Thousands thanks to my precious beta reader, Evil Shall Giggle, who is doing a fine work correct my awful English 

Chapter 4 : Kidnapped !

Tuzanor, a few weeks later…

Marcus, sitting in the library, was reading an old book written by Valen's hand. When he wasn't teaching or training, he liked to stay in this place where he felt calm, forgotten by the rest of the world and where he could make silent his inner demons, what Turval called 'the noise in his head'. He'd never liked reverie or studies, but the calm of this place was pleasing to him.

He was becoming again the man he had always been—nimble, with his trademark: a constant, yet often peculiar humour, but a spring had broken forever in him and he knew it. Though, his retreat in the mountains had been good for him, he was feeling infinitely better.

Sighing, he closed the old book, put it back in its place with much care, and went out. Then he saw Ranger Tannier coming towards him. He knew he was in charge of the presidential guard and was assigned to the presidential residence. He saluted him.

"I'm surprised to see you here," he said, "what's happening?"

Tannier stopped. "I am happy to see you," he said, "I was headed for your quarters. President Sheridan and Entil Z'Ha Delenn sent me out to give you that letter, they said you were the only man able to help them."

Marcus took the letter, and read:

"Marcus,

I chose this way of communication to be sure that this message will only be read by you. The Ranger who will give it to you is a trustworthy one. Someone kidnapped David, our son, and we need your talents to find him again. You are the only one able to find him. He was kidnapped last night, in his bed, but nobody saw anything.We just found a letter saying we will be contacted later.

We will be infinitely grateful if you would give us your help. Save David, we beg you!

In Valen's name,

Delenn"

She had never spoken, let alone written to him with this trustful, familiar tone, and he could sense beyond her words all the despair of a mother deprived of her only son. No, never, he'd never allow anything to happen to this child!

He ran to his bedroom, packed his things quickly and took the first transport he found going to Yedor. The old Marcus was back, the one who was one of the best at what he did, who knew how creep in the most dangerous zones without being seen, the one who had accomplished the impossible in former times to save Earth and who had escaped death so often.

During the run to Yedor, Marcus mentally re-enacted the plan, according to what he knew: the boy was in his bed, and, as he knew, his tutor and his governess were nearby, and yet nobody heard anything when the child was kidnapped. The morning, no more David, just a letter saying they would be contacted later.

He knew the president and his wife kept their son near them, in a very protected way, especially to avoid this sort of things. Moreover, they always had two Ranger units guarding them personally, so how did the kidnappers succeed without being seen?

His hood up, nobody paid any attention to him; the Minbari were used to seeing Rangers and no one looked at him. When he arrived in Yedor, he went to the presidential residence at his quickest pace. His coming was expected, so the guards let him go and a Minbari servant led him to the president's private apartments. John Sheridan stood up when he entered.

"Thank god," he said to him, "you came, Marcus."

The Ranger bowed. "I couldn't do less," he said respectfully.

Delenn, now just entering the room, bowed slightly to him. "If someone can find David again, it is you,"she said calmly.

"Did you make a list of your potential enemies?" he asked, "Or at least the most dangerous ones?"

"No," said Sheridan, shaking his head, "it would be too long. But I'm constantly asking myself so many questions that my head hurts! The first is: how did they do it? The residence is guarded night and day, as are our apartments, the only possibilities are that either a guard didn't do his duty, or there is a traitor in the residence."

The two solutions were plausible, and Marcus stayed silent a long moment before asking to examine the child's room. Nothing had been moved there, and he couldn't find any evidence that would suggest that the child, though he'd been surprised in his sleep, had put up any struggle. He examined all the furniture, and the Minbari bed but finally shook his head.

"It's very difficult to say anything now," he said, his voice wilted, "but things seem to be pointing towards inside support because there was no break in. Moreover, David didn't shout or fight, which would indicate means he probably knew his kidnapper."

Delenn looked at her husband. "But who? We've known our quislings for years, none of them would betray us," she said, some surprise and incomprehension in her voice.

Marcus saw in front of him this mother from whom her only son had been torn away, this worrying father, this family he owed so much, and swore to himself he would find their child, even if he had to do the Coriana VI battle again. He had to use his capacities of a hardened Ranger to track down and find who had kidnapped the boy.

He stood up and bowed. "I'll collect some information," he said, his voice hardening, "If the kidnapper contacts you, call me immediately and I will come."

On the Titans, Susan Ivanova had just learned, by way of the ISN channel, of her godson's kidnapping and was furious. Who dared to attack a child, especially this child she adored, that she viewed as her own? She quickly made her decision: she would return to Minbar and find him. Then, she would make his captors pass the most horrible period she could imagine for even daring to touch her godson. Instantly, the old Ivanova had returned, with her bad temper and her qualities that had made her one of the best war leaders.

In a couple of minutes, she called her commanding officer, general Wiggins, told him her reasons and her decision, and he gave her the go-ahead. Susan had enough accumulated leave time that she would afford to take a long absence. Also, he knew what kind of a relationship Susan had with President Sheridan and his wife because of their long common past, and knew he couldn't send anyone to Minbar who was more qualified to find little David.

That done, Susan called her second in command, lieutenant Carter. Some minutes later, the young man came and rang at her ready room's door. She gestured to him to sit in front of her.

"I am entrusting you with the ship," she told him, "I have to go for an undetermined time." Surprise flitted briefly across the man's face, followed by understanding. Susan continued, "I'm going to Minbar. If you need to call me, you can reach me at the presidential residence."

"Our thoughts will be with you, ma'am," he said respectfully, standing, "we saw the news and are all hoping the president's son will be found soon."

Touched by her second in command's words, Susan smiled. "Thank you, lieutenant," she replied, "I'll tell them."

He went out, and Susan quickly packed some things before going to docking bay two to take one of the shuttles parked there. She could go to Minbar quite quickly with it.

On Minbar, Delenn rushed into John's office.

"We have another problem, John," she said, "Susan is coming."

Sheridan raised his head from the file he was looking at.

"I thought we didn't tell her about David," he said, surprised.

Delenn sat in front of him. "We didn't, but you know ISN broadcasted the news in spite of us. What will you do if she meets Marcus? It would be devastating, for him as much as for her, and right now they won't be up to the shock," she said worriedly.

John stood up. "As you like to say, the universe will answer our questions, and we will see then. Though, I know that with both of them working at it, we will have a miracle team, able to find David, wherever he is." He came, sat near her and took her in his arms. "Don't worry," he said soothingly, "David will be found in good health."

She snuggled up to him, letting go of the tears she had been courageously holding back since David's kidnapping. "May the universe hear you, John," she prayed, her voice breaking.

There was all of a mother's distress in this phrase. Delenn usually controlled and hid her real feelings, but she couldn't bear it anymore, especially now, when her child was in danger. Her son, a miracle of genetics, that she had carried, despite her people's disapproval, without knowing if he could live and be normal, but, most importantly, he was a symbol, the symbol of her love for John, the symbol of the reunification of their two races.

They tried to keep him from all these political things, but it was probably because of one that he had been kidnapped.

Sheridan's secretary, Lonann, entered then and bowed. "Mister President," he said respectfully, "a personal message for you."

Sheridan rushed to the console, and a black screen appeared. Only a voice came, one that he couldn't identify.

"If you want to see your son alive, we ask fifty thousand credits and safe transport off Minbar." There was no identifiable accent; it could be anyone. Despaired, the parents looked at each other.

"Go and get the residence's chief of security!" ordered Sheridan, and Lonann rushed out.

Marcus, for his part, began his slow exploration of Yedor's down below. Since strangers were allowed to stay on Minbar, near the city some sort of aliens' sector had formed where humans and other races lived. It was the place where bad things were fomented, prevented by the Rangers, and it was the best place to find information. Marcus slipped near a human he knew and sat.

"Hey, Joey, haven't you something to say to your old friend?" he asked.

The man, as dirty as his bar, looked at him suspiciously.

"I know why you're here, Marcus," he answered, chewing on something, "and no, I have nothing to say."

The Ranger locked his dark eyes on his interlocutor. "I don't believe a word," he said coldly, "When there's a bad job to do, you're always involved."

Joey shook his head. "Hey, I dunno what you're talking about! I wasn't in Sheridan's kiddie kidnapping!"

A gleam passed over Marcus' dark eyes, and for a moment, Joey wasn't able to swallow.

"You know something, then," he said, his voice edged.

The man put his finger in his nose, and snorted. "Yeah, I heard something," he admitted. "A drunkie yesterday said someone paid him to see a particular transport to the spatioport. I didn't think nothing of it, but after an extra beer he told me he saw a child with two hooded silhouettes, probably Minbari ones."

A lead, at last! Even though Marcus' disciplined mind, shaped by Minbari masters, was telling him it was only a supposition, there was a good chance that the child was young David.

And as to why the Minbari would kidnap the president's son…? Marcus knew they could be extremists, especially towards Delenn, whom some did not consider a Minbari anymore. David, the living symbol of her 'treason', could be, for this kind of person, a precious prey.

He turned to Joey. "For your sake, you'd better let me know before you tell this to anyone else, and if I find out that you had something to do with this, I'll make you regret being born," Marcus threatened, a dark expression in his eyes.

The barkeeper swallowed nervously, but said nothing.

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