Without A Trace

Chapter Eight Lost Opportunity

Chapter 8    Lost Opportunity
 
 
Orlando sat huddled against the wall, his knees drawn close to his chest and his arms wrapped around them protectively.  He stayed stock still, head bowed submissively in an attempt not to provoke his captor, as Denver reached down and unlocked the chain from his neck.
 
“Lock it around his wrist again.” Len instructed as he continued to make the bed with fresh linen. “I don’t want it in our way while we enjoy him.”
 
Denver reached down and roughly gripped Orlando’s arm. 
 
Orlando cringed back, still not making eye contact, and a small mournful cry escaped him as the larger of the two kidnappers painfully forced his arm straight to lock the chain around his wrist once again.
 
Denver chuckled as he secured Orli’s wrist. “Save the theatrics for later kid.” He advised as he locked the chain in place and released him.
 
Orlando shuddered and cautiously looked up at Denver chocolate brown eyes misted with tears. “Please.” He whispered, choking back his sobs, when he realized his subservient approach wasn’t going to stop his impending rape. “Please, don’t do this to me.”
 
Denver glanced down at the young actor, unaffected by his pleas, and smiled at him sinisterly.  Without a word he turned and walked over to the far side of the bed and grabbed hold of the opposite edge of the sheet that Len was attempting to spread out on the mattress. “Little shit’s having a fit over what we’re gonna do to him.” he stated as he started to help make the bed and lay out his side of the sheet onto the mattress.
 
Len glanced at Denver nonchalantly and continued with his task, flipping the sheet until it billowed and drifted down to cover the mattress in a crumpled layer. “So what? Your heart bleeding for him again?” he scoffed as he straightened his side of the sheet out and proceeded to tuck it in at the foot of the bed.
 
“No, but…..” Denver started defensively, but Len cut him off. “Good, ‘cause if you are you can leave the room now.  I brought the slut here for one reason and nothing’s gonna stop me from getting it. I’ve waited long enough to get my hands on his sweet ass.” Len told him as he stooped to get the blanket from the floor. “Just too bad I’m giving him back.” He glanced at his captive.
 
Denver sighed and tucked his side of the sheet in as well, ignoring his accomplice’s comment. “Why bother making the bed? You’re just going to mess it up again.”
 
Len hesitated, short of grabbing the blanket from the floor, and straightened up. “My mother taught me to be neat.” He remarked sarcastically, then. “What the hell difference does it make?! Just make the fucking thing!”
 
Denver shrugged. “Makes no sense, is all.” He offered no other reason.
 
“I’m surprised anything makes sense to you.” Len muttered under his breath, then bent and scooped the blanket off the floor and dumped it onto the middle of the bed. “I’ve been watching him for the last month and a half.” Len repeated, changing back to his original topic as he started to straighten out the blanket. “Hot little taunting fuck that he is. Nothing’s going to stop me from having my fun now. Not money, not his boyfriend, and definitely not you!” He glared at his co-conspirator coolly. “So don’t piss me off Denver.” Sometimes Denver’s stupid simplicity taxed his patience.
 
Orli sat against the far wall, tearfully watching them as he listened to them bicker and talk among themselves as though he were not even in the room with them. His heart skipped a beat and he subconsciously cringed back against the wall at Len’s cruel reasoning.
 
Len finished spreading out his side of the blanket and sauntered over to where Orlando sat. “I watched him flaunt his body all over that Mortensen long enough.” He commented to his friend.  He stopped right in front of Orlando and peered down at his trembling hostage. “Got what you wanted, didn’t you whore?” He sneered.
 
Orli pressed himself against the wall harder, gulped audibly, and let his eyes drop to the floor again. His heart pounded in his chest. “No.” he muttered barely above a whisper.
 
“Well, now I’m gonna have what I want.” Len declared matter of factly, ignoring Orlando’s response. He reached down and grabbed Orli by the wrist painfully.
 
Orlando gasped, and shrunk back. “No!” he cried, letting his sobs go as he tried in a weak attempt to twist his arm free of Len’s grip.
 
“Oh, yes.” Len smirked as he literally started to drag the young actor out from against the wall. “I’m gonna have my fun with you.  Been too nice to you up to this point, now it’s time to pay up!  Show me how grateful you are for my letting you go back to that comfy little actor life of yours tomorrow night.”
 
Orlando resisted the man’s pulling him. “No.” he begged mournfully trying to dig the heels of his bare feet against the hard wood floors. “Please, don’t do this, don’t!”
 
“Quit whining.” Len growled and jerked Orli’s arm painfully hard enough to force Orlando onto his knees. He continued to try and haul Orlando over to the bed.
 
Orlando whimpered as his knees were scraped raw from abrading against the hardwood floor. He brought his free hand up and tried to pry Len’s hand helplessly from his wrist. “Let me go!” he begged. “Please!”  His panic was rising as dread flooded over him in waves making him light headed. Despite the fact that he had initially agreed to cooperate he couldn’t bring himself to allow it.  They were intent on raping him again and he knew he couldn’t physically take it.  His body still hadn’t recovered from the last savage attack.
 
Len swore under his breath, swung around and seized Orli by the hair. “Quit fighting me!” he growled threateningly. “You agreed to cooperate. Now, do you want to see your lover again?”
 
Orlando flinched back, sobbing erratically.  He didn’t answer but quit fighting.
 
A lop sided grim spread across Len’s face. “Good kid. I knew you’d be a fast learner.”
 
Len dragged Orli by the hair the rest of the way to the side of the bed.  He then released his hair and commanded sharply. “On the bed.”
 
Orlando couldn’t do it.  He cringed back and shook his head still not making eye contact with either kidnapper. “Please!” he implored in sobbing breaths. “Don’t make me….” He yelped then as Len again wound his fist into the youth’s hair and yanked him roughly to his knees.
 
Len was loosing what little patience he had with the young man. “The bed! Now!” he bellowed as he gave him a shove forward.
 
Orli fell forward from the force of the shove and instinctively put his hands out in front  of him to break his fall.  He caught the mattress and steadied himself.  He was too weak from the lack of food and the drugs he’d been given to put up any fight whatsoever.  He looked up at Denver now, his brown eyes clouded with tears, and mutely begged the other man for help.
 
Denver returned the look apathetically.
 
Exasperated, Len sighed. “Denver, get his sorry excuse of an ass onto the bed before I change my mind and kill him?”
 
Denver stepped over to the trembling figure, bent down and gripped him firmly by the wrists. “On the bed, come on.”
 
Orlando shrank back and tired to break loose of Denver’s grip.  Denver ignored this and with a powerful heave, hauled the young Brit up to his feet by the wrists and unerringly dropped him to the freshly made bed on his knees, still holding his wrists tightly.
 
Len stepped back to the foot of the bed and started to undo his pants. “Get him on his back and hold him down.” He instructed his partner.
 
Denver nodded and, with seemingly little effort, forced Orlando down onto the bed on his back and pinned him down by the wrists.
 
Orli tried to struggle to his knees again but Denver easily held him down.
 
Len stood back grinning at the vision lying in front of him as he undid the zipper of his pants and took them then his underwear off.  He threw them aside and climbed onto the foot of the bed on his knees. “Well now lovely, what can you do for me today?” he jeered as he casually started to stroke his erection.
 
Orlando raised his head from the mattress and glanced, in utter dread, down the foot of the bed at Len. “Please, don’t do this. I beg you…..please.”
 
Len cocked his head to the side and leered at his captive. “Aw, look how prettily the whore begs Denver. Isn’t he just the prettiest thing when he begs?”
 
Denver looked down at Orlando and gave him a flash of his yellow rotten teeth. “Sure is.” The larger man agreed tightening his grip on the thin wrists.
 
Uncomfortable under Denver’s scrutiny, Orlando twisted against the man’s hold on him. Despite himself, tears welled up in his brown eyes again.
 
Len let go of his cock and shifted resting back onto his folded legs.  He grabbed Orlando by the hips and drew the slight, trembling body up onto his lap, guiding the long legs to each side of his waist and effectively exposing the boy’s entrance.
 
Orlando panicked and again struggled to twist free of Denver’s grip.  He gasped and tensed when he felt a finger abruptly breach him. “Stop, don’t.” he wailed softly.
 
Len chuckled as he caressed Orlando’s silken passage. “Oh, so tight.” He moaned then with his free hand he reached over and took hold of Orli’s limp member and started stroking gently from root to tip, drawing his thumb over the head.
 
Orlando choked back a sob and squeezed his eyes shut in humiliation as he felt his cock respond to the caressing touch.  He stiffened and gasped when the finger inside him grazed over his sweet spot sending curls of unwanted pain/pleasure through his body.
 
“That’s my boy.” Len purred seductively when he felt the shaft in his palm harden further under his attentions. “Want to hear you moan for me, Orlando.” He added, then shifted forward, straining from the awkward position, and placed a light kiss to the quivering lips of his victim as he continued to caress him. “Want to see you come for me when I take you.” He explained against the soft lips under his.
 
With a plaintive wail, Orlando jerked his mouth away from Len’s in disgust. He twisted his wrists uselessly in Denver’s grasp.
 
Len sat back again. “No matter.” He stated. “Get you moaning for me soon enough.” he assured as he applied pressure to Orlando’s prostrate and gave his cock a strong smooth stroke.
 
Orlando gasped again and bucked his hips in a vain attempt to get away from Len’s manipulations.
 
Len quickly pinned Orli’s hip down against the mattress with his free hand and frowned mock disappointment. “Easy lover, let me do this.” He curled his finger again.
 
Orlando bit his lips against a moan and swallowed hard.
 
“Oh yeah. I sure do enjoy you.” Len confessed as he took Orlando’s shaft in hand again and caressed it lovingly, swiping his thumb deftly over the head. “So responsive.”
 
Orlando shuddered. It was Len’s mockery at playing the part of a caring lover that revolted him so much. Did this man actually think he’d respond in the same loving manner? With all his strength he arched his back, trying to break free of both men’s holds.
 
Completely ignoring Orlando’s struggles, Len drew his finger out of the inviting heat and adding another, plunging deep into the resisting channel. He silently relished the involuntary clenching of the silken walls on his digits and shook abruptly with pleasure as he imagined it squeezing his cock.  He banished the thought and turned his attention to searching for Orli’s sweet spot again
 
Orlando yelped against the white hot painful intrusion and instinctively drew his right leg up and kicked back towards the man driving his foot against the center of his assailant’s chest.  He howled in sheer agony as pain exploded through his ankle and radiated up his calf when his foot made the contact.
 
Len grunted from the driving force of the impact.  He was thrown off balance and toppled backwards over the end of the foot of the bed.  He hit the floor sprawling on his back and his head glanced off the hardwood boards, hard. Stunned, he lay gasping, mouth agape, when the air was driven from his lungs.
 
Orlando saw his chance.  With his heart pounding wildly in his chest, and ignoring the renewed pain in his ankle, he flung his legs up, quickly braced them around Denver’s neck and locked them there squeezing with all the strength he had.
 
Shocked by the sudden retaliation of his victim, Denver released his hold on the young Brit’s wrists and grappled with the long legs around his neck.  He tried to straighten up and in doing so, pulled the lithe body part way off the bed.
 
Orlando rolled onto his side and frantically clawed towards the headboard, trying to get a hold of it and gain leverage in order to hang onto the large man locked between his legs.  He could feel he was loosing what little strength he had and needed something, anything, to hold on to in order to avoid being dropped to the floor.  If that happened, he knew his chance for escape would be lost.  The man above him could, with very little problem, pin him down on the floor with his weight alone just by dropping down on top of him.
 
Denver gripped Orlando by the thighs and took an abrupt step back, dragging the young actor even further off the bed with him. Orlando cried out in despair and frustration as he was hauled a finger’s length away from the headboard.
 
Denver ducked and, prying the long legs wrapped around his neck away, managed to pull his head free.  He then wrestled Orli’s ankles under his arms, bracing them there to hold him and heaved the actor even farther away from the headboard and again flipped him onto his back.
 
Orlando gasped in surprise and pain shot up his spine and through his ankle as he was violently wrenched closer to the edge of the bed.  He desperately started grabbing at the bedding trying to keep himself from being pulled from the mattress. Seemingly out of nowhere, a large hand came down and wrapped around his wrist, squeezing. Orlando instantly froze and looked up to find Len on the bed beside him.  His rich brown eyes widened in terror and he swallowed hard as cold fear flooded through his chest.  All was lost.  He didn’t move.
 
“You little son of a bitch.” Len spat through clenched teeth. “You’ll pay dearly for this.” He promised as he roughly hauled the young Brit back fully onto the bed and proceeded to flip the him onto his back.
 
Panting, Orlando clutched the bedding in order to avoid being turned over onto his back which would put him in the most vulnerable position to be abused. He started to cry when he realized he was loosing the battle.  He finally gave up and stilled when Denver moved in to help Len hold him down.  As soon as Len and Denver tossed Orli over onto his back, the actor locked his legs together in a futile attempt to deny the kidnappers access to his body.
 
Len crawled onto the bed on his hands and knees and without a word seized Orlando’s long legs and unceremoniously wrenched them apart. “Now’s not the time to be shy.” He spat.
 
Denver again clenched Orlando by the wrists and roughly pinned them down against the mattress on either side of the youth’s head.
 
Len glared down at Orlando, who lay drawing in shallow shuddered breaths, then grabbed him by the hips and again pulled his backside back onto his folded knees. He was already hard again and gave his endowment a few quick strokes. 
 
Orlando let his tear stained eyes slide from Len’s hard leaking cock up to his face. He paled considerably when he realized that Len was going to take him without preparation or lube.  Letting his misery over rule him, he squeezed his eyes shut and braced himself.  He screamed when Len drove into him deeply in one harsh stroke without restraint.  Moaning and grimacing, his brows furrowed as pain coursed through his tightening passage in mind numbing waves. 
 
Len stilled just for a few seconds, relishing the clenching heat constrict around his cock. “Oh, Jesus.” He muttered, panting as he fought the urge to climax right then. “So fucking tight.” He glanced down at the young man beneath him. “You are such a wonder.” he addressed in awe. “You were born for this.” He then withdrew almost completely and drove in hard as deep as he could go.
 
Orlando whined breathlessly and automatically tried to shift away from the sharp penetrating pain that ripped through his abdomen as his body tried to reject the intrusion. He felt as though he were being torn to shreds inside.
 
Denver leaned forward shifting most of his weight onto his hands as he pressed the young Brit’s wrists harder against the mattress in order to still his struggles. “Settle down sweetheart.” He hissed. “Might enjoy this if you’d relax.”
 
Orlando looked up at the larger man above him, his eyes dulled with the agony of the rape. Tears welled up in his eyes, spilled over, and slowly trickled down to disappear into his hair at the temples. He fought to quiet his hitching sobs. He did not want to give his captives any enjoyment of witnessing his emotional anguish.
 
Denver grinned, dipped down and captured the reluctant lips in a passionate kiss effectively silencing the boy’s whimpers.
 
When Len started to move, Orlando wailed against Denver’s lips and stiffened at the unbelievable burning agony the other man’s member produced to his already abraded and abused backside. Orli had initially had his teeth gritted in order to keep Denver’s tongue from entering his mouth but when he cried out from the pain Len was causing with his rutting, Denver got the opportunity to slip his tongue into the warm moist cavern and explored it passionately.
 
Disgusted, Orlando jerked his head away from Denver’s mouth and attempted to avoid another kiss but Denver grabbed him by the bottom jaw and roughly jerked his head back to face him again.
 
Orli reluctantly looked up at Denver through his tears.
 
“Now that’s not very nice of you.” Denver scowled. “Calm down and take your medicine. You wanna see that lover of yours again?”
 
Orlando stifled another sob and squeezed his eyes shut but he quit fighting and allowed Denver to kiss him.
 
Len, meanwhile, reached between the actor’s legs and grasped his erection, stroking the unwilling flesh in counterpoint to his forceful thrusts, hoping to evoke a response. He shifted his stance with his next thrust purposely letting his cock slide over his hostage’s prostate. “Gonna make you cringe and come.” He panted his promise. “So lovely when you shoot your load. Little cockney whore. Makes me want you even more.”
 
Orlando relented and allowed the unwanted hands and lips take him.  There was no use fighting any more.  He had no hope of escape and mournfully decided that as soon as these men got what they wanted from him, the sooner they’d leave him alone in his misery. He shuddered with humiliation when he found that despite his disapproval, his cock started to thicken and harden under the kidnapper’s skillful ministrations.
 
Len grinned sinisterly when he felt the organ in his hand engorge and become more erect. “Come on, my lovely slut.” He encouraged, his voice thick with lust, as he sped up his thrusts and stroked on the stiffening member in his cupped palm. After a very short period of time, Orlando whimpered resentfully and came. His come spilling out in lazy trickles over his captor’s fist.
 
At the same time, Denver felt the lips under his mouth still, signaling Orlando’s approaching orgasm and quickly backed off in order to study the young actor’s reaction. He smiled with sadistic approval when the incredibly attractive face beneath his gaze, blanked with ecstasy at the point of climax.
 
Len chuckled, released his grip on Orli’s cock and repositioned his hands on the slight hips for leverage against his rough ruts.  After a few more intense plunges into the more relaxed body, he too finally came, spilling himself deep inside the boy and moaned his satisfaction.  Even before he came down from his giddy orgasmic high, he quickly withdrew from Orlando’s body and sat back on his folded legs.  He placed a hand to the youth’s thigh caressing lovingly. “Look at me, Orlando.” He ordered in a blunt demanding tone.
 
Orlando shivered against the touch but reluctantly did as instructed and looked up at the man towering above him. He flinched in revulsion as Len proceeded to casually lap the semen from the hand he’d used to bring him to completion.  His brown eyes widened in disbelief as Len then leaned forward and tried to take his mouth in a kiss.  He cowered back and quickly turned his head away from the kidnapper’s advances.
 
Realizing Len’s intentions, without having to be told, Denver placed a hand on each side of Orlando’s head and braced him roughly, effectively preventing the youth from shying away from Len’s mouth.
 
With a whimper, Orlando placed his now free hands to his assaulter’s chest and tried to shove the man away.  When he found himself too weak to manage that, he meekly just curled his fists in the man’s shirt and squeezed his eyes shut against his tears.  He started slightly when he felt Len’s lips against his urging him to open up.  He whimpered and refused to respond until Denver’s fists tightened threateningly in the hair at his temples. “Just do it.” The larger man growled.  With a shuddered breath, Orli obediently opened his mouth and allowed Len’s tongue in.  He fought the urge to vomit when he tasted himself mixed with the saliva of his abuser. His heart sank in utter defeat as he waited for what seemed like hours until Len finally broke the kiss and shifted away.
 
“Swallow it.” Len coaxed firmly. 
 
Orlando cringed when he heard Len’s demand but he obeyed, swallowing hard.  He tried in vain to convince himself that, in order to get out of this situation alive, he’d have to do everything his kidnappers demanded of him no matter how worthless and dirty it made him feel. 
 
As soon as Len and Denver shifted and released him, Orli rolled onto his side and curled himself into the fetal position.  He bit his lips against his tears but weeped mournfully, despairing the complete and utter loss of his dignity.
 
Len chuckled in cruel response to the young man’s barely audible anguished cries. “Never mind little slut. Nothing your lover hasn’t done to you I wager.” He commented as he grabbed his pants from the floor and shucked them on. “You still have some worth to me.”
 
Orlando instinctively stiffened at the perfectly guessed remark but didn’t retaliate verbally. He just curled in on himself tighter and buried his head in the bedding, trying to block the cruelness of his abductors’ comments from his senses.
 
Len did up his pants and started for the door motioning Denver to follow. Without any exchange of conversation, the two men quietly left the room and shut the door after themselves.
 
Orlando heard the deadbolt slide home, and deeming it safe, let his sobs take him in long soft mournful wails. He was convinced completely of his worthlessness.  He was as Len told him.  A whore. A slut. Nothing more. Cooperating with these men just to gain his freedom was no more than an excuse. He gasped at his self loathing, buried his face even deeper into the blanket and cried harder than he thought imaginable.
 
 
________________________________________________________________________
 
 
Viggo sat on the deck swing out back of Elijah’s house aimlessly rocking it with his foot anchored against the deck railing opposite him. He sighed as he peered out at the back yard, watching as the sun waned and sank lower on the horizon lengthening the shadows with the oncoming night. His mobile phone sat next to him on the cushion but hadn’t rung since he’d spoke to Orli earlier that day.  Although he’d had his doubts that he’d hear from his lover again, he’d hoped that by some miracle the men would let the younger man ring.  It was obviously wishful thinking and too much to ask for and he’d been stupid to think they’d allow that.
 
Earlier that day, before leaving for the bank, Pete had gathered the four of them in the kitchen upon his return from the Rings set and asked them to sit at the table so he could discuss the situation with them. He’d explained what he’d told the rest of the cast and he’d expressed his disapproval with Viggo’s decision not to bring in the police but he’d also stated that despite his feelings, inevitably, it was still Viggo’s and Orlando’s choice to make and he’d respect that.
 
Sean had again objected ardently, stating that Viggo’s feelings were influencing him too much to make any clear judgment.  Elijah had softly agreed with Sean but in the end Pete sternly reminded them both, again, that this was what Orlando wanted as well, that it needed to be respected, and on that note, the subject was subsequently dropped.
 
Among themselves, they also decided not to contact Orlando’s family of the kidnapping.  Viggo wanted to leave that up to Orlando to tell them, once his love was back safe with him.  He knew that if he informed them himself, Mrs. Bloom would go into a complete state of panic and with good intentions, probably contact the police herself. This action no doubt would leak out to the press and probably get Orlando killed by the irrational bastards who had him.  Viggo understood why she’d do it though.  Orlando was her son, and a mother protects her young with her life if necessary, but on the same token, he would do nothing to jeopardize Orli’s life. If that meant not telling the Bloom family, so be it.  He also was well aware that not informing the young Brit’s mother of the situation would not put him in the older Bloom woman’s good graces. The relationship between Viggo and Mrs. Bloom was already strained at best.  She did not approve of Orlando’s choice to have the older man as his lover but had quietly and reluctantly accepted her son’s sexual orientation and choice of lover. No, Viggo would leave it up to Orlando to tell his family what had happened and, in the meantime, say nothing himself regardless of the consequences.
 
The conversation then moved onto the plans for the next morning.  Elijah had arranged with his accountant to withdraw his money later in the morning.  Sean had a slightly later time to gain access to his money. Pete was going to set it up so that he’d be able to withdraw his money around the same time as Sean.  Viggo had set up a time for very early in the morning with his accountant to withdraw his cash.  He wanted to be away from the computer as little as possible, afraid that he would miss an opportunity to converse with the kidnappers should they wish to contact him about any possible change in plans. As it all worked out, everybody would have the money by early afternoon.  Then the waiting would begin.  Satisfied with their current plans, Pete had left for his bank appointment shortly after their discussion in the kitchen.
 
Viggo broke from his reverie when he heard the back door open and shut softly.  Elijah, he guessed.  The younger American always walked around gingerly lately, as if his mere footsteps would cause untold distension among them all.  It amazed Viggo that he’d perceived Elijah initially as a docile quiet young man with much to learn about the way the world worked. What he’d learned in the last three days was that this seemingly quiet young man had so much ferocious devotion and tenacity that it was uncanny. Elijah was young, but his experience with the acting realm gave him more insight and knowledge than other young people his age. Although Orlando was Elijah’s best friend, not once did Elijah let it influence his reasoning.  Throughout this whole mess, the young actor had kept a calm supportive rationality. He was much wiser than his short years, the Dane duly noted. And Viggo was proud of him.
 
Viggo looked up and was surprised that it wasn’t Elijah but Sean who had come outside. Sean held two steaming cups in his hands and stepped towards him.  Viggo sighed and again averted his gaze out into the back yard. He didn’t relish another confrontation with his friend.
 
Sean hesitated at Viggo’s reaction to his presence then quietly sat down on the swing beside him.
 
“Where’s Elijah and Pete?” Viggo inquired without looking to older British actor. He reined in his defensiveness.
 
“Pete’s gone home. He’ll be here around ten tomorrow morning.  Elijah’s crashed on the couch.”  Sean explained, hesitated, and before he lost his nerve, added. “I’m sorry I pressed the issue of the police earlier, Viggo.” He held one of the cups out to his friend.
 
Viggo glanced at his co-actor skeptically but took the offered cup. He again looked out to the yard. “I don’t want to hear about involving the police anymore, Sean.” He replied tiredly as he took a sip of the steaming liquid. Hot coffee, he surmised and welcomed it’s soothing warmth.
 
“You won’t.” Sean assured. “At the time I thought it was the best thing to do.  In certain ways I still feel that it’s the best solution but I understand yours and Orlando’s choice and I’ll respect that.” He looked down at his own cup of coffee, awkwardly fingering the lip of the mug. “I lost my temper with you and the whole situation this morning.  I feel so helpless but I still had no reason to hit you.  I’m sorry for that.”
 
Viggo drew in a deep breath and again faced the sandy blond haired man beside him. He smiled weakly. “I wasn’t actually reacting with solid reason either, if I remember correctly.” He could not stay angry with his friend.
 
Sean gave a slight smile in return.  He took a sip of his coffee and joined Viggo in gazing out over the lawn. “I’ll help you and Orlando in any way I can. You both mean a lot to me.”
 
“I appreciate everything you all are doing for both of us. Orli means more to me than anything on this earth. I just want him back. At whatever the cost.” Hot tears stung the Dane’s eyes and he fought hard, without much success to suppress them. “I keep seeing those pictures and videos in my mind.  It tears me apart to know what those sick sons of bitches are doing to him and here I’m not able to do a bloody thing about it.”
 
“We’ll have him back tomorrow, Viggo.” Sean tried to comfort. He noticed that the dark haired man’s hand, which was holding the mug of coffee, was shaking hard enough that some of the hot drink was slopping over the lip.  He put his hand to Viggo’s arm supportively in an attempt to calm the American’s trembles.
 
Viggo looked to Sean, tears were now coursing down his handsome face. “I’ll get him back.” He stated in a wavering voice. “But in what shape? What I’ve seen those sick, sadistic, bastards do to him, there’s no possible way he’ll come back unscathed. It has to be destroying him to know that I’ve seen what they’re doing to him.” He squeezed his eyes against his tears and sighing dejectedly dropped his head down into his free hand. “Every time I get a call from him, hear his voice, I can tell a part of him is gone. Stolen from him. It’s like I’m talking to a stranger, Sean.  He says he loves me but there’s no emotion in his voice. He sounds so distant…. so lifeless.”
 
Sean moved his hand from his friend’s arm to his shoulder and gave a reassuring squeeze. “Then you’ll have to give him a reason to live. You’ll have to show him that regardless of what he’s been through, you’ll still love him.  Still support him. Be there for him, absolutely….. without judgment.”
 
Viggo again looked up at Sean, emotional anguish visibly etched across his face. He wiped the tears from his eyes with his fingertips. “He has to let me in first and right now I hear him closing down, shutting me and all his emotions out.” His frustration edged his voice.
 
“He’s in a living hell right now, let’s get him home first, then work on his trauma. They’re going to let him come home to you.” Sean sympathized. “At least they agreed not to kill him.”
 
Viggo’s steel blue-grey eyes locked sternly with the green ones of his friend. “In some ways they already have.” He pointed out. 
 
Sean studied his friend closely. He’d seen the pictures and the videos. He wordlessly agreed that the Dane was right.  Would any of them be able to bring Orlando back from this nightmare?  Would the kid ever be able to be himself? Ever be the same as he was before the sick fucks got their claws into him?
 
Sean and Viggo studied each other silently for a few more moments, each instinctively knowing what the other was thinking.  Viggo was the first to look away and take another sip of his coffee, praying for the next twenty-four hours to pass quickly. For now, he welcomed the quiet company of his friend.