Empty bargains

Seven.

I stayed up for a long time after Jason closed the door. Pacing relentlessly, I learned every corner of the basement before half an hour had ticked by. But apparently, being knocked out by chloroform did nothing for me when it came to actual rest. I'd been unconscious, not sleeping, and just after what I guessed was two, I finally ceased pacing and curled up on the cold floor.

It didn't seem long before I was waking up again, roused by stomping two levels above me. It was almost annoying how well sound carried throughout Jason's place-it was going to make getting away with things a lot harder. I shoved myself up, suppressing the groan that leaped into my throat when I strained against a knot in my neck.

"About time you got in," I heard Jason's voice growl upstairs. "You've been gone since before we picked up Lastings down there."

"I owed some people some money," whoever Jason was talking to replied. I didn't recognize his voice, but it was deep and annoyed.

"Who the hell are you in debt to?" Jason's voice took on a harsh tone. "I told you to stay away from borrowing money."

"I don't owe anyone jack anymore. Jackie was in trouble and I needed to help her out. Get off my case."

Jason dropped his voice to a volume I couldn't hear, and I sat up straighter to stretch out my back. It was dark, but a string of light came from the door upstairs and hit the opposite wall. That was all I had to see by. Slowly, I raised myself to stand at the foot of the stairs. My eyes were adjusting quickly, and I made out everything I'd seen in the basement the day before. It was a really bad place to hold someone hostage, if they turned out to be smart. There were a lot of things that could hurt someone down here.

I began climbing the stairs, not bothering to be quiet. I knew the lock on the door was still in place, Jason wasn't that stupid. As I reached the top stair, I sunk down and sat across it, waiting. After a few minutes I felt my stomach growl loudly and groaned. I didn't want to eat anything here, but I would starve if I didn't. For a second it seemed like a good alternative to staying here, but I remembered my promise to Sam. I had no intention of not making it out of here alive.

Jason's voice rose again, reminding me that he was just upstairs, but I still couldn't make out his words. My foot tapped against the wall opposite the one I was leaning on, and I noticed I still had my combat boots on from probably two days before-along with the same set of clothes. I realized too that my feet were faintly aching.

"Leo, go get Lastings," Jason's voice ordered from the upper level. "And don't get knocked out this time."

I snorted, along with several other snickers from the upper level. My arms crossed over my chest as I heard Leo's grunt and footsteps down the stairs. The lock fumbled on the handle and I waited, not willing to try anything. It wasn't worth it at this point, not yet. The door opened a few seconds later, and Leo's head appeared.

"What the-" he hissed, seeing me and jumping back a little. He obviously hadn't expected me to be at the door, or even awake.

I smiled slyly and stood. "We've got to stop meeting like this," I told him. "You're too jumpy."

"Screw off," he muttered, stepping back to make room for me to enter the hall.

"I'd leave you alone if I weren't stuck here," I snapped, rolling my eyes and striding to the stairs leading up.

When I got upstairs, I saw Jason and three of his guys surrounding the dining table, and Xander sitting on a stool by the island. Leo entered the room behind me, knocking into me with his shoulder as he walked by. I muttered an insult at him as I took in all of them. There were six guys, way too many for me to take on, and very well built. Aside from one, Grant Conn-I knew him as one of Emmett's old friends-who was very lanky, they all looked like they took regular trips to the gym. I debated whether I'd be able to even take on two of them at a time.