By Sarah and Lanie

Tess stepped forward. "The FBI does not employ civilians, Mr. Halliday. It is much too dangerous for you to go along on this rescue operation," she explained.

David started to respond to Tess when there was a knock at the door. All eyes turned to the door as Josie placed her hand on the doorknob.

"Who is it?" She questioned.

"It's me."

Without further explanation, Josie unlocked the door and Gary walked inside.

"For the love of----what's he doing here?" David asked in exasperation.

Gary shot Halliday a look before scanning the room. All the faces were very serious. He nodded at Michael and Ryan before his eyes rested on Cameron. Gary noticed the barely contained rage in Cameron's eyes. He walked over to his brother and put a firm hand on his shoulder preparing to keep him in check.

"My presence here isn't any of your business, Halliday," Gary told him.

Tess stepped between Gary and David trying to steer the conversation back to David's insistence on going with them on the rescue operation. "As I was explaining, Mr. Halliday, we cannot involve civilians in this operation."

David's eyes shot back to Tess as he said, "I'm not exactly your average civilian. I was in the Army for six years. After boot camp, I was an MP for two years before they recruited me for Special Forces. I had extensive training in covert ops and infiltration. It's not something that you forget."

"Don't try to snow us, Halliday," Cameron said. "We checked your background when you arrived in Bay City. There was nothing in there about you being in the Army."

David raised a brow. "Was that the same background check that said I was from Missouri?" Without waiting for an answer, David turned his eyes over to Michael, having the innate sense that he was the man in charge. "My service record is classified, but I'm certain that you can get your hands on it. Feel free to verify what I've told you."

Ryan stepped forward. "Putting your background aside, why would you want to come with us? With your past experience, you must know that this will be very dangerous. Why would you want to put your neck on the line?"

David met Ryan's gaze straight on. "Because Cindy is in danger. And quite frankly, I don’t trust that her safety will be of much concern to anyone if I'm not there. She did this to try to prove something to everyone in this town… It's my fault that she got involved, and I'm not about to let her pay for my mistake in judgement with her life."

Tess got David's attention again. "That's an admirable impulse, Mr. Halliday, but it's misguided. I can guarantee you that no one here would allow anything to happen to her, not if we can help it."

David looked down at her and smiled slightly. "I actually believe you mean that," he said, then his expression hardened. "But it's not good enough. If you won’t allow me to come with you, I'll take care of it on my own."

Cameron laughed derisively. "What are you planning to do, David? Wave your checkbook until Grant hands her over? Trust me, it won't work."

David glared at Cameron. "And here I was thinking that I could buy Cindy's freedom like I was ordering takeout. Thanks for the advice. As for trusting you, that's a large part of my problem with letting your team go after her without me." David ran a hand through his hair, then squeezed the bridge of his nose with his fingers. "I can see that this has been a complete waste of my time. If you won’t help me, I'll find someone who will."

As David turned and headed for the door, Josie blocked his path. Cameron said, "Joe, don’t let him leave! Put him under arrest if you have to!"

David turned around and glared at Cameron. "Go ahead! Lock me up! Meanwhile, God only knows what Harrison is doing-"

"Enough!" Michael yelled in exasperation. "We don't have time to argue about this! David… you can come with us."

All eyes in the room turned to Michael. Cameron said, "You can't be serious! Hawk-"

"Put a lid on it, Cameron!" Michael said with finality. "We're wasting time that would be better spent deciding how to get all of them out of trouble. Does anyone want to disagree with that?" When no one raised a vocal protest, although Cameron clearly wanted to, Michael said, "Good. It's settled. David, you're a temporary part of the team. That means when you're given an order, you follow it. Is that understood?"

David nodded and said, "Not a problem."

"Ok, then let's talk about the situation-"

"Wait a minute!" Jake interrupted. "I have a problem! If he's going to go with you, then so am I!"

Suddenly, the temporary calm was broken as everyone began arguing again. Michael put his head in his hands and sighed. Keeping this meeting under control was turning out to be the hardest part of the entire mission.

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

Amanda and Vicky sat on the small couch. They were getting stir crazy in the cellar. The conditions of the cellar did nothing to prevent a hundred plans of escape from forming. The ideas burst forth from their lips like water from a faucet. But that which seemed perfectly logical when unspoken suddenly became impossible when expressed aloud.

Vicky looked at Amanda. "I'm going to have to go again," Vicky told her with a nod toward the door.

Vicky slowly pulled herself up from the couch and began beating on the door.

"Hey, I need to go to the bathroom. Come on!" Vicky yelled through the thick oak paneled door. When she received no response, Vicky beat on the door with her fists. "Come on! I can't wait forever!"

Cindy sat straight up. For hours, she had been in a fetal position on the cold, stone floor passed out. An empty wine bottle lay nearby. She blinked several times as she brought her hands to her head. Her bloodshot eyes darted toward Vicky. She groaned in agony and moved her hands over her ears.

"Quit that racket!" She yelled as she got to her knees. "Do you hear me? I said stop it. Stop it now!"

Vicky stopped knocking on the door. Suddenly Cindy had both Amanda and Vicky's undivided attention.

"Well, well, well, it lives," Vicky spat.

Amanda stood and walked to Cindy. Cindy bent her head backward to look up at her. "Still think you're in hell, Cindy?" Amanda yelled.

Cindy put her hands over her ears again as she grimaced.

"Would you stop with the yelling?"

Amanda folded her arms as she watched Cindy. Vicky walked over to stand beside Amanda. Cindy struggled on unsteady legs to stand upright. When she finally succeeded, she was met with the smirking duo. She glared at them for a moment before she slowly walked to the couch and sat down. Cindy leaned her head against the back of the sofa, then put her arm across her eyes.

Feeling their eyes on her, Cindy slowly removed her arm and looked at Vicky and Amanda through narrowed eyes. "What do you want?" She spat impatiently.

Vicky leaned forward. "Why don't we start with how in the hell did you get here?"

Vicky stared at her for a moment, then threw her head back and laughed. She doubled over with laughter. Amanda finally put a restraining hand on Vicky fearing that she might fall. Her own lips quirked in amusement as she looked at Cindy's face.

Vicky gasped for air as she stood upright trying to control herself. She grabbed Amanda's arm as she said, "So you expect us to believe that you decided to play Wonder Woman and came to rescue Kirkland? Oh Cindy, did you fly your invisible plane over here, too?" Vicky asked sarcastically.

Cindy seethed as she formed her hands into claws. "Why you little……"

Cindy lunged at Vicky. She placed her hands around Vicky's throat as Amanda tried to separate them.

"Stop it! Stop it!" Amanda implored as she pushed in between the women. She finally succeeded in pushing them apart. Amanda stood in front of a furious Vicky as Cindy stood a few feet away with her chest heaving.

"Oh come off it, Cindy," Vicky intoned skeptically. "Do you really expect us to believe that you came down here to save Kirkland from Grant? Why don't you just admit that you are once again panting after Grant like a stray dog? This whole 'I'm on your side' garbage is just your way of trying to get on our good side."

"Do you have a good side?" Cindy snarled. "Look, believe whatever you want. The truth is that I was trying to get proof that Grant was alive so the cops could bust him. It would have worked too if your stupid kid hadn't screwed it all up."

"Don't you dare blame Kirk for this!" Vicky growled with fury as she lunged toward Cindy again. Amanda prevented Vicky from grabbing Cindy and gave her a calming, knowing look. Vicky took a deep breath and subsided.

When she was assured that the two women were not going to kill each other, Amanda stepped away from Vicky but remained between the two women. "Listen. I know that this is far from the ideal situation, but we're in close quarters here, and we're going to have to put a few things behind us. Because we all have the same goal, and that is getting out of this hellhole. So can we call a truce here and now?"

"You keep that little wildcat away from me, and we'll get along just fine," Cindy responded.

"Yeah, keep that conniving black widow away from me, and life will be bliss," Vicky responded.

Amanda looked back and forth between the two of them. "Okay, then let's approach this another way. Look at the irony of this entire situation," Amanda began. Vicky and Cindy both gave her puzzled looks. "Who are we? How are we all connected?"

"Amanda, I'm not sure what you're….." Vicky began.

"We were all married to that bloodsucker upstairs," Cindy whispered.

Amanda nodded. "Exactly. So let's call this the first official meeting of the Ex-wives Club."

Vicky scratched her head. "I'm afraid that I'm not following you, Amanda. You're making this sound like something wonderful. Have you forgotten where we are?"

Amanda smiled at her. "But it is something wonderful, Vicky. And no, I haven't forgotten where we are. I haven't forgotten where we are at all. Who knows Grant Harrison better than his three ex-wives?"

Cindy stepped forward as she nodded her head. A wide smile graced her lips. "And who better to put the screws to Grant than the three of us?"

Vicky looked back and forth between Amanda and Cindy. She stepped forward as she nodded in response. Vicky held her hand out. Amanda put her hand on top of Vicky's, and then they looked expectantly toward Cindy. Cindy hesitated for a moment before laying her hand on top of theirs.

"All for one," Cindy said with a smile.

"And one for all," Vicky finished.

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

Michael looked on in disbelief as the chaos continued. He had thought keeping Cameron, Tess and Ryan under control had been the ultimate chore from time to time, but that had been nothing compared to this. He stood as the fighting and arguing continued.

"Enough!" Michael thundered as he brought his fist down on the table with a reverberating bang.

There was dead silence in the room as all eyes turned toward him. Michael's blue eyes blazed with anger as he pinned Jake with a glare.

"Let there be no misconceptions here. I am in charge of this operation. Jake, you're staying put. I don't want to hear any argument, because my decision is final."

Jake did not try to hide his anger at Michael's decision. He glared at his father-in-law. Jake calmly walked toward Michael, stopping beside him.

"Reconsider," Jake told him quietly.

Michael placed his hand on Jake's shoulder. "No."

Jake nodded his head. "Then you leave me no choice," he told Michael as he turned and walked toward the door.

Michael felt the hair stand up on the back of his neck. Jake was being far too calm. Michael shot a look at Ryan before he yelled. "Stop!"

Jake slowly turned toward Michael. His expression remained blank. Michael walked to the edge of the table and faced Jake. There was total silence in the room as the other occupants watched with avid curiosity.

"What are you planning, Jake?"

Jake shrugged. "I don't need your help. I'll find them on my own."

Michael walked closer. "You will stay put here in Bay City. We don't need some amateur vigilante causing problems. Do you understand me?"

Jake's expression became a snarl. "What I understand is that you and your FBI cohorts are not going on this little excursion with the FBI's blessing. Don't pretend that you are. I'm sure that your superiors would be very interested to know that you are going off on your own against orders, no doubt. I think the headline of the Herald would be perfect 'Presumed Dead FBI Agents Go Rogue'."

"Are you threatening us?" Michael demanded through clenched teeth.

"It's not a threat. It's a promise. Either you let me go with you, or I sing like a canary. It's that simple."

Ryan stepped between them. "It's out of the question!" He yelled at Jake.

Jake stepped forward so that he and Ryan were nose to nose. "That is my wife and my children in the clutches of that bastard."

"Back off!" Ryan demanded.

"Never!" Jake vowed.

Michael pressed himself between the two men effectively separating them physically, but their eyes continued to bore into one another.

"We don't need this right now," Michael reminded them as he looked back and forth between Jake and Ryan. "Fighting is not getting us anywhere."

"My point exactly," Jake said.

"So what do you want, Jake?" Michael asked.

"I want to go with you. I can't stay here waiting and wondering."

"And if I say 'no'?" Michael asked.

Jake clenched his jaw as he glanced briefly at Ryan, then stared into Michael's eyes. "I make myself the biggest pain in the….."

"Too late," Ryan muttered under his breath.

Jake's eyes shot back to him with unconcealed anger.

"So you're threatening your way into this operation?" Michael asked.

"Take it however you want, Michael, but I'm going."

Michael stared at him for a moment before he nodded slightly. Ryan rolled his eyes as Jake smiled slowly.

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

Vicky beat on the door again more frantically than before. She shot a look over her shoulder as she waited.

"What is taking them so long?" Vicky asked in frustration.

"It's probably one of Grant's sick games. He makes us wait as long as possible and gets off on it," Cindy said.

Amanda nodded in agreement as she looked toward the door. Cindy and Amanda stood as they heard the key in the door. Vicky took a few steps back as the door swung open.

"What's with all the commotion in here?" The guard demanded.

Vicky glared at him with hostility. "You try having two babies pressing on your bladder, and you see how long you wait," she spat in frustration.

The guard smiled slightly as he grabbed her arm roughly. "Let's go."

Vicky tried to jerk her arm away from him. "Be easy, will you?"

Amanda and Cindy started to follow them, but were stopped when another guard stepped inside the room.

"One at a time," the first guard threw over his shoulder. "Make sure those two are quiet, Phillippe."

Phillippe nodded in response as he shut the door behind them. He stood in front of the closed door and folded his arms across his chest as he looked at Cindy and Amanda.

Cindy winked at Phillippe. He raised his dark eyebrows in response. She sauntered forward seductively. Cindy placed one perfectly manicured finger under Phillippe's chin. He showed no visible response.

"What do you say that you and me get out of here?" Cindy whispered.

Phillippe said nothing in response.

"Um….the strong silent type…..that's exactly what I like. Come on, Phillippe, wouldn't you like a little……." She asked as she whispered the last part of her sentence in his ear.

Phillippe's dark eyes sparkled as he looked back at Cindy. "What I would like," he began as he grabbed Cindy's arm roughly, "is for you to quit playing games with me."

Phillippe pulled his gun from its holster and pushed Cindy down on the couch.

"All you had to say is 'no'," Cindy responded as she rubbed her arm.

"Silence!" He demanded as he waved his gun between she and Amanda. "You will wait your turn. No more talking!"

Amanda gave Cindy as sideways glance. "Good job, Cindy," she said sarcastically.

Cindy shook her head in frustration as Phillippe continued to stand vigil over the two of them.

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

Jake leaned against the wall with his arms folded and a satisfied smirk on his face. Michael stepped to the head of the table with a heavy sigh.

"Does anyone else in this room have 'issues' before we get down to business again?" He questioned with a look that dared anyone to say a thing. "Good. That brings us back to you, Mr. Halliday."

David stepped forward. Cameron glared at David on his way past as Gary kept a restraining hand on his shoulder.

David held out his hand to Michael. "I don't believe we've had the pleasure."

"For godsakes, Halliday, this isn't a meet and greet," Cameron spat.

Michael looked at Cameron. "That will be enough, Mav," he chided him, then turned to David. Michael clasped David's hand and shook it firmly. "Michael Hudson. I am Vicky's father."

David's eyebrows shot up at the revelation. He could sense that there were a lot of untold stories in this room, and he would love to hear them all, but now was not the time so he asked. "What can I do for you, Mr. Hudson?"

"You can start by telling us what you know."

"A little while ago, Cindy and I took a vacation to Tanquir. While we were there, a man named Enrique Cabalas approached me unexpectedly with a business proposal. He offered me a piece of property for commercial development in exchange for a stake in the profits. It seemed a bit off, so I had him checked out by my investigators. He came up clean, so I went ahead with the deal."

"Tanquir?" Michael asked.

"Yes, it's a small monarchy in the….." David began.

"I am familiar with the country," Michael told him, then looked at Ryan. "Is Cecile still there?"

Ryan gave him a shrug.

"Okay, continue."

"Cabalas had a party one evening. According to the message Cindy left for me, she saw a man at the party that night that reminded her of Grant. She didn’t see his face, so she convinced herself that she'd imagined it. It wasn't until Kirkland disappeared that she knew the man really was Grant."

"Is that all she had to go on?" Ryan asked.

Ryan strode forward. "Justin Kirkland? That's what he said?" Ryan demanded.

David nodded. "Yes. He was wearing this onyx and gold signet ring. I remember that much."

Ryan sighed deeply, then laughed. "He's so creative. Okay, what else?"

"Cindy put all the pieces of the puzzle together and has gone to Tanquir. She went to get proof that Grant is alive. I fear that she has gotten herself into trouble in the process."

"Who? Cindy? Nah!" Jake said sarcastically.

David's eyes were chilling as they looked at Jake. The barely restrained anger was thinly veiled just under the surface. David clenched his jaw and pointed his finger as he snarled. "This is why I have to go on this trip. Someone has to protect Cindy. It's clear that no one else in this room gives a damn about her."

Gary stepped around Cameron for the first time. He walked directly to David. "I once saw the good in Cindy. I took care of her…. protected her….but she always turns on you. Always. She's out for herself and almost every person in this room has been touched by her carelessness. So cut us a little slack for our mistrust and know that as law enforcement officers, it is our duty to protect and defend no matter what. Cindy's life is in good hands with these people."

David said nothing as Gary stepped away. Michael took the brief moment of silence to grab everyone's attention again.

"Cameron and Tess, over here," he commanded with a jerk of his head. "Let's not waste anymore time."

Cameron and Tess walked over to stand between Michael and Ryan. When Michael was assured that they were in place, he began speaking again. "The four of us are trained for this type of operation. We are in charge. With that being said, we need to move on to the important stuff, which includes our mode of operation. Any questions?"

Ryan nodded. "Since we can't go to Kane, we'll need to devise our own cover. We need a logical way of covering our tracks since Grant will definitely be on guard."

The four agents began discussing options amongst themselves. The other occupants of the room listened on intently as the group debated the pros and cons of various plans. David eventually took a few steps toward the group and said, "I realize that you didn't ask my opinion, but I have an idea that you may be interested in pursuing."

Cameron shot him a disdainful look. "Somehow, I doubt it."

Undaunted, David continued, "As I told you earlier, I have a current business deal going on in Tanquir. I have been planning to go to the building site with a foreman and his crew. I can simply move up the timetable for the trip."

Cameron gave David a skeptical look. "And you don't think anyone will find the timing of your 'visit' just a tad bit suspicious?"

"I don't see why they should. Cabalas knew that I was planning a return trip to Tanquir as soon as I had hired the contractor." Seeing that they still weren't convinced, David pulled out his cell phone and began dialing.

Cameron gave him a thunderous frown and growled, "What the hell are you doing?"

"Alleviating suspicion, if you'll shut up long enough for me to… Enrique! How are you? It's David Halliday."

Enrique looked across his study at Grant and hit the button to put David on speakerphone. "I'm well, Mr. Halliday. It's good to hear from you. How are things going with our project?"

"Better than expected," David replied. "As a matter of fact, I'm headed your way with a preliminary crew to start looking at the site. We want to start clearing for construction as soon as possible."

"Excellent!" Enrique said enthusiastically as he exchanged a glance with Grant. "Will your lovely companion be with you? My wife would love an excuse for another spa day."

David raised a brow at the others as he replied, "Cindy? No. I'm afraid she won't be with me on this trip or any other in the future for that matter. It seems that she's found greener pastures. She took off without any plans to return as far as I know."

Enrique shared a conspiratorial smile with Grant before replying, "I'm sorry to hear that. When should we expect to see you?"

"I'm still ironing out the travel details with the crew, but it shouldn’t be too long. I'll contact you once I arrive."

"I'm looking forward to it. I'll see you soon."

"You certainly will. Goodbye, Enrique." David ended the call and looked around at the others. "Satisfied?"

"Why don't you explain the rest of what you had in mind, since the decision as to whether it's a good idea or not has been taken out of our hands?" Ryan asked with stone-faced reprimand.

David slid the phone back into his jacket and explained, "I thought it would provide a good cover. The building site is currently overgrown with vegetation. We need a clearing crew to go in and make things workable for the larger equipment. The site should provide a decent base of operations - It's completely surrounded by a fence and isn't too far away from Cabalas's house. The construction trailers have electrical hookups and there's plenty of space. Plus, being on the 'construction crew' should provide ample reason for this merry band to be in the country without arousing suspicion. You'll need to provide the fake ids, but I can handle the rest."

"He's actually pretty good at this," Jake muttered with surprise. Ryan turned a glare on him. Jake opened his mouth, then closed it without saying another word.

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

Vicky looked at her watch. "What time do you think it is?"

Cindy was nibbling at the last bit of her supper as she, too, looked down at her watch. "I would guess that it is late evening. Why?"

"I can't believe that Grant has left us alone for this long."

"He's probably plotting something," Amanda said.

Cindy shook her head. "I don't think that he was expecting extra 'guests'. In fact, I think he was pretty rattled by all of it."

"So you think he's trying to regroup?" Amanda asked.

"Maybe. You never know with Grant. He likes to keep you guessing."

"He is so sick sometimes. The thought of the schemes going through that demented mind of his makes me shudder," Vicky confessed.

Cindy dropped her fork and wiped her hands on a napkin. "Hopefully, we won't have to guess what Grant is plotting for long. The cavalry should be riding in here any minute. Then Grant will be behind bars where he belongs."

Vicky gave Cindy a puzzled glance. "You sound confident that our rescue is imminent. Would you like to share the source of your certainty with us?"

Cindy grinned with satisfaction. "I left a message before I came down here, just in case something went wrong. By now, Joe Carlino knows exactly where we are. I wouldn't be surprised if they raid this place within a day or two."

Amanda's eyebrows shot up at the revelation. "You left a message for Joe?"

Cindy shook her head. "No. I sent a delayed-delivery email to David. I told him where I was going and that if he hadn't heard from me that he should go to Joe with the information about Grant."

Amanda's brow furrowed. "David Halliday? You think that he's going to come riding to the rescue? Oh Cindy, please tell me you're not serious."

Cindy looked back at Amanda with quiet confidence. "You may not believe it, but I do. There's a lot you don't know about David. He'll come through for me."

Amanda shook her head with derision. "Even if David does go to Joe, it will take a lot more than a day or two for the cops to get us out of here. If anyone can rescue us in time, it will be Cameron."

Cindy took a deep breath before she began. A key scraped in the lock causing three pairs of eyes to turn toward the door. They moved quickly so that they all stood together before whatever might be about to come next.

Grant sauntered into the room, stopping in the middle. He smiled as he spotted the three of them standing together.

"Isn't that a sight? A lesser man would run screaming from this room never looking back when faced with his ex-wives. You'll notice that I said 'a lesser man'," he said with narrowed eyes and a sarcastic grin. "Of course, I'm standing here wondering what the three of you have been scheming. It's enough to keep me awake a night," he added with a fake yawn.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Vicky spat.

"Victoria, you shock me with the venom in your voice. Then again, you always were part pit viper with blood as cold as ice."

"Leave her alone, Grant," Amanda demanded with her eyes blazing with anger. "If there's a snake in this room, it's you."

The smile died on Grant's face as his eyes focused on Amanda. He stepped forward and lifted her chin with his forefinger. "Didn't your mother ever teach you that you catch more bees with honey than vinegar?" He questioned as Amanda tried to remove his finger from her chin. "I guess not. All that careful refining that your parents gave you never did keep you from lying down with the gutter snipes, did it, Mrs. Sinclair?"

Amanda slapped his hand away from her, drawing her hands into claws as she started to advance on him. Cindy grabbed her arms restraining her.

"Not now, Amanda," she reminded her.

"What's this, Cynthia? Still protecting me? I'm touched. Truly I am."

"I wouldn't spit on you if you were on fire, Grant," Cindy said through clenched teeth.

Grant grabbed her wrists bringing her body against his. "Really? But I can still light that fire of yours, can't I, Cynthia? Can't I?" He asked huskily.

Cindy felt a chill run down her spine. She mentally shook herself as Grant's face loomed ever closer, then she spit in his face. Grant shoved Cindy as he backed away swiping his handkerchief over his face.

"Why you little….." he began. "Guard! Take her!" He commanded pointing at Cindy where she had landed on the couch.

Two guards appeared and grabbed Cindy from the couch. She struggled against them as they dragged her out the door.

"What are you going to do to her?" Vicky demanded.

Grant grinned evilly as he turned back to Vicky and Amanda. "Don't worry. You'll get your turn."

With that, he slammed the door behind him. Amanda put her arm around Vicky. They leaned against one another as they stared at the door.

"What is he up to now?" Vicky asked.

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

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

"Okay, I think we've got everything worked out here. Joe is going to keep in constant contact with us from here in Bay City. Gary is going to keep an eye on Logan. We need to get to Tanquir as soon as possible. I want to leave tonight. Is that going to be a problem for anyone?" Michael asked.

When he received no answers, he continued. "Good. Now, we've got a few loose ends to tie up here before we leave for our trip."

"What?" Tess asked not understanding what more they needed to discuss.

"We've got things to clear up with the families. I've given this quite a bit of thought. I want Joe and Cameron to go to the Corys'. And I want Jake and Josie to go to Marley's. They deserve to know what we are doing here. I assume that all of you know that my presence and Ryan's presence are not to be discussed. Tell them what they need to know but nothing else. We don't want to put their lives in danger."

"In the meantime, we will secure an aircraft," Ryan inserted. "Meet us at the Bay City airport at nine P. M. Any questions?"

When no one said anything, Michael said, "Meeting adjourned."

The shuffling and commotion started again. Michael gathered up the papers on the conference table and prepared to put on his disguise. Tess stood silently beside him for a moment.

"Is there something wrong, Devlin?" He questioned.

Tess shook her head. "I think I should go with Cameron and Joe to the Corys'. I have some explaining of my own to do."

Michael placed his hand on her shoulder. "You do what you think you need to."

Tess nodded and quickly left to follow after Joe and Cameron.

When they were alone in the room, Michael turned to Ryan.

"I hope this is not something that we're going to live to regret," Michael stated.

Ryan closed his eyes and sighed deeply. "Me too."

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

Josie grabbed Gary's hand as they walked down the hall. He stopped abruptly and turned toward her. Without a word, he enfolded her in his arms.

"It's going to be all right, J."

"This is all so overwhelming," she confessed as she buried her face in his shoulder. "I thought that finding out about Cameron was the biggest shock we could get. You knew then, didn't you?" She asked as she stepped away from Gary.

"I couldn't tell you. How could I tell you? You have to admit that seeing the two of them is the only way you would ever believe that it is true."

"I just can't get over it. All of this with the kidnapping….everything….."

"It's like a spider web. It just keeps getting bigger….."

"And more tangled. The thing is….when they get back, it won't be the end, it will be another beginning."

"What do you mean?" Gary asked as he laid his forehead against Josie's.

"Michael and Ryan have explained things to us, but they have loved ones who are going to have a difficult time with all of this. Remember how you reacted when you first found out about Cameron being in Bay City? Think of how Vicky, Donna, Nick, John, Marley…. think of how all of them are going to feel."

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

Rachel paced by the terrace doors. Paulina sat on the couch with her arm around Alli. It was obvious that both Alli and Paulina had been crying. Matt walked in from the library and took in the entire scene. His brow furrowed with worry. He wished desperately that Tess would call. Matt walked over to Rachel and squeezed her hand.

"It will be all right, Mom," Matt promised.

Rachel smiled slightly. "Yes, I know it will be. I just don't like dealing with unknowns. It's unsettling."

Matt hugged her. "I have a feeling that we'll get news very soon."

"Cameron has been gone a long time. He is so worried. He thinks he can do it all alone."

"I don't think he will this time, Mom."

Rachel narrowed her eyes. "Do you know something, Matthew?"

"No, Mom. I'm just doing a little speculating of my own."

Every head turned when the doorbell rang echoing emptily throughout the house. Carl was walking down the stairs and called out "I'll get it" as he walked toward the front door. Carl opened the door and smiled at those who stood there.

"Carl!" Felicia greeted. Her face was a mask of worry. "We heard about Amanda and wanted to see what we could do."

"Felicia, good of you to come. And Cass and Lila, too. I'm afraid that there's been no word, but we're hoping that will be rectified at any moment. Please come in, Rachel will be relieved that you're here."

All eyes turned expectantly toward the doorway when they heard the voices in the foyer. When the trio entered, the faces fell with visible disappointment.

"Oh Rachel," Felicia began. "Is there anything we can do?"

Felicia enfolded Rachel in a tight hug. Rachel closed her eyes briefly as she returned the hug.

"Having you here is the only thing that we need," Rachel told her as she stepped away.

Lila and Cass walked forward with Jasmine. "How are you holding up, kiddo?" Cass asked.

"As well as can be expected. It's amazing what adrenaline will do for you," Rachel responded as she took Jasmine from Lila. "This child is exactly what we need."

Jasmine smiled at her grandmother as she wiggled in her arms. Matt walked up behind them. Jasmine clapped her hands when she saw her father, reaching out for him. Matt kissed her cheek gently.

"You stay with Gram. She needs you right now."

As if she understood what he said, Jasmine leaned forward and placed a wet kiss on Rachel's cheek. Rachel smiled with joy at her granddaughter's affection.

"Babies. They have an uncanny way of bringing happiness in the most impossible of situations," Rachel reflected.

Everyone's eyes turned toward the foyer as they heard the front door close. The smiles that had briefly touched the faces of everyone in the room disappeared once again. Joe, Cameron, and Tess walked into the living room. Their faces were very serious.

"Joe, what is it?" Paulina asked as she ran to his side.

Joe gave her a brief hug before he turned to the others in the room.

"Everyone take a seat. We've got some news."

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

Marley walked into the living room with a fresh pot of coffee. Remy followed her with some cookies that she had brought from Carlino's. Tyrone took the tray from Marley and set it on the coffee table.

Donna sat on the couch dabbing at her eyes trying again to regain her composure. Nick walked slowly down the stairs.

"How is he?" Marley asked as Nick walked into the room.

Nick shrugged. "He's playing a game on the computer. You know, Steven. He's a tough kid."

"But how much should one child have to endure? This is too much," Donna lamented as the tears flowed from her eyes anew.

Nick sat beside her on the couch and slid his arm around her shoulders. "The police are doing everything possible, Donna. They'll find them."

Donna smiled slightly. "You don't have to try to make me feel better, Nick."

Nick smiled. "Sure I do. Dad would want me to take care of you."

Everyone in the room jumped as the front door swung open. All eyes were on the grim faces of Jake and Josie as they entered the living room.

"Jake, what is it?" Donna asked as she stood.

Jake glanced at Josie for a brief moment. He took a deep breath as he turned back to the other occupants in the room.

"We've got some news."

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

"We're treating this as a single case. Evidence suggests that Amanda, Vicky, and Kirkland all disappeared at the same time. We have a strong lead on where they are being held, thanks to Cindy Harrison," Joe said.

"Cindy? I don't understand," Paulina said in confusion.

"It appears that Cindy had a hunch about where Vicky and Kirkland might be. We think something went terribly wrong and Cindy is now officially a missing person herself."

"Do you know who has taken them? Where they are?" Rachel asked.

Joe glanced at Carl. "Brace yourself, Carl."

Carl's eyebrows shot upward. "I'm not sure that I'm following you, Joe."

Joe walked to the center of the room. "We have strong evidence that indicates that Grant Harrison is the abductor."

"That's impossible!" Paulina told him. "Joe, we saw him. Remember all the things we went through when he died?"

"How could I ever forget?" Joe asked. "I know it's hard to believe, but I do have a forensics expert who can verify what I'm saying."

Joe gave Tess a sideways glance. He said nothing, but Tess knew that it was her cue to step forward.

"And that would be me," Tess confessed as she walked to the center of the room. She shared a long glance with Matt before she gulped a deep breath of air.

"I don't understand," Rachel said with wide eyes as she watched Tess closely.

Tess squared her shoulders and faced everyone. "I have a lot of explaining to do. Due to the seriousness of this situation, I hope that you will accept the abbreviated explanation for now," Tess began. When no one said a word, she continued. "I am an agent for the FBI. I work in a specialized unit. My job at Cory was a cover. As Joe indicated, forensics is my expertise. I have examined the body that everyone believed was Grant Harrison. We have done extensive tests on the body and concluded that it is not Grant Harrison. The body is a little known Bay City thug who had a very good plastic surgeon. We also believe that Vicky and Amanda's abductions were accidental. They were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. We have devised a mode of operation for a rescue. The operation will begin tonight."

"'Mode of operation'? How cold does that sound? I had your number all along, Tess Richardson. Your heart is as cold as stone," Lila spat.

"What does this "operation" entail, Tess? Who is involved?" Rachel questioned.

"I'll answer that," Cameron said as he stepped forward. He touched Tess's shoulder as he walked by. "Tess shouldn't have to take all the heat for this. I have some explaining to do myself. I know some of you have noticed the familiarity that Tess and I have with one another," he told them looking purposefully at Carl before he continued. "There is an explanation for that. Tess is my partner. She has been my partner since I started working for the FBI a little over ten years ago."

"So you've been deceiving us the entire time?" Rachel questioned.

Matt placed a hand on his mother's shoulder. "Let's hear them out, Mom."

Rachel glanced at Matt, then narrowed her eyes. "You knew, didn't you?"

Matt looked between Cameron and Tess before he nodded. "Yes, I know."

"Right now we need to concentrate on Amanda. Our team is leaving tonight. Joe is our contact here. He will keep you informed."

"Where are you going?" Carl asked.

"The less you know the better off you are at this point in time. Grant needs to believe that we don't have a clue where he is."

"So you put Mom in danger again!" Alli screamed.

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

Cameron turned his collar up as the wind whipped around him. The rain was just minutes away. He prayed that it would not affect their flight. The weather could not keep him from getting to Amanda. The thought of what that madman had done to her was chilling. He was ready to leave for the airport, but there was one last thing he had to do. He took a deep breath before he opened the front door. The raindrops began falling as he shut the door.

Alli stared out the window as the rain beat against the panes. The tears rolled down her cheeks unheeded. She was inconsolable. Her fear was far greater than any comfort anyone could give her. Her mother was missing and no one knew where she was. No one knew why she was missing. Sure they "thought" they knew where she was, but it was not anything concrete. It was worse than when Scott Guthrie had taken her. It was far worse.

Rachel walked into the study. Her brow was furrowed with worry. She took a deep breath as she looked at Alli. Alli was past being brave. She was scared, and there was nothing any of them could do to alleviate her fears. They were all as frightened as she. Rachel put her arm around Alli's shoulders. Alli continued to stare out at the rain.

"You should rest," Rachel suggested.

Alli rubbed her cheeks then shook her head.

"Have you eaten?"

Alli again shook her head.

"You really should eat something, darling. You need your strength."

Alli spun around. "How can I eat? We don't even know if she's still alive," Alli sobbed.

Rachel gathered her up, holding her tightly as Alli's tears flowed anew. Carl walked into the room. His face softened as he caught sight of the scene before him. Rachel smiled wanly. Carl walked to them and placed his arms around both of them.

"There, there, lass. I have every confidence that your mother will be found safe and sound."

Alli shook her head. "I don't know."

"Lass, your mother is a very strong woman. How could she not be?" Carl stated as he smiled slightly at Rachel. "She has the strength of Rachel and Ada running through her veins. An army would rue the day they meet up with that kind of power."

Alli smiled slightly and nodded. Her eyes shot to the door as Cameron appeared.

"Cameron……" Rachel said looking at him with concern.

"I….I was getting ready to leave, but I wanted to talk to Alli first."

Alli folded her arms and looked at him with anger. Rachel looked back and forth between the two of them before she took Carl's hand, and they walked out the door. Cameron looked after them for a moment before he took a step forward. Alli's stance had not changed as she continued to give him a cold glare.

"Look. I know that you're mad at me right now."

"What gave you the first clue, Sherlock?" Alli asked.

Cameron sighed. "I know that I have lost your trust. It took a long time for us to build our relationship, and I was really proud of how far we had gotten. It's funny how things can change in the blink of an eye."

"I don't find anything "funny" about this at all. My mother is missing, and it's all your fault."

"I'm sorry that you see it that way. I know that there's nothing that I can say to change your mind," Cameron told her and turned away to leave.

"Try."

Cameron stopped in mid-step and slowly turned around. "Pardon?"

Alli still stood with her arms folded, but the coldness in her eyes had changed. "Try to change my mind."

Cameron raised his eyebrows searching for the right words. He wanted desperately to get to the airport, but he knew that he needed to clear things up with Alli before he left.

"Ever since I came here all I've wanted to do is protect your mother. She hasn't always made that easy. You know how much I love her, Alli. She knows that, too. I will do whatever it takes to…."

"What did you do for the FBI?"

Cameron leveled a steady gaze on Alli. "Suicide missions."

His answer visibly affected Alli. Her eyes widened slightly. "And you're still alive."

Cameron shrugged and smirked slightly. "I'm the best."

"Grant is mean. He tries to hurt everyone who crosses him."

"I know. I won't let him hurt your mother. I'll bring her home to you, Alli, safe and sound."

"Promise?"

"Cross my heart," he responded as he made an "x" across his heart.

Alli walked quickly across the room and wrapped her arms around Cameron.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

Cameron stood shocked for a moment before he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly. "I'll bring your mom home. I will."

Alli stepped away and smiled slightly at Cameron. He dipped his head so that she would look him in the eye.

"Are we okay?" He asked.

Alli nodded. "Hurry back."

"I'll get back here as soon as I can," he told her, then kissed her cheek. "Bye."

Cameron quickly walked out of the library and into the living room. Everyone was still gathered there. He did not say word as he walked on into the foyer.

"Cameron."

Cameron turned to face Rachel. He did not say a word.

"I guess Amanda knew all about your work before this all happened."

Cameron nodded. "Yeah, I told her."

Rachel's eyes widened. "That's what was going on at the party, wasn't it? She knew."

Cameron nodded. "She was having a hard time with it."

"I'm entrusting you to bring her home safe and sound."

Cameron took a step toward her and kissed her cheek gently. "Have I let you down yet, Ma?"

Rachel smiled. "No, you haven't"

"And I won't. The next time I see you Amanda will be at my side. That is a promise."

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

Matt and Tess stood in the center of Matt's studio. It was the only place where they had been able to escape.

"Now everyone knows," Matt said with a smile. "You know that my mother isn't done with you yet."

Tess shook her head. "I've faced assassins and armies that wanted to kill me, but facing your mother scares me so much more."

Matt gave her a tight hug. Their lips drifted together touching like feathers. As they kissed slowly, they clung together needing so much from each other. Tess was the first to step away.

"I could stay here like this forever. I've got to go, though. Cameron will leave me if I don't get down there pretty soon."

"Okay, let me throw some things in a bag, and we'll be on our way."

Tess eyes narrowed. "No way! You're not going anywhere."

"I'm going with you."

"No, you're not. This is a serious mission, Matt. We don't need anyone else. I forbid it."

Matt's brow furrowed and his eyes flashed fire. "'Forbid it'? I'm not one of your FBI flunkies, Tess. You can't give me orders. That's my sister that Grant has, and I am going."

"This is dangerous, Matt. You're staying put. My superiors won't allow it," Tess said as she walked to the door. "Don't follow me, Matt."

"You expect me to stay here and wait on the phone to ring. Uh-uh. I'm going and that's final."

"You don't have a choice."

"I'll find out where you are."

"I'm warning you, Matt. Leave this to the professionals," Tess said through clenched teeth. "I'll see you when we get back."

Tess quietly closed the door behind her.

Matt fumed as he ran his hand through his hair. "I'm sorry, Tess, but I can't wait."

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

The guards shoved Amanda through the door and shut it soundly behind her. She yanked at the doorknob with no success.

"It's no use. I've tried," Cindy said from behind her.

Amanda swung around and sighed. She placed her hand on her stomach when she felt a flutter.

"What is this place?"

Cindy swept her hand around the room. "It's got three cots and a bathroom. I guess they were tired of us asking every five minutes to go. Oh, and there are bars on the windows."

"Perfect," Amanda said as she rolled her eyes.

The room was in the upper level of the house. It appeared to be a room that was not used. Something that they had thrown some furniture into at the last minute.

"I guess Vicky is on her way?"

"I assume so," Amanda said as she walked to the windows. "How far up are we?"

"I don't know. It was already dark outside when they threw me in here. My guess is that we're on the top level of the house. Grant wouldn't have put us in here if he thought that there was any opportunity to escape."

They both turned toward the door when they heard footsteps outside. Two guards shoved Vicky inside and slammed the door behind.

"You're not going to get away with this. You tell your boss. Tell him!" Vicky screamed through the door.

"Welcome," Amanda said.

Vicky spun around and sighed in relief when she saw that she was not alone.

"Why did he move us?"

"Who knows what lurks in Grant's mind? I'm sure that he's got the whole room bugged," Cindy observed. The three women exchanged a glance that said they needed to be careful what they said from now on.

"Good. The deranged bastard can hear every word we say, then," Vicky said.

Amanda poked around the room looking through drawers and opening doors.

"What are you looking for?" Cindy asked.

"Anything. Everything," Amanda responded as she pulled open the doors of an armoire. Inside was a television. "Look we have TV," she said and used the remote to switch it on. A blue screen appeared.

"So much for being excited about that," Vicky responded. "It doesn't work."

The TV buzzed with static for a moment, then a picture appeared.

"Hello, ladies. Welcome to Grant-TV. All Grant all the time," he said with a laugh.

The three women sat on the couch across from the television.

"He can't be serious," Cindy said.

"I trust that you are pleased with your new accommodations. I want you to be as comfortable as possible. Don't waste your time on escape plans. I assure you that the room is soundproof, the windows have bars, and jumping, even if it were possible, would be suicide. Sit back and enjoy your stay at Chez Grant."

The static buzzed on the television again, and then his picture disappeared.

"Now how are we going to get out of this place?" Cindy asked and began to pace.

"Cameron," Amanda said as she touched her stomach.

"I know he's your husband, Amanda, but I'm not putting my life in his hands," Cindy told her.

"He won't stop until he finds me," Amanda said.

"Jake won't give up, either," Vicky told them.

"Great! So you're telling me that my life is in the hands of two men who hate me. This just keeps getting better and better," Cindy lamented.

"It could be better," Vicky said.

Cindy and Amanda both looked at her with raised eyebrows. A smile tugged at Vicky's lips.

"What are you thinking?" Amanda asked.

Cindy pointed at Vicky. "Oh my god, she's got a light in her eyes. Why do I have the sudden urge to assume the fetal position?"

Vicky grinned. Recalling the fact the Grant could be eavesdropping on them, Vicky silently mouthed, "I've got a plan."

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

Matt ran down the backstairs with his bag in his hand. He rushed through the kitchen almost knocking Carl over as he went.

"Whoa, lad. Where are you off to in such a rush?"

Matt looked at him impatiently. "I'm going to the airport."

"The airport? You aren't trying to stow away, are you?"

Matt shook his head. "Just let me pass."

"You are!" Carl said with excitement in his voice. "Have you figured out how you're going to get on that plane undetected?"

"I've got a few ideas."

"You know, I still have a few contacts at that airport. If you're willing to accept a little help…."

Matt gave him a skeptical look. "I don't know…."

"Come now, lad. I'll drive you."

Matt hesitated for a moment then followed Carl to the garage.

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

Tess watched carefully as the equipment was loaded on the plane. Just a few more minutes and they would be airborne. She glanced back toward the airport as a worker rolled more equipment toward the cargo bay. She hated that she had fought with Matt. Tess jerked her cell phone out of her pocket and started to dial.

"No, it's best this way," she said out loud and shoved her phone back in her pocket. "He's safe. That's what's important."

The worker she had been watching stumbled kicking the high tech equipment with the toe of his shoe.

"Watch what you're doing!" She demanded. "That's delicate equipment."

"Sorry, miss," the man mumbled.

"Hurry up!" Tess commanded and turned away.

Ryan walked toward her and she smiled slightly.

"Is everything loaded?" he asked.

"That's the last of it," Tess assured him.

"Then let's get going."

Tess and Ryan turned toward the steps of the plane.

From the shadows of the terminal, Carl watched Matt slip quickly up the steps and into the cockpit of the plane. He sighed in relief as he saw Tess turn away. Carl turned to leave when something or rather someone moved quickly toward Tess. He glanced back at the man who walked up to Tess. The darkness and the shadows cloaked the mystery man. Carl's heart raced at the sight of the familiar gait and hand gestures. He took a step forward with wide eyes as he watched Tess and the man move deeper into the shadows.

"Ryan," he whispered and his heart pounded. "My god, am I going mad or is it an apparition? My dear boy…."