Bounty Hunter [REWRITTEN VERSION]

Chapter 49: A Deception Game?

Quick note; When I was still planning to have this story in 'parts' a new one would have started here, but since I took those out, I'm sorry if the chapter seems slightly off in any way...ok continue :)

ALEC

He had intended to search until he found them. They all split up, though he had been against the idea entirely—the last thing he wanted was to lose another member, but before he could argue Maize had already taken off with the canine, leaving him with Ryker, since only the dog and his owner knew their way around theses forests.

Under normal circumstances, he would have expressed annoyance at being paired with the steel-eyed rifle carrier, but not now. Not when he felt this pressuring ache in his chest of apprehension. Not when his logical mind was telling him that their search would lead nowhere, that both agents were gone. Not when he pushed on anyway, ignoring the voice, ignoring the physical exertion, ignoring the calling voice of the canine owner behind trying to reach him. Everything was blocked, shut out.

"Detective!"

He didn't hear it.

"Detective!"

He was barely listening.

"Hey, asshole!" He reacted when a rough hand grabbed a hold of his shoulder and forced him to turn around and meet the steel eyes glare focused on him. "You need to calm down," Ryder stated sternly, the pressure of his hold not letting up to show its purpose.

"I'll calm down when we get Kishan back from Hill—seeing how you brought it to all our attention that she fucking duped us this whole time!" he snapped back irritably, throwing Ryder's arm off him in an instant, causing the other man to stumble back a step, but never fall. Nor did he let up his steely glare.

"Don't say it like it's my fault—I'm not the one responsible and you know it. Direct your temper elsewhere because I don't have time to deal with your dumb-ass not listening to fucking reason," Ryder retaliated bitingly, trying to stare him down. "Face it, we've been searching and running up and down these tunnels for long enough already. If your friends were here, we would have found something by now."

"Didn't you say these tunnels lead all over the woods? What about the way that leads into the nearest town?" Alec questioned pointedly, not willing to relinquish or admit to the truth behind Ryder's words.

"That's my point," Ryder growled, biting back frustration. "If they made it to town, then we're already too late to catch up."

"No we're not."

"They're gone, West!" Ryder yelled at him. His voice carried like an echo within the enclosed cave walls, but neither cared to notice. They faced one another in a vicious glaring battle. "I'm sorry but it's too late, you have no hope of catching up to them now. They're gone, who knows where. You can't find them, you have to see that—"

Fucking hell.

"Dammit, I know alright!" Alec cut him off, raging internally, a complete blockade of ice on the outside. But how long before he truly began to melt? His clenched hands were shaking at his sides with barely contained emotion.

Ryder stared at him through furrowed eyes and the two took a step back away from one another, each one backing up and leaning on opposite sides of the tunnel walls a few feet in separation, one with his hands in his pockets and the other with his arms crossed over his chest.