Lost - Two Timer series - 24. Chapter 24

Patrick jerked awake from a nightmare. He gasps, looking around for familiar things, but saw nothing but darkness. He realized something was covering his eyes. His arms were beside him with his wrist and ankles cuffed to the bed, a thin blanket covered him from his chest to his feet. He had slack in his wrist but not enough to reach his blindfold.

His mind felt like a blur as he tried to remember where he was last. Then, like a veil being lifted, he remembered he was in a shower, then in a room wearing a robe talking to his captor Piper Monroe.

Then it became cloudy again.

“Did something happen?” he wondered. “They didn’t gag me so why the blindfold?

A lock turned, and a door opened. A breeze brushed Patrick’s face as he froze, pretending to be asleep. Someone sat beside him on the bed. Patrick could feel eyes on him as his heart sped up.

“You’re awake. What were you doing? Playing possum?” Piper laughed, touching Patrick’s chin. The small gesture triggered a memory.

“Come on, open your mouth more or I will have to pry it open with hooks,” Piper laughed. The images came so fast the Patrick’s body shook. He remembered the sick vile acts performed on him unable to fight back.

A cry escaped his lips as he jerked his head away.

“Look who’s remembering,” Piper said. “I was hoping you would. It would be dull by myself.”

Patrick squeezed his eyes shut behind his blindfold as Piper leaned down close to his ear.

“I assure you, I was gentle and, I was your only partner.”

Patrick yanked on his bindings to shift away when someone removed his blindfold. His eyes opened to someone other than Piper.

“Adam?” he asked, unsure.

“Who else would it be, babe?” Adam said, sitting beside him wearing his police issued tee shirt.

“Adam,” Patrick scanned his surroundings for Piper. “Did you come to take me home?”

Adam said nothing but stared with a calm expression. Patrick wondered why he didn’t answer. Adam glanced away, then sighed when he turned to Patrick.

“Pat, things got complicated when you went missing and now…”

“Adam, why won’t you untie me? And who are you looking at?”

“He has a right to know Adam.”

Patrick recognized the voice as his chest tightened. AJ Chance stepped into view and stood behind Adam, placing his hands on his shoulders. Adam reached up and took his palm, both smiling at each other. Patrick knew that look. It was the same way Adam use to stare at him.

“Adam, what’s going on?” Patrick screamed.

“I never meant for any of this to happen Pat. It’s just, AJ has this hold over me,” Adam said as AJ leaned down and kissed him.

“Adam, please.” Patrick sobbed his tears fogged his vision.

“We should go,” AJ said.

Patrick felt the bed give.

“Adam, you’re not leaving me here?” Patrick cried out unable to see him.

“It’s for the best Pat, freeing you would only make things more complicated.”

“What, no!” He heard a door open and close as his soul ached. “Adam, don’t do this!” Patrick’s cries went on deaf ears as he fought against his restraints.

He shut his eyes straining when he jerked awake, sitting up in a dark room. In a panic, he checked his wrist and ankles and found them free from the bindings. He wasn’t sure if Adam and AJ were real or a dream. His naked body ached as he climbed off the bed, wrapping the surrounding blanket around his bare skin. Light glowed through the crack of the door as he reached for the knob turning it, and with ease the door opened. He peeked out and saw no one, the hallway was lit and empty.

Tightening his grip on the blanket he stayed close to the wall, watching his front and back as he moved to an exit sign. Where ever he was, it wasn’t the subway anymore. He reached the exit door and scanned through the window before opening the door and a cool breeze rushed at him.

If he could find a phone to call Adam, or the police, he could hide from his captors until help came. But he wasn’t sure if he should go up or look around where he was.

“Hell, maybe this is all a dream too. And I’m still tied to that bed,” he thought, deciding to hope for the best. But when he moved to go through the door a sharp pain entered his shoulder. He reached for the source and found a small dart sticking out of his arm. “No, not again,” was all he could say before blacking out and dropping to the floor. The twin brothers approached him.

“I thought you said you locked the door?” Jesse said.

“I thought I did,” James answered.

“Piper would have flipped out on you if he escaped.”

“How did he get so far, considering what Piper did to him?”

“It doesn’t matter. Help me carry him back to the room.”

Jesse grabbed under Patrick’s arms as James grasped his legs.

***************

Justin didn’t want to go home so Adam agreed he could stay at the house until he got back. He stood in the kitchen making a cup of tea when banging came to the back door. The sound caused him to lose his grip on his mug, sending it crashing to the floor.

He grabbed a knife out of the block and held it ready when a voice changed everything.

“Please, help me?”

“Devin?”

Justin moved to the door and looked out. Devin was kneeling as he looked up. He had a gash on his forehead. Justin yanked the door open causing Devin to drop to the floor. He tried to help him to his feet, grabbing him under his arms as Devin moaned his discomfort.

“Sorry, sorry.” Justin took care not to cause any more pain to Devin. He guided him to a chair. Once sure he was stable, he shut and lock the door. “Okay, stay put I’ll find the first aid kit.”

Devin leaned on the table in discomfort as he fought to keep from passing out. Justin returned holding a white box bearing a red cross.

“Maybe I should take you to the couch. Can you walk?”

Devin nodded his head as Justin let him lean on him as they walked to the living room. Justin tried his best to lower him to the couch. Devin flopped with a grunt grabbing his ribs.

“Sorry,” Justin said, dropping to his knees.

“It’s okay,” Devin said through his clinch teeth. “I’m all right.”

“No, you’re not. You need to go to a hospital.”

“Why, when I have you.”

“I know nothing about patching injuries, Devin. The best I can do is a Band-Aid.”

“With my help, I will make you a pro,” he smiled, at the blonde.

Justin grinned regardless of his concern for Devin’s wellbeing.

“Okay,” he said, opening the first aid kit. “Tell me what to do.”

Justin sat back and admired his work.

“You did good,” Devin said, checking his bandaged forehead in the mirror. Justin got him an ice patch for his bruised ribs.

“Are you sure you don’t want to go to the hospital?”

“I’m fine.”

“What happened?”

“Those detectives were driving me to a safe house when the car got hit twice. I don’t know if it was deliberate or an accident, I grabbed the detective’s keys and unlock my cuffs. I must have been running on adrenaline when I ended up here. Wish I never?”

“No. I’m glad you did. But what if no one was here?”

“I had a hunch once you found out Adam wasn’t at the hospital you would come here.”

“You are correct.”

“You’re in love with him.”

Justin said nothing in response.

“You don’t have to answer. I can tell. And I bet, Patrick could tell.”

“Patrick has clarified I have not a chance in hell of winning him from him. And he’s right.” Justin said, lowering his eyes. Devin caught his falling chin.

“Don’t count yourself short Justin. You’re a beautiful person and I’m not talking about your looks. You go above and beyond for Adam and I think he sees that.”

“I rather he sees my other talents.”

“I’ve seen them and I applauded you,” Devin said, bringing a smile to Justin’s face.

“Maybe, I’m pursuing the wrong person.”

“Now, I’m a twin of your affection?”

Justin wondered if Devin was right.

“Justin you need to let Adam go. Once he gets Patrick home, you need to focus on your own happiness.”

Justin didn’t want to worry about that. He was Adam’s friend and knew that gave him a chance to one day be something more.

“I still have the directions for that secret party.”

“You want to help?” Devin knew Justin was changing the subject.

“Adam’s my friend and Patrick—isn’t all that bad.”

“Well, that’s a start. We need a car.”

“That’s easy.”

**************

Patrick flinched before awaking in darkness, he sat straight up panting looking around.

“Disorientation is normal,” Piper said, turning on the overhead light. Patrick blinked away his discomfort. “It’s the day of the party,” he said, sitting beside Patrick, who inched away pressing his back to the wall. “You, make yourself gorgeous for me and do as we planned. Then I’ll let you go home.”

Patrick shivered as he wrapped his arms around his legs, noticing he was naked with a thin blanket covering his privates. He yanked the sheet up and covered his exposed body.

“Where are my clothes,” Patrick shrieked.

Piper grew impatient but swallowed his annoyance.

“The withdraw from the drug is overwhelming, you will soon regain your wits by tonight.” Piper stood and moved to the door.

“Wait, something happened. You—did something,” Patrick said, rubbing his fingers through his hair trying to remember the past events.

“Patrick,” Piper said, turning back to him exasperated. “Focus on the now, not the past, it’s for the best.” He left the room as Patrick tried to break pass his blotched memory.