Fleur

Chapter Twelve

TRIGGER WARNINGS (I've been wanting to write this chapter for a really long time.)

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"We gotta go there, Jared and we gotta go now. I need you to come too. You know I hate to say this but," Connor grimaced as he prepared for what he was going to say next. "You're not that bad after all."

Jared's face beamed with admiration before running over to Connor, embracing the taller boy in a warm hug that, though it made Connor extremely uncomfortable, felt kind of nice. Unfortunately the peace between them didn't last long before Connor pushed Jared off and told him: Get the fuck off me. We have to save Evan.

They tiptoed through Jared's house quietly, careful not to alert anyone, and eventually made it into the garage where Jared's barely-insuranced, shiny car was. Sighing, Jared opened the door and mimed for Connor to get in. Connor silently followed Jared's command, buckling up in the passenger seat. He gripped onto Jared's laptop and checked every two minutes to make sure the flash drive was still there. They sneakily managed to leave Jared's house, but they made sure to be a block away before either made a sound.

Once he decided they were safe, Connor spoke up.

"So what's the plan?"

"What plan?" Jared inquired.

"You don't have a plan?!" Connor practically shrieked, losing what little cool he had left (which was not that much)

"Um... no?"

"You expect us, two scrawny high school boys who see the outdoors maybe twice a year, to break into our friend's house because he's being held hostage there by an evil kidnapper who is somehow managing to blackmail both of us and hurt Evan, escape the kidnapper, and bring Evan to safety... and you don't have a mother fucking plan!"

"Come to think of it, this whole rescue was not really scrupulously planned," Jared said only then really coming to the realization of what they'd have to accomplish.

"Yeah no shit!"

"It's okay," Jared desperately tried to reassure Connor. "We can just move onto Plan B."

"How can we have a Plan B if there's so Plan A to begin with?"

"Well Plan A involved Evan not getting kidnapped so I guess that plan didn't work out did it?" Jared yelled back. He took a deep breath and readjusted his glasses. "Sorry. Anyway, the plan is this: I teach you how to use the tracking device and you hide in the outdoor shower, texting me the directions. Nobody would suspect me in Evan's house and once I find him, I tell you and we make a run for it. Now give me your phone number."

The two exchanged numbers and Jared taught Connor how to use the tracking device, which actually wasn't too difficult once you got the hang of it. Jared parked his car a block away and the two ran quickly and stealthily through the neighbor's backyard. Once they reached Evan's house, Jared showed Connor the wooden outdoor shower that looked like it hadn't been used in forty years. The walls were decaying and at this point, there were more spider webs than wood. It was locked from the outside, probably to keep out raccoons and squirrels, with a sliding lock. As Connor inspected the shower, Jared raced into the house, already knowing where the Hansens kept the spare key (underneath the flowerpot on the right).

Shoving away his arachnophobia, Connor swept away the spider webs, unlocked the lock, and opened the creaky door. To say the room was spooky was an understatement. That room could belong in a horror movie just the way it was. There seemed to be water dripping, which was odd since the shower obviously hadn't been used in years, and wetting Connor's feet. This puzzled Connor as the water smelled odd, almost like blood. He followed the trail of liquid to the body of a limp boy who was curled in a fetus position, clutching his arm. With the little bit of light that shone through, he was able to see the unmistakable fabric of the one and only Evan Hansen. Immediately he rushed over and held the boy close to him, checking for a pulse. He texted Jared about his find and minutes later Jared was at his side compressing Evan's forehead with a wet cloth he stole from the kitchen.

Evan shuddered and his teeth chattered, his too-pale skin filling with goosebumps.

"It's okay it's okay," Connor whispered, moving Evan's sweat filled hair aside. He was close to dying and both boys knew it. Suddenly his eyes fluttered open.

"Connor? Jared? Are you guys actually here?"

They nodded.

Evan attempted crawling on his knees to give them a hug, but the sudden movement caused him to vomit all over Connors lap.

"S-sorry,"

"It's okay Evan. I'm just glad you're alive."

Evan smiled a bit at the word 'alive'. He had done it. He had managed to stay alive.

"C'mon let's get you out of here," Jared said, lifting up Evan bridal style. They were almost out the door when it flung open, a masked figure on the other side.

They all screamed (well to be more precise, Connor gasped and Jared screeched like a chicken) and the masked figure walked in, locking the door behind them. They chuckled a sick laugh at the boys' attempt to save Evan, then pushed Connor and Jared aside, pinning Evan against the wall. They punched Evan in the stomach and he fell to the ground, vomiting all over his kidnapper's shoes. Outraged, Connor swung a punch at the kidnapper's face, causing their nose to bleed.

"Show yourself, coward," Connor yelled yanking off their mask. Immediately, gloved hands flew to the face but Jared kicked the mysterious figure in the shin causing them to bend over and expose their face.

There was silence in the room, everyone, except Connor that is, recognized the woman and was taken by surprise.

"Mom?"

Heidi stood up and hovered over her son protectively, yet trapping him.

"This is so fucked up," Connor said, attempting to push Heidi away to get to Evan. But Heidi fought back, sending a punch to Connor's gut.

"What the heck, Mom?" Evan asked with the little breath he had left.

"Shut your mouth, Evan," Heidi sneered, stepping on Evan's fingers with an unnecessary amount of force, emitting a loud cracking noise that caused Evan to shriek in pain. Connor could see white flowers forming on his fingers. She turned to Evan and smiled maliciously.

"Your mom isn't going anywhere. Your mom is staying right here."