The Family Business

5

     With a quick glance in either direction down the hallway, I ensured that there was no one there. I turned around and started walking back toward Jefferson. He looked at me, his eyes wide and incredulous. I knelt in front of the chair and started gently peeling back the duct tape that kept him silent, cringing every time he winced from the pain.
     "You came back," He said, when I finally got it off.
     "You're my brother. How could I not?" I answered.
     "But why? I thought you would hate me."
     "Let's just say you have a lot of making up to do."
     "Aye. That I do." I used my knife to cut him free and he stood. There was a cut on his face where Nicholas had hit him, and I reached up to wipe the blood away. Suddenly, he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me closer. I returned the hug and, for the first time in days, felt safe.
     "We should get going," he said, "before Nicholas comes back." With that, we turned and walked out of the room. When we reached the front door, Jefferson carefully turned the knob. It wasn't locked. We hurried outside and began to run. We ran through the streets, down alleys and around corners. I let Jefferson lead the way, dropping behind him. I wasn't familiar with this part of town, and it seemed he was. Suddenly, I felt an arm around my waist and I was pulled back into someone's chest. I tried to yell for help, but something was covering my mouth. It was a wet rag. As I began to get lightheaded, I heard a voice that was all too familiar.
     "Where do you think you're going, sweetheart?" Nicholas dragged me backward and into the back seat of his black car, closing the door behind him. I had apparently managed to make some sort of noise, because a very angry Jefferson appeared at the window, banging on it and yelling furiously.
     "Go!" I heard Nicholas yell, and the car began to move. The last thing I saw was Jefferson, running behind the car and calling my name. Then I passed out.

     When I woke up, I was laying on a concrete floor. My hands were tied behind my back and I had a splitting headache. I was also very cold. Wherever I was, there was apparently no heating.
     "Well look who's awake," came a familiar voice. Nicholas. I looked up and my eyes focused on a pair of black work-type boots partly hidden under dark semi-skinny jeans. Lifting my head, I saw Nicholas slouching in a chair with his legs apart, facing me. I tried to sit up, but fell back to the floor. He chuckled, then stood up and walked slowly over to me. "I've been waiting for three hours for you to wake up so I could see the look on your face when you realized you had lost." He stopped in front of me and bent down, grabbing my arm and yanking me to my feet. He pushed me backward until my back hit a cold wall. I shivered from the chill. Nicholas, on the other hand, appeared to be quite warm in a plain, gray hoodie. "You know, sweetheart," he started, "it took a lot of guts, escaping like that. I'd love to know how you managed it. I mean, it couldn't have been Jefferson, now could it?" He wrapped his arms around my back and stepped even closer, slowly making his way down my back. He was so close, I could feel his breath on my face. When he got to my jeans he reached into my back pocket and pulled out Jefferson's knife. Without backing up, he tapped me on the nose with it. "Thought so," he said, stuffing the knife into his own pocket.
     "Jefferson will come for me," I said, hoping against all hope that I was right.
     "Oh it's not that that you should be worried about, sweetheart," Nicholas replied. He leaned in, so his mouth was right next to my ear. "It's if he'll survive long enough to get to you," he whispered. My breath caught. He was planning to kill Jefferson. He pulled away and gave a little, high-pitched, maniacal laugh. He reached for my face, and I leaned my head back against the wall, in a futile attempt to stop him. All that did was make me even colder. His hand cupped my cheek, and his thumb brushed against my lips. "You really are quite beautiful," He said, his voice low. I closed my eyes and wished for him to stop. My wish was granted when the hulking form of Donovan burst into the room.
     "You have a visitor," He said to Nicholas.
     "I'm kind of in the middle of something here."
     "You'll want to see this one."
     "Fine," Nicholas sighed, then backed away from me. I breathed a sigh of relief. Nicholas' hand came out of nowhere and caught me in the face. I gasped at the pain, but managed to keep myself upright. "That," he said, "was for escaping. And this," he balled up his fist and punched me hard in the stomach, "is just because you're friends with Jefferson." I doubled over and slid to the floor, gasping for air.
"Don't think this is over, sweetheart," Nicholas said, giggling, and I watched his black boots disappear out the door. I didn't try to stand up, as my stomach hurt too much. So I just lay there on the cold floor, wondering if I was ever going to get out of this mess. If Jefferson really was coming for me. If he would survive Nicholas' dark, hateful plans, whatever they were.

     Nicholas had been gone about ten minutes, but when he came back, I could tell he was annoyed.
     "Who was it?" I asked. My stomach hurt a little less now, but I still had made no move to get up.
     "If you were hoping it was Jefferson, sweetheart, I'm afraid you'll be disappointed," he answered. "It was just some guy named Will or something who said he could help me find Jefferson." At the mention of Will's name, my heart fluttered with hope. Nicholas watched me for a reaction, and I was careful to give no indication of knowing Will.
     "Did you take his help?"
     "What do you think I am? Stupid?" Nicholas yelled, storming over to where I was. "I don't need anyone's help! I don't even want to find Jefferson." He got down on one knee in front of me and lowered his voice. "You've been on his ship, haven't you?" I looked away from him, afraid of where this question was going. "Haven't you?" He asked again, through clenched teeth, obviously disliking my answer, or lack thereof.
     "Yes," I answered quietly.
     "Then you must know where he keeps his money." It was more of a statement than a question. The only problem was that it was a false statement. He stood up and looked down at me, impatient.
     "No," I said evenly.
     "Liar!" Nicholas yelled, kicking me in the side. I don't know what hurt more, that, or the punch he had thrown earlier. I felt tears of pain stream down my face. "Where is it?" He growled.
     "I don't know!"
     "Does he have a safe? Does he keep it in his desk? Where. Is. It?" He kicked me three more times. The tears were freely flowing now, and I felt like he might have broken a rib or two.
     "I'm telling you I don't know!" I yelled. "Please, stop!" He grabbed me by the arms and pulled me up, slamming me into the wall. That made my head spin, as well as send a jolt of pain through my bruised side. He punched me again: once in the stomach, and then in the face. Now I was hurting everywhere. It was so cold in here.
     "You're a liar!" He screamed, and wrapped his large hand around my throat, squeezing slightly. "Tell me the truth, or I will squeeze until there is no more oxygen left in your lungs," he threatened. He tightened his grip gradually, until I was gasping for breath. Just when I started to see spots, the door crashed open and in came the one person I wanted to see most in the whole world.
     "Step away from my sister," Jefferson demanded, pointing his gun at Nicholas. Nicholas squeezed even tighter. Something like fear flashed briefly across his face, and he suddenly let go, stepping away from me. I fell to the floor, gasping wildly.
     "Sister!" Nicholas repeated. "I didn't know you had a sister, Jeff. What, did you leave her behind to become a little pirate?" Jefferson stormed over to Nicholas and hit him in the face with the butt of his gun. Blood streamed down Nicholas' face as  he fell to the floor. He pressed his hand to his forehead, then pulled it away, covered in the crimson fluid. He looked expectantly, maybe even a little hopefully, toward the door.
     "If you're waiting for Donovan, he's not coming," Jefferson said. "He's a little tied up at the moment."
Nicholas glanced again at his blood-soaked hand and cringed. Jefferson apparently didn't think that was enough, as he then repeatedly kicked him in the side. It was painful to watch, and sent memories of pain through my own body as I shivered uncontrollably from the cold. I was still struggling to breathe.
     "Jefferson," I gasped, "Leave it. He's not worth it." Jefferson looked toward me, and instantly rushed to my side, dropping to the floor next to me.
     "Are you okay?" He asked. "I'm so sorry!" Slowly, my breathing retuned to normal.
     "I think so," I answered. "Just get me out of here." He helped me up, and untied my wrists. Noticing I was shivering, he took off his long, thick black coat and draped it around my shoulders for the second time since I had met him. I pulled it around my body gratefully. When I tried to take a step toward the door, pain burst through my side, and I stumbled. Jefferson scooped me into his arms and I leaned my head on his chest, finally feeling safe. He then turned back to Nicholas, who was still on the floor.
     "If you ever mess with my family again, I will kill you," He said darkly. I felt weak, but I didn't want to fall asleep. Trying to keep my eyes open, I let Jefferson carry me out the door and into the hallway, where I saw Donovan, quite literally, tied up. Jefferson took me up a flight of stairs and out a door, into a normal looking house. He walked a few more feet and opened another door, and I saw sunshine. Nicholas' car was parked outside the building. I thought we were going to go past it, but when we reached it, the back door on the passenger's side opened, and Sam was sitting inside. Jefferson set me down gently next to Sam and then slid into the front seat. I looked over and saw Will in the driver's seat.
     "Get us out of here, Will," Jefferson said. Will then proceeded to drive down the driveway and onto the main road.
     "How did you start the car without the keys?" I asked.
     "Will hot-wired it," Jefferson replied. Will nodded in agreement, looking very proud of himself. I laughed, but all that did was make my side hurt again. Sam put his arm around my shoulders and pulled me closer. A few minutes later, I fell asleep leaning on the silent, gentle giant.