Dirty Work

*Jacks POV*
"In order to securely get Alex back, we're gonna have to make sure that the airborne team completely distracts Zack and Matt. We cannot risk them harming the rescue team or else this entire mission washes down the drain." Rian said.

"It's already been decided that Rian will lead the rescue mission and I will lead the distraction." Black said, grabbing a stray pen that lay on the table and twirling it between his fingers.

"The helicopter will enter from the northwest, over the bypass and will drop the distraction team off on top of the building. According to my resources which have been surveying the area for a few weeks have reported that there are no explosives or traps on the top. So you should be safe until you get into the building." Rian said, drawing X's and O's over the map where the building layout had been placed.

"Once we're in the building, we have to be careful, Zack and Matt will probably have a few traps laying around to ensure that no one could sneak in through the top floor. Why they didn't put any on the roof is beyond us. They probably didn't due to the amount of news reporters and news helicopters that has been circling that area recently. The only reason why they have some on the ground is because they can be easily covered by brush or leaves. Now, it's only to be expected that they'll have weapons on hand at all times so we'll be armed." Black said, tossing the pen back on the table.

"Who's going with Rian for the rescue?" Vic asked, leaning back in his chair.

"We already have this planned this out. Rian will lead since he's the second most experienced with a gun, and you, Oliver and Jack will cover him. Mike and Austin have already contacted me and have agreed that it'd be best for them to join me with leading the distraction. And even Josh," Black said, hooking his chin at the male who stood beside Oliver across the room, their hands interlocked and I felt a pinch of jealousy come over me at the realization that I couldn't hold Alex's hand. Not yet, at least. "Josh offered to come along but we figured that a three man team would be enough."

My eyes scanned the room, watching the others as they nodded their heads in unison.

"Well that settles it then. When do we set out?" Mike asked, making me smile at how eager he seemed to be.

"The helicopter won't be ready until tomorrow. The best bet will be to do it in the afternoon. The cops are already alerted and will be nearby in case anything goes wrong. The pilot and the helicopter will circle the building four times, meaning we have roughly thirty minutes to get in, get Alex and leave. It is safe to assume that Alex will probably be harmed and so therefore a medic will be on the helicopter once we get back on. Once we are safe, the cops have all access to arrest Zack and Matt. We can only hope for the best when we're in there. And until then, we all need to rest up. We each have a long day ahead of us tomorrow. Austin and Alan will be here in the next hour. Jack has already okayed it that we all stay here for the night. I have alerted my captain and a team will pick us up in the morning and drive us to the helicopter where we will leave. All clear?" Another round of nods circled through the room and the detective clapped his hands together. "Alright, good. Now, like I said, we all need rest. So, rest."

And just like that, the room dismissed and cleared out, leaving me, Rian and Black.

"Jack? You okay?" Rian asked, noticing how I haven't moved.

I shrugged. "I don't know, Ri. I guess I'm just nervous about tomorrow. Like, what if something goes wrong and Alex gets hurt or worse and I never see him again. Or what happens if one of the team gets hurt and the plan gets washed? I'm blowing this all out of proportion ain't I?"

Rian sighed, placing his hand over one of mine that laid on the table. "You're not blowing this out of proportion. If you weren't worrying about this then I'd be worried. But the fact that you are so worried about Alex and the team, lets me know that you give a shit about Alex and his safety."

"Of course I care. I love him." I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Love makes you do crazy things. Trust me, I've been there." Black said from beside us, making me smile. At least someone else understood.

"It'll be alright, Jack. Alex is a strong person. He's level headed. He's okay." Rian assured me.

"Yeah, he is. If something was wrong, I'm sure I would feel it." I said.

"Yeah. You would. You and Alex have a stronger connection than anyone I know. We'll get him back tomorrow."

I smiled at him. "Thanks Rian."

"No problem sir."

---

You ever get anxiety that just freezes your body and you can't move, can't think no matter what you try? Yeah, I'm getting that now.

We were miles over Baltimore and I had never had a problem with heights but just the thought of what I'm about to do had me feeling more anxious than I was last night.

The plan was to drop off me, Rian, Oliver and Vic about a quarter mile away and walk the rest to the complex, giving the distraction hopefully enough time to get there and do just that: distract.

We were almost to the drop off zone and I felt my heart hammering away in my chest. What if Alex was hurt? Or worse, what if he was dead?

No, that couldn't be right, if he was dead I would be able to tell it? Wouldn't I?

A hand clamped onto my shoulder and I turned to see Rian standing behind me, a small smile on his lips.

"You ready to do this?" He asked.

I nodded. "Yeah. Just nervous."

He nodded his head in agreement. "That's understandable. Come on. We're about to land."

I nodded and looked down, seeing the ground come closer and closer, a small group of cops and bomb squad had gathered, it had been decided by Black's boss that the bomb squad should tag along just incase the basement entrance was tripwired with anything explosive. The cops had already surveyed the back this morning and concluded that it was clear up unto the entrance.

Rian slid the helicopter door open and stepped out once we landed safely and Vic and Oliver followed suit behind me. Rian turned and with a wave off to the others, the helicopter took off again over the trees, disappearing soon after.

It wasn't supposed to be a long trek through the woods to the complex, only taking maybe twenty minutes till we were supposed to arrive.

By time the apartment building came into view, the helicopter was already circling and we sprinted quickly across the weed infested yard till the basement entrance came into view.

I could already hear fighting inside and every muscle in my body tensed at the thought of one of Alex's friends getting hurt. I closed my eyes, blocking out the thought.

I opened them just in time to see Rian and a bomb squad member disappear behind the now open door. When did they open that?

I shook my head clear before following, Vic and the rest of our little team quickly falling into step behind me as I descended into the basement, quickly becoming wary of any squeaky steps. I didn't wanna risk Matt or Zack hearing and running back down. Our plan would be shot then.

I took a deep breath, letting it out when I reached the bottom of the stairs, my eyes quickly trying to adjust to the darkness. I stumbled forward until I could make out a small walkway in front of me, leading into a dimly lit room.

The walls were bare, the only decoration and furniture in the room was a single lamp, a small fireplace by the walkway entrance into the room and a bed, stripped of any sheets or blankets. That wasn't what I was focused on though.

Laying on the bed, clad in nothing but a pair of black boxers was my boyfriend, the only thing in my life that I loved more than anything: Alex.

I started forward, a smile crossing my lips and forming his name but before I could say it, something crossed my vision and I stopped, looking over my boyfriends body and feeling my blood run cold at what I saw.

All over his body, his usually unmarked, unscathed body was now covered in small z's. All over his stomach, chest, arms and upper thighs. All of them looked fresh and some were still red and even a few were bleeding.

"No. No, oh god please no." I whispered to no one in particular. Rian caught me before I fell and I clutched to him for dear life.

"Please. Please tell me he's okay." I said, eyes beginning to water with tears.

As if on cue, one of the bomb squad members stepped forward and began to examine Alex.

After what seemed like forever he turned towards me. "He's okay. Just asleep. The burns on his body need to be examined of course by the medic but he's okay to move. The only thing is the cuff on his ankle. The chain is too thick to cut through."

"What are our other options?" Rian asked, making sure I was okay before releasing me.

The other male shrugged. "The only option I can think of is to find the key that goes to the cuff."

"I'll go. I'm quick and light on my feet. It'll probably be on the first floor." Vic said, stepping forward.

"I'll go too." I said.

Vic looked at me, shaking his head. "No. You need to stay here in case Alex wakes up. He'll want to talk to you. He'll need you, Jack."

"Vic has a point Jack. Alex will be beyond scared. Please Jack?" Rian said.

I shook my head, not moving on the matter. "He'll be fine. He has you guys. Just tell him that I'll be back."

Rian ducked his head down, sighing. "Fine. But please, take this. Just in case."

He gave me the gun that he usually carries around with him and I nodded, taking it from his hand before following Vic up a stairway on the opposite side of the room.

"Hey Jack?" Rian called out, making me pause.

"Yeah?"

"Be careful."

I nodded. "Of course."

---

The upstairs section of the apartment complex was just as dimly lit as the basement, every movement me and Vic made cast long shadows across the floor and walls.

The whole first floor seemed oddly clean, minus the holes and mildew/mold on the walls. There were only three doors on this floor, including the basement door, leaving two probable rooms to look through.

Vic looked at me. "You take one and I take the other?"

I nodded. "That'd be quicker. Just keep your head up. We only have about fifteen minutes left before time to leave. We have to make this quick."

Vic nodded before disappearing into the room on the left, meaning I had to take the one on the right. I pushed the door open, stepping inside quietly.

I made my way through what appeared to have once been a decent sized living room, now turned to a pile of trash, a hole in the middle of the flooring that seemed to lead into the dark. I gulped as I made my way around it, walking into the back of the apartment into one of the bedrooms, seeing a mattress set into one corner of the room, a little nightstand by it, a single lamp stood atop it, the bulb glowing a sickly yellow. There was a set of keys laying on the nightstand and I sprinted across the room, grabbing them before running back out, careful of the giant hole in the floor before sneaking back out into the hall.

The door that Vic had snuck into opened and the Mexican walked out.

He looked at me, raising an eyebrow. "Any luck?"

I jingled the keys in response.

"Good. Let's go. The quicker we get Alex out of here th-"

"Not so fast boys." Said an eerily familiar voice from behind us and we both turned in unison to see Zack and Matt, pistols in their hands as their barrels lay trained on the three figures in front of them.

Mike, Austin and detective Black stood before us, each had a pistol barrel pressed against their head.

"Zack..." My voice caught in my throat at the sight of my ex.

Zack turned his head towards me. "Hello Jack. Long time. No see."

"Let them go." Vic said, stepping forward towards his brother and friend.

Zack turned his attention back to Vic. "Ah ah ah. One more step and these walls will be painted in your brothers brains."

Vic stopped dead in his tracks. "H-How-?"

A sly grin spread across Zack's lips, sending a nauseous feeling through my body. "I know you, Victor. Just like I know every single one of your group. I know what business you run. I know what secrets you keep. I even know your clients. I might have to pay that little piece of ass of yours Kellin a visit later once we get done here."

Vic's jaw clenched. "You even think about touching Kellin and I'll blow your brains out myself."

Zack laughed, sending chills down my spine and he pushed Mike onto his knees in front of him. Matt making the other two do the same.

"What do you want, Zack?" I asked, speaking up and directing Zack's attention back to me.

"What do I want? Well Jacky boy, that question is simple to answer. I simply want to watch you suffer and hurt you. And what better way to do that than to hurt the ones you care most about."

"You hurt me enough after you... After you raped me."

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Vic looking at me with wide eyes. No one else but Alex and Rian knew of what he had done to me.

Zack smirked. "You deserved that."

Ouch. That hurt.

"That doesn't excuse it, Zack. You used me for your own personal benefit. I was nothing more than just a pawn. You didn't love me. You never did."

"That's where you're wrong. I did love you at one point in time. You just kept pushing me away and that love quickly disappeared."

"You made me push you away. You left me no choice!" I shouted the last part, making everyone in the hall besides Zack jump from the sudden volume of my voice.

"Why don't we just cut to the point Barakat. You want Alex freed and I want you dead. Why don't we make a deal."

"No, Jack, don't." Mike said from his position on the floor.

"Shut up!" Zack shouted, bring the hilt of his pistol down onto the back of Mikes head, said male collapsing onto the floor, a loud groan coming from his lips.

"Mike!" Vic exclaimed, moving forward.

Zack aimed his pistol at the other Mexican. "One more move Fuentes and it's over."

"Fuck off." Vic hissed, but stopped moving.

"You said something about a deal, Merrick?" I said, bringing the attention back to me.

"Yes. Like I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted; why don't we make a deal?"

"What kind of deal?" I bargained.

"I'll let your little crew go about their merry way, Alexander included, and you, well you get a nice bullet through the skull. How does that sound?"

"Sounds... Deadly."

"That's the point. So what'dya say? Your life in equal exchange for them to all be free? For Alex to be free? Or I could simply kill them all, including you and Alex? Which will it be?"

I ran through what he just told me, my decision being made for me as my eyes locked with Vic's, a silent plead registering in them for his brothers life.

I closed my own eyes before opening them and locking with Zack's, an instant cold filling my body. "I say... I say okay."

Another sly grin made its way onto Zack's face.

"On one condition." I continued, internally smiling when he frowned.

"And what's that?"

I cocked my head at Matt. "He dies too."

I could visibly see Matt tense in the dim light. "That's not fair. Zack, you wouldn't do that would you?"

Matt's voice had turned desperate by the end of his question and I could make out fear etched into his expression.

Zack's face held a thoughtful look, a small smile appeared on his face as he turned to face Matt. "Deal."

"W-What? No! You can't!" Matt exclaimed, his pistol hand visibly wavered and it was my turn to grin.

"I told you Matthew. He doesn't love you. Zachary doesn't know how to love. He turned on you just like he turned on me." I said, hand clenching on my own gun, which still remained hidden thanks to the jacket I wore.

"No. He's just... He's just saying that. He wouldn't harm me." Matt said, sounding so unsure about every word he just spoke, wondering its truth.

"Why would he keep you safe? You're just another pawn in his game." I said, repeating Matt's own words that he had spoken to me in the police station.

"No! You treacherous bastard!" Matt shouted, the barrel of his gun now trained on Zack, who stood unwavering.

"Oh come on Matthew, it's not like you could've expected any different than this." Zack spoke, rolling his eyes in the dim light.

"You told me things were different with me. You said you meant it." Matt's voice shook as he spoke, just like his hand that held the pistol did.

I locked eyes with detective Black and gave a quick nod, which he seemed to automatically understand, reaching back and grabbing the hand that held Matt's gun, twisting it. The gun dropped to the ground with a loud clang, luckily not going off before Matt was being tossed over Black's shoulder and landing on his back with an equally as loud 'oof'.

Black picked up the gun that Matt had held and tossed it to Vic, the Mexican catching it and pointing the barrel at Zack.

"Let my brother go, now." He growled, voice steady and calm.

Zack seemed unmoved by the fact that he now had a gun pointed at him and instead just stared back at the male with a bored expression.

"Do you even know how to fire a gun?" Zack scoffed.

"Do you really wanna find out?"

"Zack," I butted in before the muscled male could respond. "Just let him go and we can carry on about this by ourselves. Like real men."

Zack rolled his eyes again before kicking Mike towards Vic, Austin and detective Black following shortly behind with Matt, who was still spewing curses at Zack.

Before Vic disappeared completely, I tossed him the set of keys I had found, telling him to get Alex out of here before focusing once again on my ex.

"Here we are, Jacky boy. Alone at last."

"Yes. Alone. Isn't this what you wanted all along, Zack?"

Another chuckle erupted it's way from Zack's throat, bouncing off the walls around us.

"I fail to see what's so funny." I said, gripping the hidden gun tighter in my hand.

"Nothing really. I just find it amusing that you actually thought that you could get away from this alive."

"One can only hope."

"Yes, hope. Hope gets you a long way in life doesn't it Jack?" Zack asked, cocking the trigger on the gun he held.

"Yeah... Yeah it does."

"Do me a favor and give a message to God for me, yeah?"

I smirked, cocking the trigger on my own gun, surprisingly quiet enough to where Zack didn't hear. "Absolutely."

And that's when the gunshot sounded through the building.

Notes

Cliffhangers are always fun ya feel?