When It All Comes Crashing Down: Part Two and Wherever You Are
Part Two
Jensen’s eyelids flutter, a sharp pain in his skull as he slowly becomes aware of himself and his surroundings. He goes to raise his hand, finding it bound at the wrist to the arm of a chair. He frowns and opens his eyes fully. He looks at the desk in front of him, the same desk he was held over. He glances around the room, his stomach spinning. It’s the same room, he’s sitting in the same place that…
Jensen looks down at the chair, eyes falling to a red smear against the expensive tiled floor. Jeff is gone. Jensen pulls frantically at his arms trying to free them. He’s alone, no guards, no Karl. He looks towards the window. He can see the group of guests huddled together; three armed men standing around them.
He starts to twist his wrists, the sticky tape tight against his skin. He glances to the window. No one is watching him. He continues to pull and twist; the tape slackening.
“Come on.” He clenches his teeth and concentrates on one hand. He curls up his fist and rotates it. “Shit.” The tape starts collecting in a thick bundle, stiff edges digging into the back of his hand.
Jensen keeps an eye on the window, a small gasp as his hand wrenches from the restraint. His wrist feels like it’s on fire as he grabs at his other hand, fingernails clawing at the tape. He doesn’t know what he’ll do if he manages to gain his freedom but he can’t stay here and do nothing.
“Karl.”
Karl raises a hand as Blake walks into the small office and presses the phone closer to his ear. “And I expect a helicopter to get me and my men out of here.” He hangs up and spins the chair, a grin spreading across his face.
Blake looks at him curiously. “What?”
“The cops should be preoccupied for a while. Gave them a nice long list of demands.” Karl leans back in the chair. “So, our little problem?”
Blake shakes his head. “He killed Rico and Adam. And Stone, I don’t know.”
Karl closes his eyes.
“We need to hurry this up.”
Karl sighs and opens his eyes. “And when our friend is awake again, we will.”
“Yes and if you hadn’t…” Blake catches the cold stare of Karl’s blue eyes. “I’m just saying, it was unnecessary.”
Karl reaches forwards and takes the hand gun from the glass top of the large desk. “Let’s go see if we can get things moving. He should be waking up just now.”
Blake nods.
“Then we can get the fuck out of here.”
Jared sits and stares at the bound and gagged man sitting in between the open elevator door. He rubs a hand over his tired eyes, his arm complaining at the movement. He’s starting to think the bad guys have something against his left arm, the older scarred skin now smeared with blood.
“So, you feel up to talking yet?” Jared watches as the guy stretches his neck: a small defiance in the way he looks back at Jared. “It would save me a lot of time and effort if you just told me why you are here.”
A mumbled curse.
Jared gets to his feet and takes a few slow steps to stand over the other man. He reaches forwards and pulls the soiled shirt from the guy’s mouth. “Say something?”
The guy stretches his mouth. “I said you’re a fucking - ”
Jared rams the material back against swollen lips. “You know, there is an easy and a hard way of doing this.”
The guy doesn’t try to say anything.
“I tried to be nice.” Jared returns to the desk, picking up the handgun he had found when he searched the guy who is now bound before him. “I even said please that first time. But I’m bored of nice. People are dying.” He presses the gun against the guy’s crotch. “So, easy or…” He moves his wrist slightly, making the guy flinch. “Hard?”
There’s a shake of a head and a muffled refusal.
“Fine.” Jared moves the gun lower and squeezes the trigger, a shot fired into the heavy boot the guy is wearing.
There’s a painful sound and awkward breaths from behind the muting material.
Jared slowly moves the gun towards the guy’s other foot.
“Nnnnn.”
Jared stops and looks up; frantic nods and mumbled words in his direction. He lowers the gun and reaches forwards, pulling the material away once more, the knotted strip of shirt hanging loosely around the other man’s neck.
“OK, OK.” Sweat is beading on the guy’s forehead as he bites back the pain.
Jared smiles. “Let’s start easy. Name?”
“Stone,” he says roughly.
“Well, Stone. What the fuck are you doing here?”
Stone coughs as pain shoots up his leg.
“Hey. Unless you want a matching pair.” Jared holds the gun over Stone’s good foot, his finger hovering over the trigger.
“Money.”
Jared gives a sniffed laugh. “Money?”
“All that fancy shit on the guests downstairs.”
Jared frowns. “That’s it?” He turns away from Stone, a hand running over his mouth.
Stone shrugs beneath the twisted wires and cables. “It’s what I agreed for my payment.”
Jared turns back to face him. “Your payment? Then what the hell are you doing here?”
Stone smiles. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”
Jared goes to raise the gun but is surprised as Stone launches himself from the chair, the metal frame clattering to the elevator floor. The gun is knocked from Jared’s hand, a knife flashing past his head. Sneaky bastard. Jared falls heavily on one of the desks, his injured arm burning as he tries to take Stone’s weight, tries to stop the knife planting itself in his neck. Fuck.
Jensen quietly pulls open the drawer in Jeff’s desk. He smiles and reaches for the small key, his means of escape. Either Karl hadn’t done his homework or they had just failed to consider it; Jeff’s private elevator, running parallel to the other. Jensen looks up, barked orders from the room outside. Shit. He quickly makes his way across the office and inserts the key in the panel on the wall, the elevator doors sliding open. He doesn’t hesitate and steps inside.
“Okay.” He stares at the buttons for the floors. What the hell. He pushes one of the floors, the doors sliding shut.
Jared falls heavily back against the edge of the desk, a sharp pain at the base of his spine as his body collides with the wooden surface. Stone slices the knife in his direction, cutting only air as Jared drops to his knees and rolls away.
“I don’t want to hurt you,” Jared says breathlessly, his hand held out in front of him from his crouched position a few feet away.
Stone just laughs.
Jared’s eyes look past Stone towards the handgun that had fallen towards the elevator in the initial struggle, the larger automatic lying on a table too far from his, and thankfully Stone’s, reach.
Stone follows Jared’s eyes and notices the gun. He starts to edge backwards.
Jared rushes forwards grabbing Stone’s arms. He pushes as hard as he can, moving the other man backwards and forcing him up against the wall. Jared wraps his hand tightly around Stone’s wrist and begins slamming it up against the wall, the other man’s grip on the knife loosening.
Stone brings his knee up hard into Jared’s stomach, the knife falling to the ground. He grabs hold of Jared, another knee high into Jared’s stomach. He twists his fingers tightly into the material of Jared’s clothing and spins him around, throwing him back across the room and amongst the furniture.
Jared lands hard against the solid furniture and falls to the ground. He feels himself being rolled over onto his back, strong legs suddenly straddling him, even stronger hands wrapping around his throat. He struggles for air, fingers digging into his flesh, squeezing and restricting his airway. He lashes out awkwardly with his arms, a blow or two to the side of Stone’s head, but the man on top of him isn’t dazed; hands continue pushing down hard against him. He raises his hands and claws at Stone’s grip. He gasps for air, dark spots starting to float across his vision, his senses dulling.
There’s a muffled pop, the hold on Jared suddenly loosening. He takes deep, lung filling breaths, Stone’s body starting to slump forwards across him. He pushes at the dead weight on top of him. As Stone falls away from him, another figure comes into view; the gun still shakily aiming in his direction.
“Jen?” Jared manages; his throat sore and rough from the pressure of Stone’s hands.
Jensen takes a step away from him, the gun falling from his hands. He feels dizzy. He just shot a man. He just killed someone. He swallows uncomfortably and looks up at Jared as Jared walks over to him.
“Jen.”
Jensen lets out a heavy breath and wraps his arms around Jared’s neck. “He was going to…”
Jared wraps his good arm around Jensen’s waist, pulling him close. “Shh. It’s okay.”
“I picked up the gun. I…”
Jared leans back and meets Jensen’s startlingly bright eyes in contrast to his paled features; a green stare meeting his. “You didn’t have a choice.”
Jensen looks past Jared to the motionless body and then turns back to Jared. “Why’s this happening?”
Jared shakes his head. “I don’t know.” He raises his hands to Jensen’s face and gently soothes lines across his cheeks. “I was so scared that…”
Jensen closes his eyes and lets Jared kiss him, strong hands on him, pulling him closer, there to protect him. “Me too,” he says against Jared’s mouth.
Jared moves his hands higher, fingertips brushing the broken skin at Jensen’s hairline. “What happened?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
Jared sighs and pulls away, a small grimace as he lowers his injured arm.
“You’re hurt.” Jensen looks at Jared’s poorly bandaged arm.
“It’s okay.” Jared looks down at the torn material from his shirt.
Jensen nods slowly and takes a few deep breaths.
“How did you get up here?”
Jensen looks up at Jared. “The elevator. I mean Jeff’s.” Jensen closes his eyes. Jeff.
“Jen?” Jared finds it incredible to believe but Jensen seems to turn a shade even paler than he was.
“Jeff. He was hurt. I don’t know where he is.”
“What happened?”
“Erm…” Jensen raises a shaky hand to his forehead. “The guy, Karl. He wanted details on a company. Jeff hadn’t done it, they shot him. They needed me to be able to get to the information.”
“A company?”
“Yeah. One of Jeff’s acquisitions. Erm…” Jensen thinks for a moment, so much has happened this evening. “Lendon. Something called Lendon.”
“Any ideas what that is?”
Jensen shakes his head. “The Foundation’s bought out or invested in over fifty companies just this year and it’s been doing so for twenty years. I’ve been here two months, I have no idea.”
Jared frowns. “This Karl? He say anything else?”
Jensen shrugs. “I got knocked out. When I woke up I was alone and now, well, here I am. He didn’t say anything. He seemed to know Jeff though, said something like ‘it’s been a long time’. Sounded like maybe they knew each other somehow but…”
“What?”
“It didn’t seem like Jeff knew him.”
Jared sighs and pulls Jensen back towards him. “Right now, all I care about is getting you out of here and somewhere safe. We can figure the rest out later.”
Jensen rests his chin against the warmth of Jared’s chest. “What will you do?”
“Try and make sure nobody else gets hurt.”
“The other guests?” He asks quietly.
“Is there anyone else with access to those files?”
Jensen shakes his head. “No one that’s here. Just some tech guys who set the system up.”
Jared bites at his lip. The guests are of no real use to Karl now.
“What is it?” Jensen looks concerned.
“We need to get you out of here.”
“I can’t leave them. I have to find Jeff.”
Jared meets Jensen’s eyes. Is there something there, feelings for Jeff? Even if they get out of here, is it too late for them? “You care about him, don’t you?”
Jensen looks up at Jared. “He’s my boss; my friend.”
Jared swallows and lets Jensen pull away from him.
“And I won’t run away like a scared child. Whatever it is you’re planning on doing, let me help.”
“If anything were to happen to you. I could never…”
Jensen leans forwards, his mouth over Jared’s. “Nothing will happen.”
“Fuck.” A foot kicks hard at the empty chair, sending it flying across the office and toppling over. “Why was no one watching him?”
Blake stands up straight.
“We needed him.”
“No. You needed him. We have what we came for,” Blake reminds him. “Maybe it is time to go.”
Karl runs his hands back through his dark hair. “No. Morgan destroyed everything. He destroyed my father.”
“And you put a bullet in his stomach. We should leave. Take what we have. It isn’t worth it anymore.”
“Then leave. I’ll finish this myself.” He goes to walk past Blake, surprised as the office suddenly falls into darkness.
Jensen looks at Jared through the dim light. “What’s going on?”
Jared rushes across the room towards the window.
“Jared,” Jensen calls after him; a slow jog as he follows.
“The cops.”
“Cops?”
“Yeah. I called them.”
“So, that’s a good thing, right?”
“Depends.”
Jensen looks down from the window; small dots of light beneath them; red and blue. “Depends how?”
“The locals will only deal so far. If the FBI are here then… this could be the start of something big.” Jared starts back across the room towards the desks.
“Like what?” Jensen turns to watch him.
“They could be coming in. Fuck everyone and just…” Jared sighs and crouches down to retrieve a radio from amongst the disturbed furniture.
“What?”
Jared looks down at the radio and starts changing the settings.
“What, Jared?” Jensen’s frustrated by Jared’s sudden silence.
“Things will go to shit.” Jared raises the radio to his mouth. “Can any one hear me?”
Jensen looks to the radio in Jared’s hand as they listen to the low static.
“This is Detective Padalecki. Badge number 5635, Colorado State. Is there anyone on this frequency? I am inside the Morgan building, please respond.”
More silence.
“What are you doing?” Jensen asks.
“Hoping.”
“We need to move,” Blake insists, clutching his weapon close to himself. “You know what this means.”
“I need those files. He stole that company from my father. I am taking back what is mine.”
“They are coming in here, Karl. They will find the dead guard; they will not be hanging around to ask questions.”
“And how exactly do you hope to get out of here?”
“We stick to the original plan. Call them.”
“And tell them what?”
“We’re ready to deal. As a sign of good faith you are sending out some hostages.”
Karl gives a sniffed laugh. “Right.”
“We have the charges. Nate and Dixon already started.”
Karl runs his hands through his hair. “The foundations would hold?”
“Yes. They did the math. It’ll work and before they know what happened, we’ll be gone.”
“No.” Karl shakes his head.
“What?”
“No. The foundations won’t hold.”
Blake frowns.
“I want to see this building come crashing down around Morgan’s head.”
“And the others? It’s a twenty storey building.”
“Collateral damage.”
Jensen watches as Jared paces in front of him, the radio held in his hand. “There isn’t anybody there, Jay.”
Jared fists his hand around the handset. “Fuck.” He throws the radio hard; the plastic casing splintering as it flies past Jensen and impacts the thick glass window.
Jensen looks at the shattered plastic and pieces of circuit board. “Well, that didn’t help.”
Jared gives him a chilling glare. “Thanks for pointing that out.”
Jensen sighs. “So?”
“What?”
“Well, we can’t just sit up here and hope for the best. We have to try and do something.” Jensen watches Jared cautiously. “We have to help Jeff and the others.”
“And how do you suggest we do that? There’s what? Eight guys running around this building? We have no idea where they are or what they’re planning.”
“Jay.” Jensen walks over to Jared, his hand seeking out Jared’s. “Please.”
Jared feels Jensen’s fingers tightening around his.
“We have to do something.”
Jared takes a deep breath and nods in agreement. “Eight guys. At least two with the hostages, right?”
Jensen nods. “Three. And then Karl, he seems to be in charge.”
“So, definitely four unaccounted for.”
Jensen slowly shakes his head. “There’s two in the basement.”
Jared looks at Jensen curiously. “The basement? What’s down there?”
Jensen shrugs. “Pipes? I don’t know. There’s no computers or security systems down there.”
“There must be something.”
“Sure, concrete mostly. It was to become an underground parking area but plans were never completed, something to do with the neighbouring buildings.”
“Come on.” Jared tugs on Jensen’s arm.
“Where are we going?”
“To the basement.”
“Jared, we’re twenty floors up and the powers out.”
“Yeah, I noticed that.” Jared stops in front of the elevator. “You’re not scared of heights are you, Jenny?”
Jensen follows Jared’s gaze to the access hatch in the top of the car. “You have got to be fucking kidding me.”
“An hour.” Karl hangs up. “It’s done.” He looks at Blake.
“We should move everyone to the basement.”
Karl nods. Forty frightened people should be a large enough distraction for anyone trying to follow them. “Fine. Start to organise people and then we’ll move.” He raises his radio to his mouth. “Dixon.”
“Yeah.” A distorted response.
“You have thirty minutes. Get us through that wall.”
“We’ll be done in twenty.”
Karl grins.
“You okay?” Jared looks up, a small smirk on his face as he admires the view.
“Oh yeah. Great.” Jensen tightens his grip on the access ladder. “Where are we?”
Jared leans back from the ladder. “Ninth.”
Jensen shifts uncomfortably in his suit. “More than halfway.” Jensen states, an edge of hope to his voice.
“You’re doing great.” Jared starts moving again. “Although got to admit, I’d have thought the hide until it’s over option would have been more to your taste.”
Jensen stops and looks down at Jared. “Why?”
“No reason.” Jared shifts his shoulder slightly to try and get a more comfortable hold on the ladder.
“What did you mean?”
“Nothing. You just never struck me as the doing kind. Well, not this kind of doing.”
“Why, because I wanted to do something more with myself? Wanted to get out of that backward hole of a town and actually live my life?”
“Jen. This isn’t exactly the best time.”
“No, Jay. I want to know what you meant by - ”
“Jensen!” Jared reaches out as Jensen suddenly knocks into him. He panics, material slipping past him, as Jensen loses his grip.
“Jared!” Jensen grabs at Jared’s arm, his hands catching Jared’s wrist as he falls into empty space. There’s a low rumble below them, the confined space vibrating.
“Grab the ladder.” Jared swings Jensen awkwardly back towards the ladder, his shoulder burning as he tries to hold on to the other man with his weakened arm. “You on?”
Jensen wraps his arms around the ladder. “What the hell was that?”
“Some kind of explosion.” Jared winces and turns back to the side.
“Shit.” Jensen tightens his arms around the ladder. “Was it the cops?”
“I don’t know. Sounded small.”
“Small? It shook the fucking building.”
“At least the fucking building’s still standing.”
Jensen closes his eyes and steadies himself, trying to ignore the fact he could have just fallen nine floors.
“Jen.”
“Mmm?”
“We need to keep moving.”
“Okay. Just…” He takes a deep breath. “Give me a minute.”
Karl feels the low vibration run through the floor beneath him. The cops would know something had just happened but not necessarily what. Not just yet anyway. He checks his watch. It’s time to make another call and for the first and only hostage to be released.
“Pull.”
“I am fucking pulling.” Jensen grips the edge of the elevator door and continues to pull.
“You have a fucking foul mouth you know.”
Jensen laughs, the door slipping from his sweating hands. “Fuck it.”
Jared drops down on the elevator floor. He’s so tired, the wound to his arm starting to bleed again from the exertion.
“Sorry.” Jensen drops down beside him.
“It’s okay.” Jared leans his head back against the side and closes his eyes. “I just need a minute.”
Jensen turns his head. Jared looks pale. “Are you okay?” He shifts slightly to look at Jared’s bleeding arm, the material soaked red. “Shit.”
Jared opens his eyes and watches as Jensen gets up onto his knees and takes off his jacket. “What are you doing?”
“Making you a proper dressing.” He starts to tear at the lining of his jacket. “Can’t have you bleeding to death on me.”
Jared smiles. “It’s not that bad.”
“Still. Can’t hurt to look after you, right?” He reaches forwards and unties the filthy material from around Jared’s arm. He screws up his mouth and looks at the sticky wound. “It’s clotting.”
“See, it’s fine.”
Jensen looks a little higher, his fingers brushing the older, scarred tissue. “I wish you had called me.”
Jared meets Jensen’s eyes. “I just… I couldn’t.”
“I would have come back.”
“I didn’t want you to. I didn’t want you to hate me.”
Jensen gently takes the clean strip of material and loops it around Jared’s arm. “I missed you.”
“But your job?”
Jensen laughs and wraps the ends of the material over itself. “My job isn’t quite what I thought it would be.” He does a second knot and then sits back on his heels, surprised as Jared catches his wrist.
“I thought you… I thought it was what you wanted?”
“Perhaps at first. But five minutes before I boarded that plane, all I wanted was for you to stop me. To ask me to stay. But you didn’t and I thought…” Jensen gives a small smile. “I’ve been talking to Chris. I could have my old position back. I could come home…with you.”
Jared gives a low laugh.
“Jay?”
“I handed in a request for transfer before I left. A request to come out here.”
Jensen smiles and turns his hand so that Jared’s falls into his.
“It’s what I wanted to talk to you about. That I would push it through if we still had a chance.”
“If we ever get out of here. You and me, Padalecki, are going to have a long talk.”
Jared smiles and slowly drops his hand from Jensen’s. “Then, what the hell are we waiting for?”
“It’s done.”
Karl listens to Blake’s voice on the radio.
“She’s out. Time to bring down the others.”
“Holy shit.” Jensen coughs as his footsteps kick up the settled debris from the destroyed wall.
“Guess that’s what the explosion was.” Jared takes a few cautious steps towards the crumbling hole in the wall. “And how they plan on getting out of here.”
Jensen ducks down to look through the blown out wall. “Through there?” His voice low.
“The building next door.”
“But surely the FBI heard that?”
“Doesn’t mean they have a clue what’s going on.” Jared runs a hand over the rough concrete edge. “It does mean, however, in about five minutes SWAT or whoever will be coming in here to find out.”
“So, have they already gone?” Jensen barely finishes the question before there is a stinging pain at the base of his skull.
“No, they ain’t, bitch.”
Jensen falls forwards, his body landing amongst the rubble.
Jared looks from a dazed Jensen to the twisted metal pipe and the man that had used it.
“Now, how did you two pretty boys find your way down here?” Dixon asks.
Jared carefully steps back, his hands raised, Dixon circling around to his other side. “Bathroom?” He shrugs, starting to reach for the gun tucked in the back of his pants.
There’s a sharp laugh. “I don’t think so.” Dixon lunges forwards, swinging the metal pipe towards Jared’s head.
Jared has no time to arm himself. He ducks and tackles Dixon low; his shoulder impacting the other man’s stomach as they fall to the ground. Jared quickly straddles Dixon; heavy blows to Dixon’s head. A final blow to Dixon’s jaw and the guy’s out cold. He goes to move, surprised when there’s a white hot pain storming across his back.
“Jared!” Jensen calls out too late, another man standing behind Jared, a knife piercing Jared’s shoulder.
Jared feels the knife leave his body; he twists awkwardly to block a second attack, his arms barely diverting the knife from sinking in his side just below his ribcage.
Jensen scrambles to his feet. He can hear his heart pounding in his ears, a dull throb as he jumps onto the man’s back. He wraps his arms tightly around Nate’s head and throat, squeezing as tightly as he can. He holds on tight as he feels himself toppling backwards; the guy falling heavily on top of him.
Jared rolls to one side, the weight of the guy finally being pulled from him. He struggles onto his hands and knees, his fingers brushing the metal pipe Dixon had been holding. He wraps his hand tightly around it and struggles to his feet.
Jensen releases the guy as he receives a hard blow from an elbow to the side of his stomach. He shoves hard as he tries to free himself from beneath the larger body.
Nate twists around, reaffirming his hold on the knife. He goes to lunge at Jensen, only to find something coming around hard against the side of his head, blood bursting from between his lips.
Jared watches as Nate topples sideways. He stands over the dazed body. “Now who’re the bitches?” He raises the pipe and brings the end of it down hard into Nate’s shoulder, the guy screaming in agony. Jared swings his leg, his heavy foot smashing into the side of Nate’s head, knocking him out cold.
Jensen struggles to his feet and makes his way to Jared’s side. He breathes heavily as he looks down at the two unconscious men. “Remind me never to piss you off,” he says breathlessly.
Jared coughs and turns his shoulder, a dark patch spreading across the material of his sleeveless tee. “Shit.”
“Will you be okay?” Jensen looks worriedly at Jared’s back.
“I’ll survive.” Jared holds his arm close to his chest. It hurt like hell.
“Jay?”
“What?” Jared looks at the strange expression on Jensen’s face.
“What the hell is that?”
Jared follows Jensen’s stare. “No, no, no. You have got to be kidding me.” Jared moves unsteadily towards the large concrete pillar.
“Jared. Please, tell me that isn’t what I think it is.”
“No, it’s exactly what you think.” Jared stares at the rigged explosives and then starts to look around the large space. “And so are they.”
Jensen feels sick. Three more devices strapped to points within the basement. “But. If these go off…”
“The whole place comes down.”
“We have to get out of here.” Jensen takes a step back. “I mean. You can’t stop these, right?”
Jared shakes his head. “I can’t.”
“Okay. Then, what?”
Jared leans forwards and looks at the wires and panel. “I don’t think it’s on a timer. Looks more like a trigger of some kind. Which means, someone has the switch.”
“Sure. The crazy people upstairs.”
“Even they aren’t crazy enough to blow it while they’re still in the building.”
“And?”
“Get the switch and these things are near useless. I doubt they’re planning on hanging around to see the fireworks.”
“So, you have a plan?”
Jared stands up straight. “We wait. Let them come to us.”
“Oh, that’s great.” Jensen runs a hand through his hair, pale dust making a cloud around him.
Jared swallows uncomfortably. “Jen. I want you to go out through the building next door. Find help.”
“I’m not leaving you.”
“Please. I need you to do this.”
Jensen shakes his head. “I can’t.”
“Jen - ” Jared stops, sounds coming down the stairs. He turns to Jensen. “Go,” he hisses.
Jensen looks back at Jared and shakes his head.
“Go,” Jared whispers urgently, pushing Jensen’s arm, until the other man gives in and moves towards the broken wall. “I love you.”
Jensen nods and disappears through the gap.
Jared quickly makes his way across the large space, taking refuge at the far side of the room. He sinks to the floor, a smear of red on the wall following him downwards. He sits, lifting himself slightly to pull the gun from behind him. He holds the weapon close to his chest. He can hear voices and heavy footsteps. This isn’t just six people.
“Move.” A rough voice, bodies suddenly filling the space.
Jared stays still, partly concealed by abandoned boxes and waste. He watches as the guests are forced down into the space. He recognises an elderly woman who had insisted he try those amazing little pastry filled bites. He continues to watch, a small wash of relief as he spots Jeff being carried by two other guests; deathly pale, but he is alive, hands clutched desperately to his stomach.
Jared watches as Karl appears in the basement, a strange expression on the other man’s face as he looks around the basement. He’s seen his unconscious men.
“What the hell happened?” Karl demands, Blake crouching down beside Dixon’s body.
“I’d say our vermin problem.” Blake gets to his feet. “They’re alive.”
Karl nods. “Get them out of here.”
Jared watches as Karl steps up to the guests holding Jeff.
“Put him down.”
Jeff groans in discomfort as he is lowered to the floor.
Karl steps back to Blake and takes the automatic weapon from his hands. “Take them and the stuff. I’ll be right behind you. Need to say goodbye to someone first.”
Blake nods and collects together the bags of stolen property. He nods towards the other men. “Bring them. We’re leaving.”
Jared watches the men back towards the hole in the wall, their guns trailed on the confused guests. Slowly, he gets to his feet, his body still pressed firmly to the wall for support.
Karl raises his weapon and sprays bullets through the air. The guests suddenly start to scream; pushing and shoving to find freedom.
Jared watches as about forty people start to stampede, rushing towards the stairs, looking for a way to escape.
Karl laughs as he watches the chaos before him; bodies rushing upward toward the main foyer and panic bursting from their lungs as they find themselves locked in.
Karl steps forward. He drops the larger weapon and pulls out a handgun from the back of his belt. He stands over Jeff. “I want you to know that this was always about you. You did this.” Karl lowers the gun, his head tilting from side to side as he looks over the injured man, the gun trailing over Jeff’s body.
A shot is fired. A painful cry as the bullet rips through Jeff’s leg.
Karl smiles and reaches into his jacket pocket. “See this?” He holds out a small device in front of him. “Goodbye, Mr Morgan.”
Karl turns around, a fist slamming into his face.
“Fuck,” Jensen hisses as he shakes his hand, knuckles complaining from the blow.
Jared moves forward in surprise. “Jensen.”
Jensen looks at Jared, distracted.
“Jensen!” Jared rushes forwards, stopping as Karl wraps his arm around Jensen’s throat; the trigger in one hand, his gun in the other, a gun that he is now holding to the side of Jensen’s head.
“Stop, or he dies.” Karl pushes the end of the gun hard to Jensen’s cheek. “Any closer, and we all die.” Karl indicates the trigger wrapped in his fist.
Jared stops, the handgun he is holding now aimed towards the two bodies. He bites on his lip, the bodies merging into one. Fuck. “Let him go.”
There’s a laugh, an arm pulled tighter against Jensen’s throat. “I don’t think so. Now drop the weapon or I push this.”
Jared swallows, his eyes trained on Karl’s. “I can’t let you leave.”
“Then we all die.”
Jensen raises his hands to the arm at his throat as there is another violent pull against him. He struggles to breathe, as he slides fingers into the gap and tries to alleviate some of the pressure.
Jared meets Jensen’s eyes. He can’t let Karl destroy the building. “You wouldn’t.”
Karl laughs. “You think so?”
“Just shoot him,” Jensen says, roughly.
Jared closes one eye. He tries to focus his aim, tries to separate the two men.
“And risk shooting you? I don’t think so.”
“Jay.” Jensen’s voice small.
“Drop the gun,” Karl insists.
Jared looks from Karl back to Jensen. “I’m sorry.” He can’t take the risk. He starts to raise his hands, gun hanging loosely in his hand.
There is a sudden blur of movement. Jared looking on in horror as Jensen grabs Karl’s arm; hand and gun being dragged downwards.
There is a shot.
Jensen is falling, his body crumpling as he falls to the ground.
Karl looks to Jared, confusion etched on his face. There is a second shot, a bullet burning its way through skin and bone. Karl doesn’t have time to react, the bullet finding its spot, an instant kill; a trickle of red runs from Karl’s forehead.
Jared watches as Karl collapses, the trigger falling from his limp hand and rolling across the ground. “Jensen?” He moves quickly, falling to his knees beside Jensen’s limp body.
Gently he reaches out and rolls Jensen over onto his back. “Jensen?” He pushes his fingers to Jensen’s neck. There’s something. He’s sure he can feel something.
Jensen doesn’t answer, eyes closed, body limp, and red slowly seeping through his white shirt. Jared lowers his gun to the ground, hands reaching out to Jensen, pulling at the material at Jensen’s stomach. He pulls Jensen’s shirt from his pants and frantically opens it up to reveal broken skin. His hand hovers over the wound, blood beginning to pool at Jensen’s stomach and beneath the waistband of his pants.
Jared bites on his lip, looking at Jensen’s belt; scratched and twisted metal. The bullet being deflected, slowed. But was it enough? He leans in closer and moves to the wound, pushing lightly at Jensen’s flesh. He jumps back, startled as Jensen’s eyes fly open, a gasped breath as the injured man paws at his stomach, blood smearing around the wound.
“Jen,” Jared says, relief washing through him.
Jensen drops his head back against the hard ground, pain shooting through him, eyes rolling. Fuck, if it doesn’t hurt like hell; a burning pain through his stomach and ebbing outwards through his limbs.
“You’re okay. Stay with me.” Jared moves closer to Jensen, carefully lifting Jensen’s head into his lap. He folds his arms over Jensen’s, running soothing lines over the material of Jensen’s shirt. He watches as Jensen pushes against his stomach, sticky liquid oozing through his fingers; heavy breaths. “Stay with me.”
Four minutes, forty-two and point eight-three of a second. That is how long Jared holds Jensen in his arms. How long it takes before armed policemen make their way down into the basement, before he’s ordered to raise his hands, before Jensen’s taken away from him and he’s asked a tirade of questions.
Now he’s sitting in the back of the ambulance, a blanket wrapped around him as he watches the people moving around him. Guests glad of their freedom, more blankets and concerned relatives huddling around them. Police and fire services rush around and secure the area, the Morgan building and the building next door cordoned off. Karl’s men, cuffed, heads pushed down as they are put into the back of a van.
“We’re ready to go.”
Jared looks down at the female paramedic and nods. Stiffly, he steps down out of the ambulance and follows her across the street to a second ambulance. He looks at the collection of faces as he passes them, his eyes eventually falling on Jeff’s amongst the crowds; features pale beneath an oxygen mask as he is loaded into the back of another ambulance. The guy is a stubborn bastard, refusing to lie down and die. Jared gives a small smile; perhaps the guy isn’t so bad after all.
The paramedic pulls open the back door of the rig. “He’s stable now, pretty lucky actually.”
Jared nods and looks up into the back of the ambulance, Jensen laying silently, a mask over his face, straps holding him securely in place.
“You are with him, right?” The paramedic asks as Jared hesitates.
Jared smiles. “I am.” He steps up into the ambulance and sits down opposite Jensen. He waits until the doors are closed and then he leans in closer, his hand falling to Jensen’s.
Jared smiles as Jensen’s eyelids flutter and his eyes slowly open. “Hey.”
Jensen rolls his head to one side and looks at Jared through the haze of painkillers. He smiles, the mask moving uncomfortably against his chin. Slowly, he raises his hand, an IV line trailing up towards his face. He pulls the mask away, another smile as he feels Jared’s hand squeeze his lightly. “You’re still here.”
Jared leans forwards; a light kiss to Jensen’s forehead. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Jensen starts coughing, a small grimace at the still noticeable pain in his guts.
“Here.” Jared pulls the mask back up over Jensen’s mouth and nose. “Just for once…” Jared gently positions the mask. “Stop talking and listen.”
Jensen feels Jared squeeze his hand again. He meets Jared’s eyes.
“I love you. I always have and always will. I regret letting you go, not fighting for you.”
Jensen looks like he is about to say something, Jared shaking his head to stop him.
“Let me finish. Please.”
Jensen moves his head against the low pillow and listens as the engine is started and the ambulance begins to pull away.
“I want us to try again. We’ll talk properly, when you feel better, but whatever it takes, I’ll do it. I’ll move out here if I have to. So long as we’re together.” Jared looks down as Jensen’s hand turns over in his, fingers squeezing around his own.
“Yes.” A mumbled word from beneath the mask.
Jared smiles.
“But…” Jensen pulls the mask away for a second time and licks at his lips before continuing. “Next time? Please don’t let it take me getting shot for you to talk about how you feel.” Jensen smiles. “Because I don’t plan on doing it again. It hurts like fuck.”
Jared brushes back Jensen’s fringe. “No more getting shot.” He leans forward, his lips covering Jensen’s in a soft kiss. “I promise.”
Wherever You Are
Jared lies on the bed beside Jensen, teasingly holding the plated piece of cake in the air just out of Jensen’s reach.
“That’s mean,” Jensen whines and drops his arm weakly down on top of the quilt.
Jared grins and leans of Jensen, a lingering kiss before bringing the dessert within Jensen’s reach. “You wanna sit up?” He asks as he rests the plate gently on Jensen’s stomach.
“Please,” Jensen says.
Jared hands the plate to Jensen, and carefully helps him to sit up, pillows pushed in the gap between him and the headboard. “That okay?” He checks.
Jensen nods and looks at the cake, his stomach turning as a pain shoots across his abdomen. It has been a little over a week since he was released from the hospital, lucky the bullet hadn’t ripped through more than muscle and flesh. He gently lays a hand against his stomach, a grimace as he breathes in and out.
“Jen?” Jared asks worriedly.
Jensen forces a smile and holds the cake out to Jared. “It’s okay. Feel a little sick is all.”
Jared takes the plate, and reaches behind him to slide it onto the bedside table. He turns back to Jensen and gently rests his hand over Jensen’s. He doesn’t know what to say. He came so close to losing Jensen and he’s not sure how he can make that better. Sorry doesn’t seem enough.
“I’ll be okay,” he says quietly and turns his hand over, his fingers curling around Jared’s. Jared has stayed in LA, a constant part of Jensen’s life for the last couple of weeks. He’s talked about a transfer, coming to the city, anything to make this thing between them work. Jensen leans sideways, his head resting on Jared’s shoulder. “I was thinking. When things get better we should take a vacation,” Jensen tells him.
Jared smiles, his other hand coming up to stroke through Jensen’s hair. “A vacation? What’s one of those again?”
Jensen laughs, his hand tightening around Jared’s as it creates a pressure on his mending stomach. It was true; vacations had never really been high priority. Jared was always working late and doing cop things, and Jensen? Well, Jensen had pretty much buried himself in his P.A job; doing anything he possibly could to dig himself out of Boulder and into the brighter, real world. But as he found out, things aren’t always greener on the other side.
“I can take some extended leave,” Jared tells him. “Maybe we could stay with my folks and day trip out from there?”
Jensen shrugs. He doesn’t mind.
“And after?” Jared continues. “What would we do after?”
Jensen gently rests his other hand over Jared’s and starts to draw soft circles. “After we go home.”
Jared presses his cheek to Jensen’s forehead, a soft kiss. “And home is?” He hasn’t wanted to push for Jensen’s decision, just as Jensen hasn’t wanted to push for his.
Jensen smiles. “Together in Boulder,” he says quietly.
“You’d move back?” Jared is a little surprised.
“I think I’ve had enough excitement as I can take here in LA. I miss small and comfortable. I’m good at what I do, but out here…” He tilted his head back and looked up at Jared. “It can get lonely.”
Jared leans down, soft kisses to the side of Jensen’s mouth. “I could move here. I would move here to be with you.”
Jensen shakes his head. “You’d hate it. Perhaps hate me because of it. I don’t want that.”
Jared nuzzles his head against the crook of Jensen’s neck. He probably would hate it.
Jensen carefully lifts Jared’s hand from his stomach and looks past him towards the bedside; all this thinking has kind of made him hungry again. He looks pathetically up at Jared, his nurse. “Cake,” he says childishly.
Jared laughs and shoves Jensen lightly on his shoulder. “Just don’t expect all this special treatment when we get home.”
Jensen smiles and holds his hands out. “I better make the most of it then.” He takes the plate and quickly takes a bite of the chocolate layered cake. He looks at Jared and grins mischievously. “I’ll have a coffee.”
Jensen’s eyelids flutter, a sharp pain in his skull as he slowly becomes aware of himself and his surroundings. He goes to raise his hand, finding it bound at the wrist to the arm of a chair. He frowns and opens his eyes fully. He looks at the desk in front of him, the same desk he was held over. He glances around the room, his stomach spinning. It’s the same room, he’s sitting in the same place that…
Jensen looks down at the chair, eyes falling to a red smear against the expensive tiled floor. Jeff is gone. Jensen pulls frantically at his arms trying to free them. He’s alone, no guards, no Karl. He looks towards the window. He can see the group of guests huddled together; three armed men standing around them.
He starts to twist his wrists, the sticky tape tight against his skin. He glances to the window. No one is watching him. He continues to pull and twist; the tape slackening.
“Come on.” He clenches his teeth and concentrates on one hand. He curls up his fist and rotates it. “Shit.” The tape starts collecting in a thick bundle, stiff edges digging into the back of his hand.
Jensen keeps an eye on the window, a small gasp as his hand wrenches from the restraint. His wrist feels like it’s on fire as he grabs at his other hand, fingernails clawing at the tape. He doesn’t know what he’ll do if he manages to gain his freedom but he can’t stay here and do nothing.
“Karl.”
Karl raises a hand as Blake walks into the small office and presses the phone closer to his ear. “And I expect a helicopter to get me and my men out of here.” He hangs up and spins the chair, a grin spreading across his face.
Blake looks at him curiously. “What?”
“The cops should be preoccupied for a while. Gave them a nice long list of demands.” Karl leans back in the chair. “So, our little problem?”
Blake shakes his head. “He killed Rico and Adam. And Stone, I don’t know.”
Karl closes his eyes.
“We need to hurry this up.”
Karl sighs and opens his eyes. “And when our friend is awake again, we will.”
“Yes and if you hadn’t…” Blake catches the cold stare of Karl’s blue eyes. “I’m just saying, it was unnecessary.”
Karl reaches forwards and takes the hand gun from the glass top of the large desk. “Let’s go see if we can get things moving. He should be waking up just now.”
Blake nods.
“Then we can get the fuck out of here.”
Jared sits and stares at the bound and gagged man sitting in between the open elevator door. He rubs a hand over his tired eyes, his arm complaining at the movement. He’s starting to think the bad guys have something against his left arm, the older scarred skin now smeared with blood.
“So, you feel up to talking yet?” Jared watches as the guy stretches his neck: a small defiance in the way he looks back at Jared. “It would save me a lot of time and effort if you just told me why you are here.”
A mumbled curse.
Jared gets to his feet and takes a few slow steps to stand over the other man. He reaches forwards and pulls the soiled shirt from the guy’s mouth. “Say something?”
The guy stretches his mouth. “I said you’re a fucking - ”
Jared rams the material back against swollen lips. “You know, there is an easy and a hard way of doing this.”
The guy doesn’t try to say anything.
“I tried to be nice.” Jared returns to the desk, picking up the handgun he had found when he searched the guy who is now bound before him. “I even said please that first time. But I’m bored of nice. People are dying.” He presses the gun against the guy’s crotch. “So, easy or…” He moves his wrist slightly, making the guy flinch. “Hard?”
There’s a shake of a head and a muffled refusal.
“Fine.” Jared moves the gun lower and squeezes the trigger, a shot fired into the heavy boot the guy is wearing.
There’s a painful sound and awkward breaths from behind the muting material.
Jared slowly moves the gun towards the guy’s other foot.
“Nnnnn.”
Jared stops and looks up; frantic nods and mumbled words in his direction. He lowers the gun and reaches forwards, pulling the material away once more, the knotted strip of shirt hanging loosely around the other man’s neck.
“OK, OK.” Sweat is beading on the guy’s forehead as he bites back the pain.
Jared smiles. “Let’s start easy. Name?”
“Stone,” he says roughly.
“Well, Stone. What the fuck are you doing here?”
Stone coughs as pain shoots up his leg.
“Hey. Unless you want a matching pair.” Jared holds the gun over Stone’s good foot, his finger hovering over the trigger.
“Money.”
Jared gives a sniffed laugh. “Money?”
“All that fancy shit on the guests downstairs.”
Jared frowns. “That’s it?” He turns away from Stone, a hand running over his mouth.
Stone shrugs beneath the twisted wires and cables. “It’s what I agreed for my payment.”
Jared turns back to face him. “Your payment? Then what the hell are you doing here?”
Stone smiles. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”
Jared goes to raise the gun but is surprised as Stone launches himself from the chair, the metal frame clattering to the elevator floor. The gun is knocked from Jared’s hand, a knife flashing past his head. Sneaky bastard. Jared falls heavily on one of the desks, his injured arm burning as he tries to take Stone’s weight, tries to stop the knife planting itself in his neck. Fuck.
Jensen quietly pulls open the drawer in Jeff’s desk. He smiles and reaches for the small key, his means of escape. Either Karl hadn’t done his homework or they had just failed to consider it; Jeff’s private elevator, running parallel to the other. Jensen looks up, barked orders from the room outside. Shit. He quickly makes his way across the office and inserts the key in the panel on the wall, the elevator doors sliding open. He doesn’t hesitate and steps inside.
“Okay.” He stares at the buttons for the floors. What the hell. He pushes one of the floors, the doors sliding shut.
Jared falls heavily back against the edge of the desk, a sharp pain at the base of his spine as his body collides with the wooden surface. Stone slices the knife in his direction, cutting only air as Jared drops to his knees and rolls away.
“I don’t want to hurt you,” Jared says breathlessly, his hand held out in front of him from his crouched position a few feet away.
Stone just laughs.
Jared’s eyes look past Stone towards the handgun that had fallen towards the elevator in the initial struggle, the larger automatic lying on a table too far from his, and thankfully Stone’s, reach.
Stone follows Jared’s eyes and notices the gun. He starts to edge backwards.
Jared rushes forwards grabbing Stone’s arms. He pushes as hard as he can, moving the other man backwards and forcing him up against the wall. Jared wraps his hand tightly around Stone’s wrist and begins slamming it up against the wall, the other man’s grip on the knife loosening.
Stone brings his knee up hard into Jared’s stomach, the knife falling to the ground. He grabs hold of Jared, another knee high into Jared’s stomach. He twists his fingers tightly into the material of Jared’s clothing and spins him around, throwing him back across the room and amongst the furniture.
Jared lands hard against the solid furniture and falls to the ground. He feels himself being rolled over onto his back, strong legs suddenly straddling him, even stronger hands wrapping around his throat. He struggles for air, fingers digging into his flesh, squeezing and restricting his airway. He lashes out awkwardly with his arms, a blow or two to the side of Stone’s head, but the man on top of him isn’t dazed; hands continue pushing down hard against him. He raises his hands and claws at Stone’s grip. He gasps for air, dark spots starting to float across his vision, his senses dulling.
There’s a muffled pop, the hold on Jared suddenly loosening. He takes deep, lung filling breaths, Stone’s body starting to slump forwards across him. He pushes at the dead weight on top of him. As Stone falls away from him, another figure comes into view; the gun still shakily aiming in his direction.
“Jen?” Jared manages; his throat sore and rough from the pressure of Stone’s hands.
Jensen takes a step away from him, the gun falling from his hands. He feels dizzy. He just shot a man. He just killed someone. He swallows uncomfortably and looks up at Jared as Jared walks over to him.
“Jen.”
Jensen lets out a heavy breath and wraps his arms around Jared’s neck. “He was going to…”
Jared wraps his good arm around Jensen’s waist, pulling him close. “Shh. It’s okay.”
“I picked up the gun. I…”
Jared leans back and meets Jensen’s startlingly bright eyes in contrast to his paled features; a green stare meeting his. “You didn’t have a choice.”
Jensen looks past Jared to the motionless body and then turns back to Jared. “Why’s this happening?”
Jared shakes his head. “I don’t know.” He raises his hands to Jensen’s face and gently soothes lines across his cheeks. “I was so scared that…”
Jensen closes his eyes and lets Jared kiss him, strong hands on him, pulling him closer, there to protect him. “Me too,” he says against Jared’s mouth.
Jared moves his hands higher, fingertips brushing the broken skin at Jensen’s hairline. “What happened?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
Jared sighs and pulls away, a small grimace as he lowers his injured arm.
“You’re hurt.” Jensen looks at Jared’s poorly bandaged arm.
“It’s okay.” Jared looks down at the torn material from his shirt.
Jensen nods slowly and takes a few deep breaths.
“How did you get up here?”
Jensen looks up at Jared. “The elevator. I mean Jeff’s.” Jensen closes his eyes. Jeff.
“Jen?” Jared finds it incredible to believe but Jensen seems to turn a shade even paler than he was.
“Jeff. He was hurt. I don’t know where he is.”
“What happened?”
“Erm…” Jensen raises a shaky hand to his forehead. “The guy, Karl. He wanted details on a company. Jeff hadn’t done it, they shot him. They needed me to be able to get to the information.”
“A company?”
“Yeah. One of Jeff’s acquisitions. Erm…” Jensen thinks for a moment, so much has happened this evening. “Lendon. Something called Lendon.”
“Any ideas what that is?”
Jensen shakes his head. “The Foundation’s bought out or invested in over fifty companies just this year and it’s been doing so for twenty years. I’ve been here two months, I have no idea.”
Jared frowns. “This Karl? He say anything else?”
Jensen shrugs. “I got knocked out. When I woke up I was alone and now, well, here I am. He didn’t say anything. He seemed to know Jeff though, said something like ‘it’s been a long time’. Sounded like maybe they knew each other somehow but…”
“What?”
“It didn’t seem like Jeff knew him.”
Jared sighs and pulls Jensen back towards him. “Right now, all I care about is getting you out of here and somewhere safe. We can figure the rest out later.”
Jensen rests his chin against the warmth of Jared’s chest. “What will you do?”
“Try and make sure nobody else gets hurt.”
“The other guests?” He asks quietly.
“Is there anyone else with access to those files?”
Jensen shakes his head. “No one that’s here. Just some tech guys who set the system up.”
Jared bites at his lip. The guests are of no real use to Karl now.
“What is it?” Jensen looks concerned.
“We need to get you out of here.”
“I can’t leave them. I have to find Jeff.”
Jared meets Jensen’s eyes. Is there something there, feelings for Jeff? Even if they get out of here, is it too late for them? “You care about him, don’t you?”
Jensen looks up at Jared. “He’s my boss; my friend.”
Jared swallows and lets Jensen pull away from him.
“And I won’t run away like a scared child. Whatever it is you’re planning on doing, let me help.”
“If anything were to happen to you. I could never…”
Jensen leans forwards, his mouth over Jared’s. “Nothing will happen.”
“Fuck.” A foot kicks hard at the empty chair, sending it flying across the office and toppling over. “Why was no one watching him?”
Blake stands up straight.
“We needed him.”
“No. You needed him. We have what we came for,” Blake reminds him. “Maybe it is time to go.”
Karl runs his hands back through his dark hair. “No. Morgan destroyed everything. He destroyed my father.”
“And you put a bullet in his stomach. We should leave. Take what we have. It isn’t worth it anymore.”
“Then leave. I’ll finish this myself.” He goes to walk past Blake, surprised as the office suddenly falls into darkness.
Jensen looks at Jared through the dim light. “What’s going on?”
Jared rushes across the room towards the window.
“Jared,” Jensen calls after him; a slow jog as he follows.
“The cops.”
“Cops?”
“Yeah. I called them.”
“So, that’s a good thing, right?”
“Depends.”
Jensen looks down from the window; small dots of light beneath them; red and blue. “Depends how?”
“The locals will only deal so far. If the FBI are here then… this could be the start of something big.” Jared starts back across the room towards the desks.
“Like what?” Jensen turns to watch him.
“They could be coming in. Fuck everyone and just…” Jared sighs and crouches down to retrieve a radio from amongst the disturbed furniture.
“What?”
Jared looks down at the radio and starts changing the settings.
“What, Jared?” Jensen’s frustrated by Jared’s sudden silence.
“Things will go to shit.” Jared raises the radio to his mouth. “Can any one hear me?”
Jensen looks to the radio in Jared’s hand as they listen to the low static.
“This is Detective Padalecki. Badge number 5635, Colorado State. Is there anyone on this frequency? I am inside the Morgan building, please respond.”
More silence.
“What are you doing?” Jensen asks.
“Hoping.”
“We need to move,” Blake insists, clutching his weapon close to himself. “You know what this means.”
“I need those files. He stole that company from my father. I am taking back what is mine.”
“They are coming in here, Karl. They will find the dead guard; they will not be hanging around to ask questions.”
“And how exactly do you hope to get out of here?”
“We stick to the original plan. Call them.”
“And tell them what?”
“We’re ready to deal. As a sign of good faith you are sending out some hostages.”
Karl gives a sniffed laugh. “Right.”
“We have the charges. Nate and Dixon already started.”
Karl runs his hands through his hair. “The foundations would hold?”
“Yes. They did the math. It’ll work and before they know what happened, we’ll be gone.”
“No.” Karl shakes his head.
“What?”
“No. The foundations won’t hold.”
Blake frowns.
“I want to see this building come crashing down around Morgan’s head.”
“And the others? It’s a twenty storey building.”
“Collateral damage.”
Jensen watches as Jared paces in front of him, the radio held in his hand. “There isn’t anybody there, Jay.”
Jared fists his hand around the handset. “Fuck.” He throws the radio hard; the plastic casing splintering as it flies past Jensen and impacts the thick glass window.
Jensen looks at the shattered plastic and pieces of circuit board. “Well, that didn’t help.”
Jared gives him a chilling glare. “Thanks for pointing that out.”
Jensen sighs. “So?”
“What?”
“Well, we can’t just sit up here and hope for the best. We have to try and do something.” Jensen watches Jared cautiously. “We have to help Jeff and the others.”
“And how do you suggest we do that? There’s what? Eight guys running around this building? We have no idea where they are or what they’re planning.”
“Jay.” Jensen walks over to Jared, his hand seeking out Jared’s. “Please.”
Jared feels Jensen’s fingers tightening around his.
“We have to do something.”
Jared takes a deep breath and nods in agreement. “Eight guys. At least two with the hostages, right?”
Jensen nods. “Three. And then Karl, he seems to be in charge.”
“So, definitely four unaccounted for.”
Jensen slowly shakes his head. “There’s two in the basement.”
Jared looks at Jensen curiously. “The basement? What’s down there?”
Jensen shrugs. “Pipes? I don’t know. There’s no computers or security systems down there.”
“There must be something.”
“Sure, concrete mostly. It was to become an underground parking area but plans were never completed, something to do with the neighbouring buildings.”
“Come on.” Jared tugs on Jensen’s arm.
“Where are we going?”
“To the basement.”
“Jared, we’re twenty floors up and the powers out.”
“Yeah, I noticed that.” Jared stops in front of the elevator. “You’re not scared of heights are you, Jenny?”
Jensen follows Jared’s gaze to the access hatch in the top of the car. “You have got to be fucking kidding me.”
“An hour.” Karl hangs up. “It’s done.” He looks at Blake.
“We should move everyone to the basement.”
Karl nods. Forty frightened people should be a large enough distraction for anyone trying to follow them. “Fine. Start to organise people and then we’ll move.” He raises his radio to his mouth. “Dixon.”
“Yeah.” A distorted response.
“You have thirty minutes. Get us through that wall.”
“We’ll be done in twenty.”
Karl grins.
“You okay?” Jared looks up, a small smirk on his face as he admires the view.
“Oh yeah. Great.” Jensen tightens his grip on the access ladder. “Where are we?”
Jared leans back from the ladder. “Ninth.”
Jensen shifts uncomfortably in his suit. “More than halfway.” Jensen states, an edge of hope to his voice.
“You’re doing great.” Jared starts moving again. “Although got to admit, I’d have thought the hide until it’s over option would have been more to your taste.”
Jensen stops and looks down at Jared. “Why?”
“No reason.” Jared shifts his shoulder slightly to try and get a more comfortable hold on the ladder.
“What did you mean?”
“Nothing. You just never struck me as the doing kind. Well, not this kind of doing.”
“Why, because I wanted to do something more with myself? Wanted to get out of that backward hole of a town and actually live my life?”
“Jen. This isn’t exactly the best time.”
“No, Jay. I want to know what you meant by - ”
“Jensen!” Jared reaches out as Jensen suddenly knocks into him. He panics, material slipping past him, as Jensen loses his grip.
“Jared!” Jensen grabs at Jared’s arm, his hands catching Jared’s wrist as he falls into empty space. There’s a low rumble below them, the confined space vibrating.
“Grab the ladder.” Jared swings Jensen awkwardly back towards the ladder, his shoulder burning as he tries to hold on to the other man with his weakened arm. “You on?”
Jensen wraps his arms around the ladder. “What the hell was that?”
“Some kind of explosion.” Jared winces and turns back to the side.
“Shit.” Jensen tightens his arms around the ladder. “Was it the cops?”
“I don’t know. Sounded small.”
“Small? It shook the fucking building.”
“At least the fucking building’s still standing.”
Jensen closes his eyes and steadies himself, trying to ignore the fact he could have just fallen nine floors.
“Jen.”
“Mmm?”
“We need to keep moving.”
“Okay. Just…” He takes a deep breath. “Give me a minute.”
Karl feels the low vibration run through the floor beneath him. The cops would know something had just happened but not necessarily what. Not just yet anyway. He checks his watch. It’s time to make another call and for the first and only hostage to be released.
“Pull.”
“I am fucking pulling.” Jensen grips the edge of the elevator door and continues to pull.
“You have a fucking foul mouth you know.”
Jensen laughs, the door slipping from his sweating hands. “Fuck it.”
Jared drops down on the elevator floor. He’s so tired, the wound to his arm starting to bleed again from the exertion.
“Sorry.” Jensen drops down beside him.
“It’s okay.” Jared leans his head back against the side and closes his eyes. “I just need a minute.”
Jensen turns his head. Jared looks pale. “Are you okay?” He shifts slightly to look at Jared’s bleeding arm, the material soaked red. “Shit.”
Jared opens his eyes and watches as Jensen gets up onto his knees and takes off his jacket. “What are you doing?”
“Making you a proper dressing.” He starts to tear at the lining of his jacket. “Can’t have you bleeding to death on me.”
Jared smiles. “It’s not that bad.”
“Still. Can’t hurt to look after you, right?” He reaches forwards and unties the filthy material from around Jared’s arm. He screws up his mouth and looks at the sticky wound. “It’s clotting.”
“See, it’s fine.”
Jensen looks a little higher, his fingers brushing the older, scarred tissue. “I wish you had called me.”
Jared meets Jensen’s eyes. “I just… I couldn’t.”
“I would have come back.”
“I didn’t want you to. I didn’t want you to hate me.”
Jensen gently takes the clean strip of material and loops it around Jared’s arm. “I missed you.”
“But your job?”
Jensen laughs and wraps the ends of the material over itself. “My job isn’t quite what I thought it would be.” He does a second knot and then sits back on his heels, surprised as Jared catches his wrist.
“I thought you… I thought it was what you wanted?”
“Perhaps at first. But five minutes before I boarded that plane, all I wanted was for you to stop me. To ask me to stay. But you didn’t and I thought…” Jensen gives a small smile. “I’ve been talking to Chris. I could have my old position back. I could come home…with you.”
Jared gives a low laugh.
“Jay?”
“I handed in a request for transfer before I left. A request to come out here.”
Jensen smiles and turns his hand so that Jared’s falls into his.
“It’s what I wanted to talk to you about. That I would push it through if we still had a chance.”
“If we ever get out of here. You and me, Padalecki, are going to have a long talk.”
Jared smiles and slowly drops his hand from Jensen’s. “Then, what the hell are we waiting for?”
“It’s done.”
Karl listens to Blake’s voice on the radio.
“She’s out. Time to bring down the others.”
“Holy shit.” Jensen coughs as his footsteps kick up the settled debris from the destroyed wall.
“Guess that’s what the explosion was.” Jared takes a few cautious steps towards the crumbling hole in the wall. “And how they plan on getting out of here.”
Jensen ducks down to look through the blown out wall. “Through there?” His voice low.
“The building next door.”
“But surely the FBI heard that?”
“Doesn’t mean they have a clue what’s going on.” Jared runs a hand over the rough concrete edge. “It does mean, however, in about five minutes SWAT or whoever will be coming in here to find out.”
“So, have they already gone?” Jensen barely finishes the question before there is a stinging pain at the base of his skull.
“No, they ain’t, bitch.”
Jensen falls forwards, his body landing amongst the rubble.
Jared looks from a dazed Jensen to the twisted metal pipe and the man that had used it.
“Now, how did you two pretty boys find your way down here?” Dixon asks.
Jared carefully steps back, his hands raised, Dixon circling around to his other side. “Bathroom?” He shrugs, starting to reach for the gun tucked in the back of his pants.
There’s a sharp laugh. “I don’t think so.” Dixon lunges forwards, swinging the metal pipe towards Jared’s head.
Jared has no time to arm himself. He ducks and tackles Dixon low; his shoulder impacting the other man’s stomach as they fall to the ground. Jared quickly straddles Dixon; heavy blows to Dixon’s head. A final blow to Dixon’s jaw and the guy’s out cold. He goes to move, surprised when there’s a white hot pain storming across his back.
“Jared!” Jensen calls out too late, another man standing behind Jared, a knife piercing Jared’s shoulder.
Jared feels the knife leave his body; he twists awkwardly to block a second attack, his arms barely diverting the knife from sinking in his side just below his ribcage.
Jensen scrambles to his feet. He can hear his heart pounding in his ears, a dull throb as he jumps onto the man’s back. He wraps his arms tightly around Nate’s head and throat, squeezing as tightly as he can. He holds on tight as he feels himself toppling backwards; the guy falling heavily on top of him.
Jared rolls to one side, the weight of the guy finally being pulled from him. He struggles onto his hands and knees, his fingers brushing the metal pipe Dixon had been holding. He wraps his hand tightly around it and struggles to his feet.
Jensen releases the guy as he receives a hard blow from an elbow to the side of his stomach. He shoves hard as he tries to free himself from beneath the larger body.
Nate twists around, reaffirming his hold on the knife. He goes to lunge at Jensen, only to find something coming around hard against the side of his head, blood bursting from between his lips.
Jared watches as Nate topples sideways. He stands over the dazed body. “Now who’re the bitches?” He raises the pipe and brings the end of it down hard into Nate’s shoulder, the guy screaming in agony. Jared swings his leg, his heavy foot smashing into the side of Nate’s head, knocking him out cold.
Jensen struggles to his feet and makes his way to Jared’s side. He breathes heavily as he looks down at the two unconscious men. “Remind me never to piss you off,” he says breathlessly.
Jared coughs and turns his shoulder, a dark patch spreading across the material of his sleeveless tee. “Shit.”
“Will you be okay?” Jensen looks worriedly at Jared’s back.
“I’ll survive.” Jared holds his arm close to his chest. It hurt like hell.
“Jay?”
“What?” Jared looks at the strange expression on Jensen’s face.
“What the hell is that?”
Jared follows Jensen’s stare. “No, no, no. You have got to be kidding me.” Jared moves unsteadily towards the large concrete pillar.
“Jared. Please, tell me that isn’t what I think it is.”
“No, it’s exactly what you think.” Jared stares at the rigged explosives and then starts to look around the large space. “And so are they.”
Jensen feels sick. Three more devices strapped to points within the basement. “But. If these go off…”
“The whole place comes down.”
“We have to get out of here.” Jensen takes a step back. “I mean. You can’t stop these, right?”
Jared shakes his head. “I can’t.”
“Okay. Then, what?”
Jared leans forwards and looks at the wires and panel. “I don’t think it’s on a timer. Looks more like a trigger of some kind. Which means, someone has the switch.”
“Sure. The crazy people upstairs.”
“Even they aren’t crazy enough to blow it while they’re still in the building.”
“And?”
“Get the switch and these things are near useless. I doubt they’re planning on hanging around to see the fireworks.”
“So, you have a plan?”
Jared stands up straight. “We wait. Let them come to us.”
“Oh, that’s great.” Jensen runs a hand through his hair, pale dust making a cloud around him.
Jared swallows uncomfortably. “Jen. I want you to go out through the building next door. Find help.”
“I’m not leaving you.”
“Please. I need you to do this.”
Jensen shakes his head. “I can’t.”
“Jen - ” Jared stops, sounds coming down the stairs. He turns to Jensen. “Go,” he hisses.
Jensen looks back at Jared and shakes his head.
“Go,” Jared whispers urgently, pushing Jensen’s arm, until the other man gives in and moves towards the broken wall. “I love you.”
Jensen nods and disappears through the gap.
Jared quickly makes his way across the large space, taking refuge at the far side of the room. He sinks to the floor, a smear of red on the wall following him downwards. He sits, lifting himself slightly to pull the gun from behind him. He holds the weapon close to his chest. He can hear voices and heavy footsteps. This isn’t just six people.
“Move.” A rough voice, bodies suddenly filling the space.
Jared stays still, partly concealed by abandoned boxes and waste. He watches as the guests are forced down into the space. He recognises an elderly woman who had insisted he try those amazing little pastry filled bites. He continues to watch, a small wash of relief as he spots Jeff being carried by two other guests; deathly pale, but he is alive, hands clutched desperately to his stomach.
Jared watches as Karl appears in the basement, a strange expression on the other man’s face as he looks around the basement. He’s seen his unconscious men.
“What the hell happened?” Karl demands, Blake crouching down beside Dixon’s body.
“I’d say our vermin problem.” Blake gets to his feet. “They’re alive.”
Karl nods. “Get them out of here.”
Jared watches as Karl steps up to the guests holding Jeff.
“Put him down.”
Jeff groans in discomfort as he is lowered to the floor.
Karl steps back to Blake and takes the automatic weapon from his hands. “Take them and the stuff. I’ll be right behind you. Need to say goodbye to someone first.”
Blake nods and collects together the bags of stolen property. He nods towards the other men. “Bring them. We’re leaving.”
Jared watches the men back towards the hole in the wall, their guns trailed on the confused guests. Slowly, he gets to his feet, his body still pressed firmly to the wall for support.
Karl raises his weapon and sprays bullets through the air. The guests suddenly start to scream; pushing and shoving to find freedom.
Jared watches as about forty people start to stampede, rushing towards the stairs, looking for a way to escape.
Karl laughs as he watches the chaos before him; bodies rushing upward toward the main foyer and panic bursting from their lungs as they find themselves locked in.
Karl steps forward. He drops the larger weapon and pulls out a handgun from the back of his belt. He stands over Jeff. “I want you to know that this was always about you. You did this.” Karl lowers the gun, his head tilting from side to side as he looks over the injured man, the gun trailing over Jeff’s body.
A shot is fired. A painful cry as the bullet rips through Jeff’s leg.
Karl smiles and reaches into his jacket pocket. “See this?” He holds out a small device in front of him. “Goodbye, Mr Morgan.”
Karl turns around, a fist slamming into his face.
“Fuck,” Jensen hisses as he shakes his hand, knuckles complaining from the blow.
Jared moves forward in surprise. “Jensen.”
Jensen looks at Jared, distracted.
“Jensen!” Jared rushes forwards, stopping as Karl wraps his arm around Jensen’s throat; the trigger in one hand, his gun in the other, a gun that he is now holding to the side of Jensen’s head.
“Stop, or he dies.” Karl pushes the end of the gun hard to Jensen’s cheek. “Any closer, and we all die.” Karl indicates the trigger wrapped in his fist.
Jared stops, the handgun he is holding now aimed towards the two bodies. He bites on his lip, the bodies merging into one. Fuck. “Let him go.”
There’s a laugh, an arm pulled tighter against Jensen’s throat. “I don’t think so. Now drop the weapon or I push this.”
Jared swallows, his eyes trained on Karl’s. “I can’t let you leave.”
“Then we all die.”
Jensen raises his hands to the arm at his throat as there is another violent pull against him. He struggles to breathe, as he slides fingers into the gap and tries to alleviate some of the pressure.
Jared meets Jensen’s eyes. He can’t let Karl destroy the building. “You wouldn’t.”
Karl laughs. “You think so?”
“Just shoot him,” Jensen says, roughly.
Jared closes one eye. He tries to focus his aim, tries to separate the two men.
“And risk shooting you? I don’t think so.”
“Jay.” Jensen’s voice small.
“Drop the gun,” Karl insists.
Jared looks from Karl back to Jensen. “I’m sorry.” He can’t take the risk. He starts to raise his hands, gun hanging loosely in his hand.
There is a sudden blur of movement. Jared looking on in horror as Jensen grabs Karl’s arm; hand and gun being dragged downwards.
There is a shot.
Jensen is falling, his body crumpling as he falls to the ground.
Karl looks to Jared, confusion etched on his face. There is a second shot, a bullet burning its way through skin and bone. Karl doesn’t have time to react, the bullet finding its spot, an instant kill; a trickle of red runs from Karl’s forehead.
Jared watches as Karl collapses, the trigger falling from his limp hand and rolling across the ground. “Jensen?” He moves quickly, falling to his knees beside Jensen’s limp body.
Gently he reaches out and rolls Jensen over onto his back. “Jensen?” He pushes his fingers to Jensen’s neck. There’s something. He’s sure he can feel something.
Jensen doesn’t answer, eyes closed, body limp, and red slowly seeping through his white shirt. Jared lowers his gun to the ground, hands reaching out to Jensen, pulling at the material at Jensen’s stomach. He pulls Jensen’s shirt from his pants and frantically opens it up to reveal broken skin. His hand hovers over the wound, blood beginning to pool at Jensen’s stomach and beneath the waistband of his pants.
Jared bites on his lip, looking at Jensen’s belt; scratched and twisted metal. The bullet being deflected, slowed. But was it enough? He leans in closer and moves to the wound, pushing lightly at Jensen’s flesh. He jumps back, startled as Jensen’s eyes fly open, a gasped breath as the injured man paws at his stomach, blood smearing around the wound.
“Jen,” Jared says, relief washing through him.
Jensen drops his head back against the hard ground, pain shooting through him, eyes rolling. Fuck, if it doesn’t hurt like hell; a burning pain through his stomach and ebbing outwards through his limbs.
“You’re okay. Stay with me.” Jared moves closer to Jensen, carefully lifting Jensen’s head into his lap. He folds his arms over Jensen’s, running soothing lines over the material of Jensen’s shirt. He watches as Jensen pushes against his stomach, sticky liquid oozing through his fingers; heavy breaths. “Stay with me.”
Four minutes, forty-two and point eight-three of a second. That is how long Jared holds Jensen in his arms. How long it takes before armed policemen make their way down into the basement, before he’s ordered to raise his hands, before Jensen’s taken away from him and he’s asked a tirade of questions.
Now he’s sitting in the back of the ambulance, a blanket wrapped around him as he watches the people moving around him. Guests glad of their freedom, more blankets and concerned relatives huddling around them. Police and fire services rush around and secure the area, the Morgan building and the building next door cordoned off. Karl’s men, cuffed, heads pushed down as they are put into the back of a van.
“We’re ready to go.”
Jared looks down at the female paramedic and nods. Stiffly, he steps down out of the ambulance and follows her across the street to a second ambulance. He looks at the collection of faces as he passes them, his eyes eventually falling on Jeff’s amongst the crowds; features pale beneath an oxygen mask as he is loaded into the back of another ambulance. The guy is a stubborn bastard, refusing to lie down and die. Jared gives a small smile; perhaps the guy isn’t so bad after all.
The paramedic pulls open the back door of the rig. “He’s stable now, pretty lucky actually.”
Jared nods and looks up into the back of the ambulance, Jensen laying silently, a mask over his face, straps holding him securely in place.
“You are with him, right?” The paramedic asks as Jared hesitates.
Jared smiles. “I am.” He steps up into the ambulance and sits down opposite Jensen. He waits until the doors are closed and then he leans in closer, his hand falling to Jensen’s.
Jared smiles as Jensen’s eyelids flutter and his eyes slowly open. “Hey.”
Jensen rolls his head to one side and looks at Jared through the haze of painkillers. He smiles, the mask moving uncomfortably against his chin. Slowly, he raises his hand, an IV line trailing up towards his face. He pulls the mask away, another smile as he feels Jared’s hand squeeze his lightly. “You’re still here.”
Jared leans forwards; a light kiss to Jensen’s forehead. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Jensen starts coughing, a small grimace at the still noticeable pain in his guts.
“Here.” Jared pulls the mask back up over Jensen’s mouth and nose. “Just for once…” Jared gently positions the mask. “Stop talking and listen.”
Jensen feels Jared squeeze his hand again. He meets Jared’s eyes.
“I love you. I always have and always will. I regret letting you go, not fighting for you.”
Jensen looks like he is about to say something, Jared shaking his head to stop him.
“Let me finish. Please.”
Jensen moves his head against the low pillow and listens as the engine is started and the ambulance begins to pull away.
“I want us to try again. We’ll talk properly, when you feel better, but whatever it takes, I’ll do it. I’ll move out here if I have to. So long as we’re together.” Jared looks down as Jensen’s hand turns over in his, fingers squeezing around his own.
“Yes.” A mumbled word from beneath the mask.
Jared smiles.
“But…” Jensen pulls the mask away for a second time and licks at his lips before continuing. “Next time? Please don’t let it take me getting shot for you to talk about how you feel.” Jensen smiles. “Because I don’t plan on doing it again. It hurts like fuck.”
Jared brushes back Jensen’s fringe. “No more getting shot.” He leans forward, his lips covering Jensen’s in a soft kiss. “I promise.”
Wherever You Are
Jared lies on the bed beside Jensen, teasingly holding the plated piece of cake in the air just out of Jensen’s reach.
“That’s mean,” Jensen whines and drops his arm weakly down on top of the quilt.
Jared grins and leans of Jensen, a lingering kiss before bringing the dessert within Jensen’s reach. “You wanna sit up?” He asks as he rests the plate gently on Jensen’s stomach.
“Please,” Jensen says.
Jared hands the plate to Jensen, and carefully helps him to sit up, pillows pushed in the gap between him and the headboard. “That okay?” He checks.
Jensen nods and looks at the cake, his stomach turning as a pain shoots across his abdomen. It has been a little over a week since he was released from the hospital, lucky the bullet hadn’t ripped through more than muscle and flesh. He gently lays a hand against his stomach, a grimace as he breathes in and out.
“Jen?” Jared asks worriedly.
Jensen forces a smile and holds the cake out to Jared. “It’s okay. Feel a little sick is all.”
Jared takes the plate, and reaches behind him to slide it onto the bedside table. He turns back to Jensen and gently rests his hand over Jensen’s. He doesn’t know what to say. He came so close to losing Jensen and he’s not sure how he can make that better. Sorry doesn’t seem enough.
“I’ll be okay,” he says quietly and turns his hand over, his fingers curling around Jared’s. Jared has stayed in LA, a constant part of Jensen’s life for the last couple of weeks. He’s talked about a transfer, coming to the city, anything to make this thing between them work. Jensen leans sideways, his head resting on Jared’s shoulder. “I was thinking. When things get better we should take a vacation,” Jensen tells him.
Jared smiles, his other hand coming up to stroke through Jensen’s hair. “A vacation? What’s one of those again?”
Jensen laughs, his hand tightening around Jared’s as it creates a pressure on his mending stomach. It was true; vacations had never really been high priority. Jared was always working late and doing cop things, and Jensen? Well, Jensen had pretty much buried himself in his P.A job; doing anything he possibly could to dig himself out of Boulder and into the brighter, real world. But as he found out, things aren’t always greener on the other side.
“I can take some extended leave,” Jared tells him. “Maybe we could stay with my folks and day trip out from there?”
Jensen shrugs. He doesn’t mind.
“And after?” Jared continues. “What would we do after?”
Jensen gently rests his other hand over Jared’s and starts to draw soft circles. “After we go home.”
Jared presses his cheek to Jensen’s forehead, a soft kiss. “And home is?” He hasn’t wanted to push for Jensen’s decision, just as Jensen hasn’t wanted to push for his.
Jensen smiles. “Together in Boulder,” he says quietly.
“You’d move back?” Jared is a little surprised.
“I think I’ve had enough excitement as I can take here in LA. I miss small and comfortable. I’m good at what I do, but out here…” He tilted his head back and looked up at Jared. “It can get lonely.”
Jared leans down, soft kisses to the side of Jensen’s mouth. “I could move here. I would move here to be with you.”
Jensen shakes his head. “You’d hate it. Perhaps hate me because of it. I don’t want that.”
Jared nuzzles his head against the crook of Jensen’s neck. He probably would hate it.
Jensen carefully lifts Jared’s hand from his stomach and looks past him towards the bedside; all this thinking has kind of made him hungry again. He looks pathetically up at Jared, his nurse. “Cake,” he says childishly.
Jared laughs and shoves Jensen lightly on his shoulder. “Just don’t expect all this special treatment when we get home.”
Jensen smiles and holds his hands out. “I better make the most of it then.” He takes the plate and quickly takes a bite of the chocolate layered cake. He looks at Jared and grins mischievously. “I’ll have a coffee.”