Outside McKinley Airport ten minutes later...
"Okay, we go in quietly and split up as discussed." Jack instructed his team over the car radio. "And don't go shooting anything unless you know what you're hitting. Copy that?"
"Copy" Martin answered, in the vehicle with Viv.
"Yeah, we copy." Elena replied, answering for herself and Danny, who was sat beside her.
"Okay, great." Their boss finished.
"We've got a red Pontiac in sight." Viv relayed to the team over her radio, as she got out of the car with Martin a couple of minutes later. Unfortunately the man getting out of it was not Davis.
Meanwhile Jack had spotted someone else... and this time it was Davis. But he was alone.
"FBI. Put your hands in the air where I can see them." Jack called from behind him, his gun trained on Davis' back. The killer and kidnapper was at the top of the short set of steps leading to the cabin of a small private plane.
Upon hearing Jack's voice, Davis turned to face him, but pointed his own gun into the cabin.
"You get back. Get back or I'll shoot her." He warned.
"Put down the gun and let her go." Jack demanded.
"I will. Soon as I get where I'm going." Davis glanced into the cabin. "You drop your weapon and you call off your troops. Or I'll kill her right now."
"You're gonna kill her anyway." Jack told him. Davis held his eye contact, but his hand wavered. He turned the gun on Jack instead and fired; the bullet going wide.
Instantly, Jack fired two shots in quick succession. They pierced into Davis' shirt, and he dropped the gun, falling forward onto the tarmac.
Jack secured his gun then ran over to the steps. He peered inside to find... an empty cabin. No Samantha.
He exhaled, thinking hard. Where could she be? And what had he done to her? Turning back around, he spoke into his radio.
"Davis is down. Sam's not here, let's search the area." He went over to where Davis was lying on the ground, blood soaking through his shirt from the wounds on his chest. He gasped for breath. Jack bent down.
"Where is she?"
"She had served her purpose." He murmured, looking up at Jack with a look of grim satisfaction as the lifeblood flowed out of him.
Flashback...
Davis shoved Sam onto the floor. Her hands were still tied behind her back and there was a trail of blood on her chin from where her lip was bleeding.
He pointed his gun straight at her. Samantha felt her heart start to race with fear.
"No. Look, you're gonna make a big mistake, yeah? There's no place for you to hide. Come on." Her chest was rising and falling more rapidly as she tried to stay calm, but the look in Davis' eye scared her. He raised the gun to fire.
"Please." Sam begged. "Please, don't do this. You don't have to do this, you can still get away, just leave me here, please." Davis didn't move. Samantha continued, praying that he would listen.
"I know you don't want to do this, you can change. You didn't mean to hurt Jennifer, you were just trying to move on from the past... I know how that feels. Please..."
End of flashback...
"Look you're gonna be dead in about 30 seconds. Do one decent thing in your life and tell me where she is." Jack implored him. "Where is she?"
But it was too late. Davis remained silent, and a few seconds later he was dead. Jack closed his eyes, the hope he held in his heart draining rapidly away.
Elena's voice sounded over the radio, jolting Jack from his thoughts.
"Jack. I found her." Jack closed his eyes again and sighed, hoping that they weren't too late.
When he reached the other side of the airport Jack jogged over to where Martin, Viv and Danny were standing.
Elena appeared from round the corner, her arm around Sam's shoulders. Jack sped up. Elena stopped, letting go of Sam, and went and leant against the car beside Danny.
Sam smiled a tired smile at Jack, the vulnerability showing in her eyes. Jack quickly pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly. Sam suppressed a sob as she wrapped her arms around him, burying her head in his chest. He held her close to his body, rubbing her back and stroking her hair affectionately.
Standing nearby, the remainder of the team exchanged looks of relief and happiness. Danny reached out and held Elena's hand in his own. Martin and Viv stood side by side with their arms folded, smiling at Jack and Samantha embracing. They were all so glad that Sam was alright, and were in no doubt that their boss would be there to offer her support and comfort when she needed it.
Samantha lifted her head from Jack's shoulder. He relaxed his hold on her, although one arm remained round her waist while the other reached up to touch her cheek. His fingers trailed down her jaw line and brushed gently across her red lips. Sam winced slightly.
"I'm so sorry sweetheart." Jack whispered.
"It wasn't your fault Jack." Sam replied, her hands resting against Jack's chest. Seeing the expression on his face she continued. "It really wasn't your fault." A pause, then: "Did you find Jennifer?" Jack nodded slowly.
"She was dead." He told her quietly. Sam sighed, closing her eyes in disappointment. "I was so scared that he would... would do the same to you." Jack went on.
"So was I." Sam said. "But he didn't."
"What happened Sam?" Danny asked her.
"You don't have to do this now." Jack watched her carefully.
"No, its okay. I don't mind." She assured him. Samantha turned to face her colleagues, Jack's arm still firmly in place around her side.
"He just got out his gun; I really thought he was going to shoot me. He just stood there, staring at me, and then he raised the gun. I begged him not to do it; I told him that I knew he didn't want to really, and that he hadn't meant to hurt Jennifer. I don't know, he just seemed to listen. Then he just turned and walked out." Sam finished, shrugging.
"You managed to talk that murdering scumbag down?" Danny asked, impressed.
"Smart girl." Jack said proudly, pulling her closer. Sam smiled at him.
"I didn't really think, I just, I don't know... he was trying to move on from his past. I know what that's like. I guess he saw that I could understand where he was coming from." She explained.
"You are amazing." Jack told her. Sam blushed, tucking a loose strand of blonde hair behind her ear. She turned her head to look at Jack.
"I was so scared." She whispered to him as a tear slipped down her bruised cheek.
Jack drew her into his arms once more, holding her close, wanting to make her feel safe and secure. Samantha couldn't hold back the tears any longer.
"Let me take you home sweetheart." Jack said after Sam had stopped crying.
The rest of the team began sorting things out with NYPD who had arrived, and the coroner. Vivian took charge as Jack guided Sam to his car, calling an appreciative 'thanks' back over his shoulder. Even though he should be the one taking control, he didn't want Sam to be alone right now, so he was glad that the others were happy to deal with it all.
Viv watched Jack and Samantha's retreating figures, his arm around her and her head resting on his shoulder. She smiled to herself, knowing that Sam would get through this because she was strong - although it would be hard – but she was also confident that Jack would be there for her, every step of the way.