Everything Isn't As It Seems

Chapter Thirteen

The look on Max's face went from understanding to fierceness as he looked from Isabel to the thugs. She backed quickly to the spot where Beau was as Max sprinted to the opposite side of the wooden table, knocking it to its side and preparing himself for the oncoming fight. He was just buying time. Isabel dropped to her knees in front of Beau. Her trembling fingers held his face up, searching for some sign of life. There was a large gash above his eyebrow, another on his cheekbone. She felt the warm air stream from his nostrils, then pressed a hand to his chest to feel his heart beat. Just to be sure. Isabel took his face between her hands once again and began to shake his head. "Beau!" She whispered sharply, no response. She glanced behind her, Max was doing well in holding off the three men. "This was a stupid, stupid idea." She turned her attention back to Beau.

"Wake up before you get Max killed!" Still shaking his head. She grunted and snatched the pin from her hair, working the locks that held his wrists until they opened. His arms went limp at his side, like a pair of wet noodles. Very well toned wet noodles. She brushed the curls out of face, holding his up by his jaw. "Come on! Wake up you selfish bastard!" And then two strong hands clamped around her wrists, two deep brown eyes suddenly alert and fixed on hers. He was grinning darkly.

"Selfish bastard, eh?" Isabel nodded.

"Cheeky arse." They both just stared at each other for what felt like hours but was only a few second.

"I'd hate to interrupt!" Max exclaimed, out of breath, bringing Isabel back to reality. She pulled away from Beau.

"Do not move." She instructed, looking right into his eyes, then was off the floor, Max had already incapacitated the other three and Beau was on his feet, taking unsteady steps toward them. "I thought I told you not to move."

"I'm fine." His voice was hoarse and she gave him a once over, surveying his injuries now that he was on his feet.

"Indeed." Beau took another step and stumbled slightly, she instinctively went to his side, one hand immediately going to his arm, the other pressing against his chest, steadying him. He raised an eyebrow at her suggestively. Isabel replayed their short exchange in her head and found the innuendo. She rolled her eyes. "You are too weak to fight a child at the moment." The jibe was clearly meant to inflict only a small amount of harm on his ego. He simply grinned lopsidedly at her. She should've known his ego was much too great for that.

Max led their small procession, Isabel followed slowly behind, Beau's arm draped over her shoulder and hers pressed securely into his back. "Do you have any idea where you're going, Max?" Beau asked after a few minutes of going from hall to hall. Max glanced back at Beau, glaring.

"Do you?" Max's face turned from annoyance to warning.

"L-" He didn't even get the whole word out, his face was warning enough. Isabel shoved Beau into the nearby wall, ignoring the grunt of pain, it felt better than being stabbed in the back she was sure. Two hands gripped her by her shoulders, lips moved without making a sound, someone was shaking her.

"Belle!" She found a pair of concerned brown eyes, and shook herself back to reality. She noticed that Beau was staring at her, but pretended that she didn't. It took some trial and error, and a little violence, but they finally found a door that led them into the light of day. The sunlight was blinding, they were in an alley void of any other human life. Isabel felt like she could breathe for the first time since laying eyes on Caywood. Isabel glanced at Beau. Max shook his head and removed his coat, handing it to Beau.

"Cover yourself, Beau. Being tortured isn't an excuse to being inappropriate in front of a lady." Isabel flinched at the word 'torture', remembering his screams. Beau took the coat, his smile faltering as he read the guilt and anger on her face.

"I'm sorry, for getting you both involved in this. For what he did..." Her words cut off and she clenched her jaw. Isabel wasn't convinced, nor was her guilt absolved, but she dropped it.

"Shouldn't we contact Luke or something?" The detective gave a short nod.

"There's a telegram post around the corner, would you mind, Max? I think I need to sit for a moment." The doctor nodded once, leaving with a look of concern of his face.

"Let me help you." Isabel said, taking his arm around her shoulders again and helping him sit against the wall of the building. Beau grunted. "Sorry."

"You learn fast in life-or-death situations, you're assuming this is my first time in that sort of situation."

"Ok, I'll give you that, but more interestingly. Why is that?" His eyes glinted and she glared. She hadn't really meant to admit that aloud. She caught sight of a figure at the far end of the ally and pointed toward it.

"Oh, is that Max?"

"You're changing the subject." Isabel smiled coyly, climbing to her feet.

"Am I?" Her gaze went back to the figure. "Yup, most certainly Max."

"Belle..." She grabbed his hand and helped him to his feet, pretending she hadn't heard him.

"Come on, the quicker we get out of this ally the better."