JC looked up as the door to the room was open once again and the man that left him there not 2 hours prior walked back in the room and towards him.
"Hey Kid. It's time to call your friends. I'm going to untie you but I'll warn you that at this point in time it isn't in your best interest to give them a reason to hurt you. Do as you're told and hopefully your friends will do the same and nothing will happen."
JC's eyes widened in surprise at the blunt statement.
"I'm going to take your gag off first. Don't talk unless you're told to. Understood?"
JC nodded his head in response and tensed as the man stepped behind him. He could feel the man playing with the knots of the gag and a moment later it was slipped from his mouth.
"Ok. Your hands are next. I'm going to untie them and re-tie them in front of you for now so you won't be tempted to try anything. When I untie them move your arms slowly in front of you and hold them out."
JC bit his lip as the man tugged at the ropes surrounding his hands, even though his hands went numb a long time ago the ropes had been rubbing against his wrists raw for hours now and it was starting to become very painful. Finally the cords were pulled free and JC had to bit his lip even harder to keep from crying out as he moved his arms back in front of him, his bones going back into their normal positions after being awkwardly positioned for so long now. He waited patiently and very still as the man re-wrapped the ropes around his wrists several times before tying it off so that his arms hung in front of him, and then bending down to untie JC's ankles. He was pulled up onto his feet and lead out into the out room where he first woke up after he was kidnapped.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Joey stood out on the back porch of the house, lost in thought as he watched the sun setting. It had been a beautiful summer day, the kind where there seemed like there was nothing wrong in the world or with the people in it. A notion that if Joey didn't know better could almost have closed his eyes and believed it.
He had come outside around 7pm seeking some sort of a quiet refuge from the chaos that was happening inside the house. Justin had been livid to say the least with the police and the way they had Chris deal with the first phone call. He was completely certain that the men holding JC had in fact already killed him and they were never going to see their friend again. Chris while he hadn't said so in as many words seemed just as likely to believe the same thing only he wasn't blaming the police he was blaming himself for getting one of his best friends killed. Lance wasn't really saying anything that hinted towards his thoughts and feelings, he was very adamantly trying to keep whatever was going through his head inside him and instead was busying himself trying to placate their youngest member, trying to convince him that he shouldn't be jumping automatically to the worst conclusion, the men had said JC was still alive and for now they had to hold onto that little bit of hope.
Joey sighed wearily, rubbing a hand over his face and then up over his hair trying to banish the negative thoughts that were flowing through his brain. He had to stay focussed for when the phone call came. It wouldn't help anyone if he zoned out our lost his cool during the phone call� especially JC. The sound of the sliding glass door leading out onto the porch filled the air and Joey turned slightly so he could see out of the corner of his eye who it was.
"Oh hey J. Have you calmed down at all now?" Joey said taking in the red features of the curly haired singer. It was obvious that he has spent much of the last little while yelling his head off.
"No. Not really Joe. But Lance does have a point we don't know for sure if Jace is alive or not and believing that he isn't at this point doesn't do anyone any good. Besides I guess were are about to find out anyway�" Justin said with a slight shrug looking out towards the now fading sunset.
"Yeah." Was all Joey could think of as a response.
Silence reigned over the pair as they stared out into the distance the silence broken by Justin a couple minutes later.
"Listen Joey, they sent me out here to get you. Its almost time for the call and they wanted to go over everything really quickly one more time and make sure everyone is where they are suppose to be when the phone rings."
Joey nodded his head, unconsciously checking his watch and noting that it was about ten to eight.
"Well I guess we better head in then." Joey said making a move to turn and head into the house, but stopped before he even took three steps by a hand on his arm. He looked at the hand then raised his head and turned a questioning glance on Justin.
"Are you sure you are ready for this Joey?" Justin asked and Joey almost laughed out loud at the absurdity of the question.
"I don't think this is something you really get to BE ready for Justin."
"No. I know that, it's just� well you know if you don't think you can do this Lance will, or even Johnny they didn't say it had to be one of us�. You just have to tell us now Joe."
"I know Justin. Don't worry about me I'll be fine. We better get inside now."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
JC squinted at the brightness of the main room compared to the one he was being kept in. Struggling to remain upright and follow as the man who was holding him by the bicep tugged him further into the room to where Tony Collins was waiting, sitting behind a big desk that had nothing but a phone sitting on the top of it.
"Hello JC" Tony said with mock cheeriness before turning much more serious. "Alright here is the deal JC. Don't talk until you are told to, if you can't handle that then I'm afraid we will have to gag you again until we are ready for you. Once I have given you permission to talk you will have no more than 2 minutes to tell your friends that you are all right and talk to them. DO NOT answer any of the questions concerning your whereabouts, your surroundings, my men and myself and anything else that is similar to any of the previously mention things, when in doubt don't answer it. One wrong word or move then you will not be allowed to speak to your friends again and most likely punished for your actions. I can't guarantee your safety or your health should you or your friends choose to disobey my terms and cross me. Better hope that they can do better at following orders then they did last time. I am quickly losing my patience and I won't be held responsible for my actions."
JC furrowed his eyebrows in confusion at that last piece of information about his friends but bit the inside of his cheek to keep from talking just the same.
"If all goes well and your friends come up with your ransom you will be going home in a day or so completely safe and unharmed." Tony continued. "Do you understand everything I just told you JC?"
JC tentatively nodded his head but stopped immediately as he watched the man in front of him shake his head.
"I want to hear you say it JC so I know for certain that you understand."
"I understand" JC croaked out.
"Good."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Ok Joey. When the phone rings we are going to wait till the second ring to pick it up. Try not to answer it until I give you the signal so I can start the tape recorder and tape the conversation. Just remain calm and in light of what happen last time don't push anything to hard. Are you ok with this? Understand everything?" One of the officers said.
"Yes. Wait till the second ring and your signal so you can tape it before picking up." Joey confirmed nodding to himself.
"Right. Don't worry son, I'm sure your friend is all right and you are going to do just fine."
***
"Well any second now." Justin whispered to Chris five minutes later.
"Yup." Chris said distractedly.
They were all sitting around in the living room waiting for the call from the kidnappers. As it was the room could not be more packed full with police, the four members of Nsync, management and the bodyguard staff, all nervously awaiting the phone call. Tension was thick in the room as silence filled the air as they waited out the last few moments before 8.
And then the sound of a telephone ringing filled the air.