Date: 2022

Location: Security Office, Manhattan Mall

------------

Jeff sat facing the screens and prepared to start the footage of what had happened to his sons. Before starting, he looked around at his other three sons. He really had hoped, that his two youngest would not want to watch, but had known deep down that they would. All of his sons were very close and would do anything to help each other. Taking a deep breath, he started the footage, praying that he would be able to hold it together for his three remaining sons.

They watched, as John and Virgil made their way down to the main level of the mall. Jeff smiled slightly, as his middle child reacted to being sprayed with perfume. A moment later however, his smile faded to a tense frown, his chest tightening, as he watched a man grab John's arm. His eyes narrowed, as another, grabbed Virgil and jerked him through the service door.

Jeff bit back a cry, even as he heard his other sons exclaim in anger and fear. The screen had split into two images, one was of John and the man being confronted by the mall officer, but the other was the one that held their greatest attention.

They watched, tensely, as Virgil struggled with his captor. The man, however, was taller and appeared to outweigh Virgil by at least fifty pounds and he quickly gained the upper hand, twisting one of Virgil's arms behind his back. But it still took the assistance, of another man and a gun, to completely subdue the middle Tracy.

Jeff reached over and grabbed Scott's arm, to keep him in his seat, when the man placed the gun under Virgil's chin, forcing his head back. The eldest Tracy brother growled, his hands fisted on his lap, knuckles white.

Jeff frowned deeply, as he watched the mall officer walk away from John and his captor, without assisting in any way. He would definitely be discussing that with the mall's manager before this was all over with.

They watched helplessly, as the man forced John through the service door, wincing as they saw his expression upon seeing his younger brother's predicament. The next scene, however, produced an explosion of reactions.

They all gasped, leaning forward, as the older man injected Virgil with something. Upon seeing their brother collapse, Scott jumped to his feet overturning his chair and crying out angrily. Alan bolted from the room followed closely by Gordon, who said he'd keep an eye on Alan, much to Jeff's relief, as his oldest needed his full attention at that moment.

Reaching out, Jeff paused the tape, his heart in his throat, before moving to intercept his eldest son's frantic pacing.

Scott, a murderous expression in his eyes and jaw flexing, muttered darkly, as he paced the confines of the small room. He stopped only when his father stepped in front of him and grabbed his arms.

Looking up with anguish filled blue eyes, his voice was barely audible, "You don't think…? I mean they wouldn't have…"

Jeff shook his head and gently squeezed his son's arms, "No, I don't. They wouldn't have taken him with them if they had…done that. We need to watch the rest of the footage and see if they gave away any clues as to who they are or where they've taken your brothers. I'm going to need your help. Alan and Gordon have obviously had enough and frankly I'd prefer if they didn't watch any more of it. I know it's going to be hard but we need to get back to it. Are you ready?"

Taking a shaky breath, Scott nodded, and they both sat back down, their faces tense. White knuckled, Scott watched, as his father restarted the tape, his heart close to ripping itself out of his chest.

They both focused intently on Virgil's still form, as the man lowered him to the floor. Jeff pressed his lips together, preventing himself from crying out, as he watched John struggle to get to his brother, only to be shoved back against the wall, a gun waved perilously close to his face.

They both mirrored John's astonished expression, moments later, as they too noticed the extra restraints on the stretcher.

Scott fought the urge to slam his fist through the screen, as he watched them securing his little brother to the stretcher.

They both breathed easier, a moment later, seeing the look of relief pass over John's face, after the oxygen mask had been placed on Virgil, realizing that he was, indeed, only sleeping.

Scott's eyes narrowed dangerously, when the man, grabbing John's arm, jerked him away from the wall, and proceeded to drag his brother down the hall behind the stretcher.

The scene shifted again, as the group left the building. Their last view of Virgil, was of him, still unconscious on the stretcher, being loaded into the ambulance.

Jeff saw the silent, desperate plea in his second son's eyes, as John looked around, before being shoved into the back of the ambulance. His heart tightened painfully, as the ambulance carrying its very precious cargo, sped away.

Jeff sat back, after shutting down the tape, his mind replaying everything they had just watched, desperate for a clue to where his sons had been taken, and why. So far, there had been no ransom demands, making this whole situation that more distressing.

They looked up surprised, as Lady Penelope rushed in, closing the door behind her, her face one of masked excitement. She pulled another tape from her pocket, her voice whisper soft as she spoke, "Agent 259 just delivered this. He received a report of a helijet landing on the top deck of a clinic's parking deck. The thing that made it bizarre was that the clinic closes at one on Fridays. The helijet landed around five twenty, well after everyone had already gone home. Agent 52 happens to own the building next door, and he called 259 to come and get the footage from his cameras after hearing of the boys' disappearance. I think you'll want to see this before we leave, Brains already has a copy and is working on tracing the helijet's owners."

She handed the tape to Jeff, who quickly put it into the machine, and turning the tape on, once again focused on the screen, desperate to see more of his stolen sons.

They all watched, breathlessly, as the ambulance screeched to a halt, its side facing the camera and its back doors facing the helijet.

Jeff and Scott, both, leaned forward, as the back doors swung open. They tensed, as John, struggling, nearly fell to the ground, as he was dragged from the ambulance, a look of fury on his face, as he looked back into the vehicle.

Father and son, both held their breath unconsciously, as the stretcher was unloaded, still carrying Virgil. Gasps of relief sounded, seconds later, as they watched, the now alert middle Tracy, looking around, before focusing, wide eyed, on the helijet.

They watched, as John was held back, while the stretcher was loaded, before disappearing into the massive machine himself.

Again they could only helplessly watch as the vehicle carrying their stolen family member's took off, taking some of their hope with it.