Silent

25. Just a job, nothing more.

Michael stepped inside the cafe, scanning the place nervously. He could feel his heart beating madly, he could hear the drumming in his ears, well aware of the risk he was taking; If the man could not be trusted after all, if Ricky would find out...Michael swallowed thickly, his mouth felt dry.

He remembered the threat Ricky had made once, disobedience, or not following the rules, would take him back to that room. Eternity, or at least until it would please the monster; spent in that room, in that horrible prison, without sunlight, without any other human contact outside those men who would come and ravish him over and over.

But this... he could not live like this either. He had reached the point where he was desperate enough to gamble.

His gaming hand was poor, and he knew that. Ricky had his passport. How could he get out of the States without it? Anyone could know Ricky, even this French man. Was he out of his mind to try his luck like this? He and Jack both?

What if Ricky would harm his parents if he succeeded in his escape? Could he warn them? Could he bring the man down? - Hadn't he sworn he would take him down? Avenge his grandmother's death somehow? But ... First, his utmost priority was to get himself and Jack to safety.

He saw the man sitting at the same table as before, reading the French sports paper. Michael smiled timidly as he approached, hoping to hide just how nervous he felt.

"Hi," Michael breathed when he stood by the table. The man looked up at him, smiling delightedly.

"Bonjour! I was hoping I'd see you again," he confessed. "You changed your mind?" he asked and Michael nodded, nervousness never leaving.

"Sit down," Jean suggested, observing him for a moment. "Is everything alright?"

Michael looked at him anxiously before taking a careful glance around them. "Um... Could we... Could we go someplace... somewhere more... private?" Michael suggested quietly. Jean cocked his brow and was quiet for a moment before replying.

"We could go to my apartment if you like?" he suggested then, observing him and Michael nodded. Jean got up and took his paper with. "It's not far from here. We can walk."Michael tried to smile at him, but his smile faded quickly as his nerves kept piling up in his abdomen.

They walked in silence. Michael almost felt like he could faint. His legs felt like jelly and he didn't dare to look at the man.

Jean opened the building's front door to him and they stepped inside. The door banged shut behind them. Walking towards the elevator, Jean pressed the button. They stood there waiting in awkward silence as the elevator came down from the upper floor. Michael wriggled his hands nervously, hoping no one would see them, worrying that someone wrong might.

He heard the sound as the elevator door opened and Jean gestured to him to go inside first. He did, looking down at his shoes the entire ride, listening to Jean's even breathing, feeling his gaze burning on his body.

The elevator jerked as it stopped on the sixth floor. Jean searched for the keys in his pocket, walked ahead, opened the door, and held it open for him.

"Please step in." It was the first time that the man said anything after leaving the cafe. Michael swallowed and stepped into the hall. The door soon slammed shut behind them.

Jean lowered the newspaper and the keys on the hall table, looking at him.

"Would you like anything? Juice? Coffee? Tea?" he asked, while undressing his jacket.

"I-if I could have a glass of water," Michael requested. His mouth felt so dry, it was like sandpaper.

"Of course," Jean said and gestured towards the living room. "Please, go and make yourself comfortable, I bring you some water shortly." Michael nodded and moved towards the room Jean had pointed.