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Tommi scowls, leaning against the railing of the catwalk. They’re about to do something, and Tommi’s about to find out what that is. He’d seen the Head and Joel speaking in Joel’s office, but hadn’t heard what they were talking about. He can hazard a guess, though.
It’s part of the job.
The office door opens and the Head strolls out, Joel holding the door open with his head lowered meekly. Tommi bows his head down too as the Head passes him, he keeps his head down until he hears the Head’s footsteps clatter down the last of the rickety metal stairs. He groans when he sees him walk across the warehouse floor and into the office downstairs instead of heading out the open front door.
The railing creaks and Tommi looks to see Joel leaning alongside him. “What are we doing?” Tommi asks flatly, nodding towards their captive bound on the warehouse floor. Joel’s face twists into a grimace.
Aleksi is already crying by the time Tommi gets to him. He’s been on the verge of tears for the past two weeks they’ve been keeping him, flinching whenever any one of them gets close.
Tommi reaches out and yanks the blindfold off, pulling it over his head. Aleksi blinks blearily, tears dripping off his eyelashes. He squints and leans away from the sunlight pouring in through the open door. Tommi frowns. His eyes must be sore and blurry, unused to sight after being blindfolded for almost two weeks straight.
Tommi watches him look around the room nervously, blinking hard, before he sees him freeze. Tommi follows his line of sight, landing on the gun in Joel’s hand. Aleksi starts breathing heavily, his eyes staring hard into Tommi’s face. Imploring. Begging.
Tommi sighs hard, shaking his head. Aleksi’s shoulders start to shake and his head flops down, his face obscured by his cloud of greasy hair. Niko grumbles, walking forward and grabbing Aleksi’s chin, forcing him to look into his eyes.
“We’re going to untie you, and you’re going to stay right where you’re fucking sitting,” Niko says archly, “you got that?”
Aleksi hiccups, nodding. Niko gestures for Olli, who comes over and begins removing the restraints. Aleksi sits motionless while Olli and Niko untie him, but as soon as they step back, Aleksi bolts.
He’s clumsy and unbalanced from the lack of use in his legs, but he’s fast, adrenaline fuelled. Aleksi dodges past the other guys, making a mad break for the warehouse door. Joel barks out swears, running after him.
Aleksi makes it past the warehouse doors and out into the grass before Joel catches up to him, his long strides far outmatching Aleksi’s. Joel seizes Aleksi around the chest, dragging him – kicking and screaming – back inside. He shoves Aleksi toward Tommi. Tommi rushes forward to grab him, wrapping a large hand around Aleksi’s arm.
Tommi pulls him back over to the chair, moving behind him to hold his shoulders down while Olli moves forward, pinning both of Aleksi’s thighs against the seat of the chair.
“Don’t be fucking stupid,” Tommi hisses into Aleksi’s ear. Aleksi takes in a hiccuping breath, shaking his head vigorously.
“You’re just gonna kill me now, I know it,” he says miserably. “I told you my dad wasn’t coming for me. No one is.”
“We were going to,” Joel says, face sour, crossing his arms. “But there’s been a change of plans.”
Aleksi stares at them dumbly, working his mouth silently for a few moments. Tommi bites the inside of his cheek until he tastes blood, trying to hold his tongue even though the irritation and anger is boiling hot enough that it feels like they’re scalding him from the inside out. It’s going to be a long few months.