Tangled Web

By Sarah & Lanie

Chapter 27

Enrique Cabalas's House - The Wine Cellar

Vicky sat on an old sofa rubbing at the tension in her back. Amanda was pacing restlessly, looking about the room for a means of escape or something to use as a weapon. She didn't know why she was bothering. The guards had scanned the room when they'd brought them down there and had removed anything useful. Amanda's eyes suddenly caught on the wine bottles in the rack. She walked over and picked one up to test the weight. Amanda turned to Vicky. "I have an idea. I'll hide behind the door with this. You can call out for help, and when the guard comes in, I'll crack him on the head."

Vicky considered it for a moment, then shook her head. "It's a good idea, except that Grant probably has more than one guy out there, and they have guns. Besides that, he has Kirkland. I'm not leaving here without my son."

Amanda put the bottle back and went to sit next to Vicky on the sofa. "Even after seeing him with my own eyes, it's hard to believe that Grant is actually alive."

"Tell me about it," Vicky scoffed as she shook her head. "I'm starting to think that he's impossible to kill."

"He certainly does seem to have nine lives," Amanda replied. She paused for a minute, then laughed humorlessly. "Would you look at the two of us? Debating Grant's immortality or lack thereof. He's human. He makes mistakes. And he can't actually believe that he can keep us locked in this wine cellar forever."

Vicky looked over at her with a grave expression on her face. "We'd better pray that he does believe it. I don't want to even think about what Grant will do if he decides that we're a threat."

Amanda's eyes widened at the implication. "Do you honestly think that Grant would hurt us?"

Vicky met Amanda's shocked gaze and nodded with sincere belief. "There's not much of anything that Grant wouldn't do to keep Kirkland. He shot himself and tried to frame me for it." Vicky stared down at the floor in remembered pain as she continued, "He shot and killed his own brother because he thought it was the only way to keep Kirkland safe from Justine. Now, he's faked his own death so he could get away with stealing my son." Vicky looked back into Amanda's eyes. "He's truly evil, Amanda. His only redeeming quality is his love for Kirkland. Even Grant knows that, which is why I think he's willing to do whatever is necessary to keep him."

Amanda and Vicky sat staring at each other in silence for several tense minutes. The full weight of their situation settled in on Amanda. Vicky's calm but intense explanation convinced Amanda that they were in a much more precarious position than she'd realized. "That's all the more reason that we need to find a way out of here fast. We can't just sit around and wait for a rescue that might not come in time. Being locked up in a basement has become a habit for both of us. If anyone could figure a way out of this, we should be able to."

Vicky nodded. "You're right. We need a plan. But we need to be careful. We're only going to have one shot at it. If we don't get away on the first try, Grant will have his goons tie us up again or worse."

Amanda looked around the room. "Do you have any ideas?"

Before Vicky could reply, they heard the key turning in the door lock. Both women stood up to face whatever was coming. When the door swung open, Grant strolled in with a malicious grin on his face and folded his arms across his chest. "So, tell me ladies, what am I to do with the two of you?"

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

First Street Warehouse

Tess, Ryan, and Michael all looked up expectantly when the door to the warehouse opened. As Cameron came rushing over to them, Tess said, "What have you got?"

"I just came from speaking with Joe Carlino. They found Amanda's cell phone in Foster Park in the same place that Vicky and Kirkland were taken. Joe thinks, and I agree, that all three of them were kidnapped by the same people."

Ryan ran a hand through his hair. "So Grant took Amanda, too. He certainly was busy yesterday."

Michael nodded. "Amanda disappearing on the same day as Vicky and Kirk struck me as strange, but who would have imagined that Grant would kidnap Amanda?"

"I doubt that he intended to take Amanda. She must have just come along at the wrong time and saw too much for them to leave her behind," Tess speculated.

Cameron nodded. "That's what appears to have happened. Amanda's cell phone had the digits 9-1-1 entered into it. They must have gotten it away from her before she had a chance to make the call."

"Did Joe have any more leads? Have they checked Amanda's phone for fingerprints?" Michael asked.

"Hey, Scout! You guys might want to take a look at this," Bennett called from her position behind her terminal.

The group crossed the few feet to where Bennett was sitting. "I couldn't help overhearing what you were talking about. I've accessed the BCPD computer system. They did run prints and fibers on Amanda's cell phone. No fibers and the only prints they found were Amanda's."

Ryan looked over Bennett's shoulder at the display of the forensics report. "Do they have anything we can use?"

Bennett shook her head. "Nothing solid yet. They took some tire impressions from the ground next to the park road. The forensics team determined there was a van and two sedans at the scene. No positive id on the makes or models yet."

Cameron started pacing in frustration. "We should have an FBI forensics team working on this. The BCPD is good, but they don't have access to the same resources as the Bureau. If we keep having to examine the evidence second hand, we'll never get anywhere."

Tess went over to him and put a hand on his shoulder. "You know the drill, Mav. The FBI can't step in until there's proof that they were taken over state lines. At this point, we don't even have solid proof of a kidnapping, let alone where they were taken. We all know what happened, but right now, Amanda, Vicky and Kirkland are listed as missing persons, nothing more."

Cameron whirled to face her. "That's my point! We all know what happened, but Joe doesn't have the first clue that Grant is involved. What if they miss something that Joe would pick up on if he knew that Grant was alive? This case is too important to play by the damned rules!"

Michael stepped forward. "Maverick is right." When all three of his partners slowly turned and looked at him in surprise, Michael continued, "I know what you're all thinking. I'm usually the one trying to keep you in line, but this time, I agree with you. We can't follow the regulations on this case. It's a waste of time that we don't have."

Ryan closely examined Michael's expression. "What are you suggesting?"

"Well, I'm not suggesting that we do something rash, if that's what you're thinking. I think we should approach Kane about letting the BCPD in on our investigation into Grant's 'death'."

"You've got to be kidding!" Cameron exclaimed. "He'll never agree to that and you know it!"

"I think he will," Michael replied, "if we assure him that we're only going to tell Joe and Josie about it. They will be able to get us access to the information and evidence we need. Plus, they are both completely trustworthy regarding our secret. Neither one of them would do anything to put our lives at risk."

Ryan looked slightly skeptical. "We all know that, but Kane doesn't."

"That's why you and I are going to take a trip to DC and convince him."

"Wait a minute," Cameron interjected. "Why are the two of you going? I'm involved in this too. Give me five minutes with Kane and he'll see our point of view."

Michael shot a cautionary look at Cameron. "That's precisely why you're not going. Kane isn't going to respond to intimidation, Mav. We need to reason with him. And besides, you know what his primary argument will be against us involving Joe and Josie in this. Scout and I are the ones who need to convince him that this is the right choice."

Cameron took a deep breath and nodded. He knew that Hawk was right. It was just so frustrating for him to sit around doing nothing. Cameron was itching to take some sort of action to help find Amanda.

Michael looked around the group and asked, "So, we're agreed?" At the assurance that they were all on the same page, Michael said, "Ok, Scout and I will catch the next transport out to meet Kane. You two will stay here and keep an eye on things. Maverick, I'm telling you straight out, don't do anything foolish. I want you to sit tight until we get back. Devlin, I'm holding you responsible for keeping him in line. Are we clear?"

"I'll wait for you," Cameron swore earnestly. "But hurry. We don't know how much time we have before Grant makes his next move."

Michael placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I know you're worried. So am I. I don't like the idea of Grant having Vicky and Kirkland any more than you can stand the thought of him holding Amanda. This involves my family, too. Don't think that I would ever do anything I didn't think was in their best interests. I believe that it's worth the extra time to get Kane's blessing. With him on our side, we'll have access to more resources. Just hang in there. We'll be back as soon as possible." Michael looked over at Ryan. "Let's go. The sooner we get there, the sooner we're back."

Michael headed for the back office to arrange transport for himself and Ryan. Ryan looked at Tess and Cameron. "If you two hear anything, call us."

Tess took Ryan's hand and squeezed it supportively. "Don't worry. We'll take care of everything here. You just focus on getting Kane on our side."

Ryan nodded. "We'll be back as soon as we can, hopefully with good news." Ryan turned and followed Michael's path toward the office.

Tess turned her gaze to Cameron. The tension was radiating off him in waves. "Do you honestly think Kane will agree to help us?" he asked in a low voice.

Tess rubbed her hand down his arm in a comforting gesture and replied, "I don't know. He's so focused on nailing Logan... I'm not sure if he'll listen to reason or not. But if anyone can convince him, Scout and Hawk can."

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

Enrique Cabalas's House - The Wine Cellar

Grant stood there smirking, confident he was in no danger with the two hulking guards behind him. Their weapons weren't drawn, but both of them stood ready with their hands on the butts of their pistols. Vicky and Amanda both struggled to not tell Grant where they thought he should go. Vicky moved forward a step and asked, "How is Kirkland? I hope your goons didn't scare him to death."

"Absolutely not," Grant replied with a condescending smile. "They were quite good with him. You'll be relieved to hear that my son and I enjoyed a happy, stress-free reunion."

Vicky swallowed around the loathing and fury that were threatening to choke her. She hated having to ask Grant for anything. "Please, Grant, let me see him."

Grant cocked his head as if considering her request then shook his head. "No. I don't think that's a good idea. It will only confuse him."

"But... He probably thinks I'm worried about him. Let me tell him that I-"

"That won't be necessary," Grant interrupted. "I've told Kirkland that you happily agreed to let him spend time with me. He has no reason to think you're worried about him."

"You have to let me talk to him eventually, Grant. He'll never believe I'd let him stay with you permanently."

"Oh, he will once you tell him so yourself. After I've made the necessary arrangements, I'll let you speak to Kirkland, on the phone of course so he doesn't get confused. You will tell him that you've decided to let him live with me because you know that is what's best for him."

Vicky was rapidly losing control of her temper. "Never! I will never tell Kirk that I'm giving him up! What sort of delusion are you living in to believe I'd go along with that?" Amanda stepped forward, placing a restraining hand on Vicky's shoulder. She'd noticed the guards' reaction to Vicky's increased aggression toward Grant. Amanda wanted to make sure that Vicky didn't forget herself enough to charge Grant and get hurt in the process.

Grant noticed Amanda's protective gesture and cocked up a superior brow at her. "Are you trying to protect me, Amanda? I didn't know that you cared."

"I don't care about you, Grant. As far as I'm concerned, Vicky has every right to scratch your eyes right out of your head. I'm just making sure your trigger-happy thugs don't decide to use a pregnant woman for target practice."

Grant's eyes narrowed, but his condescending grin remained firmly in place. "Such passion is unexpected from you, Amanda. If you had acted that way when we were married, I wouldn't have needed to turn elsewhere for satisfaction."

Amanda took a deep breath. Although she had remained faithful to Grant while they were married, she knew that he believed she'd had an affair with Evan Frame. Unable to resist the opportunity, Amanda shot back, "You weren't the only one who had to look outside our marriage for satisfaction, Grant."

Grant gave her a nod and grinned wryly. "Touché." Then he turned his gaze back to Vicky. "As to why I think you'll agree to my terms, it's quite simple. If you do what I say, I'll give you both your freedom. Once you've made the call as I've instructed, and Kirkland and I are safely away from here in our new home, I'll have the guards release you and arrange for your safe return to the States. You will both be back with your families, and this will all just be a bad memory."

"You can't ask her to make a choice like that, Grant!" Amanda challenged, aghast at the suggestion. "You can't make her chose between Kirk and her freedom."

"There's not really a choice to be made, is there? I will have Kirkland either way. But if Victoria cooperates, Kirkland will live a happy stress-free life knowing that he has his mother's approval. My way is the best way for everyone. I'm sure you will both understand that once you've had a chance to let this all sink in. But fair warning, you don't have forever to agree to my terms. Once I've arranged for a new home for Kirkland and myself, the deal is off the table. Consider your options carefully, ladies. I'll check back with you soon." Grant walked out the door with his hands clasped behind his back, whistling "Happy Days Are Here Again".

When Vicky heard the key turn in the lock, her knees buckled. Luckily Amanda was still holding on to her and prevented her from collapsing to the floor. Amanda helped Vicky over to the couch, and they both sat down on it. Vicky turned tear-filled eyes in Amanda's direction. "How... how can he ask me to do that? I can't... I just can't..."

Amanda felt her chest tighten at the look of abject desolation on Vicky's face. "You won't have to. We'll find another way out of here." Amanda scanned the room again with her eyes. "Somehow..." Amanda closed her eyes briefly and sent up a prayer. Please, God. Let Cameron figure out where we are. Send him the help he needs to find us... before it's too late.

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

Outside Enrique Cabalas's House
9:00 PM Tanquir Time

Cindy pulled her rental car up near the gates of the estate. She parked the vehicle and took a deep breath to shore up her courage. She grabbed her backpack-style black leather purse off the passenger seat and got out of the car. She headed away from the main gate and down toward the corner of the massive granite wall.

The day she'd gone with Enrique's wife to the spa, the other woman had confided some information to her that Cindy was now putting to good use. Mrs. Cabalas had said that after their home had been burglarized a few years back, her husband had installed a high tech security system along the fence. There was an invisible electromagnetic field across the top of the wall. Anyone who managed to climb the sheer granite face would find himself stunned by a jolt when they reached the top. Contact with the field would also trigger an alarm that would bring a security guard running to apprehend the intended invader. The wall surrounded the house on three sides. The fourth side was open, but just as impassable. The terrace on the house abutted a sheer, two hundred-foot cliff leading directly down to the rock-strewn beach below.

However, there was a way around the security system. Giggling like a schoolgirl, Mrs. Cabalas had shown Cindy a hidden door in the side wall of the barrier. She'd said that she'd bribed the man who put the fence in to add the secret entrance. She claimed it was to allow her lover access to the garden so they could meet secretly in the gazebo within the hedge-maze next to the house.

Cindy rounded the corner and felt along the bottom of the wall for the trigger mechanism that opened the secret door. Her fingers finally found the switch. Cindy took a quick glance around her, then pushed the button.

A small section of the wall swung open next to her. Cindy crouched down and scooted through the small opening. She pulled the door closed behind herself and breathed a sigh of relief. Cindy quickly wiped her damp palms against the fabric of her black pants suit. She'd carefully chosen the outfit she was wearing. She decided on black for the obvious reason, but she also went with a slightly sexy outfit. Just in case she got caught, she hoped that she'd be able to talk her way out of trouble. Cindy glanced down at the v-neck of her jacket and slid the zipper down another inch. Every little bit helps, she thought. I just hope that if someone spots me, it isn't Grant. He'll know I'm up to something if he sees me wearing sensible shoes.

Cindy quickly wended through the labyrinth of hedgerows. When she came to the opening near the terrace, she carefully stuck her head out and looked around. Spotting no one, Cindy crouched down and quickly made her way onto the terrace. Her heart pounded loudly in her chest as she slipped toward a set of French doors. There was no light coming from the room. Cindy took a deep breath and prayed that there wasn't an alarm attached to the door. She pushed down on the handle and slipped inside the house.

Cindy closed the terrace door and stood motionless. She listened for the sounds of running feet, but heard nothing. After a few moments, she decided it was safe to move away from the door.

Cindy crossed the dark room to the desk. She reached into her backpack and retrieved a penlight and her lock-picking kit. This was the first time she'd needed them since her brief stint as "The Silver Rose Thief". Cindy tried the desk drawers until she found one that was locked. Anything useful would be in a locked drawer. Cindy put the holding pin into the bottom of the lock and used the pick to trip the tumblers. After a few seconds, a soft click signaled her success. Cindy grinned and threw the lock picking tools back into her bag.

Using the penlight, Cindy rifled through the contents of the drawer. She was about to throw up her hands in frustration at the scads of useless legal documents when her eye caught on a folder labeled, "Kirkland". Cindy swallowed a triumphant laugh and pulled the folder out to lay it on the desktop. Inside, she found a log of phone calls Grant had made to Emmanuel Logan. Cindy swallowed a lump of fear when she read that all too familiar name. She shook off the wave of panic and continued flipping through the folder. There was information on a professional kidnapper named Marcus Chase, several reports tracing the movements of Kirkland, Vicky, and the remainder of the combined McKinnon-Hudson family. A note about Kirkland's class picnic in Foster Park was circled in red. In the margin, someone had written "Scavenger hunt planned - Perfect opportunity - Delay V.M. until at least noon"

Cindy was about to close the folder and run with it when she noticed the corner of a picture sticking out. Cindy picked up the photo and stared at the image of Grant holding up a copy of the Monday sports section of the Herald. Cindy glared down at the photo. "I've got you, you son of a-"

"Dad? Are you in here?" Cindy's eyes shot to the opening door. Kirkland walked in and switched on the lights, temporarily blinding her.

Kirkland saw Cindy and made a face like he smelled something bad. "What are you doing here?"

Cindy's eyes had finally adjusted to the bright lights. She mentally swore a blue streak and tried to smile charmingly at the little brat. "Kirkland! It's nice to see you. Are you enjoying your visit with your Dad?"

"Why were you sitting here in the dark?" Kirk asked.

Cindy slowly slid the folder off the desk. "I'm trying to surprise your Dad." Cindy hid her hands under the desk as she worked to blindly shove the folder into her backpack. "I think he'll be happy to see me, but I really wanted to surprise him, so don't say anything until I can see him myself, ok?"

Kirkland scowled. "You're a big liar! I'm not going to do anything you say!" Kirkland ran back to the door and shouted, "Dad! Dad! The witch is here!"

Cindy silently cursed the ungrateful brat and bolted out the terrace door. She held the backpack in front of her like a football and raced toward the opening of the hedge maze. She was a step away from entering it when a warning shot whizzed over her head. "Don't move!" the guard shouted at her from the terrace.

Cindy stood still. She could hear the guard crossing the terrace toward the steps. Hoping that the dark, moonless night would conceal her actions, Cindy dropped the incriminating backpack just inside the corner of the hedge maze. Then, she held her hands up and slowly turned around. She started walking toward the guard with her hands raised. When she was close enough that he could see her face, Cindy gave him a come-hither smile. "You don't have to get so violent, handsome. I wasn't planning on going anywhere."

The guard scoffed, "Yeah, right. That's why you were running like the hounds of hell were nipping at your heels." The guard motioned for Cindy to precede him up the terrace steps. "Let's go."

Cindy took a deep breath and walked up the stairs. When she entered the study through the terrace doors, Kirkland was gone. The lone occupant of the room was a very irritated and angry Grant.

Cindy stared at Grant with wide eyes. She'd known he was alive, but she hadn't truly been prepared to see him face to face. Swallowing her fear, Cindy plastered a wide smile on her lips and ran over to him. She threw her arms around him and buried her face in his shoulder so he wouldn't see her fear. "Oh my God! Grant! You're alive! It's a miracle!"

Grant grabbed her shoulders and shoved her away from him. "Get control of yourself, Cynthia! Really..." Grant turned his eyes to the guard. "Wait outside. I need to have a little chat with my ex-wife in private." The guard nodded and exited the terrace doors, taking a position just outside of them.

Grant grabbed Cindy's arm in a painful grip. "What are you doing here, Cynthia? How the hell did you get in here?"

Cindy winced and yanked at her arm. "Gees, Grant, cut the rough stuff, will ya?" When Grant released her arm, Cindy rubbed the bruised flesh with her hand. "Isn't it obvious why I'm here? I came to see you of course. Once I heard that Kirkland was missing, I knew that I hadn't imagined seeing you here that night of the party. I had to come, Grant. I needed to be with you."

"Right," Grant replied sarcastically. "You wanted to see me so much that you took great pains to sneak in here secretly and ran for the door the minute you were caught."

"Well... I know how protective you are of Kirkland. I was afraid you'd be angry with me for scaring him."

"You haven't answered my other question, Cynthia. How did you get in here?"

"A girl has to have her secrets, doesn't she?" Grant appeared impervious to her flirtation, so Cindy said, "Look, I had some help getting inside, alright? But I don't want to get anyone in trouble, so I'm not going to tell you who helped me." Cindy fought down a wave of panic and gave Grant a seductive look. She closed the small distance between them and slowly ran her hands up his chest. "Come on, Grant. Enough of the interrogation. Why don't you and I go celebrate our reunion as only we can?"

A slow, charming smile spread across Grant's lips. His arms closed around Cindy, and he started caressing her back. Cindy stared into his eyes and waited. She waited for the inevitable moment when her desire for Grant would obliterate her ability to think.

Grant leaned down and nibbled at Cindy's lips. Then he started kissing her neck. "It has been a long time for us, hasn't it?" he whispered close to her ear.

Cindy was so shocked that she didn't respond at first. The old attraction was still there, but it was different this time. She didn't feel the same undeniable pull that had always been there before. The strongest feeling inside her was the wish that it was David holding her instead of Grant. Recalling that he'd asked her a question, Cindy swallowed hard and replied, "Yes, it's been way too long."

Grant pulled back to look into Cindy's eyes. He stared at her with a hooded gaze for several moments. "I know what you want... and I know exactly what I'm going to do with you..."

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

Enrique Cabalas's House - The Wine Cellar

Vicky was eating the last of her dinner salad. Amanda had already finished and was once again searching the room for some means of escape. Vicky put her plastic fork down and looked over at Amanda. "You should sit down for awhile. You're going to wear yourself out with all that pacing."

Amanda sighed and walked over to sit next to Vicky on the couch. "I know it's not doing any good, but I feel better when I'm moving."

Vicky rubbed a hand over her swelling stomach. "When you're as far along as I am, you'll be more inclined to sit, believe me. By the way, do you know your due date?"

Amanda smiled slightly. "It's too early to pin down an exact date. I'm guessing it will be at the end of March or the beginning of April."

"Have you and Cameron talked about names yet?" Vicky asked. Her smile turned bittersweet as she continued, "Jake and I haven't decided on names for the twins yet."

Amanda shook her head. "Cameron and I were... distant... when this happened. I can't tell you how much I regret that right now. I'd give anything to take back all the angry words and just tell him how much I love him."

Vicky got a far away look in her eyes. She couldn't help but think about the argument she and Ryan had had just before Grant shot him. "I know exactly what you mean."

Amanda and Vicky looked at each other. Both women had tears in their eyes. Suddenly, they both started laughing. Amanda wiped at her eyes and said, "Well check out the two veteran kidnapping victims getting all weepy-eyed!"

Vicky was laughing through her tears as well. "I think the hormones are taking control."

Amanda reached out and clasped Vicky's hand in hers. "We've got to try to keep our heads together."

Vicky nodded in agreement. "Hopefully, Jake and Cameron will find us soon, but we can't count on it. We need to try and get out of here on our own."

"Well, let's look at it this way," Amanda commented. "It's all downhill from here. Things can't possibly get any worse."

As Amanda said that, both women heard a ruckus in the hallway outside the door. They heard some muffled yelling before the key turned in the lock and the door was opened. Suddenly, the screaming voice was completely clear... and familiar.

A guard was pushing Cindy into the room while she screamed over his shoulder at a departing Grant. "Grant! Come, on! You don't need to lock me up! I thought we had an understanding! Grant!"

The guard finally succeeded in pushing Cindy far enough into the room that he could slam the door shut. She ran over and immediately started banging on it. "Let me out of here, Grant! Let me out!"

Vicky turned a humorless smile toward Amanda. "What was that you were saying about things not possibly getting any worse?"

"I was wrong," Amanda replied.

Cindy had stopped banging on the door the second she'd heard Vicky's voice. Unable to believe her own ears, she slowly turned around. Vicky and Amanda were both glaring at her. Cindy stared at them slack-jawed for a minute. Then she muttered, "I'm dead and this is hell. Sartre was right - Hell is other people and this is my own version of it. I'm sure Jake and Donna are around here somewhere too."

"I'm afraid that you're very much alive, Cindy," Vicky said. "And for the moment, you'll stay that way... unless I decide to kill you myself."

Cindy collapsed back against the door. She just shook her head in shock. Then her eyes caught on the rows of wine bottles. Cindy pushed herself away from the door and grabbed the bottle closest to her. She looked around and spotted a professional wine bottle opener bolted to a table. Amanda and Vicky stared in disbelief as Cindy uncorked the bottle and drank directly from it.

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

September 9, 1999
Washington D.C.
8:00 AM

Kane walked down the hall toward his office with his briefcase in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other. When he entered the reception area, he wasn't surprised to see Scout and Hawk waiting for him. He was certain that he knew what was coming.

Michael and Ryan shot to their feet anxiously the minute they saw Kane. Michael stepped forward and asked, "Can we have a few minutes of your time? We have something urgent to discuss with you."

Kane nodded. "I was told that you both flew in last night. Unfortunately, I had meetings at the Pentagon all evening. I'm sorry that you had to wait, but without notice..."

"We realize that you have a lot going on, but we were in such a rush to talk to you that we didn't check your schedule before flying out last night," Ryan explained.

"I see," Kane replied noncommittally. "Come into the office so we can discuss it."

Michael and Ryan followed Kane into his office. Kane held out his hand in the direction of the chairs in front of his desk and said, "I wish the circumstances were better, but it's good to see you both. Please sit down."

Michael and Ryan sat down as directed, then Michael said, "I think you know why we're here."

"Yes. You're here about the multiple kidnapping. Have you found any evidence to tie Logan to the case?"

Ryan and Michael exchanged a glance. That question was not a good sign. Ryan replied, "No more than what we've reported already. He's done an excellent job of covering his tracks."

"That's why we want to take a more aggressive position," Michael asserted. "We need to take charge of the investigation, at least on an unofficial basis. We came here to get your agreement to let certain members of the BCPD in on our investigation."

"Joe Carlino and Josie Sinclair, right? I'm aware of the personal relationships you have with them. When I heard that you were coming, I assumed that you would be asking about this. I've thought it over, and I'm afraid I have to refuse."

Ryan shot out of his chair. "Why? We need their help and they need ours! We can't continue this investigation the way we have been!"

Michael placed a restraining hand on Ryan's arm. Ryan looked down at him and slowly returned to his seat. Michael turned his eyes back to Kane. "This has become personal for all of us, but understand that we wouldn't suggest this if we hadn't considered all of the ramifications. Neither Joe nor Josie would endanger our cover, and we need direct access to the evidence they've collected. You know that the Bureau has resources the local police don't. We need to find Vicky, Kirkland, and Amanda as soon as possible, and cooperation is the best way to do that."

"I understand your point, but it's too big of a risk. One false move and Logan could discover that you are both alive. Our best weapon against him is surprise. If he finds out that you two are working on this case, we not only lose that advantage, we could also lose the two of you. That's a chance that I'm not willing to take, even if the both of you are. I'm more objective than either of you can possibly be at this point. The fewer people that know the truth about you, the better."

Ryan leaned forward and stared at Kane with blazing intensity. "Don't you get it? If we can find Vicky, Kirk, and Amanda, we'll find Grant. Grant can give us Logan on a silver platter!"

"I am well aware of that," Kane replied calmly. "But I don't think it's necessary for us to step in yet, especially not the two of you. Grant may be dangerous, but he's no mastermind. He'll slip up eventually, and you two know him well enough to catch him the moment he does. We need to take the conservative route here, gentlemen. If things continue the way they are, we can revisit your proposal. At this point, they have been missing less than forty-eight hours. Let's give this a few days and see what turns up."

Michael tried one more time. "Kane, I don't think we can afford the time-"

"This conversation is over," Kane interrupted with steely finality. "I expect both of you to follow my orders and to make sure that Maverick does the same. We have all worked too long and too hard trying to bring down Emmanuel Logan. I'm not going to allow the personal lives of my agents to endanger this case or their safety. Goodbye, gentlemen. I'll expect a progress report as soon as you have any new developments."

Ryan and Michael exchanged a glance, then stood up and left the office. They crossed the parking lot toward their car without looking at each other or saying a single word. As Michael drove them back to the airstrip, Ryan asked, "What are we going to do now?"

Michael stared straight out the windshield as he answered, "Kane didn't give us much of a choice, did he?"

Ryan shook his head. "I hate having to do it this way."

"I hate it too, but if Kane won't support us, we still need to do what we know is right."

Michael pulled the car to a stop and parked it. He turned to meet Ryan's eyes for the first time since they'd left the office. "We're going rogue."

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

Cory Mansion
11:00 AM

Cameron rushed down the stairs in the foyer with his brow furrowed in worry. He jingled his car keys in his hand as he walked quickly to the door.

"Where are you off to?"

Cameron turned around impatiently and shot a look at Carl.

"I'm on my way out."

"That's perfectly clear, Cameron, but where are you going? I thought that you would want to stay close to the house to hear word about Amanda."

Cameron took a deep breath trying to control his temper. "I cannot sit on my hands in this house and do nothing. Is that what you expect me to do?"

"Certainly not, but young Alli is very worried. She needs you right now."

Cameron nodded. "Alli is at school. I will be here when she gets home."

"Yes, but what if she needs you during the day?"

"She has my cell phone number. Why the interrogation, Hutchins?" Cameron asked unable to hide his irritation.

Carl raised his eyebrows at Cameron. "Secrets have a way of coming out."

Cameron shook his head. "I don't have time for your riddles or your insinuations. My wife is missing.....I've wasted enough time," Cameron told him and rushed out the door.

Carl stood silently in the foyer with his hands clasped behind his back. "It's not nice to keep secrets, Cameron. It's not nice at all."

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

First Street Warehouse
12:00 PM

Ryan and Michael entered the warehouse. They had called ahead to tell Tess and Cameron they were on the way, so both of their teammates were waiting for them. Michael gestured for them to follow him as he walked past. "Come into the office. We need to speak privately."

All four of them entered the office and closed the door. Michael turned his attention to Cameron and Tess. "Kane denied our request. He wants us to stay out of the BCPD investigation into the kidnapping."

Cameron slammed his fist down on the table. "Dammit! I knew that he wouldn't listen."

Ryan said, "Wait a minute, Mav. Let Hawk finish."

"Kane said they hadn't been missing long enough for us to step in. Scout and I disagree." Michael looked at Tess and Cameron with an intense gaze. "We've decided to go rogue. If you two don't agree, we'll keep you out of it."

"I'm in," Cameron replied impatiently. "To hell with both Kane and Logan. Until we find Amanda, I don't give a damn about either of them."

Michael gave him an intense look. "Are you sure, Maverick? You have a lot to lose if we get caught. Kane could toss you into prison."

"And you and Scout could lose your lives if Logan finds out about you. I'm risking a lot less than either of you are. I'm in, end of discussion."

Michael nodded. "What about you, Devlin?"

"I'm with you guys all the way," Tess replied resolutely. "You are my family. I'm not going to let you do this without me, no matter what Kane says."

"Ok," Michael replied. "Let's sit down and decide how we're going to do this."

Everyone took seats around the table. Ryan spoke up first. "If we're going to pull this off, we're going to need to watch what we say in front of the other agents. They can't find out what we're doing, or word will get back to Kane. He knew that Hawk and I were on the way before we even left for DC."

Michael nodded. "Good point. We're going to have to be careful when we're not alone. We're also going to have to keep a lid on any evidence we get from the BCPD. Which brings up another decision we need to make. How are we going to approach talking to Joe about this?"

Cameron shot a look at Tess before turning his eyes to meet Michael's "Dev and I discussed that while you were gone. I didn't have much hope that Kane would agree, so I thought we should be prepared for the worst."

"I'm glad you guys were thinking ahead," Ryan commended. "What did you come up with?"

Cameron grabbed a notepad and started drawing a diagram on it. "Here's what I think we should do..."

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

David's Townhouse

David sat in his study and booted up his laptop. While he waited, David stared at the phone. When he wanted it to ring, that damned thing stayed perversely silent. Why hadn't Cindy called him? Every second without word from her made David more anxious. He had instinctively known that something was wrong with her, and now he was kicking himself for not making her tell him what it was.

The computer finally finished loading. David sighed and opened his email program. Even without Cindy there, he still had work to do. When the program retrieved all his messages, David scanned down the list to see what needed attention first. His eyes widened when he saw a note from Cindy's account. David clicked on the message and read it with increasing disbelief:

David,

If I haven't called or come home by now, you won't know what this message is about. Remember when you showed me how to write an email and have the delivery delayed? Well I finally found a use for it. I'm writing this message before I leave. If all goes well, I'll be back in time to cancel it and explain things to you in person. Since you're reading this, it's clear that things didn't go the way I planned. That's nothing new, but at least I've learned enough to have a backup plan.

I'm in trouble, David. It's my own fault, as usual. I thought that I could handle this on my own, but if you haven't heard from me, I've managed to screw up. I hope you'll believe that my intentions were good. I was trying to do the right thing. I guess that I was too out of practice to pull it off.

After reading about Kirkland disappearing, I was convinced that Grant was alive. Remember the night of the party and how nervous I was? I thought that I saw Grant there. He was in a dark room so I couldn't see his face, but there was something so familiar about him. Later on, I convinced myself that I'd imagined it. I didn't want to believe it was true. But only one person on earth would kidnap Kirkland and not ask for a ransom. I knew that Grant had to be behind it, and that I truly had seen him that night in Tanquir.

I thought about going to the police, but I knew that they wouldn't believe me. All I had was a vague recognition of a man that everyone knows for a fact to be dead. I don't exactly have the best reputation for telling the truth, so I knew that my word wouldn't be enough. I had to have proof.

That's why I asked you those questions. The 'strange guy' you talked to at the bar was Grant in disguise. I knew it the minute you told me about the signet ring and that he had called himself "Justin Kirkland". Grant's mother's name was Justine Kirkland, and it's just like Grant's warped sense of humor to use that for an alias.

I decided to go to Tanquir and get proof that Grant is alive. That's all I wanted to do, get a picture or something with his fingerprints on it. Something that would prove to Joe Carlino that I hadn't lost my mind. I planned to try looking at Cabalas's house since that's where I saw Grant.

I know you're probably wondering why I did this, and why I didn't tell you. I felt like I had to do the right thing for once. I wanted to do something to make up for some of the damage I've caused. I didn't tell you because I knew that you'd try to talk me out of it or insist on helping me. I didn't want that. I didn't want to get you involved in my mess.

But it looks like I have to involve you now. I'm asking you to go to Joe Carlino and tell him everything. Hopefully, he'll believe you. Make sure you describe the ring to him in detail. I think he'll recognize it as Grant's.

I'm so sorry, David. It looks like I can't manage to do the right thing even when I want to. I hope that you can forgive me for putting you in this position. I can't stand the thought of you hating me.

Cindy

David re-read the message several times. He could scarcely believe his own eyes. Cindy's supposedly dead ex-husband was alive, and she'd run off on her own to get proof. His worry built into a fury. David shot out of his chair and paced. What should he do? Cindy had gotten herself tangled up in something extremely dangerous. Was she being held hostage, or had she been... "No," David said out loud. "She's not dead. She can't be." David stopped next to the desk and slammed his fist down on it in a fit of frustration. "Dammit, Cindy! Why did you try to handle this alone?"

Winston came rushing into the room. "Are you alright, sir?"

David looked over at the concerned expression on the butler's face. He took several deep breaths and tried to calm himself down. He needed to have a clear head. Cindy was depending on him.

"Yes, Winston. I'm just a bit on edge."

"Is this about Ms. Cindy, sir? I heard you say her name."

"Yes. It's about Cindy. She... she's gotten herself into a mess, and I'm trying to figure out what to do about it."

Winston walked a few steps closer. "I hope you won't think I'm being too forward, sir..."

David looked over at the butler curiously. "What's on your mind, Winston?"

"Well, I have watched the two of you over the past few months. From what I could see, the young lady cares very deeply for you, sir. And, if I may be so bold, I think you feel the same way."

David didn't bother denying the assertion. "What are you getting at?"

"In my experience, sir, when dealing with matters of the heart, logic very seldom applies. If your head is not giving you the answers to your questions, perhaps you should try searching your heart instead. It may hold the key to solving your dilemma."

David stared at Winston, thinking intently about what he'd said. Suddenly, he knew exactly what to do. He walked back to his computer and deleted Cindy's message. He then picked up the phone and dialed. "Yes, this is David Halliday. I want someone from the computer department to run a complete sweep on my mailbox. I want all traces of any messages from Cindy Harrison deleted completely. Tell I.S. to use the 64-bit encryption overwriting program, understood? ... Excellent. Tell them this is top priority and to call my cell phone when they're done."

David hung up the phone. He turned to Winston and said, "I have to go see someone. I'll need you to take care of a few things for me while I'm gone..."

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

Bay City Police Department
1:00 PM

Joe was sitting at his desk looking through the forensics reports on the kidnapping when someone knocked on his door. Josie stuck her head through the opening and said, "Cameron said he needs to see you, Joe. Can I send him in?"

"Sure," Joe replied. He watched as Cameron entered his office and closed the door. "Cameron, do you have some information on the kidnapping?"

"Not directly. I'm here to tell you that you have more resources at your disposal than you know about. I'm going to ask that you save your questions for later, because we need all the time we can get. Joe, I still work for the FBI. I have worked for them since I was eighteen and they pulled me out of prison-"

Joe shot out of his chair. "What the...? All that time, you were a Fed?"

Cameron held up a hand in a plea for patience. "I'll tell you all about it later. Right now, we need to focus on the issue at hand. I'm working with a team of agents. We've been trying to bust Emmanuel Logan."

"The crime lord?" Joe verified.

Cameron nodded. "We've been working on this case for several years. A lot of good agents have been lost during the investigation. We could lose two more if we aren't extremely careful. That's why we're coming to you, Joe. We know that you can be trusted to keep our involvement completely confidential."

"Of course, but why all the secrecy? The FBI usually steps into kidnapping cases once the required time period has elapsed. I know this is a bit soon for that, but...Does Logan have something to do with the kidnapping? Is that why you're keeping the FBI involvement under wraps?"

"You'll understand the need for secrecy in a minute, Joe. Before I bring in the rest of the team, I need your solemn promise that the information you're about to receive will not leave this room. We're willing to trust you and Josie, but no one else can be told until Logan is safely locked away. Can I have your word?"

Joe was very confused by the conversation, but he could see that Cameron was gravely serious. "You have my word, Cameron."

Cameron nodded once and walked over to the back door of Joe's office. He opened it and scanned the hallway leading to the outside door that opened into the alley beside the station. Cameron hit a button on his cell phone. "Ok, Dev. The coast is clear. Bring them in."

Cameron moved back into the office. A moment later, Tess Richardson entered Joe's office followed by two men. They were dressed like street people. Both had hats and dark glasses on.

Joe gazed around the odd assembly as the taller man shut the door. Joe pointed at Tess. "I thought you worked with Matt at Cory?"

"I do," Tess replied. "It's my cover."

Joe nodded and turned his eyes back to the oddly dressed pair standing next to her. "And who are you two supposed to be?"

The men looked at each other and started pulling off their disguises. A pile of hats, wigs, and fake beards formed in front of them. When the dark glasses came off, Joe's jaw dropped. "Unbelievable..." he murmured in a stunned voice.

"It's good to see you again too, Joe," Ryan said with a smile, holding out his hand. Joe automatically reached out to shake it. "I like what you've done to my office," Ryan quipped lightly.

Michael smiled and said, "I'm not sure that Joe is in a position to respond to jokes at the moment, Ryan." Michael took his turn shaking Joe's outstretched hand. "You're looking good, Joe."

"Thanks..." Joe muttered, still completely bewildered at the sight of two dead men standing in his office. "You look ... alive. How? ... Why? ..."

"We'll get to all of that later. Right now, we need to put our heads together and figure out where Grant has taken Vicky, Kirkland, and Amanda," Michael asserted.

Joe's eyes looked at each of them in turn. "Grant? He's alive, too?"

Cameron looked over at Michael. "I hadn't gotten to that yet. I wanted to get all of you out of the alley ASAP."

Ryan said, "To answer your question, Joe, yes, Grant is alive. We're certain that he's behind the kidnapping and that he had help."

"So that explains why the FBI exhumed Grant's grave."

"Yes," Tess supplied. "We got a tip that Grant hadn't been suffocated but had been killed by a poison. When we dug up the body, we realized it wasn't Grant. It was someone who'd had extensive plastic surgery to make him look exactly like Grant."

Joe was about to ask another question when the door to his office was flung open. Jake came barreling in, saying, "Josie told me Cameron was here. Do you have any-"

Jake's jaw dropped as his words trailed to silence. He worked his jaw a few times as he blinked his eyes in disbelief. Jake swung his head slightly from side to side as if the motion would somehow remove the mirage in front of him.

Ryan and Michael looked at each other. No one said a word as they watched Jake uncharacteristically struggle for words. Cameron slammed the door shut behind Jake, which finally seemed to jump start Jake's brain.

"I'm dead. I'm dead," Jake muttered in disbelief. "I'm dead, and my wife's missing. Can this week get any worse?"

Joe rolled his eyes and looked at Jake in disgust. "What are you doing here, Jake? Have you ever heard of knocking?" Joe asked.

Jake ignored Joe's questions as he walked toward Michael and Ryan. He reached out and touched Michael then pulled his hand back as if he had been burned. Then Jake turned to Ryan. He lifted his hand to Ryan, pinching his arm.

"Ouch! What did you do that for?" Ryan demanded.

Jake smiled as he shook his head.

"So, guys, what was it? Did we have an earthquake, a tornado, what? How did we all die? I mean I know how you two died," Jake said pointing back and forth between Ryan and Michael. "But how did the four of us die? You know I never pictured the afterlife looking this way. I mean, Joe, I've never exactly thought of your office as Heaven but...."

"Jake, would you quit your yapping and get a grip?" Joe asked.

"So who's going to answer my question?" Jake asked as he scanned the room once again. "I'll have to say the two of you look good for dead guys. Hell, we all are looking pretty good."

Ryan could not hide his disgust anymore. He rolled his eyes and shook his head in disbelief. "Jake, would you shut the hell up?"

Jake's gaze shot to Ryan. "Well, I see the afterlife hasn't done a thing for your personality," Jake told him.

Ryan took a step toward Jake. Michael stepped between them as Ryan and Jake openly glared at each other.

"If I'm going to have to be stuck in eternity with him, I demand a transfer," Jake gritted as he pointed toward Ryan.

Michael grabbed Jake by the shoulders and forced him to look him in the eye. "As hard as this is to believe, none of us are dead, Jake. Ryan did not die, and I did not die."

Jake shook his head. "I went to your funerals," he said matter-of-factly, then his eyes became hard as he snarled. "I watched the people who love you grieve for both of you."

No one said a word. The cloak of silence was almost deafening. Everyone in the room knew what Michael and Ryan's families had gone through. The effects of their deaths had been far reaching.

"You deserve an explanation but now is not the time, Jake. We have a little boy and two women missing," Michael reminded him. "That's why we're all here."

"I'm afraid that I don't understand," Jake responded as he looked around the room. His eyes touched on each of them as his mind spun with possibilities. "You and you both worked for the FBI at one time," Jake said pointing back and forth between Ryan and Michael.

"That's right, Jake," Michael said with a nod.

Jake turned to Cameron and Tess. "And you two...Cameron used to work for the FBI...I watched you at Rachel's party. You're both Feds, too, aren't you?"

Cameron and Tess both nodded.

"That's how all of you are connected," Jake stated.

"There's a little more to it than that," Michael said. "The four of us are a team....a highly specialized, secretive team."

Jake turned back to Cameron. "So you've known all along...."

Cameron nodded. "I came to Bay City shortly after Michael's 'death'. It was no coincidence that I was sent here."

"We need to save all of this for later," Ryan reminded them. "We've got to move on this situation before the trail gets any colder."

Jake started to protest, then stopped himself remembering the reason why they were all there. "What have you got?" Jake asked looking expectantly around the room.

"Maybe you better sit down, Jake," Tess suggested and pointed to a nearby chair.

"I don't need to sit down," Jake told her, then looked back at Joe. "So what is it?"

"Hold on to your boots, Jake. These two aren't the only ones rising from the grave today," Joe told him.

Jake's eyes shot to Michael and Ryan. "What's he talking about?"

Michael closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Grant Harrison is alive and well...."

"No way! You've got to be joking. We all saw him, Michael. Joe and I were both there. Tell him, Joe."

"He's telling the truth, Jake. They've got evidence."

"And that's not all," Michael continued.

"What do you mean 'that's not all'? Isn't it enough?" Jake asked.

Ryan stepped forward. "This kidnapping has got Grant's fingerprints all over it."

Jake closed his eyes for a moment. "So you're telling me that Grant Harrison has not only kidnapped Kirkland, but also my wife? This is unbelievable."

Instead of taking a seat as Tess had suggested, Jake began to pace.

"So what's the plan?"

David walked into the squad room and made a beeline for Joe's office. Josie stood up from her desk to block his path. She held up a hand and said, "Whoa there! Joe is busy right now. You'll have to wait."

"This can't wait," David replied with steely determination. "I don't care if he's in the midst of negotiating peace in the Middle East, I'm going in there! You want to stop me? Shoot me!" David pushed past Josie and flung open the office door.

Jake exclaimed, "Ouch!" as the doorknob hit him in the elbow. David barged in with Josie following, sputtering protests. "Carlino, I need to talk to you. It's about the ..." David suddenly noticed the very crowded room. Josie was standing behind him with a slack jaw as she looked from Ryan to Michael then back again.

Joe rubbed his forehead wearily. "Detective Sinclair, come in and shut the door."

Hearing Joe's "captain's voice", Josie did as ordered. Cameron glared at David and said, "What the hell are you doing here, Halliday?"

"I came to give Captain Carlino some information." David glanced over at Ryan and Michael, raising a brow at their odd attire. "Who are these two? Oh, never mind. Joe, I have some information about the kidnapping case."

Everyone in the room except Josie and Joe started yelling questions at David. Josie was still trying to come to grips with the fact that Ryan and Michael were alive. Joe was trying to figure out how to deal with the massive chaos that had erupted in his office.

Joe put his fingers to his lips and gave an ear-piercing whistle. When everyone was quiet, Joe yelled, "Enough! We're all going to go somewhere and discuss this in a calm, rational manner. Josie, tell everyone in the squad that we will be in the conference room until further notice. No one is to come in or they will be fired. Once you've told them, come meet us in there."

Josie nodded. As she went to leave the room, Cameron added, "Call Gary. Tell him to get down here." Josie said that she would and left the room.

Joe shot a look at Cameron. "Gary knows?" At Cameron's affirming nod, Joe sighed. "Great." Joe looked at Michael and Ryan. "The conference room is just down the hall and up the back stairs, but to be safe, you should probably put those things back on," Joe said, gesturing toward their discarded disguises.

Once Ryan and Michael were back in their disguises, Joe led the entire group up to the conference room. A few moments later, Josie entered the room and locked the door behind herself. She walked over and handed Joe his cell phone. "I spread the word. If anyone needs to reach you, they know to call your cell." Josie looked over at Cameron. "Gary is on his way. I told him to meet us up here."

"Ok," Joe said as he looked over at David expectantly. "You said that you have some information on the kidnapping?"

David looked around the room at the group of people who were all staring at him with intensity. Ryan and Michael had removed all of their disguises, including the ragged coats that made them appear to be homeless people. "I wasn't expecting to have an audience," David said with confusion. "Who are all you people?"

"That's not your problem, Halliday," Cameron spat. "Just tell us what you know and get out!"

"Delightful to see you too, Mr. Sinclair," David sneered. "But I'm not saying a word until someone explains what is going on here."

Tess could see that Cameron's fuse was getting dangerously short. She walked over to David and flashed her badge. "Tess Richardson, FBI. What do you have to tell us, Mr. Halliday?"

David looked down at her with a brow raised. "You're FBI?" David shot a glance over at Ryan and Michael. "What about those two?" Michael and Ryan obligingly pulled out their badges and displayed them. David nodded in acceptance, then glanced over at Jake. "I know why Mr. McKinnon is here, but what does he have to do with this?" David shot a hostile glance in Cameron's direction. Then a satisfied smile spread across David's face. "Ah, let me guess. Mr. Sinclair is another of your colleagues, right, Ms. Richardson? That explains the mystery of why he wasn't in prison all those years." Ryan shot a questioning gaze at Cameron, clearly curious as to how Halliday knew about Cameron's past. Cameron rolled his eyes and silently indicated that he'd explain later.

Tess sighed quietly. This was getting out of hand. "Kirkland Harrison isn't the only person that was kidnapped. Amanda Sinclair and Vicky McKinnon are missing as well. The evidence suggests that all the disappearances are linked together. Now, will you tell us the information you have?"

David took all the information in and thought things over. His mind rapidly calculated the scenario and he said, "What if I were to tell you that I know where Kirkland is? What would you do?"

"I'd think you were lying and wonder what angle you were playing," Cameron asserted with undisguised hostility.

"I didn't ask what you'd think. I asked what you'd do. If I give you the information I have, how would you proceed?"

"People's lives are at stake here, David!" Jake yelled. "We don't have time to play twenty questions!"

Tess wasn't sure where David was going with these questions, but she decided that the best way to keep a war from breaking out was to answer him. "If you told us where they were, we would arrange a rescue mission to bring them back. Do you know where they are?"

"Yes, I do," David replied.

"This is a total waste of time," Cameron growled. "How could he possibly know where they are?"

"Cindy sent me a message."

"Well there's a reliable source," Jake scoffed with derision.

David glared at Jake. "On the subject of Grant Harrison, I don't think you could ask for a more reliable source than Cindy."

Everyone suddenly began taking David very seriously. "What do you know about Grant Harrison?" Joe asked.

"I know that he's alive and I know where he is. Cindy figured it out, but she didn't think anyone would believe her, so she went to get proof. Based on the message she left me and how long she's been gone, I think Harrison has her too now."

Joe rubbed the back of his neck. "Leave it to Cindy to get herself tangled up in all of this. Where did she say they are, David?"

"I'll tell you under one condition."

Cameron lunged toward David, but felt someone holding him back. "Just let me at him! I'll choke the truth out of him if I have to!"

Jake struggled to keep his grip on Cameron's arm. "I share the sentiment, but we won't get anywhere with him that way," Jake gritted between his teeth. Jake turned furious eyes on David. "What's your condition!"

"I'm coming along with you."

"Are you insane?" Michael said aghast, to which Cameron muttered under his breath, "Yes, he is." Michael shot Cameron a look, then turned his eyes back to David. "We can't take a civilian on a rescue operation! It's suicide!"

"Either you take me along and I give you the information I have, or I go alone while you sit here and spin your wheels. So what will it be?"