Authors Note: Many, many apologies for taking so long to update this story. Terrible combination of writers block and a new job that has taken most of my writing time away from me. I wrote this chapter very quickly and SallyJetson had a quick look over it for me (wub) but all mistakes are mine!!!.

Let me know what you think!

The Calm before the Storm

'What are you, a cop?'

Sam would swear later that her heart had stopped for a moment. She tried to speak calmly but couldn't stop the slight tremor in her voice.

'N..n..no.'

She sat frozen on the tree stump as she heard the unmistakable sound of the ammunition clip from her gun being ejected and then inserted again.

'Well you seem far too calm to me.'

The woman's voice was loaded with suspicion. Sam desperately tried to think of something to say to allay her distrust, but couldn't. The woman rose and began pacing back and forth.

'Why did you open the car door?'

'I heard a child crying for help.'

The pacing stopped. Sam could feel a slight breeze on her face and hear the gentle rustle of the nearby trees. In the distance she could hear the low murmur of a child's voice coming from the car. She waited.

'Why would that make you open a car door? It could have been the radio, it could have been anything. Why open a car door?'

Sam cursed as she tried to juggle her paper and her take out coffee whilst trying to get her purse back into her handbag.

'Clever; should have done this in the shop. Always in too much of a hurry aren't you Sam' she muttered under her breath.

She stopped next to a dark blue Toyota, tucked the paper under her arm and managed to slide her purse into her bag underneath her badge and phone. Before she could close the bag she heard a child's cry from inside the dark blue Highlander and paused. There was something about it that sounded wrong, as if the child was terrified of something. As she listened the cry grew louder, the fear obvious now.

She waited, expecting to hear someone start to comfort the child but instead the crying intensified. Instinct took over as she reached for the door, surprised when it opened. The car was empty except for a child, curled up on the seat, crying hysterically. Sam leant forward

'Hey sweetheart, where's……….'

Hands shoved her hard from behind, propelling her into the car. Her head crashed into the centre consol, stunning her for a moment before something covered her mouth…….

'She sounded distressed. I was worried so I opened the car door. To be honest I didn't really think about it, I just did it'………. and I'm going to get hell from the team when I admit that to them.

She could hear childish giggles in the distance and the slam of the car door. The sun was high in the sky so, she guessed, it must be late in the morning now. A small part of her brain was busy trying to calculate how far away they must be from the city. It was obvious they were in the country – she couldn't hear another vehicle or any planes………

The woman sat down next to her again but still didn't say anything. Sam could feel the distrust coming from her in waves. A tentative idea formed. She took a deep breath.

'Look, my boss will be back to the office soon and if I'm not there he's going to be worried. Can I call him and let him know I won't be in?'

xxxxxxxxxxx

Viv stared unseeingly at the computer screen in the tech room, her cell phone clutched in her hand as she waited for Jack's call.

Elena sank into the seat next to her holding a long list of names that the bank had sent through as possible matches for the partial card number they had from the CCTV footage at the bank.

'Did you know?'

Viv turned her head slowly; Elena was studying the list a little too closely, her voice a little too careful, as she asked the question.

'No, you?'

Elena looked up quickly. Their eyes met briefly before Elena dropped her head again as she shook her head.

'No, I had no idea.'

Viv watched her as she continued to stare intently at the list; Elena's reaction had momentarily taken her mind off her fears for Sam. Before she could say anything the door opened and Van Doren walked in.

'Agent Johnson, have we heard from Agent Malone yet?'

Viv and Elena exchanged a brief look as they registered some indefinable emotion on Van Doren's face. Viv stood up. 'No ma'am we haven't heard anything yet. I spoke to Agent Fitzgerald a few moments ago and they have arrived at the car dealership so I'm expecting to hear from Agent Malone any minute.'

Van Doren was staring at the blank computer screen; Viv waited for her to speak as Elena stood up, catching Viv's eye, a question in hers. Viv shrugged; she had no idea why Van Doren seemed so bothered.

'Ma'am?'

Van Doren tore her eyes away from the screen and looked quickly between Viv and Elena before taking a deep breath.

'I have some news.'

xxxxxxxxxxx

'Hello, is this Mr Taylor?'

Danny froze, staring dumbstruck at Martin as he realised who was calling him.

'Mr Taylor?'

He sucked in a deep breath as his mind suddenly clicked into gear. He forced himself to speak calmly.

'Yes, is this Samantha?'

Martin's face was almost comical as he realised who was on the phone. He hit the speed dial on his phone and began a hushed conversation with someone.

'Yes sir it is. I'm very sorry but I won't be in work today.'

Over Martin's shoulder Danny could see Jack emerge from the dealership, his phone clamped to his ear. He appeared to be talking angrily to someone.

'Really? Why is that?'

He listened hard, but couldn't hear much of anything in the background.

'My mother has been rushed into hospital. I only found out this morning and I left in such a hurry I forgot to call you. This is the first chance I've had to stop so I thought I had better call you now and let you know I wouldn't be in, but also about the Hansen file.'

She sounded calm, but he could hear a tremor in her voice. His heart constricted and a desperate need to hold swept over him. He gritted his teeth.

'Ah yes, I was wondering where that file had got to.'

He wanted to tell her it was OK, that they would find her, that he loved her, but he knew that whoever had her would be listening.

'I gave it to Jack. He'll know what to do with it.'

He froze as she said Jack's name, and looked again to where he could see Jack approaching, phone still clamped to his ear, a furious look on his face.

'Right, ok, well I'll speak to Jack. Any idea when you'll be back, the office isn't the same without you.'

He couldn't help it; he hoped she understood. He heard her draw in a shaky breath and knew that she had.

'I…I don't know, but I hope it won't be too long…..I….I have to go now…..I'm sorry……'

The phone went dead. Danny's legs almost went from under him and he leaned weakly against the car.

Martin flipped his phone shut.

'They've got a trace on the call. Bounced off a tower upstate, a couple of hundred miles from here' He looked more closely at Danny, 'hey, you OK?'

Danny nodded weakly as Jack arrived, his face thunderous.

'That was Van Doren; we've got a problem.'