Streets of Manhattan

Jake felt like he was seeing stars he fell to his knees, trying to breathe, he literally felt like Brett had knocked the air out of him and his head felt like it had been split in half.

He groaned loudly wrapping his arm around his stomach,keeping his other one firmly planted on the ground to keep from toppling over completely, he never went down that easy but it was probably because of his damn head he didn't even know what he was doing, he tried to take deep breaths and could hear himself gasping like someone had been strangling him, he tried to get up but this time he was so dizzy he just stayed on his knees watching the fight unfold in front of him.


James watched Jake go down and he winced, but next thing he knew he found himself tangled with the rest of the guys attempting to keep Brett from escaping, he tried to keep him down by pushing down his knee into his chest while Connor tried to pin his arms down and apparently had knocked him in the head since his head seemed to snap painfully to the side.

"Seth pin his legs." James shouted to him as he struggled to keep him down.

"Need to tie - " Seth ducked to the side as Brett kicked at his face. It caught his jaw and Seth's head snapped back as he continued, " - shit, to tie him up so he can talk!"

Luke grabbed hold of one leg, and Seth caught the other. "What now?" the blond asked. Seth glanced at Jake, about to tell him to get some rope or something, maybe knock him out so they had time to tie him up - but Jake was down.

What the...? Was he okay? Brett couldn't have hit him that hard.

The momentary distraction caught Seth off guard when Brett lashed out suddenly in a very powerful knock, jerking both his legs free and swinging them into James' side.

Seth and Luke tumbled backwards. "Get his feet," Seth called to Luke, then ran over and dropped down by Jake. "Buddy, what's wrong?"

Luke, meanwhile, had had enough of this. He threw himself on Brett - and flattened him. The boy gave a yelp of pain but he wasn't going anywhere. Luke wasn't six feet seven for nothing.

***

"Ash, let's go see," Evelyn said, hearing the chaos unfold. Yells and pained groans were tearing at her ears. Other people were starting to stop and stare quizzically, even in this deserted part of town.

Connor fell back slightly, having been hit once or twice himself as he rubbed at his jaw. "Goddamnit- If Alexis is perfectly fine after all this, I'll kill her myself! ... and if she's not I'll STILL kill her for drinking!"

Ashlee froze as she heard the fight growing louder, she looked at Evelyn and swallowed back her fear, "Okay let's go." She said bravely dashing down the street and behind the homes like the boys with Evelyn behind her, she burst through the gates, and arrived at the scene and gaped at them in horror.

James grunted and took in a deep breath feeling a sharp pain in his chest from where Brett's legs collided into him, he knew that was going to bruise, he got up quickly looking for a rope or something they could use to tie him down and looked at Luke who had flattened himself on Brett almost laughing but realizing there was no time for that.

Jake looked up at Seth and could have swore he saw about three of them at the moment, he closed his eyes tight and focused on him and moaned first, "I uh.. "He cringed, "Have a concussion..." He confessed.

"Listen dude forget about me go get that bastard he's gonna get away!" Jake yelled at Seth for coming to his side.

Brett groaned, his world spinning from a blow to his head from Connor. He struggled still, knowing if he didn't get the fuck outta there, he'd be in a lot more trouble that he pleased for again. "Get the fuck off!"

Connor hit him in the head again, harder this time while panting from all the wrestling.

Luke held onto Brett, but the other boy was starting to buck. "Knock him out," he told Connor swiftly. Who knew when James would find rope here?

Seth glanced up when Evelyn appeared on Jake's other side. He nodded, getting to his feet. "Stay with him, Red, or I'll kill you," he told her. Strangely, she didn't argue back.

He spotted Ashlee hovering nearby and said, "Can you run down to the store a couple blocks away and get some rope?" He fumbled in his pocket and pulled out his credit caard, shoving it at her before turning back to Brett.

***

"What does he expect me to do?" Evelyn asked Jake blankly. She had no clue what you were supposed to do for a concussed person. But she figured Seth would really panic if something happened to Jake and that was probably not a good thing for her.

Well, that was one reason she had for helping him.

She reached up and tilted Jake's head down so she could examine the extent of the damage. He'd gotten more blood on the bruise. "What happened?" she asked, placing a hand on his shoulder to ensure he didn't tip over onto her. He was sagging. Had he gotten hit again?

Ashlee took his credit card and darted down the street looking for a store that could potentially sell rope.

***

"Brett he, that bastard hit me... hard. Across the head, I pinned him against the wall and he knocked me down." Jake said not sure what to do he felt like he was ready to tip but he stayed in his position, watching them.

James came back realizing finding a rope now was like finding a needle in a hay stack, almost impossible plus with the little lighting back here he knew he wouldn't find anything.

He came back to the fight not sure what to do.

Brett struggled still, managing to slip his arm free from Connor and slammed his fist hard into the side of his head, making him fall back and lay there for a moment, in a daze.

"W-what did you do with A-Alexis?!"Connor managed to shout when his daze faded away and he pinned Brett down completely again.

"You wanna know what I did to her?! I tied her up, hands above her head, defenseless! She was to drunk to know any better on how to fight back anyway. She was just so lonely- so sad. So I cheered her up- she even SCREAMED in thanks! I gave her a little beat down- numb her out from all the pain her roommate and lover gave her, ya know! Oh and JAKE! Rachel did the EXACT. SAME. THING! Funny huh?" Brett shouted, ending it with a maniac laugh. "Guess Seth just can't save no Chicka from my loving tender care!"

Rage coursed through Jake's veins, as that bastard mentioned Rachel, "I'll fucking kill you Brett I swear to god!" Jake growled lifting himself off the ground his head was spinning like mad now, and it only brought him back down and he cursed to himself as he went back down.


Ashlee came back in through the fence panting, she spotted James and tossed the rope at him, James grabbed the rope that Ashlee had suddenly made appear out of thin air, and ran over to the guys handing some to Luke.

"Here quick tie him down!" He yelled unraveling the rope.

Seth stiffened, flinching automatically. Rachel? What the...?

Then rage overtook him. Rachel, of course. THAT Rachel.

"He's lying," Luke said quietly. He was still holding the prick down. Luke lifted his blond head. "We don't need to listen to this."

Seth shot a glance at Jake out of instinct. Evelyn had already caught on. Her face was paler and when Jake collapsed again, she slung her arm around his shoulders - he was already tipping over onto her anyways - and caught Seth's gaze, horror in her green eyes. He didn't know what she was worried about, her ex-roomie or Rachel.

Maybe that freakish bitch had had a reason to be that way?

Seth leaned down and slugged Brett across the mouth, his hand coming away bloody. The prick stopped cackling. "There." He grabbed the rope from James and then wound it around Brett's feet. He threw the end to James saying, "Get his hands while Luke holds him down."

Connor wiped at blood trickling down the side of his head, where Brett's punch as scrapped up his skin. He panted for breath, shakily standing up. "Moses's ark.."He grumbled, putting his hands on his knees, staring at the ground. He felt like he was about to throw up. Was Brett bullshitting? Or was Alexis...

James lifted the guy and bound his hands together tying the rope tight he shoved him back down on the ground, "Quit lying to us you bastard, where the hell is she!" James shouted.

Seth cast Jake a glance to ensure he was still upright. Then he crouched down as Luke got up and scrambled off Brett.

Evelyn tilted her head a bit, so she could see over Seth's shoulder. Brett wasn't answering and Seth gave him one hard swing.

"They're gonna beat him unconscious," she muttered to Jake, who was now sagging heavily and sort of crushing her. "Idiots. Do you want to lie down or something?"

Brett sputtered and all as he tried to stay conscious. He let out a loud painful groan as he just laid there, before hearing James shout. "D...dead!"He shouted back.

Jake groaned and settled with sitting down, he didn't want to lay down because he didn't know whether or not it would just make him feel worse, he pulled Evelyn off him gently though to assure he didn't sit on her.

He heard Brett's respond and shouted, "Tell the truth you bastard! Where the fuck is she!"

Seth decided they should keep him awake. He sat back and wiped sweat off his forehead. "Let's keep him here till he decides to be honest. Then we turn him in."

Evelyn got to her feet, hoping Jake would stay upright, and walked over to Ashlee. "You don't think he's telling the truth?" she muttered quietly, trying to fight down the horror in her stomach.

"SHE'D BEATEN, RAPED AND DEAD!"Brett laughed manically before groaning as he headed pounded with pain.

Connor kicked his side hard. "Tell the fucking truth!"

Ashlee shuddered at the thought, "No she wouldn't be, she's still alive Ev, I know it."


Jake forced himself up and trudged over to Brett he staggered dangerously thinking he would fall but he made it, he stomped his foot down on Brett's chest, "Fuck you Brett! Tell us where she is now or I'll break your ribs one by one!"

Brett was still bullshitting. Evelyn watched the boys kick him around a bit. She glanced up at Ashlee, somber. "Ash, this is my fault. I know no one's saying that, but it's true." She licked her dry lips and glanced back at the boys.

"Honestly, I just....she took it too far. I never meant it to get so ugly between us, and now she's gone God knows where." Her voice wavered slightly. She hadn't allowed herself to even think about what Alexis might be like, right now. Jake had distracted her and now Brett had.

"No Evelyn this isn't your fault, okay? Don't say that." Ashlee said feeling bad for her to even think something like that, "It's not alright? He's lying and they're gonna find her."

"You know what?" Brett said, turning his head to Jake. His mouth was bloody but he sneered. "She has such pretty blue eys. I coudl see them in the dark. I didn't turn on the light but hell, we didn't need to."

Evelyn glanced up, jaw dropping. "Ah no," she muttered, forgetting her own woe for a moment. "Rachel, Jake's ex," she muttered to Ashlee, "apparently Brett got to her." This was going to kill Jake.

"Know what?" Brett sneered, " she came to me. Did you know that? I didn't have to do a thing. And man, was she good, if you know what i mean. Wait, did you even get there with her?"

Jake's jaw clenched, he felt himself tense up he glared murderously into Brett's eyes.

He continued to press his foot firmly into his chest, lowering himself almost to Brett's level, Jake brought his fist back slugging him in the nose like he did to James.

This time though he heard a crack.

Jake watched his head reel back into the ground, "Tell me where she is." He said through clenched teeth standing upright.

Seth realized this was going too far. Brett was hoping they'd knock him out so he couldn't tell them anything. Seth grabbed Jake around the middle and pulled him back up, shoving him away. "Relax, Cowboy."

Luke kneeled next to Brett and reached out, pressing his thumb into a spot on the guy's neck. Seth wondered what he was doing until Brett let out a yelp of pain.

Luke smirked. "It won't make him pass out, but it'll hurt," he said. Bret swore at him.

Seth laughed. "Should we wait?"

"Oh, don't do that. She might go running off to the next guy," Brett replied cheekily, gasping in pain when Luke's fingers pressed down. Brett lifted his head, smiling at Jake. "Funny, Rachel looks just like that redhead over there. Did you get a replacement already? Damn, and here I thought you'd want sloppy seconds back. You luuurved her, didn't you?"

Evelyn swallowed when she heard this comment. She balled her hands into fists but stayed where she was.

Jake almost charged at him, he was so angry he couldn't see straight, he was so close to pummeling Brett's face in the ground.

"Shut up you son of a bitch you leave her out of this!" Jake yelled.

"Leave who, that whore, this whore or the one I've just done?" Brett asked snidely. Luke pressed his fingers down hard and Brett groaned in pain. Seth bit his lip and glanced up at James.

"This isn't working," he said simply.