Alright, an update... yay...
Chapter 3: Plans
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Logan clenched his jaw and stared through the window as Keith chatted up the local sheriff. He started for the door as Veronica's father came out. "Well?"
"The area that the blond was last seen is about fourteen miles out of town-"
"Well, let's go," Logan interrupted, starting for the SUV.
"Hold on there, Logan. We can't just go running around in the bush to find her. We have to have a plan. We have to get a layout of the area and who's around. We can't just go off half-cocked."
Logan spun around. "She could be dying right now!"
Keith moved so they were centimetres apart. "Don't you think I'm thinking about that right now too? She's my daughter, for god's sake. But we need to stay calm. We aren't any good to her crazy."
Logan backed down. He knew Keith was right but he couldn't help but be crazy.
"Don't worry, Logan. We'll get her back."
They got into a dark green Range Rover and Keith pulled smoothly out of the parking lot and started for the nearest hotel. It was quiet for a few minutes the Logan commented,
"Not too much out here, is there?" he asked bleakly, staring out the window.
"Nope. That's why we have to get to her first. She could just disappear and no one would ever find her again."
"You think…" Logan gulped and tried again. "You think she's still alive?"
A muscle twitched in Keith's cheek. "She has to be. They wouldn't bring her all the way up here just to kill her and dump her body. That doesn't make any sense. It's a waste of time and money and it's too eloquent for these two idiots. No, they have a plan."
Logan rubbed his hand over his face. "Insurance?"
Keith shrugged. "Well, they could have stayed in Neptune for that. This is more and more serious. They took her across state lines against her will. That's kidnapping. They're holding her against her will and have probably caused bodily harm…" He paused, willing the terrible images from his head.
"She's going to be fine. She's a fighter."
He looked up to see Logan's earnest face and gave a half smile. "She's a Mars."
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She woke, blindfolded and handcuffed to the radiator in the room she'd tried to escape from. Someone was crouched beside her, waving smelling salts under her nose. She jerked away from them.
"I'm sorry Veronica-" Moe's voice was strangled.
"Get away from her," Mercer snarled, kicking him.
Moe yelped like a hurt dog and she heard him move away.
"Get out," Mercer snapped.
She glared up at where she guessed Mercer was. He was the reason she was in this mess. "What do you want from me?"
"A tidy retirement package."
"I don't have any money. My dad doesn't have any money."
"But Logan Echolls does." She could hear the smirk in his voice.
"We broke up," she spat. "He won't pay you anything."
He crouched down so they were eye to eye. "Are you sure about that?"
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Mac wrung her hands as she watched Piz walk around the Mars' kitchen. "Could you stop that?"
He shut the cupboard door and turned to her. "What?"
"Stop opening and closing the cupboards and the fridge! If you want something to eat, just eat it. Otherwise sit down. You're driving me insane!"
Piz came over and sat on the other side of her. "Sorry. We're all on edge. But she's going to be fine. Just calm down. You're overreacting."
She glared at him. "Calm down? I'm overreacting? Okay, yeah, sure. My best friend is potentially in the woods of Oregon being terrorized by a psycho frat boy and you've put my worries to rest with those simple words. Thanks," she snapped.
"Hey, cool it." Wallace stared them both down. "There is nothing we can do right now except chill out so Mac, ease up, Piz, stop patronizing her. We're going to get through this. Veronica's gonna come home and things'll get back to some semblance of normal, or as normal as we get."
Piz held out a hand to Mac. "Sorry."
Her mouth twitched into a small smile. "Me too."
Wallace grinned. "Cool. Okay, I'm going to go out and get some snacks and you two sit tight and listen for the phone."
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Logan lay back on the bed, one arm propped behind his head. This was pretty much top of his 'last things imagined in the world' list.
In the other bed, Keith Mars snored softly. He'd insisted on sharing a room, saying it would be easier just in case.
In case? In case of what? I get kidnapped too? Logan wondered. But he knew the real reason. Because neither of them wanted to be alone if that dreaded call came through. The one to tell them that the most precious thing in the world to them was gone.
On the bedside table, his phone buzzed. He snatched it up and checked the caller ID.
Veronica cell.
He clicked receive and held the phone up to his ear, holding his breath. It was a slim chance. Keith had tried to trace her cell phone and it had been turned off. Either this was Veronica being very resourceful or this was The Call.
"Logan." Mercer's voice cut through him like a knife. "Don't talk, just listen. I know you have millions and we want some. Just enough to disappear, you understand. If you were willing to part with some of that money, we might be willing to part with a certain little annoying blond." He paused and Logan jumped in,
"How do I know she's still alive?"
"Of course. Hang on."
In the background Veronica yelled, "Don't do it Logan. Don't! It's not-"
"There you go, pal. One Veronica Mars safe and sound. For now."
"What do you want me to do?"
"Unmarked bills in a non-descript bag in a garbage can at the corner of Main and Fourth." Mercer laughed. "But seriously… we'll call you with more information. Just wait by the phone. I know you're used to that…" One more short bark of laughter and he was gone. A click then the line went dead. Logan looked over at Keith, still sleeping peacefully. What was he going to do?
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"She's going to be fine, you know."
Mac looked up at Piz, blinking tears from her eyes. "I know. But it's hard. Veronica's the one that always finds people and she always fixes things and she gets the bad guy. The bad guy's not supposed to get her, y'know. And she's good at it. She's really good at it. She always gets the bad guy…" she babbled.
Piz watched her put her head in her hands and his heart wrenched. He awkwardly rubbed a hand up and down her back.
She leaned into him and he put his arm around her in a half hug. The weirdest part to Mac was that it wasn't weird… She turned and looked up at him in surprise and found him staring back down at her, almost in a trance. She leaned just a bit forward but he didn't pull away.
Piz swallowed hard. "Uh, Mac."
"Yeah?"
"What are we doing?"
She clenched and unclenched her teeth, memories of Cassidy sliding through her head. "I don't know."
He leaned towards her and their lips were centimetres apart when the door flew open.
They sprang apart guiltily, although neither really understood why.
Wallace came in, unaware of the tension as he lugged a couple bags of groceries.
Mac jumped up. "What did you get Wallace?" she said, her voice sounding unnaturally loud in her own ears.
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A little in betweener… Anyone for the Piz/Mac ship? I was watching the third season again and they do have a few moments… anyway, I'll try to update again tonight (Saturday)… if I get some reviews! C'mon guys, don't make me beg…
