Chris had absolutely no idea where he was.

The van he'd been riding in had finally come to a stop, the engine shut off. One thing he did know was that this had everything to do with the gang leader JC had gone to meet earlier. Neither man had said anything to him when they'd forced their way into the hotel room, but as soon as Chris had opened the door he'd known something wasn't right. Something that had been confirmed when they'd shoved him back into the room and quickly jammed a large looking gun into his shoulder, causing his muscles to freeze and his body to drop to the floor with a loud thud. The two men had taken advantage of his vulnerable, weakened state to shoot him in the leg.

The searing pain as the bullet entered his leg was the last thing he remembered, and then when he came to he was in this van, on his way to some unknown destination. His hands and feet were bound, and there was a large piece of tape over his mouth. His pant leg was dark where it was stained with blood, and the wound throbbed painfully. But it seemed like the bleeding had nearly stopped - or at least slowed considerably making Chris think they'd just wanted insurance he couldn't run from them.

When he'd first regained consciousness, he'd tried to get out of his bonds, but he'd quickly discovered the object that was keeping him immobile was a zip tie. And all his struggling had done was tighten the zip tie, cutting the thin plastic into his wrists.

The doors to the van opened, and Chris was yanked out of the back. Rough hands manhandled him, pausing briefly to cut the tight cord around his ankles. Then he was all but dragged out of the van and out into the harsh sunlight.

Chris blinked rapidly, doing his best to help his eyes adjust to the sudden brightness quicker so he could take in his surroundings. There wasn't much to see though. Just an old house with an equally old barn providing the backdrop in what looked to be a desolate piece of desert. What really drew his attention though were the men standing in front of the barn, using the shade it provided as protection from the sun.

Chris tensed. Everything in him was screaming at him to fight - to try to break free, but he knew there was no escape. All he would do was just injure himself more (the pain in his leg was more than throbbing now), and likely make things worse for JC. Because there was no doubt in his mind that this was all done to get something out of him.

Then, before he could think anything else, there was a firm weight against his shoulder again. And just like before, his body was jolted by electricity. His muscles seized, and he was released, falling onto his chest hard with a muffled groan since he was unable to use his hands to break his fall. His body tingled, and his heart raced, but he didn't blackout.

It was a good thing too because he could hear more footsteps approaching. Given that he was lying face down on the ground, he couldn't see much, and he was still in too much pain to think about moving. So he had to be content with lying there and only being able to listen.

"Ah, JC. Good to see you again so soon," an unknown male voice said. The tone was mocking, and it caused Chris's anger to surge while the words themselves made his heart stop. Of course he'd figured JC would be brought here, but knowing that he was here put him on edge. It seemed only a matter of time before things escalated out of control, and he was afraid JC wouldn't make it out of it.

But as afraid as Chris was for JC, the opposite was true.

JC stared at Chris, who was lying several feet away from Tommie and his henchmen. Even at a distance, he could see the pain written all over Chris's face. He didn't know what he'd already suffered, but whatever it was had clearly been bad enough to send Chris to the ground. And the large man that stood at his feet, towering over him didn't bode well either.

"And I see you've noticed I invited someone else to join us this time," Tommie said. Even though JC wasn't looking at him, the amusement in his voice was clear.

Because both of JC's arms were being held by Lonnie and one of Tommie's men, JC could feel the way Lonnie tensed. Without looking at his bodyguard, he knew that the man was having similar thoughts as him. This situation was bad enough already, but having one of the guys part of it and already actively hurt? It didn't lend much hope that things would get any better.

"Of course," Tommie began, his voice a low growl, "I could always kill him so he's not a distraction."

At once, JC's eyes snapped back to the gang leader who looked annoyed that he'd been all but ignored since JC had laid on eyes on his friend. Chris most certainly was a distraction, but he couldn't allow Tommie to think that. He couldn't risk pissing off the man and having him take his anger out on Chris. If Tommie wanted to lash out at JC, then so be it, but he wouldn't stand for Chris being hurt because of his insolence.

"I could take care of him now. Save you the trouble of doing it later," the man standing at Chris's feet offered.

Tommie shook his head. His eyes met JC's. "I think he got the message." The words were said with an air of civility, but JC could hear the underlying threat. He shifted on his feet as he resisted the urge to look over at Chris once again. Tommie eyed him for a moment longer before turning to instruct the man on JC's left. "Remove the gag and cut him loose."

Despite the instructions being for the other man, Lonnie stepped in front of JC and grabbed hold the edge of the tape. He met JC's eyes, and in that instant JC could see the sadness and anxiety Lonnie had over having to be a part of this. Then, Lonnie ripped the tape away from JC's mouth with one quick motion. There was a second of pain, and almost instantly JC licked his dry lips, trying to moisten them.

Behind JC, there was a snap as the zip tie was cut. As the plastic fell away, JC brought his hands up to rub gently at his chaffed wrists. He wasn't at all fooled into thinking any of this meant something. There was no point in being tied up - not when there was no chance of escape. Not with so many people working for Tommie around; he'd be caught before he even made it far. And that would only be if he left Chris behind, which he'd already swore to himself he wouldn't do.

"Lonnie," Tommie started, and Lonnie turned on the spot to face the gang leader. "You're dismissed. We can handle this from here."

"Why? I brought him here."

The kidnapper came around from behind JC and scoffed. "You wouldn't have if I wasn't there to make sure you did your job. You've gone soft, Lon."

"And that is why I can't allow you to stay," Tommie agreed. "I hired you to keep tabs on JC and report back, and you got close to him. To all of them."

Lonnie's lips thinned, but he couldn't deny it. JC could tell he wanted to argue some more and find some way to convince Tommie to allow him to stay, but Tommie had made it more than clear. And from what JC knew about Tommie, he would no doubt make Lonnie pay for any backtalk. Something Lonnie seemed to know as well because he turned without saying a word.

JC forced himself not to speak or react in any way as Lonnie passed him. It was a hard thing to do, especially given the reluctance and fear in Lonnie's eyes when they met his for a second. There was no way of knowing if they would see each other again, and it nearly had JC do something stupid out of the panic that rose up. But he quickly shoved it down, forcing himself to remain still and not turn around to watch as Lonnie walked away.

Not a single word was said again until Lonnie had gotten in the car and was driving back the way they'd come in. In that time, JC had taken the opportunity to check in on Chris. His friend had managed to roll over and was now laying on his back, his head turned to the side looking in their direction. His hands were still bound behind his back, and he was still gagged as well. Even though he couldn't see his eyes, JC was certain Chris's thoughts were going wild with knowing that Lonnie had been involved - and apparently had been working for Tommie for quite a while. It just made JC more anxious to get him out of there, fearful that Chris would somehow find a way to do something stupid even in spite of him being tied up.

So when JC could no longer hear the car Lonnie had driven away in, he looked back at Tommie and took a deep breath. "You have me here, and I'm not going anywhere. Just please let Chris go."

"And why would I do that?" Tommie asked.

"Because I'm the one you really want," JC said.

Tommie nodded. "True. But there's nothing that says I can't have a little fun first. After all, you took away my brother. I think it's only fair I take away one of yours."

"But I didn't kill Marc! I don't care what Sabrina told you. It was her. She poisoned him and she kept me from calling for help."

JC knew he was just short of pleading with the gang leader, but he couldn't help it. He needed to convince him that Sabrina had been the one to kill Marc so any retribution from his death should be directed at Sabrina, not him. And most certainly not one of his friends.

"Funny, but she told me a similar story. Only it was you who killed him and she was the one who'd wanted to call for help."

JC's fear was overrode by his anger, and he had to clench his hands into fists to keep his anger under control. Exploding on Tommie wasn't how he was going to get him to let Chris leave. For that he needed to keep his cool and do his best to reason with him.

"Did she tell you she was the one who drove me there?" JC demanded, his hold on his anger slipping just a bit. "Before that day, I didn't know where he lived. Hell, I hadn't even met him. So how the hell could I have been prepared to poison him?"

JC's voice rose as he spoke, his tone turning snippy by the end. As soon as the words left his mouth and he realized how he'd sounded, he snapped his mouth shut. He wasn't trying to piss off Tommie, but his frustration was getting the best of him.

Tommie's eyes narrowed, and he made a motion with his hand. Then, JC was hit in the back of the head with something hard. Spots danced in front of his eyes as he fell to his knees. He could hear footsteps that stopped in his line of vision, and a large shadow was cast over him. JC unconsciously put a hand to the back of his head as he looked up, seeing Tommie standing there with cold eyes and an annoyed expression.

"Watch what you say to me," Tommie said. "And to be clear, I don't give a shit if you poisoned Marc or not. It doesn't change the fact that my brother is dead, and you're the reason for it."

"But-" JC started to protest, but it died on his lips as Tommie threw a punch that hit him on the side of the face near his cheek.

Before JC even had a chance to recover, Tommie crouched in front of him and grabbed a handful of his t-shirt, pulling him close. "Sabrina and Marc had their problems, but they would've worked it out eventually. Then you came into the picture and gave Sabrina ideas. You came between them."

In the six months they were together, Sabrina hadn't mentioned Marc much. All JC had known was that she hadn't been happy with him for quite a while, and that was why they'd separated. Then at the time of Marc's death she had hit him with the idea that by killing Marc it allowed her to have everything she wanted. JC wasn't convinced she wouldn't have killed Marc if she hadn't met him, but he couldn't deny that him being with her had seemed to motivate her.

"And that's why you're here," Tommie said, releasing JC and rising to his full height. "I'm going to make sure you're properly punished, and I'm going to start by killing your friend over there."

JC's chest tightened, and he swore he stopped breathing as he heard the telltale click of the hammer being pulled back on a gun. He turned at the sound and saw his kidnapper with a gun in his hands pointed at Chris who was staring at the man looming above him.

"Wait!" JC cried, struggling to his feet. "I'm sorry about what happened, and I understand you wanting revenge. I know you're going to kill me," JC swallowed hard at the thought, but forced himself to push on, "but you should let Chris go. You're not going to kill him."

Tommie raised an eyebrow. "Are you certain about that?"

"No," JC admitted. "But the fact that you didn't kill me the first time I showed up here tells me you have something more planned. Chris is just here to make sure I do whatever it is, and if you kill him you know I won't play your games."

"Is that right?" Tommie didn't wait for a response as he turned towards the barn. "Hey, Bree! Come out here."

JC tensed, unsure what was about to happen. He watched as Sabrina came out of a side door to the barn. Their eyes met for a brief moment, and he saw her smirk. It made him clench his fists in anger, though it didn't completely overtake the wariness he was feeling. Sabrina went to the large barn door and slid it open, allowing an unobstructed view into the interior of the barn.

Inside were Joey, Justin, and Lance.

JC's blood ran ice cold, and his limbs felt heavy. His heart was in his throat as he watched the three of them blink against the sudden sunlight. Each of them were tied to a chair, but they weren't gagged so as soon as their eyes focused, they called out for him.

"So you see, JC," Tommie began, stepping closer. "I'm not at all concerned I'll lose my leverage by killing Chris."

JC forced himself to look away from the guys. "What do you want?" he asked Tommie, his voice quiet and shaky.

"You know what I want," Tommie said. "You were right. I do want to play a game. Tell me, JC. Have you played Russian roulette?"

"No," JC whispered, horrified. He could tell where this was going, and he wanted no parts of it. Though, he knew there was nothing he could do to stop it either.

Tommie reached out his hand and without a word, one of his men handed him a gun and a single bullet. "A single bullet," he started, holding it up for JC to see, "gets loaded and then you spin the chamber. Like this." Tommie put the bullet in and spun the chamber of the gun. "Now there's no telling where the bullet is."

"Please don't do this," JC begged.

"Normally, each person puts the gun to their head and pulls the trigger," Tommie started, ignoring JC. "But I think I'll keep the gun. So I will go one by one or you can choose."

"You can't do this!" Justin objected loudly.

Tommie turned on the spot and glared at Justin. "You shut up, or I'll get Frank here to shoot you," he said, gesturing to one of the men standing off to the side. "And I assure you his gun is fully loaded."

The man JC now knew as Frank unclipped his gun and held it up, flicking off the safety. It was enough to make JC freeze, but unfortunately it didn't have the same effect on Justin. Rather, it had the exact opposite.

"If you're going to shoot anyone, it should be her." Justin's voice was agitated, and JC was certain if Justin's arms hadn't been tied behind his back he would've pointed at Sabrina. Instead, he settled for nodding his head in her direction. "She's the reason for all of this. Not JC."

"Justin..." Lance tried, his face showing the same nervousness JC felt. A quick glance at Tommie's face showed the gang leader wasn't happy, and it made JC tense in anticipation.

"Yeah, Justin," Sabrina echoed, her voice teasing while her eyes belied a darker intent. It was one JC recognized, and it made the nervousness he felt loosen it's grip slightly. "You should shut up and look pretty." She gave Justin a meaningful look. "It may just save your life."

JC had spent enough time with Sabrina that he understood how to hear what she wasn't saying, and it turned his stomach. She was telling him if he didn't piss Tommie off bad enough, she would make sure he was spared. But not out of any sympathy or because it was the right thing to do - it was for her own selfish reasons. She wanted to seduce Justin, and JC could tell by the expression on her face that she felt she would be able to if she saved his life.

Justin glared at Sabrina as he spat, "I'd rather be dead than be with you."

"Let's see if you get your wish."

Tommie's voice was quickly followed by a telltale click, and JC's eyes widened as he saw the gang leader pointing his gun at Justin. At the same time, Chris protested, though his voice was muffled given that his mouth was still taped shut.

"No!" JC cried and unconsciously moved forward. Before he could take more than a couple steps though, Tommie pulled the trigger.

Instead of a loud bang, there was a hollow click. That particular round had been empty.

JC choked on a sob of relief, the feeling driving him to his knees. Justin, for his part, was wide-eyed and completely ashen. Lance and Joey were glancing at Justin worriedly, both looking pretty shaken themselves.

"Who's next?" Tommie asked, casually swinging the gun from Lance and Joey and even turning on his heel to point it at Chris.

"Don't," JC said, struggling to his feet. "Please. Just leave them out of this."

"It's too late for that. They're here now."

JC took a step towards the gang leader. "But that doesn't mean they have to die." He wrung his hands as he took another step. "Please. They don't deserve it."

Tommie turned on his heel to glare at him. "And my brother did?" It was a rhetorical question, and Tommie just plowed on. "It's only fair one of yours dies. And if you won't pick one, then I will."

JC watched as Tommie faced Justin, Lance, and Joey. For whatever reason, he seemed content to leave Chris alone. It made JC wonder if it had anything to do with the fact Chris had clearly been through something during his capture and transport from the hotel. If he was honest though, he didn't care why. He was just glad there was one less person to worry about.

Though, it didn't make seeing the gun pointed on Lance any easier.

Even from where JC was standing, he could see the way Lance's body had stiffened. He was trying to put on a brave face, but JC picked up on all the other things that indicated it was just a mask. The rough swallow. The way Lance's eyes flashed nervously from the guys to Tommie and the gun. The erratic rise and fall of his chest.

It was too much for JC to watch, and there was no way he could allow Tommie to pull that trigger. Yes, it could be empty and the odds were in his favor it was, but he wasn't willing to bet Lance's life on it.

"Stop!" JC cried. "Please. Just kill me instead. You don't need to kill them - this is torture enough."

"Didn't I tell you he was easy to break," Sabrina said to Tommie, looking quite satisfied with herself. Then she looked at JC with a wicked smile. "I knew you weren't any stronger than last time. You're still that weak boy you were when we met."

"Your information was good, Bree," Tommie said with a nod. "But mine was better."

All amusement slipped from Sabrina's face. "What are you talking about?"

Tommie still had the gun pointed at Lance, but all his attention was on Sabrina. "Did you really think I was going to believe what you told me without any proof?" The question was rhetorical, and Tommie continued on without waiting for a response. "After Marc's death, I had people watching you. So I know that you've been lying to me, and you know how I feel about liars."

For the first time since JC had met Sabrina, her face twisted with fear and anxiety. Gone was the cool persona she normally had, and the raw emotion made her look years younger.

"Tommie, I'm sorry. I-"

Without warning, Tommie abruptly turned the gun on Sabrina instead of Lance and pulled the trigger with zero hesitation. This time there was no telltale click. Instead, there was a loud bang, and Sabrina's body jerked as the bullet struck her in the middle of the forehead. Her lips parted open and her eyes were wide with surprise, then her body fell forward.

JC stared at Sabrina's now lifeless body on the ground in disbelief. There had in fact been a bullet in that chamber of the gun. One that would've gone to Lance if Tommie hadn't suddenly turned the gun on Sabrina instead.

The thought of it caused JC's body to tremble - both with relief and with anxiety at knowing how close he'd come to losing one of his best friends. His legs buckled, and his knees slammed into the ground. He panted heavily as he tried to choke back the sobs that were rising up in his throat.

"Well, that happened sooner than expected," Tommie said, and JC didn't miss the casual ease to his voice. As much as Sabrina had thought she was on the same side as Tommie, it now seemed obvious she was never going to make it out of this alive. And any hope JC had that Tommie would stop now that the person who truly killed Marc was dead was dashed with what Tommie said next.

"Rick, give me another bullet. We can start a new game."

There was a tense silence, and JC could imagine the guys were too terrified to object, fearing that doing so would make them an instant target. At least, that was what he was assuming. He couldn't bring himself to look any of them in the eye, not when he knew he was the reason they were in this terrible situation.

JC was just as scared as his friends, but the thought of going through another game of Russian Roulette with one them meeting the same fate as Sabrina...it was too much. This was going to end right now. No matter what JC had to say or do to make that happen.

"No!" JC cried out, raising his head to look at Tommie. The gang leader turned and looked at him with a raised eyebrow and a quirked smile. "Please. Just kill me, and leave them alone."

"JC!" Justin objected.

JC could see Justin struggling in his chair, fighting against the ropes that kept him bound. He didn't dare look him in the eye though. It went without saying that none of the guys liked him giving up and basically asking for Tommie to just kill him, but there was no other option.

"You want to die?" Tommie asked, frowning at him doubtfully.

JC shakily pushed himself to his feet, doing his best to face the man that would surely end his life in a matter of minutes. He took a deep breath to try to steady his nerves and looked Tommie in the eye. "I don't want to die," he started. "But we both know this is going to end with my death. Might as well be now."

"And you believe that'll stop me from killing your friends?"

The question wasn't mocking or teasing, but rather curious like Tommie was trying to figure out what JC was doing. It gave JC a brief moment of triumph knowing that he had managed to at least somewhat throw the gang leader off his game. But it was gone in a flash as the reality bared down on him, knowing what was in store.

"I'm hoping it will. They had nothing to do with Marc's death, and Sabrina is already..." A large lump formed in his throat, and JC cleared it, forcing himself to carry on. "So killing me will mean it's over. That you got your revenge for Marc."

"But you didn't do anything!" Justin cried out.

"Justin," Joey hissed, and JC was certain that if Joey hadn't been tied to a chair and out of arm's reach, he would've elbowed Justin in the side.

But the warning came too late. Tommie turned to glare at Justin, and that was all the cue Frank, the man standing to the side, needed. He walked up behind Justin and brought his elbow down on the back of his head. The action made Justin's head jerk forward and then his entire body slumped unconscious.

The look on Joey's face was verging on murderous, and JC knew he had to redirect Tommie's attention immediately. He couldn't risk Tommie taking notice of it or reacting to the instinctive protectiveness that had risen up in Joey the moment Justin had been hurt.

"I'm begging you to please spare my friends," JC pleaded, and mentally sighed in relief when Tommie turned back to him. "As you said before, they're like brothers to me, and I'm willing to die for them."

Tommie took a step towards JC, and it took everything he had within himself not to step backwards. He forced himself to meet the gang leader's eyes, allowing the man's hard gaze to penetrate him. JC didn't know what he was looking for, but he kept his thoughts focused on the guys and how he was doing the right thing - that he was completely sincere with everything he'd said.

Finally, Tommie nodded. "Okay."

JC felt relieved while at the same time, his heart lurched in his chest. He was glad Tommie was going to leave the guys alone, but it also meant he would be dead shortly. It wasn't at all how he'd thought his life would end, but there were worse ways to die. Right?

"Thank you," JC whispered. Then he shut his eyes. He couldn't bear to look at any of the guys just before Tommie killed him - he didn't want to see his death reflected in their eyes. Maybe it was selfish to not even want to try to say goodbye, but he was certain any attempt at doing so would break him and possibly have him begging Tommie to reconsider their deal. He wasn't going to put their lives at risk for the sake of his own.

JC waited for the sound of the gunshot and the flash of pain before everything would go dark permanently. There was a heavy silence broken only by some light sobbing. Since JC's eyes were closed, he couldn't say who it was, but his gut was telling him it was Lance. After all, he was likely still suffering from the shock of knowing he would be dead right now if Tommie hadn't turned the gun on Sabrina instead, so it wouldn't take much to send his emotions out of control.

Several long seconds passed and yet, nothing happened.

Reluctantly, JC opened his eyes and he found that Tommie was standing in front of him. Instead of holding a gun though, he was holding two small liquor bottles. JC blinked in surprise.

"I figured we'd have a drink to seal our deal," Tommie explained. "Though, yours has a little something extra in it. After all, I think it's only fair after what happened to Marc."

Poison had been the only explanation JC had come up with for Marc's death, and it seemed Tommie had come to the same conclusion. Somehow, JC suspected he should've seen this coming. After all, Tommie had been threatening to kill at least one of the guys claiming it was only fair that his own brother had been killed, and JC drinking poison would be a true eye-for-an-eye.

"Right," JC said softly, accepting the small bottle that Tommie held out to him.

"JC." Joey's voice caught his attention, and JC looked over at him even though he'd sworn to himself he wasn't going to look at the guys. "You don't have to do this."

JC shook his head. He did. It was the only way to end this, and he'd known deep down from the moment the undercover cop had revealed himself as part of Tommie's crew that he wasn't going to make it out of this situation alive.

"I'm sorry," he said, looking Joey in the eye. He then briefly met Lance's gaze, his freaked out expression causing his heart to ache and his gut to twist violently. This was all his fault and the last thing he wanted was for the guys to watch him die, but there was no other way out of this.

JC unscrewed the lid from the bottle and looked back at Tommie who had already taken the lid off his tiny bottle of liquor. The gang leader held up the bottle and gave him a single nod before downing the contents in one long gulp.

JC took a deep breath before he threw back the tiny bottle in his hands. There was no foul taste - all it tasted like was whiskey. It wasn't an alcohol JC did a lot of shots of, but he'd done it before and therefore was accustomed to the slow burn as it made its way down his throat and to his stomach.

The reaction wasn't instantaneous, but surely would hit him in a matter of seconds or minutes. Even though JC hadn't been in the house when Sabrina had poisoned Marc, it hadn't seemed like much time had passed. Not knowing freaked him out, but he couldn't change the course he was on now.

JC closed his eyes, letting the bottle slip from his fingers. He didn't want to risk catching sight of Sabrina's lifeless body knowing that would be him shortly, and he didn't want to be looking at any of his friends while he waited for the poison to take his life. Having them watch this was bad enough, they didn't need to be looking him in the eye when it happened. That, and he was certain he would end up bawling. Something he didn't want to do in the presence of Tommie - he wanted to show the man he could own up to his decisions in the hopes that Tommie would indeed keep his end of the bargain.

As JC stood there, seconds passed and yet he didn't feel any worse. Surely if the poison was going to claim his life, he would begin to feel signs of it. Right? It made sense, and yet he didn't feel anything.

"It's not going to be quite that quick," Tommie said, breaking the tense silence. JC slowly opened his eyes and looked at him in confusion. "The poison used on Marc killed him in a matter of minutes. But this one...it usually takes a couple hours to kill someone. Though, it could be more or less depending on how your body reacts to it. Quite an agonizing way to die is what I'm told."

There was a wicked smile on Tommie's face, and JC's stomach dropped. Of course. He should've figured his death wouldn't be as painless as a bullet or a fast-acting poison. A fate he suspected would've befallen Sabrina as well if that chamber of the revolver hadn't been loaded.

"C'mon, boys. Cut the kids loose and let's get the hell out of here," Tommie said.

Without any hesitation, several of Tommie's henchmen jumped into action. Frank, the man that had elbowed Justin in the head, went over to Joey and began to cut his bonds, while two other men went to Lance and Justin. And JC noticed with relief that Justin was coming around as the man worked on freeing him.

JC desperately wanted to go to Chris, who had been turned on his stomach so the man could cut the zip tie around his wrists, but he forced himself to remain in place. He couldn't believe that Tommie was just leaving - that he wasn't going to stick around to make sure JC succumbed to the poison.

"That's it?" Lance asked warily, obviously having similar thoughts.

"What? You honestly thought I was going to stick around for a couple hours waiting for him to die?" Tommie replied, nodding his head in JC's direction. "I'm a busy man, and I've spent enough time on this already. I'll come out later to make sure, and finish him off if not. Though, by the looks of him I don't think I'll have to."

JC wasn't sure what he meant. He was pretty hot and sweaty, but they were in middle of a desert-like landscape in California. There must have been truth to what Tommie was saying though if the worried look on Lance's face was any indication.

"And you're just letting us go?" Chris asked, finally free of all his restraints and no longer gagged. Though, he hadn't stood up quite yet, seemingly satisfied for sitting upright. At least for the moment. His voice was scratchy, and it made him sound rougher than usual.

Tommie nodded. "That was the deal. Though, it's quite a hike out of here, and I'm not sure all of you will make it to the nearest town."

In that moment JC felt like an idiot. Tommie hadn't seemed particularly malicious to the guys, and he'd thought getting the man to promise not to kill his friends would remove them from danger. Now though, he saw that he had overlooked one very important thing - how they would get out of there. Of course Tommie wouldn't give the guys a lift back to LA. Allowing them to live was probably more than the gang leader normally did.

"If you do make it though, I promise you won't be hearing from me again," Tommie said. Then he motioned for his men to get in the vehicles they came in so they could leave.

JC stood there, still unable to make himself move and check on the guys until Tommie was gone and they were truly out of danger. Or out of danger from being shot at least.

It only took a minute or two for Tommie and his crew to gather into the three vehicles that had been parked nearby. They followed each other out, moving down the narrow road in a single file line. Only when JC could barely hear the noise of the gravel crunching under the tires did he finally turn his attention to his friends.

And as he turned back to them, he swayed on his feet. As the world spun, JC crashed to his knees. He heard a shout and footsteps rushing over to him. By the time Joey had made it over to him, the dizziness was gone. But as he looked up at Joey's concerned face, it became clear that he still had another battle left.

JC had to find a way to convince the guys to leave him behind because he knew they would be determined to stay with him, and he couldn't let them do that. They had to get to the next town and get help for their injuries. Then get back home. It would be a near impossible task, but JC hadn't come this far to fail now.