No one came to release Dan for hours. He passed out from pain, exhaustion and dehydration. When he woke up he was no longer hanging, but he was cuffed hand and foot to a metal bed with a thin mattress. None of his cuts and bruises had been tended. There was no food or water or any evidence of any change except the bed. At least he was grateful for that.
His stomach ached from the beating and hunger. He still couldn't see much, though it seemed lighter to him inside than it had been.
How long had he been here? Long enough for his last good meal with Karla was long gone. Karla, was she alright? Did they grab her as well? Why? He still had no answers and he both hoped the man with the black leather gloves would come back so he could get some answers and that he wouldn't because he didn't believe he was coming back for answers.
He tried to stay awake, to try to defend himself, but his body was too badly abused to let him. He slipped into unconsciousness.
Noises and lights woke him up. He had no idea of how long he'd been out. Oh, God, he was hanging from the ceiling again. The man in black was back and he didn't appear to be in any more talkative mood than before. "I'm Dan Ross, Captain of Major Caseā¦." Dan said before the mans fist plowed into his chin.
Anger and pain gave Dan strength he didn't know he had. He raised his feet up and kicked out with them at the mans head. He connected solidly with his left foot, knocking the man around and back a few feet. The man came back at him with more force. Dan tried that again and had a knife driven into his calf muscle. He screamed in agony. The man then wrenched it out and started pounding on Dan unmercifully using his hands and feet. Dans last thought before he blacked out was that he was going to die here.
Nancy was less than happy to hear from Karla. She was concerned that Dan was out of contact but not real worried. He had been gone for long periods of time before and it wasn't unusual in her experience. She had not heard from him and neither had the boys. She was a bit upset at being asked his whereabouts, but asked to be informed when he was found.
Bobby wasn't able to locate him anywhere in the police network. Then he called the bars that Dan might've gone to. No luck. Alex started calling in favors from places she knew was favored by the others. No one had seen him.
The two major case detectives looked at each other, the same thoughts running through their minds. Their captain was gone. "I'll call Mike and Carolyn." Bobby said.
"I'll get started on the rest." Alex said.
"Who's going to call Karla?" Bobby asked.
"I'd better do it. I expect she'll be here soon." Alex said grimly. She picked up the phone and made the call that she always dreaded for herself. As she expected Karla was on her way out the door as they were speaking.
"I know I would. Maybe he's alright, just got busy. At least for Karlas sake, I hope that's all it is." Bobby said as though no time had passed in the conversation.
"But we both know this isn't like him. He wouldn't worry Karla like this if he could help it. I think we have to go on the assumption that he's been taken against his will. We need to get the Chief of D's on this and maybe the FBI." Alex said.
"We'll let him make that call. I think the Chief will be enough for right now. The question is who wants him gone or dead." Bobby said, thoughtfully. "We don't have any recent cases where he's made any enemies. Could it be from his past?"
"He made a lot of enemies when he worked for the Feds. It could be almost anyone. How do we figure out who could have done this?"
"The book?"
"He doesn't have it in his desk anymore. He told me right after he'd been shot that he'd moved it. I'm guessing he took it home."
"So Karla should bring it with her?"
Bobby shook his head. "He told me he hid it again. She doesn't know where he put it. He said she didn't need to be put into the position where she was in danger from it. I don't know where he hid it."
Karla didn't take long at all to get there. She came into the office. "Did you find anything yet?" she asked.
"No. Let's go into the conference room." Bobby suggested.
Karla nodded. Her eyes moved to Dans Office. "We'll get him back, Karla." Alex told her friend.
"If he can be found, you are the ones to do it. Unless he's dead."
"You can't think that way." Bobby told her. "Until we have proof of anything we're going on the assumption that he's still alive. Let's go over anything you can remember about the last time you saw him."
Karla closed her eyes for a minute. "Alright."
Bobby put a bracing arm around her. Alex joined them in the room. "Tell me anything you can think of." Bobby sat down opposite her and prepared to listen with his whole being.
TBC
