Impel Down. Shanks mind immediately filled with all the horror and torture that he knew went on in that hell on earth. His sweet, naive, fool of a kid was in one of the most dangerous places on this earth and knowing him, had done everything possible to really piss off the people in charge. How could he not predict that Anchor would do something like this? He should have known, Luffy would do anything for someone he claimed as his. He should have found a way to keep him locked down until they'd saved Ace. He could be too late already. His Haki shot out and he felt his crews spike of panic as they felt him lose control. He desperately tried to draw it back in as Hongo left Ace to struggle to try and reach him. Hurried footsteps echoed down the hall as the door flung open and Benn raced in, fighting to stay upright against the power shaking the ship.

"Benn." Gasped Shanks as he fought with his own mind.

Benn immediately gestured Hongo back as he stepped into Shanks space and slowly moved to grasp his captains hand. He carefully laid it against his chest, taking deep exaggerated breaths and his other hand clasped the younger mans shoulder. "Ok Captain. I need you to work with me here. You are in control. There is no threat nearby, just your nakama. We are all here for you and we can handle anything that comes. Whatever happened, we will face together."

Oh so slowly Shanks dug for control, focusing on his friend's breath and words and bringing his maelstrom of emotions back in check. "We make for Impel Down. Forget stealth. Just get us there!" He gasped out once he could get a breath.

Benn didn't bother to ask any questions, just gave a brisk nod and left the room already barking orders to the crew. Shanks looked at Ace who looked as panicked and full of self loathing that he himself felt. "How do you know he is there? Did you see him? How could he even get there?"

Ace swallowed. "It's Luffy, he finds a way to get in the middle of every shit show. Seas but I am going to kill him for this." Ace dug the palms of his hand into his eyes before snagging his fingers in his greasy hair and yanking. Hongo tsked in displeasure but backed off when Shanks flashed him a look, instead choosing to clean and examine the various wounds on the boy's back. "Boa Hancock came to see me. She told me that Luffy was there to save me."

"Maybe she was lying. Part of the torture before your execution." Shanks said hopefully but Ace was already shaking his head.

"No she knew him. Told me that he knew I would be pissed and the adoration in her eyes… she was Luffy-ed. Besides there was definitely a commotion happening in the time before my transport, and Magellan himself told me he had caught the idiot."

Shanks knew exactly the look he was talking about. Had seen others who had met his ball of sunshine and found themselves drawn to him and inexplicably protective. Hell even Mihawk had the dazed gleam when he came to give him Luffy's first bounty. Though how the kid managed to get the man hating Empress in his fan club was a new mystery.

They were still hours away from Impel Down, having to follow the current back around and then he'd need to find a way to open the gates. He prayed that they would leave Luffy alone in a cell for now, too occupied with the execution and chaos that the kid had unleashed to bother torturing him. Shanks clenched his fist. He was going to raze the jail to the sea floor if Luffy wasn't ok when they arrived.

Shanks made Ace go over the last few days again and again, trying desperately to get more information before he went back on deck. "Benn." His first mate nodded at him and he squeezed his shoulder gently before continuing. "Luffy broke in, Ace has no idea of what condition he is in or where he is being kept. I'm going to need you and Lucky ready to break in and extricate him. The others will guard the ship and take out any others that could pursue."

Benn kept a blank face but Shanks knew him well enough to clock the widening of his eyes and paling face. Benn had always been the more rational and logical of the two, with his instincts being to keep a calm head and make a plan. But Benn had claimed the kid just as Shanks did all those years ago and Shanks knew that Benn and the rest of the crew would help him destroy the world for Luffy. "Are we using Jailbird to get in?"

Shanks hesitated. It was hard to get a man inside Impel Down and Jailbird had taken years to get positioned where he could be of use. He was meant to pass on any relevant information from the tortured prisoners, keep an eye out for any new prisoners and make sure Shanks was kept up to date on any intel the Marines received. It was from Jailbird that he learned that Buggy was imprisoned and he'd tasked him with trying to keep Buggy safe and his connections on the down low. The only reason Buggy was being kept in upper levels without sea stone cuffs was because Jailbird was very good at his job. "Get him on the Den Den." He didn't want to lose that edge but for Luffy he would in a heart beat. Besides he needed to question why exactly he wasn't informed that there was a break in and that the boy he had clearly marked as his was at the centre.

The Den Den rang and rang and Shanks grimaced at the lack of an answer. "We'll try again later. Maybe he is just busy at the moment." They both knew the other option was caught and dead/injured. "I need to contact the Old Man." Shanks met Benn's equally angry gaze, "I need to hear how the fuck this happened." Shanks grabbed the white Den Den before stalking off to find some privacy.

"Rayleigh." He said flatly when the older man answered the line. He felt the tension in the silence. "Please tell me my sources saying Anchor is in the middle of a fucking jail riot is incorrect because he is obviously still safely guarded by you as per our last contact."

"Red…"

"No! You told me that he was on the archipelago, that you were going to meet him and keep him with you while you got his ship ready. How did you lose him?" Shanks spat angrily at his father figure.

"I've been trying to locate him and his crew. The kid punched a Dragon, before I'd even had the chance to meet him."

"You let him near a Dragon! Why didn't you introduce yourself sooner, when he landed there?"

The Den Den glared at him but Shanks just scoffed. He was no longer the kid who'd back down after getting scolded by his father for his temper.

"They had Hatchan acting as their guide. I trusted that his crew had a lick of sense and didn't need their hand held but the kid is a damn wild card."

"Of course he is! He's a goddamn D. But I thought after a lifetime wrangling Dad, a few days with a rookie would be no problem. What the hell happened and why didn't you tell me?"

Rayleigh sighed. "They wanted to explore. You know Sabaody makes a fun first impression and rookies are always so overconfident. I warned them when they left to keep their heads down, to stick with a partner and find somewhere safe to hide. Next thing I know my haki is picking up Pacifistas and Kizaru. By the time I got to them they were losing badly and unable to escape. I held back Kizaru but Kuma was able to repel most of Strawhats crew. I was ready to just grab your kid and retreat but Kuma revealed he had separated them to save them. He told me where he was sending Luffy but by the time I reached Amazon Lily he was gone. I've been searching for him since."

"He's alone." Shanks swore heavily before turning back to the call. "You should have told me. I've been operating under the belief that they were with you until given the all clear to venture into the New World. Now he tried to launch a prison break of the most secure jail in the world. And worse, he is alone and injured from a battle with a warlord and a bloody Admiral."

There was silence as Shanks began to pace through the room, getting his temper back under control. "Pa, leave Anchor to me. I'm close to where he is and I'm going to get him. When I do, it would be helpful to be able to give him an update on his crew. He's going to be in a bad place emotionally with the loss of his people and definitely blaming himself. Can you contact your network and look into locating them. Also if you don't hear from me by tonight… well you know where I'm going."

"Stay safe son and don't do anything stupid. You are no help to Strawhat if you get yourself killed." Rayleigh said quietly, knowing that it was futile to say. Shanks chuckled bitterly and the line went dead.