Hello! Quite sorry for the wait, life seems to come at unexpected moments.
But anyways, here is another chapter for you all!
Thank you all for the wonderful reviews, I really appreciate them.
XxXxX
He awoke to a pounding in his head.
His eyes slowly cracked open, light pouring in and stinging his vision. His mouth opened as if to call out, but no sound escaped him. He placed his hands beneath him, attempting to push off the ground, albeit he only had risen about an inch before his head started to spin at a disorientating rate, and a wave of nausea washed over him. Quickly turning to the side, he poured the contents of his stomach onto the cold floor below him.
After, he was so exhausted he could do little but push himself away from his vomit and slowly drift off into unconsciousness again.
The second time Joe woke, he had more success. The light above him no longer felt as if it was pricking his retinas, and he was able to push himself off the ground, and look around. Confusion became prevalent in his mind as he desperately scrambled to remember why he was...here. Wherever here was.
It came back to him the next instant. Joe wished it didn't.
He immediately shot up and surveyed the tiny room he was in. Besides a small cot, a toilet, and a camera that pointed at him from the ceiling, the room was bare. There was no sign of Vanessa.
'Maybe she got away. Maybe Egorov just took me, and left her there.' He thought hopefully, his eyes trailing up to look directly into the camera that stared back at him, seemingly taunting him. If Egorov had let Vanessa go, he could at least have the peace of knowing that she was safe. 'Vanessa…' He let her face fill his mind, her light laughter and beautiful smile. She was the girl that had saved him from himself, so many years ago. She had brought him back from his lowest point and reminded him of what living really was.
Joe was snapped from his train of thought at the sound of the door opening behind him, and he spun around, unsure of what was to come. As his eyes took in the sight before him, the hope that had been inside of him just before slowly crumpled. An angry looking Vanessa, blindfolded and gagged, was shoved into his room, and he only was just able to catch her before she hit the ground. The door slammed shut beside them.
At the moment, Joe couldn't care less. His mind was completely focused on Vanessa, who now was struggling in his arms. He realized at once that she didn't know it was him.
"Van, babe, it's me."
She instantly stopped struggling and threw her arms around him instead, a muted cry of relief coming from behind her gag. Joe stopped hugging her only long enough to undo the blindfold and gag, a feeling of pure relief coming over him when he could see no injuries on her. Still, his mind wouldn't be calm until he knew for sure that they didn't touch her.
"Did they hurt you?"
She broke out of his arms for a second to look him in the eyes, and to answer,
"No, they didn't do anything to me except what you saw. I was knocked out right after you were, and then I woke up in a room just like this. I wouldn't stop yelling at them when they tried to take me to your room, so they gagged me."
Joe smiled inwardly. 'That's my girl.'
His vivid blue eyes met her stormy grey ones as she continued to talk, her head now resting on his shoulder.
"Some guy that looks just like Egorov knocked you out. My guess was that they were brothers."
She paused, letting out a sigh, her voice shaking slightly.
"Joe, what are we going to do? Your dad and Frank don't have any leads on this case."
Joe took the time to shift his grip on Vanessa until he was holding her hand, searching for words to say. He went with the first thing that came to his mind, the only thing he could think of to say. The only thing that was true.
"We're going to get through it. Together. Just like so many times before, right babe? We're one hell of a team."
Vanessa slowly smiled, her tense body visibly relaxing at his words. Her voice was strong as she replied.
"Yeah we are."
The door swung open behind them.
Joe's heart picked up its pace as he turned and saw Egorov, staring at them with a cruel smirk on his lips, approaching them with a gun in hand. Egorov's swept over them, his eyebrows raising just a hair. His heavy russian accent split the silence a second later.
"Ah, wasn't that reunion touching. Now, I would appreciate it if you would line up against the back wall."
He gestured with his gun as he spoke, seemingly nonchalant. Joe stood with caution, stepping in front of Vanessa as he did, shielding her from Egorov.
"What do you want?" Joe asked, his voice low and hard, his hand meeting Vanessa's once again, meshing his fingers with hers. Egorov simply looked bored as he spoke.
"At the moment, I would like you to go to the back wall and stand there, unless you want me to waste a bullet already. And that wouldn't be any fun for me. So go."
Pushing down his stubbornness for the moment, knowing that Egorov's threat wasn't empty, he and Vanessa took their places along the back wall. As they did so, another man entered the room, one who just as Vanessa had said, resembled Egorov. In his hand, he held a chair, which he placed in the middle of the room, and handcuffs. Both objects sent a chill down Joe's spine, and he felt Vanessa grip his hand a little tighter. Egorov spoke once again, addressing the couple.
"This is my brother, Vadim. He probably won't say much to you, but nonetheless, you will treat him with the utmost respect, and obey whatever he says, if he decides to talk to you. If any of you decide to bring harm to him," He leaned forward, his eyes dark, "I will make you wish for something as sweet as pain." He paused as Vadim finished setting the chair in the middle of the room, and now watched with dark eyes as his brother continued to speak. "Now, Joseph, if you would be so kind as to let Vanessa go so she can sit down by me." He patted the chair with the gun, cocking his head to the side.
'How does he know our names?' Joe wondered, gritting his teeth at Egorov's request. He felt Vanessa shift beside him, and Joe immediately stepped forward.
"No. You are not going to hurt her."
Joe didn't know what he was expecting, but it certainly wasn't for Egorov to start laughing. His eyebrows furrowed at the sound, and he turned slightly to look quizzically at Vanessa, who looked equally confused at the burst of laughter. Egorov's voice made his head snap back.
"That, Joseph, is entirely up to you." He told them, motioning once again for Vanessa to sit down. This time, Vanessa complied. He then nodded at Vadim, who took the handcuffs and used them to secure Vanessa to the chair as Joe watched helplessly, for once at a loss of what to do. There was no doubt in his mind that if Petya Egorov wanted to kill either one of them, he would do it without batting an eye, or losing any sleep.
Only confirming Joe's thoughts, Egorov lifted his gun to place it against Vanessa's temple. She took in a quick breath, and his heart dropped. He was about to rush to her, but the look in Egorov's eyes told him that it would be a bad idea. Joe held his breath as Egorov spoke to him.
"As I said before, everything that happens to Vanessa is your choice."
"Is it now?" Joe spat dryly at the man, keeping his eyes trained on Vanessa's, trying to give her some semblance of comfort.
"Control your tongue, Joseph. And yes, you get to make a choice. Vadim?"
Egorov turned to his brother, the gun never slipping from the place where it rested at Vanessa's head. Oh, how Joe wished it would have. Vadim said nothing, but exited the room and came back a moment later, holding a small jar, whose contents he shook out onto the ground. 'A spider?' Joe questioned in his mind, thoroughly confused. He looked to Egorov in confusion.
"Time to choose, Joseph. Kill the spider, or I kill Vanessa. You have a minute to decide."
Bewildered, Joe simply lifted his foot and crushed the spider beneath it, staring at Vanessa who had a perplexed look on her pretty face. Egorov watched closely, then smoothly removed the gun from Vanessa's head. A wave of relief came over Joe as he did so, and even more so when he released her from the cuffs. Joe barely noticed as Vadim left the room, taking the jar with him. Egorov stayed a moment longer, and smiled at Joe and Vanessa. Joe couldn't help but notice how dead his eyes looked, and Joe involuntarily shuddered. He could barely make eye contact as Egorov spoke to them.
"Very well done, Joseph. Sleep well."
And with that, he turned and left the room, leaving Joe and Vanessa to look at each other in bewilderment, and wonder what game Egorov was playing. Though Joe didn't know the answer, he did know one thing with certainty.
He and Vanessa were not going to lose.
XxXxX
11:30pm
The night had come too fast for Frank. Everyone had eventually given up and gone home from the scene at which Joe and Vanessa were taken, after gathering as much evidence as they could, Frank included, although he had not gone with any semblance of a peaceful mind. Nor would he have one until he found his brother.
Frank sighed from where he lay on his bed, his eyes wide open. Sleep would not come to him tonight. He could only wonder what was happening to Joe and Vanessa, and he prayed with everything in him that they would find them soon. 'This always happens to Joe.' He thought ruefully, thinking back to all the times that Joe was kidnapped. His brother was truly a magnet for trouble. Frank was pretty sure Joe held the record for times in the hospital in the last year. And yet every time, Frank had had some leads or ideas of where he was, which helped him find his brother. This time, he had none. He didn't even know where to start to look for Joe. But he wouldn't give up. Egorov was going to be one of the most formidable foes that he had met, Frank knew, but that wouldn't stop him. He would find his brother.
'I'll find you, little brother.'
XxXxX
Alright, chapter done!
You may be a bit confused about what Egorov is doing, but worry not, all shall be revealed in time.
Leave a review if you want!
Till Next Time,
Nix.
