"Lonnie, are you sure this is ok?" Justin asked, the worry evident in his voice.
"Juju, if I hadn't been given the ok, do you seriously think I would be doing this. Lance asked management, who asked the police, who said it was fine. Nothing has happened in three weeks. Now if you don't calm down, you're going to make Lance nervous. Remember, he had only been out of the house three times in three weeks, and those were doctor's visits." Lonnie said, trying to ease the younger man. He knew Justin was scared for the boy he loved, and truthfully, Lonnie was a little scared himself. He'd dealt with similar situations before, and sometimes things weren't always what they seemed.
"I'm sorry. I know everything will be fine. It's just a trip to the mall, right? What could possibly go wrong, especially with you and four other body guards with me, Lance and Jayce. You'll keep my man safe." Justin said, trying to convince himself. Lonnie was wishing he had as much faith in his abilities as Justin seemed to.
~*~
"How long have we been here?" Lance asked, sitting down on a bench beside the mall's fountain.
JC laughed. "We've been here for a little over two and a half hours. How are you holding up?" He asked, seeing Lance's winded appearance.
"I'm fine. A little out of breath and a little sore, but it feels so good to get out of the apartment for a little while. I was starting to go crazy in there." Lance said, sighing as he slouched down on the bench. "I think I'm starting to get out of shape or something."
"I don't think that's the problem. We've never gotten to just walk around a mall for this long. Normally, we would have been mobbed and asked to leave by now." JC explained, patting Lance's knee.
"Are you hitting on my man, Chasez?" Justin asked good-naturedly as he joined his group, the other two body guards following behind.
"Well, you know, he is really cute, and that southern accent gets me every time." JC joked, slipping an arm around Lance's shoulder, mocking all the classic cheesy movie moves.
"Well, I have to say, I'm flattered, but I don't swing that way, JC." Lance said seriously, removing JC's arm from his shoulder.
JC and Justin both stared open mouthed at Lance, while the five bodyguards tried to hide their laughter. "What do you mean you don't swing that way?" JC asked, his face and tone showing his shock and confusion. "You told us…"
"JC. I. Don't. Swing. That. Way." Lance stressed, looking JC in the eye.
"then what the hell way do you swing?" JC asked, getting more annoyed at his own confusion.
"I swing Justin's way, and Justin's way only." Lance said with a grin, his voice soft so as not to be heard, and his wink to Justin discreet so as not to be noticed by others.
Justin's frown quickly turned into a grin. "That's what I like to hear." Justin said, wanting nothing more than to kiss his boyfriend right there.
"I'm getting a toothache." JC said, rolling his eyes as he stood up.
"You're just jealous." Lance said, sticking out his tongue as he also stood, standing closes enough to Justin to touch him slightly, but not close enough to be suspicious.
"That's exactly what it is." JC said with a laugh, smiling at the love he could see in the couple's eyes as they looked at each other.
"Are we ready to go yet? Lonnie asked, breaking the "lovebirds" from their reverie.
"I have to get one more thing. It should only take a minute. You guys can go and wait in the car." Justin said, grabbing his two body guards and heading away from the group.
"OK. But make it quick. It's starting to get dark." Lonnie informed, and he did not like large parking lots at night.
"No problem. Give me ten minutes." Justin shouted over his shoulder, earning him a smack on the back of his head from one guard for drawing attention to himself, while the three remaining guards, JC and Lance laughed.
"Come on you two, we'll take this stuff out to the car and wait for ego-boy out there." Lonnie said, gathering a few of the shopping bags Justin had left behind. Lance and JC followed Lonnie through the mall, the last two guards bringing up the rear.
It had grown considerably dark outside as dusk settled on the world. Cars with their headlights on passed on the highway nearly a half a mile away. The street lights in the parking lot gave an eerie glow to the nearly vacant lot where the group had parked the large SUV they had taken.
"I hate parking lots at night." Lance said, voicing Lonnie's thoughts.
"It's cool Scoop. There is like, no one here. Everything's cool." JC tried to assure him, draping an arm over the slightly shorter man's shoulders. "I know. They've just always creeped me out. Why do you think I always stayed late at the studio with you and read a book?" Lance asked, glancing around the deserted lot.
"I always thought it was because you liked my company." JC said, laughing a little as he playfully shoved Lance.
"Um…No. I always stayed until you were ready to leave so you wouldn't have to walk to your car alone. I hate having to walk alone to my car in the dark, and I hate it when you guys do." Lance explained.
"That's out Scoop. Always thinking about everyone else." JC said, affectionately squeezing Lance.
"Give me your bags guys, I'll put them in the back> Go ahead and get in the car. JC, I think I'll be generous and let you drive home. I'm getting a headache." Lonnie said, throwing the keys at JC.
"That's it. I'm walking." Lance said, taking a couple of steps away from the group. He gave a startled yelp when a hand grabbed the collar of his shirt and drug him backwards.
"Shut up and get in the car." JC said, playfully glaring at him.
Lance gave the smile of innocence that he had perfected over the years and got into the passenger seat of the SUV.
"Now, lock the doors. I'm going to stand outside, Ronnie at the door of the mall, and Phil will be somewhere in between." Lonnie explained to them, just like he always did. With that, Lonnie started to move away from the SUV when his phone ringing stopped him. Lance watched him talk for a couple of minutes before ending the call.
"What is it?" Lance asked after rolling down his window.
"Seems like your boy finally got spotted. I'm going to go in and see if I can get him out faster. I do not get paid enough for this shit." Lonnie said, rolling his eyes as as he turned towards the entrance of the mall.
"You know you do it because you love us." Lance yelled before rolling his window back up. He laughed out loud when he saw Lonnie give him the finger.
"So, what are your plans for the night, Lance?" JC asked, trying to make conversation while they waited for the rest of their group.
"Well, since I'm basically still on house arrest, the norm. Sit in front of the television while I basically go insane. What about you?" Lance asked, turning to look at JC.
"Actually, I was thinking we could invite Joe and Chris over. Play poker and drink. You know. Guys night." JC said then squinted past Lance. "Who's Phil talking to?" He asked.
Lance turned to look out the window in time to see the man pull out a gun and shoot Phil in the chest. "What the Fuck?!" Lance yelled, shifting in his seat so he was fully facing the man
"Oh shit!" JC yelled when the man turned and cleanly shot Ronnie down. Neither had had the time to radio for help. Lance visibly shrunk back from the window when the man, dressed in black, turned his attention toward the SUV.
"God JC! Call Danny, or Lonnie. Start the damn car! Do something!" Lance practically screamed, panicking as the man approached the car.
"I'm trying, Lance, damn it I'm trying!" JC said, turning the key in the ignition but nothing would happen.
"Oh God. Oh God!" Lance was muttering trying to dial Lonnie's number on his cell, all the while keeping his eyes on the man who was steadily getting closer.
Finally, with shaking fingers, Lance got the number dialed and held the phone up to his ear.
"This better be good." Lonnie barked into the phone.
Lance's voice choked in his throat as the man reached his door and started pulling on the handle. Lance thanked God he had obeyed Lonnie and locked it.
"Hello?" Lonnie asked into the phone again. Before Lance could respond, there was a loud noise on Lonnie's end. It sounded like the phone had been knocked out of his hand.
As Lance heard the dial tone, he shut his phone off and then frantically dialed the number again, while the man continued to try and open the door. Lance by this time, had backed up, and practically sitting in JC's lap.
JC had his arm protectively around Lance's, silently praying Lance got someone on his cell phone. JC could feel Lance shaking from fear. He knew he wasn't much better. He was terrified.
Lance let the phone ring several times, praying Lonnie would answer. But he didn't. The phone just continued to ring.
Lance watched the frustrated man outside, and shuddered as he stopped fighting the door and sneered. In the blink of an eye, the man had disappeared from view.
"Where'd he go?" JC asked, cursing the shaking in his voice.
"I don't know." Lance whispered. Ending the call he'd been trying to place to Lonnie, Lance cautiously untangled himself from JC and moved closer to the door. Wide, frightened green eyes scanned the ground on his side of the car, while JC did the same.
"I don't see him." JC announced, looking back to Lance.
Lance, now in his own seat, turned to JC. "I don't either. We should call the cops." Lance said, beginning to dial 911.
Lance didn't notice the shadow that fell over him or JC's gasp. Only JC's yelled warning caught his attention.
"Lance, watch out!" JC screamed, reaching for his friend as a shower of glass rained down on his friend.
Lance screamed in surprise and covered his head against the glass falling on him. The next thing he knew, there were two sets of hands on him. One from their attacker, trying to pull him out of the car, and another from JC, trying to keep him in.
"Oh God, JC! Don't let go!" Lance screamed, fighting against the stranger's hand, and feeling JC's grip slipping.
"Lance! Shit!" JC yelled as his hold on Lance slipped more.
Lance yelled in surprise as he felt the door behind him unlock and give way beneath him. Some how, the attacker had managed to unlock the door and open it. Lance lay dazed on the ground, having smacked his head on the pavement. Lance heard JC call his name, then a 'thud' as someone hit the ground> Lance whimpered as he felt hands grab him again.
~*~
"Finally, Lets get out of here." Justin said, moving towards the end of the mall where they'd parked. He stopped short when he heard his phone ring.
"Hello?" He asked cheerily into the phone, thinking of the present in his pocket as he started walking again.
"Justin." Came a shaking voice over the phone.
"Lance? What's wrong?" Justin asked, freezing in place. He shot scared eyes towards Lonnie. Lonnie was at his side immediately.
"Oh God, Justin. He shot Phil, and Ronnie. I don't know how JC is. He isn't moving." Lance cried into the phone.
"Oh no. They shot Phil and Ronnie, and JC's not moving?" Justin repeated, more for Lonnie's benefit than his own.
"Where is her?" Lonnie asked, his voice hard, and his eyes cold.
"Where are you, Lance?" Justin asked, fighting down the terror an panic rising him in.
"I - I'm still in the parking lot."
"Are you alone in the parking lot?" Justin asked, relaying the information while gathering more.
"No."
"he's still there?"
"Yes. He's got a gun at my head, Justin."
At that, Justin took off running for the doors. They seemed so far away now.
"Justin! Stop!" Lonnie shouted, running behind him.
"He's got a fucking gun at Lance's head!" Justin shouted. "We're on our way, Lance. Just hold on. I Love you. Just think about that."
"I love you too. "Lance whispered.
Justin heard a commotion on the other end of the phone. At the speed he was running, he fell when he tried to stop. That was a gun shot Justin had heard. A gunshot and Lance's scream.
"Lance?" Justin whispered, tears springing to his eyes. "Lance!" he shouted when he got no response.