✅ Taken: First Prey

Chapter 2

          The bar was a relatively large establishment for being on the edge of the city. Inside, the pair quickly noted Trent was drinking alone, and didn't appear to be waiting for anyone - his gaze never left his drink and his phone.

          Adam and Xander went up to the bar, and ordered themselves a pitcher of their favourite Belgian-imported beer. Xander had to watch his intake, though, as he'd be driving on the way back, just in case Adam's large stature was needed to manhandle their target. Trent was definitely much bigger than Xander, and seemed more built in his upper body, whereas Xander was lanky by comparison with his runner's build. But with Adam, at six foot four and nearly three hundred pounds of solid muscle, he didn't stand a chance.

          Xander led them to a small booth on the opposite end of the bar, but they still had a clear view of Trent, as he sat at his table-for-two alone.

          "He looks kinda sad, don't you think?" Xander said in a hushed tone as he poured himself a glass of beer.

          "Yeah, you're right." Adam did the same, and he took a long, deep drink from the glass before setting it back down. "We ought to cheer him up somehow."

          Trent suddenly stood up upon finishing his drink. He brought the empty bottle to the counter, and told the waitress to bring him another when he got back from the bathroom.

         "Do you have to pee yet?" Xander asked as they watched him disappear into the men's room.

          "We just got here, Xander."

          "Ugh, I know. I just want to see what he's doing," he replied impatiently. He reached into his pants pocket and produced a dimebag full to the brim with 80mg oxycodone pills, and slyly handed it off to Adam. "Next time he goes in there - and he will, 'cause he's broken the seal now - go into a stall and have a sniff. See if it catches his attention."

          "Why don't I just do that now?" Adam said as he slid out of the booth to stand up. "There's no reason for him to suspect us right now."

          "Yeah... point taken."

          Adam entered the bathroom and discovered Trent was in a stall right now. He only had to wonder for half a second what he might be doing, because the tell-tale sounds of a bad bowel movement coming from the only occupied stall gave it away. He empathized with him, truly - chronic opiate usage often resulted in awful constipation.

          And then his thoughts went dark. Hopefully he'd empty himself out now so there'd be less of a mess when he died.

          He willed the thought away, and entered a stall two removed from Trent. He took one of the small,  circular green pills from the bag, and began to crush it up on the small fold-out metal table in the stall. He covered it with a dollar bill, and pressed a credit card over it to break it up, and then, he ran the edge of it over the bill to make it into a fine power. Then, he neatly arranged it into a line, rolled up the 50 dollar bill in his wallet, and snorted it in its entirety. He made sure the act was loud and dramatic, and then he let out a soft sigh as the pleasant, numb euphoria of oxycodone began to envelope him.

          He rejoined Xander, who was still nursing his drink.

          "He's just taking a nasty shit. Happy now?" Adam half-joked as he poked his husband in the side with his elbow.

          Xander chuffed. "Yeah. Thanks, dear." He leaned over to kiss him, but then remembered they weren't supposed to be a couple right now and leaned away again.

          Adam saw the movement and the touch of sadness in his eyes. "Don't worry. We can go back to normal soon."

          Xander was about to answer, but Trent chose that moment to re-enter the room. Adam had his back to him currently, but he was facing Xander. He seemed to be scanning the room for someone, but continued to the bar. They both overhead him order another drink, and then ask the waitress if she'd seen who came out of the bathroom before him.