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“Everything we’ve worked so hard for and where just leaving it all behind?!” Sami Jo asked with a bit of contempt in her voice as she followed Cib upstairs.
The entire garage was in shambles, everyone hurrying to pack as much gear as they could into two unmarked suburbans.
Cib huffed and stacked another suitcase in the backseat of one car and slammed the door shut.
“We don’t exactly have a choice here dude” he explained for the millionth time.
Sami Jo huffed but nodded her head and moved on to help Mimi and Autumn pack more weapon cases into the trunk.
“Alright I think we’ve got everything important, there isn’t any room left anyway” Parker announced as he and the rest of the guys made their way up from the basement, going over multiple mental checklists as they inspected the cars and their contents.
“So what exactly is the plan here? You me and the boys go in and get James while the girls head up to the safe house?” Jamie asked Steven and Cib as he looked around the room.
“Hey I want to help get him back too! Not sit by idly and wait for you idiots to get shot” Mimi argued as she crossed her arms across her chest.
Jamie turned to argue back but Steve cleared his throat, grabbing everyone’s attention.
“Actually...we-we already discussed this alone” he said glancing over at Cib as the younger reached over and squeezed his hand.
“Look we’re only going in with Jeremy and Parker. The rest of you are heading up to the cabin to get situated and wait for us” Cib explained. Jeremy and Parker nodded in agreement when the others looked to them in shock.
“But- Wait why such a small crew? You realize how dangerous this job is right?” Jamie asked them in confusion.
Steven nodded. “Of course I realize that but...look we already let James get taken and if-if something happens to us I don’t want to to risk losing all of you”
Mimi’s breath hitched and she shook her head.
“Steve-”
“And besides, if something
does
happen, you and Jamie are supposed to take over for us” Cib interrupted trying to force a smile their way.
“What?” Jamie asked in disbelief.
Steven nodded, stepping forward to squeeze Jamie’s shoulder.
“You two were the first people we asked to join and you’ve done nothing but good things for us. Jamie you have basically been my right hand this entire time. If-If something happens to Cib and I when we go in there...we want you and Mimi to keep things going”.
Jamie was speechless, turning to look at Mimi in awe before looking back at Steven with his mouth agape.
“But nothing’s going to happen to you, because you’re good at what you do. And you’re all going to go in there and get James, and then you are going to come to us and we’ll figure this out” Mimi said with a stern nod of her head, obviously trying to convince herself while simultaneously reassuring the rest of the group.
Steve forced a smile and nodded at her.
It stayed silent for a moment before Autumn cleared her throat.
“We need to get going”.
Everyone agreed and quickly began to pile into one of the cars. Parker hugged Sami Jo and Alfredo before they got in and the engine roared to life.
The four of them watched as the rest of their crew pulled out of the garage and sped off into the night, leaving them in silence.
Jeremy moved to the drivers side of the other suburban without a word and Parker followed.
Cib sighed and turned to Steven, reaching out once more for his hand.
They stared at each other for a long while, having some kind of silent conversation with their eyes, before Steven squeezed his hand and nodded.
“Let’s go get our boy”.
“Is he even breathing?” James asked as he fiddled with the bag they had over their captives head.
Alek shrugged and pushed his hand away.
“Don’t know, Hullum fucked him up pretty good apparently. Stop messing with the bag you’ll like, wake him or something”.
James scoffed and stepped back just as the destroyed body made a noise and shifted against it’s restraints.
“Fuck see? What did I tell you?” Alek chided as he crossed his arms, sending a glare James’ way.
“Oh fuck you dude how do you even know he was asleep? You can’t see his face” James argued back.
From somewhere in the warehouse a whistle could be heard.
“Yo guys, I think they’re here!” Trevor called out.
Somewhere else Brett laughed and then he and Trevor where both appearing from the darkness mask’s in hand.
“Showtime boys!” Brett announced with a smile as he tossed them their masks.
“I don’t get why we need to be here for this. Hullum said we couldn’t even do anything” Alek huffed as he secured his mask on his head.
“Don’t start complaining again let’s just get this shit over with so we can go to back to bed” Trevor replied, nudging his elbow into Alek’s side.
Alek glared at him in return and then disappeared into the darkness with the others waiting for their new friends to make themselves known.
Jeremy parked the suburban across the street and turned to watch as Cib and Steven slipped on their vests and inspected their weapons.
“You sure you don’t want us coming in with you?” Parker asked again a look of concern clear across his face.
“We need you both out here as our eyes and ears, if we aren't out in ten minutes get to Idyllwild and regroup with the others” Steve said as he slipped a comm into his ear.
“Did you get the blueprints figured out?” Cib asked and Jeremy nodded.
“It’s already uploaded to your phones but be cautious, they’re a bit old, for all we know they could have redecorated yesterday”.
Cib nodded and then opened the car door and stepped out onto the quiet street, gun tucked into his waistband.
Steve climbed out behind him and grabbed the younger man by the shoulder, spinning him around and pulling him into a quick kiss.
Cib didn’t even make a noise just accepted it and then turned back to Jeremy’s open window.
“Remember ten minutes”.
Jeremy nodded and wished them luck before they hurried across the road to the gate.
“This feels exactly like a trap” Cib whispered when they found the automated gate wide open.
Steve held a finger up to silence the younger man as they made their way across the empty lot to the main door. Steven tried the knob and, surprisingly, found it unlocked.
“Yup. Definitely a trap” he whispered back as they both drew their guns and stepped inside.
The warehouse was pitch dark save for the faint glow of a light somewhere towards the back of the building.
It was oddly empty, keeping both men on high alert as they navigated slowly through a maze of plywood walls and clutter.
They met nobody on the way, making them even more tense as they closed in on the light source.
They finally stepped around the wall hiding James and Cib tucked his gun away as he hurried to his side.
“James? Hey James it’s me it’s Cib. Where here to get you out” he whispered loudly as he carefully removed the bag from his boyfriends head.
The youngest gasped and stopped short. James looked
broken
, his face so fucked up Cib had to stop and question if it was really him or not.
He was still passed out, head lulled back against the chair he was tied to and breaths slow and short, coming out as a painful wheeze every time.
Steven had to stop to collect himself for a second, pushing back the anger he felt as he hurried forward and began working on the ropes securing James’ wrists.
His movement seemed to shake Cib from his stupor and he too began to work at untying him.
James made a noise halfway through and his head suddenly fell and slumped down against his chest.
He cracked his one good eye open just barely as Cib reached out and slowly lifted his head so he could look at him.
Seeing his face made James want to cry, not that he could at this point without a violent spasm of pain. He had almost given up on seeing them, Matt Hullum promised he would die here if the other didn’t act soon and James was scared they wouldn't, that they had forgotten him. He felt stupid now for ever thinking that would be the case.
“You-you came” he breathed out, reveling in the feeling of Cib’s hand on his chin.
“Of course we came babe” Cib replied with a watery smile as Steven stood upright again.
“James? We need to get you out of here now alright? The others are waiting for us”.
James did his best to smile before passing out once more, slumping forward into Cib’s arms.
“Fuck Steve we need to go
now
” Cib said in an unusually serious tone.
Steven nodded in agreement and helped Cib hoist him from the chair before picking him up bridal style and doing his best to mind his busted arm.
They turned to leave but were stopped by a deep laugh somewhere in the darkness.
Cib drew his gun as the masked FakeChop members began to appear from all directions and surround them.
“Just-Just let us go alright? You’ve had your fun with him” Cib demanded as he pointed his gun at Brett with slightly shaking hands.
Brett laughed again and silently gestured towards the front of the warehouse where they came from.
Cib kept his gun trained on them at all times as he and Steven began to make their way out with what he thought to be an intimidating glare set on his face.
“Oh and boys?” Brett called after them, forcing the two to stop in their tracks.
“Welcome to the family”.
A chill went down both their spines but they carried on without comment, Cib flipping him off before they disappeared back into the maze of plywood.
They made it back into the street with five minutes to spare. Parker was waiting for them and also gasped when he saw the state James was in.
He threw open the back door and helped Steven lay James out across the empty back seat. A pained groan slipping from James’ lips as he was jostled.
“Get us to Idyllwild
now
” Steven demanded into the rear view mirror as he and Cib climbed into the second row of seats and Parker stayed by James side.
Jeremy nodded and gunned the engine, taking them deeper and deeper into the dark back roads of Los Santos.
Cib slumped against Steven’s side and threaded their fingers together, squeezing his hand as tight as possible.
Steven didn’t say a word and slumped into Cib as well, pulling him into his arms and holding him close.
“We got him back. He’s back and he’s alive Steve” Cib whispered into his chest.
Steven nodded and carded a hand through his soft hair, glancing over the younger man as he watched Parker check over James with a very serious and upset look. He caught Steven’s gaze and he gulped before shaking his head and turning to the front of the car.
“Jeremy drive faster”.