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TROUBLE CH. 3

Nick, stooped down to examine the tire, waited a moment and heard a rustling, a gasp, and then…silence…Nick’s eyes narrowed in confusion.

“Bri?” Nick inquired. Silence. “Brian?” Nick tried again. Again no answer. “BRIAN.” Nick tried more insistently. His heart started pounding faster and faster. He stood up from his position on the ground, and gasped. Apparently the SUV from earlier had returned and parked several yards away on the opposite side of the road. .

Nick gulped and took a deep breath approaching the trunk. Praying he’d be wrong, Nick reached out and closed the trunk. The sight before him caused him to gasp.

“You!” Nick snarled.

Brian stood restrained by two stronger men who looked strikingly familiar, a bright silver knife poised at his pale throat with an arm draped across his neck, and the other clapped firmly over his mouth. Another two men stood to the side smirking at Nick who paled at the sight of his best friend. Nick recognized one of them immediately, causing his blood to run cold.

‘Shit,’ Nick cursed to himself. “Ace…” Nick growled out loud.

“Hullo Nicky!” he mocked, “You didn’t think we’d forget about you this easily did you?”

Nick growled at him and turned to check on Brian again. Brian had wide eyes filled with terror. Nick could hear his frantic breathing through his nose, and saw his chest heaving with fear. Nick tried to smile reassuringly.

“Bri, did they hurt you?” Nick whispered. Brian trembled, and shook his head carefully as he sobbed quietly.

“It’s alright Bri, it’s alright, just sit tight I’ll deal with this okay?” he soothed. Brian swallowed noticeably and closed his eyes managing a nod.

Nick then turned to the burly man known as Ace. “Ace, let him go,”

Ace pretended to think about it. “Hmmm…I think not. I think my little Brizey Wizey here is coming with me,” Ace said maliciously, grabbing Brian’s right arm with his own right arm, and twisting it behind his back. Brian, who had been looking at Ace, shot his gaze over to Nick with a pleading look, and gasped in pain. Nick ground his teeth, seething.

“Don’t do this,” Nick hissed. Ace laughed.

“I never said you couldn’t come along, it’s up to you…” turning to his other men, he motioned towards his SUV. “C’mon boys.” He turned Brian’s body, and his own towards the SUV and walked towards the vehicle on the other side of the road.

Nick, balling his hands into fists, followed the guards, Ace, and Brian to the back of the SUV. Ace turned around and saw Nick standing there and smiled in satisfaction. Brian shook his head, his mouth finally free and looked at Nick in horror. “Nicky…” he whimpered, “don’t…”

Ace tightened his hold on Brian’s twisted arm. “YOU,” he addressed Brian, “be quiet, understood?” He shoved the knife closer to Brian’s throat, and Brian closed his eyes, nodding carefully so he wouldn’t be cut.

“As for you,” Ace snarled at Nick motioning to the now open doors of the SUV, “Get in.”

Nick looked inside the dark interior of the SUV and hesitated. All the seats were out in the very back of the SUV, leaving a large area, for both him and Brian. ‘Think Carter,’ Nick screamed at himself silently, ‘there must be another way to get Brian safely away…’

Ace noticed his hesitation and grinned evilly. He jerked up quickly on Brian’s twisted arm eliciting a pain filled yelp. Any thought for escape at this moment was quickly forgotten, as Nick heard his best friend’s cry of pain. He jumped towards the SUV, starting to climb in as he heard Ace say, “Knock him out.”

Nick whirled around in time to see one of Ace’s men holding a syringe close to Brian’s neck. Brotherly instincts kicked in for Nick as he dove out the back out of the SUV at the man holding the syringe.

“NO!!” Nick screamed hurling himself at Ace’s guard with the syringe. He managed to make contact with the guard as Brian struggled, terror written on the smaller blonde’s face. Another of Ace’s guards caught Nick across the face with his fist, knocking him to the ground. Nick groaned and looked up in time to see the syringe prick the skin of Brian’s neck.

Brian cried out when the needle pierced his skin.

“NO, BRIAN!” Nick screamed again trying to stand up.

Brian made brief eye contact with Nick, his eyelids drooping. “Ni…cky…” Brian forced out before his world became vertiginous, and he lost consciousness with a moan. Nick looked at his best friend in horror.

“Brian?!” Nick called to his best friend. He got no response from him.

“Load them in,” Ace ordered. One of the guards lifted Nick easily by his shirt and tossed him into the back of the SUV. He grunted as he connected with the floor then spun around and watched as Brian was put into the SUV as well. Ace’s guards slammed the SUV’s door shut and started the car.

Nick crawled over quickly to his unconscious friend whose face was etched in pain as he began to sweat all over the floor. Yet, Brian seemed to be cold and his teeth chattered as he shivered violently.

Quickly, Nick removed his jacket, and covered Brian with it murmuring soothing words to him in an effort to calm his friend. He took a shuddering breath. “Brian?” he spoke gently, “you need to wake up Brian, I need to see you’re okay,” he murmured his voice choking at the end.

The car ride seemed to take forever and Nick looked on helplessly as Brian tossed and turned, moaning painfully in his sleep. Sighing to himself, Nick spent most of the time running his palm over Brian’s forehead soothingly, pressing the damp curls from his forehead, while humming to him to pass the time.

Slowly, Brian seemed to calm. He whimpered loudly and slowly his eyes opened. “N…Nicky?” he whispered. Then he realized the pounding in his head and hissed in pain, closing his eyes again.

Nick hunched down by Brian and rested his palm on Brian’s forehead. “Ya I’m here.” He murmured.

“Where are we?” Brian whispered again through his pain.

“You know me Frick,” Nick said through the lump in his throat, “I’m terrible with locations and directions.” The joke was lost to Brian.

“Mmm…” Brian replied, “Nicky?” he asked after awhile.

“Yes?” Nick replied.

“When Kev comes in to wake me up, tell him I’m sick and that I need to sleep okay?” Brian said deliriously. Nick gasped in shock. He didn’t remember anything of where they were.

“Ya, Bri,” Nick choked, “sure thing…hang in there okay?”

Brian had fallen asleep again. Nick went back to running his palm over his friend’s forehead. He had to make Brian as comfortable as possible until the poison those men had given Brian wore off.

For several more hours, Nick sat still at Brian’s head in the back of the SUV, with Brain’s head pillowed in his lap. Finally, Brian stopped tossing and turning, and seemed to not sweat as much as Nick looked distractedly out of the window. Brian also seemed to gain more of his natural coloring back. Nick smiled in relief.

Finally, Brian groaned quietly and opened his eyes. “Nicky?” he asked his eyes frantically searching for his best friend. Nick snapped his attention from the surroundings to Brian.

“It’s okay Bri, I’m here buddy.” Nick said gently. Brian looked up into Nick’s face frantically.

“Are you okay? They didn’t hurt you did they?” Brian asked all in a jumble attempting to sit up. Nick pushed him back down.

“BRIAN!” he whispered sternly, “Calm down.” Brian stopped moving. Nick smiled. “That’s better. They didn’t hurt me only hit me once. Worry about yourself.” He said with a small laugh.

“Sorry,” Brian mumbled.

“It’s okay…speaking of you, how do ya feel?” Nick asked concerned. Brian smiled, touched at the concern in his best friend’s voice.

“Weak,” he replied honestly. Nick was about to respond when the SUV stopped abruptly and the engine shut off. “Nick.” Brian whispered uncertainly, full of fear.

“Shh…we’ve stopped Brian.” Nick replied.

The back of the SUV opened suddenly and bright light filled the back of the SUV. Brian whimpered as the sudden intrusion of light hurt his head. Nick squinted and raised a hand to shield his eyes. As Nick’s eyes adjusted to the light, Nick glanced just beyond Ace and his men and saw his former master. “Viper,” Nick snarled. Behind Viper were many armed guards. Nick glanced back to Viper who was looking irritated.

“Don’t like the tone boy, change it.” He ordered, “be good, and the blonde one doesn’t get hurt.” Viper motioned to Brian’s weak form.

Nick glanced to Brian and nodded seeing that in his friend’s weakened state that he couldn’t take a beating or punishment of any kind. “Let’s go,” Viper said turning to walk away. He climbed into another car that was there, along with Ace, and drove away.

Nick realized they were expected to walk wherever they were going. Growling, Nick moved to climb out of the SUV when he felt Brian’s hand on his leg. Nick turned and smiled at Brian who looked more uncertain and a little ashamed.

“Nick I…well I can’t exactly…” Brian stammered. Nick understood and smiled as he looped Brian’s arm about his shoulders, pulling Brian to his knees. Then Nick looped his arm around Brian’s waist and pulled him to his feet. Brian swayed for a minute before the world stopped spinning and he put most of his weight on Nick.

“Let’s go,” Nick said gently. Slowly, Nick and Brian jumped down from the SUV. “Uf!” Nick grunted as they hit the ground and stumbled. He laughed trying to lighten the mood. “Jeeze Bri, you may be small, but perhaps you should be watching what you’re eating.”

Brian laughed weakly and Viper’s guards prodded them forward. They walked for a good part of an hour. Brian began to get weak. Nick glanced worriedly at Brian’s pale features before turning to one of Viper’s guards. “Hey!” Nick ventured forcefully to one of the guards who grunted an acknowledgement, “are we almost there?”

“Another ten minutes,” the guard snapped. Nick sighed and readjusted Brian on his shoulder. He was getting sore as he was mostly carrying Brian. He glanced at his best friend’s face and noticed it several shades paler than usual. Brian was breathing heavily and looked as if he may pass out at any moment.

“Brian,” Nick whispered. Brian glanced tiredly into Nick’s eyes and Nick could see a slightly glazed over look to them. “Stay awake for me okay?”

Brian swallowed and nodded slowly. “I’m so tired Nick…” he whispered.

“I know Bri hang in there. We’re almost there.” Nick replied compassionately. Brian nodded again weaker, and swallowed.

“I’m sorry Nick,” Brian said as he lost his footing, nearly falling.

Nick pulled him up with a soft grunt. “For what?” nick asked.

“That you’re pretty much having to carry me,” Brain replied.

Nick snorted. “Oh, that? Hey Frick don’t worry about it. Whatever they drugged you with is bound to have some side affects…” a thought dawned on Nick right then. “BRIAN YOUR HEART!” he cried out.

“It’s okay Nick, it hasn’t affected it as far as I can tell.” Brian whispered reassuringly. Clearly he had thought of the effects already. Nick felt guilty that he hadn’t thought of that before.

“Okay good, now you just need to stay awake for me and we’ll call it even.” Nick said gently. Brian chuckled softly and tried to walk a little more upright.

Moments later, he lost all of his energy and his body couldn’t take anymore. Brian collapsed to the ground pulling Nick with him.

“BRIAN!!” Nick yelled frantically crawling to Brian’s limp body. Brian moaned in obvious pain. His eyes opened and were very glassy and dazed.

“Nick? I…I’m sorry…I think…I’m gonna h…have to owe you this one.” Brian panted. Nick squeezed his hand reassuringly.

“It’s okay Frick. Just rest okay?” Nick soothed as Brian nodded very weakly. Nick then stood and bent over to pull Brian’s limp body up and then spun around so that Brian’s arms were around his neck and Nick lifted Brian onto his back. Brian groaned again and looped his arms around Nick’s neck.

The guards continued on, and finally after another five minutes or so, Nick and Brian could see a large complex in the distance. “See Brian?” Nick said reassuringly as Brian lifted his weak head from Nick’s shoulder, “we just have to go there then you can rest.” He could feel Brian nod slowly.

‘But who knows what else waits there for us Nick…’ Brian thought to himself resting his head back on Nick’s shoulder. .

The guard led them up the walkway and into the building. The guards led Nick and Brian through the main doors and down a long, narrow hallway. The hallways were brightly lit with high ceilings all in white. Along the hallway were several blue doors every twenty feet. Each door had a one-way mirror at the top.

Nick carried Brian down the hallway, looking around. The guards finally stopped Nick and Brian, opening one of the blue doors. He motioned for Nick and Brian to go through. “Here’s where you’ll be residing for awhile,” the guard spoke grinning evilly, a few of his teeth missing. Nick cringed at his terrible hygiene. “Have a nice stay,” the guard joked laughing, a terrible sound and slammed the door, leaving Nick and Brian alone in the cell.