"What?" Lance asked.
"It's JC's necklace." Joey repeated, lifting up so that it dangled from his hand and everyone could see it.
"Justin go get Chris." Lance said watching as the younger man scrambled from the room to get their oldest bandmate.
"Mr. Fatone is there anything else that came with it?" one of the officers asked.
"Hmm�?" Joey said distractedly, staring at the pendant hanging in his hands.
"Was there anything else in the package Mr. Fatone?" The officer asked the preoccupied man again. He stepped forward slowly so as not to startle Joey and placed a hand gently on the young man's arm in an effort to get his attention.
Joey looked up at the officer blinking as he processed what was being asked of him.
"Oh. I didn't look�" Joey said nervously as the thought there might be more hit him� Turning as Chris and Justin entered the room once more and then looking back as the officer spoke again.
"That's ok, may I see the package Mr. Fatone?"
Joey nodded silently and handed over the package.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
JC startled awake as the sound of a key in the lock filled the room. Lifting his head he was greeted but the sight of the man responsible for his current position entering the room smiling at him.
"And how are you this morning JC? I hope you slept well?" Tony Collins said with a grin, chuckling slightly at the look of anger on his captive's face. "My associates will be in, in a minute to allow you the use of the facilities and to give you some breakfast. I don't know when the last time you ate was but I'm sure you are hungry just the same. I don't need to remind you that it is in your best interest to cooperate with them do I?" Tony said casting a speculative eye over the bound man in front of him.
Several moments pass as Tony Collins eyed JC and JC tried not to squirm under the scrutiny and return the look. Finally the man in front of him nodded slightly obviously getting whatever answer he was looking for and turned heading back towards the door.
"If you're a good boy maybe I'll let you talk to your friends when we call them back later." Tony said over his shoulder and with that he left the room.
"When we call back later�" JC thought to himself. "That means they've already talked to them once� then why did they take my necklace�?"
His thoughts were interrupted as the door opened once more and 3 men entered the room. Approaching him they stopped just short of JC so that the towered over him�
JC helplessly shrunk back in his chair as much as he could.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
All eyes were trained on the officer beside Joey as the man opened the package and pulled out a piece of paper.
"Well?" Justin asked impatiently.
"It's addressed to Mr. Kirkpatrick." The officer said glancing at Chris. When the shorter man failed to step forward or move at all the officer read it out loud. "Mr. Kirkpatrick. I hope this is enough proof for you that your friend is alive and well. In the future you should note that it is unwise to antagonize the people holding the life of your friend in their hands� it will only end poorly. We will be calling back at 8pm, it is perhaps in your friend's best interest that you let someone else answer the phone."
"Well that's fine by me. I'm not doing anything that will put JC's life in danger again. I almost got him killed once I won't risk doing that another time." Chris said.
"So we know that they have him but we still don't know if he is alive or hurt�" Justin said throwing his hands in the air. "We have no choice but to trust them because if we don't and JC is alive god knows what they would do to them."
"Exactly Justin. SO you need to calm down before you get out of hand and do something that could get JC killed like I nearly did." Chris shouted.
"Ok you all need to calm down." An officer interrupted. "You guys' falling apart isn't going to help your friend at all. Now I suggest you guys decide which one of you will answer the phone call so we can be prepared for it."
"Well don't look at me I did it once already and look where it got us." Chris said
"I'll do it." Justin volunteered.
"No offence J, but I don't think that is a very good idea�" Lance interjected.
"Why not?!" Justin practically screamed.
"Well� to be honest because you are entirely to worked up and it's possible that you good only make things worse." Lance said softly
"Fine!" Justin huffed sitting down in an open seat. "Well I guess that leaves it to either you or Joey."
"I'm not trying to get out of doing it because you know I will if you guys want me to but I think Joey should. He is always able to stay calm under stressful conditions." Lance said.
"You ok with that Joe?" Chris questioned.
"I� ok. I'll try." Joey said quietly.
"We aren't going to force you if you don't think you can do it man�" Lance said
"No I can do it."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
JC tried to jerk his head away as a hand reached out towards his face but the chair limited his movement and he was stopped when the hand grabbed hold of his chin turning his head up to the 3 figures standing over him.
"Listen Kid. We're going to untie you. Try anything and my friend over there will shoot you. Got it?" The man said gesturing slightly to the man holding a gun.
JC nodded and the hand moved up towards his face yanking the gag out of his mouth. The man disappeared behind his back and moments later he could feel the cords around his wrists being loosened until finally they were pulled free. JC cautiously pulled his numb arms back in front of him groaning lightly when they started to burn. A bottle of water and a pre-made sandwich that looked like the kind you would buy in a corner store or gas station was shoved into his hands minutes later.
"Eat."
JC struggled to comply. His mouth was so dry, even after taking a sip of water; it was hard to swallow the stale sandwich. He tried to take his time, the more time he spent untied the better as far as he was concerned. But the sandwich was gone too quickly and the man stooped down to untie his feet as well. He was yanked up so that he was standing and pushed to a bathroom in the corner of the room stumbling over his legs because of disuse.
"Do what you have to do kid but do it fast."
Again JC nodded and 10 minutes later he was being led back to the chair again.
"Can you handle him from here?" The man asked one of his companions.
"Yeah no problem. I don't think he is dumb enough to try anything again."
"Well watch him carefully anyway." And with that two of the men left the room.
"Hands behind you." The man said stepping behind the chair.
JC bit his lip and did what he was told. He desperately wanted to ask the man some questions but he wasn't sure if he should risk it. He winced as the cords were once again wrapped tightly around his wrists.
"Why am I here?" JC asked, his voice so small it barely carried to the man behind him.
"I can't tell you kid." The man answered
"That guy said someone I knew was responsible for me being here. Do you know who it is?"
"Yup." The man said moving to tie JC's feet back to the chair now.
"Who?"
"Listen kid if the boss hasn't told you then he doesn't want you to know. I'm not about to go and break his orders for you."
"Please� my friends could be in danger� I�"
"And what are you going to do. You're here tied to a chair. I suggest you shut up and stop asking questions, the others aren't as nice as I am." The man said harshly. Taking the gag off from where it lay around JC's neck. "Open"
"Please, I promise I won't say anything. I'll be really quiet."
"That isn't my call to make now open."
JC parted his mouth silently and sat still as the gag was replaced and tied firmly behind his head once more.
"I wouldn't push your luck kid. The boss is already running low on patience." The man said as he finished tying the gag around JC's mouth. "Besides you want to be able to talk to your friends don't you?"
Giving JC a sympathetic look the man left he room and JC could hear the lock on the door click over once again.
JC slumped back in the chair defeated. At least in a few hours he was going to be able to talk to one of the guys and let them know he was all right.