The door to the coach’s office flew open and Trent came storming out. Before he knew what hit him, Reggie Leduc found himself pinned to the wall.

"Where is she?" Trent demanded, his arm across Reggie’s throat.

"What??" Reggie managed to croak.

"Sam. Where is she?"

"I don’t know. Are you crazy?" By this time, Ben had come and hauled Trent off of Reggie.

"Calm down, Trent. What’s going on?" He held tightly to Trent, knowing that if he let him go he would be on Reggie again.

"I know you are involved, Reggie. But this time you’ve gone too far."

"Honest man, I don’t know anything about your girlfriend." By now, the whole team was crowding around.

"Tell us what happened," Ben said, slowly letting go of Trent.

Trent sat down in front of his locker. "I’ve gotten three letters so far. Now they have kidnapped Sam," he told them, hanging his head. "This letter says they’ll kill her if I play."

"That’s how they got Frankie to leave," Reggie said quietly. "They threatened his wife."

"What are you going to do?" Mitch asked.

"Find her," Trent told them. He pulled his clothes out of his locker and started getting dressed.

"I saw her here," Reggie said.

"What?" Trent turned sharply. "When?"

"Just after you guys left for lunch. It must have been around 12:30. I’m sure it was her I saw when I was leaving the arena."

"Her secretary said she was coming to meet me," Trent told them. "Right now I’ve got to see someone."

"The PI?" Mitch asked.

Trent looked evenly at him. "What PI?"

"You’re friend, the Hispanic guy. I recognized him."

Trent hesitated for a moment and then answered. "Yeah, him." He quickly grabbed his stuff and headed out the door.

"Trent?" Trent stopped and turned.

"Yeah, Reggie?"

"Let us know if there is anything we can do to help, okay?"

"Thanks." On his way out, Trent stopped to talk to Jimmy, the security guard. "Jimmy, did you see Sam in here today?"

"She’s the one who talks funny, isn’t she?" When Trent nodded he continued, "Yeah, she came in at about 12:30. She left again at about quarter to one. Is everything okay?"

"No, it isn’t. Was anyone with her?"

"No."

"Thanks, Jimmy." Trent hurried out to his car and headed to Thunder Investigations.

**

Consciousness returned slowly to Sam. She became aware that she was on a concrete floor and her hands were handcuffed together behind her back. When she moved, almost every muscle cried out in pain. She realized that her eyes were covered and that her hands were bound around something. Struggling, she managed to get herself upright into a sitting position. Silently, she cursed herself for falling for the story that brought her to the arena. The trainer had called and told her that Trent had locked his keys in the car and needed her set to get them out. The good thing about it all was that she had had to borrow Hazel’s car. She knew that when she didn’t return Hazel would call the guys and the search would be on. If only they knew where to look.

Suddenly, Sam heard the sound of a door being unlocked and felt the light on her face. She knew her captor had returned.

"How are you doing, Samantha?" Sam knew she had heard the voice before but she couldn’t place it. She had met most of the team and she knew it was one of them.

"I’ve been better," she replied.

"I’ll bet you have. Well, just thought I’d let you know that your boyfriend went out of here like a bat out of hell. He thinks he’s going to find you before tomorrow afternoon’s game. Problem is, he’ll be looking in all of the wrong places." Sam’s captor laughed heartily.

"You really don’t think this will stop him, do you?" she asked.

"If he wants to see you alive, it will. I’m not letting anything stand in the way of my half a million dollars." The voice had taken on a menacing quality. "I know he is a PI."

"Who said that?" Sam asked.

"A little birdy told me."

"He’s just helping out René.." Sam started but the slap came hard and fast. Sam reeled from the unexpected blow

"Don’t lie to me," the voice hissed. "I know about him and his friend." The voice calmed slightly. "That’s why I’ve sent them on a wild goose chase."

Sam’s mind was racing. She was trying to piece together where she was from her captor. He had said Trent had run out of here. Was it possible that she was still in the arena? Wouldn’t the security guard tell them that she hadn’t left?

"Everyone saw you leaving the arena. And then they found your car abandoned over on Washington, by the mall." The voice laughed again. "It’ll take them hours to search there."

Sam was beginning to think her captor was right. Trent and Carlos would be looking everywhere but in the arena. She had to think of a way to help herself. If she could only get her hands untied, she would have a fighting chance. She had a thought.

"Look, I have to go to the bathroom. Is there someplace I can go?" Sam tried to sound desperate.

She was met with silence. After a few moments her captor said, "There is a place down the hall. But if you try anything you’ll be sorry." Sam felt the presence of her captor as he came close to undo the handcuffs. Unfortunately for her, he held her wrist in an iron grip until the handcuffs where back around her wrists, but free from the pipe. He helped her to a standing position and was directly in front of her. Sam felt him slide his hand down her neck and through the hair that rested on her shoulders.

"You know, a nice Canadian girl like you deserves to have a real man, not that Texan." Sam felt him move even closer, until she could feel his breath on her neck. "I think we should have some fun."

Sam’s mind raced. She had a sudden flashback to the first few weeks after she had moved to Dallas and the horrible incident that had occurred. With a rage that filled her, she brought her knee up with all the force she could muster. She felt and heard the contact her knee had made. As he cried out in pain, Sam felt herself being thrown against the wall. Not being able to cushion the blow, all the air rushed out of her lungs as she fell to the floor. She heard the gasping coming from him as well as herself. Both were trying to breathe and Sam knew that whoever started first would win.

"You are going to pay for that," the voice hissed through considerable pain.

Sam struggled to her feet and tried to run. If only she didn’t have the blindfold. Before she could get very far, she was grabbed and thrown roughly to the floor. He grabbed her hand and forcibly bent her fingers back until she screamed. She felt her first two fingers snap and a wave of nausea came over her. Then came a punch to her face.

"That was the stupidest move," the voice yelled. As the next blow came, the world swam. As Sam drifted towards unconsciousness, she came to the realization that she now recognized who the voice belonged to.

**

"They found the car over on Washington, by the mall. The only problem is that Sam never goes that way." Trent was saying.

"Maybe she had to stop for something," Kim suggested.

"No. She hates that mall. It just doesn’t feel right." Trent was pacing around the office like a caged animal. "Maybe they grabbed her in the parking lot and just planted the car at the mall?"

"Very possible," Carlos said. He was sitting at the computer, looking over a few files that Kim had called up. "Okay, who was left at the arena after you all left for lunch?"

Trent thought. "I guess Reggie, Mitch and Smitty. Smitty said he had to meet his agent."

"And no one said they saw her leave but the security guard, right?" Trent nodded. "Maybe we should try to see the video tapes of the entrance. We can see if there was anything happening out in the parking lot."

"Jimmy isn’t on duty until noon tomorrow. There is another guy who pulls the night shift and Roy the other guard who was there today comes on at 6," Trent told him.

"Okay." Carlos started typing.

"What?" Kim asked.

"I’m just running their names. What are their full names, Trent?" Trent told Carlos the names as they all started gathering around the computer.

"That would fit, wouldn’t it?" Trent said. "They would have access to our lockers while we are on the ice but yet wouldn’t raise suspicion."

"Could be."

It was several hours later when all the connections had been made. Jimmy had worked for Arthur Chase for many years and had received a considerable amount of money in numerous payments over the past few months.

"This brings together everything else I had found," Carlos told Trent. "Chase has used this team at a loss for the last few years. Now with them doing so well, he’s not going to be able to say he lost money. With the leaps and bounds he has made in his sporting goods stores this might just cost him a fortune. He needs the Mustangs as a tax write-off or he is going to have to pay out a lot of money in tax."

"This is all about taxes?" Trent asked incredulously.

"No, not entirely. We think that if he did have to declare the team as making money he will lose his best place to launder money. You see, Mr. Chase seems to have a few mob ‘friends’ that would be upset at any tax investigation."

"So it’s easier to pay off a few players to lose than it is to win." It was all making sense to Trent. "Now we have to find Sam before anyone else knows that we have figured this out."

"Yep." The silence hung in the air as they all realized the danger Sam was in.

"Let’s go talk to Roy. I think he might be the one to help us with this," Trent suggested.

Carlos put his hand on Trent’s shoulder. "It’s 2 am buddy. Why don’t we get a little shut-eye and we can be at the arena for 6 to meet him, okay?" As Trent started to protest, Carlos stopped him. "We need to be fresh and thinking straight, Trent. I think we could all use a couple of hours of sleep. C’mon, you can stay at my place and I promise we’ll be at the arena by 6."

**

Every bone in Sam’s body ached but none moreso than her fingers. She managed to get herself into a sitting position, but her arms were still handcuffed behind her. However, she soon realized that she was not handcuffed to anything else. She could feel the crusted blood around her nose and mouth. Great, she thought. They never set my nose right the last time it was broken. Maybe this time they’ll get it right! She knew that she had to do something about her fingers. Slowly she felt along them with her other hand, feeling the bones out of place. Taking a deep breath, she pulled hard on her broken finger. She cried in pain and tried to fight the nausea. Taking the next finger, she did the same thing. Now at least, the bones were in place. She tried to catch her breath and deal with the pain. Soon, she would set out to explore her prison.

**

"Hey Trent. What are you doing here so early?" Roy was surprised to see Trent and his friend standing in front of the security desk.

"I need some help, Roy."

"Sure. Has this got to do with your girlfriend?"

"Yes. Did you see her leave yesterday?"

"No. I was doing rounds. Usually Jimmy does them but yesterday he asked me to."

"Can we see the tapes from yesterday?" Carlos asked. "We think that something might have happened out in the parking lot."

"Uhh…" Roy hesitated. "I guess so. I can’t see what it would hurt." Roy locked the front door and led Trent and Carlos to the security office. "Everything is kept here. I can give you the tapes but then I have to get back on the desk, okay?"

"That’s great, Roy," Trent told him. "We appreciate your help."

"I just hope you find her. She seems really nice." As Roy turned to go, he didn’t see the pained expression on Trent’s face, but Carlos did.

"Don’t worry buddy, we’ll find her. Let’s get rocking."

**

Sam had lost all concept of time in her darkened world. She knew that the final game was today but she had no idea when that would be. She listened for any signs of life but all that came back to her was the sound of her own breathing. The silence was almost deafening. Slowly, and with a great deal of pain, she managed to stand up. Inching along the wall she realized she was in some kind of storage room. There were various pipes and shelves but nothing that could help her. As she reached the locked door, she sank to the floor, trying to decide what to do next.

**

"ARRGGH! Carlos this is taking too long!" Trent’s frustration had reached a new peak. They had been viewing videotape for hours and had found nothing useful.

"I know this is tough buddy, but we gotta make sure that we have covered everything," Carlos said as he put the next tape in the machine. "Okay, this is the camera on the East Parking lot. I’ll start it playing at 12:15." The two sat in silence as the images flashed before them. When the tape reached 12:25, something made Trent jump.

"Carlos, stop! Look!" There on the screen was Sam’s blurry image. She was walking away from Hazel’s car, towards the arena. "Bingo!"

"Okay. Now we know that she was really here. If she actually left, we should see her walking back out towards the car, right?" Carlos continued playing the tape until the timer said 13:15. "Didn’t Jimmy say she left at about quarter to one?"

"Yeah," Trent acknowledged. Something had played on his mind but he couldn’t quite place it. "Carlos, back up the tape and play it again." As the tape played various people were seen heading out to the parking lot. "Stop," Trent told Carlos. "Look." As they both peered at the screen, they clearly saw the image of Hazel’s car pulling out of the parking spot. "Rewind it again," Trent said.

Slowly, Carlos rewound and played the tape again. "There," he said. "That person there must be the one who moved her car. It certainly isn’t Sam."

"Okay, that means one of two things. Either they snuck her out some other way or she is still in this building."

"And what better place to keep her than right here in the arena."

"I think we need to talk to Roy."

**

"Roy, we think she is still here in the arena," Trent was telling the security guard.

"But I thought Jimmy said he saw her leave," he questioned. Carlos and Trent looked at each other.

"We think Jimmy might be involved, Roy," Carlos told him.

Roy hung his head. "Well, that might explain a few things," he said quietly.

"Like what?" Trent asked.

"Just little things. Like he would get adamant about when he did things and when I had to. He would get these phone calls and he would just leave. I suppose it was nothing concrete, just a feeling I had."

"Will you help us, without telling Jimmy?" Trent asked.

"Anything you want guys," Roy assured them.

**

The guys had been searching for hours and game time was fast approaching. Roy had given them his keys but had stayed at the front desk so as not to raise any suspicions. Trent and Carlos had searched everything from the top floor down.

"The players are all here and the crowd is beginning to come. What do we do now?" Carlos asked, as they sat in an extra change room on the main floor of the arena.

"I have to call Roy." Trent picked up his cell phone and dialed the number of the front desk. Within 10 minutes, Roy had joined them. "Is there a basement or some kind of lower level here?" Trent asked

"Have you guys searched all of the levels?"

"Yeah, we did most of the upper levels before anyone came in. I don’t want any of the other players to know we’re here just yet," Trent told him.

"Okay. I know there is a lower level but I have only been down there once. It is all maintenance and storage. Let me see if I can figure out which stairwell takes us down."

"Isn’t it your job to know all about this place?" Carlos asked him.

"Yes but, Jimmy always checked here. He said I didn’t have to worry about it. I’m pretty sure it is in stairwell number 5 but that’s right down the hall from the players’ locker room. I’m not sure how you all are going to get down there without anyone seeing."

Carlos looked at his watch. "The game starts in about 40 minutes. We could wait and then go down," he suggested, looking at Trent. "It might be the only way."

"Okay, this is the key. Be careful and call me if you need me again." With that Roy headed back to the front desk.

Inside the change room, Trent paced like a caged animal. "We’re close, Carlos. I can feel it. It’s just this waiting…"

"I know buddy but we have to. If the wrong player saw us, who knows what would happen."

**

Sam was beginning to suffer from sensory deprivation. It seemed to her that she had heard noises coming from above but she had yelled until her voice was hoarse, and no one had come. Now she thought she had heard cheering. Was it possible that the game had started? Was Trent looking for her? Or was he playing? A feeling of helplessness was beginning to overcome her when she thought she heard noises outside the door. As she heard a key in the lock, she rushed headlong at the door, hoping to take her captor by surprise. She felt herself being grabbed and held.

"Sam! It’s okay, Sam, it’s me!" It took a moment for the voice to register.

"Trent?"

‘Yeah, it’s me, babe. Are you okay?" Trent sat Sam down and took off her blindfold. Carlos entered behind him and turned on the light.

"Jeez, Sam. You’re face…." Carlos said. Trent gritted his teeth in anger as he saw Sam’s battered face.

Blinking at the bright light, Sam smiled. "Yeah, but you should see the other guy. He’s going to be peeing blood for about a month."

"He’ll be doing more than that when I’m through with him," Trent sneered.

"I know who it was, Trent. I recognized his voice," Sam told them as Carlos tried to find the key to the handcuffs on Roy’s key ring.

When she had told who the player was, Trent told her, "That is pretty much who we figured it was." Suddenly the cuffs let go and Sam could finally move her arms. Gently she massaged her wrists, trying not to move her fingers. "Is there something wrong with your hand, Sam?" Trent asked.

"My first two fingers are broken," she said with a grimace. "I put them back in to place but they still hurt like hell."

Trent let out a low growl. "Let’s go. You need to be looked at."

"You need to go play, Trent," Sam said. "I can stay with Carlos. Don’t let them win, T."

"You sure?"

"Yes." Together, Trent and Carlos helped Sam into the training room where they ran into Reggie Leduc.

"Trent! You found her! Is she okay?"

"Yeah Reggie but I need a favour of you. Don’t tell anyone else on the team. I know who is responsible and I don’t want him to know that Sam is okay. Will you help?"

"Is this the same person who took out Robbie?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"Then you got it. Anything you want me to do, I will."

"Okay. Go out on the ice. I’ll be right out." As Reggie left, Trent turned to Sam. "Are you sure you’re okay?"

"Yes. Go win this game and get into the playoffs." Trent kissed her bruised face gently then headed to the dressing room to change.

**

Trent waited at the gate until there was a break in the play. As the whistle sounded he skated out and over to the players bench. Almost everyone was surprised to see him, including the coach.

"Good to see you, Malloy. Next shift is yours." Trent nodded. Looking up, he noticed that the score was 1-0 for the other team, halfway through the second period. That would change shortly.

After another break in play, Trent went over the boards with his line. Mitch was at centre, taking the face-off. As he won the draw, Mitch fired the puck to Trent and followed him up the ice. Within a couple of feet of the goal, Trent saw that Mitch was open beside him. Faking a pass, Trent then fired the puck up and over the sprawling goaltender. The red light flashed and the siren sounded. The score was now tied. Mitch was the first to congratulate him.

"Just remember buddy, you don’t have to do this all by yourself," Mitch whispered to him. "There is a whole team around you." Trent just nodded.

When the buzzer sounded ending the second period, the Mustangs filed into the dressing room. Ben sat down beside Trent.

"You okay, buddy?"

"Yeah."

"Is Samantha okay? Did you find her?"

"Carlos will." Trent just stared at the opposite wall. He was making it clear he did not want to talk to anyone.

"I hope so," was all Ben answered.

The third period was slow to start. Neither team wanted to be the one who made the ultimate mistake that would let the other team win. Both teams had good scoring chances but both goaltenders were playing amazing hockey. Finally, the Mustangs caught a break when Trent was hauled down and the player got a two minute minor penalty. Trent found himself on the ice with Mitch at centre and Ben on the right wing. Reggie was on the blue line. The Mustangs were passing the puck around trying to get a shot on net. In his haste, Ben fired the puck past Reggie and the team had to fall back and regroup. As Reggie chased the puck back behind his own net, the other team started into the Mustangs end. Mitch took a pass from Reggie but lost the puck to the other team. Within seconds it was in the Mustangs net. They were now behind 2-1.

On the bench, the coach was hollering. "You are getting sloppy! Tighten up!"

Back on the ice, Trent was lining up for a face off in the opposing zone when Reggie approached.

"Who do I trust, Trent?"

Without looking up Trent replied, "Me." The face-off came to Trent who fired it back to Reggie. Winding up, Reggie took a slap shot and found the five-hole between the goaltender’s legs. It was all tied again at 2-2.

The Mustangs final break came with less than five minutes left in the game. Mitch lined up for the face-off but lost it. Chasing the puck into the opposing zone, Trent slammed the opposing player hard into the boards and came up with the puck. Quickly, he slid his stick around in front of the net, trying to get the puck on net. The puck banked off the skate of the goaltender and into the net. The crowd cheered as the red light flashed. The lead now belonged to the Mustangs.

Back at the bench, there were high five’s all around. As the coach bent to congratulate him Trent whispered to the coach. He looked up, surprised but he understood.

"Okay, next line is Richard’s line. Mitch’s line, take a break."

As the clock ticked down the crowd grew more and more boisterous. When the final buzzer sounded the arena erupted. The Mustangs had made the playoffs for the first time ever! Even as the team congratulated him, Trent said nothing. He went to his locker and sat quietly. Only Reggie came to talk to him.

"You okay, Trent?"

"Yeah, but I gotta go. You guys celebrate for me and I’ll catch up with you later."

"Sure." Reggie turned to walk away but then turned back. "I’m sure she’ll be okay, Trent. Don’t worry." The celebration in the dressing room suddenly got quiet as the players realized the possible cost of the victory to Trent. Without saying any more, Trent dressed and left the dressing room.

**

He was fuming. Malloy had just cost him half a million dollars and he was going to pay dearly. He had waited for most of the other players to leave and then had slipped down the stairwell. He hurriedly opened the door only to find the room empty. As it registered to him that Samantha wasn’t there he heard the voice behind him.

"Looking for something?" He turned to see Malloy behind him. "Or should I say someone."

Bowing his head, he gave a little laugh. "I should have known you had found her."

"Yeah, well now give me a good reason why I shouldn’t kick your ass back to Canada." Trent stared at him, never taking his hate-filled eyes off of him.

"You really think you could, pretty boy? You don’t know anything about fighting."

"Just try me, Ben."

Ben laughed again. "You are going to let me walk out of here and out of Dallas. That will be the end of it."

"I don’t think so. Not after what you’ve done to Sam or Robbie or this team for that matter." Trent smiled. "I have to admit you were pretty good. Playing just well enough that no one would suspect you. Being everyone’s friend. What I don’t understand is why, Ben."

"Why?" Ben asked. "Why not? I’m 28 years old, playing for a minor league team in Dallas. I’m not going anywhere in hockey. My wife left me last year and there is nothing left. When they offered me half a million dollars, I thought why not? I’ll never get another chance at that kind of money. I’d of been stupid to turn that down."

"Half a million for ending someone’s career? For beating up innocent people? A hell of a price to pay."

"You don’t know anything," Ben said in disgust. "Now, get out of my way, I’m leaving."

"I don’t think so." Trent assumed his fighting stance. As Ben came at him, Trent kicked him in the midsection. Ben doubled over but righted himself quickly. He charged at Trent who easily dodged him and caught him. It was no match between the brawler and the martial artist. Before long, Ben was on the floor gasping for breath. Trent was about to give him another kick him when he heard the sound of approaching footsteps. Behind him now were Reggie, Mitch and Carlos.

That’s enough, Trent," Carlos said, holding Trent back. "Give up? Or do you want me to let these guys or Trent take another shot at you?"

"I’d love to have piece of him," Reggie growled.

Ben slumped back on to the floor as Carlos went and picked him up. He still had Roy’s handcuffs so he used them on Ben. As he walked Ben out wordlessly, the players watched in disgust.

"I never would have believed it," Mitch said, shaking his head.

"He fooled us all," Trent said. Turning to Reggie he said, "I owe you an apology, Reggie. I’m sorry I suspected you. I guess it was the slap shot to the head that started it." Trent smiled.

"That really was an accident. Ben said something to me as I took the shot and it got away from me. I’m sorry."

"It’s okay. Now I have to go take someone to the hospital," Trent told them.

"Is she okay?" Mitch asked.

"He broke her nose and a couple of her fingers. He was just lucky you guys got here when you did or else he would have had a lot more broken than Sam did."

**

Sam, Trent and Carlos were sitting in Uppercuts when they saw a familiar face enter the bar.

"Hi, René," Sam said as he joined them at a table.

"Hi Sam, guys. How are you healing, Sam?"

"Okay. I can’t massage for awhile but I can still teach. My appearance has given my students quite a lot to talk about. A few are still asking about you though, Carlos," Sam said with a twinkle in her eye. Carlos just blushed as Trent looked at him questioningly.

"Actually, I’d like to ask a favour of you, Carlos," René said.

"Me?"

"Yes. Could you do without Trent for a couple of weeks more?"

"Why?" Carlos and Trent asked in unison.

"We talked about it and the team wants you to keep playing, Trent. Plus any playoff money we win will be yours."

"You’re serious?" Trent asked incredulously.

"Very. Especially since we are another player short."

Before Trent had a chance to say anything, Carlos spoke up. "Well, Trent since you let me take the time off when I needed it, the least I can do is cover for you for a couple of weeks. I know this is fun for you."

"Are you sure, Carlos?"

"Yes. Besides if I need help I can ask ‘Three Fingers’ over here!"

"Thanks," Sam said laughingly. Turning to Trent she said, "Go for it, Trent. This is a chance of a lifetime. It really isn’t too busy right now and we can cover it."

Smiling, Trent turned to René. "Let’s play!"

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