Chapter 4

A/N: Hey everyone, I hope you're enjoying my story so far. Please try and take the time to post a review if you get a chance. Or send me a private message if you prefer. Feedback motivates me to post more regularly . Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy the rest of the story.

Meanwhile back on the SeaQuest…

Commander Jonathan Ford stood at the helm of the powerful ship, looking around at everyone manning their stations. The call to Captain Bridger was not an easy one but he knew it was necessary. The captain needed family time with Kristin and Lucas. After all they had been through, it was time for them to get a break. They didn't need this added worry now that Cobb was somehow out of jail. The vidlink from Noyce made him nervous, considering Noyce's secretive tone. The UEO didn't want this story breaking out, but it sounded like it was serious enough to warrant sending the SeaQuest to tackle it quickly.

Ford walked over to Lieutenant Commander Katherine Hitchcock at her station.

"Jonathan, I have a bad feeling about this. It isn't like Noyce to leave out key details. And he sounded really nervous about Captain Bridger, Kristin and Lucas. How did Cobb escape?"

"I don't know, Katie. My guess is he wasn't placed in the highest security prison. It seems like he also made some friends while he was in there since there were others who escaped with him. Noyce made it sound like it they were up to something big. I can only imagine who they're working with."

"Or working for. There's no telling what Cobb is capable of with the right motivation." Her memory of Frank Cobb was not a pleasant one, given that he blatantly tried to woo her at the same time he was terrorizing that poor family at Broken Ridge. "My sense tells me he's in it for money somehow. Someone has to be paying him. I doubt it's a simple revenge plot."

"Maybe. We don't really know all the details. Would you be up for being a part of our mission?"

"I don't see how I have a choice. If anything it will help give me some sort of closure to make sure he is put away again."

Ford nodded his head. He looked over at Lieutenant Tim O'Neill.

"Hey Tim, how far are we?"

O'Neill responded after glancing at his screen.

"We've made excellent time, sir. We should be in Cairns within 2 hours."

Ford looked back at Katie.

"Maybe we should pick up the Captain and his family sooner than later."

Katie nodded back. "I think that would put all our minds at ease, Jonathan."

"I'll give him another ring. See if they can make it sooner."

He reached for his PAL and dialed the familiar number. After several minutes, he hung up and looked at Katie, confused.

'I've never known Bridger not to answer his PAL unit."

"Maybe they have better things to do…he is, after all, on vacation with his wife and son. They might not want to be disturbed."

Ford shook his head. "It doesn't sit right…he knows the possibility of danger. He wouldn't just ignore my call."

"Well, try Kristin's phone."

He dialed Kristin's number…same thing. No answer. A few rings and then a familiar voice asked him to leave a message, which he did. Katie followed up.

"Lucas?"

Ford dialed Lucas' number and waited for the ring.

At Sam's House in Cairns…

Lucas was having a great time hanging out with his new friends. Two of them were in the middle of a heated 3D gaming session while Lucas watched and cheered on with the rest of them. They had pizza and tons of junk food around and had clearly been playing for some time. Lucas felt his PAL unit go off in his pocket. He looked at some of his friends on the couch.

"Excuse me guys, I gotta take this."

"No worries."

Lucas walked out the door to the patio overlooking the ocean and closed the door behind him to be able to drown out the noises inside.

"Lucas here."

Ford was relieved on the other end. "Lucas! Thank God. We've been trying to get a hold of your parents for a while now. Neither one of them are answering their units."

"Well, Commander, it's really late at night over here. Maybe they decided to call it a night? It's their first night alone without me. I'm over at a friend's house."

"Lucas, you don't understand. Frank Cobb has escaped his prison, along with several other people and the UEO and the New Ausland Confederation seem to think he's after Captain Bridger. We're less than two hours away."

"Do they know about this?"

"Yes. I spoke with Nathan over 4 or 5 hours ago. I had told them we should rendezvous in the morning, but I'm a little concerned and would prefer to pick you all up tonight for your safety. Problem is, he's not answering his PAL or phone and Kristin isn't either."

"It's not like them to ignore their PAL…doesn't matter what's up. They usually answer."

"I know. And I hate to tear you away from your party, but I think it would be best if you go pack up your stuff, see if your parents are there and meet the SeaQuest at the dock in 2 hours."

"Commander, I feel bad leaving my friends."

"Lucas, I'm afraid this might be more serious than you think."

"All right, but if I come home and mom and dad are in bed and I'm the one to…disturb them…I'm blaming this completely on you….and I'll hold you responsible for my psychological treatment if I see anything."

Ford let out a chuckle.

"Yes, I'll take the blame and responsibility for all of that. Believe me, nothing would make me happier than to know they are safely at your condo and in bed, no matter what they are up to."

"Gross. All right. Let me let Sam's parents know what's up and get home."

"Lucas, try to keep the details to a minimum. We don't want to involve anyone unnecessarily. Tell them you got a call from your dad saying the SeaQuest called him to duty tonight and you had to come along. Don't tell them about the danger."

"Fair enough."

"I'll expect you at the dock in about 2 hours. Please call me once you get to your condo and let me know all three of you are on your way."

"Fine. Lucas out."

He put away his PAL and went to go talk to Sam's parents. They understood, knowing all too well about the call of the military and, especially since they knew his dad was Captain Nathan Bridger. He undoubtedly had an important matter to deal with to be called at such an hour, considering SeaQuest's mission of peacekeeping and exploration. Lucas said goodbye to his friends and exchanged numbers and e-mails and Sam's dad dropped him off back at the condo. He had a key so he just walked in the door and dropped his bag in his room. He walked cautiously to his parent's bedroom and knocked on the door. When he didn't get an answer, he knocked again, this time a little louder…anything to prolong having to open the door, afraid of what he might see. He knew his mom and dad loved each other and that they were obviously…intimate…but he didn't need to see proof of that. Still, after no response, he slowly opened the door with his eyes instinctively shut and cleared his throat loudly.

"Mom? Dad?"

No answer. He reluctantly opened his eyes and was shocked to find the room completely empty. He switched on the light and confirmed this. He also noticed the window was open and that their bags and all their clothes were missing. He walked back out in the living room, a little confused and concerned. He reached into his pocket for his PAL and dialed Commander Ford.

"Commander, this is Lucas. I'm home and there's no sign of mom and dad anywhere. Also, it's weird but their window was open and their bags and clothes were missing. That doesn't seem right. It's like someone broke in here."

"Dammit! Lucas, I need you to pack up all your things and make your way to the dock. We are just about there. I think someone may have gotten to them."

"What?" Lucas' knees buckled and he sat on the floor.

"Listen to me, Lucas. It's going to be all right. Just get your things and anything left of their things and meet us at the dock. We'll be there in 20 minutes. Make sure you lock up behind you. I want you take a deep breath. There's no reason to believe they're not okay. We'll see you there."

"Yes, sir."

He hung up his PAL unit and packed up the rest of their stuff. He took a deep breath and called a cab to take him to the dock.

Back on the SeaQuest…

Jonathan Ford slammed his hand down as he hung up his PAL unit.

"Dammit. Katie, I think we may be too late."

Hitchcock nodded, holding back the tears that were welling up in her eyes.

"Jonathan, we need to find them."

"Right now we need to pick Lucas up and make sure he's okay and under watch. There's no telling what's going to happen. My guess is someone's going to contact us. There's no reason they would take Nathan and Kristin and just disappear. Someone's going to want to claim bragging rights."

"We'd better warn Noyce."

Ford took a deep breath. "Let me try their PAL units one last time."

He did so, to no avail. Still no answer.

"O'Neill, get me Noyce on a secure vidlink."

"Yes, sir."

The conversation was a hard one. And as he stood there talking to Noyce, they both realized the sheer magnitude of what was happening. Someone, most likely Cobb, had the Captain of the SeaQuest and his wife hostage…and the UEO does not negotiate with terrorists. This was definitely going to be a complicated mission.