Chapter 12

It was nearing nine-thirty in the morning and Rick and A.J’s morning felt like it was going nowhere. All there leads on Michael where ending down on a dead end street and it was driving them crazy. How was he even keeping a low profile and who was hiding him. Someone had to know and they were going to find out. This was not an option in their book. No one was going to ever hurt they’re sister again. Rick was discussing what they should do next when they heard a loud banging on the kitchen door accompanied by screaming from a young man. They just looked at each other shaking their heads. A.J. had clued Rick in on Mary arriving in the morning so they knew Jon was going to show up sometime today very angry. So they weren’t surprised when he did. “MARY! I KNOW YOUR IN THERE DAMN IT! LET ME IN! MARY! GOD DAMN IT LET ME IN!”  Jon kept screaming and banging on the door.

       

 Rick looked at A.J. and said “Well we better let him in before the neighbors call the cops or he bangs your door in.” A.J. just shook his head and opens the door as Jon fell in and Rick basically caught him.

“Hi” Rick said.

Jon looks up “Hey. Is she here?”

Rick and A.J. looked at each other. A.J. says “We need to talk Jon.”

“No you need to tell me if she’s here or not and if not where the hell is she.” He demanded.

“She specifically doesn’t want to talk to you right now. Can you understand that?” A.J. asked him.

 “Yes I can A.J. but can you understand why I need to talk to her. I get up this morning and she’s nowhere to be found, my hearts in my mouth and then I find this Dear Jon fucking note. How the hell am I supposed to feel, Huh!”

 Rick just looked at him then muttered “Ouch a Dear Jon note? How cliché.”

“Not funny Rick!” Jon said glaring.

“Sorry really didn’t mean it that way. I just meant Jon she needs time to reassess everything. You came into her life Bing, Bang, Boom. Then with this Michael problem, she doesn’t want you hurt. Try and see it from her point of view.” Rick tried to explain to Jon.

“Well how the hell do you think I feel! And I’m trying to see it from her point of view. But I Love her! I didn’t see this happening either but it did.” Jon was getting very emotional now.

 “Ok, so let’s do it this way. When your next time off?” Rick asked.

Jon just shook his head and finally said “Next month some time. I’ll need to ask my travel manager but sometime at the end of next month.”

 A.J. spoke up “Ok then that’s not that long and we should hopefully have things wrapped up by then. So why don’t you contact her when you’re ready to finish up and come back out; then you two can get things straightened out. Does that make sense?”

Unfortunately Jon couldn’t fight that. Not if he really wanted or loved Mary. “Fine, but will you guys talk to her for me? Make sure she’ll agree to that.”

“She will.” Rick said.

“How can you be too sure?” Jon said looking defeated.

 Rick looked him straight in his eyes “Because unless you’re really blind anyone can see she loves you too.”

 Jon just shook his head slowly and both Rick and A.J patted him on the back. A.J. asked Jon “Hey when you stormed out of the house did you lock the door by any chance?”

 “I don’t know? Why?”

 “Because I doubt it very much that you have the key to the house. Here take mine and let yourself in and put in the kitchen. I’ll get it later.”

 “Thanks.”

 “You’re welcome. We’ll talk to you later.” They escorted Jon out to the awaiting cab. The brothers felt bad for him but they weren’t going to betray they’re sister. She needs time and they were going to give it to her. As they entered the house, Mary was standing in the kitchen. She had overheard everything that had happen. “So you heard?” A.J. asked. She only shook her head yes.

 Rick asked her “Are you going to put that poor boy out of his misery or what? It’s not fair to lead him on like this you know.”

“Oh so you care about him now Rick? Before you wanted to rip his heart out.” She stated sarcastically.

 “Alright knock it off you two! What he’s trying to say honey is that it’s not nice to string him along if you don’t feel the same way. Even if we don’t like him or not. That’s all.” A.J. added.

“I know okay. And I do feel the same way he does. I’m just not sure of a few things that’s all.  Once I sort them out then I can make a decision alright. I just want to make sure it’s the right one for both of us.”

 “Ok there’s nothing wrong with that.” A.J. said as he walked over and kissed her on the top of her head.

 Just then the phone rang and Rick answered it. “Hello?  Carlos…Hey…What do you have on a Michael Johnson?” The guys were researching all of their sources as Jon was getting ready to leave the house for the airport. He was lucky enough to get an early flight out and back to Chicago much to his chagrin. He had called the cab company again and was wondering why it was taking so long this time to get here when finally after an half hour they showed up. He left A.J.’s key of the kitchen table and locked up. When he got to the cab, the cab driver got out to help but Jon only had his duffel bag. The cab driver was a little taller than he was and had sunglasses on with a beard and dark hair.

 “Hey its ok I can take care of this.” Jon said. So the cab driver opened the door for Jon as he slid in, duffle bag first then he bent down to slide in and felt a sharp pain in the back of his neck. Jon yelp out grabbing his neck “What the hell!” and as he turned around to face the cab driver he felt dizzy and passed out cold in the back seat. Michael just chuckled and took Jon’s legs and bent them so he could close the door.

“Well, well, well Mr. Rockstar. Can see you don’t do drugs very well now do ya! I really don’t see what she sees in you. But we’re going to find out.”

Michael had been using this old abandoned building by the river front and that’s where he had brought Jon. In the backroom he had turned it into a gym room where he could work out as he did in the mental health facility. He also turned some of the other rooms as a kitchen and one as his bedroom which he was hoping to share with Mary. He dragged Jon into the gym room and stripped off his shirt. Took out two handcuffs, and lifted him up so he could handcuff him to the hanging bars from the ceilings. Then took out his cell phone and made his call. He was really going to enjoy this.

As Mary was having her tea and watching some TV; her brothers were gathering their things for they believed they had a lead to where Michael could be. Just as Rick stepped back into the house to tell A.J. he was all set the phone rang and he picked it up, “Hello? Hello?”

“Ricky! Is that you?  Long time no see. How have you been buddy?” Michael said to him.

 “What the fuck do you want Michael!” Rick blurted back to him.

 “Now, now Ricky temper. I’m calling because I know Mary is there and I would like to talk to her.” Michael asked Rick as Rick’s temper soared.

 A.J. and Mary were listening intently to what Rick was saying as the tempers were very high. “Over my dead body Asshole!”

“Well that is so tempting but it’s not you right now I want dead.” Michael chuckled.

“Well you’re not getting Mary.” Rick told him outright.

 “Oh eventually I will but for now I’ll be satisfied with that Rockstar of hers.” There was a pause as Rick looked back and forth from Mary to A.J. and they looked at him confused. Mary went to say something as she tried to grab the phone from Rick but A.J. stopped her. In the background Rick could hear the blasting of some boat horns. “What the hell does that mean Michael?”

 “What do you think it means Rick? If your sister wants to ever see her Rockstar lover ever again she’ll do as I say.”

 “That’s never going to happen; you’ll deal with us or nobody. Got that asshole!”

 “You know name calling will get you nowhere. I will only deal with Mary or nobody, plain and simple. Think about it Ricky I’ll call back in a half hour, or he’s dead.” Then he hung up.

Mary looked at Rick. “He has Jon doesn’t he?”

“We’ll get him back, I promise.” Rick said calmly. 

“He wants me Rick so I’m going.” She said determinedly.

“Like hell you are!” Rick stated. “Sweetie we are not going to let you put yourself in danger with that manic. We have an idea where he is.”

“Where?”

“I heard horns blowing off in the distant, so I believe he’s at the worf. So you call Town and let him know where to meet us.” Rick said.

“Wait that’s a big place where do you want him to meet you guys?” she asked.

“Well Carlos said there’s a couple of abandon buildings on 34^th East Main Street. So tell Town to meet us there, ok?” Rick asked.

“Yeah sure.” She said staring out into space.

“Hey did you hear me?” Rick asked.

 “What? Yeah I did. Call Town, right.” She confirmed.

“Ok, we’ll call you when we have Jon. Don’t worry sweetie everything will be alright.” A.J. said. And they left. She picked up the phone and called Town and told him what happened and where to meet her brothers. He stressed to her that things would be okay and to stay put. Yeah like she would. She had remembered that Michael had bought some property just before they broke up. He had talked about also going into the Private Investigation business and had looked into several buildings down by the worf.  

She ran upstairs where she kept her business folders and looked into the papers. She came across some legal papers where Michael’s name was scrolled on them as they said that the address of 42 East Main Street on them. Bingo. That must be where he was holding Jon. She ran downstairs and went to the key rack and grabbed the keys to A.J. classic car and headed to the garage. She had to get to Jon before Michael hurt him or even killed him. The brothers met Town and they decided to split up as they searched East Main Street. Mary arrived about ten minutes later coming in the back way so she wouldn’t be seen.

In the meantime Jon was waking up finding himself hanging from the ceiling. “Well it’s about time you’re waking up. I thought I gave you too much and might have killed you too early.” Michael said slapping Jon on the back. Jon grimaced as he was still groggy from the drug.

“Where, where the hell am I?” he asked a little scared.

“You don’t know? Can’t guess? Not to bright are you. I really thought Mary would have picked a brighter one. But what would you expect from a whore, right.” Michael said laughing.

“Stop calling her that.” Jon said trying to look around and to get his bearings.

 “Oh did I hurt your feelings? Well I’m going to do a lot more than that. You see I tried calling the Simon's again and nobody answered. Which means they’re out looking for you. But I think the only one who might know where you are is my little whore. But I’m not sure if she’ll tell her dim witted brothers where you’re at because she wants you alive. So she’ll be here shortly I believe and I need her to find you but not in this condition so if you’ll indulge me we’ll get started then I’ll set my trap for her.”

Jon just looked in horror at Michael when he realized what Michael had in store for him. But there was in no way he was going to show him that he was scared because that’s what he wanted. As Mary arrived she quietly went around back and picked the lock so she could get in. She wasn’t stupid she knew Michael was waiting for her. She slowly started to walk down the hall and looked into one of the rooms. It must be the bedroom because when she opened the door there was a bed and pictures of him and Mary all over the room. She only shook her head in disgust and shut the door quietly. She continued down the hall when she pasted the kitchen and a hand covered her mouth and an arm went around her waist. “Hello my sweet thing I’ve been expecting you.” he said as his hand moved up to her left breast. She started to squirm and he squeezed her tighter. “Now stop that or I won’t let you see that Rockstar of yours!” he growled. He slowly took his hand off her mouth “Ok sweet heart now don’t scream because it won’t do you any good. I’ll just have to hurt you, ok?” he said. She just shook her head yes. “Good girl, now let’s go see how Rockstar is holding up shall we?”

Michael led Mary into the room where he was holding Jon. When they walked in Mary gasped when she saw him hanging from the ceiling. She tried to run over to him but Michael grabbed her. “Nuh uh uh! No touching the Rockstar!” He exclaimed.

“But he’s hurt you jerk!” Michael backhanded her.

Jon gathered all his strength and yelled through gritted teeth “Don’t touch her you Bastard!”

“You don’t have a say in this.” And turned to Mary again grabbing her by the shoulders. “What? Did you think we were having a tea party? Please, and I can’t believe you can stand there a give a damn about HIM! He won’t give a shit about you when he’s gone. The first thing when he gets back is find the groupie to give him a blow job. He’ll cheat on you and break your heart then you’ll come crying back to me and I’ll just laugh in your face.”

 She looked up at Jon who was trying hard to hold it all together. She didn’t want to believe he would do that to her. Then she noticed that a shower was installed over his head and that a car battery was lying on the floor next to him as was a cattle prod. “Oh my God! You didn’t you Son of a Bitch!” she screamed.

 “I didn’t what?” Michael asked sarcastically.

“You electrocuted him! How could you? You could have killed him!” she screamed and again tried to run to him and again Michael backhanded her but this time she fell to the floor hard.

Jon again gathered all of his strength and pleaded with Michael “Please don’t hurt her I beg you. Whatever you want I can get you. Money, you want money I can get. Just don’t hurt her please.” He puffed.

 Michael sauntered over to him and punched him in the stomach. Jon let out a groan. “Do you really think I need money you little Cretan. What I want is for her to be in pain for what she’s done!” as he was speaking to Jon, Mary was trying quietly to move over to the cow prod and see if she could use it on Michael but before she could Michael turned around quickly and kicked her in her side. She dropped the prod and folded herself into a fetal position as Jon screamed.

 “Nooooo!”

 “I told you no helping him. But I do have a proposition for you.” he said kneeling down to her. Looking up at him he continued. “You have a choice, you can chance places with him and stay with me and I’ll let him go or I’ll just kill him and you stay with me anyway. Your choice whore.” It wasn’t a choice for her.

“You’ll do as I ask?” she asked him as the tears were running down her face.

“Tell me and find out.”  Michael said.

“Michael promise me please.” She begged.

 “Tell me first!” He yelled.

 “This isn’t a game Michael!”

“Where the hell have you been, huh? Of course this is a game. My game. It’s called Life and Death. Yours and his. Now which will it be.” He said angry.

She looked at Jon then looked at Michael. There was no choice. “Let him go Michael I’ll stay as long as you let Jon go.”

 Jon couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Nooooo!  I won’t let you!” he yelled through his gritted teeth trying hard to get free from his bonds but he was only having the cuffs digging into his wrists making them bleed.

She looked at him and said “I can’t have him hurt you any more than he has already.” She said shaking. “Besides he’s right you’ll find someone else, be strong please.” She said looking down at the floor.

 Jon knew in his heart she didn’t mean a word of it but it still hurt hearing her say it. As this was all going on, outside Town had spotted A.J.’s car and had radioed the brothers to meet him at 42 East Main Street as soon as they could. When they all met up Rick freaked out when he realized Mary hadn’t listen to them. “She lied to us A.J. She knew where he was!”

“I don’t think so; if she did she would have told us. But I think she had an idea and waited for us to leave to check it out.”

 “Well we can talk about this later why don’t we go inside and see what we can find.” Town suggested. Rick and A.J. looked at each other and just hoped it wouldn’t be anything that would be disastrous.

As they quietly entered the building they could hear yelling coming in from the back room. So they started down to the end of the hall where they slowly came to a stop as Rick slowly looked into the room. He could see Jon strung up and Mary standing a few feet by his right. Then Michael entered his view so he backed off. He waved to the guys that they were indeed in there so they waited before storming in. They didn’t want anyone to get hurt not knowing if Michael had a gun or not. They needed a better look. They heard Michael yell at Mary. “You would choose staying here and letting him go, changing places with him, torturing you instead of him, than me killing him?”

 “You heard my choice Michael. Let him go and I’m all yours. I’ll go with you anywhere and do anything, just let Jon go.” She said staring him right in the eyes.

“Well I’ve made up my mind and I don’t think so.” He said matter of factly with a smirk on his lips.

“But you promised!” she screamed.

“No I didn’t. I said to tell me first. You just did now I’m telling you, besides I have you so why should I let either of you go. Now here’s what’s going to happen. Before I kill him we are going to make love in front of him so he’ll have something to remember for eternity, then I’ll kill him in front of you for your disloyalty. How’s that?”

Spitting in his face “It will be a cold day in hell before I let you touch me again.” She spat out.

Michael didn’t like being spit upon and got up and hit her across the face and as she fell and started to kick her again. Jon started struggling to get out of his bonds and yelling when all of a sudden a hand grabbed Michael and spun him around and slugged him in the face.

Stunned as he hit the floor he looked up to find Rick Simon hovering over and grabbing him again and slamming his fist into his face over and over again until Town came over and grabbed Rick and pulled him away “Rick, he’s not going anywhere.” Town said.  

A.J. ran to his sister to make sure she was okay. She looked up and to her relief she saw her brother A.J. and grabbed on to him. “A.J. thank God it’s you.”

“Yeah well we’ll talk about that later. Are you okay sweetie?”

“Yeah, but Jon!” She looked up and saw him slumped over but with relief in his eyes, she jumped up and wrapped her arms around his waist. Right then and there he knew how she felt about him. “Well any of you guys going to get him down?” she asked.

 “Don’t worry sweetie just step aside.” A.J. told her but it was hard to pull her away.  As they got him down he fell to the floor and she held him in her arms. She kissed him softly. “Are you okay baby?” she asked him caressing him softly.

“I am now Baby. I am now.” As he laid his head on her chest. She noticed that he was also bleeding from his back from where Michael had whipped him.

 She looked up at her brothers. “Can you call an ambulance? He’s really hurt.” She asked with tears in her eyes.

“We already did honey they should be here any minute. Town will bring them in when he gets Michael settled.”

The ambulance came and took both Jon and Mary to the hospital because they both had substantial injuries. But Jon wasn’t looking forward to telling Doc what happened. So he called Richie and filled him in on what happened.