Lance was escorted into a separate room and immediately his eyes searched the room for any sings of JC. He was about to conclude that the man had been lying about putting him with JC when his eyes landed on the immobile form of his friend, bound and gagged in a corner of the room. Upon seeing his friend his struggles increased tenfold as he tried to get across the room to make sure JC was all right.
"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM?" Lance yelled struggling to get loose.
He could hear the door behind him close and the hands holding him let go. Immediately he was at his friend's side. He had to fight not to be sick when he saw that up close JC looked a lot worse. Lance could clearly see that there were bruises on the patches of skin not covered by JC's shirt and he was willing to guess there were even more under the covered parts. JC's wrists were raw from where the rope had cut into them and even the corners of his mouth were a little raw and bruised from where the gag had been tied tightly around his mouth.
"Oh god�. JC? Jace can you hear me? Open your eyes?" Lance reached out a hand and laid it on his friends shoulder cause JC to moan out in what sounded like pain but otherwise remain unconscious. Suddenly he was aware of a presence behind him, turning around he could feel the anger inside him start to grow again and he jumped out trying to hit and kick at the man behind him.
"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM?! HE TOLD US YOU DIDN'T HURT HIM!" Lance yelled taking another swing at the larger man only causing the man grunt with the blow but otherwise remain unharmed.
The man made a move to grab at Lance's flailing arms, but Lance stepped back dodging the attempt. Having completely forgotten about the other man in the room, the blonde singer made a move to take another punch at the man before him but was stopped short as large arms circled around him from behind pinning his arms to his side rendering helpless and for the most part immobile in the circle of the bigger man's arms.
"Listen kid." The man in front of him hissed grabbing a handful of Lance's hair. "If you don't calm down I will go over there and hurt that boy even more then his is right now. I don't know how about 2 broken legs this time?" The man said pointing towards JC's limp body and tugging on Lance's hair for good measure.
"NO! Don't do that! I'll stop! I swear I will!" Lance said frantically.
He was forced over to the chair JC had been previously in and pushed roughly down onto it. His eyes remaining focused on JC's body willing it to move so he could know his bandmate was alright, all the while the men were tying his hands behind him and his feet together and to the chair.
"Open." A voice said from somewhere behind him and Lance absentmindedly complied to focused on his friend in front of him to pay attention and fight anymore. Moments later a gag was placed around his mouth and tied off tightly behind his head and a hand patted him on the face in a mocking fashion.
"Maybe if you two boys behave we'll let you talk with each other later on." The men said laughing and then leaving the two Nsyncer's alone in the room.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Ray walked back into the main room where the police had set up camp and immediately was bombarded with questions concerning where he had been and more importantly if he knew where Lance was.
"Did you go with Lance somewhere Ray?" Lonnie said looking behind the other bodyguard trying to see if the singer was behind him frowning when he wasn't.
"Uh� Lance? No why?" Ray said trying to cover.
"He is missing and we can't find him anywhere. We figured he went with you somewhere."
"No. I went for a walk outside. He wasn't with me."
"Damn it." Lonnie yelled missing the wince on Ray's face as he said it.
He didn't however miss the startled and frightened looks of the remaining 3 men of Nsync. He smiled briefly at them hoping that would satisfy them for a few minutes then briskly walked over to the rest of his men and spoke in hushed tones so not to be heard.
"We've got a problem guys. Lance has been missing for a few hours and we can't find him anywhere. Ray just got back and said Lance was never with him so now we have to go out and look for him again. This time outside of the hotel too�" Lonnie instructed stopping short as the phone rang. "Why are they calling again? They said noon tomorrow?" He said turning around to see the look of surprise and puzzle on the faces of the other occupants in the room.
***
"Mr. Fatone?" An officer called and Joey rushed across the room to pick up the phone.
"Hello?"
"Well hello Mr. Fatone and how are you this fine evening?" The voice on the other end asked cheerfully.
"I'm fine I suppose." Joey responded bewildered at the early call.
"Good. Good. Glad to hear it." The voice said continuing it's mock cheeriness.
"Forgive me but I thought you said you would call at noon tomorrow? It is only 11:00pm." Joey asked cautiously not wanting to anger the man.
"Not one for the social skills are you Mr. Fatone? Well all right then. Yes I was going to call tomorrow but there seems to have been a new development in the last couple hours that changes things Mr. Fatone."
"Development?"
"Well it seems that another one of your friends� lets say� stumbled into my possession in the last couple hours or so."
"What?" Joey asked shooting a panicked look towards Justin and Chris.
"Lance I believe." Tony smiled at the silence on the other end and continued talking. "I take it you already know he is missing. For at least 2 hours now since he has been here for at least that long."
"Let me talk to him." Joey requested.
"I'm afraid that is quite impossible Mr. Fatone."
"Then how do I�" Joey started but was cut off.
"Mr. Fatone," the voice started a lot colder in tone then it was moments before. "You people have tested me once before and I was more then tolerant then I won't be a second time. If you value your friend's lives you will stop that question right there."
"How does this change things?"
"2 millions dollars by the time your 48 hours is up. I'll be in touch again tomorrow." The voice said curtly and disconnected the phone.
"What is it Joey?" Justin asked from the couch.
"They have Lance now too."