Steve smiled, reaching for his phone seeing his favorite picture of Michelle on the front as she called him.

"Hey baby, where are you," he asked first, needing to put his mind at ease.

"Jordan."

"Jordan? What's going on there?" He sat down on the bed, forgoing getting dressed for work, giving the call his full attention.

She felt no issue with telling Steve of the reason for her being there, and he knew that it stopped with him as well. "They negotiated to have a small base open on the border by Ar Ruwayshid. I guess the neighbors are getting pushy again."

"Saudi Arabia or Iraq?"

"Iraq. Are the girls awake?" she asked wanting to change the subject.

He got up walking to the bedroom door. "I'll get em' up."

"No Steve, that's ok, I only have a minute. I just wanted to let you know where I was. I know that first twenty-four hours drives you crazy. Don't tell them I called. I'll call back tonight."

He stood in the middle of the room, knowing then it was going to be a short call, wanting to get the most out of it. "I love you. Where are you staying?"

"I love you too," Michelle smiled. "Believe it or not I'm at a pretty decent hotel."

"A hotel?" he chuckled. "You mean no one star accommodations at the local Shangri La?"

Michelle laughed, knowing he was speaking of the US Embassy. "Nope. Bryan decided to treat me for my last trip."

"Aww," Steve remarked sarcastically. "What a sweet guy."

"I know you don't like him, but this is his way of saying 'job well done Michelle'."

"Seems odd," he repeated in the same sarcastic tone, "but just saying good job would be nice too, but I think Mr. Roboto would never get the connection there. He might have to smile."

Michelle grinned, knowing it was his way of sticking up for her. "I have to run. I love you, kiss the girls for me and I'll talk to you later."

"Ok, love you too. Be safe."

He hung up, looking down at his phone and took in a deep breath letting it out slowly; part of him was relieved to have heard from her so he could put that worry aside, but the other part that missed her sprang back up after hearing her voice. It was a catch-22. He was never fully at ease unless she was standing next to him.

"Good morning," Clair said cheerfully as he came in the kitchen.

"Good morning."

She poured him a cup of fresh coffee, topping it off with a splash of cream and handed it to him. "What do you want for breakfast?"

Steve smiled brightly, "I should say, 'Clair, you don't have to cater to me.'" He took the coffee from her, "but I'm not going to say that." He leaned over and kissed her cheek. "I'll have eggs and bacon please." He knew taking care of him and the girls was her greatest joy on these trips and it wouldn't do him or her one-ounce of good to try and tell her she was doing too much.

"Coming right up," she said happily.

"Michelle called me a few minutes ago," he said sitting at the counter with his coffee.

"She did? How is she? Where is she?"

"She's good. She's in Jordan. She was in a hurry and said she'd call back tonight."

Clair cracked two eggs in the pan, knowing he liked them over easy. She looked over her shoulder at him, also hearing the change in his voice. He was missing his wife that she could tell right away. Her heart went out to him over that, but it also made it soar, so pleased that her daughter had found someone that loved her enough to worry even when there wasn't cause for it. She loved him for that.

"Do you want to go get the girls up and when you come back down breakfast will be ready?"

Steve smiled, "Sure."

She knew that would get his mind off of Michelle and the phone call for the time being.

He came down a few minutes later with Elie walking beside him and Ellen lying over his shoulder. She was always the slow one to wake up, where as her sister was definitely a morning person.

"Morning Nana," Elie said, pulling a barstool out away from the counter and crawling up on it.

Clair turned around from the stove. "Well good morning sunshine!" She took a coffee cup from the cupboard and filled it with orange juice. "A little coffee this morning ma'am?" she said in southern accent.

Elie giggled, taking the cup. "Thank you."

Steve pulled out a barstool with his foot and set Ellen down on it. She made a cranky face, wiping her fingers over her eyes.

"I think Ellen could use some real coffee," Steve smiled, pushing her up to the counter so she wouldn't fall off the chair.

Clair put two bowls in front of them and reached up in the cupboard and took out a box of Captain Crunch. Elie's eyes lit up as she nudged her sister.

"Ellen, look what Nana has for breakfast!"

Ellen looked up and her face brightened over the treat. "Mommy never lets us have that kind."

Clair shook out some in each one of their bowls. "Well, Mommy isn't here and Nana says yes." She glanced over at Steve to see his reaction as he raised his hands up in defense.

"Hey, I'm not saying a word, besides, who am I to judge this week. I eat like a king. Why shouldn't my princesses eat good too?" He sat down next to Ellen and reached over taking one out of her bowl and popping it in his mouth. "These are too good to be bad for you."

Clair set his plate of bacon and eggs down in front of him. "Change your mind?" she asked grinning at him.

He rubbed his hands together vigorously, "No ma'am! Breakfast is served."

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Michelle rolled over in bed looking at the time on her cell phone. She'd got back to the hotel late after hours of meetings and negotiating the contracts that were supposed to be ready to sign, but as Government issues went, nothing was ever concrete.

She picked up her phone wanting to call home when everyone would be there together. Hawaii was twelve hours behind so she knew it would be seven o'clock in the evening, hoping Steve didn't have a late night at work. The computer call was going to be off limits. On a normal trip she could FaceTime with her computer, but not this time. She would have to settle using her phone.

Steve picked up his phone off the end table next to the couch, showing Ellen who the caller was.

"Mommy!" she yelled out happily as Steve answered the call, holding up the phone so they could see her face. "Hi Mommy. I miss you."

Michelle felt her heart soar as she sat up in bed, instantly awake over the sound and sight of Ellen jumping up and down, waving at her. "Hi sweetie. I miss you too. Are you having fun with Nana?"

"Yes! Today we went to the grocery store and she let us pick out any kind of candy we wanted. A whole bag!"

"Oh my goodness!" Michelle replied, deciding to sound excited for her rather than sound like a whiny mother. "Save me a piece for when I get home."

"I will. I promise."

"Hi Mommy," Elie shouted standing near her. "How come she's not on the computer so we can see her face bigger?"

Steve knew it was because of this particular assignment. The laptop would only be used for work purposes.

"We'll set Mommy right here so everyone can see her, and she can see everyone." Steve propped the phone up on the coffee table. "Hey honey, can you see the girls?"

"Yes. Hi everybody!"

They all replied cheerfully and waved, even Clair.

Steve sat back and let them control the conversation and have their time with her, knowing his would come after they were finished.

She got the run down of their day and Elie told her how happy Daddy was when he got home because they had cooked him pot roast.

"We made little tiny potatoes," Elie explained, "and carrots and corn and Daddy ate everything that was on his plate and then had more!"

She and Ellen both giggled.

"You should see how much food he ate Mommy," Ellen jumped in. "We thought his tummy was going to blow up."

"I've seen him eat like that," she laughed. "Where he holds it, I don't know."

Steve stood up and grinned at the girls, holding both his arms up and flexing his muscles. "Right here. This is where I hold it."

Elie explained to her mother what he was doing as Ellen jumped up and grabbed a hold of one of his biceps and held on as he held her up with it.

"I want to try!" Elie shouted running over and grabbing the other one.

"See," Steve said, holding them both up easily. "Eat a good dinner and you become like King Titan."

Clair reached over for the phone, "Oh my God," she laughed. "You have to see this Michelle." She held the phone up in their direction. "I'm sending you a picture."

She snapped a couple on the phone and sent them.

"Look at my big strong husband. You're Daddy is like Tarzan," she smiled at them.

"He's King Titan!" Ellen burst out, swinging back and forth.

Steve dropped both his arms as the girls fell. "Awl," he moaned over the stress of holding them for so long. "I feel more like Wimpy."

They talked for a while longer until she said goodbye to the girls and her mother as Steve took the phone, going out on the back deck for privacy while Clair made the girls ice cream shakes.

"Alone at last," he said, looking at her face in the phone.

"I wish you were sitting next to me," Michelle said with a glum face.

"Me too. Of course I'd rather be lying down next to you. Speaking of which, what are you wearing?" he asked devilishly. "Give me a little peak of the goods to hold me over until you get home."

Michelle bit her bottom lip and moved the phone down over her body, showing him the old t-shirt of his that she wore to bed most nights. "You are all over me," she whispered seductively.

"I wish I was all over you," he sighed, looking back at her beautiful face. "I woke up last night at about two in the morning," he confessed, "and rolled over wanting some late night lovin when I felt the empty bed and remembered you were gone." He moaned at the memory. "It was heartbreaking."

"What did you do," Michelle grinned.

"I went back to sleep," he said proudly.

"Liar," she teased him.

"Swear to God," he said, holding up his right hand. "I'm saving it for when you get home."

"Does that mean phone sex is off the table?" She moved the phone down her body again, lifting the bottom of her shirt just enough to expose a bare hip that told him she was panty-less.

"Stop!" he said firmly, feeling his body begin to heat up. He looked over his shoulder making sure they were still alone.

"Do you miss me?" Michelle continued to torment him.

He turned the tables on her, not using his body as the weapon but used his words and the seductive tone of his voice instead, knowing his wife well enough to know what she liked. "I miss sliding my hands up your soft body while I'm slowly making love to you, and kissing that place on your neck that makes you moan out loud."

"Mmm," she moaned imitating that sound he liked, feeling the effect of his words pass through her. "You've got a talent for this."

He smiled proudly, loving the reaction on her face. "Thank you."

"I'm not sure I'll be able to have the same restraint as you after that."

Steve let out pleasing moan himself over that remark; "Just don't tell me about it, it'll push me over the edge."

Michelle smiled, looking at his image on the phone that could make her heart skip. "I love you," she said sincerely, feeling it twice fold "I love that you are the one person in this world that knows me better than anyone else. And I love that we can say anything to each other and know that love will always be the same, no matter what."

"Believe me," Steve added, "no one is happier about that than me. You're the only person that knows all of my crazy, dirty little secrets, and the best part," he winked at her, "I think you like them."

Michelle giggled, "I do. I like everything about you."

He felt that separation between them even more. "Now I'm really missing you."

She could see it on his face, as he looked at her, wondering if her expression to him was just as blue. "I miss you too."

They stepped into one of those silent moments as they looked at each other, soaking the other in.

Michelle took her fingers and slid them over her phone screen, "This is going to be the longest six days ever."

Steve nodded in agreement. "I know. You've been away before, and longer than six days, but somehow this one seems harder than the others."

"I feel like we've kind of entered into this second honeymoon stage of our marriage, you know what I mean?"

Steve smiled, "Yes. I feel like I did when we were in Thailand for those four days."

"You mean that puppy love crush, can't get enough, just want to just stare and hold hands with that other person kind of feeling?"

"Exactly," he laughed.

"It feels good, doesn't it?" she sighed.

"It feels really good. Have I told you before that I love being married to you?"

"Yes you have, but I can stand to hear it again." She looked at the clock on her nightstand, hating that her time was growing short with him. "I have an eight o'clock meeting. I need to jump in the shower."

Steve smiled brightly. "Is that phone waterproof?"

"Settle down cowboy," she smiled back. "That's only going to get you in trouble and break your streak."

Steve laughed. "Ok, I'm restraining myself once again." He puckered his lips, imitating a kiss. "Have a good day. I love you. Be safe."

Michelle returned the gesture by blowing him a kiss. "I love you too. Sleep well my handsome prince. Bye." She waved before she hung up.

He sat there looking out over the water as the sun made its final appearance of the day. It was a beautiful ending as the water sparkled and the colors on the horizon changed from pink to purple. It was one of the prettiest he'd ever seen.

He took a picture and sent it to Michelle with the caption. 'It's almost as pretty as you.' She was right in her clarification of their renewed relationship status. He did feel it just like she said. It was odd how it came in waves over the years. He always loved her, but there were times, like now that he just couldn't stand being away from her and there was nothing that could occupy his mind enough to take her out of the equation for more than a minute.

He heard steps behind him, looking back and seeing Clair.

"Here," she said, handing him a glass. "I made you a chocolate shake."

He took the glass, not remembering the last time he had one. "Thank you. This looks really good."

"You're welcome." She put a hand on his shoulder, holding it there for a second before she patted it gently. "And thank you for loving my daughter so much. It gives me comfort, it really does."

He looked back up at her, surprised over that statement.

She didn't wait for a reply and walked off, there was no need for one. She just wanted him to know that.

He watched her go back in the house, not sure where that came from, but liked the sound of it. If that was all that he had to do to make his mother-in-law happy, he thought, he was set for life.

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Michelle got out of the back seat of the car in front of the building where she'd spent a majority of the night before, as she began walking to toward the entrance when her work phone went off.

"Hello," she said.

"Ms. McGarrett, this is Hassar."

His English was spot on but he still held the deep Jordanian accent. Michelle took in a deep silent breath and gritted her teeth angrily, knowing the only reason for the call that was coming five minutes before the meeting was because he wasn't there.

"Please forgive the late call," Hassar continued, "but the meetings have been cancelled for the day. There have been some circumstances that have arisen that are in need of my attention. I hope you can understand."

She shook her head annoyed, "Absolutely, I understand," she lied, angry that if this delayed her another day from going home she was going to be furious. "We will be able to meet tomorrow, Hassar, correct? I'm hoping to get the contracts signed and give my boss some good news. All these delays on signing the contracts that have already been approved upon are making my bosses in Washington a little sketchy about moving forward."

"I understand. Tomorrow, we will meet tomorrow. The driver has been instructed to take you back to the hotel. He will be unavailable to escort you the remainder of the day, so please, I ask that you remain in the hotel until he returns in the morning to pick you up for the meetings."

She thought that was an odd request. "Hassar, are you suggesting that I stay in the hotel or are you warning me that I should stay in the hotel?" She heard silence on the other end. "Hassar, whatever it is that's in need of your attention today, do I need to be concerned of that?"

"We've had some issues at the border, but I can assure you Ms. McGarrett that my people have it under control. I'm only suggesting that you remain in your hotel."

She wasn't sure she believed him; this whole trip that had started out routine had suddenly gone in a different direction. Her first sign was the re-negotiating of the contracts and the desire for US troops to arrive before the dates that had already been agreed upon, and now this. "All right then," Michelle replied, knowing if that's all he was going to give her then there was no need to push further, that's all he was going to give her no matter what questions she asked, "I'll see you tomorrow for our meeting." She ended the call with a growl as she got back in the car.

She waited until she got back to her room before she called Bryan.

"Michelle. How did the meetings go today?" He glanced at his watch, knowing the time difference and knowing if she were calling already then things must have gone well.

"The meetings were cancelled and it's been 'suggested',' she said emphasizing that word, "that I remain in the hotel today." She stood at the sliding glass door of her room looking out at the small city. "Have you heard anything about a skirmish at the border?"

"Nothing that's come to our attention." Bryan sat up in his chair and took ahold of his mouse, moving it around until he brought up the secure screen he was looking for. He read over a few messages that came from the US Embassy in Jordan about a border crossing issue but nothing that warranted a US security lock down for citizens working abroad. "The Embassy has reported troops heading to the border of Syria.

Michelle knew protocol when in a foreign country. "Should I head to the Embassy?" she asked.

Syria is three hundred miles north of you. Washington hasn't even issued an alert yet. I suggest you stay where you are. By the time you got there, it'll probably be over and then you'll just have to make that long drive back for the meetings tomorrow." He sat back in his chair. "We need to get those contracts signed Michelle, what's the hold up?"

"It's all in my report I sent last night. They want to re-negotiate the time frame for US troops. It has me wondering now with this border skirmish if something isn't up that they aren't telling us. Maybe this border threat is greater than they are letting on."

"Let me make some calls, Michelle. I'll be in touch." He caught her just before she hung up. "Michelle."

"Yes, Sir."

"For the time being I think it would be a good idea for you to stay at the hotel. I don't feel a threat in the least but it's just a precaution."

"Yes, Sir."

She hung up and looked out over the city again. She couldn't even call it a city, but Jordan did. It couldn't have been any bigger than Lanikai, which to her was a town. She stepped out on the balcony and a wave of warm air hit her. It was going to be a hot day, she could tell already. She looked down at the street four stories below in front of the hotel. There were a few taxicabs lined up but nothing seemed out of the ordinary that she could see. She felt no anxiety and went back inside, closing the doors but kept the curtains open for the light. She had nothing to do but sit. The hotel had a pool but she hadn't brought anything to swim in anyway, regretting it now. Her trips usually left little room for any leisure time. She sat down on the bed and picked up her Kindle and began to read the latest book she'd begun on the plane.

The time difference began to catch up with her as she relaxed, not feeling that rush of work. She thought about calling Steve but knew he'd be in bed already and she didn't want to bother him, let alone worry him. She smiled over that; glad there was someone out there that did just that. He was a good husband, he was good man she thought even more so.

She lay over on her side and looked out the window thinking about him as she slowly drifted off to sleep.

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Steve rolled over and picked up his ringing cell.

He tried to focus on the front display seeing dispatches' number appear and groaned, knowing he had to get up.

"McGarrett," he answered sitting up.

They filled him in on the details of the crime scene as he nodded, repeating his standard reply.

"I'm on my way."

He set the phone down, not bothering to call Danny or the others, knowing their calls were being placed by dispatch as he sat there.

He wiped his hands over his face and pushed himself up, going into the bathroom and turning the shower on first, letting it warm up as he emptied his bladder.

He stepped inside and moved under the warm water, turning his head and yawning as he did.

"Shit," he mumbled, feeling the lack of a good night sleep due to the absence of his wife. He poured some shampoo in his hand, rubbing it over his head, working it into a lather and then bringing it down over his face and body. He leaned back under the spout and rinsed off.

He turned the water off and reached outside the shower for a towel, wrapping it around his waist, allowing himself to dry off naturally. He felt it helped with the wakeup process. The whole ritual lasted no more than two minutes.

He came down the stairs five minutes later seeing the light on in the kitchen.

"What are you doing up?" he asked Clair as he came in, seeing her pouring coffee into a travel mug. Her hair was in disarray as if she had just jumped out of bed. It was a look he'd seen on his wife many times and even his two daughters, the resemblance between all of them was uncanny.

"I heard the shower come on and knew you must have got called into work. I knew a pot of coffee would take to long so I did a Kuerig instead. She topped it off with some cream.

"You are going way above the call of duty, Clair." He scolded her.

She screwed the top on and handed it to him just as the toaster popped up. "Hold on," she said, "you have to put something in your stomach."

He held his ground, grinning at her as she slapped some butter on the toast.

"Here," she handed it to him. "I wanted to make you a sandwich with the leftover pot roast to take with you to work today. If you and your partner want to come home for lunch I'll have a couple ready for you."

Steve shook his head. "You are way, way to good to me."

"Nonsense," she yawned, walking past him to the stairs. "Have a nice day and be safe please."

"Yes ma'am," he replied obediently, taking a bite of his toast as he made his way to the door. "I'll let you know about that lunch date."

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The phone in Michelle's room rang as she woke up out a dead sleep. The room was dimly lit as the afternoon sun moved behind the building. She reached over for the cordless phone on the nightstand, not sure why it would be ringing.

"Hello," she said.

"Michelle," Bryan replied in a tone that she'd never heard before. He sounded almost panicked. "Listen to me. I want you to get to an Embassy as soon as possible."

She sat up on the side of the bed, hearing the intensity in his voice. "What's happened?"

"There's been a kidnapping of two English government employees in a town about thirty miles from you. You need to get to Eilat. There's a German Embassy there that has agreed to take you in."

"What about Dimona? There's a US Embassy there?"

"No! It's too dangerous to go north. You need to get to that Embassy as soon as possible. It's about fifty miles south. You'll be safe there." He wanted to kick himself for not putting her there to begin with.

She ran to the sliding glass door, looking over the side of the balcony. There were two taxicabs below.

"Hassar told me I wouldn't have a driver today, but I see two taxis downstairs."

"I don't care how you get there, but you need to leave now. You understand that following protocol your phone has been disconnected?"

"I understand." She knew now why he hadn't called on her work cell phone, afraid of hackers and giving away her position if they were looking for government employees. She went back inside, "I'll contact you once I reach the German Embassy."

"If you can't make the Embassy then lay low and we'll send someone from Dimona to get you. But under no circumstances should you return to the hotel, understood?"

"Yes, Sir."

He took a second before hanging up not wanting to keep her any longer than necessary but wanted to make sure he covered his bases with her. "Do you have any questions for me, Michelle?"

"No Sir."

"Good, then I'll expect your call once you reach the German Embassy."

"Yes Sir."

She hung up and grabbed her laptop off the charger, stuffing it inside her briefcase. She ran to the top drawer of the dresser and took out her passport, setting it on the bed. She pulled out a pair of jeans and quickly slipped out of the shorts she was wearing, and slid them on. She started for the closet for her shoes when she heard gunshots coming from below her balcony.

"Steve," Danny said, waving him over. "Take a look at this."

He walked around the broken glass and covered body of the victim. "What do you got?"

Danny pointed at a shell casing on the ground. "Looks like the victim might have a got a shot off."

Steve squatted down, slipping the end of his pen inside the shell of the casing, picking it up. "Kono!" he yelled out.

"What's up boss?" she asked, appearing at his side.

He held it up, "See if any hospitals or Urgent Care centers in the area have reported gun shot victims."

"You got it," she replied, going back over to the car where her laptop was.

Danny held a bag open as Steve dropped the casing inside of it. He felt his phone in his pocket vibrating, pulling it out and seeing Michelle's picture on the front. He was busy and in the middle of a case, but never once refused one of her calls.

"Hey beautiful, what's up?"

Danny smiled, knowing it was Michelle. He zipped the bag shut, about to make a remark about her calling when he saw the look on Steve's face change, knowing the call was not a good one.

"What?!" he said turning away from the group and putting his hand over his other ear to block out the background noise so he could hear her. The stressful tone of her voice and what she was saying was setting off alarms all over his body. "Tell me what's going on."

Michelle stood on her balcony just far enough back that she could see below but not enough where anyone else would see her. She explained the call from Bryan and then the two trucks that were parked outside the hotel and the gunfire that was coming from inside the hotel lobby.

"What about the trucks," Steve asked her. "Do they have any distinct markings on them? Are they Jordanian?"

"No," she said. "They have a symbol but not one that I've seen before. They're speaking Arabic. Her heart was pounding but somehow having him on the other end was calming her. She knew the second she looked over the side and saw the trucks and men climbing out that she was in trouble. Steve was the first and only person she thought of; knowing that he would ask the right questions, but not only that but she wanted him to be her last link if something did happen, knowing he would bust down doors and tear through red tape to get to her.

"Can you get a picture of the trucks and send it to me?"

"Yes." She got down low and crawled to the edge, moving her phone over it and snapped two.

'Calm down. Calm down,' he told himself over and over as his heart pounded rapidly in his chest, hearing the background noise.

"Ok," Michelle came back on, "I sent them." She heard yelling and scuffling, leaning over the balcony and seeing several soldiers pushing three men out into the street. They held up their badges, speaking French. The gunmen raised their weapons and shot them.

"Oh my God, Steve!" She fell back against the glass door and crawled inside the room, "They're executing people!" She heard another commotion outside her room. "They're outside the hallway!"

"Hide your credentials!" Steve shouted into the phone. "Michelle! Do you hear me?! Hide your badge in the toilet like I told you, do you remember?"

"Yes! Yes!"

She held the phone in her hand and ran across the room to her briefcase yanking off her government badge that had her name, previous military rank and ID number, which could reveal her security clearance if entered into the data base. She ran into the bathroom, hearing Steve yelling at her through the phone, telling her to hide it in the toilet.

She remembered him telling her once that if the situation arose to fold it in half and shove it up inside the toilet bowl. She dropped the phone and knelt down, folding the badge in half and stuck her hand in the toilet, pushing it up as far as she could.

Steve paced back and forth unaware of the team members and fellow officers around him that had stopped what they were doing, transfixed on his conversation.

"Michelle! Michelle!"

"I'm here," she whimpered, hearing the commotion outside her room getting closer. "I'm here. Oh God Steve, they're coming." She took in a deep breath, fighting off the panic to allow her training to kick in, but the commotion outside and the sound of gunfire and people screaming had her fear escalating. Then she heard his voice speaking to her as if he were right next to her.

"Michelle, listen to me. Do you hear me?!"

"Yes," she let out the breath she was holding. "Yes."

"You're a contract employee that's there on business through your company based out of Hawaii. You have no knowledge of the contracts. All you're there to do is get signatures. Do you understand? Tell them nothing! Give them nothing! If they find out you have any link to the government they'll use that against you."

She closed her eyes and nodded.

He could hear her breathing escalating, feeling her fear as it wrapped around him. "It's ok baby. Don't be afraid. I'm always there with you."

"If they don't kill me they'll take me across the border." Her hands trembled trying to hold the phone.

"There isn't any place on this earth that they can take you that I won't find you. You know that right? You know I'm coming for you! Don't ever give up Michelle! I'm coming for you!"

She startled hearing someone pounding on her door with something hard and yelling. "I love you! Tell the girls I love them! I love you, Steve!"

She made the decision to hang up, not wanting him to hear what happened next if they shot her.

"Michelle!" he screamed, "Michelle!" He knew she hung up on purpose as he tried desperately to maneuver the phone with his trembling fingers and call her back. It was his only link to her.

The call went straight to voice mail.

"No! No!" he shouted, trying again, but once more it went to voice mail.

The terror of what she was going through at that second poured over him, knowing there was nothing he could do to stop. He felt his knees buckle as he reached out to brace himself on the car door as he held on going to his knees. Never before experiencing this type of fear and panic, seeing frightful images of her flashing before his eyes, not knowing at that second if she were dead or alive.

He fell forward on his hands, feeling faint, repeating her name over and over. He felt a hand on his back but kept his eyes tightly shut, keeping the silent vigil of his wife's face, praying with all his might to whichever God would listen to him to protect his precious Michelle.

The pounding of his heart and the sound of his lungs filling and then releasing the air over and over in quick sharp breathes drowned out the noises around him as the people at his side tried to comfort whatever the fear was that was engulfing him.

He felt his head begin to swirl knowing he was on the verge of passing out. He had to get control. He had to get control and get to her. She was counting on him.

He reached his hand to the side and felt another body, knowing it was Danny. He gripped onto his shirtsleeve using it to help pull himself up off the ground.

Danny held his arm that had ahold of him as Chin grabbed his other one and they lifted him, steading him as he reached out and braced a hand on the roof of the Camaro.

"I have to go," he mumbled incoherently. "I have to go."

"Steve," Danny said to him, his voice stressing the concern over his friend and the behavior that was just as frightening.

"I have to go," he said more clearly, bracing his other hand on the car. 'Think, think, think.' He took slow breaths getting control of his situation. "Bryan!" his head screamed out, telling him where to start.

He pushed off the car and for the first time took into account the people around him that were still staring. He gave no concern to them as his head kicked into survival mode and he began to think more clearly. He looked at Danny as if he had just appeared from a puff of smoke. "Danny! I have to get to Michelle's office!"

"Ok, ok," he said, fully cooperating.

Chin opened the passenger side that they were standing by as Steve got in and Danny ran around the other side.

Chin put a hand on Steve's shoulder, "Let me know what I need to do to help brother?"

Steve looked up, staring at him for a second with a blank expression as the words, 'find my wife,' spoke loud and clear in his head, but the words that came out were more centralized. "Locate Michelle's cell phone."

Chin nodded, knowing exactly what was needed.

Steve remembered just then the pictures she had sent on his phone. He looked down as he still held it tightly in his hand, seeing the shaking that he couldn't control. He brought up the pictures and handed it to Chin, not sure he could maneuver quickly enough to send them.

"Send these to your phone. The markings on the side of the trucks, find out what they are, who they belong to." He continued to hold his hand up as if telling him he wanted the phone back when he was done, not liking even for a second that it was out of his hands. What if she tried to call him?

Chin quickly brought up his email and forwarded the pictures to it. He gave Steve back the phone as he held it possessively, almost as if someone might try and take it away.

Chin looked through the window across at Danny. Neither one said a word, but the worry on their faces said it all. They didn't know the details just yet, but both knew she was Jordan and whatever was happening was enough to send Steve into a tailspin.