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Vanishing Act 1 Episode 2 written by
Karen
|
| Disclaimer: The
characters in the following fan fiction do not belong to me. They belong to CBS and Viacom
and other powers that be. I am only using them for the purpose ofwriting this story. No
money is being made from this writing it is for entertainment purposes only. And now on
with the show...
Disclaimer: This story is based on the characters of the TV series Diagnosis Murder. The series belong to CBS Productions, and Viacom I have no claim to the show. Steve stood next to the body of Marian Shirley as he pulled out his phone for the third time. Disappointment showed on his face when he got Amanda's voice mail, "come on Amanda, where are you?" Cheryl came to his side, "any luck?" "No," Steve stated as he started dialling again. "Hello," Mark said answering his office phone. "Dad, is Amanda at the hospital by any chance?" Steve asked. "No, Steve she never came in she called in sick this morning," Mark said sitting up in his chair, "is anything wrong son?" "I've been trying to get in touch with her for the past hour and I can't seem to get in touch with her." Steve looked across at his partner who was talking to Brad Pipkin's who had worked with Amanda from time to time. "Jesse gets off in a few minutes and I'll get him to stop by her place to check on her," Mark suggested as there was a knock on his door. "Come in." Jesse peeked in, "hey, Mark can I talk to you about a patient?" "Sure one minute," Mark turned his attention back to the phone. "Steve, I'll get him to go by and check on her." "Thanks Dad," Steve said as he put away his phone and walked over to his partner and Pipkin's. "What do we have?" "Her neck was broken," Pipkin's informed him. "That's not all, she was also tortured before she was murdered," Cheryl said pointing to several burned marks that covered her arms and legs. Pipkin's pointed to the burn marks, "who ever did this loved torturing her. Look at this," he showed how they spelled out her initials into her skin. **** Jesse pulled into Amanda's driveway and parked next to her car. Heading to her front door he rang the doorbell, getting no answer after a few minutes he reached over to her potted plant next to the door and got the spare key from under it. Opening the door he was shocked to see that the place has been ransacked. Walking in he looked around, pulling out his cell he started to dial Mark only to be hit from behind and drop to the floor unconscious. **** Mark looked over at his son as he drove toward Amanda's house, "I hope that everything is alright." "I have a feeling that something isn't right here especially with Jesse not calling in," Steve was looked out the window hoping that he was wrong. "I'm afraid you might be right," Mark agreed as he turned onto the street that Amanda lived on. "It has been about three hours since Jesse left the Hospital." "It looks like they're both here," Steve stated looking at his friends' cars as his father parked in front of the house. They both headed to the door and found it partially open. Steve pulled out his gun as he looked at his father. "Stay here." Entering the house Steve searched each room to find that no one was there. **** Jesse started to wake when he heard his name called out, "Umm," he moaned still not completely awake. "Come on Jesse I need you to wake up," Amanda said trying to encourage her friend to open his eyes. "Amanda?" He looked at her for a minute before he got her into focus, "W...what happened?" "I don't know," she said looking around trying to figure out what was happening, "how are you feeling?" "Like I was hit by a slug hammer," he said trying to sit up. "I'm not surprised you have a pretty nasty bump," she said as he reached his hand to his head. "Oww," he cried out, "no kidding." "Yeah, no kidding," She said helping him sit up, "do you think that you can sit up for a little while?" "Yeah," he looked at her as the room started to spin again, "but stop moving on me." "Ok I think that you need to lay back down for a few more minutes," she helped him lay back down. "I'm, fine Amanda," he said in protest as he started to stand and fell toward her. "You are not fine, so lay back down," she ordered helping him to lie back down. He looked at her, "Why do you think that we're here?" "Trust me, I wish that I knew," she said as the door to their cell opened. "I see that you two are awake," a man voice from across the room. "What are we doing here?" Amanda demanded. "Oh, don't worry you are safe for now, but I'm not sure for how long," the man said laughing as he came into the room with a gun in hand. "Doctor Travis if you will be so kind as to come with me," he said forcing Jesse to his feet. "Leave him alone," Amanda headed toward them only to stop as she heard the gun cock. "Doctor Bentley I'm not needing you to join us at the moment so back off or I will kill him right here," he said heading toward the door with Jesse. Amanda watched as the door closed and said a silent prayer that Jesse would be alright. **** At the beach house Steve entered and was met by Mark, "find out anything?" "Nothing," Steve said closing the door following his father into the kitchen, "it's like they just vanished." "There has to be something that is being missed," Mark stated as he pulled out a coffee mug for his son. "We have checked out everything and there is nothing. I just..." he stopped as his cell phone started to ring, "Sloan. We're on our way." "What was that?" Mark asked hoping that it was news on their two friends. "There has been another body found with a note by the body addressed to you." Mark stared as his son puzzled, "me?" "Yeah let's get a move on," he said as he followed his father to his car. **** Heading into the home of Alicia Pennington, Cheryl came over to meet them. She had the note in a plastic bag which she handed to Steve along with a pair of gloves. After putting the latex gloves on he pulled out the letter and opened it for his father and started to read, "It is time for the games to begin. Time is running out if you want to find your two friends." "Is that all that it says?" Marked asked baffled at what this person was after. "Yeah that's it," Steve said replacing the letter in the plastic bag. "She was murdered just like our last victim," Cheryl informed Steve showing him her name burned initials into her flesh. Steve looked on the young woman's arm to see the number two also burned into her arm, "this guy needs to be stopped." "Before someone else gets hurt or worse," Mark said speaking up as he tried to figure out what was going on. Cheryl covered the body and stood back up, "I'm going to do a back ground check to see if the two victims had anything that linked them." With that she headed out of the house. Mark looked at his son, "we have to find Amanda and Jesse before something happens to them." "I know dad, I know." **** Jesse looked up at the man before him after being hit once more across the face, "who are you and what do you want from us?" "My name is Antonio Bettino. It really isn't you and your friend that I want you are just a tool in the revenge I have in store for your friend, Doctor Mark Sloan," he said hitting Jesse again across the face. "Why?" Jesse asked trying to recuperate after the last blow that he had taken. "That is none of your business Doctor Travis," Bettino said as he reached back and hit Jesse again this time knocking the chair that Jesse was tied to sideways to the floor. "That is not for you to know and I prefer if you don't say anything else," he said kicking Jesse in the stomach knocking the breath out of him. Jesse sat still trying to catch is breath only to be kicked again and again till he was rendered unconscious. Bettino walked into the next room and came back a few minutes later with a bucket of water throwing it in Jesse's face, "wake up I'm not finished with you yet." "Umm," Jesse moaned. "I said wake up boy," Bettino shouted. Jesse opened his eyes as he felt the pain shoot through his stomach, "w...what?" "Oh does that hurt, Travis?" Bettino said laughing, "Good and there is more to come I assure you." **** Mark couldn't sleep at all that night he was too worried about Amanda and Jesse. Finally he thought that he would go watch an old movie instead of lying in bed. As he entered the living room he smiled as he saw Steve asleep on the couch where he had been working on the case tying to find the link between the victims and his father. Mark tapped him on the shoulder to wake him. "Steve, go on to bed." Steve sleepily looked up at his father, "dad what are you doing still up?" He asked as he looked at the clock to see that it was a little after three in the morning. "I couldn't sleep," he said taking a seat in the chair opposite his son. "Want to talk about it dad?" Steve asked. "I can't stop thinking about Jesse and Amanda," Mark confessed as he watched his son yawn. "Why don't you go on to bed son?" "I think that I'm going to get back to work. I just wanted to rest my eyes and I guess that I must have fallen asleep." Steve sat up and started looking at the information about the two victims, "there is something that we are over looking I just know it." Mark watched as Steve pulled two pieces of paper out and started looking at them. Catching his expression Mark asked, "what is it Steve?" "A connection," Steve said handing the two pieces of paper up, "they both sat on the jury of Carlos Bettino." "Yeah but son Carlos Bettino hung himself two years ago in his prison cell," Mark said, "that makes this a dead end." Maybe not remember Antonio Bettino had threatened you after the trial," Steve stated. "Can you get Antonio's address and a warrant to search his house?" Marked asked sure that this was the missing linked that they were hoping for. **** Mark sat quietly in his son's car while Steve drove to Bettino's house." "Alright we'll check his house then we'll go to the house his brother left him, yes I will meet you there." "What did she say?" Mark asked. "Cheryl is going to meet us at the house that his brother Carlos left him as soon as we check out his residence." Steve said as he pulled up across the street from Bettino's house. "Dad I want you too stay here," Steve said as he got out of the car with his gun in hand. Walking to the front door he found it ajar carefully he entered and started searching each room. Finally finding a note for his father written on the wall with red paint. Your time is running out Mark Steve looked at the red scrawl pulling his cell phone out while he called Cheryl, "hey partner I need you at Bettino's. I'm going to wait till you get here then I'm going to his other house, yeah see you then." Steve put his phone away as he headed out to where his father was. "Did you find anything son?" Mark asked. "Bettino is not here but he left you a note." Mark got out of the car and met Steve, "what did it say?" Before Steve had a chance to explain the house blew up the force from the explosion knocking both Steve and Mark to the ground. **** Steve opened his eyes and looked around searching his father, "Dad?" "Steve," he heard his father say. "Where are you?" Steve said trying to get to his feet. "I'm at the car getting my bag so that I can fix that cut over your eye," Mark said as he headed back to his son's side. "I'm fine, Dad really," Steve said trying to get up but going back down when dizziness hit him. "Yes, son I can see that but what do you say your humour me and just let me fix you up," he said opening his bag. "Alright," Steve said as he sat up and let his father clean his wound, "we need to get..." "I have already called it in son," Mark assured him. "Who's the cop here?" Steve asked as he watched his father take control of everything. The sound of screeching breaks was heard breaking Steve's thoughts. "Steve, Mark are you two alright?" Cheryl asked as she headed toward the father and son. "Yes we're fine," Mark said getting to his feet. "Are you sure?" She asked as she saw the gash over Steve's eye, "Steve are you sure that you are alright?" "Yes I'm fine, now let's get this settled so that we can go on to Bettino's other house." Steve said standing at the same time being watched by his father who was making sure that he was alright. **** "Come on Jess wake up," Amanda encouraging Jesse who was laying on the cot his head in Amanda's lap. He tried to open his eyes but found that they wouldn't open. "No," Jesse said trying to get away from Amanda. "Jesse it me Amanda," she said calmly said hoping not to scare him. "Amanda?" He asked as his body was filled with pain. Amanda could see that he was hurting, "Jesse I need you to stay still." The pain that shot through his body was almost too much for him, "it hurts Amanda." "I know, Jesse trust me we will get out of this some how," she assured him as the door opened and Bettino came in. "Bentley will you come with me?" Jesse took Amanda's hand, "No please don't." "And what are you going to do to stop me, Travis?" He said as he kicked Jesse once before roughly grabbing Amanda's arm pulling her to her feet, "let's go." "No Amanda," Jesse said trying to catch his breath as he passed out. **** Steve watched Cheryl's driving and it was making him crazy, "will you hurry up." "Look Sloan, I'm driving and we are going to get there in one piece do I make myself clear, partner?" She said never looking at him. Mark looked at his son from the back seat, "Steve we will be there in no time." Steve looked over at Cheryl, "sorry but I just have a bad feeling about his." "I know," Cheryl said quietly, "I have the same bad feeling." A few minutes later they pulled up to the old ragged house that Bettino owned, "this place looks like it could fall down at anytime." Steve commented as he got out of the car. Steve looked at his father as he got out of the car, "Dad..." "I know son, stay here. I will but if you need me I will be right in there," Mark said as he leaned against the car. Cheryl and Steve headed to the front door as Steve knocked, "LAPD open up." After a few minutes of not getting an answer Cheryl looked at her partner, "what do you think?" "I think that we go," he said checking the door to find it not locked. Walking in Cheryl headed into the living room and found it empty then checked all the rooms down stair finding nothing. Pointing up stairs Cheryl watched as Steve headed up stairs. Steve stopped dead in his tracks when he heard a low moan, "you hear that?" "Yeah," she said as she headed to the room that they heard the noise come from. Opening the door the only thing that she saw was Jesse laying on the floor unconscious, "Steve," she called out. "What is it?" He asked as he looked into the room to see his young friend lying on the floor not moving, "Jesse?" He asked heading over to his friend's side. He then looked up to his partner, "go get my dad." "I'll be back in a few minutes," Cheryl said as she headed out of the room and out to Mark. Mark saw Cheryl come out of the old house and knew that something was definitely wrong. "What is it?" "We found Jesse. He is going to need your help," Cheryl said as she picked up his medical bag and followed him into the house. "What about Amanda?" "She's not here but we're going to find her," she assured Mark. Walking into the room where Jesse and Steve were Mark headed straight to his friend's side. "How is he?" "I'm not the doctor here but I would guess not good," Steve said moving so his father could examine Jesse. Mark looked Jesse over and looked up at his son saying, "we need an ambulance." "I'm already on it," Cheryl assured both father and son as she put away her cell phone. "What is it?" Steve asked. "Broken ribs, concussion, possible internal bleeding," Mark started to list possible injuries. **** A Few Hours Later Jesse slowly opened his eyes to see a Mark's face in front of him. "How are you feeling?" he asked. Jesse blinked several times before Mark came into focus slowly slurring out, "what happened?" "I was hoping that you could tell us," Mark said watching as Jesse's eyes got as big as silver dollars. "Amanda!" Jesse started breathing heavily as he tried to get out of bed. "Calm down, Jesse we're going to find her," Mark assured him. "No...he will hurt....her..." Jesse now found it difficult to breath. "Jesse, I need you to calm. You aren't going to do Amanda a bit of good if your get too excited." Jesse shook his head as he tried to calm himself down gasping out, "find her Mark." "Jess, you're awake." Mark turned around to see his son standing behind him knowing that he had come to question Jesse. He shook his head telling his son that Jesse needed more time. Steve looked from his father then to his young friend, "how are you feeling? You gave us all a scare." "You need to find her Steve, please," Jesse begged his friend. "We will Jesse, we will." Steve couldn't stand looking at those pleading eyes filled with guilt and fear. He knew that this wasn't the best time to question Jesse but when was a good time. "What happened Jess?" "He wanted you Mark," Jesse said looking at Mark. "I don't know why but he does. Amanda was there but he took her from the room we were being held in." "Do you know where they went?" Steve asked. Jesse shook his head, "he kicked me over and over and the next thing I knew I was waking up here. Steve he's crazy you have to find Amanda." **** Amanda woke to fine that she was in a place she recognized. "What on earth?" she asked herself. "Oh Doctor Bentley I see that you are awake," Bettino said from across the room. Amanda looked at her surrounding in disbelief that she was in Jesse's apartment. "What are we doing here?" "Well, I figured that Doctor Travis wouldn't need this place for quite a while," He then picked up a leather strap rope from beside him as he headed toward Amanda. Amanda couldn't do anything with her hands and feet tied behind her back as Bettino came to the chair that she was sitting in. She said a silent prayer when the leather rope came around her neck was pulled tighter. **** Jesse was sleeping in his hospital room when he heard his phone ring. Slowly and groggily he reached over to answer it as Mark entered the room, "Hello." "Ah, Doctor Travis," Bettino's voice came from the other end of the line. Jesse face drained of color as he heard the voice of the man that held him captive and was still holding Amanda prisoner. Mark headed to Jesse side mouthing, "is that him?" Jesse shook his head the best he could as he just listed to the man on the other end of the line, "Travis, are you there?" Jesse finally looked up at Mark panic showing on his face. "Travis I think that you have a great apartment and Amanda, Oh I mean Doctor Bentley thinks so too. I think I need to correct myself," he said laughing, "or should I say use to know now that she is no longer with us." "Your lying she can't be..."Jesse said as he looked up at Mark tears filling the young doctor's eyes. Mark took the phone from Jesse and brought it to him tired of the games Bettino was playing, "it's time to end this," Mark said bitterly. "Ah Sloan it is time that we meet but first I have to kill you friends and son," with that the line went dead. Mark slammed the phone back on the hook as he looked over at his young friend, "we'll get him Jess." "Mark he said that..." he couldn't bring himself to say it, it couldn't be true. "What Jesse?" Mark questioned. As another tear rolled down his face he silently said almost in an eerie whisper, "he said she was dead." Mark looked at Jesse in shock and disbelief, "it can't be so Jesse." "But what if it is and what if she is dead because of me?" Jesse said angry at himself that he couldn't do something, anything to help Amanda. "Jesse you can't be blaming your self and until I see a body I won't believe that she is dead," Mark firmly stated to Jesse almost in a calm shout. Jesse just looked at Mark as the door once again opened and Steve came in. Steve looked from his father to Jesse trying to figure out what was going on, "What's up?" He asked knowing that what ever it was it wasn't good. Jesse looked back at Mark almost as if Steve wasn't there, "he's at my apartment." "Are you sure?" Mark asked. "Wait a minute, who's at your apartment?" Steve asked wanting to be clued in. Mark turned to his son and explained about the phone call then everyone turned to look at Jesse, "why do you think that he is at your apartment?" Steve asked. "He said that he liked my apartment," Jesse sadly said, "he said that Amanda was dead." Steve looked at his father then back to Jesse. "We'll find her Jess." To Be Continued... home | vs home | season one | season two | season three | join dmvs | e-mail us | guestbook |
