Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

"Jack, wake up. Some emergency at work. Suit up."

"What? What time is it? Okay, I need to shower and shave."

"No time. This is from the Deputy Director. He wants both of us, now, at the office."

Jack stood, rubbing his eyes.

"When did he call?"

"A few minutes ago from the heliport at LaGuardia."

"Shit."

"Exactly."

Jack look at the clock radio, noting that it was one-thirty. He headed to his closet and pulled out his uniform of a black suit, white shirt, and black tie. Tyler left him alone and went back to the living room.

Under five minutes later, Jack walked out of his bedroom; his eyes were clear but the stubble on his face belied his fatigue.

"I.D., wallet, gun, cell phone, house keys?" Tyler listed.

"Uhm, yes," Jack said, reaching for the missing items before putting on his top coat.

"Let's go."

Tyler followed Jack and they were able to catch a taxi to FBI Headquarters. As they entered the elevator from the lobby, Jack heard someone call his name.

"Jack?"

He turned and saw Glenn trotting to the elevator.

"What's going on?"

"Glenn, you remember Tyler Simpson?"

"Of course, I'm sorry, Tyler, how are you?" Glenn asked as the doors closed.

"Tired, Glenn, very tired."

"There's a lot of that going on," Glenn noted, looking at Jack's drawn face and new bruise.

"The Deputy Director summoned us to the office," Jack stated quietly.

"That doesn't sound good."

"No," Jack affirmed, watching the light switch from floor to floor.

Finally, they reached twelve and the doors opened. Jack and Tyler stepped out, not turning to speak to Glenn. With their game faces on, they proceeded towards Jack's office.

"Here, take my coat. I'll get the coffee." Tyler said, tugging at his sleeves

"Thanks," Jack replied, taking his friend's coat and walking into his office.

He hung up the coats and unbuttoned the top button of his shirt before loosening his tie. It was going to be a long day. Just as he was about to sit down, he heard the knock of something metallic on his glass door. The door opened and Victor Fitzgerald walked in, followed by Tyler.

"Thanks for coming in, Jack," he said, extending his hand.

Jack shook it and motioned to Tyler standing with two mugs of coffee.

"You remember Tyler Simpson?"

Tyler set the mugs down and shook the older man's hand.

"Good to see you again and congratulations on the job in Seattle."

"Thank you, sir."

Jack stared at the other man. His normal cool demeanor was ruffled; his normal neatness was mussed.

"When did you know he was missing?" Jack asked softly.

"My wife called me at ten this morning. She found a note when she came back from spin class," the Deputy Director replied, not hiding the bitterness in his voice.

"I'll be right back," Jack said, leaving the two men in the office.

He walked back to the bullpen and noted that Viv was off the phone and typing at her computer.

"Viv?" Jack called quietly.

She turned and saw him standing at the edge of the bullpen. She got to her feet and walked up to him, noting the bruise on his cheek, the deep circles under his eyes, and his unshaven face.

"Are you okay?"

"I need you," he said, simply.

"Of course," she said, following him as he turned to walk back to his office.

The blinds were shut as Jack opened the door for her. Tyler was seated at the table opposite Jack's desk, but the Deputy Director stood with his back facing the door.

"All right, we can start now. Deputy Director, you remember Vivian Johnson?" Jack said, taking several pens and pads from his desk.

"Yes, of course," he said, not turning around.

Jack went to the table and handed out the pens and pads before sitting down to Tyler's left. Viv sat opposite Tyler.

"Deputy Director?" Jack began.

The three agents watched their boss and waited. After several minutes, Jack couldn't wait any more.

"Deputy Director, where is the note?"

Sighing, the man turned. He pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket, placed it on the table, and then sat down, facing Jack, who read it quickly and then passed it to Tyler. Jack looked at the man in front of him.

"It's almost two-thirty. You need to bring us up to speed, sir," Jack stated.

"Call me Victor, please. Today I am a father, not your superior." He said, pausing for a moment. "I don't know where to start. Sunday, I left my wife."

Jack raised his eyebrows and started writing.

"Normally, I would leave my house at seven. My driver would get me to the office in thirty minutes. My wife goes to the gym every other day. She leaves out through the back door and drives her car to her spin class. I don't know when the note was left."

"Who at the lab has this?" Tyler asked, pointing at the copy that Viv was examining.

"I...I really don't know."

"Jack, Martin had the day off yesterday. We really don't know when he went missing." Viv noted.

Jack looked at her for a moment and that glance spoke volumes

Tyler got up quickly and sat at Jack's desk. Picking up the handset, he dialed a number.

"Barrett? This is Tyler Simpson. Who has the Fitzgerald note? What do you mean? All right, all right, never mind. He's up here in New York at Jack Malone's desk. So what do you know? Yeah, yeah, right, got it. Okay, thanks, Barrett."

"What's happened?" Victor asked.

"Your cell phone doesn't get good service in the core of this building; only by the windows on the perimeter. You need to call your wife; she's been trying to reach you. Barrett explained that is was just like the other four letters," Tyler said, sitting down at the table.

"Victor, time is critical. Who's the lead on the other four letters?" Jack asked.

"Damon Hendricks."

"Viv, can I use your desk and computer?" Tyler asked, standing.

"Of course."

Tyler gathered up his pad and pen and walked out of the room.

"Victor, tell us," Jack asked, gently.

"Four other senior intelligence officers have had relatives kidnapped."

"What are they looking for? Money?" Viv asked

"No, security information, timetables, passwords, that sort of thing."

"What happened to the other victims?"

"They weren't recovered. Jack, I can't lose him. He's all I have."

"I know, Victor, I know. The entire team will be working on it." Jack said.

"Viv, find Sam and Elena and get them over to Martin's apartment. A key to his place should be in my left hand top desk drawer. Then I want to run a trap and trace on Victor's house phone. It's obvious that the kidnappers are unaware of his current marital situation. Victor, call your wife and give her my office number. Since the kidnappers may try to reach you on your cell, I need you to work with the tech department so they can route all of your calls and tape them," he directed.

"Got it," Viv said, getting right to work.

Victor stood slowly and then stared at Jack as if seeing him for the first time.

"Did I miss something?" he asked.

Jack got to his feet and looked across the table at the other man.

"I was mugged this morning."

"Details," Victor demanded.

"I've been having some trouble sleeping, so I went for a walk. Two men held me up."

"And that bruise on your cheek is all the damage you got?"

"My ribs are sore, too."

"How are the perpetrators?"

"They're both in St. Vincent's."

"When does the cast come off?"

"Monday."

Victor stared for another moment before shifting his weight.

"Why me? Why not Van Doran or Olczyk?" Jack asked.

"Olczyk is in Washington for his monthly meeting with DHS; he left yesterday. Van Doran's mother had a stroke on Monday. She's in San Diego. But, honestly, Jack, you're the man I wanted on this. You will finish the job and get him back. I believe that."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence."

Victor looked at him to see if he was being sarcastic but saw none.

"I'd better call my wife."

"Come find me in the bullpen when you're done and I'll set you up with tech."

Victor nodded as he rounded Jack's desk and sat down. Jack picked up his cold coffee and headed to the kitchen to make another cup. Taking a cautious sip, he walked slowly to the bullpen and saw the entire team talking to Viv.

"Jack, what do you want me to do?" Danny asked.

"I need you to go to Washington and interview Mrs. Fitzgerald. You'll need to tread very lightly. There's something going on between those two and I want to make sure that it isn't part of this whole mess."

"I'm on it," Danny said; grabbing his coat and his briefcase, he left the office.

4:30pm

"Jack, I have something," Tyler called from Viv's desk.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I just got off the phone with Hendricks. What Barrett meant to say was that the wording on the letters was identical. But that was it. The paper on the Fitzgerald letter is different. There's something else. In each of the other cases, a phone call was made within three hours for the ransom. According to the agents at the Fitzgerald residence, no calls have been made there, and Victor hasn't received anything here."

"Let's go talk to him, again."

Jack stood and picked up his coffee mug before leading the way to his office. He tapped on the glass and walked in with Tyler in tow.

"Any news?" Victor asked.

"No, and that's what has me worried. I need you to talk to us about the other woman," Jack answered, setting his mug down.

Victor sighed and sat at Jack's desk while Tyler and Jack remained standing.

"Her name is Angela Hartman. I met her at a bar after work."

Tyler stalked quickly out of the office.

"The wording on your note is the same as the others; in fact, identical. But the paper is wrong, the font is wrong. So, Victor, is this the result of pillow talk?"

Victor sat in Jack's chair and stared at a point on the wall and ignored the question. Jack slumped into the chair in front of his desk. They sat in silence until the phone rang.

"Hello? Yeah, he's here," Victor snarled, holding the phone to Jack. "You sent someone to question my wife?" he yelled as he stood.

Jack stood as well.

"Yes, and I'll question anyone else that I think may help me find your son, Victor," he replied, snatching the receiver from the other man's hand.

"Danny?"

"Jack, you were right. It's a real mess down here. Mrs. Fitzgerald kicked him out on Sunday and has filed for divorce. He was seeing one Angela Hartman of Bethesda. They'd been involved for almost five years. He even got her an apartment in Northwest."

"All right, Danny. Good work. I'll need you to stay down there. Hang tight, I'll call you in a few minutes."

"Okay, Jack. Bye."

"Bye," Jack said, reaching over to hang up the phone.

"Where is Angela Hartman, Victor?"

"I don't know."

"Victor, we're going to subpoena your cell phone records and your email anyway."

He looked at Jack and paused, heaving a great sigh, he spoke.

"Her cell phone is the best way to reach her. It's 301-555-7679."

"Thank you," Jack said, writing it on a scrap of paper before walking out to the bullpen.

"Jack," Viv called.

"Yeah,"

"I have the phone records from the house and his cell phone for the last two months."

"Check for this number, 301-555-7679, on his cell phone."

"Uhm, let me see. Here it is. At least four times a day. That the mistress?"

"Seems so. Tyler, what do you have?"

"Angela Hartman, age thirty two, currently employed as a concierge at Hotel Palomar near Dupont Circle, living about two blocks away. Called the hotel and as of Monday she is on a leave of absence."

"What type of leave of absence?" Jack asked.

"They won't tell me over the phone."

"Okay, give the info to Viv," Jack said before turning his eyes to her, "Can you call Danny? He's at Victor's house. Tell him to get over there and find out where she is. I'm beginning to think that Martin's disappearance has nothing to do with the FBI."

"Gotcha."

"Tyler, do you have copies of the letters?"

"Sure, Jack, here you go."

"And can I also have a copy of your notes on Angela Hartman?"

"Yeah, I printed one for you," Tyler said, handing it to him.

Jack sat at the table and spread the papers out in front of him. Carefully, he read the documents and made notes in the margins. He looked up at the timeline and then walked to the whiteboard. Picking up the pen, he started adding to it.

"Jack,"

He turned and saw Sam and Elena taking off their coats.

"Hey, what did you find out?"

"He was taken while he was out on his morning run. His wallet, badge, id, gun all intact." Sam said.

"There were two messages on his machine; one from his mother and one from his father." Elena added.

"Anything else?"

"The light just inside his apartment was on," Elena said

"How late did he work on Tuesday?"

"I don't know. I left at five and he was still here."

"I left at six and he was still here," Sam commented.

"Okay, thanks. Right now, we think this has to do with Victor Fitzgerald's mistress. She's taken a leave of absence from her job in D.C. Danny is on his way to talk to her boss."

"What can we do?" Elena asked.

"Check into Angela Hartman, the mistress, her financials. We know that Victor was paying for her apartment, but what else? Sam, can you check into her family?"

"Sure, Jack."

"What are you thinking, Malone?" Tyler asked, walking up to him.

"I've got a theory. We need to wait for Danny and the mistress."

7:00pm

Jack sat on a corner of the table in the bullpen, resting his ankle. He sipped his coffee and stared at the whiteboard.

"Jack, Danny's on the phone," Victor said, startling him.

"Thanks."

He headed back to his office with his coffee, sat down at his desk, and noticed the blinds were open, now. Picking up the receiver, he pressed a button.

"Danny, tell me you've got something."

"Jack, I've got good news and bad news. The local agents got a search warrant and went to her apartment. There were a bunch of men's clothes and photographs of the happy couple."

"What's the bad news?"

"She wasn't there. I just came from speaking to her supervisor. Angie went to work on Monday and was a wreck. She fell apart in tears and then left, asking for a week off."

"Did the supervisor say where she went?"

"Apparently, she has a history of depression. She sees a therapist; a Dr. Nolan. I'm about to give him a call."

"Keep on it, Danny. She's the key."

"You got it, Jack. Bye."

"Bye."

He hung up the phone and sat back in his chair, thinking. Several minutes later, he heard a faint knock on the glass door of his office. Looking up, he saw Sam. She smiled and walked in.

"I've got some information on Angie Hartman's family."

"Shoot."

"She has one brother and two sisters. Her parents are deceased. One sister lives in Kansas, the other in New Mexico."

"And the brother?"

"Lives in Pennsylvania."

"Okay, thanks, Sam."

"You're welcome. You look beat. Can I order you some food? Even you can't survive on just coffee."

"Nah, I'm fine, thanks. Where's Victor?"

"I think he's on the balcony."

"Right, thanks," Jack said, getting to his feet.

He followed her out to the bullpen and motioned for Tyler to follow him. They walked outside into the cold night air. Victor didn't acknowledge them.

"Victor, does Angie have a history of mental illness?" Jack asked.

"What?" he asked, turning to look at the junior agents.

"She had a meltdown on Monday at her office and left. Danny's trying to locate her therapist. According to her supervisor, she suffered from bouts of depression."

"Oh, God, it's all my fault."

"What do you mean?" Tyler asked.

"I broke up with her. She didn't take it well."

"Has she ever been hospitalized?" Jack asked.

"No, I…I… don't know."

"We'll find both of them, Victor. Until then, let's get you inside before you get pneumonia." Jack suggested.

The three men walked back into the warmth of the building. Victor continued to Jack's office while the other two remained behind. Viv, Elena, and Sam walked to the table and sat down.

"Danny just called. Angie had a small breakdown at her office on Monday. She also goes to a therapist for depression. He's trying to find him now. It seems unlikely that she kidnapped Martin. Sam, where in Pennsylvania is the brother?"

"Oil City, in the northwestern part of the state."

"Okay, let's look into him. Find out what he does, where he's been. Check with DHS and see if we can access the toll plaza films leading to and from New York."

"I'm on it."

"Martin's six feet, one-eighty or so, right? A man could mug him, but most likely not a woman."

"Not unless she's Xena, the warrior princess," cracked Tyler.

Jack smiled slightly and then walked back to his office. He looked through the glass and saw Victor on the phone, tears streaming down his face. Jack waited for a moment and then walked back to the bullpen.

8:00pm

"Jack, I have information on her financials. She has an Amex card that's being paid for by Victor Fitzgerald. I'm getting the latest charges sent through." Elena said.

"Great."

"Jeffrey Hartman, age thirty nine. He's an auto mechanic. Drives a 2001 Ford F-150. And lastly, he is a member of the NRA. ATF is sending me his registration information." Sam stated, reading from her pad.

"Okay, you two, you're going to head out to Oil City. Let me get Victor to authorize a plane. Check in with local PD and the Pittsburgh field office before you visit Mr. Hartman."

"Okay, Jack." Sam said, starting to pack up her desk.

Jack walked to his office, knocked on the door, and walked in.

"Any news?"

"We're tracking down some leads. I need to get two agents to Oil City, Pennsylvania. Can you authorize a plane to Erie?"

"Yes."

"All right, I'll send in Agent Delgado and Agent Spade. They'll give you the details."

"Thanks, Jack."

Jack smiled and headed back to the bullpen. He was getting tired but knew he had to keep going.

"Elena, Sam? Please go see Director Fitzgerald and get your authorization."

They nodded, picked up their coats and bags and headed out.

"Jack, I'm ordering from Hop Lee. Do you want your usual?" Viv asked.

"Yeah, Viv, thanks. That would be great. Get something for Victor, as well, would you?"

"Of course. Tyler, Chinese food?"

"Lemon chicken with brown rice would be great, Viv. Thanks."

"You're welcome."

"Jack, I have something. There's a charge for Sheppard Pratt Hospital in Baltimore," Tyler announced, looking through Elena's fax.

Jack reached for his cell phone and called Danny.

"Taylor."

"Danny, it's Jack. When you find Dr. Nolan, ask if Angie is at Sheppard Pratt Hospital in Baltimore. There was a charge on her credit card."

"Okay, I'm having trouble finding him. I'll head over there and see what I can find out."

"Thanks,"

"You're welcome. Bye."

"Bye."

9:00pm

The office was quiet save for the soft tapping on computer keyboards. The smell of Chinese food had all but disappeared. Sam and Elena had called to check in; they were en route to Western Pennsylvania. Jack studied his notes and rubbed the stubble of his beard. Tyler and Viv were going through the DHS license plate photos looking for Jeffrey Hartman's pickup truck.

"Jack, we have something," Tyler said.

Jack stood and walked over to Tyler looked over his shoulder at the image on the computer.

"What is that? The truck?"

"Seems to be."

"Okay, advance slowly."

The computer image transferred to the rear of the truck.

"What does that say?" Jack asked, squinting.

"Keep something," Tyler said.

The three agents stared at the screen for several moments.

"Keep tailgating if you've never seen a Glock fired from a vehicle before," Viv affirmed.

"Nice. What date was that image from?" Jack asked.

"Tuesday night."

"Okay, maybe now we have a date of disappearance," Jack said, walking to the whiteboard and adding the information.

He sighed and stood back, looking at the timeline. Suddenly, his phone rang.

"Malone."

"Jack, it's Danny. Okay, I found Dr. Nolan. Angie Hartman committed herself for a week of observation at Sheppard Pratt Hospital in Baltimore."

"Hang on, Danny. Viv, can you get Angie Hartman's mobile phone list for Monday? Look for calls to Pennsylvania to her brother."

"Right," Viv said, searching on her computer.

"Sorry, Danny. I'm back. Elena and Sam are on their way to Angie's brother's house in northwest Pennsylvania."

"Got it, Jack. She called him three times that day."

Jack stared at the timeline.

"We're missing something. Show me the image of the truck going into the city," Jack instructed.

He walked quickly to Tyler and looked at the screen. There, in the grainy photo, was a shiny trailer hitch.

"Viv, dig deeper into Hartman's life. Look for another residence or another vehicle. Anything."

"Jack, do you still need me to stay in Washington?" Danny asked.

"No, can you get an Amtrak Express train up here? I need you to stick close to Victor."

"Sure, Jack. I can pick one up here at BWI. I'll see you in a couple of hours."

"Thanks, Danny."

"Bye."

"Bye," Jack said, closing his phone and slipping it into his jacket pocket.

"Jack, we have another hit on the truck; this time returning to Pennsylvania," Tyler announced.

"What day?"

"Wednesday at one in the morning."

"Okay, how long does it take to get from the toll plaza to Oil City?"

"Calculating for that time of night, around two hours."

"And from the toll plaza to Martin's apartment?"

"Where does he live?"

"Upper west side."

"Around an hour and a half."

"I've got something, Jack," Viv said, excitedly.

Jack and Tyler walk to her desk and stared at the computer screen.

"He owns a trailer. It's a Zinger."

"Yeah, I'm sure it's swell," Jack said, looking at the image on the monitor.

"No, that's the brand. It's a 2006 27' trailer named Zinger. Hartman also owns a two acre lot in the Catskills," she clarified.

Jack looked at his watch. It was almost 9:30. He picked up the nearest phone and dialed.

"Sam, it's Jack at nine-thirty. Call me as soon as you can."

"What are you thinking?" Viv asked.

"I need to know that Hartman is sitting at home in Oil City and not waiting for us in the Catskills. I don't want this to turn into Ruby Ridge. I also don't want to take this guy at night when he has the advantage."

"We should tell Victor," Tyler said, getting to his feet.

"No, not yet. I want to wait until Danny gets here. Victor's gonna want to go in guns blazing and has the clout to do it. I want Danny to keep him on a short leash."

"Okay, so what do you want to do in the mean time?" Viv asked.

"Let's get everything on where we think this land is in the Catskills and let's put out an APB on the trailer. We need to call the local PD and set up a raid at daylight."

"What makes you think that Martin's not in Pennsylvania?"

"I think that this whole thing is about retribution. Victor dumped his sister, leading her to commit herself. She's the only family he has. So Hartman kidnaps Martin. But I don't think he wants to take care of him, just take him out of the picture."

Jack walked to the timeline and made the necessary adjustments.

"So you want to drive up at midnight and get organized? I think sunrise is around seven. We can sleep in the car," Tyler recommended.

"Sounds good."

10:30pm

Jack sat at the table, all of his notes spread out in front of him including the ATF record of Hartman's gun ownership. His phone rang, startling him out of his thoughts.

"Malone."

"Jack, it's me. Sorry to be late in getting back to you. We must have been in a bad cell area," Sam said.

"That's okay. I need to know for sure that Hartman is in Pennsylvania. We're also looking for a trailer. We think we know where Martin is and we're going to hit it tomorrow morning, but this guy could be heavily armed and I don't want this to become a blood bath."

"I understand. Do you remember Steve Parson? He's the supervisor in the Pittsburgh field office. He's meeting us up there."

"Great, that's great. Steve was at Quantico with Tyler and me. He's very good."

"I'm putting you on speakerphone because Elena's driving and she spoke to the Oil City PD."

"Hi, Jack," Elena said, her voice sounding hollow.

"Hi, what did the locals tell you about Hartman?"

"Pretty quiet, they don't see him much except at the auto shop. He isn't very sociable."

"So they've never had any trouble?"

"Uhm, a couple of warnings about weapons in his car. He has a sportsman's firearms permit. But it's illegal to have a loaded weapon in your vehicle."

"That's what I was afraid of. Okay, keep in touch. We're leaving here around midnight."

"We should be in Oil City in about forty- five minutes." Sam said.

"Remember, Sam, we've got nothing on this guy. Until we find Martin, all we have is a theory."

"Right. Take care."

"You too."

Jack closed his phone and slipped it back into his jacket pocket. He sighed and rubbed his eyes.

"We may have to delay our departure," he said out loud.

"Why?" Tyler asked.

"Elena and Sam will be near Oil City in forty five minutes. Steve Parson's going to meet them."

"Good, I was a little concerned with all that we keep learning about Hartman."

"Yeah, so we wait for news from them and we wait for Danny."

"Why do we wait for Danny?" a new voice asked.

Jack turned around to see a rumpled Victor standing at the edge of the bullpen.

"Come over here, Victor," Jack said, motioning to the whiteboard.

They stood shoulder to shoulder.

"We're close to knowing where Martin is. We believe he's in the Catskills. There's an APB out for Hartman's trailer."

"So why aren't we heading up to the Catskills right now?"

"We don't know exactly where he is," Tyler said softly.

"Danny found Angie. She checked herself in to Sheppard Pratt in Baltimore. It's a hospital for patients with psychiatric disorders."

Victor looked away for a moment, collecting himself. He turned back to look at the two men.

"Jack, he could be hurt. Please, Jack, let's go and get him, now," he whispered

"No, Victor. We must wait for news from Pennsylvania. Danny should be here around midnight. Then we'll start the drive. By then we should be set with local PD and have the necessary backup."

Victor looked at his watch and sighed.

"I've got it, Jack. Hartman's land is in a village called Fleischmann's. It's in Delaware County," Viv said.

"Great, call the local PD. Explain the situation. See if they can drive by and tell us if the trailer is on the property. That will at least give us something to work with. Tyler, can you bring up the image on Google Earth?"

"Sure."

Friday 12:01am

"Jack, I picked up two sets of FLIR binoculars and a vest for Tyler," Viv said, walking back into the bullpen.

"Great, Danny's in the men's room. When he's done, we're on the road. We'll take just two cars. Make sure Danny puts his vest in your trunk,"

"What are FLIR binoculars?" Victor asked.

"Thermal imaging binoculars will let us see into the trailer," Jack said before getting interrupted by his phone.

"Malone."

"Jack, it's Stevie."

"Long time, man. What's the news?"

"It's done here. Hartman was alone in the trailer. He went down fighting. Your agents found receipts for a gas station in Margaretsville in New York in his truck. Does that help?"

"Maybe, hang on. Tyler where's Margaretsville?"

"Uhm, Delaware County, New York."

"Bingo. Great, Stevie. Everyone safe there?"

"No, Jack. We lost one cop and one agent. This guy was ready for bear. Watch yourself. The place was booby-trapped."

"My agents?"

"Are fine. What are you feeding your staff in New York? These gals had brass ones."

"Don't let Samantha hear you say that! Look, I have to get going. Give your contact info to Sam. I'd love to connect with you. Oh, and Tyler says hey."

"Damn, the whole gang. I'll talk to you soon, Jack. Bye."

"Bye."

Jack closed his phone and sighed. Danny walked into the bullpen and stopped to listen.

"Well?" Tyler asked.

"He's dead; took an agent and a cop with him. I need to make a call and then we leave."

Jack picked up the phone and paused for a moment.

"Ritchie Jenkins, please, Jack Malone, FBI calling. Yeah, I'll hold,"

"Jenkins."

"Ritchie, it's Jack. How soon can you get your team to the Catskills? I have an agent being held in a 27 ft. trailer. I have good reason to believe it's wired."

"We're almost off-shift. Who's paying for the OT?"

"The Deputy Director will square it with your supervisor."

Victor nodded.

"Okay, Jack. Email me the directions."

"On their way as we speak. We go in at seven. We're meeting at the east entrance to Fleischmann's from Route 28."

"See you soon. Bye."

"Bye."

The agents gathered their belongings and headed to the garage. Jack drove Tyler, while Viv drove Victor and Danny. A specially outfitted van with four support agents and their SWAT-style gear followed.

2:13am

Jack slowed as he saw the parked patrol car on the side of the road. He flashed his lights and parked behind it. Viv parked behind his car. Careful to make sure his badge was visible, Jack got out of the car.

"Evening, I'm Sheriff Watson," the uniformed officer said, extending his hand.

"Jack Malone, FBI. This is Agent Simpson, Agent Johnson, Agent Taylor, and the captive's father, Victor Fitzgerald."

"We'll get your boy out," he said, looking at Victor's tired face. "I did what you asked and we drove by. The trailer is on that piece of land. No lights on."

"I don't understand, why isn't there a house on the land?" Viv asked.

"Ma'am what these guys do is drive up for a long weekend of hunting. There's usually just a water and electric hook-up."

"Tyler, do you have that Google image?"

"Yeah, Jack. Here it is," Tyler said, spreading it on the hood of the cruiser.

"Where is the trailer on this drawing?" Jack asked.

"About here," the sheriff said.

"Okay, we wait for Ritchie."

"Who?"

"I brought up the bomb squad from New York. Hartman's residence in Pennsylvania was wired. A cop and an agent lost their lives. I'm not taking any chances."

"You're in charge, Agent Malone," the sheriff said, wiping his forehead of sweat.

"Please, call me Jack. We have four agents with us to help control the scene. They have advanced medical training. I was concerned if we had trouble we'd need an ambulance, so we brought our van," Jack said, gesturing to the black van at the end of the line of vehicles.

"That's good thinking."

Jack's phone rang.

"Malone."

"Hi, it's Ritchie, is that you up ahead on the right?"

"Yeah, let's have a briefing before we head up."

"Be right there."

Jack closed his phone.

"That's Ritchie and his team."

The van parked and four men got out, walking up to the group of men.

"Sgt. Ritchie Jenkins, NYPD bomb squad, this is Sheriff Watson."

"Pleased to meet you. Hi, Tyler, Viv," Ritchie said, stopping his gaze at the older man in the wrinkled suit.

"I'm Victor Fitzgerald. It's my son…"

"Oh, right, we'll do everything we can to make sure he's okay."

"Ritchie, this is where the trailer is," Jack said, pointing to a spot on the Google map.

"Okay, how do you want to play it?"

"We fit two agents with FLIR binoculars to scope the tree line and the trailer. Once we've established that Martin is alone, and then it's your show."

Jack motioned for the other four agents to join them.

"Do you want to wait for sunrise, Jack?" Sheriff Watson asked.

"No, Hartman's dead and we have no evidence of an accomplice. We go now. Jerry, you and Kevin take the FLIRS and do a recon of the tree line and the trailer. Alex and Tim, keep close. Let's suit up here."

Jack walked back to his car and popped the trunk. He handed two pairs of FLIRS to Jerry and one pair to Ritchie who handed them to one of his team. Tyler removed his jacket and put on his vest as Jack did the same. Looking around, he saw in the light from the headlights the four agents prepping while the Sheriff just stared. The team returned to their respective vehicles and followed the Sheriff to the site.

"Com check?" a voice asked.

"Loud and clear," came various replies.

Jerry and Kevin headed up the rise and then crouched.

"Left perimeter, three deer."

"Right perimeter, four deer and a rabbit."

"The trailer?" Jack prompted.

"One person, sitting, left side. We're going to look at the far side."

"Roger that, but keep clear, then take up support positions so you have our six."

"Roger that."

Tyler looked over at Jack. His face was set; completely focused.

"Trailer clear. We are in position. Come ahead."

Jack, Tyler, Ritchie and his team ran up to the trailer. Viv and Danny waited with Victor. Alex and Tim waited nearby with their EMT gear.

"Okay, Ritchie, check out the trailer then we'll go in."

"Roger, Jack."

Ritchie and his men took out their flashlights and began a methodical check of the perimeter as well as the under carriage of the trailer.

"All clear, Jack."

"Okay, here we go," Jack replied.

Ritchie reached up to open the door when Jack heard a distinct click. Jack lunged at his friend just as the shotgun went off.

"Status?" Danny asked in alarm.

"Found a booby trap. We're okay," Tyler replied.

"You okay, Ritchie?" Jack asked.

"Yeah, thanks. Okay guys, by the book," he instructed, getting to his feet.

The bomb squad entered the trailer and quickly searched for any armament.

"Clear!"

Jack walked in and immediately turned left, walking to the bedroom. Martin was taped to a chair. Jack knelt next to him and noted he was wearing earplugs. Gently, Jack removed them.

"Martin, it's Jack. You're safe. Let me get the blindfold and gag off."

Martin lifted his head and turned it in the direction of Jack's voice. Tyler cut the tape from his chest and legs. Cautiously, Martin opened his eyes. He smiled and then started to cry. Jack pulled him into a hug and held him tight.

"We need the stretcher, now, boys," Tyler said softly into his mic.

"Can you stand?"

"No, and I…I'm cold."

Jack pulled off his windbreaker and helped Martin into it. The cotton lining started to warm him instantly.

"Okay Martin, just lean over my back. That's right," Jack instructed as he stood with Tyler's help.

He walked with Martin over his left shoulder to the doorway and Alex and Tim's waiting hands.

"Hang on, Jack. Take it easy, we'll help you," Alex said.

Jack carefully walked down the stairs and felt other hands helping. Gently he lowered Martin to the stretcher. Immediately they went to work, adding a blanket to cover Martin. Ritchie's men helped to carry the stretcher down the hill. There was much commotion when Martin reached the FBI bus and his father ran to meet him. Jack walked with Tyler to his car. He pulled off his vest, his back to Tyler.

"Jack, you have blood on your shirt. You must have caught some buckshot. Let's get you checked out."

"I'm fine."

"Now, Jack."

He sighed, and followed Tyler reluctantly to the bus.

"Jack caught some buckshot," Tyler said to Alex.

"Okay, Jack, let's take a look," he said, guiding Jack to sit on the bumper.

In the pale morning light, Alex saw the blood on Jack's white shirt. He unbuttoned his shirt to the waist and pulled out the shirt tails. Pulling back the fabric, he saw the small wounds on Jack's lower neck and shoulder.

"Okay, Jack, it looks pretty superficial; no stitches, but I need to clean you up. Are you on any medication?"

"No, I take Aleve for my ankle and my headaches."

"Do you want a shot for the pain?"

"Uh, no, I'm fine."

Alex gently swabbed the five wounds and then irrigated them with a sterile saline solution. Jack hissed against the pain, which subsided quickly. He felt small bandages being applied and finally his shirt back on his shoulders.

"You're going to be sore, but you'll be fine, Jack."

"Thanks, Alex," he said, buttoning his shirt.

Tyler and Jack walked back to the car. He reached into the open trunk and pulled out his suit jacket. Finding his keys, he tossed them to Danny.

"You're drivin'."

"Sure, Jack."

"I gave Victor my car so he has wheels."

"Makes sense, Viv."

Double checking he had everything back in his trunk, Jack shut it and settled into the backseat as Tyler did the same. Viv sat shotgun as they headed back to the city.

12pm

Danny parked Jack's Crown Victoria in his spot and chuckled again as he looked at his rear view mirror. Both Jack and Tyler were strapped in their seats and sleeping soundly.

"Fellas, we're here," He announced.

They both woke up immediately. Jack emitted a grunt as he got out of the backseat and headed for the elevator. Danny pulled Tyler's vest and the FLIR binoculars from the trunk and closed it.

"Here are your keys, Jack."

"Thanks, Danny."

They all got into the elevator and went up to the twelfth floor. Jack limped to his office while the other agents went to the bullpen to write their reports. He sat at his desk, first checking his phone for messages, remembering that Ritchie had told him the memory was full. Sighing, he picked up a pen and started to listen to the various voice mails. Most of them were out of date, but there were a few valuable ones. He checked his emails, too, and then decided to bite the bullet. He left his office and went to the elevator pressing the button.

When he walked onto the floor, he noticed a certain quiet. Standing in front of her office, he noted the secretary was gone; her desk cleared. No name remained on the glass as he walked into the office. The shelves were empty, the desk was void, and the drawers were pulled open, showing their emptiness. He felt an unnatural cold as he stood looking out the window. Clenching his fists, he bit back the urge to strike out. Instead, he headed back to the elevator bank. A car came and he stepped in, pushing a button, working now on auto pilot.

The door opened and he walked down the short hall, entering the first office.

"Agent Malone? Do you have an appointment?"

"No, I need to see Glenn," Jack said, pacing now in the small outer office.

"Dr. Bradley, Agent Malone is here to see you."

A few moments later, Glenn walked out, wiping his mouth with a napkin.

"Come in, Jack. No calls, no interruptions, please."

"Yes, doctor."

Jack walked in and stood by the window. The city sparkled in the light falling snow. Glenn watched him, noting his wrinkled suit, the slight stale odor as they passed, and the small bandages that peeked out from his collar. He sat at his desk and opened the personnel files on his computer. Pulling a pad to within reach, he took notes. He waited, somewhat patiently, for Jack to begin.

"She's gone," Jack said, in a voice barely above a whisper.

"She requested and was granted a transfer."

"You knew?" Jack asked, turning to face him, the pain in his voice clear.

"No, I just checked now."

Jack nodded absently and turned back to the window.

"I guess what I was feeling didn't matter."

"No, I think you were honest with your feelings and she wasn't. She was overwhelmed and left the situation rather that face it head on."

"Maybe…"

Glenn stood and went to the window to face him.

"Jack, you're coping; you're working through all of this. I heard you were your old fighting self today with Director Fitzgerald. You're going to be okay."

"I miss her."

"You should. You loved her. But now, you need to move on. Jack, you need to look out for yourself for a while."

The intercom buzzed and Glenn walked to his phone. He pushed a button and picked up the receiver. Hanging up the phone he turned to look at Jack and smiled.

"Let's go, Malone. Man, I've been looking for you for over twenty minutes," Tyler said, as he walked into the room.

"Take him home, Tyler, and get him to bed. Just relax this weekend, Jack. Maybe see a movie or hang out with friends."

"Yeah, maybe. Thanks, Glenn," Jack said, as he crossed the room and followed Tyler out of the office.

They walked to the elevator bank in silence. Jack dug his hands into the pockets of his trousers and fiddled with some spare change. Finally, the elevator car came and they got in. The elevator pinged at each floor and soon they were at twelve. As they neared Jack's office he turned to face Tyler.

"Uhm, give me a couple of minutes."

"Sure."

Jack walked into his office and sat behind his desk. Swiveling the chair, he looked at the photos of Kate and Hanna. He reached over and picket up the handset, then dialed a number from memory.

"Hi, it's me. Uhm, I just wanted to say, in case we miss each other, I love you and the kids. It's around one o'clock."

He hung up the phone. Turning back to his computer, he rechecked his emails and saw nothing pressing. Jack looked at the small screen on his phone, noting the zero with a small smile.

"Ready?" Tyler asked as he opened the door and stuck his head in.

"Yeah," he said, getting to his feet slowly.

Tyler came into the office and handed Jack his topcoat before donning his own. The trip home was quiet after Jack tossed Tyler the keys to his Crown Vic. He was able to find parking close to Jack's apartment. They walked up the stairs to his apartment and Jack unlocked the door. Tyler waited in the doorway until Jack had voided himself of his topcoat, keys, cell phone, gun and badge. He stepped further into the apartment, closed the door, locked it, and threw the chain.

"Heading horizontal?" Tyler asked the retreating figure.

"Yeah."

"Me too, see you after our naps," Tyler said as he hung up his coat.

Jack walked into his bedroom and shut the door. Sitting on the bed, he removed his sock and shoe as well as his cast. Numbly, he took off his suit and put it in the dry-cleaning bag. He carefully hung his tie on the tie rack in his closet, unbuttoned his shirt and put it in the bag with his suit. Dressed only in his shorts he put on an FDNY shirt and crawled into his unmade bed.