Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anyone in this story, except for the people/places/things you don't recognize.

Warnings: Mild violence and language

Author's Note: If you have any constructive criticisms or suggestions, please let me know, especially if it's about the character's personalities, as I'm not sure that I have them down to a point yet.

If you would like to see this story head in a different direction, let me know as well - I might consider it!

(If you haven't noticed by the time you get to the end of this chapter, it does jump around in time a bit... however, later chapters probably won't do this)

So, enjoy and please review!

"Caleb, I'm telling you – I think there's something wrong," Tyler's frustrated voice told Caleb for the third time. It had been too long. It had been too long since Reid had left Nicky's and had not returned. Seemingly hours ago, he and Reid had been playing another game of pool with Aaron and Ryan – winning of course – when Nicky had come over and given Reid a note. Reid told him he'd be right back (a grave look on his face, Tyler remembered, because that was atypical of him), went out the back door, and now hours later, Tyler stood in front of Caleb – nervous and concerned.

"You know," Caleb said, rolling his eyes, "it's not unusual for Reid to go running after a pretty girl," He dropped the ball back into the foosball table, waiting for Pogue to start playing again.

"I don't know, Caleb," Pogue said, dropping his hands from the table's handles, "he's not anywhere in here."

"And I still have the keys to my car," Tyler interjected, wiggling them in front of Caleb's face.

Caleb sighed, brushing the keys away, "I'm not his mother."

Tyler crossed his arms in front of his chest, "But you're his friend."

Pogue mimicked Tyler, raising an eyebrow and smirking, "Yeah."

Caleb groaned, mocking a shove against Tyler, "Where'd you say he went off to, again?"

Earlier that night – 11:59pm

Reid smirked, eyes black as night as he watched Aaron shoot at, and miss, the 10 ball.

"Damnit, Aaron! That's the fifth time this night!" Ryan was furious and pounded his fist into the table. Tyler could understand why he was irritated: they each had bet $100 on a game that was quickly turning in favor of Reid and him.

Tyler laughed looking at Reid, just in time to see his eyes flash back to his normal blues.

"I swear, it's this damned stick!" Aaron irately inspected it, growling and said, "See? It's curved!"

Reid smirked even more.

"Garwin?"

Reid turned around and saw the bartender, Nicky, standing there, "Yeah, Nicky?"

"This is for you," Nicky handed him a folded note, and said before walking away, "they said to open it now."

"Ooh!" Reid crowed, smiling with mischief eyes, "looks like I'll be busy tonight, boys!"

"Yeah, that guy over there has been staring at your flabby ass all night. He could tell you were gay the moment he laid eyes on you," Aaron sneered, high-fiving Ryan who was laughing hysterically.

Reid, nonchalantly, gave him the finger and opened the note simultaneously. His face paled immediately, however, and the smile was ripped off his face as he read and reread the short sentence. Quickly, he checked over his shoulder to see if anyone had seen what he had, and knowing that no one had, he said curtly to Tyler, "I'll be back," and walked out the back door.

2:04am

The cold winter wind whipped through their hair and Caleb shivered, "See? There's no one out here. I say we just go back in the bar and wait for him to come back."

"Caleb, we can't just forget about him. Maybe we should as if anyone has seen him around." Pogue said, rubbing his arms in an attempt to regain some warmth.

"Pogue, he's done this countless times. And every time he comes back at 5 in the morning with a lousy grin and a hangover."

"It's different this time. You should have seen his face. It was like he just found out that his mom was dead," Tyler said looking down, but upon seeing something, cocked his head, "What's this?" He slowly reached down and picked up a forgotton syringe, reminants of thick, brown liquid still in the tip.

"It's called a druggies best friend, Tyler. Now come on, let's get back inside." Caleb was irritated. This was all too common of Reid: running off into the sunset and not returning until morning, completely forgetting of his friends who waited hours to give him rides home. He understood where Tyler was coming from, but still - this time was no different than the others.

"Oh shit, guys."

Caleb and Tyler turned to Pogue, who had turned ashen with surprise. His eyes drifted up from a small piece of crumpled paper, wet from sitting on the puddled ground.

"What?" Caleb's brow creased with confusion and slowly he really was beginning to think something bad had happened, "What?"

"Garwin," Pogue read from the paper, "meet me out back or your friends are dead."

12:07am

As soon as Reid had walked the few feet from the closing door and to the pavement, pain erupted in the small of his back as he was kneed and pushed roughly to the ground. And even before he could react, a gloved hand grabbed his hair, pulling his head back, and then jamming something into his neck. He felt the pressure of liquid being forced in, and only then did he start to register what was happening. He cried out, eyes flashing black, and tried to toss the man off him.

"Uh, uh, uh, Mr. Garwin. No struggling," The man whispered into his ear.

Reid couldn't concentrate and he suddenly felt weary. The concept of him being attacked started to fade away, and his brain just wouldn't work - and why couldn't he use his powers?

Quietly, like a lullaby, he let the man whisper him into unconsciousness.