Wow! Into double digits! Yipe. Well, as always I wanna thank Nifty and David, and my buddy and other archiver Dennis. Much gratitude also to my readers, among them Wen, Aph, Jrok, Elly, Angel1313, Stacia, Casey, Danni, Red, Vocal, Sophie and Ann for their sweet comments and remarkable insights. Love you guys!!!
DISCLAIMER: Own nothing, imply nothing. This is fiction. Fiction I tells ya!!!! 'Kay? 'Kay.
WARNING: Contains some dark content. Don't like it, don't read it. 'Nuff said.
Ready? Here we go...
~NO PAINLESS WAY~ by DaraLynn Chapter 10
"True love suffers, and is silent."
- Oscar Wilde, 'The Remarkable Rocket'
Justin was up, showered and dressed early the next morning. Judging that it would be about half an hour before he would be disturbed, he had the idea of looking for some news on TV. After grabbing a Sprite from the mini-fridge, he sank moodily onto the couch and grabbed the remote.
Justin was not surprised to see his abduction being announced on the morning news, but gasped softly at the sight of J.C. standing before a microphone and a crowd of reporters. Some men who were obviously cops were behind him, but the rest of 'Nsync were nowhere to be seen. However, a familiar shadow stood in the background.
Justin smiled faintly.
//Lonnie. He must be bored to tears without me to hover around.//
"Mr. Chasez, are there any suspects as yet?"
"I'm not at liberty to say at the moment." J.C. wiped his eyes, trying unsuccessfully to stay composed.
//He's crying. God, Josh is crying.//
"Have the police established a motive?"
A serious-looking man in a blue suit stepped forward to speak. "We're assuming that the motive is either notoriety or, more likely, ransom."
Justin shook his head mournfully. //I wish.//
"How are you and Justin's family and the rest of 'Nsync holding up, Mr. Chasez?"
J.C. shook visibly, and his tears could not be contained. "Barely. Just barely. We're...God, we're terrified."
//Me too, Josh. I'm so sorry...//
"Mr. Chasez, you've already expressed your wish that fans and other civilians not endanger themselves by trying to look for Justin themselves. If someone has information concerning Justin's whereabouts, what should they do?"
"We ask that anyone with such information please contact either the FBI, who are part of this investigation, or the Orlando Police Department." As J.C. gave the phone number, it appeared on the screen as well. "We are offering a $500,000 reward for information leading to Justin's safe return."
"One last question, Mr. Chasez - if Justin by some chance is watching this right now, what would you like to say to him?"
J.C. gazed wistfully, painfully into the camera, suddenly oblivious to the chaos around him. Justin felt his heart ache with every word his love spoke.
"Justin, if you're out there, don't be scared. If I personally have to tear this whole world apart, we will find you. We're not, I'm not, gonna lose you, and we will not give up. Keep in mind the rules we were taught for this stuff, and keep faith, okay?"
J.C.'s voice broke with emotion. "I love you, Curly. Please be all right..."
As the sobbing man was gently guided away, Justin fumbled for the remote control. As he flipped through the channels, he heard his name mentioned on nearly every one. Footage of various cities was shown, each crowded with heart-broken fans, some crying, some screaming, some mutely clutching lit candles.
Justin saw his red-eyed bandmates and his hysterical parents. Unable to take any more, he switched off the TV and flung the remote to the floor. Burying his face in his hands, the boy wept quietly for a few minutes.
The dreadful sound of footsteps approached the metal door. Justin hurriedly dried his eyes and looked up just in time to see Elwood enter, followed by the nameless doctor and the familiar-looking guard.
Mr. Elwood, dressed in his usual black, smiled warmly at the scowling teenager. "Good morning, little one."
Realizing Justin didn't intend to respond, he continued.
"Are you willing to eat normally yet?" he asked hopefully. "It would be so much easier on you."
"No."
Elwood sighed. "Justin, this rebellion is quite useless, I assure you.
You are here for good. No resistance you offer will change that. But as I told you, I will not allow you to endanger your health. You're lucky I'm not orally force-feeding you."
"If you did," Justin retorted coldly, "I would throw it up - on you."
Elwood laughed. "I believe you. Which is why, until you agree to be a good boy and eat, we shall have to continue with the vitamin supplement injections. Will you sit still, at least, or must I have Jared hold you down?"
//JARED!!!//
Justin's eyes widened with recognition as he looked at the former 'Nsync bodyguard. He had not liked Jared then, and now he had another reason not to.
Elwood confirmed his suspicions. "Yes, while Jared worked for you, he was in my employ as well. From him I obtained otherwise-inaccessible recordings, concert footage and information about you, as well as knowledge of your schedule, so I could observe you as much as possible. You may not have seen me, little one, but I saw a great deal of you."
A feeling of sickness arose in Justin as he looked at his former bodyguard, who smiled coldly.
"Why?" he asked softly.
Jared chuckled. "The boss made me an offer I couldn't refuse. I'm getting-"
After a sharp glance from Elwood, he didn't finish the sentence.
The colorless eyes returned to Justin. "Now that we're all reaquainted, will you allow Dr. Cohen to do his job, or will Jared have to restrain you?"
The guard smiled suggestively at Justin, who shrank back. With a barely-audible sigh, he stretched out his right arm. The doctor, a nervous-looking, balding man, carefully injected the needle into the boy's arm. Justin winced slightly, and shut his eyes. After the needle withdrew, Justin felt a hand gently fingering his curls. He opened his eyes and pulled away.
Elwood pulled back his hand reluctantly. He dismissed Dr. Cohen and Jared, and sat on the coffee table across from Justin. The boy inched away from him until the man placed his hands on his captive's arms and held him still. Just touching the young man, even like this, excited him.
He spoke softly. "Stay where you are and I'll let go. Okay?"
Justin nodded. Anything to keep from being touched by this man.
Elwood continued to speak, his eyes locked on his prisoner. "Do you know the story of the Fisher King?"
Justin shook his head. //Keep him talking, maybe then he won't do anything else.//
"According to Celtic legend, the Fisher King is an old man who rules a barren wasteland by the sea. Once his realm was beautiful and fertile, but the King was wounded, and the land suffers with him. Because of his wound, which grows deeper each year, he is unable to rule the kingdom, unable to live a fulfilling life. Existence is pain for him, because he is incomplete. His life has no meaning, and so the King is dying. The myths say that only one thing can cure the King and restore the land - the Holy Grail. Do you know what that is?"
"King Arthur's knights searched for it."
Elwood smiled. "That's right. To different people the Grail is a different thing. To the Celts it was the cauldron of life, death and rebirth; to the Christians it is the cup from which Jesus drank at the Last Supper; to Arthur's Round Table it was a quest for God. The Grail is a symbol of spiritual fulfillment. It is what completes one's life, makes one happy and whole."
Justin didn't understand the point of the story. "What happened to the Fisher King?" he whispered.
"There are many different versions of the story. But, ultimately, the Grail is given to the King. It restores life to the land. It heals his wound, and his heart. It gives him hope again."
"Why are you telling me this?"
Elwood smiled gently. "I want you to understand, Justin. You are my Holy Grail. You...are my salvation. Now that I have you, my life has possiblity."
Justin's voice was barely audible. "You're insane."
Elwood frowned. "Of course, there are always other knights, other kings, who want the Grail for themselves. Like...J.C." He said the name as if it were distasteful to him.
"What?"
"I've seen the way he looks at you."
//Oh no, please don't let him hurt Josh...//
Justin feigned confusion. "What do you mean? He's my best friend."
"He feels more than friendship when he looks at you, I believe." Elwood paused. "I saw him on the news a short while ago. He wants you back. But you are mine."
The man started to touch Justin's face, but his hands were immediately shoved away.
Elwood frowned darkly. "I feel threatened by your so-called 'best friend', little one. I don't like that feeling. Perhaps I should...eliminate it."
The boy's face fell with fear. "Please don't hurt Josh!" he begged. "Please, I'll do anything! Just don't hurt him!"
His captor smiled coldly. "Really? If I agree not to harm J.C., you'll do anything?"
Justin bit his lower lip nervously, but didn't hesitate. "Yes."
"Done! I want you to do...nothing."
"What?"
Elwood grinned. "We're going to play, Justin. I'm going to do whatever I want to you, and you're going to let me. If you protest, struggle or fight me in any way, I will kill your best friend. Understand?"
Tears flooded the boy's terror-filled eyes. Nausea swept through him, but love was stronger. He nodded.
Elwood stood, and pulled the teenager up to meet him.
"Good."
~to be continued~ Questions, comments (no flames) welcome at DaraLynn_writings@hotmail.com