A/N: Thanks so much for the reviews and for reading, guys! It means so much! Here's longer chapter… intense, I have to warn you. And confusing. Just stay with it, it's pretty fast paced! Thanks for reading! Enjoy!

It had been 48 hours. 48 hours since Derek left.
Meredith's entire body was shaking. Her brain hurt, maybe from too much thinking, maybe from computing, or from shoving too much information into her brain too fast. She had too much to think about, and it wasn't helping her thinking straight. And she felt a strange numbness that was threatening to creep upon her, probably brought on from worry or anxiety. But as she sat at the conference room table rubbing her temples and listening to all the agents shouting ideas, she couldn't take it anymore. "Shut up!" She yelled, causing every breath and every word in the room to halt. "Just... Just SHUT UP already! Can we just try and come up with something like a civilized group of spies, like we should be?" She watched everyone pause and exchange glances, but they all exhaled and stopped what they were saying. "Thank you," She breathed. She then inquired, "Does anyone have anything planned? Anything at all?"
"We... we're trying, Meredith. We're trying." Callie said gently, softly, her tired voice crackling.
Meredith whipped her head towards her fiercely and quipped, "Be quiet, Callie." Everyone recoiled in shock at her sudden anger. She shrunk back in her chair. "Sorry. But your last 'plan' didn't work the way it was supposed to, did it?"
Miranda tried to warn her softly, "Now, Meredith..."
But Mer continued, "They still haven't responded! My husb...-fiance is in their hands, and they still haven't responded. Does that spell trouble to you? Because it does to me." Her words were harsh and clear cut, and even Callie let out a shaky sigh. She shook her head, losing the battle.
"Okay. Everyone, just calm down. We're in here to try and come up with something. Not yell and accuse. Okay?" Another Agent, Arizona Robbins, said gently from the other side of the room. Arizona had just recently been relocated into the facility from a smaller one down south, and everyone seemed to like her. She was very kind, but also knew exactly how she would defend herself. Meredith wasn't that close with her, but Izzie was. Arizona tossed her soft, blond curls behind her shoulder and took a deep breath. "What is our main concern?" She inquired, leaning forward in her chair and tapping on the table with a pen. Meredith clenched her jaw.
"That Derek has been out of our hands for more than two days. He's been gone more than two days." She said roughly, frustrated. Wasn't there something they could do? Anything they could do? Anything.
"I know that. We need more information." Callie hissed back, obviously loosing patience herself. A silence stung the air, stale and unwelcome. Meredith clenched her muscles.
"We go. Charge." She said, barely breaking a whisper, but everyone snapped their heads towards her.
"We can't!"
"But he said..."
"That's inconceivable!"
"Not possible."
"It would only end badly."
"It's not our system."
"EVERYONE!" Meredith shouted, causing everyone's jaws to freeze in place as they murmured unspoken words. She took a shaky sigh and stood up, rubbing her hands on her jeans and causing a friction as they grew warmer. "It's not ideal. It's dangerous. It's not safe. I know." Everyone completely stopped moving, focused on her moving lips. "But what else would we do? How else are we supposed to get him out of there? It's been more than two days. That's a very long time. Do you realize that? You don't know what could be..." She gulped. "…happening to him. We don't know if he's okay. If we wait any longer, we risk him getting hurt… probably more hurt than he already is. We tried gently techniques. We tried them. They didn't work! We… we need to get aggressive." Her voice was becoming squeakier now, a trembling roller coaster of words tumbling across her lips. "Because if we don't… if we don't, we don't know…" She struggled to grasp the words. "We don't know what will happen to… him."

A silence nipped the air immediately after she stopped rambling, the words coming to a thick halt. Everyone exchanged glances. Meredith looked down, pretending to focus on the shiny little creases and colors on the smooth dark brown conference table.

"We… we haven't exhausted all our options…" Bailey said quietly, dropped her head against her hand.

"What do you suggest we do?" Meredith snapped. Bailey reeled backwards in her chair, taken aback. "Seriously. I can't think of anything else. You guys all call me innovative. That's how I passed the Level Three clearance exam. Remember? Because of how innovative and 'clever' I was," She snickered. They were a room full of smart, resourceful spies with the government on their side. And they couldn't even take down these people who held the one man she loved. She shuddered and added quietly, "I just… Bailey, we have exhausted all of our options. I don't know what else… I just…"

Everyone shared more glances, having silent conversations within their eyes, but she couldn't pay attention. She just lifted her eyes heavily to stare at one of the big flat screens on the wall. It's robotic words listed PROS and CONS (In more detailed and complicated spy lingo, of course) of what was going on…Their options. But each option seemed useless. Helpless. She cringed and felt herself collapse back into the chair, plopping her head into her hands.

"Meredith… it will take some time to make sure this will be the right decision…" Callie Torres said quietly, her words just a whisper breezing across Meredith's mind.

Meredith snapped. Maybe it was from the weight of the problems. Maybe it was from fear. Or maybe it was from love and worry for Derek. "You know what?" She yelled, her small voice suddenly booming across the room, bouncing across the walls. "WE DON'T HAVE TIME."

With that she fled from the room, opening the doors and letting them slam behind her. As soon as she left the dark room, she was greeted heavily by all her friends. They were waiting outside the door, Izzie asleep on Alex's shoulder and Cristina and George sitting, staring blankly at the atmosphere. Everyone was suddenly alert, even Izzie, and they swarmed around her. "What's going on?" She began to walk away angrily. "Where are you going?"

Meredith wiped tears angrily and furiously out of her stinging eyes. "To get Derek." She stopped when she felt her friends multiple palms wrap around her forearms and grab her firmly. She tried to fight them, but they were her friends, and they were strong.

"Meredith, you're not thinking straight. This isn't right. We can't try that again." Izzie said gently but firmly. "Remember what happened last time?"

Meredith took a sharp breath and shut her eyes as she whirled around to face them. "I don't care." She blinked them open and stared at them, their mouths agape with disbelief and nervousness. "I don't care. They have Derek. I can't just sit around here and do nothing… I can't feel like I'm helpless. I just…" She stomped her foot with mock violence. "I can't."

"You need to breathe, Mer," Cristina instructed.

"I am breathing, darn it, Cristina!" Meredith said rudely. "Sorry. I need to do this. I need… I need to do this." She panted roughly.

"I…" Cristina tried to protest, but stopped. "Okay. We need backup."

"Get Bailey," Meredith whispered huskily, her voice thick from a lump of tears in her throat. "She'll do it."

"Didn't she say…"

"She won't go herself…" Meredith said quietly, wiping at her face aimlessly again. "But she'll help us. She'll give us some other field agents to help." She took a shaky breath. "You guys don't have to come. I understand." She twisted around in a huff, only to feel a small hand wrap around her shoulder gently.

"We'll come. We're here for you, Mer," Meredith shut her eyes and took another deep breath. "We're here for you."

- - Derek - -

Derek attempted to wriggle around, frustration coating his entire body, but it was pointless: Completely and utterly pointless. He was frozen, helpless in a state he couldn't control. While he was fainted and unconscious, they used the ITP on him again, and now he was stuck. He let out a groan inwardly and blinked, looking back up at the ceiling. Johnson walked around him, guards surrounding the room, mocking him. He had been for about three hours straight, and it was making Derek feel terrible. Not about himself, but about his situation. "Hmm, what are you going to do now, Agent Shepherd?" He snarled. Derek just shut her eyes. "Oh, no, I'm little Derek, I'm stuck, all alone, help me, help me! I can't move!" Johnson mocked, his voice high-pitched.

Derek rolled his eyes in his head and mumbled, "Yeah, I'm sure that's exactly what I sound like."

"I got the impression pretty spot on…" Johnson spat, circling the table that he still lay on like a predator circling it's prey. His eyes focused on Derek's unchanging expression. "Now, lets discuss this little girlfriend of yours. Grey. Is that right?" He said rudely, saying the word girlfriend like he would dog poop. Derek didn't respond, keeping his gaze fixed on the barren, gray ceiling. "I said, isn't that right?" Johnson increased his voice volume to a shout as he slammed his hand so hard on the table, a few inches from Derek's head, that Derek flinched at the noise. Derek didn't answer, still keeping his face straight.

He heard the slap before he felt it. He could've predicted it was coming, though. It was almost inevitable. He was stuck. Another slap, and then the sting of skin meeting skin in a tight friction. He couldn't fight back, all he could do was lay there and wait for something to happen.

One more slap.

He winced that time, shutting his eyes and hearing Johnson cackling in the background. He couldn't retaliate. It was maddening. He knew what they were doing. They were breaking his spirit. And although Derek Shepherd wasn't anywhere near admitting it, it was working. He bit his lip. "Yes," He responded, his voice cold and hoarse. He knew how much Johnson was enjoying this, and knowing that made it all the more sickening.

"Ah, there we go. Now we know how to get a response out of you, Shepherd," Johnson growled, pleased. "Tell me about her. Is she pretty?" Johnson was laughing a rude, mocking laugh. Derek licked his lips and shut his eyes, his cheek stinging.

"Yes," He said. She was more than gorgeous.

"Do her eyes sparkle?" Johnson laughed now, mocking in a faux-romantic voice. "Is her voice like an angel? Is her hair like golden waterfalls? Does she~"

"Shut UP," Derek said firmly, his loud, frustrating room sending a thud along the room. Johnson was taken aback by his intensity. "J-Just shut up! SHUT UP!" He froze, realizing what he had just done. He shut his eyes, preparing for the worst. When nothing happened after a few seconds, he blinked his eyes open. Immediately, his gaze was locked with Johnson's. Johnson's firm hand grabbed Derek's chin hard and forced him to meet his eyes. Derek gulped, and Johnson could feel it. His grip tightened, and it hurt Derek's chin.

"Listen you…" Johnson spat, hate radiating in his eyes. "You think you're in control? Huh? Is that what you think?" Derek just blinked, a frown furrowing in his brows. "I'm sure it's what you'd like to think. That strong, indestructible Derek will always be okay. Well guess what?" He snarled loudly, his eyes piercing. "You won't always be."

THUD. A clap of a punch whacked Derek fiercely across the face, his jaw whipping around to the other side of where he lay. It was driven firmly by force, as he could barely move his head on his own. Johnson had reeled back so far… had hit so close… and had so much power… Derek could take punches. He got in fights- usually one- and had had a variety of people attack him. He knew how to fight back, and he knew how to absorb the blows. But in this case, Johnson (nicknamed 'Iron Fist' Johnson) had punched him so rapidly and from such a close distance, it didn't take a genius to figure out that it hurt. A lot. He wondered if he had possibly cracked his cheekbone. Or maybe his jaw.

Derek winced largely, making the mistake of crying out in a small yelp of pain. He blinked, the blow of the punch still rippling across his face. Johnson's face was filled with satisfaction, obviously wondering why he hadn't done it earlier. Derek felt sick and alone.

As Johnson reeled up again and Derek tried to pull back with every muscle in his body, but it wouldn't work. He couldn't move. The frustration of that was so obnoxious and maddening and terrible that he felt sick. Fear flickered deep within the corner of his aqua eyes.

SLAM.

But the sound that attacked the atmosphere around them wasn't a punch. Johnson froze. A scream erupted from the hallway, creeping through the door, the sound echoing in the room. All the guards suddenly got uptight, on edge. Derek's eyes flew from side to side, trying to understand what was going on. Johnson pulled his fist down and faced the door, teetering on his toes, every one of his nerves on end.

The door flew open, a gust of air flying across the air and hitting Derek in the face. He sucked in the air and tried to lift his eyes to see the people coming through the door, obviously unwelcome visitors.

Derek felt like he was hallucinating as he saw the slim figure that stood before him. It was… Meredith? He tried to call her name, tried his best, but something was restricting him. He felt suddenly weak… possibly from the overwhelming flood of shock that surrounded him. His vocal chords felt useless, like an unfamiliar, foreign part of his already strangely unfamiliar body. He could barely see through blurred vision as shouts and panic arouse through the room. Everything was a frightening mess, and he could barely hear what was going on. A headache pounded noisily in his ears.

"….Grey… get in… out!"

"…did you… to him?"

"…get….guards… security, get… now!"

"…son of a… why… I don't…"

"…OUT! ... security… them, NOW!"

"Derek… Did… To him?"

Suddenly all the noise stopped, until a frightening loud THUMP happened, echoing from down the hallway. Although he couldn't see, he could sense that something was wrong. Something was so wrong.

As suddenly as the shouting had stopped, it commenced again, interrupting Derek's train of thoughts. He tried to listen, but pain shot through his ears, making it invariably hard to focus on anything. There was some faint screaming, a few loud noises, and he felt his lip quiver as he heard Meredith scream, as well as others…

…including a frantic shout from Johnson. That meant one thing: Someone else was there. And they weren't from the APP or TCA.

Derek felt his heart rise in his throat and thump in his ears, blocking off the noise partially. The table he lay on seemingly grew colder, and the feeling of not being able to do something had never been so intensely maddening. He tried to groan, but his throat was scratchy, ridden with stress and worry. He attempted to throw his head around, but it felt heavy and thick on his shoulders. Tears filled to the brim of his eyelids, threatening to overflow. The frustration was hurting him so much. More than the sting of the slap, or the pain of the blows.

Blinking, a blurry vision appeared in front of him, standing over him. He blinked rapidly, trying to force his eyes to focus. When they finally had, he had barely a moment to see the man in front of him. It wasn't Johnson. And it wasn't anyone from the TCA. The slick voice whispered, "Why hello, Agent Shepherd,"

And then everything went black.

- - Three Hours Later - -

Derek blinked. The blackness that coated his eyes before turned into an oval of light, peeking through his eyelids. Then again, the oval of light wasn't light at all. It was merely a shade lighter than pitch black, and no less frustrating. Like a blanket throughout the room, everything was black.

He wriggled. A little bit of feeling was returning to his legs- they felt cold and slightly numb, like they didn't belong on him. His head was also moving a little bit, too. Barely an inch, but it still meant something. It still definitely meant something. He used all his energy to move his feet around, the ITP wearing off only slightly. Letting out a frustrated moan, he could feel metal wrapped around each thick ankle and each wrist. He was bound to whatever platform he was laying on. He moaned again, his brain fuzzily remembering something vague. Meredith had been there. "'eredith?" He croaked, trying out his sore and scratchy throat. He groaned and tried again, "Meredith?" The only response he got was silence, the black velvet of darkness creeping over him again. He was drifting in and out of an awake state. "Meredith…" he tried again, his whole being trembling. He could feel himself freeze as something indescribable happened.

"Derek," A small, distant cry answered him from the blanket of darkness. He swallowed nervously, not believing what was happening.

"Meredith? Meredith, you're okay…" He responded, trying to force his voice louder than it wanted to go. "W-Where are we?"

Derek gulped, feeling tears spring to his eyes. "I don't know, Meredith. I don't know…" Moments passed of seemingly silent air, and he tried, "Meredith!" No response. "Meredith!" It was silent, and he felt so alone as a sob escaped his reluctant throat before he could help it. Blinking, he drifted off again, countless thoughts running through his head.

- - - Meredith - - -

She didn't know where she was.

She didn't know how she got there.

But she did have a plan for escaping. It was full proof.

Or at least she liked to tell herself that.

- - - Six hours Later - - -

"Agent? Agent, are you awake?" A hard voice cut through Derek's empty sleep, and he felt himself blink slowly to awake. Fuzzy images slowly shaped into people, blurred edges turning into faces and blue dots morphing into eyes. There were two people above him, both wearing dark, navy uniforms and shining flashlights into his eyes. "Agent, wake up, Agent,"

He licked his lips, running his tongue across his teeth. He shook his legs a little bit, and felt a burst of pent-up air release from his lungs. His feeling was almost completely back. He winced and nodded. They immediately began filling out charts and rapidly chattering medical lingo. Who were those people?

He tried his best to look at the uniforms they were wearing. They were a dark navy blue, made with cheaply woven cotton. It looked uncomfortable to the touch, but he could help but to focus on the symbol by the chest of the shirt. It had small gold letters on it, that gleamed off the bright lights above him.

The letters were small and it took Derek a moment to focus, but when he did, he felt faint.

A&O.

Attack and Oppose.

All the color flushed from Derek's face. His knees shook, although he wasn't standing. His mouth tasted stale. His breath hitched in the back of his throat, getting caught. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't focus. He couldn't process anything except for the simple, gold, block lettering.

Attack And Oppose Agency wasn't just another agency.

It wasn't a version of the TCA or the APP.

It wasn't an agency protecting the people.

The Attack and Oppose Agency were the bad guys.

They must had stormed the APP and found them as well, deciding to take everyone with them back to the their base. The thought sent a chill through his body.

"Well, Agent Shepherd," A voice carried from the front of the room. He craned his neck in a feeble attempt to view what was going on. It was a man. Tall and broad shoulders, with grayish-black hair and large fists… Derek recognized him. He worked for the head Agent of the A&O. What was his name? Gibson? Gibbs? Gilbert? "Nice seeing you here again."

"Can't say I have mutual feelings…" Derek hissed through clenched teeth. He didn't understand what had happened. Everything had just happened in a crazy blur, colors blending, edges blurred, time passing…

A/N: Okay, there it was. This leaves lots of loose ends to be tied up, I think. There will be more about the A&O in the next chapter. OH! And I feel bad for leaving you guys with a cliffhanger, I just want to let you know that they won't be there for long. At least not this time. You'll learn a lot about Derek's past as we learn more about the A&O. I hope you liked it!

That being said, what did you think? Comments are really, really, really appreciated! They mean so much and are such great motivation. But also BIG thanks to readers too! It's so great that you guys keep coming back to read more! Thanks so much everyone!