He glared hard at the bastard that waited for them through the one way window. Gray growled his arms crossed over his chest, the muscles in his arms and his body in general was twitching in nervous anxiety to just walk in there, screwing the answers and just beat the man into a bloody pulp. He flexed his fingers, trying ease the tension out his body so as he could properly focus on the task at hand and bring his pinkette home.

Gray couldn't remember the last time he held so much hate for a single human being before in his entire life, save for a man named Deliora who destroyed his life and murdered his parents in cold blood in front of him when he was just but a child. That was so long ago and Montoya seemed to make it possible for Gray to re-feel such anger and hate after what he almost did to Rogue and what he had done to Natsu. Montoya, for his part, just sat there, with a stupid smile on his face, in hand cuffs and looking smug, like nothing bothered him, like he owned the place. Gray would love to give anything right now to walk in there and just beat him 'close' to death- or until he got the answers he wanted.

Whichever one came first.

Gray blinked and looked over his shoulder briefly as he heard the door opened and closed, allowing Sting to enter the room. Gray clutched the blanket tighter to his shivering body, whether it was because he was cold or anxious he didn't know, as Sting joined him to look at one of the suspects through the glass.

"How's Rogue doing?"

"He's doing okay," Sting answered with a sigh, "He's a little shaken up and had a little inflammation in the throat and lungs. They found that he pick up a bit of a fever from his near death experience but the doctor says he should be fine and recover just as fine."

"That's good to hear," Gray breathed, turning back to the window, "Really scared me for a minute."

Sting nodded before sighing once more and turning to face the dark haired male next to him, regarding him with a rather curious look.

"So what now?"

"We get answers," Gray answered, no hint of emotion as he cracked his knuckles. "And save Natsu. No more kid games."

Gray moved toward the door, ripping it open and stepping inside as the door slammed shut causing Sting cringed. Montoya looked up and grinned.

"Well well... If it ain't the stripper." He leaned back, coughing gingerly. "I see the years have done wonders for you..."

Gray growled under his breath, his face twisted in disgust as he watched Montoya's eyes roamed over his half-naked body. His grip on the blanket around his body seemed to have tightened.

"Enough," He snarled. "Where's Natsu?"

"Hmm?" Montoya's gaze snapped up to face Gray's dark orbs before a sinister smile covered his face. He leaned back in his chair. "Beg pardon? Who?"

"Don't play dumb with me." Gray seethed. "Where is Natsu? I won't repeat myself."

"Natsu- Natsu-" Montoya hummed as he leaned further back into his chair, chains rattled as a finger came up and began tapping his chin. "Don't know anyone by that name. Sorry."

"BULLSHIT!" Gray roared, slamming both hands onto the table. Montoya didn't seem too fazed by the action. "We have physical proof that you were there with another and both of you were with Natsu!"

"So?" That smile was starting to piss him off. "I've made and sold alot of snuff films and sex tapes that starred even me. What's your point?"

"My point-" Gray answered through gritted teeth, refraining from the temptation of reaching over the table and choking him. "You were caught- ON TAPE- raping MY boyfriend and forced him to suck you off. You attempted to kidnap him when we were in high school to sell him like an animal, you attempted to bring harm to Rogue, you even attempted to harm Rogue in a similar manner to Natsu years before I came into the picture and I'm going to have more then just your ass hauled to the slammer! WHO ARE YOU FUCKING PROTECTING?! WHERE IS MY NATSU!?"

"You're going to have to be more specific then that, boy-"

Gray finally lost his temper. The next thing he knew, he had reached across the table, the blanket falling off his body and grabbed the man roughly by the collar, yanking him close to where they were nose to nose. Sting had, by then, ripped open the door and was about reach out for Gray, to pull him off of the man and reason with him, only to be halted by the feel of an ominous aura that surrounded the raven haired male.

"NATSU!" Gray was practically screaming at this point. "YOU FUCKING KNOW AS WELL AS I DO THAT HE'S YAY TALL WITH PINK HAIR AND GOLDEN BROWN EYES! AND I KNOW FOR A FACT, HE WAS FORCED INTO SUCKING YOU OFF WHILE YOUR PARTNER RAPED HIM!"

"OH!" Montoya smirked in mock realization. "You mean that needy little pink haired slut a friend of mine picked up some time ago. Ho ho- Was he a good lay, best I ever had in such a long time. Granted there was a matter of discipline but he was such a well behaved little bitch."

Gray heard the punch before he felt the pain blooming in his fist as Montoya had his head reeled to the side from the impact of the blow but he still had that smirk on his face. Gray glared hard, breathing like he ran a year long marathon as Sting stood back almost in complete shock, before anger washed itself onto his face as the implications of Montoya's words finally sank in.

"You son of bitch-"

"How dare you-"

"Oh~ Seems I touched a few nerves there," Montoya smirked, rubbing his slowing bruising cheek. He sat back down in his chair, lifting his legs up and placing them onto the table. Like as though nothing happened. "Guess I'll have to re-frame from telling the rest of the story, won't I? But I'm sure you already saw it play out on this- uh- 'footage' of yours."

Gray seethed with rage while Sting bristled.

"And as to where he is now, who knows."

"Don't give us that bullshit," Gray growled, his whole body shaking with rage. "You know damn well where he is- WHERE. IS. HE?"

Montoya continued to stare long and hard into Gray's eyes, face dropping slightly as he studied the seething dark haired man in front of him. After awhile, he smirked and leaned back into his chair.

"I guess there is no point in playing pretend is there?" He asked, smile growing wider. "Yes. I know where the boy is."

"Damn straight you do," Sting growled. "Where are you sick fucks keeping my brother locked up? Tell me and I might, just might, let you off an almost decent sentence."

"Hmm," Montoya shrugged, turning away. "That's new, coming from you, Eucliffe."

"Sting what are you-" Was he hearing right?

"You know what I meant Fullbuster. And so does he."

"W-What?" Gray couldn't believe what he was hearing!

"I guess I COULD tell you," Montoya replied with a hint of malice in his voice.

"Damn right you are," Gray growled. "There is no could. You're going to if you know what's good for you."

"You're not gonna like it though- Fair warning."

"I'll decide that for myself," Gray snarled. "Last warning..."

"Alright. Can't say I didn't warn ya'," He grinned, holding his cuffed hands up in defense as he lowered himself back onto his chair. "Do either of you have a map?"

"A... Map?"

That had to be the strangest request that a caught criminal Gray had ever heard ask. Sure, he shouldn't expect anything different but it still threw him off all the same.

"Yes. A map," Montoya drawled in annoyance, rolling his eyes. "Kids these days, jeez. I don't mean the ones on your phones either- Google Maps, Bing Maps, Siri or whatever, I mean an actual map. One made of paper."

"What are you planning?" Sting demanded, taking a step forward.

"Nothing," Montoya answered in a dull tone. "I'm just giving you the answer you oh so seek. It might be best you get me the map that covers the area around the Sabertooth Guild though. If you can."

"What? Why?"

"You know, for someone who's so desperate on finding his little boy toy, you sure are fucking retarded," Montoya retorted, leaning back into his chair. "You want the location? Then get me a fucking map. I don't fucking remember addresses and shit like that very well, alright? In case you brats haven't noticed, I'm old."

"Yet not old enough to keep yourself contained in your pants," Sting breathed.

Gray glared at him while Montoya, ignoring Sting's remark, returned the glare. Finding no decpection or flaw, he sighed in defeat.

He truly was desperate, wasn't he?

"Very well." Gray quickly turned toward Sting. "Can you grab the map?"

"Sure thing."

Sting turned on his heel and strode to the door before he opened it and walked straight out. Gray watched him before his eyes landed back on Montoya, who too, was watching Sting and Gray snarled.

"You know- I've never noticed this before, but Eucliffe's got a really nice ass," Montoya's eyes glazed over with lust as he continued to stare in the space Sting last was, he let out a low whistle. "I'm actually jealous that that Rogue boy had been keeping all of that to himself."

Gray could feel his anger returning to its boiling point. His fists trembled violently at his sides, itching to pummel Montoya's face into the concrete floor until blood and brain matter oozed across the dull colored surface, painting it in red.

"I wonder what he would look like- flushed and naked covered in chains underneath me-" His grin grew wider as his dark eyes landed on Gray. "Squirming and begging with tears in his eyes- That would be quite the sight. He'd make quite the fortune."

"Shut up."

"Oh~ Are we jealous?"

"Shut up-"

"Of course, you have a few qualities that many others don't. You'd make the perfect slave- In your own way," he smirked, eyes roaming up and down over Gray's body. "You got the stripping thing down pat I hear, and that would make any owner happy- But then there's that fiery spirit that contradicts your icy personality-"

"SHUT UP! I SAID SHUT UP!"

Gray slammed both of his hands down on the table surface with a force that somehow didn't break the table clean in half though it did leave a sizable dent in its surface. Gray breathed hard as he reached forward and grabbed Montoya by his collar once, bringing him right up to his face.

"You're a monster," Gray breathed. "A monster who traps and sell people like they were something you would find at a nearby Walmart."

"Heh. I'm the 'Monster', huh?" Montoya smirked, prying Gray's fingers off his shirt. "I'd take a good look around you, kid. You're no better then me."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Gray hissed. "I don't go trapping people like animals-"

"Oh~ But you do." Montoya grinned. "You trap people in cages like I do. But to you, they're dubbed, 'criminals', 'rapists' and 'thieves' and you trap them in cages for the 'crimes' they commit."

"That's- That's-"

"And don't you dare give me that 'that's different' bullshit. Let's face it, it's the truth and we both know it." He placed himself back onto his chair, patting his chest and coughing lightly as he did so. "We're no different you and I. Yes, you and your petty Council do it in the name of Justice and the safety of the people, but in the end, it's all the same. You use taxpayers' jewels to keep them alive or to have them executed, depending again on their 'crimes' just like I would for labor or sex bit for me I get downright payed. We both feed them gruel and keep them in horrid conditions with some small maybe tiny differences-"

Gray bit his lip, stepping back and gripping Natsu's scarf.

"You bastard-"

"Hm hmm~ Learning nothing I see." Montoya chuckled as the door knob began turning. "But what can I say, ignorance truly is bliss."

Gray growled as Sting stepped back into the room with a large map carefully tucked underneath his arm. He glared hard at the smirking man before turning to regard Gray with a soft look.

"What did I miss?"

"Not much." Gray answered, eyes darken as he looked back to Montoya's smirking face. "You just missed the part where I told the prick on how I plan to beat his brains in."

"Sounds like not much." Sting grinned before it was wiped off and he threw the map onto the table in front of Montoya. "Here's the map. No funny shit! Now where are you keeping my baby brother?"

Montoya smirked as Gray moved closer while remaining behind Sting, he leaned forward and began unfolding the map, spreading the paper carefully and across the smooth table surface. He stood up, turning the map around to have it face Montoya before he stood back and joined Sting further back. He growled low in his throat as Montoya raised his chained hands and placed them onto the map, moving it in a way that worked with him. He grinned in a way that made Gray more uneasy then the time he was dared by Cana for 200,000 jewels to drink a whole bottle of world's hottest hot sauce without a single drop of water.

"Where's Natsu?"

"Now now, hold up... I need to look it over, memorize it really fast," Montoya waved his hand, before looking back at them. "Okay. Now, I'm ready."

Sting and Gray both blinked before sharing a look with one another. A look that said that they clearly doubted it. They then aimed their looks back to the man in front of him.

"What the hell-" Sting was about to demand an explanation before he was cut off by Montoya.

"I have just one last thing-"

"What?" Gray demanded. "Enough stalling and tell us where Natsu is... The faster you speak, the longer you live."

"Now here me out first-" Montoya chuckled holding his chained hands in defense. "After I show you the location or at least, the area, would you really prefer facing the harsh truth or you'd you rather continue believing in lost hope science crap?"

"Would you prefer we get Laxus and or Gajeel to decide for you?" Sting growled, causing Montoya to flinch at the two names. "They make pretty good tie-breakers."

"I see you drive a hard bargain." He smiled rather nervous. "Very well then. Your pink haired slu-"

He paused under Gray's murderous gaze.

"I beg your pardon- Your Natsu- is located within in this vicinity."

He pointed to the part of the map that was located in, from the looks of it, a wooded area that lied to the east of the Sabertooth guild but to the south of the Forgetten Desert and west of Mt. Hakobe. Sting leaned over the table to view the map, his brows furrowed as he studied the map carefully. He stood up and turned to look at Gray.

"Gray. Step outside with me."

"Huh? Why?"

"I'll explain in a moment."

Gray blinked but decided against questioning it as followed the blonde out of the interrogation room out into the hallway right in front of the one-way mirror. Sting halted, taking a deep breath before facing Gray. Never before had Gray been so grateful to sound-proof walls in Fairy Tail as Sting finally began to spill what was on his mind.

"It seems that Natsu is being held the Dark Woods." Sting said.

"Dark Woods?" Gray repeated. "Know anything about it?"

"Other then as its name implies, yeah, I know a lot about this place," Sting hummed. "It's a woodland that is devoid of any light. It's full of dangerous wildlife, a rugged terrain that makes many question if it truly is a forest and it's entire landscape is covered by flora that is 60% lethal. Just as dangerous as the wildlife. It would be dangerous to navigate without proper knowledge of the area."

"Can you do it?"

"I could but I'd rather not."

"Huh?" Gray blinked. "Why not?"

Sting sighed in defeat. "Let's just say when Orga, Rufus and I were kids we kind played around with tests of courage. One test kinda- almost- put Rufus into the hospital. Ever since then, I avoided the woods because of the foolish mistakes that almost cost us our lives and the many horror stories I heard about it right after."

"Then what do we do?" Gray asked, clutching the scarf around his neck. "Natsu's in there..."

"Then we have to swallow our pride won't we?"

"You can't mean-"

"I do."

Gray growled low in his throat, turning his head to face the one-way window. Sting just had to be kidding. There was no way in hell he was going to work with the one man who kidnapped, tortured and raped his pinkette. He simply had to be kidding, but after awhile, Gray sighed in defeat. There was simply no other way around this.

"Very well."

Gray turned back and threw open the door, allowing himself and Sting to enter the room once more to face Montoya, murder written clearly on his face.

"You will lead us there! If you pull anything funny-" Gray pulled out a gun seemingly out of nowhere and pointed right at Montoya's face. "We won't hesitant killing you!"

Whatever color that had returned to Montoya's face immediately drained away.

"Woah woah now- The deal was I just show you the location of the kid- Not take you."

"Deal's been compromised," Sting replied, folding his arms. "You either show us and prove to us that what you said is true or-"

"Or-?"

"Or we can leave Gajeel or Laxus talk to you."

There was a lengthy pause.

"When's the earliest you would like to leave?"

Gray was beyond anxious and excited that he was finally going to get Natsu back that he could sit or even keep still. After the integration, Sting and Gray immediately sought out Lyon, Gajeel, Laxus and Freed and that was where their hardest challenge begun.

Convincing the only person with a license to drive Fairy Tail's many vans to drive them up to the location.

It took awhile, but they were finally convinced both Freed and Laxus to take them there and investigate Montoya's claims with the man in tow and by the light of dawn, the symbol of the next morning, they were on the road to the point that Gray couldn't emphasis on how happy he was, despite how tired he was feeling from a sleepless night from the night before and how impatient he was to get there. But of course, he had to keep it under wraps, lest it could be used against him by the man he was charged with.

He was grateful was the point.

It didn't take much to reason with Laxus. Granted at first, he was a bit skeptical on the exact location of Natsu's whereabouts down to the exact honesty of Montoya's words but in the end, Laxus's desire to save the one man who saved his life and his code of honor had won out. Though they had to wait til morning, since according to Sting many of the dangerous animals in the forest were nocturnal.

Freed was a bit of a harder challenge.

Freed, at first, wasn't at all willing to drive them all the way out toward a forest that was about a two hour's drive out of town and even after what he heard and feared about it, but after some explaining from Sting and Gray and promised part in Montoya's mauling should he have lied and a rather passionate kiss on the lips from Laxus, Freed finally relented. Freed, once meeting Montoya, quickly backed out of the room and immediately demanded that Gajeel and Lyon come along with them, for added protection after what he heard about what happened to Natsu and after seeing what almost happened to Rogue.

"Please keep in mind I'm doing this for Natsu-" Freed declared, voice slightly shaking, "That poor boy didn't deserve any of this. Neither did Rogue."

Once the sun began to peak into the fading night sky, they drove in complete silence. Montoya was in very back in the space that would be considered the trunk of the police van, since Laxus refused to have him soil the interior of one of Fairy Tail's van any further then he already had. They rode in silence, followed closely by Lyon's car until reached the destination and the sun was already setting high into the sky turning it into a pink and then bright blue mixture, parking both vehicles on the shoulder of the road.

Right outside the spot Montoya had pointed to on the map.

Laxus was the first one out of the van, which surprised nearly everyone present just as Lyon pulled up behind them and he was almost out of the car. Laxus made quick time in opening the hatch and yanking Montoya out from the back before brutally throwing him against the ground.

"You're sure there's no other way?" Freed asked as Montoya groaned in pain. "Can't we verify his story with the black box that you yanked from Gray's truck? It should've kept all detail on when and where it has been-"

Freed blinked before turning to Gray, hand to his mouth.

"Sorry about your truck by the way, Gray-"

"It's fine," Gray shrugged. "It was covered, fully insured by my insurance."

"No." Came the angry answer that had even had Freed backing up slightly. "Look, I need this, alright? Lyon and Gajeel can stay with you while Sting, Gray and myself take a little walk in the woods with asshole here."

"Is- Is it truly necessary?" Freed asked.

"YES!"

"Okay okay. I'm sorry." Freed trembled, tears forming in his only visible eye.

Laxus gave a deep sigh before he pulled Montoya up on his feet and threw him at Sting. He strode over to the trembling green haired man in three strides and pulled the smaller trembling male into a soft embrace.

"I'm sorry for snappin' at ya, Freed-Baby," he whispered, lips brushing the strands before planting a kiss into the green hair, "I'm just worried sick about the little firecracker- Ya' know?"

"I know- I understand," Freed breathed, burying his face into Laxus's neck heaving a deep sigh. He pulled back to stare at the blonde dead in the eyes. "Now go get Natsu back- And bring him back to Fairy Tail- To all of us- Alive. Alive, you hear me?"

Laxus smirked. "You got it babe."

Freed smiled before he stood on his toes to plant a chaste kiss on Laxus's own, who smiled and wrapped his arms around Freed's body bringing him closer and deepen the kiss. Everyone was in complete shock over the scene. Laxus was never this openly affectionate.

Never.

"See you in a while," Laxus placed one last kiss on Freed's lips before his soft gaze returned to his harden one the minute his eyes landed on the others. "What the fuck are you all looking at?!"

"NOTHING!"

"Then why the hell are you just standing there looking stupid?" Laxus demanded as he stormed over to them causing them to back up with each step he took. All except Gajeel, who firmly stood his ground. "Have the bastard lead us to Natsu already!"

"AYE!"

Sting and Gray quickly stood aside as Laxus moved forward shoving Montoya forward.

"Move it, Jackass."

They walked deep into a forest that seemed to be working against them rather then help them as there were so many fallen trees, flora covered rocks, narrow pathways and hidden holes nearly everywhere. It didn't help any that most of the walk, Gray felt like they were being watched by alot more then just a couple of wild animals. After about ten minutes of walking, they reached what had to be the only clearing in the foreboding woods that was drenched in the pale light of the sun that set itself high into the sky and there in the very center of it all was a hole that to be a couple of feet deep.

"What the hell is this?" Laxus demanded. He grabbed a hold of Montoya's shirt, yanking him close. Faces barely inches apart from each other. "What kinda shit are you trying to pull? Do you not remember what I just threatened you with yesterday? Do you not know what I'm clearly capable of-"

"Now now," Montoya smiled sweetly. "There is no deception gentlemen. Natsu's there."

"What-?"

"All you need to do is look..."

Gray and Sting averted their gaze from the smirking man that soon burst in laughter as he was being held in Laxus's hand to look at the hole. Gray furrowed his brows as his mind ran a mile a minute as he tried to piece to together what exactly he was hearing and looking at. So far all he was getting was that they were looking at a hole in the middle of a forest and that Montoya, himself, had said Natsu would be. His eyes widen before he fell onto his knees into the shallow hole.

"Gray?"

Gray didn't answer as he began to bring his hands straight out and began brushing at the dirt in front of him, gently like as though he was dusting a computer keyboard. Hoping and praying that his conclusion was wrong but fate didn't seem to want to smile down on him. As he continued to slowly brushed the dirt away from the hole, he jumped and scooted back like he saw something disgusting upon the sight at what he found, tears prickling his eyes.

It was a skull.

A human skull.