Chris sat in the small kitchen of their hotel suite, drinking coffee and idly reading the paper. He wasn't at all interested in the news but rather was trying to kill time while the others were gathering their bags. All four of them were supposed to be on their way back to Orlando in a couple hours - at JC's insistence. But Chris wasn't leaving.

Last night JC had gotten back from Sabrina's later than they'd thought he would, and when he'd walked into the suite, he'd told them he would be sticking around LA for at least another day. Then in the same breath, he'd told them there wasn't a point in them being there any longer and that they should go back to Orlando. And Chris knew that if it'd been up to JC, he would've just left it at that. They'd all objected though and had forced JC to tell them what was going on.

JC sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I'm going to work with the police on something," he said. "Something that will ensure we won't ever have to go through this again."

"And what's that?" Chris asked. "Because unless it's something big, I don't know how they could make that kind of promise."

Chris realized what he'd just said, and it hit him. The others seemed to have come to the same conclusion too because before he could get a word out, Lance asked, "It's bigger than Sabrina. Isn't it?"

JC hesitated, but that was all Chris needed for confirmation. He didn't need the nod and JC's soft "yeah" that came a moment later. He'd had his concerns that there was more to this than just some petty ex-girlfriend blackmailing JC. After all, she'd been so successful blackmailing JC that it begged the question why she would go through all this trouble of getting him arrested and sent back to LA, especially if she just wanted more money.

A quick glance at the other three told Chris they were just as concerned as him, especially with the way JC was trying to get rid of them.

"That's why I want you guys to head home," JC said. "I don't want you to get tangled up in something you shouldn't."

"But it's okay for you to?" Justin demanded. He crossed his arms over his chest as he glared at JC. "What's going on?"

Given the way JC was frowning, Chris was sure he was going to refuse to answer the question. So he was more than a little surprised when JC sighed and sat heavily on the couch. He didn't look at them, his eyes fixed on the floor beneath his feet, but he did start to explain in a quiet voice.

"Sabrina's ex, Marc? He was the brother of a known gang leader, and I guess she told him I killed Marc." Chris felt his anger rise up, but he did his best to keep it at bay knowing he couldn't go flying off the handle right now no matter how justified his anger was. JC continued, "He wants me to bring $25,000 dollars to him first thing tomorrow morning."

"And you're doing it?" Joey asked.

JC sighed again, rubbing at his eyes. "Yeah," he said, nodding. He finally lifted his head to glance at each of them. "I just came from talking to Todd, and after I told him what Sabrina said, he called the officer that's been responsible for the case. They said that if I help them catch this guy then I'll be in the clear and they won't charge me for anything concerning what happened to Marc."

It was a concern Chris'd had when hearing from Todd that they were releasing JC, knowing that just because he hadn't been identified as the murderer didn't mean the cops couldn't charge him with something else. But now he found he'd much rather have that as a possibility than JC getting tangled up with a gang leader. Though, he supposed he'd already been made a target considering the lie Sabrina had told had gotten JC expedited and brought back to LA on a murder charge.

"JC," Lance breathed. "That sounds risky. What if something happens?"

"Nothing will," JC replied, and even though he sounded confident, Chris could see the nerves behind the bravado. "An undercover cop is going to accompany me."

"Yeah, but will he be walking in with you?" Chris asked. "A lot can go wrong in a short amount of time, and we'd rather nothing bad happen to you."

"I'm not sure of all the details. I'll be meeting with the police tomorrow beforehand and leaving from the station," JC said. "But I know they won't let anything happen to me. They can't if they want my cooperation."

"And you expect us to just go back to Orlando and leave you here to face a gang leader? Alone?" Justin demanded.

JC stood up so he was eye-to-eye with Justin. "Yes," he said, firmly. "There's nothing any of you could do, and you certainly aren't going with me. So why would you stay?"

"For support," Joey said. "Justin's right. You shouldn't have to deal with this on your own."

JC shook his head. Chris wasn't sure if he disagreed, or if the motion was related to his own thoughts where he was perhaps dealing with an internal struggle. If it was the latter, it was clear with what JC said next that the side that wanted to keep them out of it won out.

"I already talked to Johnny, and he has you all booked on the first flight out tomorrow morning. It leaves at six-thirty."

For JC, that was the end of it, and he headed for the bedroom saying he was going to change so they could go to dinner. But as soon as the door closed behind him, the four of them looked at each other, sharing equal looks of concern.

"So you're gonna call Johnny and cancel our reservations, right?" Justin asked, turning to Lance.

"I could," Lance said slowly, his hesitation to agree obvious. "Or we could just do what he asks."

Justin stared at him blankly. "You can't be serious."

"Nothing good will come of leaving JC alone," Chris agreed.

"I like the idea of leaving him as much as the rest of you," Lance said. "But we're just making an already stressful situation worse. If he's doing this, I want him to be focused and worried about himself, not the rest of us."

Chris sighed. Lance had a good point, but the idea of leaving JC here alone while the rest of them went back to Orlando like nothing was happening here in LA didn't sit well with him. Even if they couldn't do anything or help with the situation, he wanted to be there for JC and help him to deal with everything because it was obvious he'd been pushing a lot of his feelings to the side.

But when Chris pointed all that out to Lance, he easily countered with, "And you think it won't wait a few hours until he's back in Orlando? Because you know the second it's over, he's going to jump on a plane and get the hell out of LA."

Justin immediately started to object. "Yeah, but-"

"Lance is right," Joey said, at last. He'd been silent since JC's abrupt exit, but he'd obviously taken the time to listen to both sides and get his thoughts together. "Ever since JC got arrested, everything that's happened has been out of his control. Let him have control over this, and hopefully it'll give him the closure he needs."

Justin frowned, but Chris could tell from the way he didn't jump all over the idea that he was thinking it over. Then finally, he sighed but nodded. And just when the three of them looked towards Chris, waiting for his confirmation, JC emerged from the bedroom dressed and ready to go to dinner. Chris gave the guys a quick nod, knowing they wouldn't relax and let it drop if he didn't, and the last thing he wanted was to ruin dinner with lingering tension.

Chris hadn't agreed though - not by a long shot. They may not be able to go with JC when he confronted the gang leader with the help of the undercover cop, but Chris knew JC would need their support sooner than him arriving in Orlando. Too much had happened for Chris to leave thinking that JC was completely able to deal with his emotions on his own. He did agree that all of them being here would cause too much worry for JC, which was why he was letting the guys gather their things to head back to Orlando. Only one person needed to stay.

The guys spilled out into the main room of the suite just as Chris finished his coffee. Chris stood up and joined them by the couch at the same time JC emerged from the bedroom they had shared last night. JC was dressed, but his hair was mussed like he'd been tugging on the stands anxiously. Something that solidified Chris's decision to stay.

"You guys have everything?" JC asked. Then his eyes caught sight of Chris and that he wasn't bogged down with a carryon like the rest of them. "Where's your bag?"

"Already in the car," Chris lied.

Lance frowned in suspicion, but Justin spoke, taking the attention off Chris as he looked at JC. "You sure you don't want us to stay?" he asked.

JC mustered up a small smile - one that Chris was sure JC meant to be reassuring but instead it just made his exhaustion that much more apparent. "I'm sure," JC said. "I should only be a few hours behind you guys anyway."

Justin looked like he was going to object, but Joey nudged him towards the door. Chris followed them, in step with Lance while JC brought up the rear. They paused briefly at the door to exchange quick hugs with JC and reassuring words before moving out into the hallway.

"See you guys later," JC said, standing in the doorway, his hand on the door keeping it propped open.

They echoed the sentiment back to him and started down the hallway, hearing the hotel door click closed once they were out of sight. Chris moved with them knowing he couldn't tell JC he was staying, not with the guys standing there. There would be too much argument, which would just make JC's stress even worse.

When they reached the elevators though, Chris stepped away from them. "Have a safe flight, guys," he said.

Joey frowned. "You're not coming?"

"I thought we agreed that this was for the best. That we were going to let JC take care of this and be there for him when he gets home," Lance said, his eyes narrowed.

"You agreed. I didn't," Chris said simply. "And I'm not leaving him alone to deal with all this. He hardly slept at all last night, which means he's not dealing with everything. Not like he wants us to believe."

"Why do you get to stay?" Justin asked, his tone verging on whining.

Behind them the elevator dinged, the doors opening. Chris nodded to it. "You better get going. Don't want to miss your flight."

Justin glowered, and Lance looked at him like he recognized that Chris had waited until the last possible second to spring this on them. It was Joey who moved first, prompting the other two to follow suit. Though, he did have one final warning for Chris.

"Don't push him too hard," Joey said.

Chris couldn't guarantee that because sometimes JC needed pushed to talk about things and properly deal with whatever was weighing him down. So instead, he made a promise he knew he could keep. "I'll take care of him."

Joey gave him a nod and stepped into the elevator, pulling Justin in with him. Lance sighed, but he followed them in. "Good luck," he said.

"Bye, guys. Have a safe flight."

The elevators started to close, and Chris could hear Justin protesting. "Let me off. If Chris gets to stay, I should too. You two can go home and-"

The doors closed, the elevator descending and Chris could no longer hear Justin's voice. He shook his head as he turned and walked back down the hall to their suite. It'd been quite a while since he'd heard Justin complain in such a way that he was practically whining about how unfair the situation was. And even though Chris understood it was because he wanted to show support for JC, he knew that having more than one of them stick around wouldn't be any better in terms of putting JC at ease.

Chris let himself back into the hotel room, using the key he'd pocketed earlier when he'd decided he would stay. JC was standing in front of the sliding glass door, his arms crossed over his chest but not in a defensive way. It was more like he was trying to give himself a hug, or hold his emotions in. His head turned towards the door, and his brow furrowed in confusion at the sight of Chris.

"You forget something?"

"No," Chris said simply. "I'm staying."

JC sighed, unfolding his arms and turning completely so he was facing him. "Chris..." he started, but Chris quickly interrupted.

"Look, man, I know you think you need to do this on your own, but you don't." JC opened his mouth, but Chris continued before he could get a word out, having a pretty good idea what he was going to say. "I know I can't help with this whole sting operation, but I can help you deal with everything."

"How do you know I haven't been?"

Chris fixed JC with a knowing look. "C'mon, C. We shared a bedroom last night. I know you didn't sleep."

"Well, clearly you didn't either," JC mumbled.

Chris didn't even bother to respond to that, knowing it was a feeble attempt to redirect the conversation. "You don't have to hide anything from me. From any of us. We just want to help, and you know I'm not going to judge you for anything you say."

Silence fell over the room, and JC turned back to gaze out the glass door. Chris was surprised he wasn't trying to escape to the balcony, though maybe JC figured he'd be even more trapped if he did. He wasn't going to be the first to break though. They didn't need to get into everything right now, but he wanted JC to at least acknowledge he was there to help and maybe lean on him just a bit.

Finally, after what felt like ages, JC said quietly, "I'm scared, Chris."

"I know," Chris replied just as softly. He stepped up behind JC and put a comforting hand on his back. "You don't have to do this. They dropped the murder charges, and that's enough. We can just go back to Orlando."

That wasn't what he'd argued with the guys, bringing up his concern that JC could be brought back to LA on different charges. It would be good to have the reassurance that nothing else could pull them back into this again, but he didn't want JC to feel like he had no other options. He didn't want JC to push himself beyond what he could handle.

JC shook his head before turning to look at him. "I need to do this. I need to know that it's over. For good."

Chris could see the determination in JC's eyes, and it was a welcome sight compared to the fear that had been prominent on both his face and in his voice. When JC had managed to doze off last night, he'd been woken by nightmares, and even though JC hadn't shared them with him he could only guess they were about this encounter with the gang leader. It was understandable why JC was afraid, but he didn't want that to be the emotion JC went into this situation with. It was going to be dangerous enough, and he wanted JC to keep his wits about him. Something he felt reassured JC could do given that the fear wasn't dominating his expression any longer.

With any luck, this would all be over in a couple of hours.

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

JC hadn't been this nervous in his entire life.

In a matter of minutes he would be arriving at the location Sabrina had indicated Tommie Ellis - the known gang leader - wanted to meet. The idea of facing this man terrified JC, especially since Sabrina had told Tommie he'd been the one to kill Marc. It didn't even help knowing that an undercover cop was following close behind him with a whole unit in the area should he call on them.

Chris had accompanied him to the police station, and Officer Hansen had spent an hour explaining how the meet would go and what JC needed to do. He'd even set JC up to wear a wire, telling him that everything that was said would be monitored so they could come in at the perfect moment. That had been when JC's nerves had really kicked into overdrive; he'd seen enough movies to know what typically happened to the guy who walked into a meeting with a criminal while wearing a wire. The only thing that had kept him from completely losing it was Chris.

Without hesitation, Chris had gotten up from his chair and put his hands on JC's shoulders, pulling him in just enough that JC's eyes locked with his. "It's okay, JC. Just breathe."

Strangely, it had helped. JC hadn't been reassured by Chris's words because he'd understood that Chris saying it was okay wasn't a way to ease his fears but rather letting him know it was okay to be scared. For a reason JC hadn't been able to put his finger on, it'd loosened the knot in his chest that'd made breathing difficult. He'd still been scared, but he'd felt like he had control over it.

Now though, JC was beginning to feel that control start to slip the closer he got to his destination. The only thing that kept him from completely losing himself to his dizzying thoughts was the fact that he was driving, navigating through semi-familiar streets alone. It'd been decided that he needed to arrive without anyone in the car since that was what Tommie would be expecting. While it'd made sense, it had made JC more tense as his mind went wild with all the ways this meet up could go wrong. Something that had only intensified as those vaguely familiar streets had given way to highway and desert, leading him away from the city limits of LA.

JC made the final turn, following the dirt road until it came to a small two-story house with a large barn nearby. Both buildings looked like they had seen better days, a layer of dirt and grime covering their exteriors. That was all he was able to take note of before he caught sight of three men and Sabrina standing in front of the closed barn.

He slowed the car to a stop and slid the gear shifter into park. Even though the men were staring at him expectantly, JC couldn't seem to make himself shut off the car and get out. His heart pounded painfully against his chest, and his hands squeezed the steering wheel in a desperate attempt to will the shakiness away. All it did though was make the muscles in his shoulders and neck bunch together, pinching the nerves there and making his head throb more. He tried to look away from the men that were waiting for him knowing he'd have a much better chance at calming his nerves if he wasn't quite so aware of their stares, but that was easier said than done.

Even though JC had never seen Tommie before, he felt certain he was the man in the middle. Not just because he was being flanked by the two other men, but there was something about his posture and the way he held himself that told JC he was the leader. When their eyes locked, Tommie smirked at him like he was aware just what an affect he was having on him. JC wished he was better at hiding it, especially when he spared a quick glance at Sabrina and saw that she was watching him with similar amusement.

Knowing that it would just get harder the longer he put it off, JC finally shut the car off and took a deep breath to try to swallow down the majority of his anxiety. He grabbed the bag of money off the passenger seat and pushed the car door open. As he got out of the car, he couldn't help looking around, trying to figure out where the undercover cop was so he could know which direction to expect him. The problem was the area was pretty sparse with the exception of a few small groups of trees on either side of the property. It was hard for him to imagine how the cop would come in undetected, but he had to trust that the man knew what he was doing.

"JC Chasez," the man in the middle said, stepping forward. "I'm Tommie Ellis. Though, I get the feeling you already knew that."

JC gave a short nod. "Yes, sir."

Tommie's lips upturned in amusement, but the men flanking him had no such restraint as they laughed at him. "I've heard a lot about you."

JC glanced at Sabrina, certain that she had been the one supplying him with information about him. He looked back at the gang leader. "I can assure you not everything you heard is true."

"No?" Tommie said, raising his eyebrows. Then he looked at Sabrina. "You been lying to me, Bree?"

JC blinked, surprised at the nickname. It was cutesy, and it certainly wasn't something he associated with Sabrina. She was so manipulative, cold, and selfish that it clashed with the image a nickname like that created. One that lent itself to picturing a bubbly, friendly girl, and consequently made him think of Penny. A cute nickname worked for her, but it just didn't fit with Sabrina. And if the face she pulled when Tommie said it was any indication, she hated it.

"Why would I lie to you?" she asked, her voice soft and confused. Her eyes were turned downward, like she couldn't even look Tommie in the eye.

Even though JC knew she was lying, he was nearly fooled by how demure she looked. When she lied, she had no problem doing it to your face and often looked you straight in the eye, so all the signs you normally associated with someone lying didn't apply. Here though, she was putting on quite an act for Tommie. Either that or she was just as terrified of him - something that, if it were true, made JC even more nervous.

"Why indeed," Tommie murmured, though he turned away from her. JC wasn't sure if Tommie actually believed her, but it seemed like he wasn't dismissing it entirely. It gave him hope that he could get him to believe that Sabrina had been the one to kill Marc. Though, he supposed it wouldn't really matter once the man was in police custody.

"I brought the money," JC said. He was anxiously waiting for the undercover cop to burst onto the scene and take care of everything, but the cop had told him he'd have to wait for the right moment. JC hadn't been given specifics on what that moment would look like, but the cop had coached him to try to get Tommie to say as much as possible.

"All $25,000?"

JC swallowed nervously and gave a little nod, fighting everything within him to do any of the tells that made it apparent he was lying. "It's all here," he said, lifting the bag he was still holding into the air slightly. The bag was filled with fake bills that were meant to mimic what twenty-five thousand dollars would look like because the cops had said they would move in before the exchange could be made.

Tommie took a step forward, looking at JC with a no nonsense expression. "And you think that's enough? That it's enough to make up for the fact that my brother is dead?"

JC glanced at Sabrina wondering if she'd conveniently forgotten to tell him something last night, wanting to see him sweat before facing the notorious gang leader's wrath. He looked back at Tommie. "Sabrina told me that's what you wanted."

Tommie nodded. "That is what I told her, but it's not true. Look at me." He spread his arms, gesturing to himself and the expensive looking suit he was wearing. "Do I look like someone that needs money?"

JC's stomach churned, his rising anxiety making him feel like he could hurl at any moment. He took a shaky breath, trying to settle his stomach. It was nearly impossible though, especially as Tommie moved closer and closer to him. The gang leader moved slowly, looking very much like a big cat on the prowl, and all JC could do was stand there and pray the undercover cop decided this was the right moment to show himself.

His prayers went unanswered though as Tommie stopped right in front of him, standing close enough that he could smell the man's cologne. His breaths were shallow, watching Tommie warily as he leaned in closer. Then Tommie whispered in his ear, "Besides, I know the money in that bag is fake."

JC unconsciously took a step back, the bag slipping from his fingers. He inhaled sharply, unaware until then he'd actually stopped breathing for a moment. His heart pounded painfully in his chest as he stared at Tommie in horror. "I...how...what-" he stuttered, unable to voice the numerous questions running through his brain.

"As I'm sure you've figured out since you've become a celebrity, it really pays to know the right people," Tommie said.

Tommie motioned to his left, and JC turned his head. His mouth turned to dust while his heart jumped in his throat. The undercover cop - the very one that had coordinated this whole thing - stepped into view, his posture loose and his face relaxed as he gave a brief nod of greeting to Tommie.

"Sorry, kid," the cop said. "It's nothing personal."

JC stared at the man, still in shock, but the man's words created a tiny spark of anger. It seemed likely the man had some situation that made working for the gang leader a necessity even though his job was meant to protect and serve the citizens bullied by people like Tommie. While the words seemed sincere, they were said with a casualness that ignited anger within JC. Though, he quickly forced it down knowing that showing it would likely result in pissing Tommie off.

"You didn't honestly think I wouldn't have someone on the police force working for me, did you?" Tommie said to JC. "He was especially integral in carrying out Sabrina's plan to have you indicted."

JC glanced quickly at Sabrina, who was smirking at him from where she stood behind Tommie. He hadn't had any doubt that getting him to LA by having him arrested for Marc's murder was Sabrina's idea, but it was different knowing that she had done so while in cahoots with Tommie. All of this was an elaborate setup for them to get what they wanted, and JC was terrified what the outcome of it would be for him.

He looked back at Tommie, forcing himself to look him in the eye. "I know Sabrina told you I killed Marc, but it's not true."

"And why should I believe you?"

"Because I'm telling you the truth!" JC said desperately.

Tommie was silent for a long moment, his eyes fixed on JC like he was sizing him up and trying to decide if he was indeed telling the truth. Finally, Tommie broke the eye contact only to begin to slowly walk around JC as he talked.

"Tell me something, JC. You have a brother, right? And friends you consider brothers?"

JC nodded. "Yes," he said quietly.

"Imagine something happening to one of them. Imagine hearing that someone killed them." Tommie was still moving slowly around JC, coming up on his left side. "What would you do?"

JC's breath caught in his throat. It sounded like an innocent enough question, but he was quickly learning there was no such thing when it came to Tommie. "What?" he choked out.

Tommie stepped around in front of him, facing him once again. "What would you do if they died, JC? They could be taken away from you in instant. In fact, it could be happening right now."

JC's heart stopped. It was only for a second, and his chest pounded painfully as his heart worked to get back into rhythm. He barely noticed it though, his mind flashing to Chris who was waiting for him back at the hotel. While he was there with a couple of their bodyguards, JC knew better than to think Chris was safe from anyone Tommie sent because he got the feeling what Tommie said wasn't just words - that his friend was in immediate danger.

Without thinking, JC turned on his heel and dashed for the car with no regard for himself. All he could think about was getting back to the hotel and to Chris. Even though Tommie said that it could be happening right now, he had to hope that he could make it back in time to warn Chris and, more importantly, their bodyguards so they could prepare.

As JC ducked behind the wheel, slamming the door shut, he looked up and was surprised to find that Tommie and his crew along with the cop weren't making any move to stop him. They all were just watching him, and Tommie's lips were curled in amusement. It was strange, but JC didn't question it. To do so would waste time - time he didn't have if he wanted to make it to Chris before the worst could happen.

JC quickly turned the engine and immediately threw the car in reverse, spinning the steering wheel as he did until the car's nose was pointed down the road he'd come in on. Foot on the brake, he glanced up in the rearview mirror, still surprised that no one was stopping him. Then he shifted the car into drive and pressed his foot on the gas so fast the tires chirped as they spun, throwing up a cloud of dirt behind him as he barreled out of there as fast as he dared.

Normally he wasn't someone that would speed much, but right now the situation warranted it. Even the thought of passing a cop didn't slow him down. He wasn't driving fast enough to be reckless - just fast enough to shave as much time as he could off the trip back to the hotel.

When JC finally did make it, he pulled into the front bay of the hotel. He didn't waste any time in throwing the car into park before jumping out and running for the door. As he passed the valet, he tossed the man the keys without missing a step as he ran through the lobby and straight to the elevator.

He jabbed the up button repeatedly, impatiently watching the numbers above tick down. JC briefly considered taking the stairs, but he knew it would take much longer to climb twelve flights of stairs rather than waiting a few seconds for the elevator to return to the lobby and riding it back up. As he stood there, he kept his head down and prayed that his frantic motions hadn't drawn enough attention to him for someone to recognize him. The last thing he needed was anything that would delay him from getting upstairs to his friend and bodyguards.

Finally, there was a loud ding and the elevator doors slid open. It was empty - thank God - and he jumped in, hitting the twelve button before repeatedly hitting the door close button until the doors did just that. His body vibrated, and his stomach churned as he watched the number increase. Even though it only took a few seconds to reach his floor, it felt like much longer. And as soon as he heard that ding and the doors opened wide enough, he jumped out onto the floor.

Quickly, he glanced up and down the hallway for any signs of anyone else. He didn't see anyone - not even Mike. One of their bodyguards was usually stationed by the elevator so they could monitor the comings and goings of everyone, and it would allow them to catch people who didn't belong on the floor. So the absence of Mike immediately put JC on edge, his nervousness and anxiousness to get to Chris just increasing.

He forced himself to slow his pace, fighting the urge to run into the suite Chris was waiting for him in as he cautiously made his way down the hall. When he reached the end of the hall, he turned the corner to enter the part of the floor where their suite was. Then he stopped in his tracks, his blood turning to ice at what he saw.

Down the hall, there were two men that were forcing the door to the suite open. Even though JC wasn't close enough to see the room numbers, he was certain that was the suite they'd been using. But if he'd had any doubts, they were eliminated when he heard a distinctive, "Hey! What are you-" that sent chills down his spine. Chris.

For as much as he'd stressed he was going to be too late, it appeared he was right on time. The entire drive he'd been so focused on just getting there that he hadn't actually thought about what he'd do when he did, especially with their bodyguards completely out of sight. It seemed stupid to just run at them when he was unarmed and Tommie's men surely had guns. But could he really leave Chris in attempt to find help?

It was an impossible decision, and one that was taken out of his hands.

One of the men suddenly turned his head and looked straight at JC. They stared at each other for a second before the spell was broken, and the man started moving down the hall, coming for him. JC turned on his heel, knowing he had to worry about himself now, not Chris. As painful as that was.

JC wasn't entirely sure where to go. His mind immediately went to getting back down to the lobby where he could get help, but as he turned the corner he saw the door for the stairs. He glanced once down the hall where the elevators were before he threw open the door and raced down the stairs. In his eyes, it was better to keep moving rather than stopping for the elevator as he knew that man would be on him in no time.

Sure enough, JC hadn't gotten more than a couple floors down when he heard another set of footsteps. He pushed himself to move faster, nearly falling as his upper body got ahead of his churning legs. It forced him to keep his back upright and slow his pace just enough to prevent an actual fall. Though, it didn't work.

JC had been so focused on descending the stairs as fast as he could that he didn't realize his feet were coming closer and closer to the edge of each step they landed on until his right foot slipped. His feet went out from under him, and he fell backwards, sliding down several stairs on his back until coming to a stop at the next landing.

For a moment, he laid there dazed. Then the sound of pounding feet getting louder broke through, and JC knew he had to get up and keep going. He couldn't allow the man Tommie had sent to catch up to him before he could reach the bottom and get help. So he pushed himself to his feet, stumbling a bit and hissing in pain that raced up his leg from his calf. Normally he would listen to his body and take it slow, but that wasn't an option at the moment so he forced himself forward, picking up the pace he'd had earlier.

Footsteps echoed loudly in his ears - both his own and the man chasing him. His heart raced not only from the exertion but from the fear of hearing someone following you and knowing they could be on you any second. But finally, he reached the end of the stairs and jump the last couple, stumbling as he landed. He quickly recovered and threw open the door.

JC had expected the stairs would take him out into the lobby of the hotel, but instead the door had opened to the outside. It took him a second to realize the stairs had dumped him into the side alley of the hotel where several cars were parked. To the left he could see the street and knew he could get some help from the valet.

He turned left and hadn't taken more than a couple steps before he heard a voice behind him. "JC?" The single word was said with surprise and concern, but the voice was unmistakable. Lonnie.

JC felt immediate relief as he turned around to see the large bodyguard standing near an SUV that was to the right of the door he'd just come out of. "Lonnie!" he cried, quickly closing the distance between them. "Someone's here. They got Chris, and they were chasing after me, and-"

"JC, JC," Lonnie interrupted, grabbing onto his arms and ducking his head to get him to look him in the eye. "Calm down."

"But Chris! We have to help him! And that guy, he...he..." JC trailed off, his eyes going to the door he'd come out of. No one had come out after him, and that guy had been right behind him. He would've made it outside by now, and the fact that he didn't...well, JC didn't know what it meant. But he did get an uneasy feeling.

JC looked back at Lonnie, who was still loosely holding onto his arms. He saw genuine concern on his bodyguard's face, but there was something else. Something that looked like resignation, and it did nothing to ease JC's anxiety.

"I'm sorry, JC," Lonnie said.

JC's brow furrowed. "For what?"

Lonnie looked at him with such a sad expression, and warning bells went off in JC's head. It didn't make sense, but he wasn't going to ignore the feeling either. He went to pull his arms out of Lonnie's grasp, but he could only get one free as Lonnie tightened the hold on his other.

JC panicked, but before he could do anything, Lonnie tugged on his arm and turned him around so his back was against Lonnie's chest. Then a wet cloth was pressed over his nose and mouth. As JC breathed in the sweet smelling solution, he struggled desperately to break Lonnie's hold. But Lonnie was much stronger than him, and after a long minute, all the fight left JC as his body went limp.

JC would've hit the ground if Lonnie didn't have a hold on him. His eyelids grew heavy - something he tried to fight as hard as he could, especially when he heard Lonnie speak to someone else.

"Is he gonna be okay?" Lonnie asked. The rag was removed from JC's face, but it didn't make him feel any better. If anything, the darkness seemed to pull at him harder.

"Does it matter?" the other voice replied. There was silence and then the man scoffed. "You've gone soft, man. Now c'mon. Tommie won't be happy if we're late."

Lonnie's arm went under JC's legs, lifting his feet off the ground. JC could guess where he was being taken, but he wouldn't be awake long enough to find out as he couldn't fight the pull of unconsciousness any longer.

His last conscious thought was of Chris and praying that he was okay.