“Just sit tight, Littrell. You’ve seen the damage we can do, don’t fuck with us.”

“Oh no...” I whispered, praying I hadn’t heard Brady right. Praying it wasn’t Brian that was in Brady’s grip. But when a sliver of light fell on Brian’s face, my heart sank. Brady took notice of my dismay, smirked and gave Brian a hard shove. With his hands bound behind his back, Brian was unable to keep himself from tumbling roughly to the floor. Brady nodded in satisfaction and left the room, slamming the door behind him.

“Brian!” I cried, doing my best to crawl over to him.

“Lizz?” Brian panted, trying to catch the breath that had been knocked out of him. He’d managed to pull himself up so he was sitting on his knees. “Are you okay?” His voice rose in alarm when he got a look at my battered condition.

“Fine.” I said hastily, unconcerned with myself at the moment. “Wh- Where’s AJ? Is he-”

“He’s alive, Lizz. He was beaten pretty badly.” Brian said softly, shaking his head.

I tried to swallow around the lump that had formed in my throat. “God Brian, I tried to stop him. AJ and I were trying to find away out of here and we got caught. Brady attacked AJ and Vinnie dragged me into this room. I saw the phone in here,” I stopped to show Brian, but it was nowhere to be seen. “Well, it was in here. Anyway, I called Nick, but almost immediately Vinnie came back in here. He ripped the phone from my hand and started knocking me around. Then he called Nick back and told him to come get me and AJ. He said AJ needed medical attention.” I stopped again when I saw the expression on Brian’s face.

“He called him back. Dammit.” Brian looked pained. I raised an eyebrow.

“Vinnie called Nick before that?”

“No, well yes. He called Nick, but I was in sitting with him. Since Nick was finally asleep, I answered his phone and Vinnie thought I was Nick and directed me to come to this address.” He explained, shifting uncomfortably against the handcuffs.

I shook my head slowly. “’Sitting with him?’”

“Nick’s in the hospital, Lizz. Or, well, he was before he disappeared.” Brian said softly.

I put my hand to my mouth. “Oh god.”

“No no! He’s okay, he was just banged up from the accident and I think waking up to find you and AJ gone didn’t help.” Brian said quickly.

“But you said he was gone. Shit Brian! He’s going to come here! They’ll kill him!” I cried.

“Kevin’s here too, hopefully he’ll find Nick before anyone else does and get him out of here.” Brian assured me. I might have actually felt better if he’d sounded convinced himself. Instead I just wrapped my arms around Brian, trying to fight the tears that were behind my eyes.

AJ couldn’t hold back the small whimper that escaped his throat when he was thrown into someone’s arms. He was completely and totally disoriented. Nick was supposed to be the one that was there, but instead he had heard Brian’s voice. Brian was telling someone not to worry, that he would take care of Nick and himself! He almost didn’t care who had him since he didn’t think it was possible to be in much more pain than he was already in.

“Beat it, before I decide I’m not done with that little freak.” Brady sneered.

Kevin sucked in a breath and instinctively drew AJ closer to him, determined to keep his younger brother from any more harm. The mere idea of leaving Brian and Lizz at this foul place made him sick to his stomach. But he had to get AJ out of there and find Nick. “I’m going.” Kevin ground out, teeth clenched.

At the sound of Kevin’s voice, AJ let himself relax somewhat. Kevin would figure something out and get everyone safe. AJ refused to let himself believe otherwise. Since he couldn’t see anything, he focused instead on the sounds in the room. Kevin’s rapidly beating heart was pounding so loud in his ear that it was impossible to miss that. The door squeaked open and Kevin carried AJ through. AJ jumped when the door was slammed behind them.

“You with me bud?” Kevin asked softly.

“L--” AJ paused and cleared his throat weakly. “Lizz’s next door, Brian now too...”

Kevin’s gaze immediately fell on the closed door that they were behind. Again, Kevin had to fight back tears. They were so close, yet there was nothing he could do. He was so damned helpless. “AJ, I’m getting you out of here, finding Nick and we are gonna be back for them.” He swore, his voice low.

“Brady told me-” AJ was forced to stop when his beaten body was wracked with coughs.

“Shh-hh AJ, take it easy.” Kevin coaxed.

“No, Kev! They’re going to torture Lizz, then Nick. Then kill him.”

Kevin stared down at AJ. “Sonofabitch! That big guy told you this?”

AJ nodded. Kevin looked hurriedly up and down the hall, trying to figure out what to do. Thankfully the hallway was vacant, but that luck was about to run out. Vinnie’s two way crackled from the other side of the door. Her words were too muffled to understand, but Vinnie’s were clear as a bell. “You heard the woman, Brady. Go get Richardson and your little punching bag.” Vinnie laughed at his cleverness in AJ’s nickname.

Kevin’s eyes widened. “Oh shit.”

“Shit.” Nick muttered. He looked to his right, figuring there was a side door he could slip out of, unnoticed. Lizz and AJ depended on him getting to them and he couldn’t let them down.

“Nick! Oh my god!”

“Hey look! It’s Nick!”

“Nick Carter?”

“Oh shit. Shit!“

The next thing he knew, people were all around him and he felt his chest tighten. They were all trying to get his attention and they all wanted something from him. He needed to get to this address and get to Lizz and AJ before it was too late.

“I need to get through! It’s an emergency.” He said urgently.

“Mr. Carter, could you answer a few questions for us? There are a lot of questions regarding your bus accident...”

“Please, I don’t have time...” Nick shook his head, pushing through everyone.

“Nick? There are rumors that AJ is missing. It’s also being said that Lizz was on that bus with you and that is missing as well! Can you-”

“No!” Nick cried, desperately. If that information got out, there was no telling what could happen if Agnes and Vinnie found out. He was beginning to feel panicked and was about to totally break down until a cab pulled up in front of him. The passenger window rolled down and the cabbie leaned over.

“Get in!” He yelled.

Without thinking twice, Nick jerked the door open and threw himself into the backseat. The cabbie slammed his foot down on the gas and the car peeled away from the curb before Nick even had the door shut.

“I can’t thank you enough.” Nick leaned against the back seat, trying to catch his breath and settle his pounding heart.

“You’re in some trouble, aren’t ya son?” The cabbie peered at his young passenger through his rearview mirror.

“My friends are. I need you to take me to...” Nick paused as he shoved his hand into his pockets. “Oh shit! The address is on my menu. I ran out of there so quick, I didn’t even think to grab it! I don’t know how to get there!” Nick moaned in despair, convinced he’d just sentenced his friends to death.

“I know where it is, son. You just sit tight and ol’ Carl will get you there.” The cabbie smiled thinly.

“Bu- H-how do you know...?” Nick stammered.

“I picked up your two friends, your other bandmates. Already took them there.” Carl replied.

“What?! Oh shit, Brian and Kevin?? Mister, please hurry! They’re gonna get killed!” Nick exclaimed, panic setting back in.

Carl didn’t say anything, but only pushed down harder on the accelerator.