A small television stood in front of it, propped on top of a set of books. There wasn't much except for Kendall's Navy uniform, which hung from a rack on the wall. Two doors stood in the wall behind the couch, one leading to the one small bedroom and the other to a bathroom.

Kendall knew how it must look to Carlos, who was used to lavish homes and expensive furniture, but the shorter man barely glanced around as he turned to smile at Kendall. "Is there anything you need me to do?"

Kendall was tempted to say no, but he knew he needed to appear believable. "I have a box of macaroni in the cabinet above the stove. Would you grab it for me?"

Carlos nodded happily and walked into the kitchen, rummaging through the wooden cabinets for the box. Kendall rolled into the kitchen behind him, finding it rather cramped now that his wheelchair took up so much space. He glanced at the clock on the stove, reading that the time was almost six o'clock. Carlos noticed too, and he gasped.

"Shit. I promised James I'd meet him for dinner at six thirty." Carlos murmured, taking the box of macaroni from the cabinet and placing it on the counter.

"You can go ahead and go - I can make macaroni myself." Kendall hated allowing Carlos to leave on a date, but he knew it would be suspicious if he didn't.

"No, Kendall. I promised Logan I'd help out, and I know you won't be able to reach on top of the stove without some help." Carlos replied sternly, taking out his cell phone. "I'll tell James I can't make it. He'll be okay with it, knowing that I'm helping you."

Kendall frowned. He didn't think James would be happy about Carlos ditching him to help out his opponent, but he couldn't help but smile when he realized that this was his chance to pass up James. It meant a lot that Carlos chose to help him rather than go on a date with his new love interest.

Carlos rapidly typed a text onto his phone and Kendall heard the ding as it sent. Carlos turned to the blonde, smiling cheerfully, "Now, where do you keep your pans?"

That night, Kendall staggered through the front door of his mansion. Carlos had finally left his apartment around nine o'clock, after making sure that the blonde had been fed and had everything he needed. As soon as Kendall knew that Carlos was gone, he'd hopped into his own car and headed home. As exhausting as the day had been, he felt satisfied. It was good to be back in the game.

He stopped short when he saw a figure in the doorway of the kitchen. Reaching for the light switch next to the door, Kendall flicked on the light and sighed with relief when he realized it was James. The brunette was frowning with his arms crossed, giving Kendall a look of fury.

"Clever, Knight." James growled, "I underestimated you."

"Underestimated who?" Logan asked, padding into the foyer from the living room, glancing from Kendall to James and back again.

"You too, Logan. I know you're working together." James said, leaning against the frame of the archway that lead to the kitchen, "But you two still won't be able to beat me."

"What makes you think that?" Logan asked, coming to stand beside Kendall, who narrowed his eyes at the hazel eyed man.

James smirked, "You both are clever..."

James reached into the pocket of his jeans, pulling out a small object. Stepping closer, Kendall realized it was a small box. He watched in disbelief as James popped open the box, revealing a diamond ring, smiling mischievously.

"...but not clever enough."

Hey guys!

Sorry this took me a while to write - this is kind of a filler chapter. The next one I'm excited to write so it'll probably be posted soon! If you don't know, I've recently restarted an old story of mine, "My Name is Katie Knight"! It would mean a lot to me if you guys would read and review it!

Thank you for reading this chapter, and please leave a review! They really inspire me to keep writing (-:

Much love, Carnie