Phck-phck-phck-phck-phck-Gavin could hardly breathe. His heart was racing for all the wrong reasons. He didn't know where he was exactly, but it wouldn't be anywhere good. He opened his eyes, feeling groggy with the aftereffects of whatever drug he'd been dosed with. It was one of the first things the Jack android had insisted on. Gavin hadn't been surprised upon leaving the stairwell to find the Jack android had come to collect him. Why put yourself at risk when you had a loyal henchman to do the dangerous work? The Jack android hadn't said a word as he'd arrived. He'd just pushed the passenger side door open and waited for him to climb in. Once inside, he'd handed him a small bottle of water. Gavin wasn't stupid. He knew there had to be something in it. He'd looked at the bottle and then at the Jack android, waiting for some sort of demand.
The Jack android had reminded him he'd come voluntarily, and if they wanted him dead, they would have shot him through the window. That was a good point. He already knew the Hickory Killer would take his time with him. With that in mind, he'd downed the small bottle and waited with dread swirling in the pit of his stomach for something to happen. It hadn't taken long. Within ten minutes, he'd started to feel it. His head had fogged, and he'd felt drowsy. He'd tried to fight it, of course. The longer he stayed awake and alert, the more likely he'd remember where they'd come from and figure out where they were going.
He remembered that they'd driven through the city streets heading towards the docks. His head had been heavy and spinning by the time the car stopped and the door opened. The Jack android hadn't even tried to get him to walk. He was too far gone to even struggle as he was lifted by powerful arms and carried onto a small boat. It was like a fishing boat, clearly something meant to blend in on the river. Hell, the guy probably had a licence to be on the water if he was that brazen about sailing out in board daylight. Gavin barely remembered being carried down below, where he'd been carefully placed on a small bunk in a functional cabin. He'd barely been able to groan and roll over before the Jack android had disappeared and the engine had started.
Phck, if he took me on a boat, we could be across the border! That was a worrying thought. What were the chances that anyone would even think of that? Did people in Canada even know about the Hickory Killer? Phck, it's the perfect system! Live in Canada, kill in Detroit! We never even thought of Canadian involvement! His stomach churned with a sick feeling at the thought that no one would look in the right place. How would Nines find him if there wasn't even a clue that he'd left the country? His breaths sped up as he stared up at the plain white ceiling.
That was different, too. They weren't on the boat anymore. Gavin tried to swallow down his latest panic attack as he moved his stiff neck to look around the room. It wasn't moving, so clearly not the boat. There were no windows. Silence hung heavy in the air. Are we underground? A basement? The walls were the same white as the ceiling, and there were three doors. One on the right, and two across from the foot of the bed. The light came from a few small downlights above. He was on a large bed. Not as big as those in the penthouse, but enough for two to sleep comfortably. He'd been placed on the side closest to the door. His usual choice.
He pushed himself up and looked around again. There wasn't much else in the room. There was a couple of comfortable looking chairs and a table, a tall wardrobe, and a small set of drawers. Gavin remained cautious as he pushed himself up. The floor was varnished wood. Easy to clean…His shoes had been removed, but he found them tucked beneath the bed. His clothes hadn't been touched at all. He shrugged deeper into his jacket as he slipped his boots on and headed for what he assumed was the exit. Locked…Of course. He tried the other two doors anyway. The first opened into a white, tiled bathroom. There was a large bath with a shower attachment, a toilet, and a sink. He almost felt sick as he looked at the products and found that they were all his own brands. Even the electric razor was like the one he used at home.
He slammed the door and moved away, breathing heavily as he hurried to the next door. He prayed it would be an open exit, but was unsurprised when it turned out to be another small room. This one was worse. It was just a large tiled space with chains on the wall. He shivered as he thought of how many people must have been there before him. Chained to the wall. Slowly cut and sliced and tortured. The basement walls were probably made of thick stone, deliberately designed to muffle the noise. He didn't even know what sat above them. He could be anywhere. A city, a resort, a dugout on a mountainside, a farm, maybe even some sort of warehouse. Gasping for breath, he backed out of the small room, unable to take his eyes off the metal chains.
"Hey, Gav." The breath left him in a horrified huff as he stumbled away from the door and almost ran straight into the wall. He couldn't stop panting as he stared at the android in the dimly lit doorway. He shut the door with a soft click before slowly making his way around the bed. Gavin held back a whimper as he looked left and right. There was no escape besides the door behind the Jack android, which he was pretty sure would be locked. "Calm down, Gav…I'm not going to hurt you," Jack's voice murmured as the android held up his hands. He was unarmed, sure. Androids didn't need to be armed when dealing with humans. He knew that firsthand.
"Stay the phck away from me!" Gavin growled as he pressed himself back against the cool surface. The Jack android sighed almost forlornly as he stopped and lowered his hands. His LED was pulsing a slow and steady blue. He was peaceful. Non-threatening. "W-what are you going to do to me?" Gavin wasn't sure he really wanted to know the answer. It wouldn't be anything good. He could barely breathe as he swallowed down the lump of fear in his throat. He usually tried to put on a tough front, but it was hard to be strong like that when you couldn't fucking breathe.
"Nothing…for now…The drug is still in your system. You should rest while you can." The Jack android spoke softly, like he was coaxing a scared animal. He was coaxing a scared animal. The fear was clear in Gavin's wide green eyes. He tried to press himself further and further back into the wall, eyes darting this way and that for any way to get around him, legs trembling from the lingering fatigue and fear.
"Where is he?" The Jack android stopped dead at the question. He didn't want to scare him to the point of making him sick, but it seemed that would happen either way.
"He's working…I've been left in charge of your welfare until he returns." Working? Like a job? A normal job? Out there? Gavin swallowed the sick feeling with a new sense of dread. If he was functional, then he was probably someone unassuming who could blend in anywhere. Did he look normal? Was he like anyone else you could pass on the street? Have I passed him on the street? What if he was one of the random people who'd walked into him, or asked him for the time or directions? Someone he'd met at the supermarket. Someone who'd come into the precinct. What sort of job could it be? A maintenance job that gave him free access to homes? A secluded job, like a caretaker, that gave him access to out-of-the-way lodgings? Was he a fisherman? A coastguard? Security? They'd thought he must be a tech guy, so maybe he maintained the computers or something like that. "Why don't you lie down and rest?"
Gavin steeled himself before making his move. He darted from left to right before launching himself across the bed and running for the door. He gripped the handle, panicking and pounding the wood as he found it locked. His first instinct was to yell for help, so that's what he did. He was trapped in a blind panic as the Jack android's arms hooked around his chest, trapping his arms and pulling him away from the only exit. He struggled as he was half dragged across to the bed, where they fell together. Gavin panicked more once he was lying down, swatting and punching the Jack android as they writhed and messed up the sheets.
"Gavin! Calm down!" The Jack android finally managed to hook his leg over Gavin's waist and straddled him with a worn sigh. He grabbed his wrists as he swung his arms and finally pinned him to the mattress. Gavin was breathing quickly, rapidly spiralling into another panic attack as he weakly tugged his arms. "Shh…I'm not going to hurt you, Gav…You know I never would…" Gavin shook his head as tears pricked his eyes. You're not him! You're not Jack! Stop…stop saying shit like that! "I'm here…You're safe with me, Gav…"
"Don't-phcking-do-that! You're not him! You're-not-Jack!" Gavin choked, bucking his hips to knock the Jack android off. It was a futile endeavour. Like Nines and Connor, he was sturdy. Gavin didn't know what model he was beneath his skin, but he was still reinforced plastic and machinery. The grip on his wrists remained firm but almost gentle. Gavin shuddered in disgust as gentle thumbs started rubbing circles on his skin, grunting and writhing again. Anything to make him stop.
"I am Jack…in every way that matters…" Gavin glared at that. As if, asshole!
"You'll never be Jack! You're just a phcking copy!" He froze as the Jack android leaned lower, turning his face quickly and watching as he paused. His blue eyes almost looked hurt at the rejection. He drew back a little, which allowed Gavin to turn back and level his best intimidating glare.
"I'm the closest thing you'll ever have…Better, in fact…I'll take care of you, Gav. I'm here to see to all your physical and emotional needs." The Jack android leaned down again, faster than Gavin could turn away this time. He grunted an objection as their lips mashed together and tried to sink lower into the pillows, but the Jack android moved with him as he tried to turn away this time. The pressure almost hurt as his lips pressed against his teeth. He started kicking his feet and squirming, whining and jerking his shoulders. Gavin finally parted his lips and bit, growling as he tasted thirium. The Jack android pull back, brows knitting in a small glare. Gavin breathed hard as he stared up with blue smears on his lips, spitting sideways to avoid swallowing any of the greasy oil. He was still gasping for breath, scared and violated.
"You may have been programmed to look and act like Jack, but you can't phcking be him! Jack's dead! I don't want a phcking copy!" Gavin spat as he levelled a firm glare at the android above him. He lay limp as the android released one trembling wrist and moved to touch his face, flinching before it even settled and pinching his eyes shut. The hand hesitated a moment before the Jack android finally ran a gentle thumb over his rough lips to wipe the blue smears away.
"Regardless, here I am, and it's my job to take care of you. You are my purpose, Gavin…" Another sick feeling swelled in his stomach. The Hickory Killer had made him a fake boyfriend? Someone to keep him company in his confinement? Was he expecting him to fall in love with this thing? A fake automaton that had stolen his partner's face? That was sick! "Rest now…I'll have something ready for you to eat when you wake up." The Jack android climbed off and headed for the door, not even looking back as he stepped out. Gavin rolled from the bed and rushed to the door, but he was way too late to catch it before it closed. He roared, pounding the wood and wrestling the handle before finally giving it a kick of frustration.
"Phck!" He was still gasping as he returned to the bed and sat on the edge, doubling over to practice his breathing as he gripped his hair and stared at the floor. He couldn't help thinking that he'd fucked up. Royally. But what else could I do? Nines would be dead right now if I hadn't agreed! He shuddered at the thought of what was to come. Blades cutting through flesh. Blood dripping on the floor. The life leaving him slowly as he writhed in pain and begged for death. The thought of it had him running to the bathroom. He barely managed to fall to his knees with his face over the bowl before spewing bile. He couldn't stop shaking as he gripped the porcelain rim.
This wasn't the first time he'd been in trouble. Fuck, he couldn't even count the times he'd almost died. Getting shot. Being stabbed. Taking a beating. Being hit by a moving car. Jack and Nines had both saved him on multiple occasions, and he'd sometimes had to save himself, but he couldn't see a way out of this one. He was outnumbered. Alone. Locked in a basement. There were no windows. No visible ventilation shafts. He had no weapons. No tools. He didn't even know where he was. Detroit? Canada? Phck knows! What he did know was that he'd soon come face to face with the sadistic serial killer who'd stalked him for over three years. Phck, I'm going to die…I'm really going to phcking die! He just prayed to God that Nines wouldn't be the one to find his body.