UNDER THE MASK

Part 1

Chase gasped in horror as the rough, massive hand tightened even more around his neck. The young doctor continued to struggle for air as the man holding him dragged him unceremoniously backward, causing him to suffocate.

"Not a word!" the lips whispered in his ear and the foul breath along with the cold feel of a gun against his skin made his skin crawl.

He was roughly dragged to a back corner as two other men stepped closer to the door.

The door handle slid and the door slowly opened. House peered inside only to be greeted by the cold stare of a gun pointed directly at him.

He frowned visibly before his eyes slowly elevated to the face of the man holding the weapon. The man smiled viciously.

"I told you we'd meet again, didn't I?"

Chase chose that moment to audibly suck in a large gulp of air as the hand around his neck finally loosened.

House's expression remained passive as he surveyed the cuts and bruises already covering the blond doctor's face.

"Oh, here you are! I thought you had skipped out on me again."

Chase blinked as he regarded his boss with an incredulous stare.

House turned to the man towering over him with a gun and gave him a tasteless smile. "I see you have some private business with Doctor Chase so I'll leave you two to your business."

Chase glared at him hard, anger already flaring inside of him.

"This is not about him," the man, Darian as House knew him, waved his gun threateningly, stopping House from taking a further step backward. "Close the door."

House did with a sigh and then stood with his arms folded in front of him. "Now what?"

"Now you come with us."

"Giddy!" House remarked humorously.

Darian, who, apparently, was in charge of the two other men, turned around to look at Chase, then nodded to his men.

Chase gulped nervously, but when he saw one of the men approach him with a syringe, his nervousness turned to terror. He backed away fast only to be restrained from behind again. Chase struggled wildly, and the man had to use a serious head-lock technique to finally still him. Chase breathed hard and struggled to choke out a strangled 'No'.

House watched Chase struggle with a dark frown. The men managed to rip Chase's sleeve and expose his naked arm before plunging the needle into his vein and emptying its content into his system.

"You actually look worried," Darian noted with interest. House flashed him another smile.

"Don't worry," Darian ignored House's display of indifference, "it's only a sedative."

House pursed his lips and turned his attention back to his young ducklin. Whatever stuff they gave him, it was sure potent. Chase managed to hold House's gaze for a moment in which House could see the fear and helplessness clear in his eyes before the blonde's eyes drooped and he slumped limply into the men's waiting arms.

"He's coming with us?"

Darian studied House carefully. "Yes he is."

"I thought this is between you and me!" House asked calmly.

Darian smiled. "It is, but he lied to me. He told me you weren't around, and you know I hate it when people lie to me."

"Sure you do."

"Drop the cane."

House rolled his eyes.

"Drop it."

"Fine," House dropped his cane and glared challengingly back.

"Now, let's go!"

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