Hey all! Yep, DaraLynn with another installment of "No Painless Way". But first...I wanna give big thanks to David the archiver and Nifty, and to my wonderful cheering section, including Aph, Dennis, Stacia, Lissa, Joanne, Aimee, Sophie, Red, Ann and anyone I foolishly missed! Hi guys!!!!
A note: A dear friend brought it to my attention that Justin's little brother Jonathan, mentioned herein, is his father and step-mother's son, not Lynn and Paul Harless's. But, for this story, he's a Harless. Fiction is fun. :)
DISCLAIMER: All real people mentioned in this story are not known by me, none of this is real, yadda yadda. If you shouldn't be reading this, don't.
Otherwise, enjoy!!
And guess what? Yep, we finally meet the villain in this chapter! :)
~NO PAINLESS WAY~ CHAPTER 5
"You and me We used to be together Every day together, always I really feel That I'm losing my best friend I can't believe this could be The end..."
- "Don't Speak", No Doubt
"Is Nick okay?"
"He's still crying a little. But I think he got a lot of pent-up anger out of his system, and that's gotta be good."
"I'm glad." J.C. knew his voice sounded dull, but he couldn't help it.
Brian sighed sadly. "I'm so sorry, Josh. But we'll get him back. And isn't it a relief that Lou doesn't have him?"
"I guess so. Isn't there an old saying though, that the evil you know is better than the evil you don't know?"
"Yes, I've heard that," Brian answered, frowning glumly into the phone.
"Brian..." J.C. began slowly, "last night, Justin told me that he has...feelings for me. We agreed to start a relationship...and when I held him...it was like my life finally made sense. Like those stories where everyone gets the thing they most want by the last page. Bri, every wish I've made for the past five years, every extinguished birthday candle, every shooting star - I asked for his love, if he could give it. And last night I looked into his eyes and saw what I'd prayed to see. I thought I could see my future for the first time. Bri...I, God, I can't lose him, I can't..."
"Oh, Josh..." Brian covered his bloodshot eyes with one hand.
//Why?// he wondered. //Fate, you gave me a love I can't have, you entrusted him to me and I will always be grateful. Now J.C. has a chance for the happiness I wanted, the joy every person deserves. Please, let him have it! Please...//
The Backstreet Boy had nothing more to say.
In the silent house in Orlando, Joshua Chasez sat in the dim kitchen as the clock dutifully struck one o'clock of a new day. The young man sobbed brokenly, as a child who'd been beaten, in the one way that mattered most. ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Justin Timberlake opened his eyes slowly. He felt a dull ache in his head, and squinted even at the soft lights of the room. The first thing he noticed, after the pain in his head, was a heavy feeling throughout his body, as if he'd either slept too much or not at all. After a few drowsy moments, one thought pushed every trace of sleep aside.
//Where the hell am I?!//
Wincing slightly, Justin pulled himself up to a sitting position. It was a good question, one that rang in his mind over and over as he took in the strange surroundings.
He was in a bedroom, simply but beautifully furnished. Justin's eyes wandered in confusion over the dresser, the bookshelf, the desk, and the three doors - one straight ahead of him, one on the right-hand wall and one to the left. His hands hesitantly touched the sheets of the large bed he sat on, as if not yet believing this was real.
Memory flooded the boy's aching head all at once, and he scowled with annoyance more than fear.
//Dammit. That Tim guy. I remember now. But why would he-//
Justin's eyes fell on a large 'Nsync poster on the wall to his left.
//Fuck. A psycho-fan. This is so not good.//
A noise was heard outside the room, like that of an elevator opening. Justin looked at the door straight ahead of him, fear suddenly rising in his chest. After a moment it opened, and a man stepped in.
The stranger wore a neat suit of deep black, the same shade as his chin-length hair. His tan face showed no sign of insanity, and the dark, somehow colorless eyes seemed intelligent. He stood quietly before his captive, his posture relaxed and nonthreatening, but something in the man's smile, a satisfaction, turned Justin's insides to ice water.
The teenager spoke, using every bit of willpower he had to keep his voice calm. "Where am I?"
"You are home. Is the room to your liking? We can change it in any way you wish."
"What?! Look, pal, I know what my home looks like, and this ain't it! What the fuck is goin' on?!"
"Oh, come now." The man's tone was low and eerily pleasant. "There's no need for such language. I will tell you whatever you wish to know."
//Unbelievable. I've been kidnapped, and if that wasn't bad enough, this psycho is telling me not to swear.//
"Who are you?!"
"My name is Colin Elwood. You may call me either Colin or Mr. Elwood, whatever makes you most comfortable."
"Comfortable? Comfortable?! I've been kidnapped!"
Elwood frowned. "Kidnapped. A rather harsh word."
"A rather serious crime!"
Justin, though he was beginning to sense that escape would not be easy, decided to make a run for it. He began to rise, but fell back immediately as dizziness overtook him. The feeling of weakness was stronger now, so much so that even sitting up was tiring.
In spite of this, Justin slapped away the man's approaching hands. "Don't touch me!"
"You shouldn't get up yet, Justin. You're much too weak. An after-effect of the drug, I should imagine - it's powerful stuff. Korman didn't hurt you, did he?"
Justin glared at him with disbelief. "You mean other than knocking me out, abducting me and delivering me to a lunatic? Oh, not at all. Are you some sort of deranged fan?"
The man seemed amused. "One certainly could call me a fan. I've been following your career for some time now."
//Like I thought - psycho-fan. Well, maybe I don't have the strength to kick this guy's ass, but I sure as hell am not gonna be polite.//
Justin looked at his captor mockingly. "If you wanted an autograph, there are easier - and less illegal - ways to ask."
Elwood laughed congenially. "Oh, I want far more than that, little one."
//Little one?! This guy is dead.//
Justin sighed, and began to recite what he had been taught. "If it's ransom you want, I give you my word that you'll get-"
The laughter began again. "Oh, it's not ransom I want. I have no need whatsoever for that."
"Then what do you want?"
Elwood came closer, and at that moment Justin would have given anything for the ability to run. It was becoming harder to stay awake, and Justin felt his eyelids grow heavier. He found the energy to pull away, however, when Elwood reached out and gently touched the boy's curls.
"I have what I want, Justin. You."
The man smiled, and headed back to the door he'd come through. "Go back to sleep, little one. We will talk more when you've rested. All will become clear soon."
Justin stared mutely at the retreating figure. Fury, fear, confusion and curiosity fought within him, but exhaustion won the battle, and sleep took him once more. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ (7 a.m.)
Paul Harless came through the front door and went straight to his wife.
Lynn was, Chris observed, obviously shrieking with despair inside, but her eyes were dry. She had wept all night, and for the moment had no tears left to shed. Paul did, however, and that shook Chris up even more - he had never seen Justin's step-dad upset before, at least not like this.
The man embraced his wife and patted her back comfortingly. "We'll find him, Lynn. If we have to search every inch of this planet, we'll find him."
She nodded, attempting a brave smile. Detective Larsen rose from the couch and shook Paul's hand.
"Detective Thomas Larsen, Mr. Harless."
"Paul. Have you found anything?"
"We're working on it, sir. The department is running background checks on the Jive and TransContinental employees involved with your step-son's group now. I have some questions for you, Paul, when you're ready."
Paul nodded. "Of course."
He kissed his wife, quickly greeted the rest of 'Nsync and followed Det. Larsen into the dining room.
"Where's Jonathan?" J.C. asked Lynn.
"Paul and I decided that he should stay with his grandparents for a few days. I don't want him to get lost in all the confusion and fear here."
Josh nodded. He had wanted to see Jonathan, but Lynn's decision made sense. A five-year-old would go crazy in all this.
//Yeah, like we're not all losing it.//
He pulled Lynn into a corner of the living room, pressed with the overwhelming need to say something.
"Lynn...I am so sorry."
Lynn put her hands on J.C.'s shoulders. "Joshua, this is not your fault. Not in any way."
J.C. hardly noticed that his eyes had filled; they were never dry anymore. "i should have been with him. I should have been there."
The woman wrapped her arms around the man who'd been like another son to her. "Darling, we're all feeling that way. But we had no way of guessing something like this would happen."
"Lance and I both had a bad feeling the day before yesterday. And Justin had a nightmare...I should have guessed that it meant something. I should've known that something bad was out there, and not let Just get close to it."
Lynn pulled back gently, patting J.C.'s arms. "Joshua, the threat of danger like this is part of the lives you five have chosen. After so many false alarms, it's easy to forget that this can happen. It's not our fault, or yours. You boys are all close, all the time."
She sighed, a deep, mournful sound. "This has always been my worst nightmare. Fear of this almost kept me from letting Justin be part of the group. It's just...you all make him so happy."
J.C. took her hand. "Lynn, when we get him back, I'll never leave his side again. We won't lose him, never again."
She hugged him once more, grateful as always for the love J.C. bore for her son. Her eyes spoke the words she could not say.
//I know how you feel, Joshua, and how Justin feels too, I think. I pray to God that I may see you reunited, and give you both my blessing. Please, God, give them that chance.// ------------------------------------------------------------------------
//Whoa...creepy dream...//
Justin smiled with relief as he slowly stretched. After a long, blissful moment, he opened his eyes, and his smile sank into a frown of dismay.
//Fuck. It wasn't a dream.//
//Okay, Justin, calm down, we have to think. Actually, I have to think - what's with the 'we'? Oh my God, I'm being held against my will God-knows-where and I'm worrying about grammar. Josh will be proud. After the heart attack this'll give him anyway.//
"Good morning."
Justin jumped, startled. He had been so deep in thought that he hadn't noticed Elwood come in.
"I trust you slept well. Now then, I shall explain a few things. That door there-" he pointed to the door next to the bed - "leads to your bathroom. I should tell you that that is the only of your rooms that does not have a camera in it - I'm sure you will want privacy now and again. This is, of course, your bedroom - as I told you earlier, we can make any changes in decor in the rooms that you wish. In the closet and dresser you will find a large wardrobe of clothes of your sizes and preferences - I hope I've got them right! Now, through there, the door I just came through, is your living room. There's a TV, VCR, stereo, a few of those video game systems that I don't know much about...that sort of thing. I've tried to select everything according to your taste, but you must let me know if I've missed anything. Any questions so far?"
Justin glared at him with disbelief. "Yeah. What mental hospital did you escape from?"
Elwood laughed heartily. "I do like your spirit, my boy. But I assure you, I am perfectly sane."
"Perfectly sane people do not kidnap other people!"
Elwood sighed. "Perhaps you will understand when you know me better."
Justin scowled at him coldly. "I don't intend to."
"Escape is quite impossible, I assure you. The only door out of your rooms is in the living room, and it can be opened only by a key-card and password. It is much too strong for you to ever break through. As for the windows, they are barred. You may as well accept it - you are here for good. But you need not be unhappy."
"Unhappy?!" Justin cried. "You have me kidnapped, take me away from everything I love, bring me here, and then expect me to believe you want me to be happy?!"
"I do, Justin. Anything you want will be yours. Ask for anything."
"I want to go home!"
Elwood chuckled. "Well, maybe not anything."
Justin felt his anger giving way to simple fear; he was, after all, still very young. "Look, just let me go now, and I won't press charges, I promise-"
"I have no intention of letting you go, little one. Now, you must be hungry."
Elwood gestured to a tray on the dresser he'd brought in. "Apple Jacks are still your favorite cereal, correct?"
"I'm not hungry."
Elwood frowned. "This subject is not open for discussion, Justin. If you refuse to eat I will have you restrained and fed intravenously. I don't suppose you would enjoy being injected with needles three times a day, but I will not allow you to endanger your health."
He held out the bowl. "Now, will you be a good boy and eat?"
Justin looked at him defiantly, his arms crossed in front of him.
Elwood sighed with disappointment, and left the room for a moment. Almost immediately he returned with a medical-looking man who seemed to be a doctor, and four men so large and muscular that they rivalled 'Nsync's bodyguards.
//Uh-oh. This is not good.//
Elwood snapped his fingers. The four large men each grabbed one of Justin's limbs and stretched him out, holding him still across the bed. Justin struggled and protested, but no one seemed to notice. The doctor expertly pushed a needle into the boy's outstretched right arm and began to inject him with vitamin supplements. When he was finished, he and the other four left the room without a word.
Justin cradled his arm, which hurt a little. Elwood smiled at him sadly.
"I admire your stubbornness, child. But it is much easier for you if you simply eat. And less painful."
Elwood gestured to the phone on a nightstand next to the bed. "By the phone I've left a number where you can reach me at anytime on my cellular phone, as well as the number to my office. Before you get your hopes up I should tell you that except for my cellular, this phone cannot dial any number outside the house. Should you want or need anything, call me, anytime day or night, all right? Now I'll leave you alone so you can settle in. I will return later...before I go, is there anything you'd like? Anything?"
Tears streamed down Justin's cheeks. His assumed air of sarcasm and toughness was gone now, and he looked very small and vulnerable. "I want to go home. Please..."
His captor's smile was almost sympathetic. "I will see you later, little one."
Elwood left quickly, as though he didn't want to hear the teenager's broken sobbing.
~to be continued~ Questions and comments (no flames please) to me, DaraLynn, at DaraLynn_writings@hotmail.com