Chapter 10
First Contact

It took time, but they finally made it into Helena and they went back in the way they had exited the hotel that morning - a side door that led to the stairs that would take them up to their floor almost right outside their rooms.

I think, perhaps, it might be easier to use the elevator when we go to visit Jessie," Hadji commented as they exited the stairway on the third floor.

"I agree, Hadji," Benton agreed tiredly. His knees were aching and his legs felt more rubbery than he wanted to admit. That shower was looking awfully good as he watched Hadji fish his keycard out of his pocket and insert it into the lock.

"The media will be foraging over at the hangar for now. Whitmore will be busy grandstanding for a while there, I'm sure," Eriksson said, not bothering to hide his lack of respect for the NTSB director.

"Let's say we regroup in what, an hour?" Andrea asked, opening the door to her own room.

Hadji nodded while Benton answered, "Sounds good. We'll figure out what to do for dinner and call Race to see what he wants to order then."

"Right," Andrea said and entered her room.

Bandit came rushing out of Hadji and Benton's hotel room, clearly expecting Jonny to be with them, then stopped up short at the site of the FBI Agent. He cocked his head and looked up at him for a moment before barking once, almost questioningly.

Eriksson knelt down and held out a hand for Bandit to sniff as he said, "I'm sorry boy, we don't have Jonny yet."

Bandit butted the hand, telling Eriksson he was supposed to pet him now. He cocked his head to look at the FBI agent again as Eriksson complied with the physical command.

"I see you've passed the Bandit test," Benton remarked with a cocked eyebrow and half smile.

"Yes, Bandit and I formally met this morning when Hadji and I took him down for his walk," Eriksson answered, slowly standing back up.

His phone went off as he stood up and he pulled it off his belt to look at the caller ID, "Eriksson." He paused for a moment, waiting for the caller on the other end to say something before asking, "Can I call you right back?" He got an answer and said, "Yeah, this will only take me a couple of minutes, tops." Another pause then, "Yeah, talk to you in a few." he hit the end button on the phone and turned back to Hadji and Benton, "I have to take this call. Why don't I take Bandit downstairs for a walk while you get ready to get ready to visit the Bannons at the hospital?"

Bandit wagged his tail excitedly and barked once, indicating his approval of the plan.

"That sounds fine to me," Benton easily agreed.

"I think Bandit has indicated his wishes in this," Hadji said with a faint smile.

Bandit looked to Hadji and barked once, definitely proving his point.

"I think it's settled. We'll get ready and Bandit will go for his walk," Hadji said.

"You really don't mind, do you?" Benton asked the FBI agent.

"Not at all. This gives me a chance to catch up on my calls while you all get ready," the FBI agent answered

"Bandit, go get your leash," Hadji said to the small, white dog with the black mask around his eyes.

The little dog took off at a run into the room and moved the desk chair back in order to hop up into it and grab his leash off the desk. He returned a moment later with the middle of the lead clamped proudly between his teeth and the rest of it trailing on either side of him. He sat down and dropped the leash at Agent Eriksson's feet with a short bark.

The FBI agent knelt back down and clipped it to Bandit's collar, "I think that Bandit's made up his mind on what he wants. Seriously, I have calls to make and I can just as easily get them done outside with Bandit."

Benton gave in with a nod, "All right then, and thank you, Agent Eriksson."

"It's not a problem at all, Doctor Quest," Eriksson answered, getting back to his feet and clipping his phone back on his belt.

Bandit gave him an impatient look, clearly wanting to be off.

"We'll be back in a bit," Eriksson answered, heading down the hallway to the elevators.

Benton watched them go, looking almost lost for a second at the site of Bandit going off with the FBI Agent, when it should be Jonny.

Hadji patiently waited for Benton to come out of his revererie and enter the room, before closing and locking the door behind them.

"Why don't you get in the shower first, Doctor Quest?" Hadji suggested.

"I don't think I'm going to argue with you on that, Hadji," Benton said wearily. He moved over to his suitcase and pulled out fresh clothes before heading into the bathroom.

For his part, Hadji undid his turban, kicked off his shoes and sat cross-legged in the center of his bed. It took him but moments to ground and center himself in order to drop into a deep meditative state. This would be his way to recharge for now.

The sound of Benton emerging from the bathroom was enough to bring Hadji up from his meditation. He stretched, feeling muscles protest slightly after the long day, and got up to gather his things in order to take his shower.

"Any word, Hadji?" Benton asked, toweling his hair dry.

"No," Hadji answered. "The phones have been quiet. I have not checked my email - it can wait until our return from the hospital."

Benton nodded, "Good idea. If I sit down to check mine, we'll never get out of here."

"That is true," Hadji said and the slipped into the bathroom to take his shower.

Hadji took his time, standing under the hot spray of the showerhead that had some force behind it, allowing the heat to soak into his muscles. It helped to ease the aches from the day's hike. He had not had much chance to do any serious hiking this past semester. That was one of the disadvantages of going off to school - he had missed the traveling and seeing new places. The other had been the lack of time to get out and do some serious hiking and backpacking.

Sure he swam - it helped to clear his head almost as much as meditation, but the over chlorinated swimming pool at the multi-purpose was a pale comparison to the warm waters off Palm Key.

He was worried about Jonny - this not knowing who had taken him was most disturbing. At least when they tangled with someone like Zin, you pretty much knew up front what he was up to. It couldn't be Rage. He was gone and buried after his last attempt to blow up the planet had literally backfired in his face. Nothing. The modus operandi matched no one that they had come across before and that really worried him. His internal alarm clock warned him that if he didn't get a move on, he wouldn't have time to dry his hair before they left for the hospital. He emerged from the bathroom dried and dressed with a few minutes to spare before leaving and found Benton stretched out asleep on his bed. Deciding to leave his adoptive father resting for the moment, Hadji rewrapped his turban.

It was just as he finished, that he heard the distinctive rattle of Bandit's tags out in the hallway. He met Agent Eriksson and Bandit at the door. Bandit trotted at the FBI agent's side, off the leash, panting heavily and looking quite pleased with himself.

Eriksson remarked quietly, "I don't think there's a squirrel in the park that will forget Bandit for a while."

Hadji smiled and nodded in agreement, taking the leash from Agent Eriksson. "Bandit has always mistaken his size. I think in a former life, he might have been a Great Dane or a Rottweiler."

Eriksson laughed, "That I can believe."

Bandit trotted into the room, drank some water, looked around again for Jonny, obviously hoping that his human would appear by the time he'd returned. Not seeing him, he jumped up onto Benton's bed and settled himself there, still panting.

It was the shaking of the bed from Bandit's panting that woke Benton up. He sat up and rubbed a hand over his face before reaching down to pet the small dog. "I see you had a good run, Bandit."

Bandit wagged his tail and reached over to slurp Benton's hand. Benton scratched the dog behind his ears and Bandit couldn't decide which way to lean, but closed his eyes in rapture at the attention.

Andrea emerged from her room her long hair pulled back in a simple clip at the nape of her neck, dressed in black slacks, a black tank top that was covered by a sheer black blouse with cutout patterns. She had a black blazer draped over one arm as she put her keycard in the back pocket of her purse.

She saw Hadji and Eriksson talking in the doorway to Hadji's room and asked, "Are we ready to go?"

"Just about," Hadji answered and looked to Benton who had stood up and stretched.

"Just give me a moment to splash some cold water on my face and put on my shoes, then I'll be ready to go," Benton replied, reaching over to give Bandit one final pet before moving over to the bathroom.

Dinner discussion was brief and they decided on Chinese food. Eriksson directed them to a good restaurant that was only two blocks from the hotel, and after calling Race, placed all their orders. He was the one who went in and picked up the bags of food and everything that went with it, explaining that it was on the government's tab.

At the hospital, he nodded to the guard who had been stationed outside Jessie's door and asked, "Has the press been causing any problems?"

"No, sir," the guard answered. "They haven't found us - yet. The hospital switchboard has been instructed to give false information in the event anyone calls and the medical staff is sticking to patient privacy laws, so they won't release any information."

"Great. You know to contact me if you have any problems," Eriksson said with a nod.

"Yes sir," was the reply.

Satisfied that things were in hand, Eriksson headed into the room to see how Jessie was doing for himself. However, she paled and swallowed convulsively as the scent of the spicy Chinese food reached her.

"I take it, Szechwan Chicken is off the menu for you Miss Bannon," Eriksson said with an apologetic smile.

"Uh, yeah," Jessie answered, her face taking on a green tint.

Race wanted to stay with her, but his grumbling stomach wanted that spicy Szechwan Chicken.

"Go eat, Dad," Jessie said, still fighting to keep her stomach under control.

"I won't be far, Ponchita and there's the guard just outside the door," Race assured his daughter, standing up and placing a light kiss on her left cheek.

"Please, just go before I get sick," Jessie urged quietly, swallowing convulsively again.

Hadji and Andrea already had taken the hint headed for the door, Benton right behind them with Race and Agent Eriksson bringing up the rear.

"Which way now?" Hadji asked the FBI agent.

"The cafeteria's downstairs," Eriksson answered, leading the way.

Race remarked, "You seem to know your way around here."

"Both my kids were born here. St. Pete's actually has a fairly forward thinking staff," Eriksson answered. "Your daughter's in excellent hands here."

"Nice to hear that," Race commented. "Now, do you have any news for us on the goons who took Jonny?"

"I'll tell you what I know when we get down to the cafeteria," Eriksson said with a heavy sigh.

Race didn't like the sound of that sigh and gave the agent a sideways look.

Estella recognized the landmarks as they approached Buenos Aires. They were only about fifteen minutes from landing at the private airport that was about forty minutes from her apartment in the city near the university. She hoped she'd be able to find a taxi right away when they landed. She didn't have much time to spare in order to make it to her first flight out of the country.

"Where you headed next, Professor?" the lanky American asked.

"To my apartment for clean, warmer clothes and then I have a flight out to DC at nine this evening," Estella answered.

"Not much turn around time for you," he remarked.

"No, but it's the best I can do last minute," Estella said on a sigh.

"Well, we'll be down in about ten minutes," Larry answered, beginning his landing checklist. He called the tower and got his directions for landing, slowing their speed and dropping the flaps.

He was true to his word and within ten minutes, they were on the ground and taxing off the runway to park on the tarmac.

As soon as they were parked and the engines shutting down, Larry was out of the plane and grabbing her bags from the rear before Estella had a chance to get herself organized.

"Good luck, Professor," Larry said by way of parting.

"Thanks, Larry," Estella said, shouldering her bags and taking off at a quick walk for the terminal. She cut through the building, heading for the taxi stand just outside the front door.

Quickly snagging a taxi, she gave him the address of her apartment and managed to find enough money in her wallet to pay for the ride there and for him to wait while she got ready for her trip to the states.

Estella didn't bother to check her answering machine – there was nothing that couldn't wait until she got to the states, and had seen her daughter. She dumped her clothes she'd brought back from the dig in the hamper and began packing for her trip north. A quick shower and a hastily scribbled note to her housekeeper, then she was checking her list of what she needed before heading back out the door to the waiting taxi.

"Where to now?" the driver asked her in Spanish as he slid back behind the wheel of the cab after putting her luggage in the trunk.

"The International terminal at the Don Torcuato," Estella answered him.

"Si, Senora. Which airline?" the driver asked next.

"United."

"Si, si, Senora."

Estella sat back in the seat, taking the time now to collect her scattered thoughts and to calm her breathing from her mad rush to get ready. She was on her way and would be at Jessie's side hopefully within twenty-four hours of when she finally got to leave Buenos Aires tonight.

Once they were settled in the cafeteria with the food sorted out, Eriksson began relaying what information he had.

"I take it that you don't have much in the way of good news," Race said before taking a bite of his meal.

Eriksson shook his head, taking the moment to finish the bite of his food. "We have a rental car in Kalispell – a full size SUV - but it was wiped clean when it was returned. The id used, of course, was fake and the card used was just pre-purchased MasterCard – no name on it. The fraud guys are tracing where the card was purchased now, but it's one of those that doesn't require an id to purchase, since you can buy them with cash. We'll get a store and maybe a picture, but not much hope there."

Benton asked next, "What about the picture from the ID? Have you gotten anything from that?"

Eriksson took another bite of his dinner before answering, "So far, no hits in the criminal database, but it's a search that's going to take all night, at the least."

Hadji was silent, eating his steamed vegetables and rice expertly with his chopsticks, letting the conversation flow around him.

Benton sighed heavily and Race felt like echoing it. He took another bite of his chicken, trying to enjoy the rich and spicy taste of it. For Helena being pretty much off the beaten track, it was the best Szechwan chicken he'd tasted in a while. Focusing his thoughts back on the situation at hand, he admitted to himself it was going to take a while to get Jonny back, unless they heard from his kidnappers and got an idea on what they wanted. He was sure that this was far removed from what the kids had envisioned spending their summer vacation.

He finally said, "So, right now, you really don't have anything?"

"Not a lot. We have the composites of the guys Jessie said attacked them up in the mountains that we're circulating and running for criminal ids and such. Again – with all the various databases to search through, the computers will be running all night narrowing the search down."

"Which databases are you searching?" Race asked next.

Eriksson took another bite of his food and answered, "We're starting with the US criminal database - NCIC, and working our way through the US military records, Interpol and then going for the FBI and CIA's databases."

"Do you really think you'll have to go that far?" Benton asked.

"I'm hoping we'll find something in the NCIC, but I have my doubts there. This seems too clean and too organized to be your garden variety criminal," Eriksson answered truthfully.

Race nodded in agreement. Everything they had seen so far had pointed to some very well connected and well-organized people. Your average criminal didn't operate in such an organized manner. He certainly hoped that they would find something in the Interpol and military databases. He had serious doubts about the Us Intelligence Agencies willingly opening their databases. The days of "Inter-agency cooperation" were still not here. The events of 9/11 had only heightened the mistrust between the various agencies, despite the claims to the contrary, not to mention the 'new kid' on the block - Homeland Security, really didn't share the real data they collected from their sources.

"Do you think it could be a rogue FBI or CIA agent?" Benton asked.

Race could see that the Doc was still firing on all cylinders despite his clear exhaustion. That was Benton for you – the man was always thinking, even when dead on his feet.

"I hope not, but I am not ruling anything out yet," Eriksson answered honestly.

All was quiet for a few minutes as everyone concentrated on his or her food.

A few moments later, Andrea reported what she had found out. "I put a call into the hangar when we got back to the hotel to check on the plane's maintenance history. That particular jet is only a couple of years old and didn't have enough miles logged onto it yet to suggest the thermostat going out on either engine. I had the maintenance log sent to the NTSB office here, since that will be one of the things they'll be looking at."

"When was the last time the plane was worked on?" Eriksson asked.

"Two weeks before Jessie flew out to San Francisco. It was basic work – changing fluids, make sure the engines are firing correctly."

"Could the plane have been sabotaged then?"

Andrea and Race shook their heads.

"Very unlikely," Andrea stated.

"Jessie is rated to fly most of the jets in the corporate fleet – it just happened to be luck of the draw she got that one," Race answered.

"How many planes do you have?" Eriksson asked.

"About ten in the corporate fleet. A couple are outfitted for specific scientific research and Jessie hasn't checked out on those specific jets," Race reported.

"What about Jonny?" Eriksson asked.

"Jonny, like Jessie, can fly almost anything. He practically grew up in the cockpit with Jessie," Benton answered. "He doesn't have all his licenses, but he knows how to fly. That was the reason we gave in to them and let Jessie take a jet out there so he could come home from school for the summer."

"Okay, so where could the plane have been parked to be accessible?"

"Last night – Jessie flew out last night and the plane was parked at a friend's hangar," Race answered, feeling a helpless rage building up inside. Who could be so manipulative and knowing of their motives to bring down a plane just to get to Jonny?

"Which airport? I can hopefully get something from the security footage that might help lead us to Jonny," the FBI agent questioned.

"Oakland. It's close to the Berkley campus where Jonny's going to college," Benton answered.

Race sighed and wondered if it wouldn't be safer if they just went back to home-schooling the kids and never let them out of their sites again. He looked over to Hadji and got a look in return that just said that he could forget about that idea. He'd forgotten how perceptive Hadji was and had to admit to himself that yeah, keeping the kids home just wasn't a viable option. They couldn't protect them forever by keeping them isolated from the world.

Eriksson wrote down the name of Benton's friend that Jessie had parked the jet at last night to pass onto the field office in San Francisco after dinner.

Race knew that every little bit of information they could gather could help lead them to the people who were behind the kidnapping. The waiting, as always, was the hardest part.

Dinner was finished and Andrea rode to his rescue by handing him one of those breath strips.

"Here. You don't want to go back in there smelling like the very thing that almost made her sick the first time. She'd never forgive you," Andrea said, holding out the small packet to him.

"Thanks," Race acknowledged with a nod. He expected his mouth to be seared with an antiseptic/minty flavor, but was surprised at the minty-orange taste that burst from the strip.

Andrea turned and made sure that each member of the group had taken one before they headed back up to Jessie's room. Race found he couldn't fault her logic – that was the one thing he had never dealt well with when the kids were sick. He really hated being around when any of them had had the stomach flu. That was his major weakness and it turned his stomach just thinking about it.

Jessie was dozing on their return and Race was leery of waking her. The decision was taken out of his hands when the nurse bustled in to do the hourly concussion check. Race watched as she grousingly complied with having the nurse check her blood pressure, pulse, temperature and her eye dilation.

"That's the worst part – having that light shined in your eyes," Jessie sighed, as the nurse flicked the penlight in first one eye and then the other.

"You know I have to do this, Jessie," the nurse answered, putting her penlight back in her pocket and then checking Jessie's blood pressure and pulse.

Jessie waited until the nurse had pulled her stethoscope back out of her ears and unwrapped the blood pressure cuff from around her arm before commenting, "Standard treatment for a concussion. I know, I know…"

"You sound like you're talking from experience," the nurse asked with a sideways look at Jessie.

Jessie saw Race lurking in the doorway and answered, "I've managed to avoid the whole getting hit over the head thing until now. Unlike my dad…"

The nurse turned and raised an eyebrow at Race who shrugged it off, "Better me than you, Ponchita. It's all part of the job."

The nurse turned back to Jessie, "I know you're not up for anything heavy, but do you want some Jell-o?"

"What flavors?" Jessie asked.

"I believe we have cherry, blueberry and orange."

"Cherry, please," Jessie answered.

"Okay then, cherry it is," the nurse said, closing Jessie's binder and taking it with her.

Jessie looked back to her father and asked, "Do we have any word on Jonny yet?"

Race shook his head as he took the chair at her bedside, "Sorry Ponchita, none yet."

"They sure went to an awful lot of trouble to get him," she remarked worriedly.

"That they did, Jessie," Dr. Quest remarked.

"Were my composites any good?" Jessie asked next.

Race had to give his daughter credit; she never quit thinking.

"We're still running them. So far, we've had no hits," Eriksson answered.

Jessie sighed, "I guess it would be too much to find them right away."

"Sometimes we get lucky and that does happen," the FBI agent answered.

"But not this time," Jessie said on a sigh.

"No, it doesn't look that way," Eriksson admitted. "But those were some good composites you gave us of the men who took Jonny."

"It's all in the details," Jessie said. "I learned to pay attention to the little things early on."

The nurse returned with the Jell-o for Jessie and cautioned, "You shouldn't be doing all that much talking, Jessie."

"We have to find Jonny," she said to the nurse.

"You have a fractured cheekbone – you don't need to be doing all that much talking," the nurse stated again.

Race saw the nurse's statement bring back to the forefront his daughter's injuries as what little color she'd managed to regain in her face under her bruising drained away.

"It's time for another dose of your pain meds," she said, pulling out a syringe from the pocket of her scrubs, and checked the sticker on it, verifying it was the right dosage for the right patient before injecting it into Jessie's IV. "Now, take it easy on the talking."

"But, Jonny…" Jessie protested.

"Has a lot of people who aren't injured looking for him. You are injured and have surgery for your ankle in the morning," the nurse said emphatically. She turned her attention back to Race. "I assume it would take nothing less than a pry bar to get you away from your daughter's side tonight?"

"You got that right," Race nodded emphatically. He wasn't going to leave her side in case the men who'd taken Jonny decided to make an attempt to take her now too. No one was going to hurt his baby girl while he was around.

"I'll bring a pillow and a blanket for you then. The chair folds down into a cot," she said with a nod to the chair Race was sitting in.

"Thanks, I appreciate it," Race answered.

The nurse turned to the rest of the group, "I know visiting hours aren't over for another hour, but Jessie needs to rest."

Race could see for himself that the pain meds were kicking in as Jessie's eyes started to lose their focused look.

"Is there anything you want from the hotel, Race?" Benton asked.

"My toiletries kit from my bag and a fresh shirt would be great, Doc," Race answered, looking back to Benton.

"I'll run them by on my way home," Eriksson stated. "I have to come back by this way in order to get home."

"Thanks, I appreciate it," Race stated.

Hadji spoke up, "I think we had best be on our way."

"I'm not asleep yet, Hadj," Jessie protested, shifting on the bed, trying to sit up straighter, then hissing as she jarred her ankle.

"Not yet, but you are on your way to being there, Jessie," Hadji stated calmly.

"It's the meds," Jessie said around a yawn.

"Yes, and you need your rest," Hadji reasoned with her.

Race was glad that looks couldn't kill for the glare that she shot her friend.

"Hadj, you're worse than my dad," Jessie grumbled.

"Of course, that's because I can get away with it, being your best friend," Hadji smiled serenely at her.

Jessie started to shake her head, thought better of it and fixed him with another glare, "Hadj, that makes no sense."

Hadji didn't loose his smile, and answered, "I have my escape routes planned and can be out of your immediate reach before you know it."

"Not fair, Hadj – picking on me when I can't - " Jessie had to stop as she fought back another big yawn. "I can't tell which is worse – being dizzy from the concussion or having it multiplied by the pain meds."

"I think we will leave you to sleep then, Jessie," Benton stepped forward to place a light kiss on her forehead. "What time are you due to head into surgery tomorrow morning?"

"Uhm.." Jessie answered, the pain shot clearly making it hard for her to think.

Race remembered what the doctors had told them in the briefing, "They said they'd be taking her down to pre-op about ten am."

"Well, we'll make it by before then." Benton said, with nods from Andrea and Hadji.

"What about Jonny?" Jessie said, fighting now to keep her eyes open.

"If we find out where they're holding him soon, we'll see," Benton assured her.

"They wanted him," Jessie murmured.

Race could see she was right on the edge of falling asleep.

"We know, Jess honey. We know. You rest now and let us find him," he assured her. He looked back to Benton, "Keep me in the loop, Doc. I'll be ready, willing and able to go after Jonny once Estella gets here tomorrow night."

"I will Race. I promise," Benton assured him. "He'll need you to get him away from whomever's captured him before he manages to drive them up the wall."

Hadji hid a smile behind his hand. They all knew that Jonny specialized in antagonizing the bad guys.

Andrea said, "Don't worry, Race. I'll make sure Dr. Quest stays out of trouble tomorrow before I pick up Estella from the airport."

"Thanks, Andrea," Race said, meaning it. It tore him up that he couldn't be out there leading the search for Jonny, but he wasn't going to leave his daughter to face surgery alone. He couldn't do that. If he even thought of it, he knew there'd be a line starting behind the Doc first, telling him to stay with Jessie.

The group headed towards the door and Eriksson paused in the doorway to say, "I'll be back in a short while with your stuff, Race."

"Thanks," Race nodded. He looked Benton over from head to toe one last time and said, "Get some sleep tonight, Doc. You look like hell."

Benton chuckled and shook his head. "I'll try, Race. I'll try."

The group shuffled off and shortly after the night nurse, Tiffany, as her name tag read, came bustling back in with a pillow, a sheet and a blanket.

"Here you go, Mr. Bannon," she said, handing them off to him.

"Thanks," Race said, accepting the bundle. "Do you need to wake her up so soon to check her vitals?"

Tiffany checked her watch and said, "No, not for another hour."

Race nodded, "She just drifted off again."

"All right, I'll be back in an hour. I'll be at the desk if you need me."

Race unfolded the cot chair and put the linens on it. Now that things were winding down, he could feel his own exhaustion burning at him. It had been a long day and even if he wasn't as jet-lagged as the Doc, he still hadn't gotten much sleep the night before. He'd wait until Eriksson dropped off his stuff before he stretched out for the night.

Benton felt exhaustion kicking in big time. He hoped he'd actually be able to sleep tonight.

"If it will help, Dr. Quest, I do have some melatonin in my bag at the hotel," Andrea offered as they walked back through the hospital parking garage.

"Thanks, but I think I'm going to try for chamomile tea first," Benton answered with a small smile. "I happen to know that Hadji always keeps a store of tea on hand."

"I will brew tea when we return to the hotel, Doctor Quest," Hadji said with a nod to him.

Before Benton could say anything else, his cell phone started ringing. Thinking maybe Race had forgotten something, or maybe Phil had some news for him, he pulled it out. He looked at the display, "Caller ID unavailable?"

Eriksson raised his eyebrows in puzzlement, but suggested, "Answer it. It might be the call we've been waiting for."

"Benton Quest," Benton said after hitting the answer button on his phone.

A scrambled voice said, "Ah, Dr. Quest…I believe I have something you are looking for."