Lonely Hearts Orphanage: Dallas Texas

 

A twelve-year-old Blair (no last name) silently crept up the stairs. In her hands she carried several slices of bread and a few hunks of cheese. She had made this trek many times during her tenure here. She knew which steps creaked and which ones didn’t. As the smallest child she had often been relegated to sneaking to the kitchen to get bread and cheese for those that had been sent to their beds with no evening meal.

 

This evening the child sent to bed without dinner was her best friend Brad. She had waited until the nuns made their last bed checks and then had begun her slow journey. She was now on her way up to the attic space where she knew Brad and most likely Scott and Jade would be waiting for her.

 

“Brad?” she whispered soundlessly as she moved into the attic.

 

“Over here,” she heard Brad call back just as soundlessly.

 

She made her way to them smiling as she handed her bounty to Jade to distribute evenly. They all knew that Brad would not eat unless all of them were eating.

 

“Did it go okay?” Brad asked as he accepted his bread and cheese. He pulled a small canteen out from behind him and poured small amounts of water into the paper cups they had pilfered months ago.

 

“Yeah, Sister Agatha was still up but I hid under the piano until she left… Everyone’s asleep now,” Blair said taking a small bite of her bread. She wasn’t really hungry, but she didn’t want Brad to be angry with her. When he was done with his she would offer him what she had left. As would the others.

 

“Which we should be to, we have school tomorrow,” Jade whispered as she set her food aside. Like Blair she wasn’t hungry. Unlike Blair she hadn’t spent her entire life in this orphanage. She’d had a real family until she was nine, when they had all been killed in a fire while she was at summer camp. She had been sent to various family members. Somehow she had ended up here.

 

“School, schmool. When I turn 18 I’m never going to school again. I’m going to drive racecars,” Scott said boldly.

 

“I’m going to be an actress. Can’t you just see me now,” Jade laughed as she primped, fluffing her long black hair out, holding her head in her hand the way she’d seen one of her favorite actresses do.

 

“I’m going to be a cop… Like my dad,” Brad said softly. Of all of them he was the only one that knew his parents to any degree. While Jade’d had parents, her family had shipped her off to camps and schools and she had rarely seen them before they had been killed. She didn’t miss hers like Brad missed his.

 

“What about you Blair? What do you want to do when you finally get out of here?” Jade asked turning to her friend.

 

“I don’t know, I hadn’t really thought about it,” Blair said softly.

 

“Liar,” Brad laughed momentarily knocked out of his melancholy mood.

 

“I guess… I just want a family. You know be a part of something, like you guys were,” Blair whispered her eyes downcast. She felt Brad move pulling her head onto his shoulder.

 

“You will,” he said quietly, “you’re going to find the perfect guy, you’ll have perfect kids and we’ll all spoil them rotten so you can deal with their behavior problems later.”

 

“I guess… But boys? Yuck! I don’t think I’m ready for that…What was your family like Brad? You’re the only one that really had one,” Blair asked as she turned to look up at him.

 

“My family was great. My dad was gone a lot, he was a cop you know. But my mom, she was the greatest. She used to make the best chocolate chip brownies and she used to sing me and my sister to sleep at night. She had the prettiest voice. I miss my family,” Brad said softly.

 

“We’ll be your family. The four of us, we’ll do like a blood brother thing,” Scott said suddenly.

 

“Does that mean we have to actually draw blood because I don’t think I’m up for that,” Jade stated.

 

“Don’t be a wuss… I think I’ve got a knife here,” Brad dug around in his pockets pulling out a small pocketknife.

 

“Do the sisters know you have that?” Blair asked as she eyed the knife dubiously.

 

“Do you think I’d still have it if the sisters knew about it?” Brad retorted, Blair shook her head as he flipped it open. “Who’s next?” he asked as he pricked his finger.

 

“I don’t think this is really sanitary… Maybe we should think about this a bit longer,” Jade said paling as Brad pinched his finger blood welling up over the small cut.

 

“I’ll go next,” Blair said suddenly taking the knife from Brad. She pricked her finger in an identical fashion then pinched it as well. Brad and Blair pressed their fingertips together mingling their blood as Scott took the knife next. He pressed his finger to each of theirs as they waited for Jade. Jade looked from the knife to the three of them with their bleeding fingers and sighed. Pricking her finger she pressed hers against theirs. Binding them together as siblings.

 

**************************************************************************************

 

Three Weeks Later: Central

 

Blair stared at herself in the mirror. The bruises were beginning to fade, the cuts starting to scab over. But every time she looked in the mirror she could still hear the yelling and laughing from the gauntlet. She could feel the blows as they struck her face and body. She could feel Brad’s hand in hers as he gripped it tightly. Helping her as she helped him. She could hear Jakob Tiontai introducing their new lives to them. She was cried out, she had cried for almost two weeks now and she had nothing left in her. She was numb, just numb.

 

“This is Central.”

 

“You’ve been chosen because you have no families, no history, no past.”

 

“You have no choice.”

 

“If you are standing when at the end of the gauntlet, your new lives will begin here. You will not return to the facilities from which you came.”

 

“Your lives, as you knew them are over.”

 

She had survived, she had clutched Brad’s hand in one of hers, Jade’s in the others and she had prayed as the nuns had taught them. Prayed for deliverance, prayed for death. It hadn’t come and when it was done, only 16 of the 52 kids that had been brought in had been still standing. The others had been hustled back to the orphanages with strict instructions to never speak of the night’s events again. And they wouldn’t, they knew what would happen if they were caught talking about it to outsiders. Instant death, suicide. They would talk about it amongst themselves but never with someone who hadn’t been there.

 

Blair had survived the gauntlet, as had her friends, although she thought they might have been better off if they had failed. At least than they would have a chance to have a normal life, now their lives would be tied up in Central. To Central. Forever. Her dream of a family would fall by the wayside, as would Brad’s dream of being a cop, Scott’s dream of being a racecar driver, Jade’s dream of being an actress.

 

After the others had been removed the 16 had been separated, Blair had been put into the custody of a teen not much older than her. “My name’s Katie. I’ll show you everything you need to know to survive here. But first you have to spend time by yourself. You’ll be isolated from everyone. I’ll be back for you in two weeks.” With that Blair had been showed into a room, Katie had backed out and the door locked behind her.

 

Blair walked back into her bedroom and looked around. It wasn’t bad sized. There was a bed, a dresser, she had her own bathroom. She’d never had her own bathroom before. She didn’t have anything though, her only personal possession was a picture that she kept in her pocket. A folded picture that had been taken by Brad’s camera before the nuns had confiscated it. He had paid a kid at school to have the pictures developed for him, then he’d had copies made so each of them could have their own.

 

She had just sat on the bed when she heard the lock turn and the door open, looking up she saw Katie standing in the doorway.

 

“Good morning Blair,” Katie smiled brightly, “Are you hungry?”

 

“Normally they bring a tray,” Blair said softly, eyes downcast.

 

“First rule, never behave submissively,” Katie said walking over jerking Blair’s chin up so they looked each other in the eye. “It will be seen as a sign of weakness. Always look whoever you’re speaking to in the eye. Do you understand?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Good,” Katie grinned. “Now then, we’ll get you something to eat and then we’ll get you some new clothes.”

 

“I had clothes at the orphanage,” Blair said softly as she walked alongside Katie, struggling to keep up with her brisk pace.

 

“Pfft… Second hand rejects. No we’ll get you some clothes that haven’t already been worn by about ten kids before you. I think you’ll look good in black, maybe green, although we’re going to have to do something about your hair and your eye color,” she said as she turned her head to study Blair.

 

“What’s wrong with my hair and eyes?” Blair asked defensively running a hand down her shoulder length blond hair.

 

“Nothing if you want to end up as a lady instead of a fighter,” Katie shook her head.

 

“What do you mean a lady?”

 

“A lady is a female that Central gives to the male family members to release stress, and keep good relations. They’re basically prostitutes nothing more. They have the protection of Central but they’re not worth anything.”

 

“I don’t want to be a lady,” Blair shook her head emphatically. “I’d rather be a fighter.”

 

“Good, training starts tomorrow. Now then, let’s get some food. I don’t know about you but I’m famished,” Katie led her into a small kitchen area and looked at the pots simmering on the stove. “We’re all normally responsible for own food. But until Jakob sets up your accounts you’ll have to eat what’s available in the community pots.”

 

“Thank you,” Blair said as Katie handed her a plate and started ladling out food. When both their plates were full Katie led her over to the table where Jade was sitting with her escort.

 

“Hey Roxie.”

 

“Katie.”

 

“I think you two know each other,” Katie said nodding to Jade.

 

“Yeah, hey Blair,” Jade murmured as she smiled a small smile at Blair, Blair returned it studying her friend. Jade’s bruises and cuts had faded as well leaving only a yellowish tint to show that they had ever once been there. Blair looked down at her plate, there was more food then she could ever possibly eat. Maybe Central wouldn’t be so bad after all. At least they wouldn’t starve.

 

**************************************************************************************

 

Blair stared at herself in the mirror over her sink. She didn’t recognize herself anymore. When Katie had said they were going to change her hair and eye color she hadn’t been really listening. Had actually thought she was joking. But she hadn’t been. Her hair was now dyed a dark shade of brown, chestnut brown is what the box had said but it looked darker actually on her hair.

 

Katie had taken her shopping after they ate. She had turned her back once and Blair had momentarily thought about bolting. But she hadn’t. Where would she go? What would she do? She had nothing, if she returned to the orphanage Central would find her. So she had patiently waited for Katie to return her attention to her, when she had Katie had smiled approvingly and they had continued. Blair had a feeling that it was a test. A test that she had passed.

 

Several stores later, swinging bags in hand Katie had taken her to an eye doctor and had her fitted with a pair of brown colored contacts. She’d wanted the blue ones, or the purple ones but Katie had outvoted her saying that brown was a sedate color and would not draw attention.

 

So now standing in her bathroom, in her brand new jeans and T-shirt, damp brown hair swinging at her shoulders, brown eyes staring at her reflection she wondered if this was who she was going to be forever.

 

Was she forever going to be hiding behind a false face? Who would ever recognize her? She sighed as she walked back into her bedroom. Katie had loaned her enough money to buy new sheets for her bed and some other odds and ends. She would have to pay her back out of her first check but it was worth it to look around and see something that reflected her. She flopped down on her bed hugging one of her pillows to her chest. She hadn’t seen Brad or Scott since they’d been separated. She’d been afraid to ask Katie for fear of being told that they’d been sent back to the orphanage after all.

 

She looked at the door with an apprehensive look when someone knocked on it. They had been told to not let anyone in their rooms. If someone was in there, especially someone of the opposite sex the doors were to remain opened at all times. Katie had rattled off rules like a machine gun when they had been shopping. Most of them were muddled in her head, but she did remember a couple of the ones that Katie had deemed ‘Most Important’.

 

Opening the door she grinned as she saw Brad on the other side. His appearance was the same as hers, yellowish bruises and healing cuts on his face. But he was a beloved sight and she threw her arms around him as he lifted her off the ground.

 

“Good you’re okay,” he whispered as he gripped her tightly.

 

“Did you see Scott or Jade?” she asked quietly as she let him in, leaving her door open.

 

“I’ve seen Scott, I haven’t seen Jade yet,” Brad said looking around her room. It was still bare, but there was a poster of a wolf on one wall and the same picture he had tacked above his bed was in a frame by hers.

 

“I saw Jade this morning, she looks okay…. What?” Blair asked self-consciously as she ran crossed her arms. He had the strangest expression on his face.

 

“What happened to your hair… and your eyes?” he asked walking up to her he ran a strand of hair through his fingers and peered closely at her eyes.

 

“Katie said that it would be a bad idea to be a blond haired, green eyed girl here unless I wanted to end up as a ‘lady’.”

 

“Oh… You look different, I mean you look good, but… it’ll just take some getting used to,” he sighed as he walked back to the door.

 

“Are you okay?”

 

“Yeah… Guess I won’t be a cop like my dad after all,” Brad said sadly as he looked past her at the framed picture of the four of them.

 

“Yeah,” Blair said looking down at the floor. She wouldn’t have a family either. With the exception of the one she already had she would be alone.

 

“I’ll see you tomorrow… I guess we start training?”

 

“Bye Brad,” Blair said softly closing the door behind him. Locking it she flopped back down on her bed, rolling over she reached down to the floor and picked up one of the magazines that she’d bought. She idly flipped through it wondering if she would feel this lonely for the rest of her life.

 

**************************************************************************************

 

Two Years Later – Central (Location 4)

 

Blair relentlessly pounded on the punching bag in front of her. Her eyes were cold and blank and her knuckles were starting to bleed from the ferocity of her attack. Sweat was trickling unnoticed down her back, her gray T-shirt and black shorts clung to her skin which was damp from her exertion. Her hair was matted to her head as she continued pummeling the bag. The bandage on her right arm covering the wound inflicted by a gunshot graze had soaked through with blood as she worked. The blood now was spotting the arm of her T-shirt.

 

She supposed she should be tired, but exhaustion was the peak that she had been unable to attain. So she continued. Hoping that by working her body to an exhausted state that she wouldn’t have nightmares. That an exhausted state would keep her sleep dreamless. That her nightmares wouldn’t revolve around Caleb falling, Colleen and Jade screaming. That she wouldn’t see herself killing a man in cold blood.

 

She had killed someone. She had taken a human life and she couldn’t even feel a single shred of remorse for it. How horrible a person did that make her? How badly had Central damaged her sense of right and wrong that she couldn’t even feel sadness for the family left behind? If there was any.

 

But all she could see was Caleb falling, her boss, the man who had taken a chance on a girl who by her own admission hated weapons and couldn’t see herself ever using one. He had been the one to force her to learn how to use the gun that she carried, when she had seen him fall the gun had aimed of what seemed like it’s own volition on the shooter.

 

It had been two years since she had been inducted, she had come a long way in that time. She had finally grown. And grown, and grown. She was no longer the short child that had come to Central. All the money that she had wanted to save, the money put aside because she never wanted to be poor again was spent week after week buying new clothes as she continuously outgrew her old ones. Brad had only smirked at her and told her that she was going to be the Jolly Green Giant, of course when his spurt had hit soon after she had been the one smirking at him.

 

Central had been moved three times. The building that they had been inducted in two years earlier had been abandoned a month after. They had been moved periodically since then as task forces put together to disassemble Central made their lives miserable. Central 4 had at one point been an apartment building. The girls and guys separated by floors, Blair shared a two-bedroom apartment with Jade. They would probably be leaving here soon, they’d been hearing rumblings from Jakob that their location was no longer secure although no move orders had come down the pike.

 

Blair continued to go to school. Katie and Caleb had both tried to talk her out of it, she wasn’t required by Central to go but she wanted to. If her personal life was going to be screwed up she had wanted the 8 hours that going to school afforded her to act like a normal teen-ager. Unfortunately it didn’t work that way. The first day back after she had been out a month to acclimate to Central, the entire school knew who and what she was. Kids were afraid of her, girls that used to be her friends now walked past her as if she didn’t exist. But she had Brad, Scott and Jade so it didn’t bother her as much as it probably should have. She just became aloof, untalkative. So instead of being the friendliest girl in her school now she was the ‘Ice Queen’.

 

She kicked at the bag, swinging her leg in a graceful arc she could feel her muscles straining. As the bag swung around she whirled again kicking out with the other leg. She saw Brad walk up out of the corner of her eye. He positioned himself behind the bag holding it steady as she continued her assault.

 

When finally she dropped to her knees her hands resting on the floor in front of her, struggling to breathe he kneeled beside her. Picking up one of her hands he cradled it in his hands as he turned it over.

 

“You should have taped these…” he said softly as he studied her eyes.

 

“Don’t,” she muttered yanking her hand away as she sat heavily on the floor, pulling her knees to her chest she wrapped her arms around her legs. Staring at the bag, anywhere but at him.

 

“It’s not your fault.”

 

“Caleb’s dead! If we hadn’t separated…”

 

“You don’t know that, Caleb was your boss, you did what you were told. Nothing more, nothing less. If it’s anybody’s fault it’s his.”

 

“Do not blame Caleb!” Blair snarled at him her eyes snapping up to meet his.

 

“Why not? He should have known better than to separate his team, he knew the warehouse was hostile but he did it anyway,” Brad said calmly. When he got no response other than a glare he sighed and tried a different tact. “What would you have done? If you had been leading the team? Knowing what you knew when you went in there? Would you have separated the group or maintained a strong front?”

 

Blair stared at him before looking away. She closed her eyes as she buried her face in her hands. “I would have kept the team together, I would never have separated them. We were easing pickings for them, if Scott and I hadn’t been front and center they would have had all of us,” she said softly.

 

“And that’s why you’re taking Caleb’s place,” a voice behind her stated. Blair dropped her knees spinning around as Brad looked up. Standing in the door, arms crossed over his chest Jakob stood watching them, expression stoic as he surveyed the room.

 

“Me?” Blair asked with stunned amazement as Brad began smiling behind her.

 

“Yes you. I’ve been in discussions with your team, they all agree with your assessment that Caleb was in the wrong. They’ve nominated you to take his place, and I have to say after watching you these last couple of months if Caleb hadn’t died I would have pulled you and given you your own team anyway,” Jakob said as he stood in the doorway.

 

“But I’m not trained to lead an enforcer team,” Blair sputtered in disbelief as she moved to her feet.

 

“You will be, your team will combine with Brad’s temporarily. You’ll be fine,” Jakob stated as a hint of smile crossed his lips, just as quickly it vanished, he turned on his heel leaving Blair and Brad staring after him.

 

“Well imagine that,” Brad grinned behind her, coming to his feet. “I was going to wait until tomorrow to give this to you, seeing as how it’s your birthday and all. But I’ll give it to you now.”

 

Blair turned back around taking the box he was holding in his hands from him. She hesitated before opening it.

 

“What is it?” she asked fingering the top of the box lightly.

 

“Open it and see.”

 

Blair lifted the lid off staring at the knife encased in the gauze of the package. “It’s a knife,” she said stupidly as she tried to figure out why her best friend would give her a knife.

 

“Yeah I know… I had it engraved,” Brad said as he lifted it out turning it over.

 

To my little sister on her b-day. Many more happy ones. Big Brother

 

“It’s great… Thank you,” Blair said softly as she turned it over in her hands. A knife? Why on earth would he give her a knife?

 

“It’s because you said you didn’t like the guns. I figured you might feel more comfortable with a knife. Plus the guys have been giving you a hard time at school. I figured if one of them got out of line you could at least defend yourself better with this than without,” Brad said reading the expression of confusion on her face.

 

“It’s because I have boobs now,” Blair said absently.

 

Brad grinned. “Yeah, well…It’s got a ankle holder, you can’t wear it with your cool boots, but…”

 

“It’s great, thank you,” Blair whispered as she reached over hugging him tightly.

 

“If you don’t like it, I can get something else.”

 

“No! I love it, it’s perfect,” Blair said as she kissed him softly on the cheek before drawing away. “I need to shower,” she said pulling her T-shirt away from her chest as she fanned herself gripping her knife in her other hand.

 

“Yes you do,” Brad grinned.

 

“Are you trying to say that I smell?” Blair glared at him.

 

“No. I would never say that… Well at least not to your face,” Brad amended as Blair swatted him upside the head.

 

“Be nice, or I tell Ginny that you were flirting with one of the cheerleaders at school,” Blair warned.

 

“You wouldn’t!”

 

“Watch me,” Blair smirked as she winked at him.

 

**************************************************************************************

 

“Okay we can just skip over that training period,” Jade groaned.

 

“What you didn’t like it?” Blair smiled a soft smile that reflected both happiness and sadness at once. “I thought it was fun.”

 

“Maybe for you, for the rest of us… Ugh! So where does that bring us up to?”

 

“The Hoboken’s,” Blair said softly. The Hoboken’s, where everything started going wrong, this was the point where she made the decisions that would change her life, as well as all those lives around her.

 

“The Hoboken’s”

 

**************************************************************************************

 

One Year Later – Central (Location 7)

 

Fifteen year old Blair Daimler carried her steaming coffee cup to the 6:00 am meeting.

 

She had been finally forced to choose a last name. Mostly because she had been tired of being called Blair No Name at school and had finally sat down and chose one. She had put it up for vote between Brad, Scott and Jade and that was how she had ended up with the name she got.

 

She didn’t mind. It was a name to put on her checks, her driver’s license, and several other things that didn’t need to be discussed.

 

Walking into the large meeting room she glanced at her watch and noticed she was early. She was the only one here and that would mean that she was going to have to watch Brad and Ginny neck for 5 more minutes. Maybe she could ease out before they noticed her.

 

“Mornin’ Blair,” Brad called as he leaned away from Ginny who was sitting on the table in front of him.

 

Blair plastered a smile on her face and walked into the room taking her seat across from Brad. She ignored Ginny and Ginny ignored her. They both disliked each other immensely. Brad said Ginny disliked her because she felt threatened, which Blair didn’t buy. Everyone knew that she and Brad were just friends. Blair knew that she disliked Ginny because Ginny was using Brad to further herself in the ranks of Central. As one of the ‘ladies’ being known as Brad’s girl had its benefits. One of which was she was primarily left alone, the other the fact that she got her own room.

 

“Good morning,” she sipped at her coffee leaning back in her chair. She studiously ignored Ginny and focused on her big brother. When was he going to wake up and see that Ginny was all wrong for him?

 

“You look bright and chipper this morning, did you turn in early? I went looking for you after 9:00 and couldn’t find you.”

 

“Turn in early? Are you nuts?” Blair laughed. “I went out, came back around 12:30, you should have left me a note I would have stopped by.”

 

“Wasn’t important,” Brad shrugged.

 

“I handled it,” Ginny said sharply as she shot glares at both Brad and Blair.

 

“I just bet you did,” Blair said sarcastically smirking when Ginny flushed angrily. “Must not have been important at all.”

 

Brad sighed as he watched the battle lines for the day being drawn. One would snipe, the other would snipe back and a never-ending cycle would begin until either he or Jakob broke it up. With Jakob not having made his appearance yet he guessed it would be up to him.

 

“Guys… Can’t you at least pretend to get along. You know for me?” he wheedled.

 

“I can pretend to do a lot of things,” Blair said tapping her fingers against the tabletop. “But pretending to like Ginny is not something I’m prepared to do, even for you. But ask her, I’m sure she’s got faking things for you down to a science.”

 

“What are you trying to say?” Ginny asked as she jumped down from where she was perched on the table stalking her way over to Blair.

 

Blair looked up at her from where she was sitting. Ginny’s hands were clenched into fists and her breath was coming in short little puffs. She grinned widely as she stood, she was taller than Ginny by at least 4 inches and Ginny was as non-threatening as they came.

 

“What does it sound like I’m saying?” Blair rolled her eyes as she planted her feet firmly on the ground, hands on her hips.

 

“It sounds like you’re trash talking me,” Ginny said angrily, she tossed her hair over her shoulder as she glared in an attempt to look menacing.

 

“Well if that’s what it sounds like, that must be what I’m doing,” Blair laughed.

 

“What the hell is your problem Blair? Are you that threatened by my relationship with Brad?” Ginny asked snidely as she moved forward. Blair looked down at her one eyebrow raised.

 

“Me? Threatened by you? You are joking right?” Blair asked disbelievingly.

 

“I think you are,” Ginny said rushing her. Blair sidestepped, grabbing Ginny’s left arm as she went by, swinging her around she forced her face first down onto the table, Blair leaned down over her pushing her arm further up her back causing Ginny to grunt in pain.

 

“I could never be threatened by you Ginny. You are nothing to me, you wouldn’t even be worth the effort to think about if you weren’t with Brad. But I take care of my friends. And right now I think you’re playing him. When I find out what you’re up to you’re finished,” Blair whispered into her ear.

 

“Blair… Let her up,” Brad said coming up behind her. Blair felt his hand touch her back softly, a calming quality to it. He knew better than to try and force her off, she would fight him, but if she backed down on her own they would be cool. She backed off releasing Ginny’s arm as she moved off to the side. Ginny stood upright, her eyes tearing as she noticed that there had been an audience of Blair’s fellow enforcers standing in the back of the room, arms crossed over their chests as they watched in boredom. No help from that quarter. They would always protect one of their own. Rubbing her arm she shrugged Brad’s hand off her shoulder, walking up to Blair who had her arms crossed across her chest.

 

“You’ll pay for that you little bitch,” Ginny snarled quietly at her.

 

“Are you threatening me Ginny?” Blair said as she leaned close to Ginny, inches from her face she whispered, “Because you so don’t scare me.”

 

“Ginny? Are you supposed to be here for this meeting?” Jakob asked from the doorway where he had been watching the interplay between the females, holding a stack of folders in his hands.

 

“No,” Ginny said softly backing away from Blair.

 

“Then you need to leave,” Jakob said as he walked into the room taking his seat at the table he waited for the others to file in and take theirs as well. Blair winked at her as she took her seat to Jakob’s left, Brad on his right.

 

“Yes sir,” Ginny whispered as she backed out of the room. She would never turn her back on these people. One of them was more than likely to put a knife in her back, even if she was supposed to be on their side.

 

She closed the door behind her and Jakob began sliding folders down the table.

 

“Carmichael is out, he’s in a coma with no signs of recovering. There’s a card going around somewhere, make sure you all sign it. Until further notice I’m divvying up his route between Blair, Brad and Jon’s teams… The Hoboken’s are behind by a couple of months Blair. I want that money from them. Today.”

 

“How much force do you want me to use?” Blair asked perusing the page quickly. “Carmichael hadn’t been authorized for any.”

 

“Whatever’s necessary. Make an example of him, kill him if you have to. I don’t want it getting around that we let him slide as long as we did. Carmichael slipped on that one, felt sorry for the guy. If he comes out of his coma he’ll be punished for that. Don’t let Hoboken get to you,” Jakob warned. “He’ll try a sob story, don’t buy it.”

 

“Not a problem,” Blair said as she closed the folder.

 

“Good…” Jakob looked between her and Brad, a gleam that she wasn’t at all comfortable with in his eyes. Brad didn’t notice it as he was flipping pages in his file, but she did. Jakob was up to something. Something she was pretty sure she wouldn’t like. “Any questions?” he looked around the table as his team leaders shook their heads. “Dismissed than. Blair use Carmichael’s car when you leave for school, that way you don’t have to come back here.”

 

Blair nodded as she shot a glare down the table at the chuckles coming from the reminder that she was still intent on finishing school.

 

“What are we waiting for people? Your jobs don’t do themselves,” Jakob said coldly as he pushed away from the table.

 

**************************************************************************************

 

Blair sat at her desk, one knee propped up on the edge she was alternately tapping the pencil against the scarred wood top. Her history book sat unopened on the desk in front of her, her notebook sitting under it as she waited. To the casual observer she looked bored and uninterested in the events happening around her.

 

Scott who was sitting in the desk next to her knew it wasn’t true. Her eyes, like his, made alternate stops on all their classmates. Usually no one approached them. Especially not a male, no one dared to have their ego’s slashed as cruelly as Blair could slash them.

 

Obviously no one had thought to tell that to the young man now approaching Blair though. Blair didn’t make eye contact as she continued to tap her pencil. It took him clearing his throat several times and standing awkwardly in front of her desk before she even deigned to look at him.

 

“Can I help you?” Blair asked coldly an eyebrow raising as she continued tapping her pencil.

 

“I’m Daniel,” he offered as he settled his hands on the edge of her desk.

 

“That’s nice,” Blair said as she sighed inwardly. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Scott biting back a grin.

 

“I’m new here,” he said as he stared at her.

 

“That’s great, do you plan on going around and introducing yourself to everyone personally? Could take a while,” Blair mused with a sneer.

 

“No,” Daniel flushed brightly, “No… the guys said that you were, um…”

 

Blair frowned as her eyes focused on the group of boys standing off to the side snickering. New guy initiation she sighed.

 

“Hate to tell you this, but you’ve been set up,” she said leaning forward.

 

“I don’t think so, they said that you’ll do anything,” he forcefully as he watched her carefully.

 

Blair raked her eyes down his body and back up before rolling her eyes and sighing, “You are so not my type kid.”

 

“I’m not a kid, they said you do Davis, probably even Martin there. I guarantee I’ll be even better than them,” he said confidently.

 

Blair dropped her pencil on the desk, reaching under it with one hand she flipped open the knife case that she kept belted to her ankle for just such cases like this. Sometimes the guys that tried this needed a little persuasion to back down. She hated to embarrass him in front of his new friends, but… She held the knife in her hand as she lowered her foot to the floor.

 

“You will be huh? Somehow I don’t think so.” she said quietly, back down kid, I don’t want to hurt you.

 

“Yeah, they said you were easy, that you would do anyone. So lets just cut the bull and tell me where and when.”

 

“That was a mistake,” she heard Scott mutter as she smiled brightly at him before grabbing Daniel by the throat and propelling him back toward the wall. Knife in hand she pressed the tip lightly into his neck as he flattened himself trying to move away from her.

 

“Okay… Let’s cut the bull then, shall we,” she said softly in his ear tracing a path down up his neck to his chin. “You’re not my type. Let me give you a piece of advice, seeing as how you’re new and all. I’m not the type of person you want to mess with, stay away from me and mine and you’ll do fine here.”

 

“You’re insane,” he whispered, the whites of his shining brightly as he cringed from the path she was tracing with her knife.

 

“No. I just don’t like people like you. People who think they can just walk up to me and tell me what they want and expect me to do. I only do that for one person,” Blair stepped back slightly as she studied him. “And you are so not him.”

 

“Ms. Daimler,” she heard Mrs. Canter say softly from the front of the room. “Would everyone take their seats please?” she said more forcefully.

 

Blair locked eyes with Daniel one more time. “Do we understand each other?”

 

“Yes,” he uttered.

 

“Good,” Blair smiled snapping her knife shut she turned on her heel and sat back down at her desk. Scott facing forward tapping his fingers against his desk turned slightly to shrug at her.

 

Daniel pressed a hand to his neck, pulling it away he was surprised when he didn’t find blood. He had thought for sure that she had drawn some.

 

“Mr. Cochran,” Mrs. Canter stated. “Would you please take your seat?”

 

“She held me to the wall with a knife to my neck, aren’t you going to do anything?” Daniel whined as he moved forward. His new friends had abandoned him, no one had even tried to take the knife away from her they had just stood there watching.

 

“Mr. Cochran.”

 

“This is crazy,” Daniel whispered as he sat down in the furthest desk he could find from Blair.

 

“Thank you.”

 

Mrs. Canter stood at the front of the room marking entries in her attendance book when an attendant from the front office knocked on the door. The class watched with mild interest as she took the folder held out for her and sat back down at her desk. Opening the folder she sighed and then looked up to find the whole class watching her, expressions ranging from boredom to excitement lining their faces.

 

“We have more Task Force meetings,” she shook her head. Task Force meetings had been inundating the schedule as they tried to hit all those teens currently working in gangs and other mob family environments. Blair groaned silently as Scott’s body shook slightly from the force of holding back his laughter. The only two members of this class to be members of a street organization were the two of them. Seeing as how he had already gone through the three-day seminar program it must be Blair’s turn.

 

“Ms. Daimler,” she said quietly as all eyes from the group flew to her. Blair winked at her as she stood. Mrs. Canter was a nice teacher, though she had no idea how to deal with her or Scott. Hopefully she wouldn’t have any more teens like her and Scott once school was done.

 

**************************************************************************************

 

Blair tapped her fingers agitatedly against the tabletop, Detective Sturgess, the task force leader was currently droning on at the front of the room about the dangers of their lifestyles. As if he even had an inkling of how dangerous their lives really were.

 

She so didn’t care. With one eye on the clock she counted down the minutes until they would be released. With the ringing of the bell she and the four other participants of this workshop jumped up and headed for the door.

 

“Ms. Daimler? A moment if you please,” Detective Sturgess headed her off at the pass. She received strange looks from the other members of the group to which she responded with rolled eyes that the others grinned at. None of them thankfully were members of Central. She wouldn’t have to worry about someone else telling Jakob about the new Task Force sessions before she got a chance to.

 

Turning around she crossed her arms over her chest and stared at him belligerently.

 

“My son tells me that you’re a member of Central,” he started. Blair’s eyes narrowed as she realized why the detective’s name had sounded so familiar when he had introduced himself.

 

She should have known. Jackson Sturgess. Jack to his friends, of which she could not, would not, be counted one. He had been a thorn in her side for the last six months and was actually one of the few males in the school who wouldn’t take no for an answer from her.

 

“Yeah so?”

 

“I just wanted to let you know that if you need help extricating yourself from Central, my organization would be more than willing to help you.”

 

“Really? Why?”

 

“My son says, and his sister concurs, that you’re a bright young woman who is trapped in a lifestyle that you can’t get out of.”

 

“Well, they’re wrong. And if I wanted to remove myself from Central, which, by the way I don’t, I would certainly not betray them to cops,” Blair stated assuming a defensive posture.

 

“Just think about what I’ve said.”

 

“Yeah right, can I go now?”

 

“Of course,” he moved out of the way and Blair shot out the door. Glancing at her watch she swore and quickened her pace, only to be stopped in her tracks by a body suddenly appearing in front of her. A hand reached out latching on to her arm, looking up in anger every muscle in her body ready to defend she met the grinning brown eyes of Jackson Sturgess.

 

“Hey, what’s the rush?” he grinned at her as he pulled her into an empty corridor, she yanked her arm free and he leaned against the wall watching her fume.

 

“I’ve got places to be,” she muttered. “Thanks a lot by the way, you’re a real piece of work, you know that Sturgess?”

 

“What?” he asked innocently.

 

“Oh don’t even try that innocent crap with me. I so don’t buy it and you know what! You sicced your dad on me! You… you, creep!!”

 

“Ooh, someone’s in a bad mood today.”

 

“Don’t even start with me, I’ve had the day from hell and you’re not helping my mood any.”

 

“Hey I wouldn’t have to resort to extreme measures if just once you would say yes when I asked you out,” Jack defended as he pushed himself away from the wall.

 

“Jackson,” Blair sighed as she shook her head, running her fingers through her hair she looked at him with tired eyes and for once Jack was alarmed by what he read there. “Why don’t you find some nice JV cheerleader to go out with?”

 

“I don’t want to go out with a cheerleader,” he said softly as he reached out to touch her cheek. “I want to go out with you and eventually you’ll say yes.”

 

“Never happen Jack.”

 

“Why?”

 

“For one thing, your dad’s a cop and another you’re to good for me, and if you’d open your eyes you’d see it.”

 

“I can be bad… If that’s what you really want.”

 

“Not bad enough for me,” Blair said with a weak smile, she drew away looking at him once last time before she turned away. “Oh Jack…” she stopped, not turning to face him just waiting for his response.

 

“What?”

 

“Tell your dad to back off, he doesn’t want to go up against Central.”

 

“Blair…”

 

Blair heaved a heavy sigh as she walked away. She didn’t turn around when she heard Jack swear as his fist connected with the wall. She hoped he hadn’t hurt himself then pushed him from her mind. She had more important things to worry about.

 

Like composing herself before she met her team. As she walked she pulled herself together, hardening herself to the job that she needed to do.

 

It was to bad that she liked Jack, but there was no chance in hell that things would work between them. She would destroy him and everything he loved if she admitted to anyone that she liked him. She needed someone who was just as much a monster as she considered herself to be.

 

The closest person to that was Brad. But thinking of Brad like that just caused her to shudder in revulsion. Even though they weren’t related by blood she still considered him her big brother. It would be like incest.

 

Plus there was the Ginny factor. While Ginny’s threats didn’t bother her, Brad did seem to really like her.

 

Shaking her head as if to clear it she pushed open the heavy doors at the front of the school, pulling her sunglasses out of her coat pocket she headed to the parking lot where the others would be waiting.

 

**************************************************************************************

 

“Great job Blair,” Jakob stopped her as she entered Central, Scott and Jade hot on her heels. “I hear you got the money from Hoboken.”

 

“Yeah, it’s down with Crandall now,” Blair said her eyes hooded and blank as she looked at him. Her boss, her friend.

 

“I heard, anyway good job,” Jakob grinned as he walked away.

 

Blair looked after him and then continued walking.

 

What’s your name?

 

Anna. Anna Warren.

 

Does he love you Anna? Will he protect you?

 

I don’t know.

 

“Why don’t you guys go shower and change, I’ll fill everything out,” Blair said suddenly stopping, turning to face Scott and Jade who had halted with her.

 

“You sure boss? We can do it… You look like you could use a shower.” Scott said pointing at the bloodstains on her shirt.

 

“Nah, it’ll keep. It’s kept this long,” Blair said with mock casualness. Scott shrugged and walked away, he hated doing paperwork. But Jade stood watching her, eyes narrow and suspicious as they gazed at her. Blair raised her chin and fixed her best glare at her and Jade shook her head walking away.  Leaving her alone.

 

Blair watched them go before turning into an empty room, shutting and locking the door behind her she picked up the phone and dialed a number, drawing a deep breath as she waited for someone to answer.

 

“DFW Memorial Hospital. How may I help you?” a calm female voice asked from the other end.

 

“I’m calling to find out the condition of a stabbing victim?” Blair asked pressing a hand to her now rolling stomach.

 

“What’s the name of the patient?”

 

“Anna Warren.”

 

“I’m sorry, I’m only able to give out patient’s conditions to family members.”

 

“She’s my sister,” Blair lied smoothly, “I’m stuck at the airport and just want to know how she’s doing.”

 

“I’m sorry Ms. Warren, let me connect you with the doctor on duty,” the elevator music came on and Blair waited impatiently for someone to pick up the other end.

 

“Ms. Warren? This is Dr. Michale’s.”

 

“Hi, I’m just calling to get Anna’s condition, if it’s a big deal I can just wait until I get there,” Blair infused some anger in her voice. Hoping that it would serve to get the reaction that she was striving for.

 

“I’m sorry Ms. Warren. Your sister passed away about 30 minutes ago. Her fiancé is attending to all the funeral details so you may want to contact him for more information.”

 

“I don’t understand… They said it was only a superficial stab wound.”

 

“Yes it was, but she lost a lot of blood, went into cardiac arrest and there was nothing that we could do for her…” Blair remained silent on the other end as her rolling stomach turned to nausea. She closed her eyes as she hung up the phone, the doctor still talking on the other end. Pressing trembling fingers to her lips she made her way to the door on shaky legs. Praying that she would make it to the privacy of her own room before she lost what little dinner she’d eaten.

 

“Hey Blair?” she heard Brad call from behind her as she slowly walked down the hallway. “Whoa,” he reared back taking in her appearance. Her face was pure white, her eyes glazed over as she stared at him. “Are you okay?”

 

“I think I ate something bad,” Blair smiled at him weakly. “Did you need something?”

 

“No, I just wanted to say congrats on the Hoboken job. Jakob said you got the back payments plus a couple months ahead.”

 

“Yeah, had to use some enticement to get him to agree.” Blair swayed where she stood, although Brad didn’t seem to notice. Why are you congratulating me for killing someone who didn’t deserve to die? Why?

 

“Scott said you used the girlfriend?”

 

“Yeah, that knife you gave me came in handy.”

 

“See told you… Why don’t you go lay down, you look like you’re about to keel over,” Brad touched her shoulder lightly before walking away.

 

Blair walked to her room, as she closed the front door behind her she pressed a hand to her mouth and raced to the bathroom. Barely making it to the toilet before she started heaving.

 

Don’t hurt me.

 

If he gives us the money he can take you to the hospital. It’s only a superficial wound it won’t hit any vital organs. It’ll just hurt like hell.

 

Please…

 

Blair rested her head against the coolness of the toilet seat. Her eyes were burning and her throat felt raw. She felt like screaming. Why was she dead? She wasn’t supposed to be dead. She shouldn’t have died.

 

“Blair?” A soft knock on the bathroom door interrupted her scattered thoughts. Jade, coming to check on her. Jade who sometimes knew her better than Jakob. Jade who knew her as only roommates could know each other.

 

“Blair? You okay?”

 

“I’m fine… give me a minute,” her throat felt raw, her voice sounded scratchy to her own ears. Jade would know that she had been in here throwing up. There wasn’t much you could hide from someone that you lived with.

 

Standing on wobbly legs she supported herself against the wall as she flushed the toilet. Squeezing some toothpaste on her brush she quickly brushed her teeth, ridding her mouth of the rancid taste that vomiting had left. Running her fingers under the cool water she pressed them against her eyes, trying to regain some of her composure, trying to look like she hadn’t just lost it over killing someone. That stuff shouldn’t effect her anymore. She couldn’t show weakness here. Not even to Jade who she trusted implicitly.

 

Opening the door with the biggest fake smile she could muster she found Jade standing there. Holding out a steaming mug with one hand, the other wrapped around her waist.

 

“What’s that?” Blair asked suspiciously as she took it, peering into the cup she looked at Jade with brows raised.

 

“It’s tea… It’ll help settle your stomach,” Jade explained as sat down on the lone piece of furniture in their living room.

 

“Thanks,” Blair muttered as she sat on the other end of the sofa. Blowing on the tea before she took a sip she had to admit that it felt good to her upset stomach.

 

“It’s because she wasn’t part of one of the gangs… isn’t it?”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“That girl… the one at Hoboken’s. That’s the reason you’re upset about it… it’s because she’d never opposed us.”

 

“If she was engaged to Hoboken she opposed us, whether directly or indirectly she’s involved in this.”

 

“Right…” Jade nodded smoothing a hand down her jeans. Blair knew she didn’t believe her, but as long as she never gave Jade confirmation of her suspicions she wouldn’t have to worry about anything.

 

“Jakob wants to see you when you’re ready.”

 

“Yeah, okay.”

 

*************************************************************************************

 

Blair stood outside Jakob’s door, one hand raised to knock she hesitated as she heard voices inside. Jakob’s and she listened closer…Ginny’s?

 

The door was partially cracked and Blair stood outside as she listened. Jakob had wanted to see her, why would he have Ginny in there instead? Peering through the cracked door she could see Ginny pacing, her hands moving rapidly. Jakob was relaxing against a desk.

 

“Break things off Ginny, I’m warning you.”

 

“No way! Brad is my meal ticket to bigger and better things. Do you think I want to be what I am forever? No.” Blair scowled as she realized that she had been right about Ginny. Little bitch.

 

“I don’t care… I have plans for Brad that don’t include you. Break things off… or I break them off for you,” Jakob warned.

 

“Are you threatening me Jakob? I’ve only ever done what you wanted me to do… You wanted me with Brad, I’m with Brad. Now that it’s something I want you want me to break it off? I don’t think so. Whatever plans you have for Brad you’ll just have to modify to include me.”

 

“I don’t think my plans can include you. I want Brad with Blair, you are no longer part of that scenario in any way, shape or form.”

 

Ginny laughed as she looked at him in disbelief. “Brad and Blair?! You’re joking right?!”

 

“No joke,” Jakob said with all seriousness.

 

“Brad will never go for it. Not to mention Blair… They think of each other like siblings, besides Blair is not woman enough to handle Brad in bed.”

 

“I’ve already thought of that,” Jakob turned around picking a small vial of tablets off the desk behind him. Ginny walked up to him, curiously eyeing the pills in his hand.

 

“What are those?” she asked motioning to them, when he didn’t answer just looked at her, both Ginny’s and Blair’s eyes widened at the same time as the purpose of those pills hit them.

 

“You’re gonna drug them?”

 

You’re going to drug us?! What the hell!?!

 

“It’s a new street drug, It causes the inhibitions to lower, sexual responses to raise.”

 

“What’s the purpose?”

 

“You ever wonder why I have Blair and Brad as my seconds?” Ginny shook her head and Jakob placed the vial back on his desk crossing his arms across his chest. “They’re both vicious. If I’d gotten them younger they’d be perfect for what I want, as it is Brad had a family, Blair had those damn nuns. They integrated some morals into them. Most of them their trainers and I were able to weed out of them but they still have some semblance of right and wrong. Not much now, but some.”

 

“Oh my god! You’re planning on Blair getting pregnant from this little drugging.”

 

“Any child of theirs would have some of their genes, they have to have some predisposition to the sort of ruthlessness they’ve displayed since they’ve been here. A child trained from the beginning to have none of the morals they have would be…”

 

“A cold blooded killer,” Ginny finished as she stopped in front of him. “There’s no way that Brad would allow you to take a child of his and mold it into a killer.”

 

“Brad won’t be an issue,” Jakob said confidently.

 

“What?”

 

“Brad will not be an issue,” Jakob smiled wickedly, Blair frowned as the truth hit her. He’s planning on killing Brad after it’s done. Does he not see me as a threat? Little bastard should! There’s no way I’d let a child of mine be trained like that, I don’t want my children growing up like me.

 

“You’re planning on killing him… Aren’t you?” Ginny asked slowly. “What about Blair? She won’t let you train any child of hers like that.”

 

“Blair will not be an issue. If she becomes one she can always be removed just like Brad.”

 

Blair backed away from the door in shock. Jakob couldn’t be planning on killing both her and Brad just to get his hands on some offspring that would never happen.

 

She had to do something! But what? Brad would never believe her. If she hadn’t heard the words coming from Jakob’s mouth she wouldn’t have believed it herself.

 

She’d wait, see how things panned out.

 

Maybe he would change his mind.

 

Maybe he would see that she and Brad didn’t think of each other in a romantic fashion.

 

Maybe hell would freeze over.

 

*************************************************************************************

 

“Forgive me father for I have sinned,” Blair said softly sitting in the darkness of the confessional.

 

It had been years since she had been in one. Had been years since she had wanted to be in one. But suddenly her life was out of control and nothing made sense anymore.

 

With the knowledge she gained eavesdropping on Jakob and Ginny it was getting harder and harder to justify what she did.

 

If someone that she trusted as implicitly as Jakob could kill Brad and possibly her without even blinking an eye what did that say about her life. About her instincts.

 

She would never have thought Jakob would purposefully kill either of them. Ginny yes, but not Jakob.

 

She also had to continue to deal with the task force. The second class had ended much the same way as the first. Detective Sturgess pulling her aside at the end to reiterate that he would be willing to help her. She didn’t know if her eyes gave her away or not but she had been so very tempted to take him up on his offer. But she had declined yet again.

 

She would handle this on her own. Just like she had handled everything else in her life.

 

The third session had surprised her. She had been prepared with several scathing retorts, having practiced on Ginny the night before. But he had not stopped her, had simply watched her leave and not said a word. She wondered if he thought she was a lost cause.

 

If he thought that maybe he could convince Jackson. Jackson who continued to hound her and wouldn’t take no for an answer. She had never met anyone as persistent as him before. With as many times as she had shot him down he should be figuring out ways to humiliate her in front of his friends.

 

But he wasn’t. And for the life of her she couldn’t figure out what was so special about her. Why he would continue to chase after her after she continuously rebuffed him. Maybe he was just a glutton for punishment. Lord knew she was.

 

Jade knew something was wrong. She hadn’t come right and said anything. But Blair could tell she thought something was off. But the two of them had never been much good at communicating on a personal level.

 

Things about the business, knives, guns. Even school. But they couldn’t share their feelings. Blair didn’t trust her enough anymore. Not with having found out that Jakob was planning on drugging her and Brad, getting her pregnant and then killing Brad. Maybe her to if she didn’t continue to dance to his music.

 

No her instincts were so whacked, that even though Jade was her blood-sibling from way back she had other loyalties than those to her makeshift family. So did Scott, so did Brad. So Blair played all her cards close to the vest and when all else failed she simply avoided them.

 

Easy to do with Scott and Brad. Harder to do with Jade since they shared a room.

 

“What are your sins my child?” the priest asked from where he sat in his half of the small confessional.

 

“I have hurt people,” Blair started, “I was doing it to survive in a world that I didn’t choose to live in. I’ve excelled at it. But lately I’ve learned some information that causes me to question my place within my world.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“My boss. I overheard a conversation that I wasn’t meant to that showed me that he had other plans for me besides what I’ve been doing. Plans that I don’t agree with. Plans that I don’t want any part of.”

 

“Then why don’t you tell this man of what you’ve heard and tell him that you don’t agree with the plans he has for you.”

 

Blair sighed heavily. “Because it’s not that simple. Even if I tell him that I know he’ll figure out a way to make it happen regardless. And I probably won’t even know that it’s happening until it’s to late to stop it.”

 

“Than you’re only other solution is to come up with a plan to counteract his.”

 

“I’ve thought of that,” Blair whispered. “I just don’t know what to do.”

 

The priest laughed softly on his side of the partition. “Most people never do. When the time is right he will show you the correct path.”

 

“You mean God?” Blair asked skeptically.

 

“Yes.”

 

“I think God’s turned his back on me.”

 

“He’ll never turn his back. He’s just waiting for you to remember where he is.”

 

“Yeah… right.”

 

*************************************************************************************

 

Later, after finishing her time in the confessional. Listening to the priest spout off a bunch of garbage about God and forgiveness that she just didn’t buy she walked back into Central. Slowly. She was purposefully coming in this late on a Friday night because the majority of her peers would be out. Beating up the kids she went to school with, creating ruckuses elsewhere in the city.

 

“Hey Blair,” she heard Brad call from a side hallway; she scowled as she turned her head, seeing Brad jogging towards her and Jakob leaning against the wall.

 

“Hey Brad,” she smiled. Even with everything else going on he was still her big brother. Regardless of the decision she chose to make, he would always be her big brother.

 

“Just coming in?” he glanced at his watch as she shook her head.

 

“Forgot something… I’m going back out.”

 

“Well I’m glad I caught you. The Gorsline’s are having a party next Friday. Jakob wants you and me to go together.”

 

Blair looked over Brad’s shoulder at Jakob, his casual posture revealed nothing. His eyes blank as he watched the by-play between the two of them.

 

“Really… I thought you went to all the meet and greet crap with Ginny.”

 

“Yeah… well…” Brad looked slightly confused as he glanced behind him at Jakob before shaking his head. “Jakob wants me to spend sometime away from Ginny so he wants me to take you instead.”

 

“You know I don’t have clothes for that kind of stuff,” Blair frowned.

 

“So you go shopping. Wear something in black, you look great in black,” he grinned as he backed away from her.

 

“I’m not wearing a dress,” she called after him his laughter ringing loudly in the virtually empty hallways. “Or heels.”

 

She watched him rejoin Jakob the two of them walking away from her and she realized that whatever she was planning to do she needed to do fast.

 

She definitely didn’t have time on her side.

 

*************************************************************************************

 

The room was pitch-black, not a movement detected when the door swung open.

 

“Don’t work to late,” she heard the woman call to him, he laughed before he shut the door. Walking into the room without turning the light on. He knew the way. He worked in this room every night. So when he flipped the light he was disturbed by the sudden sensation that he was being watched.

 

“You know for a cop,” Blair smirked, “Your security sucks.”

 

Detective Andrew Sturgess gaped at the young woman cloaked in the shadows reclining in a chair as she continued to smirk at him.

 

*************************************************************************************

 

“How did you get in here?” Detective Andrew Sturgess stuttered as he stared at the young woman cloaked in darkness. He turned the desk lamp and she blinked at the sudden brightness but never changed expressions.

 

“You should keep a closer watch on your daughter… Sandy? Her windows not the most secure in the house.”

 

“You snuck in through my daughters’ room, why didn’t you just come to the front door?” he asked as he sat heavily in the chair. His legs were trembling; this was the moment of truth. If he had this girls help he could decimate Central, destroy the family’s that used innocent children to kill and hurt others.

 

“Yeah well,” Blair shrugged as she stretched her legs out in front of her, crossing her ankles she linked her hands together on her stomach. “So… who do you work for?” she asked casually.

 

“What do you mean? I work for the Police, the task force. You know this, I’ve told you this.”

 

“No I don’t mean your job,” Blair stood, her posture defensive as she stalked to the desk. Planting her hands on it she leaned forward, her eyes cold and dark as she studied him. “I mean, who paid you to try and get me to turn on Central?”

 

“No one,” Andrew shook his head. “I work for the Police department, they are my only employer.”

 

“Then why me?”

 

“My son, he said that you might be approachable… he said that you seemed… tired of it all.”

 

“Tired huh? Well your son is not the best judge of character so maybe you shouldn’t take everything he says at face value,” Blair stated.

 

“My son is a fine judge of character, and as it stands I didn’t believe him until after I met you for the first time. That’s why I approached you,” he said quietly as he watched her blank face for some sort of reaction. “My son likes you, I wouldn’t do anything that would turn him against me. If I was dirty I would have approached someone else, someone who wasn’t in a position to destroy my relationship with my son.”

 

“So you’re not dirty, don’t believe I’ve ever met a clean cop. Maybe I should take a picture for posterity,” she mused as she straightened; crossing her arms over her chest she looked down at him.

 

“There’s quite a few of us actually,” Andrew said softly as he tapped his foot under the desk.

 

“So what is it exactly you’re looking for?” she asked casually.

 

“You’re going to help?”

 

“I didn’t say that, I just asked what you wanted… If it’s something I’m interested in I might be persuaded to help you out… for the right fee.”

 

Andrew sighed as he ran a hand over his cropped black hair. He had thought the strands of gray that he had found this morning were from his dealings with his oldest two children. The twins were wreaking havoc with the problems they were creating. The fact that his son, Jackson, his pride and joy claimed to be in love with a girl that he was attempting to destroy had not endeared him to his oldest boy. Sandy was going through typical girl stuff, but her mood swings were enough to cripple a normal man.

 

“We want your help to bring down Central and the four families that have a controlling interest in it.”

 

“So you want me to be a snitch. You want me to rat out my friends, people that I consider family to help you. Did I get that right?”

 

“Essentially,” he muttered.

 

“Well … I would want something in return,” she stated cocking her head to the side, her brown eyes unyielding as she waited for him to blow.

 

“Of course… and what would that be?”

 

Blair reached into the pocket of her leather coat pulling out a sheet of folded paper that she held up for him to see. “This list contains six names… in exchange for immunity for the six people on this piece of paper I’ll help you with your little Central problem and I’ll give you three of the family’s.”

 

“It’s four families’… not three.”

 

“I won’t give up the McNaughton’s. You’ll just have to live without them…or,” she shrugged, “you can just get someone else to do your dirty work.”

 

Andrew sighed as he held out his hand to take her list, Blair hesitated for a moment before giving it to him. He flipped the sheet open and stared at the six names staring back at him. He closed his eyes as one of the names jumped out at him. Blair watched him, her expression stoic as she waited for his reaction. He would fight her on Brad, but the ball was still in her court. Without her help they would get nowhere.

 

“I’ll agree to all of these names except Davis. He goes down, he’s Jakob’s right hand. We want him almost as much as we want Jakob,” he said, “I won’t agree to this.”

 

“Without Brad we don’t have a deal. Our business is finished,” Blair said her lips drawn in a thin line as she turned to walk away.

 

“Wait,” he called after her softly. She stopped, turning back to him hands hanging at her sides as he flinched under her scrutinizing stare. “I can’t approve this, but if I could talk to my superiors, they might.”

 

“Well then you better do it now… This is a one time only deal, I walk out of here it won’t be offered again.”

 

“I can’t get approval that fast.”

 

“You better… because you need me more than I need you. I can do this by myself, can you say the same?” she asked as she looked away, focusing on the picture of his family that she had been studying before he had come in. Jackson and Sandy, the twins. Mark the youngest son. “Are your children prepared for this?”

 

“What are you talking about?” he asked as he flipped open his address book, keying a number into the phone, receiver resting on his shoulder.

 

“Your children. You start this; you make life difficult for Central and the family’s there will be retaliation… Are your children protected?”

 

“You mean Jackson don’t you?… My kids know how to take care of themselves.”

 

“They’d better,” Blair snorted. “Because we go through with this you’re just painting fucking targets on their backs.”

 

“It’s me,” he said softly into the phone, turning in his chair away from her.

 

She sighed walking over to the far bookcase, intent on giving him privacy to do this. She didn’t trust him, she had no reason to trust him. But she needed help. She couldn’t do this alone. She had come to that realization as she paced her room after seeing Brad with Jakob. If Jakob’s plans were allowed to progress there would be no way out for her. At least this way she might have a chance to have some semblance of a normal existence, before it was snuffed out when people found out what she’d done.

 

“Okay,” he said as he hung up the phone turning his chair around to face her, he paused.

 

“Well?” she asked brows raised in query as she waited.

 

“They agreed… there are some stipulations though.”

 

“I would expect no less. What are they?”

 

“They’ll agree to Brad on one condition… That when the arrests are made that he is nowhere near, inside or around Central. If he’s there he goes down with the others.”

 

“The other five?”

 

“They’ll go with the others… They’ll be released with no charges filed.”

 

“Good… The McNaughton’s?”

 

“As long as we get Central and three of the families we will not use you to get to them. We’ll find another way to get them….” He scowled as he studied the list in front of him. “I don’t see your name on here… You’re not requesting immunity for yourself?”

 

“Once they find out what I did I’m dead anyway, I didn’t figure you’d want to waste immunity on a dead person.”

 

“We can protect you.”

 

Blair laughed, a twinkling sound that caused him to look at her with amused eyes as he tried to figure out what he’d said to cause such a reaction. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”

 

“I wouldn’t, we can utilize the FBI… Put you in witness protection when this is over with.”

 

Blair smirked at him, “This won’t ever be over… besides when you can prove to me that you can protect your kids from the backlash, maybe I’ll consider it. Until then I prefer to protect myself.”

 

“So how do we proceed?”

 

“Cautiously… This isn’t going to be a quick process. You can’t just swoop in and take them all down, this is going to be tedious,” Blair warned as she walked over to the desk. Perching on the side of it she took one last glance at the family picture she had been studying before she turned her attention to her new best friend. “This is what we’re going to do first…”

 

*************************************************************************************

 

Blair rushed into Central, backpack slung over her shoulder, she glared at Brad who was standing just inside the entrance tapping his finger against his watch.

 

“Don’t start with me… I’ve had the day from hell,” she snarled as he matched her brisk pace.

 

“Oh… did someone have detention after school?” he mocked her with a grin.

 

“One fuckin’ comment and Scott and I end up cleaning chalkboards,” she grumbled.

 

“You should know better… It’s football season, the football players run the school right now.”

 

“I should have just taken my knife out that would have solved the problem.”

 

“Then you would have been expelled,” Brad shrugged. “You have to be quick about showering and everything, we’re supposed to be there in 45 minutes.”

 

“The way you drive we have plenty of time.”

 

“Brad, Blair,” Jakob moved out of his room in front of them.

 

“Jakob,” Brad nodded as he made to move around him.

 

“I need you two… Now!”

 

Blair glanced down at her watch. “We’re running kind of late Jakob. We’re supposed to be at the Gorsline’s at 6:00.”

 

“Party’s been cancelled,” he stated holding the door open he raised his eyebrows at them waiting for them to comply with his orders.

 

“Cancelled? It can’t be I had to buy a dress for this thing!”

 

“Yeah well, things happen,” Jakob closed the door behind them. Blair shrugged her backpack off setting it on the floor as she leaned against the wall. She had a feeling she knew what this meeting was about. She almost wanted to smile she was so pleased, but any expression besides indifference would be met with suspicion by Jakob so she plastered an expression of boredom on her face and crossed her arms.

 

“So what’s up?” Brad asked, he leaned against the wall in a position identical to the one Blair had assumed.

 

“We’re under attack.”

 

“What?!” they both sputtered at the same time. Positions mirroring each other again they both had sprung away from the wall. Bodies in defensive stances, hands clenched at their sides.

 

“What are you talking about?” Brad asked. “Under attack, what’s that supposed to mean.”

 

“It means that someone leaked the position of warehouse #4, the one we were getting ready to shutdown and the taskforce moved in and took everything.”

 

“How many people knew about the warehouse?” Blair asked quietly.

 

“Us, maybe about 14 others… I’ve called a meeting for 30 minutes from now. I want this leak plugged and the taskforce shut down!”

 

“We’ll do whatever you want us to do, you know that,” Brad stated calmly.

 

“Good. Brad go assemble your team in the conference room. I think everybody but those that you had out with you know about it.”

 

“Okay,” Brad shrugged as he opened the door. He held it open waiting for Blair who had bent to pick up her backpack.

 

“Blair a moment of your time,” Jakob said quietly. “Brad you can go.”

 

Blair and Brad exchanged looks of confusion before Blair shrugged and Brad walked out a frown creasing his face.

 

“Close the door Blair,” he requested as he leaned against the lone table in the room. He waited until she turned back to him. “I want you to keep an eye on Brad.”

 

“Brad?” Blair looked at the door then back at Jakob her eyes guarded as she watched him. “You don’t really think that Brad is the leak do you?” she asked in disbelief.

 

“There’s been some inconsistencies in his reports of late. Some of his people have noted that his behavior seems off from before. I would rather be safe than sorry. If it’s him I expect you to take care of the problem.”

 

“You want me to spy on Brad? Jakob he’s my friend I won’t destroy him!” Blair said angrily her eyes hard as she stared at him.

 

Jakob moved away from the desk, stopping in front of her he gripped her chin in his hand forcing her angry eyes to make contact with his. “You’ll do what I tell you to do or I’ll find someone more willing to do your job. Do you think if I told Brad to do the same to you that he would have a problem with it? No, he wouldn’t, because he knows his place. If you need me to remind you of yours we can,” Jakob stated coldly.

 

Blair jerked herself away from Jakob holding herself defiantly as she gripped the arms of her backpack.

 

“Do we have an understanding?”

 

“Yeah,” Blair nodded.

 

“Good, go assemble your team, I only want to make this announcement once,” he stated turning away from her.

 

Blair turned on her heel, yanking the door open she stalked down the hallway.

 

Shit! What to do? What to do? Having Brad go under because of his own stupidity was not something she had been prepared for. If she lied for him Jakob would know.

 

*************************************************************************************

 

Present – Llanview Hospital

 

“Jakob really thought that Brad was the leak in the beginning?” Jade asked tapping her fingers against her chin. That was interesting, she’d had no clue that Jakob had any doubts about Brad’s loyalties.

 

“Yeah… It wasn’t anything though. He was trying to keep Jakob from finding out that one of his team was pregnant. He’d been altering reports to protect her until he could find a way out for her,” Blair adjusted her pillow under her head. Taking a quick glance at the window she could still see Todd standing there, eyes narrowed watching them.

 

“I can leave if you want to talk to him,” Jade said noticing her quick glance as she hid a smile. Blair in love with someone, she had thought the day would never come. If they had still been kids she would be picking on her something fierce. But something told her that Blair wouldn’t find anything she had to say about her relationship with Todd Manning funny.

 

“No!”

 

Jade’s eyebrows arched as she eyed her. “You have to sooner or later… he’s gonna want to know about your past.”

 

“And what do I tell him Jade?” Blair sighed rubbing her stomach softly. “Do I tell him that the mother of his children was nothing but a cold blooded killer in her childhood? He’ll never let me near my kids again.”

 

“You weren’t a cold blooded killer. You never progressed that far. You always had a vague sense of remorse for the people that we had to hurt.”

 

“Yeah but do you think he’s really going to understand that? He grew up in a big house and wanted for nothing. We grew up on the streets and had to destroy friends in order to survive. He never had to go hungry or make deals with cops in order to protect his friends. He didn’t have to poison his best friend in order to keep him alive.”

 

*************************************************************************************

 

Two Years Later – Sturgess Family Residence

 

Seventeen-year-old Blair sat tapping her pencil against the dining room table in the Sturgess home and one again rolled her eyes at her study partners bent head. Sandra Sturgess, Jackson’s twin sister was currently operating in that capacity.

 

 She didn’t know who she was more frustrated with. Jackson who continued to pop into the dining room every 15 minutes to hit on her or Sandra who studiously ignored her even though they were supposed to be working on this project together.

 

She hoped their Economics teacher got a big laugh out of their final project, lord knew she wasn’t amused by it.

 

Sighing loudly caused Sandra to look up and frown at her, Blair shook her head as she looked at her watch.

 

“I’ll be back,” she said abruptly standing suddenly.

 

“Where are you going, we’re not even close to being done yet,” Sandy eyed her suspiciously.

 

“I’d like a glass of water… Is that okay?”

 

“Yeah whatever,” Sandy waved, “Down the hall, second door on the right.”

 

“I know where the kitchen is,” Blair muttered as she walked away. This was a joke. She wasn’t sure how the detective had managed it, but having her assigned as Sandy’s study partner had been an act of genius. She was able to relay information and have contact with him without it appearing as if anything was out of the ordinary.

 

Jakob had been slightly concerned when she had first started coming here a little over a month ago. When she had suggested that she use the opportunity to search out the ‘mole’ within Central he had eaten it up. For some reason Jakob considered her above reproach. Which meant he had never been suspicious of her in regards to the leak. She wondered if it was because she was female and Jakob had decided that a woman could never best him.

 

Picking a glass out of the drainer sitting by the sink she held it under the faucet, staring out the window in the backyard as he waited.

 

“What’s up?” Jackson asked quietly from the door behind her.

 

“Just getting something to drink, did you need something?” Blair asked snidely as she turned to face him her glass in hand.

 

“No… Just wanted to say hey.”

 

“That’s great, it’s only your, what 15^th Hey of the afternoon… Give it a rest Sturgess,” Blair sighed as she sipped her water, “besides what would your little girl think?” Jackson had finally appeared to move on, currently he was dating a pretty basketball player. Of course you couldn’t tell by the way he kept trying to move in on her.

 

“Shell and I are having some problems.”

 

“I’m weeping buckets for you.”

 

“You know,” Jackson moved up to her, resting his hand on her hip, ignoring the flash of anger that appeared on her face, “if you said the word I’d dump her in a second for you.”

 

“Back off,” Blair snarled knocking his hand away.

 

“Jackson is your homework finished?” she was relieved to see the detective appear in the door behind them. Observing them quietly, she saw the anger and perturbation, mostly directed at his son, some directed at her.

 

“No sir.”

 

“Then leave your sister’s guest alone and go finish it.”

 

Jackson backed off slowly, winking at her he walked past his father.

 

“Seems like your relationship with your son has taken a downhill turn,” Blair sneered as she set her glass on the counter. She remembered when this had all started. He had been so proud of being close to his kids.

 

“Kids,” Andrew shrugged, he closed the door as he walked up to her handing her a small vial of green liquid.

 

“What’s this?” she queried turning it between her fingers and eyeing him curiously.

 

He settled back against the counter next to her folding his arms across his chest as he stared at the door. “You said you were having a problem coming up with a reason to get Davis out of Central in time… I’m giving you some help.”

 

“So… what is this?”

 

“It’s an experimental drug that I had to pull a lot of strings to get my hands on… It induces an altered state, makes the taker more receptive to commands, suggestion.”

 

Blair held it up to the light, rotating the glass cylinder slightly as she watched the colors dance through it. “How do I use it?” she sighed finally shoving it in her coat pocket.

 

“It’s ingested through liquids. Something colored and I would suggest a soda base if possible, the liquid fizzes slightly when released from the container so something carbonated. He needs to ingest it for eight days. After that it needs an emotional trigger either something traumatic or force him to anger. After that it’s just a matter of getting him to the drop sight.”

 

“How much time do I have?”

 

“Not long. Maybe two weeks. You’ll definitely have at least 10 days… You know if you want I can warn you ahead of time, you could have everyone on your list out of Central instead of going the arrest, release route.”

 

“And wouldn’t that just look suspicious as all hell,” Blair snorted. “My team and Brad the only ones not in Central when it falls. No this is the best way and I don’t want to be forewarned. If something were to happen…”

 

“Are they suspicious of you?” Andrew narrowed his eyes. That wouldn’t do at all. They couldn’t afford to lose their most valuable source of information, not when they were so close to pulling this off.

 

“No, but it only takes one wrong comment from someone to have the next head ready to be chopped off. I don’t want mine on the chopping block next.”

 

“All right… If you need anything else…”

 

“No.”

 

“You should go back in before Sandy wonders where you are.”

 

“Yeah right,” Blair snorted. “She’s probably the one who sicced Jackson on me.”

 

The sound of him laughing followed her out of the kitchen.

 

*************************************************************************************

 

Blair pulled her backpack over her shoulders as she walked out of the Sturgess house. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Jackson peering out his room, watching her walk away.

 

“Nice house for a cop,” Brad commented as she walked up to him, he leaned against the motorcycle he had rode over and eyed the house curiously before climbing on.

 

“Don’t start,” Blair warned swinging her leg over the back of the motorcycle.

 

“I didn’t say anything.”

 

“Blair!” Sandy called from the front door, running down the sidewalk she stopped breathless by them holding a notebook in her hand. “You forgot this,” she said shooting a shy smile at Brad.

 

“No I think I got everything,” Blair said shrugging her bag off, opening it she rifled through her things and nodded, satisfied. “It’s not mine.”

 

“Oh… it must be mine then…. Brad,” she said softly.

 

“Sandra,” Brad nodded at her before looking away gripping the handles tightly.

 

Blair looked back and forth between them before emitting a low groan. “You’ve got be kidding me!”

 

“What?” Brad asked defensively as he watched Sandy walk away.

 

“She’s a cops kid.”

 

“Yeah… So am I.”

 

“No you were a cops kid, now cops hide their kids from you.”

 

*************************************************************************************

 

Blair sat cross-legged on her bed, her wet hair dripping down her back she was intent on her task at hand. She had pilfered several bottles of soda from Brad’s room and was currently mixing the liquid that the detective had given her.

 

Sitting back she surveyed her work and smiled sadly to herself.

 

She had done everything she could do to see that her friends, the people that she cared about were not hurt by this. But why did she have the sinking feeling that despite her best efforts, hell was going to break loose.

 

Soon.

 

*************************************************************************************

 

Standing outside the virtually empty street Blair alternated looks between her watch and the dry cleaners that Scott and Colleen Wentworth had disappeared inside several minutes before. She had sent Jade with the other members of their team to collect from several low-key sights. Somehow she had ended up with Colleen, the clotheshorse.

 

Colleen who wanted to stop and get her dry cleaning because she would soon have nothing to wear.

 

Colleen who needed Scott to go in with her because she had dropped off quite a bit and didn’t want to make several trips.

 

Colleen who would be dead if she didn’t get her butt moving. Blair glanced down at her watch once again and sighed. They were so far behind schedule that it wasn’t even funny. She was really going to have to have a talk with her.

 

Stretching she stilled suddenly when she heard the sounds of fighting in the alleyway off to the side of the dry cleaners. Grinning to herself she decided that this might be as good a way to get rid of her frustrations before Colleen and Scott came back.

 

Sauntering towards the alley she stopped a few feet in and looked at the scene displayed before her. Two men fighting, neither of them very good. She could break this up and be back at the car before they even got out.

 

“Hey boys… problem?” she grinned, hands on her hips she waited for their response.

 

“Back off lady this ain’t none of your problem,” one of the young men snarled as he jabbed the other in the gut.

 

“Now is that anyway to talk? Here I am just trying to help you out.”

 

“Yeah?” the young man who had been doubled over in apparent pain straightened himself. “Who’s going to help you though?” he smirked at her as slowly advanced on her.

 

Blair eyed them both before rolling her eyes and sighing. “You know guys there’s easier ways to pick up women,” she sneered at them before kicking one in the knees and jabbing the other in the face with a sharp right hook.

 

The one fell to the ground clutching his knees, the other whirled back and swung at Blair. She grinned at him backing just far enough away that he couldn’t connect and swung out one of her longs, connecting firmly with his stomach he fell backwards.

 

His partner had managed in this time to collect himself and had staggered to his feet. Moving towards her he grabbed a broken two by four and twirled it in his hands. Blair arched her brow, waving her hands at him as if to say ‘here I am, come and get me’. With an evil smile he did just that.

 

Later she would swear that she could have taken him and she would never remember where the third man came from. She wouldn’t even remember what he looked like. But as the one ran at her she suddenly felt a hand clamp around her neck and the others fist connect with her stomach. With a low groan she fell to her knees gasping for air. Only to be hauled up by her arms and slammed against the wall of the building. With the two men she had first come in contact with holding her arms she watched with defiant eyes as the third slowly walked towards her.

 

“Hello Blair,” he whispered softly against her ear.

 

“How?”

 

“No, no, no… I’m asking the questions here, and I have ever so many of them… but first something to make you a little more cooperative,” a slow smile spread across his face as he displayed a needle in front of her face.

 

“I don’t have anything to say to you.”

 

“Not yet no. But soon you’ll tell me everything I want to know, plus some things I don’t,” he grinned as he jabbed the needle into her arm. Blair winced slightly as he pushed the needle’s plunger and concentrated on clearing her mind.

 

When he was finished he threw the syringe aside, running a hand across her face he leered at her.

 

“Now then, that should take affect in a few minutes; my boys will bring you along after it has… Maybe we’ll have some fun after we’re finished with our little talk.”

 

“I don’t think so,” Blair spit in his face. He backed away, wiping the spittle with a handkerchief drawn from his pocket.

 

“Now that wasn’t very nice…” he tsked at her. “But if that’s the way you want to play the game, I can rearrange the rules to fit…. Boys…” he waved his hands at her. “Don’t hurt her to badly, we still need the information that’s wrapped up in her pretty little head.”

 

“What are you talking about?” she asked angrily. “Jakob will never stand for this.”

 

“Jakob will never know,” he responded as he walked away.

 

Blair swayed on her feet as she felt whatever had been injected into her body starting to take affect. She knew that whatever these two had planned for her would never see the light of day on her top ten list of things to do.

 

“Well that was nice of him… giving us a little playtime,” one of the men leered at her as he ran his hand up her chest, pinching at her breasts forcefully. Blair batted at his hand ineffectually. Christ she needed to get out of here. Where the hell were Colleen and Scott? Hadn’t they noticed her missing yet?

 

“Oh play nice now little girl, it won’t hurt you as bad if you do that,” he murmured against her ear as he ran his tongue down her neck. Blair pushed away swaying as she tried to move to the street, pressing a hand to her head she couldn’t concentrate. There was four of everything.

 

The hands were back on her body, forcing her to the ground. One holding her hands high above her head as she struggled weakly. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be.

 

The other pulled at her belt, she flinched as his hands touched her bare stomach.

 

Christ this wasn’t how it was supposed to be.

 

*************************************************************************************

 

Present – Llanview Hospital

 

“Boss?” Jade asked worriedly. Blair had gone silent in her story telling, tears running freely from her eyes even through the hand she had pressed against them.

 

“I don’t remember anything after that…” she whispered. “I remember waking up in Central.”

 

“Boss,” Jade whispered. “You know you weren’t raped right? You know that Colleen and Scott got there in time, they got you to the hospital and Brad and Jakob came to take you home.”

 

“Are we sure?” Blair cried. “I don’t remember anything after that.”

 

“There was a third attacker that day?” Jade asked suddenly as she leaned forward hands resting on the bed as she studied her intently.

 

“What?”

 

“When this all happened, back then. You never said anything about a third attacker. You mentioned the other two but never the one shot you up.”

 

“I…” Blair lowered her hand as she looked at her in surprise. “I didn’t remember him until just now… Oh my god.”

 

“There’s a gap there,” Jade nodded. “We’ll have to go back to that day again.”

 

“I don’t want to go back to that day. There’s a reason that I blocked all that stuff….” Blair sighed. “What did happen after all that?”

 

“I don’t know, you were with Colleen and Scott that day. But…” Jade looked up with a grin.

 

“But what?” Blair asked suspiciously.

 

“Scott is here… and Colleen should be here by now. I’ll go get them, they’ll tell you that nothing happened that they go to you in time and we move forward,” Jade said as she jumped up from her seat.

 

“Jade…”

 

“It’ll just take a minute, and trust me for your piece of mind you need to know,” Jade grinned. “Hold tight, I’ll be right back,” she opened the door backing suddenly when she saw Todd standing there hands resting on Starr’s shoulders.

 

“If we’re interrupting we can come back,” Todd offered awkwardly.

 

“No… I was just going to get the others. I’ll be back,” Jade said quickly letting herself out the door with a quick wince at Blair.

 

“Hi mommy,” Starr said quietly as she moved with her father to the bed. Her daddy had said that mommy was going to be okay but with all those wires and machines hooked up to her she didn’t think so.

 

“Hi sweetie,” Blair whispered shooting an angry glare at Todd that he ignored as he sat in the chair that Jade had just vacated.

 

“Daddy said you were in an accident,” Starr whispered hovering by the edge of the bed. Reaching out a trembling hand she touched her mothers fingers. When Blair turned her hand to grip hers tightly she started crying. “I’m sorry mommy, I didn’t mean it… I don’t want anything to happen to you or the baby,” she wailed.

 

Todd leaned forward wrapping his arms around his daughter as Blair struggled to sit up so she could take her in her arms. Todd lifted her and Blair clutched her to her chest, holding her tightly as they both sobbed.

 

“It’s gonna be okay baby. The baby and I we’re gonna be okay,” she reassured her crying daughter quietly. Stroking her hair she felt Todd’s finger mingle with hers and looked over at him. Stilling her fingers over his she studied his pale complexion, the teary eyes. He looked as scared as their daughter did.

 

“Todd?” she whispered. Maybe there was something they weren’t telling her. Maybe there was something else wrong with her, with the baby.

 

“Are we interrupting?” Scott asked with a stoic expression from where he held the door open. Standing behind him was Colleen and she could see Viki with Jade and Brad.

 

“No, it’s okay.”

 

“Hey boss… who’s the rugrat?” Scott asked as he waltzed in, Colleen wrinkling her nose at his lack of manners.

 

“My daughter Starr,” Blair said softly. “You don’t have to…”

 

“Yeah, yeah I know,” Scott waved. “Jade already said that you don’t want us calling you boss. But hey,” he shrugged as he sat on the foot of the bed ignoring Todd’s glare and Starr’s curious eyes, “that’s what you’ll always be, so get used to it.”

 

“And on that note…” Colleen shook her head.

 

“Mommy why does he keep calling you boss? You don’t have a job,” Starr asked in confusion.

 

“Eh…. Well…” Blair stumbled as she looked for help from Todd, Scott, Colleen, anyone who wasn’t inwardly laughing at her dilemma.

 

“You see… Starr… God that’s a cool name,” Scott looked at Blair in approval. “You’re mother used to be our boss way back when we were kids, she never quit the job she just left. So technically, she’s still our boss.”

 

“Scott….”Colleen sighed. “Jade said you wanted us to fill in some gaps on…well…” she looked at Starr and then back at Blair.

 

“Todd can you take Starr out while I talk to them.”

 

“I’ll have Viki take her,” Todd stated. “Say bye to your mother.”

 

“I’ll be back really soon,” Starr promised as she kissed her mothers cheek and took her fathers hand. He led her to the door where they watched him exchange quiet words with Viki before walking back to the chair.

 

“Todd…”

 

“What?”

 

“I really don’t want you in here for this. It’s kind of personal.”

 

“Well babe, everything about us is kind of personal. I’m going to know all your secrets soon anyway you might as well just let me stay, it’ll save time.”

 

 Blair sighed as she saw a familiar expression of mulishness cross his face. He wasn’t budging. He would stay here and listen to every gory detail. And he was right. Soon he would know it all anyway.

 

 Tearing her gaze from him she focused on Colleen and Scott. She would just pretend he wasn’t even in the room. That would be the only one she would get through this.

 

“We were talking about the dry cleaners… about the attack… I have some gaps after the fight,” she said quietly.

 

“Oh,” Colleen closed her eyes. Scott looked down at the blanket, tracing a pattern on it his mind raced back to that day.

 

“You both know what happened right?”

 

“Yeah,” Scott whispered softly. “Are you sure you want to talk about this with…” he glanced over at Todd who was tapping his fingers against the arms of the chair as he waited for them to proceed.

 

“I need to know.”

 

“Okay then… We were in the dry cleaners…” Colleen started.

 

*************************************************************************************

 

Dry Cleaners – Past

 

Colleen Wentworth was fed up. Fed up! They had been waiting here for ten minutes and it appeared that her last drop off had been lost. Blair was going to kill her and Scott might actually help. He didn’t look angry but Colleen recognized the impatient gleam in his eyes. The tapping of fingers against the counter was also a dead giveaway. She was toast.

 

“You do realize that Blair is going to maim you when we get out of here… right?” Scott muttered softly as he turned his back to the counter looking out the window.

 

“It’s not my fault… They said everything would be ready today,” Colleen whined as she shot a quick glance out the window. She couldn’t see Blair by the car anymore; she had probably gotten pissed and went to take her frustrations out on some unsuspecting tourist.

 

“Ms. Wentworth… so sorry, we’ve found everything,” the young man who had taken her slips came back arms full, he smiled as he dropped the garments on the counter and started ringing up her sale.

 

“That’s it?” Scott asked as he raised his eyebrows at the small pile.

 

“Oh no sir, the rest is coming,” the young man reassured them as he looked back at the two men and one woman with arms full of clothes.

 

“Holy Christ Colleen! What did you bring everything you owned?” Scott asked in disbelief.

 

“I told you that I was almost out of clothes,” Colleen stated defensively as she handed the young man the money to pay for it and started pulling the clothes into her arms. Scott shook his head as he helped her.

 

Scott pushed the door open and thanked the lord that he’d had the foresight to open the trunk before they went in. Especially since Blair was no where to be found.

 

Waiting for Colleen to dump her armload into the trunk he glanced at his watch before slamming the hatch closed.

 

“So… where did she go?” Colleen asked pulling her sunglasses on as she looked around.

 

“I don’t know, she wouldn’t wander off though, she wanted to get all this done early today… That’s why we split into two teams,” Scott said as he started down the street. There was an alley on the other side of the dry cleaners maybe she had decided to take her frustrations out on the concrete instead of Colleen.

 

With Colleen by his side they turned into the alleyway and he stopped cold, he heard Colleen gasp next to him as he took in the sight before him.

 

Blair seemingly unresponsive on the ground, one creep holding her arms over her head, the other working her belt off.

 

Colleen felt the growl start deep in her throat and the next thing she knew she was moving towards them at a fast run. Not even stopping to pick up the board lying on the ground she screeched as she swung it at the head of the creep trying to remove Blair’s belt. It sounded like a watermelon cracking open as she connected with his head; his eyes open wide in amazement before he went flying backwards, his body hitting the concrete with a dull thud.

 

Scott kicked at the other one, the force of motion throwing him back against the wall before he crumpled to the pavement. He was hovering over Blair before he even hit the ground.

 

“Boss? Hey boss?” Scott tapped at her cheeks trying to work some response out of her. A low moan and her eyes opening for a half second were the most he got.

 

“Scott?” Colleen said quietly.

 

“What?!” Scott looked up and wanted to scream when he saw the empty syringe in her hand, saw her pointing at the blood on her arm where it had evidently been used on Blair. “No, no, no,” he repeated as he touched her cheek softly. “Blair? Sis? Can you hear me?” he leaned down low so his lips were near her ear.

 

“Scott we need to get her out of here,” Colleen said suddenly. “What if there’s more and they come back?”

 

“Then I kill them all,” Scott snarled as he glared up at her.

 

“We don’t have time for this… We don’t know what was in this,” Colleen shook the syringe in front of his face. “We need to get her somewhere that can help.”

 

Scott looked up at her silently before shrugging off his coat, digging in the pockets he threw the keys at Colleen before he wrapped it around Blair, lifting her into her arms she didn’t make a sound. He cradled her gently as he moved quickly, with purpose now.

 

“Scott you know I can’t drive.”

 

“There’s a first time for everything,” Scott muttered as he balanced Blair in his arms, opening the back door he slid in holding her close to him. Her head resting on his shoulder.

 

“Where to?” she asked as she stuck the key in the ignition, starting the car she glanced in the rearview mirror to see Scott looking down at Blair. “Scott? Where to?” she asked more forcefully, finally grabbing his attention as he looked up fixing his eyes on hers in the mirror.

 

“The hospital,” he said quietly.

 

“The hospital? Shouldn’t we take her to Central?”

 

“No, the hospital.”

 

*************************************************************************************

 

Scott ran into the emergency room, Blair still cradled in his arms, Colleen on his heels.

 

“I need some help here,” he yelled frantically. Blair had started shaking uncontrollably in the car, her teeth were chattering and he now had a sinking suspicion that the syringe had held a variety of different drugs. Different drugs designed to do different things.

 

“What do you have?” a doctor ran up with a nurse next to him.

 

“She was attacked, shot up with something… Colleen give them the needle,” Scott nudged her as he laid Blair gently down on the gurney that had appeared. Colleen held the syringe out to the doctor, now wrapped in a tissue. The doctor took in, glancing at it quickly before handing it to the nurse.

 

“Run the usual, let me know what was in it,” he said quietly. “Is she a member of a street organization?” he asked a little more loudly, directing his question at Scott, as he wheeled the gurney with the help of two other nurses into a curtained area.

 

Scott and Colleen looked at each other, Colleen’s eyes wide as she realized the implications of telling the truth in this instance. If they told the truth the police would be called. Which meant the task force would show up in all its glory and take Blair. But even as she grabbed Scott’s arm to pull him away he answered truthfully.

 

“She’s part of Central. Now help her!”

 

*************************************************************************************

 

Thirty Minutes Later – ER Waiting Room

 

“I can’t believe you just told them,” Colleen moaned where they were pacing in the waiting room.

 

“What did you want me to do? They get a cop in here he could ID her anyway,” Scott frowned as he saw two uniforms enter the ER waiting room. “Shit they move fast,” he muttered.

 

“What are we going to do?” Colleen asked in desperation.

 

“You’re going to go call Brad and Jakob again and tell them to get the lead out… I’ll stay here and

answer their questions,” Scott whispered quietly. “Go. Now!” he stated moving forward as he saw the doctor that he had handed Blair over to point him out to the two uniforms.

 

“This is the young man that brought her in,” the doctor said as Scott walked up to them.

 

“What can you tell us?” one cop asked as he pulled his pad and pen out of a pocket.

 

“Not much,” Scott shrugged in mock casualness. “I was in the dry cleaners… Colleen she’s a clotheshorse you know… when we came out Blair wasn’t at the car. We got worried and went looking for her. We found her in an alley with these two creeps hanging over her.”

 

“We went to the alley that you’re talking about, there was no one there. Some blood from what looks like a fight but no bodies.”

 

Thank you Jakob! Scott praised inwardly as he shrugged. “Maybe they walked away.”

 

“Thank you officer I can take it from here,” Scott looked up as he heard Detective Andrew Sturgess, he slowly walked to them. “Mr. Martin,” he nodded with a friendly smile. “I understand you’ve had some excitement.”

 

“It’s nothing, just street stuff… you wouldn’t understand,” Scott shook his head.

 

“You’d be surprised what I’d understand,” Andrew said quietly.

 

“Just leave us alone,” Scott stated angrily.

 

“That’s enough Scott… the detective is just doing his job,” Scott turned as he heard Jakob’s smooth voice come from behind him.

 

“It’s about damn time,” he muttered to Brad as he stopped next to him.

 

“Traffic,” Brad said quietly as he watched the interplay between the detective and Jakob.

 

“Brad, Scott why don’t you go collect Blair so we can go home… Colleen you and Jade can go wait outside.”

 

“You can’t just walk out of here with her, she needs treatment,” the doctor sputtered as he tried to stop them.

 

“Then you best make sure that we have what we need to treat her before we leave. Because she is not staying her for one more moment,” Jakob said quietly as he moved to follow Brad and Scott.

 

Andrews’s voice called after him. “How long did you think that Central could continue to grow in power and the families would say nothing? This is just the beginning Jakob, Central is going to fall… If not by my hands than by the hands of the families that you trust.”

 

Jakob continued to walk away, his back stiff and straight, his expression blank, the only outward sign of anger was in his voice. “I really hate that man.”

 

*************************************************************************************

 

Blair slowly forced her eyes open. She blinked rapidly trying to rid her eyes of the scratchy, dry feeling that seemed to have taken over. She realized suddenly that she still had her contacts in. She normally took them out right before she went to bed. Why had she left them in?

 

Lifting her arm she pressed her hand to her eyes, wincing as she realized that her body ached. What the hell?

 

Pausing momentarily she lowered her arm and lifted her head. Brad was sleeping in the armchair by her bed. Scott and Jade both reclining against the wall, Jade’s head resting on Scott’s shoulder as they to slept.

 

She cleared her throat several times before mustering a low, “Brad?”

 

“Mmmh,” he mumbled turning slightly in the chair, his fan wrinkling in displeasure, as he was unable to find a comfortable position.

 

Blair smiled softly then fumbled for a second before picking a magazine off the small table sitting at her bedside. Flinging it at him he jumped up startled.

 

“What…?” he sputtered shaking his head as he looked around, focusing down at her he smiled softly. “Hey guys,” he said quietly pulling his chair over next to her bed.

 

“It can’t be morning yet,” Scott muttered opening his eyes, grinning widely when he saw Blair looking over at him. “Well, well, well… Look who decided to join the living,” he stood dislodging Jade who grumbled before also standing, with a wide yawn and stretch she winked at her.

 

“What are you guys doing in here? And why do I feel like death?” Blair asked hoarsely.

 

The three exchanged looks before looking down at her, she focused on Brad who was gnawing on his bottom lip.

 

“Brad?” she asked softly.

 

“What do you remember?” he asked gently touching her hand slightly he gripped her fingers as his eyes seemed to bore holes through her.

 

“Remember about what?”

 

Brad sighed, closing his eyes momentarily he re-opened them, his eyes now blank as he stared at her. “Okay let’s try this… what’s the last thing you remember?”

 

“Um,” she struggled, racking her brain and then suddenly looked over at Scott who had sat on the edge of her bed. When their eyes met her face went even whiter. “The alley,” she whispered, her eyes closing, trying to hold back the onslaught of tears she could feel. “There was a fight.” Opening her eyes she looked down at her arm, pushing up her sleeve she saw the bruising where the needle she could still feel had injected her with something.

 

“Blair?” Brad asked worriedly exchanging looks with a pale Jade, he motioned with his head and she left the room.

 

“I should have won,” she mumbled.

 

“What?” he asked softly, his tone low and comforting he ran his thumb along the ridge of her hand.

 

“I should have won,” she said more forcefully, looking him dead in the eye. “I did win… the one was on the pavement crying for his mommy, the other…”

 

“The other what?” he asked leaning forward.

 

“He was coming at me with a board, but I could have taken him…” she frowned as her face reflected her puzzlement.

 

“And…”

 

“And nothing,” she said looking up as Jade re-entered the room carrying a coffee mug in her hand. Stopping next to Brad she waited for Blair to sit up in the bed, Brad standing slightly to rearrange her pillows for her. When she leaned back against the headboard Jade handed her the cup, which Blair sniffed at suspiciously. “What’s this?”

 

“It’s tea,” Jade said softly resting her arm on Brad’s shoulder.

 

“What do you mean nothing?” Scott asked trying to redirect the conversation towards the topic at hand.

 

“I mean nothing,” Blair said as she took a sip, wincing as the hot fluid hit her tongue. “I don’t remember anything until waking up here… How long has it been?” she asked glancing over at Brad. If she was past the eight-day mark she wouldn’t have time to save him.

 

“Two days…The doc gave us some pills that we’ve been mashing up and forcing down you… They’re supposed to help with the detox,” Brad said quietly resting his head against Jade’s hand he smiled softly at Blair.

 

“What did they hit me with?” Blair asked touching the bruise on her arm gently, wincing at the pain. This was worse than any of the shots the orphanage used to give out.

 

“The question should be what didn’t they hit you with… You should be brain dead with the combination they shot you up with.”

 

“I don’t think they wanted to kill me… they wanted to play with me,” Blair said bitterly, her eyes closed as she remembered images. Remembered hands, unwanted, touching her body. They had wanted to hurt her and she couldn’t remember if they had.

 

“Well they didn’t have much time to do anything,” Brad said confidently, exchanging a look with Scott. “Scott and Colleen got there probably only a few minutes after they shot you up… They hadn’t even got your belt off.”

 

“So they didn’t…”

 

“No, trust me, no…” Brad smiled at her.

 

“You wouldn’t lie to me would you? Tell me what I want to hear because you think I’m going to have a breakdown or something.”

 

“Blair,” Brad gasped in mock horror. “Would I lie to you?”

 

“Yes you would,” she grinned squeezing his hand.

 

“You know… After all that crap I gave you about that belt, after this I’ll never say another bad word about it,” Jade smiled wryly. “It’s better than a damn chastity belt.”

 

*************************************************************************************

 

Blair walked painfully slow into the church. Walking by her side Scott had to fight back the urge to offer her his arm. He knew that she wouldn’t take it, she wouldn’t show any weakness. Even if it was in a church.

 

“What are we doing here?” he whispered softly as he felt the awkwardness that he always felt in church wash over him. Whenever he entered one of the tall regal buildings he felt like he was being judged, and found sincerely lacking in every category.

 

“Be good,” she patted him on the arm. “I haven’t been to confession in days.”

 

“I don’t understand why you had to take up religion now,” Scott complained. “You hated church when we were living at the orphanage.”

 

“That’s because we were forced to go… I don’t mind it so much now.”

 

Scott shrugged. “To each their own I guess… Just make it snappy,” he glanced at his watch. “Don’t we have a meeting in like two hours?”

 

“You can’t rush forgiveness,” Blair grinned as she disappeared into the confessional.

 

Settling back on the uncomfortable bench she waited. She knew Scott would hesitate for a moment and then walk away. He hated leaving her alone, and it had gotten worse since the attack. The attack that she had only the vaguest of recollections of. Her greatest fear was that Scott and Colleen had not been in time and that she had been raped. They both insisted that they had gotten there in time, but sometimes she wondered if they were just telling her what she wanted to hear. Telling her that she was ok just to save her sanity. The pitying looks that she saw fly between her friends and her teammates sometimes served to only confirm what she thought of as her most private fear.

 

“How do you feel?” she heard the detectives soft voice come through the thin partition separating them.

 

“Better than I was… I hear you and Jakob had words at the hospital,” she grinned, winking at him before she realized that he couldn’t see her through the partition.

 

“Good… you should call Jackson or Sandy they were both worried about you.”

 

“I bet, I… just tell them that I’m okay,” Blair said awkwardly. She wasn’t going back to school anytime soon. In just a few days she would paint a target on her back and betray her friends, her family.

 

“Are you ready to transport Davis?” Andrew asked hesitantly.

 

“Yeah, tomorrow night… I’m not sure if it will work or not but one way or another he’ll be at the drop point then.”

 

“Good… I left a present for you under the bench,” Andrew said quietly. It had taken a lot of searching to compile the information that he was giving her. He hoped she would understand it.

 

Blair reached under the bench, peeling a folder out she flipped it open.

 

“What am I looking at?” she asked softly as she flipped through the pages. Coming to the picture she stopped cold. “The Hoboken’s,” she said numbly.

 

“Yeah… what time did your team hit the store?”

 

“It was right after school, they had to wait for me because you were late letting us go from the task force meetings… So it was probably around 3:30,” Blair whispered as she flipped back to the front. She couldn’t look at this. Why was he showing this to her? Did he want to prove that she was a monster? She could save him the trouble she already knew that she was.

 

“That’s what I thought… Look at the time she was admitted to the emergency room,” Andrew moved on determinedly. He knew that she was hurting, he recognized the strained quality to her voice that he had become familiar with over the years.

 

“What the hell?” she whispered her finger following the lines down the page. “He didn’t take her to the hospital ‘til after midnight??”

 

“That’s what we found… there were some discrepancies in the original police report; I was able to get them to reopen the case… She bled to death. If he had taken her to the hospital once you left she would have recovered with no problems…”

 

“But he didn’t want people to know that he had crumbled under pressure from Central so he tried to hide it,” Blair finished angrily. Damn! All that guilt over the years for a death she was only indirectly responsible for.

 

“We’re dealing with this Blair,” Andrew said forcefully. “You don’t have the time too… concentrate on the task at hand… You need Davis out of Central soon. Concentrate on that.”

 

“I want him to pay,” she said furiously, “I want him to suffer like she must have. I want him to beg for mercy, and I want to be the one to deliver the killing blow.”

 

“We all have our wants; you’re not getting this one. You wanted Davis and the others protected. If you go after Hoboken our deal is off.”

 

“Whatever,” Blair growled; she would find a way to deal with him. Personally.

 

*************************************************************************************

 

Blair sat on the edge of her bed blankly staring at the wall. The death of Anna Warren had been one of the many things that had led her to make the decision that she had.

 

Her guilt over killing someone who hadn’t deserved to die, coupled with Jakob’s plans for her and Brad. Plus just her basic tiredness of everything that being in Central encompassed.

 

She had thought at the time that she was making the right decision. Both for herself and for the ones that she was trying to protect.

 

She hadn’t allowed herself to think of the ones that would be going down. She couldn’t allow herself to think of them now.

 

The first stage of Operation: Free Brad was getting ready to begin. She briefly pondered what she was about to do. What she had planned would devastate Brad. Even though he made eyes at the girls at school, and she had caught him watching Sandy with the strangest expression she knew that he cared for Ginny.

 

Ginny deserves this, she’s been playing him from the beginning. She never cared about him. She shook her head to clear it as she heard the knock on her door. Glancing at her clock she saw he was right on time.

Once she had determined what Ginny’s plans for the evening were she knew he would show up at her doorstep.

 

Bracing herself she pulled the door open with a smile. “Hey Brad.”

 

“Hey, guess I’m on my own tonight, wanta get something to eat?” he leaned casually against the door.

 

“On your own?” she frowned. “I thought I saw Ginny heading to her room when I came in.”

 

“Really? I knocked, there wasn’t any answer… How long ago?”

 

“Bout 30 minutes… That’s really weird, but if you want pizza…”

 

“Let me go see if she made a detour and I just missed her,” Brad waved a look of puzzlement washing over his face as he turned away.

 

“Hey Brad, if she’s not there…”

 

“Yeah, yeah… I’ll be back.”

 

*************************************************************************************

 

Present – Llanview Hospital

 

“Hey are you done with Colleen?” Brad asked pushing the door open and then stopping suddenly when he saw all eyes in the room focusing on him. He touched his face awkwardly as he stared back then finally snarled, “What?!”

 

“You’re interrupting,” Scott laughed, “Blair was just getting to the good stuff.”

 

“What good stuff?” he asked as Jade slipped past him and he let the door close quietly behind them. “What are we up to?”

 

“Well, it’s the stuff that went down with Ginny and, uh, well your ‘disappearance’.”

 

“Great…” Brad scowled, Todd’s face breaking into a grin when he noticed the disgust on Brad’s. “We really don’t need to go into that do we?”

 

“Hey you all were there, I wasn’t. I want to hear the story,” Todd smirked. “Besides the sooner she finishes telling the story the sooner you all can leave.”

 

“Todd…” Blair sighed as she shook her head.

 

“What?”

 

“I need them here,” she said softly.

 

“I’ll protect you, you don’t need them for that,” he leaned forward taking her hand between his. She squeezed his fingers tightly smiling gently at him.

 

“I know you want to…” she whispered as she released his hand, touching his cheek with a whisper of a caress she stared into his eyes. “But you can’t… Not from this.”

 

A discreet cough from Brad broke the connection their eyes had been forming and Blair dropped her hand back to the bed, Todd sitting back in his chair.

 

“So… Colleen if you’re done with the reminiscing I’d like you to help the others set up perimeters on this floor.”

 

“I’d rather stay here and hear how Blair got you out of Central,” Colleen winked at him. “I think I missed some good stuff the first time around.”

 

“It was nothing,” Brad grumbled.

 

 Colleen laughed as she blew a kiss at him when she reached the door she looked back at Scott who winked at her. “I’ll tell you about it later.”

 

“No you won’t,” Brad stated as the sound of Colleen’s laughter reached them from the hall.

 

“So…” he started looking around the room for another chair. When he didn’t find one he sighed and leaned against the foot of the bed.

 

“So why don’t you tell us what you saw when you got to Ginny’s room,” Blair grinned.

 

“Do I really have too? Is it going to make that much a difference in the story?”

 

“Well yeah, cause I know what you saw, you know what you saw… But no one else knows what you saw.”

 

“And that’s probably a good thing,” Brad said looking away momentarily. “Regardless of what you all might think… I did love her at the time.”

 

*************************************************************************************

 

The Past - Central: Location 13

 

Brad hated his life. Oh he talked a good game, he put on a happy face and he loved his make shift family, but he was dissatisfied with Central in general. All the stuff that had just happened with Blair only served to reinforce it.

 

Some creeps had attacked and tried to rape his baby sister. Granted she was the same age he was, but he was her elder by two months and he would never let her forget it.

 

Sometimes he worried that she was closer to Scott than she was to him. He remembered back when they were kids, before Central, it used to be him and Blair and Jade and Scott. But she spent a lot of time with Scott now. He knew a lot of it was team stuff. But take yesterday for instance… she had gone to church, and though he hated the religious stuff he would have gone with her if she had asked. But she never had.

 

He’d been happy tonight when he couldn’t find Ginny. He’d thought that he might get the opportunity to spend time with Blair. Just like old times. Maybe they’d go get something to eat, see a movie. Be friends again. But she’d said she saw Ginny so he almost had a requirement to check and see if she was back.

 

It wasn’t that he didn’t care about Ginny. He did. He probably even loved her. But what seventeen-year-old male can truthfully talk about love and mean it. Not very many.

 

So here he was walking down a deserted hallway on a Friday night heading for his girlfriends room. And what he really wanted to do was turn back around and tell Blair that she wasn’t there and go out.

 

Stopping outside Ginny’s room he raised his hand to knock, sounds coming from the other side halting his movements. Resting a hand against the door he leaned closer, his heart dropping to the floor, his vision blurring as he realized that the sounds he was hearing was a couple in the throes of passion.

 

That couple consisting of Ginny and someone other than him. Taking a deep breath to brace himself he placed his hand on the doorknob. Turning it slightly he opened the door just a fraction of an inch.

 

It was funny how the world seemed all blurry now, how noises seemed to be roaring in his ears and he could swear he was screaming… but the couple, naked on the bed didn’t seem to notice anything amiss.

 

It only took a second for Brad to shove the door open, moving across the room at lightning speed he brushed Ginny off the bed and had the creep that had been in her just moments ago up against the wall.

 

He could hear Ginny yelling, could feel her hands pulling on his shoulders as he tightened his hands around the assholes neck.

 

“Brad!” Ginny screamed. “Stop it! You’re going to kill him!!”

 

“That’s the whole point,” he growled over his shoulder at her. The creep was trying to peel his fingers off, but where Brad was fully dressed and had a lot of anger on his side. The idiot was naked, tired from the sex and a runt to boot.

 

He’d honestly thought she had better taste than that.

 

“Brad… Brad stop it!” he could hear Blair’s voice as she ran into the room. With both her and Ginny pulling him back they managed to dislodge his hands from the creeps neck.

 

Ginny moved forward, grabbing a blanket off the bed to wrap around herself she stood in front of the runt, protecting him as she glared at him.

 

Blair had him by the arm as he went to move forward again.

 

“Brad,” she said in a low voice. “This isn’t the place.”

 

“Get him out of here Blair,” Ginny yelled.

 

“Shut up Ginny… This is your fault,” she snarled. “Jakob told you to end it, you should have ended it.”

 

Brad looked down at her, the fog covering his mind not being thick enough to hear the words that were being spoken. Jakob had told Ginny to break things off with him? And Blair had known about it?

 

“You bitch! How did you…? Of course, Jakob’s little pet, his little princess…. Get him out of here,” Ginny glared before turning her back to them. Looking into the runts eyes.

 

“Brad come on,” Blair said pulling on his arm. With one last look at the pair leaning against the wall he allowed her to drag him from the room.

 

As she ushered him down the hallway, keeping one hand tightly gripped around his arm, eyes furtively glancing down connecting corridors as she directed him back to her room. Kicking her already ajar door open she pushed him inside.

 

“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me,” he said softly as he stood at the door, hands clenched at his sides.

 

“What was I supposed to say? Oh by the way Brad, Jakob wants Ginny to break up with you and start shacking up with the youngest Gorsline?” Blair said sarcastically pacing in front of him. “Would you have believed me?”

 

“Of course I would have… You’re one of my best friends.”

 

“Brad,” she started stopping in front of him, cupping his face in her hands she looked him directly in the eyes. “You’re fooling yourself, we haven’t been best friends for years… Jakob made sure of that.”

 

“What are you talking about?”

 

“Oh come on… Haven’t you figured it out, I mean it took me a while but you always claimed to be the smart one…”

 

“Why don’t you just tell me?”

 

“Jakob hated the fact that we were friends, that we considered each other siblings, he wanted us to be something other than that. Something else…” Blair trailed off as she saw the understanding dawn in his eyes. Crossing her arms uncomfortably over her chest. The detective had said that the drug would make the taker more susceptible to suggestion. But Brad hadn’t seemed to grasp the concept of Jakob being the bad guy here.

 

“Jakob knows that we don’t think of each other that way,” Brad said slowly as realization finally took hold. Jakob had sabotaged his relationship with Ginny in order to force one with Blair? No wonder he kept eyeing the two of them whenever they did something together.

 

Maybe that was why Blair had successfully attempted to cut him out of her life, replacing him with Scott. To try and dissuade Jakob.

 

“I could use some water,” he said quietly looking down at the floor. She hesitated for a second; loath to leave him alone when she didn’t know exactly what the effects of the drug were.

 

“Sure.”

 

He waited until she went into the kitchen. Checking to make sure his small gun was still tucked in the back of his pants. With the fogginess of his brain right now he wouldn’t have been surprised if he had lost in during the scuffle in Ginny’s room.

 

This was all Jakob’s fault.

 

Jakob had sabotaged his relationship with Ginny.

 

Jakob had destroyed his relationship with Blair.

 

Jakob was the one who needed to be destroyed now.

 

Casting a quick glance at the kitchen where Blair had disappeared he hoped she would understand.

 

*************************************************************************************

 

Blair came out of the kitchen seconds later. Closing her eyes as she saw no Brad in the living room she swore softly to herself. It would be too much to hope that he had gotten tired and passed out in her room. She knew her luck better than that.

 

Setting the glass of water down on the end table she went to rush after him, only to come back just mere seconds later to grab her car keys off the end table. Shoving them into her pocket as she slammed the door behind her.

 

She had no clue really where Brad would go. She had a feeling with what she had just told him about Jakob that he would be headed for him.

 

The sound of a gunshot got her running. The sound coming from Jakob’s meeting room she was horrified by what she saw when she skidded to a halt

 

Brad standing in the middle of the room gun in his hand, Jakob on the floor clutching at his shoulder.

 

“Brad,” she said softly coming up behind him. She saw Scott enter the room at a run from the corner of her eye. She waved him back and he hovered in the doorway uncertainly. Eyes flickering between Blair slowly approaching Brad, to Jakob on the ground his two bodyguards forming a protective barrier between him and Brad’s gun.

 

“Go away Blair,” he muttered his hand shaking just a bit as the fogginess threatened to take over. He struggled to maintain a calm façade as his eyes stared coldly at the man that had tried to destroy him.

 

“No… you need to come with me,” she said softly, slowly reaching out her arm she laid her hand on his.

 

“I…I don’t know what to do,” he whispered staring at her, letting her take the gun from his hand, before he dropped it and showed weakness.

 

“Get him out of here Blair,” one of Jakob’s guards yelled.

 

Blair shot them a glare and muttered, “What does it look like I’m trying to do here.” She placed her hand around his holding his gun pointed down to the floor as she led him to the door. Scott joined them as he took Brad’s other arm.

 

“Guys I don’t feel so good,” he groaned.

 

“Just hold on buddy,” Scott said softly as he exchanged worried looks with Blair behind his back.

 

“We need to get him out of here,” Blair mumbled quietly.

 

“And go where?”

 

“Guys…”

 

“I know someplace,” Blair said suddenly. So help him, if the stuff the detective had given her to give to Brad hurt him in any way shape or form he would be a dead man.

 

Scott and Blair half dragged, half-carried Brad between them to the car. “What are you going to do if he becomes violent again?” he asked as he helped her lay him the backseat.

 

Blair looked at him, eyes moving between him and Brad as she gnawed on her lower lip.

 

“I don’t know,” she said honestly as she looked down at Brad. He didn’t look violent still. But appearances could be deceiving. She had thought the drug wasn’t working and he had shot Jakob.

 

“Here,” Scott pulled a set of handcuffs out of his coat pocket offering them to her.

 

Blair looked at them and then looked back up at Scott. “So, uh, hot date tonight?” she smirked at him. Scott flushed looking away before leaning over Brad himself and handcuffing his hands together behind his back.

 

“Do you want me to go with you?” he asked as he stood in front of her, one hand resting on the hood of the car, the other resting on the open door as he watched her.

 

“No, I think I can handle him from here,” she smiled, impulsively leaning over to hug him quickly. “Thanks Scott.”

 

“Don’t be to long,” he cautioned as he stepped back. Shutting the door as she went around to climb in the drivers side. Leaning in the open passenger window he glanced at the backseat where Brad was seemingly out for the count. “Are you sure you don’t want me to come?”

 

“It’s okay Scott, if there’s one thing I know for sure… Brad would never hurt me.”

 

*************************************************************************************

 

Blair glanced at her watch and swore softly. She was almost out of time. She had until 11:00 to get Brad to the drop off point. If she missed the deadline all bets were off.

 

“You can uncuff me now,” Brad said quietly from the backseat where he was pushing himself into an upright position.

 

“We’re almost there… How do you feel?”

 

“Like someone took a sledge hammer to my head… What the hell happened? Did I really pull a gun on Jakob?”

 

“Yeah, yeah you did…”

 

Brad looked out the window at the passing scenery. He didn’t recognize anything and a bad feeling was rolling around in the bottom of his gut. He trusted Blair. If he could pick one person on earth that he trusted implicitly it would be Blair.

 

So why did he feel as if he was being set up?

 

“Where are you taking me?” he asked leaning over the back of the seat.

 

“Someplace safe,” she whispered. “Whatever happens Brad…. Trust me… Please.”

 

“What are you….” Brad started to speak and then stopped as he saw the trees break and Blair swing the car into an open field, the lights flashing from the police cars almost blinding as he gazed at what he thought of as his impending doom. “You wouldn’t.”

 

“Trust me Brad… this was the only way,” she whispered as she undid her seatbelt and climbed out of the car, leaving the engine running.

 

 He saw her walk up to a small group, he recognized one of the men as Jackson’s father. The cop. The leader of the task force.

 

She opened the door and two uniformed officers pulled him forcefully out of the car. In his rage he tried to jump at her. Screaming loudly, the pain of her betrayal like a lance through his heart.

 

“You bitch!! We trusted you!!”

 

“Brad…” she said softly reaching out to him only to have him snarl at her.

 

She pulled back, hands hanging dejectedly at her sides, tears welling in her eyes as she watched them drag him to the ambulance sitting a few feet away.

 

“I will never forgive you for this!!! Never!!!” he screamed as they forced him into the back. Forcing him onto a gurney they strapped him down. His eyes wild with rage at her she looked away.

 

Blair closed her eyes, balling her hands into tight fists as she refused to watch the ambulance drive away.

 

Andrew approached her, a hand lightly on her shoulder caused her to jump as she pulled back. “Are you going to be okay?” he asked softly concern in his eyes.

 

“I’ll be fine. Whenever you’re ready just do it,” she sneered. “I’m surprised you even waited this long.”

 

“My word is my bond.”

 

“Yeah right.”

 

“Be careful,” he said as he turned to walk away. “Things are going to start happening fast now, be prepared for anything.”

 

“Yeah,” Blair closed her eyes again. When she reopened them she was alone in the clearing. The headlights from her car offering the only illumination. “I’m sorry Brad,” she whispered as the let the tears fall freely down her face now that she was alone. “It was the only way.”

 

*************************************************************************************

 

Blair lay on her bed staring at her ceiling. Tears continued to fill her eyes even as she wiped at her eyes to stop them. The voices echoed in her head. A never-ending litany of betrayal.

 

“I will never forgive your for this!!! Never!!!”

 

She could still hear Brad’s screams, still see the wildness in his eyes as he saw the evidence of her betrayal with his own eyes. She could only hope that someday he would understand. She hoped she wasn’t dead when it happened.

 

“Blair?” she heard the soft tap on her door then Jade poked her head in. A wary expression on her face as she saw Blair’s expression. She’d heard what had happened. Central was flying with rumors, with eyewitness accounts. She hadn’t believed any of them, had actually hit one boy who had taunted her. Telling her that her brother had tried to kill their leader. She had made him take it back, had made him apologize.

 

But then she’d run into Scott.

 

Scott who had confirmed what everyone was saying. Brad had shot Jakob in an unprovoked attack. He’d had to be talked down by Blair who had led him away. Scott had said that Blair had taken him someplace safe.

 

She could only wonder, what would drive him to do something so horrible?

 

“What’s up?” Blair asked turning her head away as she folded her arm over her eyes. She couldn’t allow Jade to see her weakness. To see her pain, her remorse. She better than anybody would know what it was.

 

“Nothing… Are you okay?” Jade asked hesitating in the doorway. Hand twisting on the doorknob as she waited for Blair to tell her that the rumors were wrong. It was a look alike. It hadn’t been Brad that had done something so horrible.

 

“Fine,” Blair said hollowly.

 

“I heard…” she started, stopping even as she realized that she couldn’t say the words. If she said the words it would make it real.

 

“You heard what?” Blair asked angrily lowering her arm so she could glare at her. “You heard that Brad shot Jakob? Is that what you heard?”

 

“Yeah,” Jade said softly, she lowered her gaze to the floor. She didn’t understand why Blair was so upset. It wasn’t like she had shot Jakob.

 

“Go away Jade,” Blair said softly, placing her arm over her eyes again she sighed heavily.

 

“Jade,” she heard the low voice behind her, Blair looked over and saw Jakob, his shoulder bandaged standing next to Jade in the door.

 

“You okay Jakob?” Blair asked quietly.

 

“Fine… Jade can we have a minute?” Jakob asked motioning Jade out of the room with his hand. He closed the door behind her, folding his arms across his chest he stared at Blair with a blank expression.

 

Blair sat up on the bed, swinging her legs off the edge she braced her arms on the edge of the mattress her eyes meeting Jakob’s.

 

“I hear you took care of Brad?” he asked quietly. Blair wasn’t fooled by his calm demeanor, she could hear the underlying anger, could see the iciness in his eyes.

 

“Yeah.”

 

“I’m assuming you didn’t kill him?”

 

“No, he won’t be a bother though,” Blair said bitterly.

 

Jakob turned to her dresser, his eyes locking on the picture of the four of them; Blair, Brad, Jade, Scott as children. “I never would have though Brad would turn like that,” he mused quietly his fingers hanging idly at his side.

 

“You don’t know what people will do when pushed to far,” Blair stated harshly, Jakob swung his gaze back to her startled by the anger in her voice.

 

“What’s that supposed to mean?” he asked with raised eyebrows studying her intently.

 

“He found out about Ginny and the youngest Gorsline… actually he found them in bed together.”

 

“I told Ginny to break things off to keep that from happening.”

 

“Well obviously Ginny thinks you don’t have that much authority over her, she never broke it off… she kept him hanging by a thread until he snapped.”

 

“Well Ginny will answer for her part of that,” Jakob decided, glancing over at Blair he smiled thinly. “So will Brad… as soon as he’s of sound mind I want his location and he’ll be dealt with by me… personally.”

 

The sound of yelling kept Blair from having to answer. From having to tell Jakob that he could have Brad only over her dead body.

 

Jakob turned in shock and wrenched the door open. Blair jumped off the bed, grabbing her gun from where it was sitting on her night table, following Jakob out to the hall she saw Jakob’s guards running towards them.

 

“What’s going on?” Jakob asked sharply as one of the guards stopped in front of them.

 

“Cops,” he said breathlessly. “They’ve gotten in the first floor.”

 

Jakob turned to Blair and Jade, who had joined her, “Brad?”

 

“No he’s secure,” Blair shook her head. “Plus he would never do this.”

 

“I never would have thought he would shoot me either, but obviously we have seriously underestimated Mr. Davis.” Jakob turned to his guards who were standing at the ready, waiting for his instructions. “Evacuate the building,” he ordered. “Blair, Jade you’re with me.”

 

Blair and Jade followed him as he moved briskly down the corridor, all three had guns drawn, Blair contemplated pulling her knife out even as she and Jade moved into flanking position on either side of them, moving in front of him to protect him. Like good little guards would do.

 

The flanking positions did not protect them from the onslaught though. More screams were heard emanating from the stairwell and the doors were forced open and a flood of uniformed police officers rushed the floor. Pushing people to the walls, to the floors.

 

Blair had only a moment to think about what she was doing when she felt Jade grab her arm and try to yank her back the way they had come. She could see Jakob withdrawing out of the corner of her eye. Could see his gun raised to shoot at the cops descending on him.

 

She turned to yell at him, to tell him that shooting in the crowded hallway was a bad idea when she saw a cop tackle him from behind. Shaking off Jade’s arm she turned back and was pushed up against the wall by another cop. He flung her around so her cheek was mashed against the cool wall and gripped her arm tightly, forcing her gun from her grip even as she struggled against him. Consumed by her own fear, a terror she didn’t understand she lost herself, forgot for the moment that she was working with these men to bring down Central. In her terror she fought back.

 

Bringing her leg up slightly she stomped on his foot, then whirled around quickly kicking him in the knee and landing one punch in his stomach before another cop elbowed her in the face. She grunted in pain, she could taste the metallic saltiness of her blood in her mouth and her vision blurred as she felt him grab her and force her to the ground. Her sense of awareness faded in and out as she felt him pull her arms tight against her back and handcuff her hands.

 

She could hear Jade yelling her name but the sound was so faint that she wondered if she ought to yell at her to speak up.

 

*************************************************************************************

 

Blair paced the cell she was in. Her nose had finally stopped bleeding 30 minutes ago and in her hand she held the bloody tissue that she’d used to halt the flow. In the cell with her were 20 of her closest compatriots.

 

And Ginny. Ginny who she’d already gotten into one fight with. A fight that the cops had laughed at then broke up. Central turning on itself they had joked.

 

She’d wanted to yell that Ginny wasn’t Central. That Ginny was nothing but a high paid prostitute who had destroyed her best friend. But she had refrained from screaming that at the top of her lungs. Instead she had gotten one more quick jab in as the fight was being broken up. She was pretty sure she had broken Ginny’s nose. She would smile for days about that once she got out of here.

 

Jade leaned back against a wall; her T-shirt was torn in the front where she had been grabbed by one of the cops, she continually rolled her fingers through the torn ends even as she tapped her fingers in agitation against the worn mattress. She was sitting on a bunk bed that looked and smelled like it had seen better days as she watched her boss pace. Silently wondering how much longer they would keep them.

 

Ginny sat cross-legged on another bunk, her eyes shooting evil glares at Blair before periodically touching her nose and checking her nails. She had already lamented, quite loudly, that the assault had caused her to break some of her precious store bought nails.

 

To which Blair had told her to tough it up. This was only going to get worse instead of better. Ginny had sneered at her, telling her that Jakob would get them out of this. Jakob always got them out of jams like this.

 

Jade had wanted to remind her that Jakob was sitting in a cell similar to theirs and he wouldn’t be getting anybody out of anything. Unless it was himself, saving his own ass.

 

Blair was pissed. Jade had no idea why though. They had done everything they could. With the task force attack coming without any warning they’d had no chances to prepare.

 

“Blair Daimler?” a heavy set woman in a tight policeman’s uniform banged on their cell door.

 

“That’s me,” Blair sneered as she stopped a few feet away.

 

“Well it’s your lucky day… you’re next,” the cop sneered back. Motioning Blair to the door Blair sauntered over, her whole demeanor screaming of boredom. Jade knew she was far from bored though and watched as Blair shoved her arms through the gap in the door allowing the cop to handcuff her hands together. She then opened the door, pulling Blair out by the chain linking the cuffs together.

 

“She’s up to something,” Ginny warned from where she had watched the whole exchange.

 

“Put a sock in it,” Jade sighed.

 

*************************************************************************************

 

Blair followed the cop down the hall, nodding at various members of Central that she saw in the hall as she passed. All handcuffed together much like she was.

 

The task force was taking no chances in losing any of them.

 

“In here,” the woman cop said opening a door for her and practically shoving her inside. “Don’t break any of the furniture,” she warned.

 

“You really have a problem with detainees breaking furniture?” Blair asked sarcastically.

 

“You’d be surprised what detainees do in these rooms,” she said before shutting the door. Leaving Blair alone in the room.

 

Sighing she tried to run a hand through her hair in agitation only to remember that her hands were still cuffed together.  Groaning loudly she flopped down in a chair to wait.

 

She didn’t have to wait for long. Seconds it seemed after she flopped into the chair another door opened and Andrew Sturgess came in followed by two men that she vaguely remembered from Brad’s drop.

 

“Who hit you?” Andrew asked frowning as he noticed the bruises on her face, the traces of blood.

 

Blair self-consciously raised a hand, touching her cheek gently. “Oh this… it’s nothing. The attack kind of took me by surprise, I… forgot myself for a minute, instincts took over they had to subdue me with force,” she said quietly.

 

“I’m sorry about that,” Andrew said as he took a seat across from her.

 

“Don’t be… made it look all more realistic,” Blair shrugged. “So what now?”

 

“We’re ready to release those people on your list. Some of the families have been putting up bail for members of Central,” Andrew started flipping through a file open in front of him. “Jakob won’t make bail… In light of that who would take his place and call the shots?”

 

Blair gnawed on her lip as she thought. “Normally I would say Brad, but seeing as how he’s… well…  indisposed…. Somebody from the Gorsline’s, they hold controlling interest in Central.”

 

“The Gorsline’s leaders are all in custody, we have all but two of their enforcers who we haven’t managed to track yet, who does that leave to run things?”

 

“One of the sons, Gorsline has four…”

 

“The oldest three are in custody,” Andrew said quietly.

 

“Then it’ll be the youngest, Peter,” Blair shook her head, a small smile playing on her lips. “He’s not real intelligent; he shouldn’t be able to pull off anything fancy.”

 

“Is he a threat to this operation?”

 

“No,” Blair grinned. “He’s a pipsqueak who has no practical experience.”

 

“Good,” Andrew smiled, closing the file he stood. “You’ll be released with the others in about two hours… Try not to get into another fight in holding.”

 

“Hey… Ginny started it.”

 

*************************************************************************************

 

Blair sat quietly in the passenger seat of the car. Silently driving was Scott, Colleen and Jade sitting in the backseat, both unnaturally quiet.

 

Blair leaned her head against the window and once again tried to decide if going back to Central was a good idea or a bad idea.

 

Colleen wanted a change of clothes, as did Scott and Jade. Blair just wanted her knife, the wad of cash she kept behind the loose brick in her room and her leather jacket. Then she wanted to get the hell out of dodge. Once she got the others to someplace safe she’d go get Brad.

 

Then she’d leave.

 

After saving the others she couldn’t put them at risk.

 

Scott parked the car on the street. Turning it off he twirled the keys in his hand as he surveyed the empty street. It looked like they were the only ones to come back to Central. Of course not everyone had been released yet.

 

“We should make this quick,” Blair said quietly. “Don’t know what kind of scavengers are lurking around.”

 

“Central still has some power, no one would hit us while some of us are still on the streets,” Colleen said softly. But even she didn’t believe that. Central was going down. If they weren’t lucky they would be going down with it.

 

“Let’s go,” Blair said opening the door. Stepping on the sidewalk she moved slowly up the steps into the building. The others following they separated in the main hallway. Scott heading off alone to his room, Colleen, Jade and Blair heading for the stairs. Separating in the stairwell as Colleen went down and Blair and Jade made quick time to go up the three levels to their floor.

 

“How bad do you think it is?” Jade asked softly as Blair pushed the door open.

 

“Bad… we need to get out of here… Any power that Central had disappeared as soon as Jakob was arrested,” Blair stated as she pushed the door open. They’d never even had time to shut or lock it when the police made their grand entrance.

 

“I just need a couple of minutes,” Jade said rushing into her room.

 

Blair shrugged as she went into hers. Opening the top dresser draw she felt around inside until she found the small panel that hid her knife. The one that Brad had given her a million years ago, smiling as she looked at the inscription she hoped that when she finally explained everything to him that he would understand and forgive her. She would understand if he couldn’t do that though. She just didn’t want him to hate her for saving him.

 

Walking to her bed she slid the leg of her jeans up and slipped the knife into the small case strapped to her lower calf. Standing upright she pulled her coat on as she walked to the one brick wall in the room. With her fingernails she pulled the loose brick, fourth from the bottom out. Shoving the thick wad of cash into her pocket she pulled the file folders that she kept hidden in there out as well.

 

One was the Hoboken case file that Andrew had given her.

 

The other was her only link to her past. Her file from the orphanage containing her birth certificate. Containing the name of her mother. If she lived she was going to try and find her family. Her real family.

 

Shoving the brick back into place she winced, stumbling hard against the wall as she felt a sharp sting in her lower back. Touching the spot lightly with her hand she discovered a small needle protruding from her back. She plucked it out with her fingers, holding it in her hand as she slowly turned around.

 

The world was doing a foggy fade out that she was not enjoying as her eyes met Peter Gorsline’s.

 

“Hello Blair… I have some people who are just dying to talk to you,” he grinned sadistically as she fell to her knees.

 

“You won’t get away with this,” she whispered as she braced one hand on the floor, watching as he waved two men into the room.

 

“Yes I will… You know you’ve been a bad girl… Blood in, blood out… you should have followed the rules, maybe then Jakob wouldn’t have sent me.”

 

*************************************************************************************

 

Blair came to in a dark room, lying on small cot she winced as she felt the sharp pains in her hip, her arms, legs. They had most definitely not been gentle with her. Pressing a hand to her eyes she slowly sat up, her eyes adjusting slowly to the darkness of the room she saw little in way of furnishings… and she saw that she wasn’t alone.

 

“Who are you?” she asked cautiously as she set her feet on the floor, she leaned forward on the cot but couldn’t force her body to stand just yet.

 

“Blair?” she heard the soft tearful voice ask.

 

“Sandy?” she asked incredulously squinting she could just barely make out her still form leaning against one of the walls.

 

“Yeah.”

 

“What the hell are you doing here?”

 

“I don’t know,” Sandy cried. “I was leaving school and the next thing I know these two guys are coming up behind me, they rammed the back of my car and when I stopped they pulled me out… You should see the damage they did to my car, my dad’s gonna be pissed.”

 

“I think we have bigger things to worry about than whether your daddy’s gonna be mad about a car accident… Does anyone know where you are, do they know you’re missing?”

 

“I should have been home like 15 hours ago… my family will know.”

 

“So they didn’t make you call them, tell them that you’re staying with friends?” Blair asked with surprise. If it had been her that was running this that would have been the first thing she would have done. The last thing they would have needed was a cop breathing down their necks. But since she wasn’t running this, and said cop was actually working with her on this it could actually be a good thing.

 

“No… they said I was bait… Bait for what?” Sandy asked as she pushed herself to her feet. Walking over to Blair she took a seat next to her on the cot, wrapping her arms around her chilled body.

 

“Probably for your dad. Where are we?”

 

“Some kind of warehouse, I didn’t get a good look around before they tossed me in here with you.”

 

“Probably a warehouse down by the river, I think Gorsline owns a couple, Central has some too,” Blair mused absently as she rubbed her hands together.

 

“You’re working with my dad, aren’t you? I thought Jackson was just joking… but he wasn’t, was he?”

 

“How did Jackson… Shit. He overheard didn’t he… that last day that I was at your house?”

 

“Yeah… I thought he was insane, you know because you’re pretty high up in Central, but…”

 

“It’s a long story Sandy and we don’t have the time to go into it,” Blair sighed as she stood. Looking around the room she studied the surroundings. There was only one door, probably guarded. No windows.

  

“They’re going to kill us… aren’t they?” Sandy asked quietly.

 

“No… they’re not,” Blair stated firmly.

 

“You’ve got a plan?” Sandy asked standing again.

 

“No… but I’ll think of something.”

 

“Well think fast,” Sandy said as they heard footsteps outside the door. Blair stepped in front of Sandy as the door opened revealing Peter swinging a set of keys in his hand. Several men that Blair recognized as Gorsline enforcers standing behind him.

 

“Well goodie, you’re up,” Peter smiled thinly. “Gentleman… bring them along we have so much to do and so little time in which to do it.”

 

“Let her go, you don’t need her,” Blair said as she kept her body between Sandy and the men advancing on them. Two of them grabbed her arms tightly as she backed up.

 

“She’s only here for insurance. Your little cop friends won’t try anything funny as long as we have her, your other friends are most likely pretty upset with you right now. After all you didn’t just betray us, you betrayed them as well.”

 

“You won’t get away with this Peter,” Blair snarled, she struggled in the tight grips of the two men on either side of her as they forced her to follow Peter down the hallway. Sandy followed docilely behind her, her two captors just barely touching her arms as she wasn’t putting up a struggle.

 

“You’d be surprised what I can get away with,” Peter smiled as he led them into the main room of the warehouse. The large groups of people separated as he entered with them. Blair saw some of her friends from Central, all with dark eyes, cold expressions of anger. “Here she is,” he called.

 

Blair’s heart dropped as the last group parted and she closed her eyes as she ceased struggling in her captors’ arms.

 

“Hello Blair,” Jakob said coldly as his eyes studied her. “I hope you had a nice nap.”

 

“Jakob,” she breathed. “How?” He was supposed to be in jail, no bail. What the hell was going on?!

 

“You’re probably surprised to see me… Seeing as how your little friends denied my bail,” Jakob stalked up to her, his eyes going to Sandy then settling back on her. “But you see I have a lot of friends, and most of them are higher up then your little buddy,” he said, he traced a finger across her cheek. Blair barely managing to keep from flinching as she tried to keep her expression blank.

 

“What’d you want?” she asked quietly.

 

“Oh… There will be enough time for what I want later,” he whispered savagely. “But for now… blood… yours. You know our rules, you know our laws… You want in you shed blood, you want out you shed blood… “

 

“Just say it Jakob,” Blair said bitterly. She had never wanted in Central. That was the last thing that she had wanted. She had wanted a normal life, a normal childhood.

 

“I think a fight will be good enough, I’d hate to put you through the gauntlet, the others they’re much more angry then I am… they would probably kill you.”

 

“You want me to fight?! I don’t think so…”

 

“Oh you don’t have a choice in this matter… you fight or your little friend there… her father finds her body, dead on his doorstep.”

 

“Hey,” Sandy protested behind her. “What the hell did I do?”

 

“You,” Jakob said raking his eyes over Sandy’s body, “Nothing… but your father would be disturbed by your death, probably disturbed more if he learned that it could have been prevented if Blair had done what we asked.”

 

“So you either kill me or you kill her… that doesn’t seem fair to me,” Sandy stated sarcastically.

 

“Life’s not fair… So what will it be Blair? One fight in exchange for your freedom,” Jakob said crossing his arms over his chest. “One fight and this will all be over with.”

 

Blair surveyed the group assembled in front of her. Peter standing to one side, Ginny latched on his arm. Adam, one of Jakob’s bodyguards standing slightly off center. He was deluded if he thought she believed him. He planned on her dying in the ring. She wondered vaguely if that wasn’t what she wanted as well. She’d already told Andrew that she didn’t plan on surviving this.

 

So why was she so distressed about dying?

 

“If she fights in the ring, she fights for all of us,” she head someone say from behind her. She thought her mind was playing tricks on her as she saw anger flit across Jakob’s face before she swung her head and saw Brad striding towards them. Scott and Jade on either side of him, a protective barrier between him and the others. Jackson, Colleen, Douglas and Nick bringing up the rear.

 

She saw the relief on Jackson’s face at the sight of his sister. But her eyes remained locked on Brad’s as he stared down Jakob. He didn’t look angry, he looked aloof and determined. What had happened that he would come to her defense knowing what he knew?

 

“Unacceptable,” Jakob snapped.  His anger at his seconds support of her evident.

 

“Then she doesn’t fight at all and we walk… Seeing as how you’re going down I don’t think you’re in any position to make threats against her or us.”

 

Jakob exchanged looks with Peter before facing Brad once again. “Fine… she fights for all…If she loses…”

 

“She won’t. Who are you pitting her against?”

 

“Adam.”

 

Blair winced as she took a look at Adam. He was a big boy, he was good too. You didn’t get to be one of Jakob’s personal guards by being a bad fighter. At Jakob’s nod her captors released her arms and she spun on her heel, grabbing Sandy’s arm as she passed by, jerking her along behind her.

 

“Are you okay?” Brad asked quietly, his eyes hooded as he looked down at her.

 

“I’m fine… What are you doing here?”

 

“We’ll talk about it later… I think you’ve got bigger problems,” Brad said nodding his head in Adam’s general direction. Blair risked a quick glance over, wincing again as she noticed that Adam seemed to have put weight on.

 

“I can’t beat him,” Blair said softly, hands on her hips she looked in Brad’s eyes. She didn’t see any of the anger that had been there two days ago. What had happened in that time?

 

“Yes… you can… Just remember the bigger they are…”

 

“Are we ready?” Jakob called.

 

“The harder they fall… “ Blair finished, glancing once more at Adam she winced again. “That’s only true in fairytales and the bible.”

 

Brad smiled softly at her as he touched her shoulder, “I have faith in you Blair… we all do… Now go out there and kick his ass.”

 

*************************************************************************************

 

Brad stood in the doorway watching Blair stand in the middle of the lawn. He had been watching her for a good ten minutes and she still hadn’t turned to him yet.

 

He had a lot of things to say to her. A lot of questions that he needed answered.

 

Jackson had answered some of them when he and his father had come to the mental institution that he’d been ‘detained’ in. Detective Sturgess had wanted to know where Jakob would take Blair if he did indeed have her and Brad had blown him off.

 

Still fuming over the fact that Blair had drugged him and set him up his mindset at the time had been she deserved whatever punishment Jakob deemed fitting. The detective had stalked out in frustration leaving his angry son in the room with him and Jackson had not held back.

 

Brad still didn’t know why Blair had chosen to help the cops, but he knew that she had protected him and the others. Sometimes to her own detriment.

 

Deciding that it was time to take the bull by the horns he stepped off the porch and walked slowly to where Blair was standing watching the sunset. Detective Sturgess had brought them to his family’s summer cabin while they decided what the best way to protect Blair was. As part of her agreement with the task force she still needed to testify against Jakob and the others. Right now, inside the cabin, he was arguing with the FBI over their options.

 

“Have they decided what to do with me yet?” Blair asked with a forced smile. Brad touched her shoulder lightly, withdrawing his hand when she flinched. Adam had got her three times with a knife, once on each shoulder and once in the stomach. She should be in the hospital but she had refused. The doctors had stitched her up and then under protest they discharged her.

 

Adam probably wouldn’t survive the injuries that she had inflicted on him. She had remembered at the last minute, remembered as Adam was standing over her with his knife in hand the one that she had strapped to her ankle. And she had used it. Slamming it powerfully into Adam’s stomach with all her rage behind her she had twisted it hard. A kick in the gut and solid right hook to the jaw had taken him down. With Blair standing over him, knife in hand he had stayed down staring up at her with fearful eyes.

 

“No, they’re still arguing about it,” Brad said softly, he shoved his hands awkwardly into his pockets. He’d never had this much trouble coming up with a topic of conversation before.

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

“For what?” Brad asked in surprise glancing over at her tired face.

 

“For everything… One of their stipulations was if I wanted to protect you I had to get you of Central before it fell… I couldn’t think of anything, so I asked Detective Sturgess for help… he gave me the drugs to make you go… I just wanted you to be safe,” Blair said sadly as she sat in the wet grass.

 

Brad looked down at her before he sighed and sat next to her, legs stretched out in front of him he watched the sun burn a hole in the sky. “Can I just ask one question?” Blair glanced over at him, shaking her head slightly. “Why?”

 

Blair closed her eyes momentarily, touching a hand to her stomach she grimaced. “What I told you that night… about Jakob wanting us together…”

 

“Yeah, I remember.”

 

“Well that was only partially true,” Blair took a deep breath staring down at her hands as she linked her fingers together. “Jakob had this whole plan you see. He was going to drug us, some new street drug that he got his hands on… He was planning on me getting pregnant,” she stopped brushing her hair behind her ear she looked up at the sky her eyes distant as she remembered. “He was going to kill you when it was over… then he was going to take the baby and raise it as an assassin, raise it to be the perfect killer…”

 

“What about you? You would never have let that happen,” Brad stared at her. Why had she never told him this? Why had it been such a big secret?

 

“He told Ginny that if I got in the way, if I opposed him he would kill me to… I didn’t know what else to do… This was right after the Hoboken incident, right after I had to start the Task Force meetings. It was all just to much.”

 

“Why didn’t you just come to me? I would have helped you.”

 

“And what would you have done? Would you have confronted him? Told him no? You were so loyal to him Brad,” Blair said softly. “I did the only thing that I could think of.”

 

“So instead of coming to your friends you sold out. You trusted a cop more than you trusted your friends.”

 

“How do you figure I sold out?” Blair said angrily. “I’m going to die because of this. There’s no order of protection in there for me, there’s one for each one of you but there isn’t one for me, and do you want to know why?! Because I know they can’t protect me… when I get up on that stand tomorrow and I tell that judge and jury about Central and the families my life is over. I signed my own death warrant with this. I knew that at the beginning but I still did it. Want to know why?”

 

“Why?” Brad asked stiffly as he stared over at her with a blank expression.

 

“Because my life didn’t matter as long as you all lived. I still remember what we wanted as kids… Jade wanted to be an actress, Scott wanted to be a race car driver and you…” Blair’s voice broke as she wiped at her eyes wildly, she refused to cry, there wasn’t time. “You wanted to be a cop.”

 

“Like my dad,” Brad said quietly. “You wanted to have a family.”

 

“I have a family… you guys, you’re the best family I could ever ask for,” Blair said softly, reaching over she gripped his hand tightly.

 

“I’m not going to let you die,” he whispered.

 

“You don’t have any choice in the matter.”

 

“Blair,” Andrew called from behind them. Blair turned meeting his eyes. “We’re ready to move you.”

 

*************************************************************************************

 

Blair sat in the back of the van tapping her fingers against the badly upholstered seats. They had been driving around for hours. The FBI had decided that the best way to keep the witness, her, safe was to never let her be a stationary target. So they continued to make wide circles around the city.

 

“How’re you doing?” the female agent that had identified herself as Margo asked, turning in her seat she smiled back at her.

 

“Fine… how much longer?” Blair asked with a bored expression.

 

“About ten minutes… are you ready?”

 

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” Blair muttered. This was the moment of truth. The moment of decisions. If she got up on the stand and told the truth she was a dead woman. If she lied the others, the ones that she had vowed to protect would go down. The choice was hers.

 

Brad, Jade, Scott, Colleen, Nick, and Douglas had all told her that whatever she decided to do was fine with them. Whatever she said once she got on the stand they would deal with.

 

Blair looked out the window of the van with critical eyes as they pulled up in front of the courthouse. There were news vans all over the place, reporters crowded behind barricades as they all fought for the opportunity to break the story to first. To be the first to talk to her, the first to photograph her. The first to report the sheer stupidity of her actions. Sacrificing herself so six people could live.

 

“Here we go,” she heard Margo mumble to her partner, Blair slid her sunglasses on as the door slid open. Agents grabbing at her arms, surrounding her as they formed a human barricade to move her safely from the van to the courthouse. They were taking no chances of Jakob and the others getting off on a technicality… like the murder of their star witness.

 

They escorted her down the near empty hallway. This was a closed courtroom today of all days, everyone who should be in the room was already there, agents on either side of her opening the doors.

 

“The prosecution calls Blair Daimler to the stand,” she heard the lawyer standing in the front of the room say. All eyes focusing on her as she walked steadily determinedly down the aisleway. Her hand just barely brushing Brad’s as she passed by. The bailiff swung the gate open for her as she strode to the box in the front of the room.

 

With a stoic expression on her face she stood in the box, the bailiff holding the bible up to her.

 

“Please place your right hand on the bible… Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth… so help you god?”

 

Blair’s eyes raised in defiance, locking on Jakob’s as he stared at her. “I do,” she said firmly. She was nothing without her family.

 

“You may be seated.”

 

*************************************************************************************

 

Blair stood at the back of the courtroom. She could see Brad periodically looking around for her, Jackson too, but she couldn’t go to them. If she went to them, if she sat in the seat they had saved for her she would change her mind about what she needed to do.

 

As long as she stayed here they were a target. If she left the others would be save… none of them had testified. None of them had made any statements to the press. Everything that happened in this room, the decision that the jurors made, the blame would lay solely on her shoulders. And she was okay with that.

 

“Madam juror have you reached a verdict?” the judge asked as the bailiff passed the piece of paper over to him. He unfolded it, nodded to himself then looked back over at the head juror.

 

“Yes we have your honor.”

 

“And what is your verdict?” Blair held her breath, her hands clenching at her side as she waited. Just say it, just say it.

 

“We the jury find Jakob Tiontai guilty of all charges,” the head juror said firmly. Blair released the breath that she had been holding and with a last look at her friends, at her family she walked out of the courtroom… never looking back.

 

*************************************************************************************

 

Blair sat alone in the airport. Her plane ticket in one hand she fingered the straps of her backpack with the other. The backpack contained all of her personal belongings, plus the file that she managed to get from the orphanage. Her first stop would be to pick up her money, her secured account was worth over two million now with interest, she had a couple of grand in her pocket to live on. She would be okay. She’d also called in a marker so she would have some protection when she got there. She had no doubt that even in prison Jakob would have long arms.

 

But fortunately she had someone on her side. Someone who couldn’t help but be on her side.

 

Her next stop would be her mother. Then maybe she would look up the aunt, the cousins. See what they as a family could offer her. Maybe they could offer her a family. A family would no mob related strings.

 

“Going somewhere?” she heard the voice behind her, even as she flinched she felt the sharp pain in her back as what could only be a pistol was pressed against her.

 

Turning slightly her eyes met Peter Gorline’s. “Get up slowly,” he ordered quietly. Blair complied, holding her backpack in one hand she turned to him.

 

“You won’t get away with this,” she muttered.

 

“Oh… I think I will,” Peter said with a soft ominous smile. “You have no backup this time, your friends have no idea where you are… I have all the time in the world. Boys,” he shoved the gun in his pocket as the two men came forward. One looked familiar and Blair focused on him, she had seen him somewhere but even as she racked her brain to figure it out they were taking firm holds on her arms.

 

“Where are you taking me?”

 

“Somewhere where you can’t do any more damage,” Peter smiled. “There’s this mental hospital that my family has a controlling interest in, they can do amazing things with memories, with memory erasing… I think we’ll just take some of your memories and put something else in their place. Maybe make you over into a whole new you.”

 

“You’re crazy,” Blair struggled. If she screamed would people come to her aid or would they just look away. Peter stopped them, gripping Blair’s face in his hand he held her face close to his.

 

“Don’t even think about screaming… if you do,” he shook his head. “A lot of innocent men, women and children will die.”

 

Pressed into the backseat of the car moments later she seethed silently as she looked for an escape route.

 

“You don’t remember me?” asked the young man that had struck her as being familiar in the airport. She turned her head studying him then looked away, dismissing him.

 

“No… should I?”

 

“That’s to bad, we could have had such fun together,” Blair’s hand clenched into a fist as she saw his face flash in front of her. A third man during the attack, he had injected her with a bunch of drugs. “What a pity that now you won’t remember anything.”

 

“Gentlemen please assist Miss Daimler from the car,” Peter smiled as the car stopped and he opened his door. “We wouldn’t want her to get lost.”

 

Blair struggled in their grips as they forcefully dragged her into the massive building. Peter flashed a badge to a doctor on duty that in turn waved orderlies forward.

 

“No! You can’t do this,” she screamed as they grabbed at her. Forcing her onto a gurney they strapped her down. Is this how Brad felt? She felt a sharp pain as a needle was jabbed into her arm. Not again.

 

Her eyes met those of the third man. The one that had given his okay to those other two bastards to try and rape her.

 

“My sister,” she heard Peter saying to the doctor as she watched him hand a file over to him. “Everything should be in here, what her personality should be, likes, dislikes the whole nine yards.”

 

“You can’t do this,” she murmured to a nurse leaning close to her.

 

“You’re going to be just fine,” the nurse patted her on the shoulder. “Mr. Gorsline did you want to say goodbye to her before we took her to treatment? This’ll be the last time she can have visitors until the procedure is done.”

 

“You can’t do this.”

 

“You be a good girl for the doctors,” Peter whispered into her ear. “We’ll be back for you soon.”

 

“Fuck you,” Blair muttered.

 

“Now that wasn’t nice,” Peter smiled. “But soon it won’t matter… you can take her,” he stood up waving at the orderlies to continue. Blair watched him wave as they wheeled her away. Bastard, I’ll get you for this… if it’s the last thing I do I’ll get you for this.

 

 

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