Rage

Seeing Ryan, Eli halts his pacing, relieved that she was finally here. Setting his hands on her shoulders, concern was everywhere on his face. "I don't know if he's going to be okay or not." There was no point in beating around the bush - not with his sister - she was too smart for that.

"I found him out back of work a while ago in the alley - he'd been beat up so bad that..." He grits his teeth against his rising emotions. "I don't know how long he'd been there, but I think it had been at least half the night. It's... it's bad, Ry. Real bad."

He knew that Ryan and Tal had formed a very close relationship and that if anything happened, she would take it very hard - even harder than he would. He gives her shoulders a squeeze. "He wasn't conscious so I don't know what happened. They're working on him in the ER now and I haven't heard anything. What I wanna do, though, is run over to the Elite."

Eli's eyes searches his sister's. He knew she suspected Alec as he did. How could they not? It could have been a freak coincidence that Tal got mugged but the odds of that happening were low. Instinct pointed towards Alec. "I want to talk to Reese personally and report this directly to him. But I want you to stay here in case anything happens or if the doctor has any news, okay?"

He tries his best to give Ryan reassurance, but he knew it was weak. How could he tell her it was going to be okay when he himself didn't know? He hadn't felt like this in many many years.

Pulling Ryan in for a rare hug, he lets her go quickly and slips from the waiting room before she could ask where all the blood on his clothes had come from. Back outside and to his motorcycle, he makes a fast job of getting his helmet on and is soon heading down the street faster than the limit...


Arriving to TJY, Eli wastes no time in getting inside and heading across the main floor. He knew where Reese's office was, and he was in no mood to deal with anybody else. Last time was bad enough. Today... today was way beyond acceptable and he would not stand for it.

With each stride, his anger grew. He had absolutely no proof that this was Alec. Tal couldn't tell them anything right now. But his sixth sense continued to nag him. It was way too big of a coincidence, and besides, Tal was a lousy target for a mugging.

Halfway to Reese's office, Eli suddenly skids to a halt, staring at the opening of the hallway. Alec? Alec was here? His growing anger rises another notch.


Alec rolls his eyes and sighs at Hal. "Just tell Reese I checked in like a good little boy and the evaluation is done, okay? I got things to do so I'm not gonna stand around here just to tell him everything I told you."

Hal shakes his head, but agrees. The monthly evaluation was done. Alec was seemingly doing well with the program, working every day and staying in town, though he did ride his motorcycle around and leave his apartment when he shouldn't. But Reese had allowed him that, so Hal wasn't going to call him on it. "Alright, get out of here, and keep your nose clean. One of these days maybe you'll actually be free again."

Freedom. Alec wanted it so badly he could taste it. But he wouldn't let on. "Sure. I'll believe it when I see it."

"Of all the dirty, low down, cowardly...!"

Alec's eyes widen at Eli's raised voice, taken completely off guard by his presence. Backing up a step into the hall, he has no idea what's going on.

Eli was closing the gap - and fast. His glare could pierce a steel wall. "You!" He points a finger at Alec, his tone dripping with ire.

Almost panicked by Eli's demeanor, Alec glances to Hal then back to Eli, lifting his hands in surrender to whatever was happening. "What did I-"

Before he can even react, Eli's forearm slams into his chest, pressing him against the wall - hard. He winces and brings his hands down to try and free himself, but Eli presses his arm into his throat.

"You are the scum of the earth," he hisses. "I ought to take you down right now for the stunt you just pulled."

"What... what are you talking about?!" Alec claws at Eli's arms and all of a sudden realizes that his feet aren't on the floor anymore as he was held up by his throat, still pinned by Eli's arm. Gasping for air, he takes a swing at Eli's face, but misses.

Eli sends a knee into Alec's gut. "I'm talking about what you did to Tal!" he shouts.

"Hey, hey, Eli! Let him go!" By now, Hal was joined by Gunner, both of whom try to pull Eli off of Alec.

"No!" Eli plants his feet, still almost cutting off Alec's air supply entirely. "This man deserves life in prison, not a slap to the wrist and a life among society!"

Gunner and Hal keep trying, to pull him off, but it did little good. Finally Reese himself arrives on the scene and joins them, pushing and pulling to get Eli to release Alec.

"Let me do this!" Eli screams. Being unable to to withstand the strength of all three men, he's torn away from his target, his feet dragging on the floor. "You rat!"

Alec, now back on the floor, bends and coughs, putting a hand to this throat and trying to catch his breath. Looking up at Eli trying to fight off the other men, he catches his eye. It was only for a split second, but it was enough. He saw the blood stains. And he knew. Guilt floods his gaze. And Eli sees it.

"That man deserves to hang!" Eli rips an arm loose from Reese's grasp but is quickly held back again.

Breathing heavily, Reese has no idea what's going on. "Eli, calm down! What happened?"

"Tal Donahue is in the hospital, beaten to within half an inch of his life! He may not even make it! And it's thanks to that coward right there, whom you say you have been watching!" Eli struggles to free himself. "Let me go!"

He'd been paying little attention to everyone in the building who was now staring at the scene, and only now realizes that Con had approached and was leading Alec down the hall out of sight.

"No! Don't do this!"


...An hour later, Eli was on his way back to the hospital. And no less angry. More so, if anything. He had seen the guilt on Alec's face, and he knew beyond a doubt now. But he remained clean. Nothing showed Alec had strayed from his apartment. There was no proof. Nothing. And as such, the Elite couldn't hold him. Reese had admitted he wanted to believe Eli and wanted to help, but he was bound by the law, and without proof, Alec could not be held.

Still steaming as he pulls up to the hospital, Eli tries to calm down. It didn't do much good though.

Going back inside and heading back to the ER waiting room, he finds Ryan once more, and flops down on the small couch, burying his face in his hands. "Any news?" he mumbles.

"You have my word." Eric agreed that Ashlee need not know about Rich. It was something she didn't have to deal with or worry about. 

Finally dropping his hand, he straightens again and urges Static forward once more, his arm still tucked around Stacy. 

By the time the ranch came into view, it was dark. The clouds were gone though, and stars dotted the sky. Coming up to the barn, Eric saw lights on in the dining hall and knew that's probably where most everyone was. Pulling Static to a halt, he slides off first, then helps Stacy down as well. 

"I'd advise you to see Angel about your head... I'll take care of Static and finish up here." He wasn't really sure how to part now... for some reason it felt just a little awkward.

"I'm... glad you're okay."