Slowly Maria turned her face and looked Spike directly in the eyes. "He took him Mike. He took Luca."

"What?" Spike asked perplexed. "What do you mean he took Luca? What the hell happened?"

White as a sheet and with tears in her eyes Maria nearly whispered, "I tried to stop him, Mike you got to believe me I tried, but.. he was just too strong. I told Luca to hide but he was too fast. He …" stopping, turning her head away and wiping her tears.

"Don't! Don't you dare giving yourself the fault. You tried Maria, it's gonna be OK. I will find him. My team and I are gonna find him. Do you think you can tell me the rest, what else happened?"

"He beat me Mike, like he did before. Just beat me. In front of Luca." Wiping away a new set of tears and taking a couple of deep breaths. "He just told me Luca belongs to him and only him and he is gonna take him with him. I just told him to leave, that I would call the police, that I would call you. But I couldn't get to my phone, he stoppped me and started beating me. After some time I fell to the ground, felt dizzy. When I came around again he was gone. So was Luca. I found my phone, called 911 and then another dizzy spell hit me. I woke up again in the ambulance and called you as soon as we arrived at the hospital."

Taking all this in Spike stood up walked up and down next to the hospital bed Maria was lying in. He ran his hands through his hair, making it even more ruffled. Suddenly he stopped abruptly and turned to Maria. "Where is Paolo? And where was Valentino at the time?"

A little smile made his eay into Maria's face. "Paolo spend the night and his Nonna, because today is " bring your grandparents"-day at kindergarten." At this Spike had to smile too. What funny things they did at kindergarten. "Valentino is in Montreal on business."

Nodding, Spike's mind has already started to form a plan. His thoughts were interrupted by a young nurse entering the room. "Excuse me, I am going to bring you to your room." Turning to Spike "You the boyfriend? Husband?" Laughing a bit and shaking his hand. "No, thank god." which earned him a small slap from Maria. Looking confused the nurse nevertheless started to wheel out the bed.

The new room was small but Maria had it for herself. It also had a window which gave Spike the chance to sink deeply into his thoughts withour having to stare at the wall. The dawn was slowly breaking. The snowing has stopped but a white coat covered the city.

"Mike? What are we going to do now?" Maria asked as soon as the nurse finished settling her in and left.

There was a long pause and Maria thought for a moment he hadn't heard her. With a glance at his watch Spike said determined. "Now I'm going to call my team."

At the SRU headquarters Team one was already well into their workout.

"Anyone seen Spike today? He is unusally late." the team seargant Greg Parker asked.

"Maybe he and Winnie had something "important" to do in the morning", Sam Braddock, ex-soldier and team sniper, suggested with a grin.

"Yeah, let him be boss, he's got another hour till shift starts." Jules Callaghan, junior negotiator and bad-ass girl, chipped in.

Greg nodded and as he turned back to the weights his phone started ringing. "Speak of the devil, it's Spike." Taking his phone he left the workout room.

"Hey Spike, team is already missing you, where are you?"

"Boss…" came the hesitant answert, unsure of how to voice his request.

"Spike? You in trouble?" Greg was starting to worry. A hesitant, silent Spike wasn't normal.

"Nah, it's not me. I'm at Humber River Hospital."

"What happened? Winnie OK?"

"Yeah yeah, Winnie is fine, should be on her way to the barn already. Maria is here. She was brought here."

"Maria?" Greg paused for a moment. "Spike, what's going on?"

"Boss.. I need you, I need the team. Luca was abducted."

"Luca was … what? Of course Spike, stay put, we are on our way." Greg finished the call, turned around and called. "Team 1, hot call!"