Clayton woke up as the sunlight streamed into the living room. He had wondered how long he had been asleep.
There was pressure on his chest, he realized that someone was resting their head on him. The hair tickled his neck. He could feel fingers running through his chest hair.
"Allie?" He tightened his grip as he felt her smile.
"I'm here," he felt her kiss his forehead, her lips were cold. He flicked open his eyes. He was greeted with those big eyes, green like a leaf.
"Am I dreaming?" Clayton whispered, grabbing his phone. The time read ten am. He'd been asleep for hours.
He stood up. Foggy, it made him stumble.
"Clayton?" Alice whispered again, her hand, fingertips long like spider legs stroked his forearm. It stung. His veins were black as he screamed in pain. She stood there, smiling.
"You love her? Why are you with me?" She whispered again, her words dripping with venom.
Suddenly Alice's brown hair, dripped liquid black. Helena now stood in front of him in red. Her eyes cold - cloudy, as if dead
"You're not real" he yelled as he lunged forward. Helena crumbled into ash in his arms. Her laughter at him, haunting.

Clayton felt hot and confused, awaking up from the bedroom he was now in. It was at least midday.

Where was he? He glanced around, touching his cheek as a way to oddly ground himself.

Hands were suddenly on his shoulders. Clayton resisted the urge to violently fight back. It was Daniel.

"Where is Alice?" Clayton gasped sharply, as Danny moved a bit closer.

"She's not here. You have been asleep for three days. There was a coating of something on Helena's blade. It almost killed you. We were worried that we might be making a call to your folks," Daniel's voice trembled, he was never this emotional.

Clayton looked around the room. He was in his bed, covered in sweat. He hating feeling damp.

"Take it easy Clay. You've had it rough," Daniel said again, trying to get him to lay down, but he was anxious.

"Alice?" Clayton said again as he relaxed against the mattress, head resting against the headboard.

Daniel repositioned the pillow for him so he was comfortable.

"ToyBox. I mean, Alice, isn't answering my calls. I've asked a friend of mine back home to check on her. Augustine, she's trustworthy" Daniel finally gave him some news.

He felt a little uneasy about that. Alice is alone without him.

Who will protect her ? His subconscious thumped its talons impatiently against the iron bars of his mind

*******

After a few more hours of rest. Clayton stood up, gently placing his feet on the hardwood floor. He stretched, his body ached. His forearm was on fire as he grazed the blood soaked bandages.

Clayton realized he was naked? Who changed him.

He reached for his phone. No messages from Alice. That pulled at his heart strings.

Finding his bag. He dressed in a clean, deep green t-shirt and jeans. Rubbing his shoulder as his bones cracked.

Walking out into the kitchen. He quietly reached for the fresh pot of coffee. His whole body was on fire, - beaten, dark purple bruises and very sore, even as he reached for a coffee cup. Every movement was agony.

The house was dead silent, only loud drips from a tap would be heard. No Ruth or Daniel, they mentioned that they were getting more supplies and even some food.

"Hey man" Sam's voice reached up from the couch.

Clayton could see his bloody, bruised hand gripping the back of the couch. A glass of water next to him on the coffee table as Fox News played on the TV.

Always Fox News somewhere in the world Clayton thoughts snarled.

He had no interest in Fox or politics, but he let in play in the background.

"How are you feeling?" Clayton said.

The tension still uneasy as Clayton sat next to him in the spare chair next to the couch, stretching his legs out.

The sounds of the news reporter alongside neighborhood noise filled the uncomfortable silence between them.

"I almost lost my life for you Clay," Clayton uncomfortably shuffled in his seat as Sam continued, "I've been thinking that this is going to be my last job Clayton. After this transaction, as soon as we capture or kill Richard for whoever. I'm done. I've informed Claudia. I'll be moving back to California, to settle down. It's time to see my daughters and my folks. It's been a while,"

Sam full attention was now on Clayton. They were breaking up...like the fucking Beatles.

He couldn't say anything, but Clayton completely understood Samuel's decision. He was thinking the same way, especially after Alice.

Clayton wanted a life with her, maybe settle in Jamaica, in a one bedroom hut on the beach. Cotton shirts. Bottles of rum. Getting high, Alice sunbathing. Topless, oh, he would insist on that,

Clayton continued, pushing his pipedream to the side for now.

"I understand Sam. Completely. It's time to disband. Ruth and Daniel want the same thing, I'm pretty sure of that. We will discuss terms later with Claudia when we get back Stateside."

Samuel breathed a sigh of relief. Resting his head down on the armrest.

"We good?" Clayton said over to him.

Sam barely lifting his head as he nodded

"Absolutely. I'm sorry for teasing you and Alison. You're my best friend, man, and I get you love her. Fuck Vanessa. Fuck Helena," Sam whispered before closing his eyes.

I'll fucking find Helena. What the fuck?

Clayton let him sleep as he grabbed his laptop.

He waited patiently in his room for it to wake up.
After taking a slip of his coffee. He searched for Richard on the local police database, which Daniel graciously hacked into last night he soon discovered.

There was a ping on a Tom Avery. Clayton pulled up the mugshot, quickly looking back and forth at the mug shot and the few photos he had on his computer. Although the differences were more striking than the similarities, it was the same man. Those moss colored, fucking, green eyes gave him away. His brown hair, now platinum blonde, but the ears, the profile, everything screamed Richard Booth.

A rough job, Clayton thought to himself.

He grab a scrap piece of paper, writing down the location of his arrest. Maybe close to where he is hiding.

Clayton closed the laptop. Gulping the last bit of coffee before he headed out the door, leaving a sleeping Samuel on the couch.

He made his way downtown. Listening to the navigation as he weaved through the late afternoon traffic.

*******

The voice brought him to a market. Bustling with life. He couldn't help but buy a bag of oranges from a friendly woman. Well into her fifties' but she made a deal he couldn't refuse. Her smile large as she forced her oranges onto him.

A trail of orange peels followed him as he noticed a string of hotels on the top floor of the square.

He studied the couples above. One lonely woman on her phone.

Suddenly a man stuck out to him, leaning against the wall. Eyes shifting, body ridged as he nervously walked around.

Colheita Hotel ? Clayton read in his poor Portuguese.

Holy Shit! Clayton pulled out that photo of Booth, a piece of orange still in his mouth as his eyes narrowed.

Fuck! Clayton's thoughts were screaming. He had to be careful. He was staring at the man he had been hunting for two years. No fucking way he was going to let him go.

Clayton quickly pulled out his phone. Trying to not look obvious as he moved to the side. Hidden by buildings and shadows, Clayton dialed Daniel.

Within a few seconds. Daniel picked up.

"Hey," he sounded confused.

"Danny. I have my eyes on him," Clayton said, trying not to make sudden movements as he stared up from the shadows, directly at Booth.

"What!" Daniel responded.

Clayton was trying not to react. His heart was racing.

"I need you here. Right. Now!" Clayton hissed, he was getting anxious as adrenaline flooded his system.

Booth suddenly shuffled back into his hotel room. Closing the door behind him a little too loudly. Clayton hung up the phone, realizing he needed to move now.

His body was on fire as he moved in between the crowds. Dropping the oranges, he made his way up the stairs and along the corridor.

Fuck! He wasn't armed! Clayton cursed as he patted his pockets down.

He was right outside the door, with a swift kick that he regretted almost immediately. The door swung open. Clayton stared directly into Richard Booth's frightened, weak eyes.

He was frozen. There was a moment of silence

"Are you going to kill me?" Richard whispered.

His body screamed crazy.

Clayton signed, trying to remain calm as he looked around the room. Cans of food stack up. The horrible smell. Clothes everywhere.

Richard had been living rough for a few months.

"No. I promised your daughter, I wouldn't touch you. Although, many people do want you dead."

Richard suddenly relaxed, his dry lips curling into a smile.

"You were watching the Ricasoli boy? I've seen you more than once. Houston. New York. Paris?" he said, spacey, but his emerald green eyes shaper than ever.

"Alison knows everything. Your daughter. She sent me to find you. We're getting married. December." Clayton mentioned, casually, folding his arms

"Oh Alison? I knew she was the good one out of my children. My favorite. A good beam of sunshine that one. I truly loved Elizabeth. I miss her."

Booth trailed on. Clayton was bored.

"I sent her birthday cards. Letters. All returned." Richard strained, scratching at the same spot above his forearm.

"Interesting." Clayton prompted, noticing the OCD.

"You're really marrying Alison without asking me for her hand? Without my permission?"

Has he lost his mind?

"Yes. We love each other. She's mine." Clayton said without skipping a beat

Richard remained frozen. Clayton was unsure what to do.

Suddenly black hair appeared in Clayton's peripheral vision.

He quickly turned to find Helena staring directly between Clayton and Richard.

"I thought I fucking killed you Gringo!" Helena hissed, pulling a knife out of her side pocket.

Clayton smiled. He couldn't help but halfheartedly laugh.

"Leni. I can't believe you! Fucking hell!"

Helena moved closer to Richard, Clayton instinctively moved into her path. He pushed the husk of a man behind him with his good arm.

The knife was the problem. Clayton made a note that it was coated in poison.

Raising his hands. Helena took a swipe, missing his knuckle by inches.

Fuck this! I'm not playing nice, Clayton thought.

He lunged at Helena. He quickly grabbed her from behind. Holding her close as he force her to drop the knife. He heard bones crack as he crushed her palm, her screams in pain were oddly satisfying.

She was breathing heavily in pain. Her breasts almost falling out of her top.

Fuck, Clayton pushed the sexual need out of his mind.

Richard suddenly moved around them, clinging to much of the walls as he could. He ran of the out the door with a second thought.

"Fuck!" Clayton hissed. Watching in disbelief as his target fled as the violence continued.

His confusion turned into rage as he turned his attention to the whore. Shutting the door with his foot.

"Who the fuck told you where I was Helena?" Clayton said.

His grip tight around Helena's neck as he pinned her against the wall. His body was blocking her escape. The room was in slight darkness.

Clayton's focus was completely on her.

She whimpered pointlessly as he pressed a little firmer. It took every part of the his willpower not to break her neck then and there.

She crawled his arm, her nails digging into his skin. He ignored the pain.

"What does she have that we don't?" Helena screamed, freeing herself as she slapped him.

Clayton's cheek stung, he could feel it turning red.

"What the fuck are you talking about! You and I were never a real thing. Sure, I dated you a little. I also paid for you like any other man in this country. You are a whore Helena! You are nothing to me!" Clayton yelled back.

Helena stood against the wall. Her breath steadying as she leaned in closer. Inches away from his face as she looked up at him. He could feel heat as his eyes narrowed, fists clenched.

"I waited for you. You promised me you would come back for me. Then she tells us you're engaged to some bitch back in Boston!" she screamed, voice breaking with emotion.

What is up with these fucking women! His subconscious groaned

"Seriously? Since you, I've been in several other relationships not to mention the whores too. I've fucked half of New York and New England. You weren't special!" Clayton said, speechless.

There was a moment of hesitation, a silent pleading, before Helena kissed Clayton. He didn't know what to do. His hands fell onto her waist.

Helena pulled him closer, kissing him deeper, like all the air was gone around them.

There was a moment he forgot where he was.

He lifted her in his arms, her legs wrapping around his waist.

He could hear people walking past outside. Once again, Clayton hated being watched.

Snapping into reality, Clayton felt nothing. He couldn't do this. He lowered Helena onto the ground. Moving back, throwing his hands back in defense.

"Leni. I can't. Fuck! I'm getting married. I love this girl. She is going to be my wife."

Helena eyes pleaded. She kissed his neck, lingering. Clayton was trying hard not to give in and fuck her then and there in that disgusting hotel room.

"Philip has big plans for her. Gringo, you hurt us. All of us," she whispered in anger. He noticed that her eyes flicked towards Alice's thin, dainty silver turquoise ring, now located on his pinky finger.

Rage filled him soon after he had registered what she had said to him. She suddenly elbowed him in the groin. He gasped and bent over in pain

Cheap shot!

That made him more angry, he grabbed her by her black hair. She made the mistake of wearing it loose.

Quickly recovering, he lifted her in the air, her feet thrashed against the wall as he repositioned his hands to grasp her neck. Her heels falling to the ground. Clayton was afraid he was taking it to far as he watched Helena's eyes start to turn a slight shade of pink.

"You think you mean something to me? You have some balls to threaten me...a prostituta!" Clayton yelled.

His body was trembling in anger. He could feel himself spiralling, losing control.

"Clayton?" A familiar heavenly voice came up from behind him.

Alice stood behind him in the doorway, Ruth, arms folded as she stood with his fiancée. Daniel was behind the two women, looking guilty as if he had been told off. All three faces filled with shock as Clayton released Helena. She fell to the floor, gasping for air at his feet.

Fuck! How much did she hear?  What did she see?

Helena eyes flicked between Clayton and Alice, she stood up, straightening her clothes as she scooped up her heels into her arms.

Within seconds she sheepishly moved between Clayton and Alice, leaving quietly.

Alice did not break eye contact with Clayton. He could see she was thinking about her next few words.

Her body was ridged. He was in trouble.

Shit!