"D-did you say ex-fiancé?" Ramone stammered, unable to believe the coincidence of that. He had spoken to Justin often during the early days of his captivity. The man he had left behind had entered their conversations on more than one occasion. At the time, he had been very foolish. He had been entranced by Justin. Flirting with him had dominated his time with the blond. Distracting him from the subject of his ex-lover had always been most urgent. Now, as he looked at the beautiful brunet, he could understand why Justin had clung so desperately to his memories.

Brian's eyes narrowed in growing suspicion. He could feel an evasion coming on. It was a subject matter he had no interest in playing games over. "That's what I said. Now... I'll repeat myself, Ramone. How do you know Justin?"

His eyes darting around wildly, Ramone gasped when he spotted Sapperstein's thugs sitting a few tables away from this one. How much had they heard? Seeing the cold, menacing look in their eyes, he realized they had heard enough. It was more than likely he would have an audience with Gary Sapperstein once again. This time, he might not escape with his life. "I- I can't do this now, Sir. I need to get back to work."

His head swiveled around to see what had distracted the waiter's attention... thinking to himself, nothing or no one would sway him from demanding his answers. When the two men hurriedly looked away after making eye contact, his own eyes narrowed in confusion, a feeling of recognition overcoming him. It was strange, actually. He knew he didn't know them... but something was familiar about them. Almost eerily so. "Who are they?" he demanded to know, not even bothering to hide the fact that he was questioning the waiter about the two glowering men.

Ramone quivered. He remembered the last time he had been in their presence. A beating he would never forget had commenced. If not for Justin's act of self-sacrifice with a monster, he knew he wouldn't be standing here today. Since then, he had been working and saving every dime he could, with one goal in mind. He wanted off this island. More importantly, he wanted to go somewhere Gary Sapperstein couldn't find him. Turning back to face the beautiful man that so obviously still loved Justin, he shrugged before answering, "I don't know them. If there isn't anything else, I really need to check on my other customers."

"I don't give a damn about your other customers!" Brian hissed. "I want to know how you know Justin. I'm not leaving until I get some answers..."

"Fine..." he whispered, realizing this man would never give up. "Come back in an hour; I get off then."

Brian sat back down, shaking his head in denial. "No. I'll wait right here. I wouldn't want you to get so busy that you forgot all about me."

Forcing himself to block Sapperstein's enforcers from his mind... at least enough to pacify this much too intuitive man, Ramone flirtatiously purred, "That would be impossible, Sir."

His expression blank, Brian shrugged his shoulders indifferently. "True... however, I am not taking any chances."

Inclining his head, Ramone advised his aggressive customer, "Very well. Please let me know if you need anything else while you wait."

"Don't worry... I will." Brian watched as the man walked away, observing how he took extra steps just to avoid passing the table of the men that had seemed disturbing to him. He was clearly unsettled by them. As his own eyes swept over them once again, it suddenly occurred to him how they were familiar to him. These two men were on the flight from New York; in fact, as his mind recalled recent events, he had noticed them as he moved about the island. Were these men following him? And if so, why?

Justin moved quietly down the hallway, his footsteps were both hesitant and cautious. He had to get to Gary's desk... and hopefully, find the passport he so desperately needed to safely leave this island. Fuck, he hoped it wasn't in Gary's safe. He really wasn't sure. The memory of when Gary had taken it from him was clear. If the key was where he always kept it, and the passport not moved, this part of his escape would go with ease.

Reaching the lower level that led to Gary's office, Justin frowned as he realized how quiet the house seemed to be. This wasn't normal. There was always some staff bustling around, doing all they could to make sure that Gary's preferences were being followed. Where had Gary gone in such a rush? And where was everyone else? A shiver ran down his spine. Was Gary out stalking Brian? Or had the worst happened? He had to get out of here and to Brian now. If nothing else, he needed to warn him.

Timidly, yet with great purpose, he slipped into the unlocked room. Gary never locked his office. He didn't feel the need. Everyone that was within Gary's inner circle was either trusted by him, or in such total fear of him that he didn't worry about them trying to betray him. He surmised that Gary classified him in the latter category, thinking that meek little Justin would never make the attempt he made now. That's how wrong Gary Sapperstein truly was. He was neither weak nor the scared little boy he thought him to be. His fear had always centered around what Gary could do to the man he loved, and other innocent victims that fell into his trap. Brian's appearance on the island changed everything.

He smiled when he found the slot that rested underneath Gary's desk, the key very much in place. His hand slightly trembled as he turned the key into the lock, his breathing escalating as he found the passport exactly where it had been left. Gary had obviously felt secure in the trap he had netted around his captive. He didn't know him at all, not really. That was a blessing now.

Not wanting to linger, knowing his time for probable escape was limited to the amount of time his absence remained undetected, he placed the passport in his pocket and slipped just as quickly through the office door. Thankfully, he knew the house and grounds well. He knew the weak points and the areas that were most heavily guarded. Dodging the surveillance cameras would be his greatest challenge. He knew that Gary had his home surrounded with them - both inside and out. It came with being an international drug dealer. He protected his territory with an iron fist. There wasn't a doubt in his mind that Brian's arrival had distracted Gary from his standard security protocol. He was worried about Brian finding him. It was his most profound hope that he found Brian first.

As he slipped through the service entrance of the house, Justin smiled as he noticed a delivery man making his way back to his van, relieved when the driver paused to stop to talk to one of Gary's guards. There would never be a better time to slip undetected into the back. As quietly as he could manage, he squeezed into the van behind a large stack of crates that obviously were meant to go elsewhere. He would be nicely camouflaged. What was most important was that he would be hidden, and off of the property within minutes. Then all he had to do was find Brian. Once he did, this nightmare would finally be over; at least, he hoped it would.

Gary Sapperstein's abuse of him - both mental and physical - would be ending today.

"We need to call the boss..."

Seth scowled at his friend. "Why is it always me that has to make the call? I'm getting damned tired of taking the heat for the both of us!"

"Well, I'm not calling him." Stefan's chest expanded. "I'm the muscle in this partnership. You've always had the brains. Now... call him before a disaster happens."

"Whatever..." he bit out, abruptly pushing from the table, knowing the man they were assigned to watch was paying too much attention to them. "Just keep an eye on Kinney. If you lose him - you will be making that call..."

Once he was a safe distance from the table, Seth made the call to the boss, a frown developing when no answer was forthcoming. He made another call that ended just as quickly. No one was answering inside the house. What the fuck was going on now? Gary never ignored a phone call from him. That he would do so now when they are in such a crisis, told him something was very wrong. He left a brief message explaining the connection between Kinney and Ramone, before he hustled back to the table. "We gotta go, Stefan."

"Go where?" he demanded, his eyes doggedly watching Brian Kinney. "We have to stay on him... remember?"

"Yeah, I know that, but I think the boss might be in trouble. He's not answering his phone." Waiting for his often slow-minded partner to understand, he elaborated, "With all that's going on, that is alarming. We need to make sure nothing else has gone wrong."

Standing to his feet, taking his eyes off of their assignment, he pulled Seth away from him and the other patrons, more to be discreet... in complete disbelief that his normally sensible partner wasn't thinking to do the same. "We can't talk about this here. Let's go somewhere private. The last thing we need is for him to hear any of it."

Glancing over at the brunet man that appeared anxiously awaiting the arrival of someone, he nodded his head in agreement. "Yes. I doubt he's going anywhere right now. And if he does, we can track him down."

Shuddering at the thought of the consequences of losing sight of Brian Kinney, especially here in Barbados, Stefan urged him forward. "Let's make this quick. Now isn't the time to anger the boss."

Neither man could possibly realize how much they had just inadvertently played into the hands of fate.

TBC