Tangled Web

By Sarah & Lanie

Chapter 25

Marley's House

Marley paced as Tyrone watched. The tears slipped down her cheeks unheeded.

"Please come sit down." Marley continued to pace. "I can't. I can't sit down."

"You've got to stop this, Marley. You're making yourself sick."

Marley shook her head. "There's something wrong with Vicky. I can't shake the feelings, Tyrone. They won't go away."

Tyrone stood up and walked to her, blocking her path. Marley moved to step around him, but he anticipated the move and moved as well. He put his arms around her.

"Come sit down with me. You can worry after Jake calls. Until then, I want you to think positive."

Marley knew that it was useless to argue with him, so she allowed him to lead her to the couch. She leaned her head on his shoulder, but her mind continued to spin. She jumped when the doorbell rang. Tyrone pushed her down on the couch.

"I'll get it," he said and walked toward the door.

Marley stood just inside the door, bracing herself for the worst. When Tyrone opened the door, Donna smiled widely.

"Tyrone, I wasn't expecting you to be home so early in the day. Is Marley here?" She asked, then did not wait for an answer as she walked past him.

Donna smiled at Marley as she walked toward her. Her smiled disappeared when she saw the look on Marley's face. She rushed to Marley and put her hands on Marley's cheeks.

"Marley, what's wrong?" She asked.

Marley remained silent for a long time as Donna continued to search her face. "It's Vicky."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Jake and Nick sped toward Foster Park. Their leads were getting fewer and time was running out. Calls to the hospital had been useless. It was as if Vicky and Kirkland had disappeared off the face of the earth.

"Mrs. Holvey is going to meet us at the park?" Nick asked.

"Yeah, she said she'd meet us by the picnic pavilion," Jake told him as he sped up to make it through the yellow light.

"What are you thinking, Jake? Where could they be?"

Jake shook his head. "I've got this feeling in the pit of my stomach and it's just twisting like a knife….."

His cell phone rang, interrupting his thoughts. Jake punched the button and hoped beyond all hopes that Vicky's voice would be on the other end of the line.

"McKinnon."

"Jake, where are you? Is Victoria with you?" Donna asked.

Jake sighed deeply. "I'm trying to find her, Donna."

"Where is she, Jake? This can't be happening again. I don't know what I'll do if something has happened to her."

Jake did not think it was the time to tell Donna that Kirkland was missing as well. "Donna, I don't have time for this right now. I'll call you as soon as I know something," he told her then quickly punched the phone off and threw it in a compartment in the console.

"She's going to flip out."

Jake glanced at Nick. "So am I."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Ryan walked the perimeter of the area in the park where Brenner had been stationed during his last check-in with the surveillance team. He had started going in smaller and smaller squares hoping that he would find some evidence of Brenner's presence. He pushed a button on his watch, then spoke into the tiny microphone there.

"I'm still searching the perimeter. There is no sign of Brenner," he told them.

The feeling in his stomach was getting heavier. Their inability to contact Brenner could mean several things, but Ryan was hoping that it did not mean that something had happened to Kirkland.

As he walked through the brush, Ryan saw something shiny out the corner of his eye. He had to move several times before he could get at the right angle to see the glint again. Finally zeroing in on the object, Ryan walked toward it. As he drew closer, he could see the watch and the arm of a person. He walked more quickly, tugging at the arm and fearing what he would find. Ryan reached into the bushes and pulled at the person's shoulders, finally succeeding in pulling the person's face out into the light. He gasped when he recognized the man.

He punched the button on his watch again. "I've located Brenner," he told them, then reached down tentatively and touched his fingers to the side of Brenner's neck, searching for a pulse. "He's unconscious, but alive at the moment. I need some backup."

Ryan sat back to wait. He straightened when he heard the faint sound of voices in the distance.

"Is this the place?" Nick asked.

Jake looked around. "Yeah, she said that Kirkland was walking toward these trees, and Vicky followed him."

"What are we looking for?"

"A clue….any signs of a struggle….."

Ryan closed his eyes tightly when he recognized Jake's voice. He prayed silently that Jake would not find him there. He could not leave Brenner for someone else to come across. He heard them walking through the underbrush. Ryan tugged at Brenner again trying to find a place to hide. Brenner groaned loudly but did not wake up.

Jake put up his hand. "Wait, did you hear something?"

Nick slowly shook his head. "Like what?"

"I'm not sure, but it sounded like it came from over there," Jake said as he pointed toward some bushes, then started to walk over to them.

"Jake, look!"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Cameron walked in the front door. He looked up and saw Alli standing in the doorway as if she were waiting on someone. Her face showed disappointment when Cameron was the one who walked through the door.

"Hi, kid. Thanks for the warm welcome," he said sarcastically.

Alli smiled slightly. "I was waiting on Mom," she told him then turned to walk back into the living room.

Cameron followed close behind. He glanced down at his watch.

"It's a little early for her to be home."

"She was taking off work early today. She told me that she'd be home an hour ago. We were going to the mall to get some things. I tried her cell phone and she didn't answer."

A feeling of impending doom flowed through Cameron's body like an electric charge. It was a feeling that he had shaken off all day, chalking it up to the tension in his life. Now he was not so sure.

"How long ago did you try?" He asked.

Alli shrugged. "It was about fifteen minutes ago."

"Did you try the office?" Cameron asked.

Alli scrunched her nose at him. "No. Are you worried?"

Cameron shook his head "no", but something else was telling him "yes". He walked to the phone and said, "Why don't I give her a try?"

"Whatever."

Cameron looked at her over his shoulder as he dialed Amanda's cell phone. A message finally came on the line saying the person was unavailable. He ended the connection with the cell phone and dialed Cory.

"Amanda Sinclair's office, please," Cameron told the operator when he answered.

"Amanda Sinclair's office."

"Hi Debra, can I talk to Amanda?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Sinclair. She's not here. She had a doctor's appointment this afternoon, then she was going to go home."

Cameron nodded. "Okay, thanks."

Cameron hung up the phone stood there quietly trying to keep himself from jumping to conclusions. She was probably still at the doctor's office. They always made you wait for hours just to see you for five minutes and send you on your way. Cameron opened the center drawer of the desk looking for the book where Amanda kept important numbers. He picked up the book and lay it on the desk. Cameron quickly ran his index finger down the list until he found the number. He dialed quickly and waited.

"Dr. Shelton's office, how may I help you?"

"Hello, this is Cameron Sinclair. My wife, Amanda Sinclair, was supposed to have an appointment this afternoon. Is she still there?"

"Oh no, Mr. Sinclair, Mrs. Sinclair left hours ago."

"Thank you."

Alli was beginning to notice Cameron's frantic calling. She leaned forward listening to his every word, wondering what he was so uptight about. She finally walked to him.

"What are you getting so wigged about?" She asked.

Cameron's eyes shot to her. "I just wanted to talk to your Mom."

Alli narrowed her eyes. "I'm sure that she'll be here any minute. Just chill."

Cameron nodded, then turned around to dial again. Alli groaned in disgust and went back to wait on the couch.

He dialed Amanda's cell phone again and waited impatiently. "Come on, Amanda," he whispered.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Tess shut her computer off, ready to call it a day. She had work to do at home, and she was anxious to get to it. Her mind was still spinning with suspicion over the lunch invitations. She pulled the card out of her pocket and looked at it again.

Matt knocked on her door and her head shot up.

"Are you still looking at that thing?" Matt asked.

Tess nodded. "It's strange, Matt. I don't like unknowns."

"How about I take your mind off it?" He queried with a smile.

Tess frowned for a moment, then saw the sparkle in his eyes. The corners of her mouth lifted involuntarily.

"You don't play fair," she responded.

"What?"

Tess shook her head, then her cell phone began to ring. She gave Matt an apologetic look then answered.

"Hello."

"It's me. Have you seen Amanda?" Cameron asked.

"No, she seems to be avoiding me. Why?"

"Has anyone seen her this afternoon?"

Tess narrowed her eyes, sensing the worry in Cameron's voice.

"Hold on," she told him then put her hand over the phone. "Have you seen Amanda this afternoon?"

"No, I haven't seen her since this morning. Why?" Matt asked.

"Matt hasn't seen her since this morning," Tess told Cameron. "What's going on?"

"We can't locate her. I want you to sweep the Cory offices from top to bottom, then report back to me."

"Okay. She might just be late, Cameron. Why do you think something is wrong?"

"It's a gut feeling."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Jake went running back over to Nick who was kneeling on the ground.

"What is it?" Jake asked.

Nick pointed at the object on the ground. Jake pulled his handkerchief out of his back pocket and picked up the object.

"Isn't that the compass you gave Kirk for Christmas last year?" Nick asked.

Jake turned the compass over, examining it. "There is the 'K' that I had engraved on it. He's been carrying this thing with him everywhere. He told me that way he would never get lost."

Ryan moved quietly so he could hear what Jake and Nick were saying to each other.

"You don't think he's lost, do you?"

Jake's eyes sparkled. "No, I think wherever Kirkland and Vicky are, they went involuntarily."

Ryan's eyes widened. They are missing. He swallowed hard. Grant.

"Let's go," Jake said and started walking toward the parking lot.

"Where are we going?"

"To the police station. We've got to have some help."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Tess looked around one side of the Cory parking garage as Matt looked around the other. She took her phone out of her pocket as it began to ring.

"We haven't found her," Tess said as she put the phone to her ear.

"Then you already know?" Ryan asked.

Tess's eyes opened wide in surprise. "He's already called you?"

"Who?"

"Who are you talking about?"

"Vicky and Kirkland. Who are you talking about?"

"Amanda."

"Where is Amanda?"

"That's the problem. No one can find her," Tess told him. "What's wrong with Vicky and Kirkland?"

"They're missing."

"I thought Brenner was keeping an eye on Kirkland today."

Matt walked over to Tess as she waited for Ryan's reply.

"He was. I found him unconscious. I don't know what they gave him, but he still hasn't woken up. While I was with Brenner, Jake and Nick came looking for Kirkland and Vicky."

"Did they see you?" Tess asked anxiously.

"Almost. But I overheard them saying that they can't find Vicky anywhere."

"What's my assignment?"

"Get over to the warehouse as soon as possible. We're going to be on this all night."

"Okay, got it. What about Cameron? Have you called him yet?"

"Hawk was going to call him."

"All right. I’m on my way, " she told him then hung up the phone.

"What's going on?"

Tess swallowed hard. "Vicky McKinnon and Kirkland are missing. They've disappeared without a trace."

"The FBI is on this already?"

Tess nodded. "I'm sorry, Matt, but I've got to go. You need to go be with your family. Maybe they've found Amanda by now."

Matt pulled Tess to him and their lips crushed together as they clung to one another. Tess pushed away first and walked swiftly to her car. As she backed out of her parking space, she gave Matt a slight wave, then squealed the tires of her car as she sped out of the garage.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

David's Townhouse

Cindy lay contentedly in the circle of David's arms. She couldn't remember a time when she felt so happy and so safe at the same time. She lightly trailed her fingertips across David's shoulder and asked, "What are you thinking?"

David smiled softly and replied, "I was just thinking that nobility is highly overrated. A little selfishness never killed anyone."

Cindy giggled and rolled so that she lay on top of his chest. "I can testify to that. Otherwise, I would have been a goner a long time ago."

David reached out to smooth his hand over Cindy's shining hair. His expression turned serious as he said, "I did promise you that I'd explain what has been going on with me."

Cindy looked at him thoughtfully, pulling her bottom lip into her mouth. "Yes, you did. But let me ask you something first. Is whatever you're going to tell me likely to change soon?"

David's brow furrowed slightly. "Not that I'm aware of, no."

"I see. And will this information in any way put a damper on my mood?"

David nodded as a smile started forming at the corners of his mouth. "Probably."

"Then let it wait. I hereby declare a ban on all deep discussions until tomorrow."

David laughed and squeezed Cindy affectionately. "Your wish is my command."

Cindy's eyes took on a wicked gleam. "Oooo, I like the sound of that."

David leaned up and gave Cindy a deep, sensuous kiss. "Do you realize how incredible you are?"

Cindy wagged her eyebrows and wiggled against him suggestively. "Right back at'cha, big guy."

"That's not what I meant…" When Cindy's brows flew up in outrage, David amended, "Well, yes, that too…"

"Are you blushing?" Cindy asked with a knowing grin.

"No!" David replied indignantly as the color suffused his cheeks. Then he gave out a laughing sigh. "Yes, but if you tell anyone, I'll…"

"You'll what?" Cindy asked with cheeky confidence.

"I'll… think of something. Anyway, what I was trying to say was that I think you are a remarkable woman."

When he didn’t elaborate, Cindy laid her hands flat on his chest and propped her chin on them. "Remarkable, huh? In what way?"

David smiled and raised a brow at her. "Fishing for compliments, are you?"

"You got it. Now spill," Cindy replied unrepentantly.

David looked up as if thinking hard. "Well, besides being the only woman on the planet capable of making me blush like a schoolboy, you are smart, beautiful, and definitely the most cunning woman I've ever met."

"'Cunning'? I'm not sure I like that one."

"Would you prefer devious?" David laughed as Cindy playfully slapped at him. "I meant that in a good way."

Cindy rolled her eyes indulgently at him, then asked, "If I'm so devious, then why do you put up with me?"

She said it jokingly, but David could sense that she really wanted a serious answer. "Because, you make me laugh. You've made me realize that there is more to life than business and making money. And because I feel more alive, right now, here with you, than I have in a very long time."

Cindy stared into David's eyes, seeing the sincerity there. "Good answer," she said softly, then moved forward to place her lips on his. Their kisses were long, slow and sensual, as they set about discovering each other all over again.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Cameron paced as Alli watched. His fears were being transferred to her. Her stomach had started churning as she watched him frantically searching for her mother. As each minute passed without word, Alli knew that something was desperately wrong.

"Hello, you two. What's going on in here?" Rachel asked as she walked into the living room. She immediately saw the worried frowns on their faces. "What's happened?"

"Mom was supposed to be home two hours ago, and she hasn't called. Cameron has been calling all over the place, but no one has seen her for hours."

"Cameron?" Rachel asked in concern.

"It's not like her not to call. Do you know any place that she might have gone?"

"No, I know she was taking the afternoon off. What are you thinking?"

Cameron shook his head. "I honestly don't know, but I know that I have the very same feeling that I had when she was missing before. It's not good."

"Maybe she decided to go shopping."

Cameron shook his head. "She's not answering her cell phone."

"Cameron….she wouldn't just disappear."

Cameron's cell phone began to ring and everyone jumped. He punched it on hoping that it would be Amanda's voice on the other end.

"Amanda!"

"Sorry to disappoint you, Mav. Look. We've got a situation here. Vicky and Kirkland are missing."

Cameron shook his head at everyone else in the room and their faces fell.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that someone knocked Brenner out and Vicky and Kirkland are nowhere to be seen," Michael told him.

"I've kinda got a crisis of my own right now. Can you handle this without me?"

"What's going on?"

"Amanda hasn't come home yet, and we're getting a little worried."

"You stay there. We've got it under control. You keep me posted, and we'll check in with you later."

Cameron ended the call and turned back toward Rachel and Alli.

"Have you talked to Joe?" Rachel asked.

"Talked to Joe? What's going on?" Carl asked as he walked into the room. "Are we having another dinner party?"

The smile on Carl's face faded when he saw the worry on the faces of the others in the room.

"Amanda hasn't come home," Rachel told him. "We're beginning to get worried."

"Cameron?" Carl asked.

"I don't know where she is."

"I'm calling Joe," Rachel told them and walked to the phone.

Cameron did not say a word as Rachel dialed the phone.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Tess had quickly changed into a royal blue shirt and black slacks before making her way to the warehouse. She was surprised when she walked into the warehouse. It had been transformed into a hub of activity. The main part of the warehouse that had once been empty was filled with computers and high tech equipment. The hum of conversation was heard throughout. Tess did not pay attention to the things going on as she walked swiftly toward the meeting room.

Michael and Ryan were sitting at the table. Michael was talking on the phone.

"How's Brenner?" Tess asked.

Ryan shook his head. "He's still unconscious. Whatever they gave him, it was powerful stuff. Have you heard from Maverick?"

"No, he's not in any shape to be here."

"Any leads on Amanda?"

"None so far. I don't know, Scout, she was really unhappy with all these secrets. Maybe she just left town," Tess said with a shrug.

"Do you really believe that?"

"I don't want to believe it for Cameron's sake."

"Maybe you should go over there."

Tess nodded. "What have we found out about Kirkland and Vicky?"

"Dead ends. Everything leads to a dead end."

"The longer it takes the easier it is for Grant to cover his tracks. What's our next move?"

Ryan shook his head. "We wait.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Jake and Nick rushed into the police station. Josie stood up and walked around her desk.

"Hold on. Where's the fire?" She asked, stopping them from barging into Joe's office.

"I want to see Carlino now!" Jake demanded and pushed past her.

Josie looked at he and Nick in curiosity as they swept past her. Jake did not bother knocking on Joe's door. He just pushed it open and walked inside.

"What's going on, Jake?"

"Vicky and Kirkland are missing."

"Missing? What do you mean?" Joe asked, leaning forward in his chair.

"Vanished. Disappeared. Nowhere to be found. Do I need to be any clearer?"

"Hold the phone, Jake. Have you called around?"

"Of course, I have. I wouldn't be here if I hadn't exhausted every lead. I need your help, and I need it now."

"Okay, Jake, tell me everything and start from the beginning."

"Marley called upset so I went to look for Vicky…."

"Upset? Are you sure that she hasn't gone off the deep end again?"

Jake looked at Joe in irritation. "We are past that, Joe. Let's get on with current events."

Joe sighed. "Go ahead. I'm listening."

Jake began again. "We've been everywhere. We've called everywhere. The only clue I have is this," Jake said holding out the compass.
"A compass?"

"It's Kirkland's. He always carries it with him."

"Where did you find it?"

"In Foster Park…."

"You'll have to take me there."

"Aren't you going to put out an APB, fliers, set off the warning sirens……" Jake demanded.

"I will put out the information on Kirkland. I have to wait twenty-four hours to put out anything on Vicky. But I will put out an APB on Vicky's van."

"Joe," Josie said from the doorway.

"There's a call for you on line one."

"I'm a little busy now, Josie. Can you take a message?"

"I think you need to take this one, Joe. It's Rachel, and she sounds upset."

Joe gave Jake an apologetic look and picked up the phone. "Rachel. What can I do for you?……Missing? Are you sure that she hasn't just not made it home yet?…..No, you've checked everywhere?…….Okay, you know we'll have to wait until tomorrow. I'll send Josie over, then I'll get there as soon as I can."

Joe hung up the phone and sighed. "Okay, busy night. Let's go."

The trio walked out into the squad room. Joe stopped at the corner of Josie's desk.

"Josie, I need you to go over to the Cory's. Amanda is missing."

"Missing?" Josie asked with wide eyes.

"Normally, I wouldn't send you since Amanda is family, but they need someone close to be with them right now. Put an APB out on her car, then you and Adams high tail it over there."

"Yes, sir."

"Amanda Cory is missing, too?" Jake asked. "What is it? A full moon?"

"Hopefully, she will turn up before the evening is over. Let's go, Jake."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Cory Mansion

Tess rang the doorbell and waited. She took a deep breath as the door swung open wide. Alli's face fell when she saw her.

"Hello, Alli."

"Hi," she replied flatly. "Come in. Uncle Matt is in the living room."

Tess smiled slightly and walked past her. She walked to the doorway and stood for a moment taking in the scene before her. The atmosphere was dark. Cameron was pacing. Matt was talking softly to Rachel. Carl was the only one who noticed her presence besides Alli. Alli walked to Carl, and he enfolded her in his arms.

Sensing her eyes on him, Matt looked up. "Tess."

"Hello, everyone. I came over to offer my help."

Rachel smiled at her. "Thank you, Tess. There's been no word."

Cameron stopped his pacing and looked at her. The expression on his face was a mask, but his eyes said everything. He needed her. Tess balled her hands into fists to keep from walking over to him. Carl was watching the entire exchange, making mental notes. Tess turned to Matt, and Cameron resumed his pacing.

"We called Joe, and he's put out an APB on Amanda's car."

"His hands are tied until the twenty-four hour waiting period is up?" Tess asked.

"Yes, the police haven't been here yet, but I'm expecting them any moment."

Tess put her arms around Matt. "I'm sorry. How's Cameron been?" she whispered in his ear.

"Not good. He's like a caged animal. He wants desperately to go looking for her, but he's afraid that he'll miss her call. He's almost to the breaking point."

"I could sense that in his eyes."

"It would probably do him good for you to talk to him."

Tess shook her head. "He and I can't talk here. No one would understand."

Matt stepped back from her, then walked to Cameron. "Why don't we go in the library, and we can go over Amanda's every move at Cory today?"

Cameron nodded absently. The three left to go to the library.

"Maybe Matt can calm him," Rachel observed after they had left the room.

"May be," Carl responded with a raised eyebrow.

Matt closed the door behind them when they reached the library. Tess walked to Cameron and put her arms around him. Cameron did nothing for a moment. He just stood there unmoving, then he slowly lifted his arms and hugged Tess in a smothering embrace. Tess gasped, but gave no other indication that he was causing her pain. He held on tight as if he could pull all of her strength into his body. Neither said a word as the tears ran down Cameron's face.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Foster Park

Joe called together the group of uniforms he'd radioed to meet him at the park. "Listen up! We are dealing with the disappearance of a child here. I want this entire area cordoned off until the forensics team has a chance to go over it with a fine-toothed comb. Block this section of the park road to traffic. I don’t want to take the chance of any evidence being lost or destroyed, got it? Now get moving."

As the officers set out to follow his orders, Joe turned to look at Jake. He was pacing furiously next to his car. He looked like he was about to blow. At Jake's request, Nick had gone over to Marley's house to be with the rest of the family while they waited for news. Joe walked over to Jake and said, "Don't worry, Jake. We'll find them."

Jake didn't look up. He stared at the ground and rocked back and forth, as if the nervous energy in his system wouldn't allow him to stand completely still. "I don't get this, Joe. Where are they? I've got this feeling that…"

Joe heard the fear in Jake's voice. He placed his hands on Jake's shoulders and gave him a hard shake. "Hey! Don't get ahead of yourself here. They've only been missing a few hours. The fact that you found that compass here is a big help. Once the forensics team arrives-"

"Don't sugarcoat this, Joe!" Jake demanded, his glittering eyes finally meeting Joe's gaze. "Vicky and Kirk were taken in broad daylight with no witnesses. Hundreds of people probably walked through here before and after that! No offense, but if your forensics team finds anything, it will be a miracle."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

First Street Warehouse

Ryan walked over to an agent sitting at a computer terminal. He placed a hand on the woman's shoulder and said, "I'm grateful that Kane could send you, Bennett. We couldn't ask for a more talented computer engineer."

Bennett smiled slightly, but didn’t look away from her terminal. Her fingers flew expertly over the keys as she laughingly replied, "Cut the crap, Scout. I know you wanted me because I'm not averse to cutting a few legal corners if it means getting information sooner rather than later."

Ryan laughed. "Well, there is that." His expression then turned serious. "What have you got?"

"The BCPD has an APB out on Vicky McKinnon's van. No hits yet. But there was something interesting in here. Did you know that Vicky was in a car accident this morning?"

Ryan frowned and leaned down to look over Bennett's shoulder at the screen. "No. I didn’t know that. What does the report say?"

"Some guy rear ended her, no big deal. But the weird thing is who the car that hit her is registered to." Bennett punched a few keys and pointed to something on the screen.

Ryan read the name and swore under his breath. "Randall Powers. He's the manager of that night club Logan opened here in Bay City."

Bennett nodded. "I thought you'd recognize the name. It's not a direct link, but it gives us something to tie Logan to the kidnapping."

Ryan patted her on the shoulder. "Great work. Keep digging and let me know if you turn up anything else." Ryan sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. He slowly walked over toward Michael.

As he arrived, Michael hung up his cell phone and looked up expectantly. "Did Bennett have anything?"

"Just more confirmation that Logan was most definitely involved in Vicky and Kirk disappearing. Logan made sure that Vicky would be late to the picnic. He arranged for her to be in a car accident on the way to the park. Have the medical techs been able to rouse Brenner?"

"Not yet. Until they can figure out what Logan's goons shot him up with, they're afraid to give him anything to try to wake him up. They're running a blood scan now to see if they can determine what drug was used. Have you heard from Maverick or Devlin since she left?"

Ryan shook his head. "I'm sure they'll call when Amanda turns up. Hopefully, it won’t be too long."

Michael's brow furrowed. "It's really odd that Amanda is missing too. Did Devlin say anything before she left?"

"She said that Amanda was having a hard time dealing with all the secrets Cameron told her. It may just be a case of Amanda needing some time alone and not thinking to tell anyone where she went."

"Maybe," Michael replied. "Let's just hope she turns up soon for Cameron's sake. We could use some good news right about now."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Cory Mansion

Josie rang the bell and waited. Almost immediately, Rachel pulled the door open. "Josie, thank you for coming."

Rachel stepped back and Josie walked into the house, closely followed by Adams. Josie turned to Rachel and asked, "How is everyone? I take it there's been no word from Amanda?"

Rachel shook her head. "Alli is becoming more upset by the minute and Cameron is practically frantic. I'm more than a little concerned myself, which is why I called Joe."

"I know it's hard to stay calm, but hopefully, this is a false alarm. We can’t do anything official until Amanda's been missing for twenty-four hours, but I can get all the information now, just in case she doesn’t turn up before then. Is everyone here?"

Rachel led the way into the living room. "Matthew, Cameron, and Tess went into the library. I'll go get them."

While Rachel headed down the hall, Josie waited in the living room with Adams. Alli was standing by the terrace doors, biting nervously on her thumbnail. Although she knew that she wasn't Alli's favorite person in the world, Josie's heart went out to her. She walked over and said, "Hi, Alli. Are you doing ok?"

Alli's face was blank, but her eyes were filled with worry and fear. She shrugged. "Sure. Why wouldn’t I be? It's just Mom's annual disappearing act. I should be used to it by now, right?"

"We're going to find your Mom, Alli. In fact, you can help me out with that. When did you last see or talk to her?"

"This morning at breakfast. Mom said she was leaving work early and that we could go shopping when I got home from school. I was expecting her to be here when I got home, but she wasn't. She didn’t even call to cancel. When I told Cameron, he got worried and started looking for her."

Josie's brow furrowed slightly. She tried to hide her concern from Alli. Josie had thought that Amanda might have needed a few hours away from her problems with Cameron, but Josie knew that it would take a lot for Amanda to leave Alli without word of where she was going. "Thanks, Alli. That helps."

Just then, Rachel returned to the room with Cameron, Matt and Tess close behind her. Josie walked over to meet them. After tension-filled greetings were exchanged, Josie asked, "Cameron, can you tell me what you know about Amanda's movements today?"

"The best I can figure, the receptionist at Dr. Shelton's office was the last person to see her. That was around 11:30 this morning. They weren't expecting her back at Cory after the appointment, so no one got concerned until she didn’t show for her shopping trip with Alli."

Cameron's face was a stone-like mask, but Josie could feel the tension coming off him in waves. "Ok. We'll talk to the receptionist and see if she can tell us anything else. There's not much we can do until tomorrow, but now we know where to start. Cameron, can I talk to you in the foyer?"

Cameron nodded and followed Josie out of the living room. Josie asked Adams to wait for her in the squad car. Once the officer had left, Josie turned to Cameron. "You're really worried, aren’t you?"

"This is bad, Josie. I can feel it in my gut. I just keep picturing her out there somewhere, hurt. I feel like she's calling out to me to help her, but I don’t have the first clue where to look. I don’t know what I'll do if anything has happened to her."

Josie glanced over Cameron's shoulder, then quietly asked, "Have you talked to anyone at the Bureau about this?"

"Yes, but there's nothing they can do until we get some sort of clue as to what happened to her. Dammit Josie, I feel so helpless!"

Josie placed a comforting hand on his forearm. "You're one of the least helpless people I know, Cameron. Amanda will turn up, and if she doesn’t, I know you'll find her… and so does she." Josie squeezed his arm, then turned and walked out of the house, leaving Cameron to pray that she was right.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

September 8, 2000
Early Morning
Private Airstrip - Tanquir

Vicky and Amanda braced themselves for the landing. Bruno had watched over them most of the flight keeping them from discussing much. Darkness cloaked their arrival.

Bruno stood in the doorway that separated them from the rest of the plane.

"Where are we?" Vicky asked.

"If you value your life, don't ask questions," Bruno replied in a sinister manner.

Vicky leaned back against the seat and frowned at Amanda. They could hear the sounds of the stairs being lowered, and people walking around in another part of the aircraft.

Marcus Chase carried a sleeping Kirkland off the plane and to the waiting car. They sped away into the darkness.

Two men walked past Bruno and began untying Amanda and Vicky. They wore plain black clothing and had guns strapped to their waists. Bruno watched over them as they pulled both women to their feet.

"Don't give them any trouble," Bruno warned shaking a finger at both of them. "Has the other car arrived?"

One of the men nodded.

"Good, then get them out of here," he ordered, then waved as they walked past saying, "Enjoy your vacation, ladies."

Vicky lunged at him, but her captor pulled her sharply. Amanda simply glared at Bruno on her way past. They walked across the airstrip to the waiting car. They shoved them inside and slammed the doors closed. The car took off before they were completely seated, throwing both women back against the seat.

"Where are we?" Amanda whispered.

"I have no idea. What's going to happen next?"

Amanda shook her head. "I don't want to know."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Ryan searched information from the FAA as Michael looked over his shoulder. Each of them knew that this was personal. It had gone beyond their professional realm long ago. They both looked at Tess in anticipation when she walked in the room. She slowly shook her head, indicating that she had no new information. Michael and Ryan's faces visibly saddened as they turned back to the data sheets, praying for a miracle.

I can't imagine, any greater fear
Than waking up, without you here….

~*~*~*~

Cameron stood alone on the terrace. The waiting was torture. He was helpless. All his FBI training and contacts were not doing him any good at this point in time. His mind was cruel as it played out scenarios of what might have happened to Amanda. Another part of him wondered if she had just had enough and left him. He did not want to think about that, but knew it was a possibility. He was inconsolable. He looked at the stars for answers and found none.

"I will find you, Amanda, and everything…..everything will be different…God, please, please let her be all right."

And though the sun, will still shine on,
My whole world, would all be gone,
But not for long….

If I had to run, if I had to crawl
If I had to swim a hundred rivers,
Just to climb a thousand walls…..

~*~*~*~

Jake sat on the couch, watching the phone, and willing it to ring. His eyes strayed to the picture on the mantle. Seeing Vicky there with the boys was almost more than he could take so he jerked his eyes away, but it didn't stop the pain. It didn't stop the fear.

Sean silently watched Jake from the stairs. He had not had the safety and the care like his Mom had given him until he came here. Jake was trying to be strong for everyone, especially Steven. Sean walked to Jake and knelt in front of him.

"They're going to be fine."

Jake nodded silently as he took Sean's hand. Sean stood and hugged him tightly and Jake's eyes sparkled with unshed tears.

Always know that I would find a way
To get to where you are.
There's no place that far…..

~*~*~*~

Amanda stared out the window into the inky blackness. She regretted the way she had acted toward Cameron the last few days. There was nothing that could make her stop loving him, not even the FBI. She looked at the stars in the sky, wishing and hoping….. knowing that Cameron would not stop until he found her.

It wouldn't matter why we're apart
Lonely minds or two stubborn hearts
Nothing short of God above
Could turn me away from your love
I need you that much….

Vicky stared out the other window, hoping for a sign of where they might be. Her mind never strayed from Kirkland's safety. It was all she could think about. Jake would find them. He would. The only thing that warmed her heart at this moment was the knowledge that Jake would never give up….never.

She saw the stricken look on Amanda's face. Vicky reached across the seat and gently squeezed Amanda's hand. She smiled slightly.

"They'll find us. They will."

If I had to run, if I had to crawl,
If I had to swim a hundred rivers
Just to climb a thousand walls.
Always know that I will find a way,
To get to where you are,
There's no place that far….
Baby, there's no place that far….

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Enrique Cabalas's House - Tanquir

Grant paced in the foyer. When the bell rang, he raced to the door and opened it. There stood Marcus Chase, holding a sleeping Kirkland in his arms. Grant could scarcely believe his own eyes. After all the months of planning and waiting, his son was only a few feet away from him.

Grant motioned to Chase to hand Kirk over to him. Kirk stirred slightly during the transfer but did not wake up. Grant quietly told Chase to stay there while he put Kirk in his room. Grant carried his son up the stairs and into the room he'd had specially designed for him. He laid Kirkland in the bed and covered him up. He stared at the sleeping boy and tears came to his eyes. "My son," he whispered lovingly. "Welcome to your new home."

Grant walked out into the hallway and shut the door quietly behind him. He knocked on the door across the hall and waited. When the nanny appeared, he told her that Kirkland was asleep and that he wanted to be notified the minute the boy woke up.

Grant descended the stairs with a triumphant smile. "Well done, Chase! I am a completely satisfied customer. Why don't you join me in the study for brandy and a cigar before you head back to the States?"

"You may not want to celebrate just yet, Mr. Harrison. We had some complications during the operation."

"Well, you obviously handled them, so why discuss it at all?"

"Because the complications are on the way here."

Grant narrowed his eyes and frowned. "What are you saying? Were you followed?"

"No. While we were in the midst of obtaining your son for you, we ended up being spotted. There were two witnesses. That's who is on the way."

"Why the hell did you bring them here?" Grant growled furiously.

"Because Mr. Logan told me to. As you know, I accepted this job from him, not you."

"Yes, I know," Grant replied with a snarl. "So Logan had you bring the witnesses here? Why would he do something like that?"

"I'm not sure. He only said that you would be uniquely qualified to deal with them."

"'Uniquely qualified'? … Who are they?"

Just then the doorbell rang again. Chase went over and opened the door. As the guards escorted their two charges into the room, Grant's eyes flew wide. "No… it's impossible… This has to be a nightmare," he muttered, completely stunned.

Vicky glared at him and said something that was unintelligible due to the gag in her mouth. Amanda just shook her head in disgust.

"What do you want us to do with them?" Chase asked conversationally. He was struggling to hide his satisfaction over Grant's discomfiture. After all the trouble the man had put him through, Chase was enjoying every minute of it.

Grant was squeezing his temples with his fingers. "Take them down to the wine cellar. There aren't any windows and no one will be able to hear them down there."

As the guards ushered their prisoners toward the basement stairs, Grant muttered, "I'll get you for this Logan. This time you took your habit of playing practical jokes way too far."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Cory Mansion

Cameron had dozed off on the couch in the library. There had been no word for hours. Matt shook him awake.

"Cameron," Matt said as he pushed at him.

Cameron sat straight up and looked at Matt hopefully, "Did she call?" he asked.

Matt sighed. "No, I'm sorry. They found her car, Cameron."

Cameron closed his eyes, steeling himself for the worst. "Where is she?"

Matt shook his head. "We still don't know. Her car was found at the airport in Oakdale."

"Oakdale?"

"Yeah, Joe said a Detective Jack Snyder called with the information. Snyder is looking into the flight manifests. Oakdale is a little under an hour away. I'll drive."

Cameron nodded. "Let's go."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Oakdale Police Department

Cameron and Matt walked into the squad room. As they looked around, a man approached.

"Can I help you?" He inquired.

"Cameron Sinclair. I'm looking for Detective Snyder. He called and said that you had found my wife's car."

"I'm Hal Munson, " he told them and pointed toward a room off to the side. "Jack and I have both been working on the case. He's working in there. Follow me."

The three men walked into the room as Jack looked up from his paperwork.

"Jack, this is Cameron Sinclair and…..I'm sorry I didn't catch your name."

"Matt Cory, Amanda's brother."

"Okay, Jack tell them what you've got while I go get the file from Forensics," Hal directed as he left the three of them alone.

Jack stood and walked to Cameron holding out his hand in greeting. He narrowed his eyes at him for a moment.

Cameron nodded at him. "It's okay. He knows."

Jack nodded. "It's good to see you again, Mav. It's been a long time."

"You know him?" Matt asked looking back and forth between the two men.

"Detective Snyder used to be a Fed, too."

"I didn't realize that this was your wife."

Cameron nodded. "I'm hoping to get a lead off Amanda's car. We're lucky that you found it so fast."

"Luck had everything to do with it, believe me. A couple of our local juvenile delinquents were caught trying to break into it. When we ran the tags to locate the owner, the APB came up on the computer."

"Tell me what you know," Cameron said.

Jack walked back around the table and shuffled through his papers. "What we know is that Amanda's name does not appear on any of the lists of passengers. We've shown her picture to gate workers, but no one remembers her. This is a small airport so we're only dealing with a few employees. We found the keys to the car tucked underneath the seat. We dusted the car for prints, hopefully there's something in the report. That's what Hal has gone to get."

Hal walked back into the room with a folder in his hands. He shut the door behind him. "Here is the report. Take a look," he said, shoving it at Jack.

Jack thumbed through the papers, then shook his head. "They wiped the car clean. There is nothing."

"Nothing?" Cameron questioned. "My wife didn't just disappear without a trace. Someone has to know where she is."

"There is definitely foul play involved," Jack told him. "As sketchy as the evidence is so far, I can tell that we're dealing with professionals here."

"Why would anyone abduct her?" Matt asked.

"Nothing makes sense. Guthrie is dead. Stark is gone….unless….." Cameron mused as a theory began to form. His entire body filled with rage as he turned to Matt. "Take me to Halliday."

Author's Note: The song lyrics quoted are from the song "No Place that Far" sung by Sara Evans with help from Vince Gill. The song can be found on her CD, "No Place That Far".

(click here to continue on to chapter twenty-six)