�You my dear boy are here as a kind of collateral. You�re here so I can collect the money that I am owed by someone you know very well. Someone who has betrayed you and your trust.�
Tony Collin�s watched with delight as JC�s expression clearly turned from one of nervousness to confusion. He reached forward ignoring the flinch from his captive and tugged JC�s gag down so it hung around the boy�s neck and watched with amused eyes as JC tried to comprehend what had just been said to him.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
He had been standing outside the door for 5 minutes trying to find enough courage to knock. Something wasn�t right with Ray�s story and he wasn�t sure how to approach the issue without raising the bodyguard suspicions. With a shaky hand Lance knocked lightly on Ray�s door. When that failed to gain attention he knocked again stronger than before. Moments the door was flung open.
�Lance?� the bodyguard questioned.
�Uh� Hey Ray. Can I talk to you for a minute?�
�Sure. Come on in.�
Ray stepped aside to allow the blond singer to enter the room and settled himself on his bed, watching while Lance closed the door and set himself on the couch. After a few minutes of silence Ray cleared his voice to get the boy�s attention.
�So what did you want to talk to me about Lance?�
�What happened with JC.�
�Ok� what about it?�
�Well I� I think was in a real daze. We were all so shocked and worried. I was just wondering if you would tell me what happened again. Just so I have it straight in my mind� and maybe you might remember something else that happened.�
�I�ve already told you all I can remember Lance. They came at me from behind and knocked me out.�
�I understand that Ray but� could you please just humour me?�
Ray looked suspiciously at Lance unsure if the plea was sincere or just some elaborate trap. He then mentally kicked himself when he saw the worry clear on the face of the boy in front of him. Of course it couldn�t be a trap his friend was missing and he is just worried, anxious and trying to cope with the reality of it.
�Ok Lance, but don�t expect anything more out of it than the last time. After I was knocked out I have no idea what happened. I can speculate just like everyone else but it still wouldn�t change anything.�
He waited for Lance to nod his accent before he proceeded.
�Well as I�ve already said we arrived at the exhibit and there was a lot of fans and reporters. I asked JC if he wanted me to have them cleared away before he got out of the car, he said no and got out. He signed a few autographs and talked to the fans then to the reporters. About ten minutes later there was the sound of glass shattering. I was worried because it was just me there so I signalled to the museum employees to clear away the crowds and grabbed JC�s arm got him back in the car and drove off. I had discussed security with Mr. Sterling earlier and he knew that in the event something like that occurred his men were to clear and check the area while I took JC a few blocks away to the parking lot you found me in to wait for his call telling us it was all clear. He says I didn�t tell him but it is standard procedure and that is second nature to us. We pulled into the parking lot and I turned off the car and got out, and started to talk with JC who stayed in the car� he was a little pissed that I rushed him away and we were talking about how it was for his own safety. His eyes focused on something behind me and he screamed for me to look out. I go to turn around and see what was behind me but before I could I was hit in the back of the head and that is the last thing I remember until I woke up and the paramedics were checking me out.�
Lance sighed to himself. That was practically the same way he explained it the first time. Maybe he was wrong, his nerves are just on end because he is worried and Ray doesn�t know anything more than he is telling.
�You said you could speculate? What do you think happened after you got knocked out?�
�Well, I was by the car when they knocked me out so I�d imagine they moved me back into the shadows at some point, since that�s where they found me. Then the two of them went after JC next. You know he wouldn�t go without a fight so they probably knocked him out someway too, then threw him into their van and drove off.�
Lance sat staring wide-eyed at the bodyguard. "Had he just really said what I thought he did?" Mentally reviewing the words he could only stare. ��Then the two of them went after JC next� then threw him into their van and drove off�.� Oh� no� he couldn�t have actually��
Worried by the look on Lance�s face and the progressing silence Ray spoke up.
�Lance is everything ok? I didn�t say that they knocked him out to scare you or anything� you asked me what I thought might have happened and that is just one of many possibilities��
�Uh� no it�s alright Ray. We uh� all knew that was a possibility. I guess it� it just shocked me to hear it voiced that�s all� You know what I think I�m going to go to bed now. Or at least try to. Thanks for telling me what happened again. Goodnight.� Lance said tripping over his words.
He scrambled out of the bodyguards room and into his own. Once his door was firmly closed and locked he leaned against it and sunk to the floor holding his head in his hands.
�My God� what if he really did organize JC�s kidnapping? No� it could have just been a slip of the tongue or something�he is suppose to be one of the ones protecting us from stuff like this�.�
As he let all the possibilities take over his mind Lance mentally promised himself not to let Ray out of his sight for the next few days.