Danny woke with a splitting headache. He groaned loudly, lifting his head. Danny lifted his head and bumped his hands, bound above him. The rope wasn't too thick, but the knots were pretty tight. The skin under the rope was red and raw. His skull throbbed, remembering what had happened.
Mac had called him to a crime scene. He had been processing all day when Lindsay had called him. She was across the city, processing another crime scene, which ended up connected. The assailants from both crimes held her hostage and demanded the evidence from his crime scene in return for Lindsay's safety.
The single hostage situation turned into a double hostage when Danny was jumped at the drop off sight. The last thing he remembered was talking to Mac while he waited for the assailants with Lindsay.
Danny caught a muffled groan inside the truck. He opened his eyes and let the roamed the trucks interior. His heart almost stopped completely when he found Lindsay tied up beside him. She didn't look good at all. Her lip was split but the bleeding had stopped for some time. There was a large cut above her right eye, that still bled slightly, and her neck looked raw. But with everything they've seen in this job, she could've been worse.
"Lindsay." Danny called. His throat was dry and cracked. "Lindsay can you hear me?"
Lindsay's eyes slowly opened. Probably the best thing that had happened to Danny all day. "Danny? What's going on?"
"I have no idea, but we're no stayin' around to find out." Danny said. He sat up and pulled at his binds.
The truck jolted, probably from a pothole. Lindsay looked about the trailer. "Where do you think they're taking us?"
"Nowhere good, that's for sure. Are you alright?" Danny asked.
"Yeah, nothing too serious. But we've got to get out of here." Lindsay answered.
Danny nodded. "Right. What time is it?" Danny twisted his wrist around until he could see his watch. "Quarter after five. Which means we've been missing for over six hours."
"Mac would've tried calling." Lindsay said.
"And when neither answered, he notifies Flack so every cop in New York is looking for us." Danny continued.
"But how're they going to find us?" Lindsay asked.
Danny smirked, "We bugged the kit. We didn't think they would really let you go, so Adam bugged several containers and packets so we could track them. Then Mac and Flack decided to bug me, in case they went for a second hostage."
"So they're tracking you right now." Lindsay said.
"Right. And if these guys aren't stopped by them, we're in for a rough ride." Danny replied.
"Got any ideas?" Lindsay asked.
Danny turned his head. The bar was bolted to the wall of the trailer, but it was decrepit and rusted at the bolts. He looked the other way, the bolts were in the same condition on the other side. Danny nodded, forming a plan in his head.
"We can bust the rode and slip off." Danny said.
"Sound possible. Since the bolts are corroded the bar should pop easily off. I can handle the knots. These guys are lousy at them." Lindsay said.
"You'd think that I wouldn't be surprised by that." Danny said. He gripped the bar above him. Lindsay smirked and gripped the bar as well.
"You ready Montana?" Danny asked.
Lindsay nodded. "One, two, three!"
They pulled with all their might. The bar snapped near Danny, hitting him in the head, but they broke it nonetheless. Danny slid his hands from the bar quickly. Lindsay slid her hands from the bar. Lindsay quickly started untying Danny's ropes.
"You sure you can untie these?" Danny asked. He looked up from her struggling hands.
"Please. I can untie these and teach you to tie one at the same time. Done!" Lindsay proclaimed.
Danny looked down in astonishment. The rope fell to the floor with as he enjoyed freedom. He grabbed Lindsay's hands, "Alright, talk me through this Montana."
"Just grab the first rope and-" Danny looked up at Lindsay. Her eyes were staring off to his left. Danny turned, finding what she was watching. The thugs had the back of the truck bugged. A small black camera was set up in the corner behind them. A second camera was set to the other side.
"Stay here." Danny said. He stood up and walked to one of the cameras.
"Be careful." Lindsay called.
Danny used his binds and wrapped them around the camera. He gave a good strong tug and pulled the camera off. The wires let it hang in the air, clanging against the walls of the semi. He moved across the wall to the next camera.
"Danny!" Lindsay called.
Danny turned quickly. One of the assailants peeked out front the window. Danny moved quickly, punching the man in the face. The man hung on the window unconscious. Danny felt the truck steer randomly. He looked out the window. Lindsay watched Danny's facial expression shift into pure horror. He spun around quickly, panic written all over his face.
"Spike strips!" Danny yelled.
Neither one had time to prepare for what came next. The truck hit the spike strips at 60 mph. The driver turned the wheel sharply. The truck suddenly turned, traveling down the freeway at a horizontal angle. The back of the semi hit the guardrail, sending chunks of concrete down below the overpass. Suddenly the truck flipped onto its side, scraping the guardrail further onto the freeway below. Inside, Danny jerked to the side of the truck, slamming against the wall. He slumped to the floor unconscious. Lindsay slammed into the wall as Danny did, only retaining conscious. As the truck slid on its side, Lindsay's arm scraped over the rough bar. The truck crashed over the guardrail, inside Lindsay slid down the back of the truck. Her impact broke open the doors, leaving her to hold on for her life, suspending fifty feet over the freeway.
Lindsay grabbed onto the edge of the truck, giving her little grip for safety. Her legs dangled out of the back of the semi. But with her hands still bound, she held not much hope of pulling herself up. Lindsay's grip weakened as she slid down the metal trailer. The door of the truck rocked against her legs. Her arm stung from the cut she had sustained minutes earlier. Lindsay screamed as she slipped closer over the freeway below her.
"HELP!" she screamed.
"Lindsay hold on!" she heard Mac call. The semi was too far over the edge for Lindsay to see Mac. But she could hear the officers apprehending the driver and accomplice.
"We're coming kiddo!" Flack yelled.
"I can't hold on!" Lindsay cried.
Suddenly her grip gave completely, leaving Lindsay to fall the rest of the way out of the truck. Lindsay screamed as she slid out of the truck. Her fingers grabbed onto the edge, but she was rapidly losing her grip. The door of the truck gave Lindsay no support and continued swinging against her legs. Her finger slid against the metal edge of the truck. Lindsay drover her nails into the metal, trying desperately to hold on.
"Hang on Montana!" Lindsay looked up. Danny hung over the edge, grabbing her bound hands. He held her firmly, trying to pull her up from the truck. He struggled retaining his grip. He started sliding over the edge with Lindsay.
"I'm pulling you over Danny!" Lindsay cried.
Danny grunted. "I'm not lettin' you go."
They slipped further over the edge. Lindsay looked below. Cars had stopped driving below them. Several had crashed into the ruble from the guardrail. Others had stopped to watch the remaining actions take unfold. Neither one would survive the fall. Her wrist was slipping from Danny's grip. Lindsay's heart was beating frantically.
"Look at me, Lindsay!" Danny yelled.
Lindsay looked up at Danny. He was still sliding down the trailer with her. "You can't hold this forever Danny."
"Just hang on Lindsay." Danny said. He reached behind him, reaching for anything that he could hold onto. Lindsay slipped further in Danny's grip. She gasped loudly, but Danny still held onto her. Danny groaned. He knew he couldn't hold onto Lindsay for much longer.
A strong hand grabbed Danny's. Danny turned, finding Flack holding on. Mac reached over the edge of the truck and grabbed Lindsay. Together, they lifted Danny and Lindsay into the truck. Mac quickly untied Lindsay bound hand.
"Are you two alright?" Flack asked.
"Couple bumps an' bruises. But I think we're ok." Danny answered.
"Let's get you two outta here." Mac said. He led them toward the front of the truck. Several officers had cut an opening from the window of the trailer. Flack helped Lindsay up through the opening and another officer helped her out on the other end. Danny followed behind her, stumbling as his foot caught part of the trailer.
Stella was standing near the truck, waiting for Danny. She place a hand on his shoulder, leading him from the truck to one of the ambulances. Lindsay was already be tended to at the second car.
"Nice work Danny." Stella said.
"I was kinda havin' my doubts when we'd been missing for six hours. What took you guys so long?" Danny asked.
"Hawkes lost your signal while we were tracking you. He finally picked it up an hour ago, which didn't give us much time to set up a safer block." Stella explained.
Danny was only partially paying attention, he glanced over at the second ambulance, watching Lindsay. One of the paramedics dabbed Danny's head with antiseptics. He winced at the sudden sting at the back of his skull. Danny bit back a curse, biting his tongue. Instead, he groaned loudly.
"How's Linds?" Danny asked.
Stella glanced back toward Lindsay's ambulance. "From what I saw, she should be fine. We're taking you both to the hospital to make sure. After that trailer went over, we're not taking any chances."
"Sounds good to me." Danny replied.
The ambulance ride to the hospital wasn't exciting, and after a day trapped in a semi trailer, Danny didn't mind at all. His mind had other things to worry about, like Lindsay. After she nearly slid out the semi truck, he needed to know that she was ok.
Danny sat on the hospital bed. One of the doctors was nearly finished bandaging his head. Considering the force Danny's head had collided with the trailer wall, Danny had been extremely luck just to have a slight cut.
Mac walked into Danny's room. "How're you feeling Danny?"
"All things considered, Mac, pretty good." Danny said.
"I'm sorry for putting you in danger today, Danny. I should-"
Danny shook his head, "Mac, stop apologizing'. I would've done this either way and you know it."
Mac nodded, "I guess I do. Lindsay fine, by the way. She'll be on Tylenol for the next few days, but nothing to serious."
"Good. That is very good news." Danny said.
The doctor finished wrapping Danny's head. "Alright. You're good to go. Take it easy the next few days then you can return to work."
"Thanks doc." Danny said. He stood from the bed and followed Mac out of the room.
"There they arm." Danny looked up. Stella and the team were making their way down the hall toward Danny and Mac. Lindsay walked slower than the others. She had several white bandages on her arm and forehead.
"How're you feeling Dan?" Stella asked.
"Not too bad." Danny asked.
"Let's get these two home before we continued this conversation." Mac said. They started back up the hallway toward the exit.
Danny caught Lindsay's hand and pulled her back. "Are you alright?"
Lindsay nodded, "Yeah, thanks to you Danny. You saved me."
"Anytime Montana." Danny replied.
Lindsay stared at Danny with yearning eyes. It was like she wanted to say more, but kept it inside.
"You sure you're alright Lindsay?" Danny asked.
"Yeah Danny. I…I just…"
"What?" Danny asked.
Lindsay threw herself into Danny's arms and kissed him.