Here's the start of this part. Please continue. :)
The entire world stopped in that instant. Stella's mind was racing and Mac's was blank. Neither of them knew what to do. Panic told a hold of them and squeezed. All of their training and knowledge flew out the window when they realized what was going on. They couldn't move. The silence was broken by the man holding the gun.
"Miss Bonasera, would you join us please? Shut the door behind you. I wouldn't want anyone to get suspicious. You have work to do." The man's voice was calm, yet evil. The words cut Stella like a knife.
She did as she was told.
"What's going on? Why do you have a gun to my head?" Mac asks, his anger starting to boil.
"Don't be rude Detective. I'm your guest." With these words he pistol whips Mac. His body falls to the floor in a heap. Before Stella could think she rushes over to him.
"Mac? Are you okay?"
He doesn't answer. The blow was so strong he is now unconscious. Stella cradles his head in her hands. Gently, she rubs his forehead; not only to sooth him, but to sooth herself. It had been a long time since she'd been in a situation like this one. She needed him awake.
"Isn't that cute?" The man says sarcastically, "You care about him. I'm glad you have someone in your life Detective Bonasera, because I have no one. That's why I'm here now. Wake him up. You have a job to do, and I suggest you do it now." His words frighten Stella. A man with nothing to lose and everything to gain. Then again, what is he trying to gain? She gingerly smacks his face. Mac, please wake up. I need you.
As if on cue, Mac starts to come back to reality. He moans.
"Ugh. What's going on? Stella?" His mind in a daze.
"Yeah, it's me. We've been taken hostage. I don't know what this guy wants and I could really use some help." She whispers this so their hostage taker wouldn't hear.
"Are you okay?" Mac asks her concerned.
Stella can't help but be touched by his concern. You get hit in the back of the head with a pistol and you ask if I'm okay? I wish I could kiss you right now Mac Taylor, but this isn't the time or the place.
"Yeah, I'm fine. The question is, are you?"
"Just a little dizzy. I can manage." He touches the back of his head and winces. His hand moves in front of his eyes. No blood, that's good.
Stella helps him up; the room seems to spin.
"Whoa, you okay?" She braces him so he doesn't fall.
"Yeah, but the room's spinning."
"Are you two done? Did you forget why you're here?" The man is getting impatient.
They just give him a dirty look.
"Yeah, we're done. What do you want? Why are we here?" Mac demands.
"Because, you two are going to figure out who took my son."
"And how are we going to do that?" Stella asks with her arms crossed.
"You, my dear, are going to go out there," He points to the lab, "and find out who kidnapped my son. His name is Timothy Darbrook Jr. Get his case file and come back in here. Don't tell anyone what's going on, do you understand?"
Stella nods her head 'yes.'
"Okay, get the file and come back. Don't take too long, or your boyfriend here will get his brains blown out."
Mac and Stella look into each other's eyes. They think the same thing: I'm sorry.
She walks outside Mac's office and shuts the door behind her. I don't want to leave Mac in there alone with him, but I have no other choice. If I don't do what he says he'll kill him. I don't think I could live without Mac. Tears start to well in her eyes. Stella was a strong woman who hated to show weakness, but this time she couldn't help it. The man she cares about more than anything has a gun pointed to his head.
Flack walks by her and turns around.
"Stella? You okay?"
"Shh." Stella motions for Flack to follow her into a room.
She shuts the door and Don looks at her concerned.
"What's going on?"
"I need you to find information on Timothy Darbrook Jr. He's missing. His dad is more than likely Timothy Sr. Use one of the computers. I'll look up the case for Junior."
Flack gives Stella a funny look, but does as he's asked.
A little while later Flack says, "Dr. Timothy Randall Darbrook. He's thirty-eight years old. One daughter named Bethany, she's ten. A seventeen year old son named Timothy Jr. He's missing. Has been for three weeks. Wife Mandy died on 9/11. Oh, and random fact, everyone calls him Dr. D. Don't ask how I know that."
Stella freezes.
"Stell? You okay?"
"Doctor D?"
"Yeah, why? What's up?"
"What's his license plate?"
Flack types something into computer database.
"DOCTOR D. That's creative." Don says sarcastically.
"Oh my God." Stella slumps to the floor.
"Stella! You alright?" Don squats next to her.
"That bastard! I followed him here this morning. If I would have called him in Mac wouldn't be in trouble right now. He wouldn't have a gun to his head!" A few tears slide down her cheek to the floor. A small pool is formed.
Flack's eyes turn to saucers.
"WHAT! Mac's in trouble? Stella, talk to me. What's going on? Tell me everything."
Stella tells him what she can between sobs. Her tears now a waterfall.
"Hey! Listen to me. It's not your fault. Mac will be fine. He always has. We have to solve this case and get him out of there. Don't beat yourself up. You couldn't have known."
Stella sits there for a few seconds, then stands up. She wipes the tears from her eyes and looks at Don defiantly. Her strong nature coming back.
"You're right, Flack. We gotta get back to work and find this kid."
"That's the spirit." Flack gives her a strained smile. He's just as worried as she is, but he has to be strong for Stella. Unlike him, she still has to go back in there.
Stella starts to walk toward Mac's office. I don't think I can ever look at this room the same way again. She tries to calm herself, but she can't. Her mind is racing. How the hell did he get in here with a gun anyway? Security should have confiscated it. She shakes her head. I shouldn't be worrying about that right now. I have much greater things to worry about.
XXOXX
She walks into the room with her head held high.
"I got the information you wanted." She hands the papers over to him. "You need a detective on the outside. I suggest Don Flack. He already helped me find the information on your son." Stella didn't include that Flack already knew.
"Does he already know I'm in here?"
"No."
The man studies her eyes and can't see any deception. Gladly Stella has put on a good poker face.
"Okay, you can call and tell him what's going on after you look over the files with us. If we need anything done outside of this room he'll be the one to do it."
Mac and Stella nod their heads in unison.
The man looks over the file. Tears come to his eyes when he sees his son's picture. He tries to hide them from the other two, but they see. Mac and Stella glance at each other. At least he has a heart, Mac thinks.
"If you tell us about yourself and your son it would save us some time." Mac says.
The man pauses, but does what Mac asks of him.
"My name is Timothy Darbrook. I'm an E.R. doctor. My patients call me Doctor D. My son's name is Timothy Jr. He's seventeen years old. He went missing three weeks ago. I told the local police, but they did nothing. Just gave me the runaround. They accused my son of being some run away druggie. My son isn't that kind of kid. He's smart, funny, athletic; everything you'd want in a son. When he didn't come home that night my heart shattered. My kids mean everything to me. Since my wife died…" Timothy was on the brink of crying.
"'Kids'?" Mac asks.
Timothy sniffs. "Yeah, I have a daughter named Bethany. She's ten. We're pretty close, but not as close as Tim and I. She doesn't even remember her mother." Timothy looks up at Mac and Stella who are standing next to each other. "My wife Mandy died on 9/11. Beth was only a baby, so she has no memory of her mom." Now Timothy has tears streaming down his face.
Mac gulps. His world seemed to be caving in on him. He lost his wife on 9/11 too? I know exactly how he feels. Except I didn't have to raise children on my own. Gladly.
If Timothy didn't still have a gun in his hand Mac would have patted his back and comforted him.
"I know how you feel Dr. Darbrook. I, too, lost my wife on 9/11. Not a day goes by that I don't think about her." Mac is being honest. He still thinks about Claire all the time. When her death was recent, the thoughts were of sadness and anger; now they were mostly of the good memories they had shared. The sadness still came, though. Most of his bad dreams are of September eleventh. He still can't get his scars to heal over completely. Actually, they never will.
Timothy looks into Mac's eyes and sees he is being truthful. They had an understanding of each other. Timothy gains his composure and raises his gun.
"Okay, get back to work. Look over the files. I'll help in any way I can." His voice filled with anger once again, but not for Mac or Stella.
If only, if only. :) What a father, huh? He says he has nothing, yet he has a 10 year old girl. I couldn't make him a total jerk, just because of his situation and his past. Please continue to read and review. :D