Huge thanks as always to anmodo for betaing this chapter. Also thanks to everyone that has reviewed.
Chapter 7
Wednesday 8th December – 0730 hours
26 Federal Plaza, Manhattan
43.5 HOURS MISSING
"Phil what the hell do you think you are doing?" Jack exclaimed as soon as Van Doran was out of earshot.
"What!" Phil exclaimed as he looked at Jack with a confused expression. "I thought you wanted to find Danny more than any of us! And now you are just going to fold to her demands! Jack, when have you ever folded to brass, especially when one of our own has been shot and kidnapped?"
Jack stared vacantly at the floor. Phil was right, he never listened to brass. He usually told them in no uncertain term where to shove it. Now when Danny needed him most, he just caved like some green, terrified rookie. But even a rookie would have given more of a fight than he did. He closed his eyes and raked his hands through his dishevelled hair. "He's out there hurt and scared with that bastard of a father, and I just gave up on him. I just gave up on him, like every other person has done. He's already been through enough in his life, he doesn't need this, he certainly doesn't people that are supposed to look out for him, people whose job is to find people, to give up on him," Jack said in a small lost voice.
Phil looked at Jack with concern. He was beginning to worry about Jack's mental state; he had never seen Jack look so defeated. Jack had hit it off with Danny from the start and he had seen why – Danny reminded Jack of what he was like when he was that age. Phil sighed, Danny reminded him of what he was like – young, hot-headed with a disregard for authority unless they had earned his respect. Phil thought it made perfect sense. Why respect someone and bow down to them when they treat you like shit?
"That's why we are not going to give up on him," Phil said with a small smile, trying to get Jack back on track.
Jack took a moment to process the information. "Right, if we don't find Danny within those 12 hours, our cell phones will mysterious break while we are out in the field. Modern technology can be so unreliable," he said with a shy smile.
Phil raised an eyebrow and smiled – the Jack he knew had returned. "Of course, especially with government issued technology," he added.
His focus returning, he started to address the situation at hand. "Okay, Danielle is going to be need protection," Jack said as his tone turned serious.
"Got it. Shall we keep Viv over there?" Phil asked as he picked up his phone.
"No. Wait. Yes, for the time being. But we'll need her here when the deadline passes," Jack said thoughtfully.
"Why?" Phil asked, frowning.
"You and I aren't the most diplomatic people in the world, and Viv is great at dealing with the brass. She will stall them for a while and buy us some more time," Jack explained.
"Got it. Okay, I'm going to run the goon's credit cards to try and find out where the hell they are or have been. I think when we find these scumbags, we will find Danny," Phil said as he booted up his computer. "What are you going to do?"
"I'm going to head over to the hospital to tell Viv about the Danielle/Danny connection," Jack said as he grabbed his coat.
"Are you going to tell Danielle about Danny?" Phil asked as he looked up from his computer.
"No. Danny is my first priority right now; he is my primary concern so I will wait for his answer. Second, what happens if we are too late? Does Danielle deserve to lose her son all over again?" Jack explained.
Phil nodded. "'Third, I am sure Danielle is genuine and I am sure she is as much as a victim as Danny, but until we know for sure…" he trailed off. He took a breath. "But if that is the case, she could lead us to Danny."
Jack nodded. "Start running a background check on Danielle," he instructed.
"How do I run a background check on some who is dead?" Phil asked.
Jack sighed and rubbed his weary face. This case was getting harder and harder. He was beginning to wonder if they would ever find Danny. But he had to. His agent was in the hands of some psycho torturers not to mention the bastard that was his father. "U-mm okay," he managed to stammer. "Okay, I will interview Danielle. I'm not going to mention Danny, but I will see if she can shed some light on the situation."
"We will get him back," Phil reassured with a small smile.
"This office hasn't lost an agent in the line of duty in years, and it's not going to happen on my watch – it's not going to be one of my people," Jack said tensely. He clenched his jaw and headed towards the elevators without another word.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Wednesday 8th December – 0830 hours
Mount Sinai Hospital, Manhattan
44.5 HOURS MISSING
Jack walked briskly but tiredly through the endless hospital corridors. Danny had been missing for 44 and half hours and he knew time was rapidly running out. Even if he was uninjured, it would be running out. But he had been shot and had a possible head injury – which he didn't know how serious it was. But all head injuries were serious, coupled with his other injuries, Danny needed medical help and fast, if he didn't – Jack didn't even want to think about that. Danny was alive, and he was going to find Danny alive. He was going to make it up to the kid. He was going to make sure Danny felt wanted, felt like he belonged with his team. Taking a breath, he leaned against the cool glass window that he found himself facing. Part of him wanted to tell Danielle that her son that she had loved with all of her heart was alive and a damn fine FBI agent. But the dark side of his mind kept overriding him – Danny was dead and it was all his fault. If had just looked out for Danny more. If he had just taken a few minutes to get to know Danny. If he had just taken a few minutes to ask Danny what was bothering him. If he had…. If he had. Jack leaned against the wall and slid down it, letting his head fall into his hands. This was all his fault. Danny was missing because of him. All the kid had wanted his whole life was to be loved, to be respected… to feel safe. And he had blown it on all three accounts. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he tried to regain his composure. He had a job to do and that job was finding Danny. He wasn't helping Danny by sitting here, wallowing his own self pity.
He knocked on the door. Once he heard a welcoming reply, he slowly entered with a small smile. "Mrs. Alvarez. How are you feeling?" he asked gently.
"Please call me, Danielle. I..." She stopped and smiled. "Just call me Danielle; Mrs. Alvarez is far too formal."
Viv looked at Jack, at his haggard and almost defeated expression. She could see how much this case was affecting him, how much it was eating away at him. She just didn't know how much more he could take. If they found Danny dead – she feared for Jack. "I'll go and get a coffee, do you want one?" she asked.
"U-mm, no, no thanks," Jack managed to stammered as he walked into the room – trying to mentally prepare himself for the latest round of questions.
"Okay then," Viv said with a small smile as she left the room.
"U-mm, Danielle, is it okay if I ask you a few questions?" Jack asked, as he sat down.
"Of course, Agent Malone," Danielle replied with a smile, although she felt slightly nervous.
"Please call me Jack," he said with a smile.
"Okay. What do you want to ask me, Jack?"
"If your husband took someone hostage in New York, where would he take him?" Jack asked.
Danielle stared in a horror at Jack. It wasn't as if she didn't believe that Marco would take someone hostage, it was just she was surprised that it had warranted the FBI's attention. "There is a warehouse in Poughkeepsie, it's abandoned, has been for many years. I know he deals out of there when we are in the area, but have no idea if that's where he would deal with a hostage – I'm sorry," she said as she looked down.
"Thanks. That's great. Can you think of any other places he would take someone," Jack asked desperately.
"No, I'm sorry," Danielle replied. She looked at the man's defeated and downcast expression before adding. "Who did he take hostage?"
Jack almost said Danny, before he stopped himself. He swallowed and took a breath before he continued. "He took an FBI agent; he took one of my agents."
"I'm sorry," Danielle said. "I really am. I really can't think of any where else Marco would take them. U-mm unless, well, I know one of his 'clients' owns a couple of warehouses in the Poughkeepsie area."
"Do you have the addresses of these places?" Jack asked quickly as he automatically pulled the notepad from his jacket.
"Yes," Danielle replied as she started to give Jack the addresses that she knew of.
Jack smiled, before he bid his thanks and left. As he walked down the corridors, he could feel fatigue catching up with him. But he couldn't sleep yet, he wouldn't sleep until he had found Danny. When he walked out of the hospital towards his car, he pulled out his cell phone and quickly phoned Phil – relaying all of the details that he found out to him. He slowly eased his tired, aching body into his car and rested his head against the steering wheel. Why was this happening to his team – why? Why was this happening to Danny? What had he done to deserve this? Jack thought as he unconsciously began to drift off.
He slowly moved through the freezing cold, damp warehouse with his gun drawn. The place was silent a part from the dripping water down the walls and his own nervous haggard breaths. He had searched warehouse after warehouse, but to no avail. Maybe Danielle had played them? But he knew this wasn't the case. He knew he was the only one to blame. Danny was missing and had now probably been tortured to death and it was all his fault. The kid had finally begun to trust him, and he had failed him. He shivered as the icy air bit into him, he didn't know if it was because of the snow storm that was raging outside, or because of the fear and guilt that he was rightfully carrying.
His senses pricked as he heard a raised voice, he increased his pace but continued to sweep the area cautiously. He felt his heart pounding as he heard two gunshots followed two laughs, he ran forwards – not caring about his personal safety anymore. Two figures emerged from the room and aimed their guns at him, but before they had a chance to fire at him, he emptied round after round in to them. He knew they were dead, he didn't bother to check, but out of habit he kicked the guns away. He shuddered as he heard the metal objects that probably ended his agent's live clatter on the concrete floor. He found himself at the door frame. He was too late. He was too late, too God damn late. He felt tears streaming down his face and bent down next to his agent's bloodied and battered body. It was all his fault. It was all his fault.
As he laid a hand on Danny's cold, lifeless cheek, he cursed. Danny was alive; he could see the shallow rise and fall of his chest. "It's okay Danny, its okay," he found himself saying.
Danny's eyes flutter open. He looked acquiescingly at Jack. "You killed me, Jack," he acquiesced. "You shot me!"
"No, no I didn't Danny, I swear I didn't. It was them," Jack exclaimed as he turned to point to the two men he shot, only to be met with an empty space. He looked down at his hand to find a smoking gun.
"I trusted you, Jack, and you killed me," Danny said with his final breath. His eyes rolled back and his lolled to one side.
"I'm so sorry, Danny, I'm so sorry," Jack cried as he cradled Danny body in his arms. Suddenly and without warning he was surrounded by men, who were laughing. They dragged Danny from his arms, despite his protests. He screamed at them as they unceremoniously dumped Danny in a body bag. Danny deserved better that this he wanted to yell, but no words can from his mouth. He tried to pull them away from Danny, but they were too many of them. They threw Danny's body as if it was garbage into a coroner's van that was ablaze; he sank to his knees and sobbed. He was worthless, it was all his fault. Danny was dead because of him, he had killed him.
Jack woke with a start, cold sweat drenched his body. He tried to take a shaky breath and take into his surroundings. He stifled back a cry as he realized he was at the hospital, it was true – Danny was dead and it was all his fault. The annoying shrill of his cell phone pulled him out of his thoughts.
"Malone," he whispered in a hopeless, lost voice.
"Jack?" Phil asked – completely confused and worried by the lost sound in Jack's voice.
"Phil? Where are you? What are you doing?" Jack mumbled as he tried to pull himself together.
"I'm in Poughkeepsie. I am about to search the warehouses," Phil said, his concern and fear for his friend and boss rising by the second. "Just like you told me to do."
"Have you found Danny?"
"No, not yet. Jack, what's up? Are you okay?" Phil asked concern evident in his voice.
"Did I find Danny, did I find him dead?" Jack asked urgently.
"No. Where are you?" Phil asked as he closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. This was what he was worried about.
"I-I don't know," Jack stammered.
"What can you see?" Phil asked gently as though he was talking to a victim in one his cases.
"U-mm, I-I I-I'm," Jack stammered as he looked around. He saw the sign and silently cursed. "I am outside Mount Sinai Hospital in New York."
"Okay. When you phoned me about forty minutes ago, you had just come out from questioning Danielle. You are exhausted, my guess is that you drifted off," Phil suggested.
"I dreamed that Danny was dead, Phil. But what happens if it is not a dream, what happens if Danny is dead," Jack exclaimed.
"He's not dead," Phil reassured. "But he needs you, he needs you to get your ass up here and help me search for him."
"Right. I'm sorry, Phil," Jack said in a small voice.
"There's no need for that. Okay? You are only human and this case is affecting us all emotionally, especially you," Phil said as he ran a weary hand over his face. He didn't know if Jack was in the right state to search for Danny, but what he did know was that he needed him to help him find Danny. He would deal with the emotional fallout later.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Wednesday 8th December – 1200 hours
An abandoned warehouse, Poughkeepsie.
48 HOURS MISSING
Phil shivered as the cold damp walls closed in on him. They had followed lead after lead, but to no avail. They were running out of leads and Danny was running out of time. He had already been missing for 48 hours. He had been shot 48 hours ago and he had received no medical attention. Now he was he in the hands of some psycho torturers. Phil closed his eyes at the very thought. If they were too late, he had no idea what Jack would do; he was already at the breaking point now. So Danny's death would send him over the edge. Now that he thought about it, he didn't know what Danny's death would do to him as well. He shook his head in an attempt to clear his head. He didn't need to be distracted, he needed to be alert if he was going to find Danny and get the both of them out alive. He drew his gun and started to move cautiously through the warehouse.
The place was silent a part of from the dripping water running down the damp walls and his footfalls, but he wasn't taking any risks. He knew he should've waited for back up, but the pull to this warehouse was too strong. It was as though he had no control over his body as he found himself searching the warehouse.
He thought he heard a hiss of pain ahead and cautiously increased his pace. He rounded the corner and found himself in a small, dark room. It was so cold that he could see his breath. Spinning around, he heard the same hiss of pain. In the corner of the small room, he saw an outline of a hunched figure that appeared to be chained to a pipe. He started to walk warily towards the figure and bent down.
"Danny," he said quietly when he thought he recognised the figure. The figure looked up, one big eye stared at him wild with fear. "Its okay Danny, it's me, Phil. We've been looking for you." When Danny didn't respond, Phil laid a gentle hand on Danny's good shoulder. He noted the swollen and bruised wrist. He felt his heart break as he looked at the battered and bloodied face, the eye that was swollen shut, the torn and bloody clothes, at the icy touch to Danny's skin. "Its okay Danny, I've got you kid. How about I get you out of here?"
"I-I'm s-so s-so-r-ry," Danny slurred and coughed slightly causing more blood to escape. His head lolled forward so it was resting on Phil's arm.
"Danny?" Phil asked nervously but there was no response. "Danny?" he yelled out of fear, but there was still no response.
