Scribbles and Drabbles

Notebook Drabble 20 - Alec

First time he'd been kidnapped, he'd young. Young enough that they had been able to pick him up easily. Old enough to know fighting was a bad idea unless he wanted things to get painful. Over the years, it had kept happening. There were even a few thugs who were almost regular in their demands. No one really considered the implications of the fact nothing changed. He was kidnapped, his parents paid the ransom and he was given back. There would be a few weeks of tighter security and then people would relax and the cycle would start all over again.

"Alec!"

"You couldn't have come this morning?" Alec complained, not fighting as a hand curled in his elbow. He was having a bad day. His head was aching and he was sure he'd failed his science test. He leaned on the now laughing man, grumbling as someone took his bag from his shoulder.

"Rough day?" Crawford ran a hand over Alec's shoulders and steered him towards a plain white van on the side of the road.

"Science test," Alec shrugged. Fighting caused trouble. Fighting meant his friends got taken too and his restraints would hurt. Crawford might even punish him for it. Those weren't as bad as the random people who took him but in Crawford's mind, they'd done this enough times that Alec should know how to behave. "I didn't do well. I could have done with the excuse to redo it at a later date."

"You missing any by being gone?"

"As long as I'm back before next Wednesday, no," Alec said, clambering into the van and into the arms of Lincoln and McCabe. The two muscular men quick to pull Alec into hugs and slap his back in a greeting that might have seemed more similar to friends than kidnappers. It wasn't. Those arms changed to pawing at his pockets and searching out any hidden items he might have on his body. "You also could have come after then, its my last test of the season."

"We wanted to, sweetie," McCabe said, taking his phone off him. And anything else he had, which wasn't much. "But another group were going to take the hit and we couldn't risk that." The man opened his phone and took out the sim card and memory card.

"Oh," Alec winced as his head twinged again. He leaned on Lincoln closing his eyes. He didn't need to know any more than that. The less he knew, the safer he was. With some groups the opposite was true. He knew the deal with Crawford's bunch. Anyone else and he was a lot more proactive with getting the fuck out of there as quick as possible.

A hand rested on his forehead, the van rocking as they started driving. He was pinned between McCabe and Lincoln, the two men keeping him in place in lieu of a seat belt. Lincoln smelt of oil and copper. Alec's nose wrinkled as a touch of sweat mixed in but he didn't move. Everything was starting to spin. That made no sense. They hadn't drugged him yet. No needles, drinks or food, he was clean for the moment. They didn't like drugging him until they had to. Not have one memorable time when they'd overdone it and had to pump his stomach.

"Got a fever brewing," Crawford said, his voice too loud in Alec's ears.

"Great," Alec exhaled, shivering. "You keeping me somewhere with a bed this time?"

"We can adjust," Crawford ran a hand through Alec's hair. It was nice. Alec pressed closer to Crawford and let himself relax into the stronger man's presence.

The world blurred for a bit, the lacking feeling of sickness dancing at the back of his throat. The men talked over his head but hands rubbed his back. The engine growled, echoing in his ears, louder than any words. The heat overwhelmed his senses but he trembled as cold snaked in behind the fire. The car stopped. Hand pulled him out of the van. His knees buckled as he hit solid ground. It hurt, hands holding his shoulder steady.

"Look at me, doll."

The light attacked the back of his eyes. He whimpered, pushing back and shielding his face. The murmuring turned more concerned. Hands lifted him and bundled him close. The world went dark and his awareness fled, leaving the scent of oil lingering.

Nothing was clear for a while. Occasionally hands ran over his head. They moved him a few times, the ache of someone's arm under his knees hurting as his body burned and ached. They never left him alone. Sound bounced around him, never growing too loud to irritate but there and reassuring. Someone wiped him over with a cold flannel. Liquid seeped down his throat. He didn't dream but the in and out of consciousness was enough to keep his mind trapped in loops.

When he woke up, it was dark. Metal surrounded him, followed by flesh. Alec frowned, head thumping as he wriggled between the two men sandwiching him. They didn't normally sleep in the same bed as him if they had him overnight. When he was younger, Crawford would keep him close to stop anyone stealing him off into the night or to stop him from trying an escape attempt. Once or twice as a young teenager there had been men that he didn't trust. Crawford or McCabe would let him curl up next to them to feel safe. The last time had involved being steal had a knifepoint and being told to spread his legs. Alec didn't want to know what happened to the guy once Lincoln had dragged him off.

Lincoln snored.

Alec grimaced as the sound echoed through the chamber with a slight whistle. Of the three main men, Lincoln was the brawn. Crawford and McCabe had muscles but Lincoln practically dwarfed Alec in size. Alec was wedged in between Lincoln and McCabe, the slightly smaller man blocking Alec from the no doubt cold metal wall on the other side.

Everything hurt. Alec didn't bother trying to get up. He wanted water. His throat was dry and scratchy. Lincoln's snoring stopped him from settling back into sleep. He tried to curl up but there wasn't enough room. Skin stuck together uncomfortably and it was far too hot where his clothes were covering him. Something squeezed inside his chest and the throbbing in his head intensified for a moment before backing off again. How long had he been out?

The fact that both men had felt the need to sleep in the same bed of him was concerning. He wasn't a flight risk now, even healthy and well. Had someone tried to poach him? They did say someone else had tried to put in for the contract. Or had the fever been that bad?

Time passed. Lincoln didn't stop snoring until after McCabe pushed him out of the bed. Fresh air surrounded Alec and he moaned as the ability to move returned. McCabe kept an arm around him but let him shift and stretch into the newly cleared area. Lips kissed his forehead and hummed.

"You're still running hot,"

"Umm," Words didn't want to work right now. He cracked open an eye and saw Lincoln glaring at his partner unimpressed.

"You didn't have to push me off the bed."

"Yes, I did."