"Stop! Please." Hudson put out a hand. "I work for the THIRDS! You won't get away with this."
Trent crouched down and snatched Hudson's wrist so he wouldn't punch Trent in his stupid face. "Oh, you're not going to say a word. They never do."
"Fuck off, you miserable wanker piece of shit!" Hudson spat in his face, and Trent laughed.
"Ooh, I knew there was a wild wolf under all those sweater vests." Trent dragged Hudson to his feet and shoved him into the wall. He moved in, his fist raised, but Hudson managed to duck. He threw a right hook, catching Trent on his ribs and making him cry out. Hudson was going in for another hit when one of the other men grabbed a fistful of his hair and slammed him into the brick wall, his head smacking against it. He gasped for air, the world spinning around him. For a slip of a moment, he thought he was going to pass out.
Refusing to give in, Hudson fought with all his strength, keeping his fists up in front of him. He kicked out, bit, and scratched whoever came close enough as they took their hits. Trent fell over as Hudson got a good kick in and managed to stagger free of the group, only to get tackled. His hands and knuckles were bleeding, his body sore from being used as a punching bag. They kicked him, and someone punched him in the kidney. Hudson shielded his head, but a blow to the face stunned him, his vision growing blurry. Another kick to the stomach had him coughing and wheezing as he curled up on his side.
"You're a fucking tease, Colbourn," Trent spat. "You think you can strut around like you're better than everyone, getting guys to wine and dine you, and then when they get close, you pull the rug out from under them, acting all chaste, instead of the filth you are? Like that cocktease Daley."
"You stay the fuck away from him," Hudson snarled. He kicked out, catching one of the bastards in the knee, relishing the painful howl the cougar Therian released.
"You little shit."
If it had been just Trent, Hudson could have defended himself and perhaps even subdued him. Hudson was a trained agent, after all, but he wasn't trained like Trent. Defense agents were prepared for all manner of lethal situations--situations THIRDS medical examiners rarely expected to encounter. Against three Felid Therians much larger and stronger than him, Hudson didn't stand a chance.
The lights above the thrift store's side entrance flickered, and Hudson prayed it wasn't his vision, that he wasn't about to lose consciousness. Everything was plunged into darkness, and Hudson gasped, scrambling to get away. A white light burst around them, blinding him, and from the shouts behind him, the other men as well. A pungent odor Hudson couldn't pinpoint flooded the air around him, wreaking havoc with his sense of smell. He coughed, crawling carefully toward the parking lot exit. This was his chance to escape. He had no idea what the hell was going on, but if he didn't move now, Trent and his friends were going to put him in the hospital. If that's what they even intended. A firm grip on his arm startled him, and he clawed at the hand, finding it was gloved. Fear swept through Hudson, but before he could say a word, he was hauled to his feet.
"Get the hell out of here," the figure growled in a low voice before shoving him past the chain-link fence and out onto the pavement. Hudson flailed but managed to stay on his feet. He spotted his glasses on the ground and swiped them up, then put them back on. One of the lenses was cracked, but he could see well enough. The rain poured down, but he was free. He forced his legs to move and ran down the street. A cab sat idle in front of one of the buildings. Hudson ran over, surprised when the cabbie opened the window.
"You call a car? Geez, you okay, man?"
Hudson nodded. He hadn't called a car, but the cab driver didn't need to know that. He got in and gave the address of the only place he would be safe. As the cab pulled away, Hudson wrapped his arms around himself as he began to shiver uncontrollably. It would be okay. He'd be okay soon. He just needed to get home.
"COME ON. Answer your damn phone."
Seb paced his living room, trying not to lose his shit or put in an emergency call to headquarters. He prayed he was overreacting. That any minute now Hudson was going to call him back and tell him to fuck off.
His body was sore, his muscles ached, and his stomach was queasy. He hurt all over. Where the hell was Hudson, and why wasn't he answering? Even when Hudson didn't answer Seb's calls, he'd text to let Seb know he was being ignored. They hadn't talked in days, but Hudson wouldn't let him worry like this if he was okay. Hudson was out there somewhere, hurt.
The doorbell rang, and Seb stilled. A multitude of scenarios ran through his head, none of them setting his nerves at ease. What if it was one of their own agents come to let him know something terrible had happened to Hudson? That he was lying in a hospital somewhere. Seb shook his head and hurried over to the door, unlocked it, and threw it open. He was stunned silent by the sight before him.
Seb's heart warred with itself, struggling between the overwhelming need to comfort and the sheer rage threatening to consume him. He would have given anything to have been wrong. Hudson shivered violently as rivulets of water streamed down from his hair, over his bruised and bloodied face, to the torn, dirt-stained clothes plastered to his skin. The left lens in his glasses was cracked, and from behind the right lens, Seb could see the redness in Hudson's tear-filled eyes. His bottom lip was bloodied and trembled, much like Hudson's voice when he spoke.
"I... I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't have come... after... what I did, but I... I need.... You always make me feel safe."
Seb didn't hesitate. He held out his hand, and Hudson took it. Seb closed the door behind them and locked up before leading Hudson upstairs to the bedroom. He grabbed a big
fluffy towel from the closet and began drying Hudson in the hopes of warming him up. Hudson tried to move away from him.
"You're soaked to the bone and freezing."
Hudson shook his head. "I ran out on you, and now you're taking care of me. Why?"
Seb cupped Hudson's face. "You know why."
Hudson nodded. He allowed Seb to take his hand and lead him into the bathroom. As Seb turned on the water and checked the temperature, Hudson stood silently, staring at the floor. It was likely shock was beginning to set in. What the hell happened to him? He had bruises, scrapes, and cuts all over. By the looks of his hands and knuckles, Hudson had fought fiercely. Seb didn't want to leave him, but Hudson didn't need him adding to his unease.
"I'll be just outside, okay?"
Hudson nodded. He looked up at Seb, his blue eyes filled with so much heartache and pain. Seb wanted nothing more than to take that hurt from him. If only Hudson would let him. Hudson opened his mouth as if to speak, then closed it again. He turned away from Seb and started unbuttoning his shirt. Seb quietly stepped into the bedroom and closed the bathroom door behind him. He walked to his dresser and pulled open the bottom drawer to remove a pair of soft pajama bottoms and a comfy T-shirt.
Seb couldn't help his smile. When Hudson walked out nearly seven years ago, he left some clothes behind, and Seb never had the heart to get rid of them, telling himself Hudson could have taken those too. It had given him hope. The clothes sat where Hudson had originally stored them in the dresser. The gray T-shirt had an atom symbol in the center, and beneath the drawing, it said: "Never trust an atom. They make everything up." Hudson was so fucking nerdy it was adorable.
Seb went to the bathroom door and cracked it open. "I'm just going to leave some clothes for you on the hook behind the door, okay?"
There was no reply. Seb stepped inside, mindful to give Hudson his privacy. He hung the clothes up and stood facing the door. "I need to know you're okay, sweetheart." More silence. He was about to turn around, when Hudson spoke up, his voice barely audible over the spraying water from the showerhead.