The two Tracy boys were in there car and headed down to the house. Both boys were nervous. They also knew they just couldn't call the cops. While the cops had agreed that the man's behaviors were suspicious, there was nothing that they could do to arrest the man.

"Just because you saw him walking out of the police station with Scott doesn't mean he's kidnapped Scott. We have no proof of him threatening Scott in any way, shape or form."

Virgil had snorted at that and would have walked out if not for John's words: "Oh, and there isn't a 'we protect our own' oath you take, or something?"

Flashing back to the present now, Virgil observed his younger brother as he drove Gordon's car along. He could tell that his older brother was tense and terse and was slightly agitated from the way that he was gripping the steering wheel.

"What do we need to talk about before we get to the house?" Virgil questioned, looking at his brother directly. He knew that if John went in there extremely agitated and tense as he was, he would be ready to murder someone, and that would not be a good thing. Sure, he didn't about the man holding his brothers hostage - he cared about making sure John did not spend the rest of his life in prison.

John clenched his teeth. "I'm angry at Dad. How come he never told us he had an uncle, Virgil? How come he didn't happen to recognize the man when we got to the police station? How come there was no happy reunion?"

"Well, you heard Dad speak - they hadn't seen each other in years, and Dad was really, really upset at him... Not justifying Dad here, but he probably just didn't want to bring up old baggage," Virgil guessed.

"Yeah..." John let out a sigh.

He sighed as he looked at John's unwavering anger that could be clearly seen, even though his brother wasn't attempting to communicate it.. "Look, let's just focus on the good here, alright? The good is that we have a lead - let's deal with Dad later. He's exhausted, Virgil. He has been missing Alan and Gordon for what - four weeks now? Scott for a week? They've been gone for a month. We're all a wreck. Not justifying Dad; I'm just saying, listen to reason - don't let your anger at Dad get in the way of helping Gordon, Alan, and Scott."

"Damn," John said, glancing at his brother and almost missing the turn. Gordon would kill him if they got a scratch on his dented baby. "I know. I know. It's a good thing you're here, though."

Virgil flashed him a smile. "By the way, do me a favor?"

"What?"

"Remember to use your turn signals. I don't want a cop to pull you over, find out you're the famous son of Jefferson Tracy, and wonder why you're driving this car. They'll probably think you stole it."

John just rolled his eyes and did as he was told.


Scott sighed as he made his way up the stairs. He was not sorry that he was not the man's "favorite." At least the man seemed to be treating his younger brother a little bit better, so that was good - but it was no substitute for getting out of there and going home.

The man had a long talk with Scott that morning.

Flashback

"Scott, I'm surprised you're still here." This had been while Scott was "helping" the man make breakfast - which translated into Scott making breakfast for Gordon, Alan and the man and the man standing over him, watching so he didn't sneak any food. Scott didn't know what he'd done, but he was definitely in the man's "bad" book once more.

"You haven't really given me much of a choice," Scott said, gingerly touching his black eye as he made his way to the sink. He was trying to figure out this man's motives. Okay, sure, he wanted to get back at Jeff, who was healthy, wealthy, and everything he was not; Scott got that. But why kidnap the three of them and then not demand anything? Why not demand some sort of ransom, if money was what he was really after?

Scott couldn't help but think there was something more sinister at play here - he just didn't know what it was.

"Well, if I gave you a choice, you'd run off. Or you wouldn't like it."

Scott looked at the man wearily. "What choice are you and I talking about? I think we're talking about different choices."

The man just snickered, making Scott feel hollow and empty inside. He had to shove his feelings of guilt away, though. Now wasn't the time to deal with them.

"Look, your brother Alan will always be mine - but you have a choice. I will let you go."

"But not Alan - why me?"

The man smiled. "Let me explain. Gordon and Alan are under eighteen - I'm working on adopting them, legally. You're over eighteen. I can't adopt you. You can stay here as their caretaker, or I can let you go."

"You'd just let me go - walk out of here - no harm no foul?" Either the man was delusional or there were severe strings attached to that.

"Yes. I would let you walk out of here in a body bag."

Scott buried his face in his hands. "You do realize I can't WALK out of here in a body bag, right? I'd be trapped or dead?"

"Fine, I would drag you out of here. You would be relieved of your duties."

"Let's just stop dancing around the truth - I'd be dead," Scott said.

"Yeah, you would."

- end flashback-

Scott sighed and opened the door to Alan's room. Sometimes, watching his youngest brother sleep peacefully was the only peace he had. That and dwelling on the fact that his brothers and father were coming for them.

Given Alan's sudden wild, unpredictable mood swings (which were never violent - just scary enough that Scott knew he couldn't always count on Alan keeping calm), and Gordon's now broken leg... That was something else Scott couldn't bear to think about. The man had broken Gordon's leg because the teen had tried to crawl out the window to escape.

Watching his youngest brother sleep, Scott resolved once more that he would get Alan out of there. They had to get out of there.


"We're here," Virgil announced grimly as he pulled into the driveway. "How do you want to handle this?"

"I don't know," John said, looking at the house. A car was pulled in the driveway. Someone was here.

"Well, we have the element of surprise..." Virgil responded, trying to feel where his younger thought they were going.

"And it won't last long." Suddenly, John broke out of his depressed mood and flashed his older brother a grin. "So... What do you think we should do?"


A/N: Well, they're at a house; but are they at the right house? Why is Alan having mood swings? How is Gordon? So many unanswered questions...

Please review!