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TROUBLE CHAPTER 15

Nick swallowed and reached a trembling hand out to the handle of the door. He twisted it carefully, bracing himself for what he was about to see…

“Huh?” Nick found himself saying stupidly. Viper grinned in pleasure as Nick reached out and touched the objects that Viper was so pleased about in front of him.

Pictures of Aaron, Angel, BJ, Leslie, Nick, Jane, and Bob were littered about the room. Pictures of them on family outings, barbeques, and pictures of them through windows. The thing was, nobody in Nick’s family had taken these, and some of them were up to seven years old. Nick paled.

“Yes Nicky, we’ve been tracking you and your family from the day I met you…comforting thought isn’t it? To know that I can get this close,” Viper said picking up a picture of Aaron about ten feet away, “without them knowing I’m there?”

Nick gulped again, his eyes tracing Viper’s movements as he put the picture of Aaron back down. Nick looked all of the pictures over and then picked up a particularly alarming one. It was his entire family sans himself piled onto the couch in the living room. Aaron and Angel sat between their mother and father, while Leslie and B.J. sat on the floor between Jane and Bob’s legs. The entire family was huddled close together, looks of terror pasted on their pale, tight faces.

Nick swallowed slowly and looked down at the date on the bottom, and his breath hitched violently in his throat as he read the date was just days after he was captured.

Nick glanced over to the picture next to that one and he felt faint as he studied it’s contents. Aaron was away from the other family members, forced onto his knees. Aaron’s eyes were clenched shut in fear as a gun was visible in the foreground pressing firmly against his forehead. Tears leaked from his eyes as it was obvious that the boy was scared.

Nick swallowed down the sick he felt and turned to Viper, only to see him pointing to an open door. “Come Nicky, there’s more,” Viper said sweetly. The tone of voice made Nick sick as he took a shuddered breath and accompanied Viper into the next room followed the entire time by guards.

The familiar sounds of sparring floated to Nick as he entered. He looked to the center of the room to see a T.V. On the screen he could see Ace sparring with a smaller individual.

Upon closer inspection Nick discovered this smaller individual was a boy. The sparring session might as well have been a beating as the figure had no obvious training in fighting and couldn’t fight back. Each time the opponent fought Ace, he was tossed carelessly back to the ground where he was kicked in the ribs repeatedly. “Get up,” Ace ordered from the video.

The opponent groaned in pain before pulling himself painfully to his knees only to be pushed back onto his back. Nick stared at the video wincing as blow after blow rained onto the boy’s small body. “This is a familiar scene is it not? Does he seem familiar Nicky? So much like you hmm?” Viper questioned with a sly smile. Nick went to answer but as he opened his mouth, he finally studied the child further. His face was quite familiar to Nick, but he couldn’t quite place it.

Nick’s eyes shot open in horror and Viper was against the wall within the next second. “YOU SON OF A BITCH!!!” Nick howled. Guards grabbed Nicks’ arms and hauled him backwards. “WHERE IS HE?!” Nick screamed kicking into the air.

“Now then Nicky. Your temper is less than amiable for certain. What would your mother say?” Viper taunted approaching Nick until they were face to face. Nick growled.

“Take him back to the others,” Viper ordered to his guards.

“Where is he?!” Nick demanded. Viper made no reply and Nick was taken back to the cell where the others were waiting anxiously.

~~~~

Nick was pushed roughly into the cell, and the door was slammed shut behind him. Nick hit the door with both hands in frustration eliciting a frustrated grunt before resting his head on the cool surface, closing his eyes for a moment.

Nick’s eyes shot open in sudden rage, and he hit the door again, this time also continually kicking it and screaming. He continued attacking the door cursing wildly until a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

Nick turned to see Brian standing there looking concerned. “Nicky? What’s wrong?”

Nick turned away from Brian and the other looks of concern from the others. “Aaron,” he croaked out his voice breaking, “they’ve taken Aaron.”

~*~*~days before~*~*~

Aaron walked back into his room with a loud sigh. His brother had been missing for days, and there was no trace of him. The car he and Brian had been driving in was ravaged and there were bullet holes in the window. This suggested foul play, the detectives had explained.

Aaron rolled his eyes at the memory. “They think we’re complete morons I swear,” he muttered to himself. He stretched and yawned before sitting down on the edge of his bed in the room he and Nick used to share.

“AARON! CAN YOU COME DOWNSTAIRS PLEASE?!”

Aaron sighed. “YES MOM,” he yelled back before running a hand through his hair. He knew what his mother wanted to talk about, and he didn’t want to discuss it at this time. Taking a deep breath, and praying for patience, he got up, and walked out of his room.

Aaron walked down the hallway towards the steps then froze. The house was quiet…too quiet for all the Carter children sans Nick, and Jane and Bob to be inside. “Mom?” he called carefully.

“Here Aaron,” Aaron’s mom called. Aaron still walked timidly. Why was it so quiet? Normally even in rough times, there was crying to be heard, or yelling, or still laughter…

“Angel! You’re such a moron sometimes!” BJ yelled at her little sister suddenly, startling Aaron.

“BJ, I was just trying to help!” Angel screamed back.

“Well don’t try anymore!”

“I’m sorry.”

“Oh Angel…It’s okay. Let’s try again…”

Aaron breathed a sigh of relief before turning the corner into the kitchen to see Jane and Bob Carter sitting at the table. “Hi honey,” Jane greeted with a smile.

“’lo.” Aaron replied sitting down with them.

“How are you doing son?” Bob asked. Aaron merely stared at him. “Right…what was I thinking?…Do you want to talk about it?”

Aaron shook his head. “I will be fine. My concern is unnecessary as Nick is going to come home soon.”

“Well Aaron it’s a great possibility that Nick…we want you to be prepared just in case he doesn’t…come home,” Bob informed Aaron carefully, trying to hide his own emotions.

“He’s coming home,” Aaron insisted without a doubt.

“You don’t know that for sure Aaron.” Bob replied more gently.

“He’s coming home,” Aaron insisted even more firmly, trying to be patient.

“Aaron, I just want you to be prepared just in case it doe-“ Aaron snapped.

“HE’S COMING HOME AND DON’T YOU EVEN SAY DIFFERENTLY!” Aaron screamed.

“Aaron, we ju-“

Bob was interrupted by the sound of shattering glass. The noise startled him from his seat and he jumped up into the kitchen counter. The windows in the kitchen were suddenly broken and Aaron jumped back into his parents, as a large group of large men entered their household.

“MOM DAD!” Leslie screamed from the other room. Angel and BJ could be heard screaming as well. Seconds later the three of them were shoved into the kitchen by four of the large men. Jane and Bob grabbed their children and held them close.

“INTO THE LIVING ROOM!” One of the men who had entered into the kitchen yelled prodding Bob in the back with a gun. Bob grunted from the sudden prodding before complying. He ushered his family into the living room and allowed himself and his family to be shoved onto the couch.

“Smile,” one of the men ordered threateningly snapping a picture. The Carter family huddled onto the couch, every once in a while, a whimpering sound eliciting from one of the children’s throats. Minutes passed that felt like hours. A tall man entered finally and addressed the Carter family.

“Greetings Carter family! I am guessing that you know why I’m here…” the man greeted warmly.

“Who are you?” Bob Carter asked attempting to sound defiant.

“I’m VIPER…” he paused at the blank looks. “You honestly don’t know who I am?”

“No…” Bob answered.

“Hmmm…Well let’s just say I’m a friend of Nick’s.” Aaron swallowed in dread. This guy was evil, he could tell by the last statement…this guy knew where his brother was for sure. Aaron was even certain that this was because he had taken Nick himself.

“A…friend…You know where he is then?” Bob asked. Aaron could have slapped Bob right then.

Viper grinned with a laugh. “Something like that.”

“Well…then where is he?” Bob demanded.

“At my compound…you see…I took him.”

Bob paled. Viper walked around the room admiring the furnishings. “Jane you did a lovely job in decorating this place…no wonder Nick misses it so much…” Jane whimpered loudly and looked down. Bob growled.

“What do you want?” he demanded. Viper grinned at Bob.

“Something very important…something that I need for Nick…” Viper whipped around, and before anyone could say or do anything, had grabbed onto Aaron by the wrist, and pulled him from the couch, before tossing him onto the floor.

Aaron landed with a grunt then looked up at Viper in fear. “AARON!” his mother screamed. Aaron glanced at his mother before attempting a comforting smile. He failed and then looked back to Viper who had changed from warm and inviting to cold and threatening.

“Get on your knees.” Viper ordered. Aaron gulped before pulling himself up to his knees slowly. There, Viper grabbed Aaron roughly by his hair and pulled out his gun. Jane made a noise of terror and Bob jumped to his feet. Viper grinned as Aaron’s breathing increased and his eyes focused solely on the gun.

“Scared Aaron?” Viper whispered. Aaron swallowed thickly, eyes wide and nodded. “Nick always was too…when this happened to him…” Viper clicked the safety off the gun and pointed it at Aaron’s head. He pressed the point to Aaron’s forehead roughly, enjoying the sound of Aaron’s terrified intake and exhale of breath along with a whimper. “Yes…” Viper sneered. “You’re just like your brother..”

“N…now that’s enough Viper…leave Aaron alone.” Bob demanded shakily taking a step forward. Viper pressed the gun harder into Aaron’s forehead making the younger boy gasp in pain. Bob stopped in his tracks and swallowed.

“If you want your son to live, sit back down.” Viper ordered. Bob took a look at Aaron whose eyes were shut tightly in fear and pain, and sat back down. “That’s better…we’re almost done anyways.” Viper nodded to the man with the camera, and the guy stepped forward.

Viper leaned in and whispered into Aaron’s ear, “You’re weak…just like your brother was…but don’t worry I’m gonna make you strong by the time I’m done with you.”

Aaron made a startled noise and tears began to leak from his eyes. The click of a camera going off made Aaron jump and Viper laughed at him. Viper turned towards the rest of the carters as Aaron was grasped by two of the men with Viper. “Aaron will be accompanying me to see Nick…sorry but you may not ever see him again,” Viper informed the carter family in complete nonchalance. “Let’s go!” Viper ordered, as Aaron was dragged from the room.

“NO, AARON!!!!” Jane screamed, her voice drowning out everyone else’s in the family. Aaron struggled to get away, but to no avail.

Finally giving in to defeat Aaron slumped between the guards allowing himself to be dragged from the house. Aaron was pulled through the driveway to an awaiting black van, which upon having it’s captive in tow, took off into the night, disappearing without a trace.