An Unfortunate Mix-Up ✔️

Chapter 20: "Jay?"

Alex looks over as they bring Jay back in the room, wrists still tackled together with the chains. They then connect back to where they were on the wall, before letting him go in a big humph.

Alex's eyes didn't leave his friend as the pair of gentleman left the room, eyes growing in response to the pure horror he was seeing. With every bit of clothing exposed, there was no hiding what had happened in the room beside his. There were streaks across his ankles, those of long length threatening to draw blood. There were similar marks all the way up his legs. There were numerous big red spots on his back, revealing bits of the skin underneath the first layer. A combination of burn and battered skin was the only way of he could describe it. Those same marks continued around his torso, across his ribs, to his stomach. You could also see the hand marks across his neck, indicating they had grabbed him.

Without a single movement of his body, a new horror crept into Alex's mind as he turned white as a ghost at the immediate thought. He then scoots over closer to his friend, nerves almost stopping the movement of reaching over to touch him. 

"Jay?" He barely croaks out, voice trembling in the same fear which has turned his skin, perhaps tears ready to follow.

"Conserving energy," Jay replies back in a whisper, taking a deep breath immediately afterwards. He repeated the count in his head, allowing his breathes to be slow and small, knowing to savor every bit of energy he had left. He was repeating the process, eyes forced open as they watched as much as they could around him.

"Are you okay?" Jay appreciated the concern, but the response from his lips would probably equal what Alex already knew deep down inside - or perhaps Alex thought worst than Jay felt. 

"Are you o-" It was back to default, in caring about the person he was protecting more than himself and only about the other person.

"I'm not the person who just withstoo-"

"Tell me, please." Jay kept his words stern, not allowing emotion to change anything about the way he was feeling at this moment. He had to follow every step clear to the writing to ensure they were okay.

"I'm fine, man. They didn't do anything at all. They weren't even in the room. I just sat there, hoping you'd come back soon and would be okay. Now can I have an answer?" Jay felt relief, in knowing Derek had actually followed his request about Alex correctly. Now he just had to hope the other half of the plan worked with the Intelligence Unit saving the pair.

"Sore, battered, but I will be okay. I will be okay, Alex." They were simple words, but he needed to express the belief. He wanted to give Alex a reason to stay strong, not have anything taking away from where his focus should be and enduring the experience. He wanted to give himself a reason to keep fighting forward, no matter how bad he felt, how much the pain tore at his body.

"What did they even do to you?" It was a question Jay knew to expect, as everybody always wanted to know what his body withstood to engross the markings that covered every single inch now. 

"You don't want to know." However, those were images he didn't want to share with his companion. He didn't want to scar him for the future, or even just scare him for the present. He had to ensure belief was about survival and only that.

"Close your eyes. I'll keep a watch ou-"

"I can't-"

"You endured a lot! I can tell you're in pain! I can see you're in pain! Jay, take care of yourself man! Get some needed rest because we both know they'll be back." Jay takes a deep breath, wishing he was by himself as certainly the whole process went smoother when it was just him to worry about. He also knew the instructions as requested couldn't be followed. Every being in his body told him to not sleep, and there was no way he could if he tried. He'd be too worried about what was possibly happening around them. He'd be too worried about what was happening to Alex. He'd be too worried about being surprised by Derek and his guys.

"I can't do it, Alex. I can't until I know we're both safe - no matter what..." He glances over at him, knowing there was no way he would understand without being told. "I was a Army Ranger. We were trained for the toughest missions, kidnappings, ambushes, interrogations. The training we endured was a lot tougher than what we are experiencing, and a lot of things that I experienced while serving. We were always told to never sleep - and spent a week in training, barely any water, not allowed to have an ounce of sleep. When I say I can handle this, I meant it." 

"We're going to be okay..." Alex could see the emotions building on Jay's face, from determination to possible PTSD in some of the references made. But he also felt more confident than ever that they'd get out of there - and hopefully soon.