Danny was totally amazed when he saw who the contact was. He could have had a hundred guesses and Dietz wouldn't have even been on the list. This was indeed a strange turn of events, but it seemed as though fate had intervened and he was going to accept.
He brought Michelle to him close. She was still shaking. She was terrified of something and it was scaring him to death.
He was going to touch base with Dietz real quick and then he was going to sit Michelle down and find out why she was so frightened. He continued to hold her while she clung to him for dear life.
Dietz began to walk towards them taking off his sunglasses and depositing them into his coat pocket while he strolled confidently towards them.
Danny felt a sudden rush of relief wash over him. Dietz would be a good ally here. He had been to Barbados many times and would know the topography and where the airfields were and the best way to find out where Mick has taken Rosie and Louisa. He would know how to get in and out of places without being seen. He had a feeling they were going to have use of such knowledge.
He felt better than he had since this whole godawful situation began. Dietz stopped in front of him and extended his hand to Danny. Danny took it and shook it heartily. "I appreciate you coming down to help Dietz," he said. "I wont forget it" and Dietz merely nodded.
Danny guided Michelle to a couple of chairs in the small waiting area that Danny thought was reserved for the staff of the airlines since no other passengers had ventured this way. He sat her down in the hard plastic chair and kneeled down by Michelle and took her hands in his.
"Michelle, baby, what's wrong? Tell me?" he pled.
She didn't say anything. She just kept staring straight ahead at some unknown object on the wall.
"Listen Danny" Deitz began to say. "We need to get a move on if we are gonna get to our destination tonight. We need to get there and get some rest. We want to be fresh tomorrow" he explained.
Danny put his hand up to stop Dietz from talking again. "Just a second Dietz" he said. "I have to find out what's wrong with Michelle first" and Dietz mumbled something about going to find some coffee and started to walk down the hall.
Danny held Michelle's shaking hands between his to try and calm her. Something had obviously terrified her.
She stopped trembling as violently when he began to croon to her softly. "Tell me baby" he said and she just starting shaking her head and mumbling "no".
He replayed in his mind the events of the previous few minutes. She had only gotten terrified once they had departed the airplane. It was dark outside. Was she afraid of the dark?
No, that couldn't be it. She had had to get up in the middle of the night and go to the hospital so many times he had lost count and she had never indicated any fear of the dark before. That wasn't it.
There had been a lot of people around and each one had been trying to get into the small terminal at the same time. Had the crowd frightened her? Was she nervous around all of these strangers?
No, they couldn't be it either. There was something else. He had ushered her away from the crowds and into the other door. There were no other people going into that door. There was no one else around, only the dogs.
Dogs? Could that be it? Was she afraid of the dogs? That didn't make any sense either. Michelle loved dogs. They had even been talking about getting one before she had disappeared.
He remembered one afternoon when they had spent over an hour trying to return a lost puppy they had found to its owner. They had been thrilled when they were able to locate its owner and had refused any attempts by the owner to give them a reward. Knowing puppy and master were reunited had been all the reward they needed.
He didn't understand about her obvious fear of the dogs that had been outside. "Michelle, honey" he began, "Are you afraid of the dogs?" and her head snapped up and her eyes met his. She nodded her head.
"Why Michelle?" he asked.
She closed her eyes and willed down the foul tasting bile that was creeping up into her throat and threatening to exit her body. She began to shake her head again as she fought the memories that came flooding back. "I can't talk about it," she said with a tear-choked voice.
"What Michelle? You can trust me," he said. "Tell me why you are so afraid of dogs now".
She still had her eyes closed and he was just starting to think that she wasn't going to tell him when she opened her eyes and began to speak in a voice barely above a whisper.
"He made me watch," she said as she retreated back into herself and began to stare into space again.
"Who made you watch?" Danny asked. "What did they make you watch?"
"He put Miguel and Louisa's brother into the courtyard and then released the dobermans on him. I closed my eyes, but I could still hear the dogs barking as they attacked and the screams......' she said and moved her gaze to meet his. "God Danny, I can still hear the screams. I have tried to block them out, but I can still hear them. They are back," she cried and Danny pulled her into his embrace Dan stroked her hair and quietly shushed her.
Her shaking was beginning to subside and she pulled from his embrace. He was reluctant to release her. "Michelle" he said "Who made you watch? Was it Mick?" he asked already knowing the answer.
She nodded her head again still trying to regain her composure. "He wanted me to see what happens to people who disobey him," she said.
Danny felt sick to his stomach. How in the world had Mick sunk to this level? He had always enjoyed being sick when they were kids but he never seriously entertained the idea that Mick could be this disturbed. He had told Carmen of some of the things that Mick had enjoyed doing to people when they had been growing up, but she had dismissed it with a boys will be boys attitude. He wondered what Carmen would think if she knew what Mick had turned into now.
"What happened to him Michelle?" he asked gently."Did they kill him?" and was answered again by the affirmative nodding of her head.
He pulled her close to him again and held her as she cried. The events of that day had resurfaced in Michelle and she was reliving them with horrifying detail. He almost felt as though he could hear the dogs and screams himself.
He held her until her sobs subsided and then she began to pull away from his embrace. He looked at her tenderly and asked her if she were going to be okay.
"Yes," she said nodding her head. "I think so. I just need to go to the restroom and wash my face and take care of the milk" she said.
"Do you want me to go with you?" he asked and she shook her head.
"No, you stay here and wait for Dietz. You two need to devise a plan on how we are going to find Mick and Rosie. I will only be gone a few minutes" she said and kissed him on the cheek and started down the hall to the door that was marked ladies.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Dietz folded up his cell phone and placed it back in his jacket pocket. Damn, this was not good. Alan had just told him the most unbelievable thing and he didn't think Danny had a clue what they were getting into.
Michelle had been helping Mick sell secrets to a contact in Switzerland. She had been a courier at least once that they knew of. All of Alan's reports showed that Mick had a woman accomplice and that he was very close to being arrested. The word from Interpol was that the man was going to be arrested this week and then that would lead them to Mick.
Dietz grimaced when he realized that Michelle would be going down with them. If she were a traitor like they thought, she would be put away in jail for life at least. He shuddered to think what else could happen to her.
Danny. Poor Danny. He had no idea what his wife was up to. He was duped into coming down here by Michelle to get his daughter. Why? The only thing Deitz could think of was that she had an attack of conscience and realizing it was too late for her, wanted Danny to come and get Rosie and take her home to Springfield to raise.
He was going to have to tell Danny tonight. He would get him away from Michelle for a minute and try to explain the situation. They would need to keep her with them so they could turn her into the authorities when the time came.
He didn't think Danny would have the stomach for it. Michelle had been his dream come true. He had worked night and day to turn the Santos business around and even though he was and would forever be loyal to Carmen, he had to admire him.
Carmen. His thoughts were brought back to his boss. Had she known that Mick was alive? He had not had time to talk to her about it. Alan had called him and he had simply hopped a plane to Barbados without thinking of the consequences. He was here to help and by God that was what he was going to do.
He threw back the rest of the coffee down his throat and let the caffeine rush set in. He was going to need every bit of caffeine this cup of joe had to offer and more. They would have to map out their plan tonight. He had brought all of the necessary supplies they were going to need for this rescue mission, including infrared goggles with him to help them to travel during the night. He felt that the best chance they had was the element of surprise and if they arrived under the shield of darkness, then they had a chance of getting Rosie and Louisa out of there alive.
He was not looking forward to the grim task of informing Danny that his beloved had not only duped him but was also a traitor to her country working with his brother to sell sensitive secrets to the Swiss. That was low even for Dietz. He may be a lot of things, but disloyal wasn't one of them. He couldn't fathom anyone betraying his or her country the way it appeared that Michelle had.
He started making his way down the deserted hallway listening to the click of his shoes on the vinyl floor. He saw that Danny was alone. He took a deep breath and began to rehearse in his mind the words that he would tell Danny. The words that would once again destroy everything Danny had ever believed in.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Michelle adjusted her bra and put her shirt back down into place. She pushed the handle on the commode and stood up to exit the stall. She went to the small unsanitary sink and began to splash the cool water on her face.
That woke her up immediately and she dried her hands and gathered her purse.
She exited the ladies room and ran straight into Miguel.
"Miguel" she exclaimed. "I am so happy to see you. Where is Rosie and Louisa?" she said.
"I do not know Ms. Michelle," he said. " I am here to take you to your car. Mr. Danny said to bring you out back and pack up your bag. He will be along in a minute," he said and Michelle handed him her small bag that she had packed.
She followed him down the hall to the back exit. Most of the people on the plane had either been picked up already or had hailed a cab and were well on their way to their destinations. He opened the glass doors for her and she had to look hard to see where they were going since the back exit was not well lit.
He brought her to the car and popped the trunk open and put her bag in. Michelle whipped her head around and asked when Danny was going to join them.
"I am sorry Ms. Michelle" Miguel said as he pushed her into the trunk and closed it. They had a very short drive to make before he could let her out and into another car. He prayed for forgiveness for doing this to the dear, sweet, trusting young lady, but perhaps God would understand that he had no choice in this matter. He had lost his only brother. He could not lose his only sister.
He heard her scream in the trunk and spoke to her through it. "Ms Michelle, please forgive por favor but I must do this. You will not be in there long. Stop screaming and you will be able to conserve enough air to be fine until we reach our next destination" he explained and went to the front of the car. He opened the door and got in, started the ignition and sped out of the parking lot with Danny and Dietz completely unaware of the events that had just unfolded in the dimly lit parking lot.
* * * * * ** * * * * *
Dietz decided that the only way to say it was to just say it. He had never been one to mince words before but now he found himself wishing he possessed a more articulate vocabulary.
"Danny, we need to talk," he said.
"Okay, sure. Wonder what is taking Michelle so long?" he said as he looked at the ladies room door. He knew she had to relieve the milk that had built up since Rosie wasn't nursing but he felt sure she would be done by now. He would listen to what Dietz had to say and then go and get Michelle. They definitely needed to get a move on.
"Listen Danny. This is not gonna be easy to tell you but you gotta know" he said and put his arm around him and led him to the same plastic chairs that Danny had sat in and comforted Michelle barely 20 minutes ago. There he began to explain all of Alan's information and watched in utter amazement as Danny bit a hole in his own lip from biting down so hard.