Chapter 52

Again, I don't own any of these characters...well, except the ones I created

Author's Note: Yes, I am updating fairly frequently, but a thunderstorm over the weekend allowed me to almost finish the story. No sense in delaying posting then.

Kurt and Zack have just entered the private dining room. Cody and Joe Pickett still haven't arrived. Immediately, Bailey senses something isn't right.

"Zack, where's Cody? I thought he would be coming with you and your Dad?"

Zack shrugs. "Well, he was going to, but your Dad stopped by my room and asked Cody to go for a walk and a talk..."

Bailey is surprised. "He what?"

Flashback

"Cody, its obvious how much you love that girl. And I trust you to know what you are doing."

"Really? Thanks, Dad..."

"Just be careful about it...Now, I'm going to grab a shower before dinner. Why don't you two go on ahead?"

"You sure?"

"Yeah, I won't be fifteen minutes behind you..." Kurt opens the bathroom door. "Geez, Zack...don't you and Marcus ever clean in here?"

"Hey, the bed was made when you got here wasn't it?" Kurt rolls his eyes and goes into the bathroom.

"Well, lets head on up to the restaurant then..." Cody is interrupted by a knock at the cabin door. He goes over to open it and finds Mr. Pickett standing there. "Mr. Pickett..."

"Cody...I was hoping you and I could take a stroll around the ship and chat before dinner."

"Uhhh...Yeah, sure..." Cody turns to Zack. "I guess I'll see you up there then...". With that, Cody and Joe Pickett head out into the hall.

"And then they headed out. Maybe they just got caught up in their conversation? I'm sure they'll be here any minute now."

Bailey sighs. "I can't believe Daddy did that..."

Inside the restaurant, Barbara and Agnes can observe everything but not hear what is going on in the private dining room. Barbara is fuming and staring at Agnes.

"What the hell happened? And how is Zack here? I thought the plan was to detain him as well as Cody!"

"That was the plan...I could have swore I got both of them..."

Flashback

Agnes is crouching in her hiding place, ready to pounce. As she waits, she can't help but notice how hot and muggy it is in Miami. She is constantly having to wipe her glasses to keep them from getting fogged up. Once, as she is cleaning them, a particularly hard wave crashes against the side of the ship. For anyone who has been on board for any extended time, this would be nothing. But for a relatively newcomer like Agnes, it jars her and her glasses go flying out of her hands. She reaches out to search for them without any luck. Her search is interrupted by the sound of Cody's voice. Thinking she would find her glasses later, she pulls out the two wash cloths and soaks them in chloroform.

When she sees the two figures turn in the other direction from her, she lunges out and holds the wash clothes over the noses and mouths of the two blurry figures. They struggle but eventually give way to the effects of the chloroform. Agnes drags them to a nearby supply closet and locks them inside. Before leaving, she goes back and removes their cell phones from their pockets and puts them in her bag. She returns back to her hiding spot and is then able to find her glasses.

"Well, if you didn't get Zack, who did you get?"

Agnes just sits there but cannot think of anything.

Barbara smirks. "Great, just great. Well, at least Cody is a no show. At least my plan can still work. What happened anyways?"

"Well, I lost my glasses momentarily..."

Barbara can do nothing but stare. "Are you kidding me? I knew I should have done it myself..."

30 Minutes Later

Cody and Joe Pickett still haven't arrived. Most people at the table think they just got caught up in their conversation, but Bailey is getting a very bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. Bailey has tried calling both of their cell phones, but just gets their voicemail every time. She feels she has to do something. Finally, she stands up and informs everyone that she is going to look for them. Her mother says they will probably show up 30 seconds after she heads out. Bailey just says she has her cell phone on her and to call her if they do show up. Maddie notices Bailey looks very stressed and volunteers to go with her. Cassie notices this too and volunteers her and Zack to help look as well.

The four excuse themselves from the room and make their way out of the restaurant where they run into Mr. Moseby.

"Mr. Moseby, have you seen Cody or my Dad around?"

"I sure haven't, Bailey...is everything okay?"

"They were supposed to be here 30 minutes ago. This isn't like either one of them to be late like this without calling someone..."

Moseby thinks. "Well, I don't know your father, but that certainly doesn't sound like Cody at all. Tell you what, why don't I get Kirby to look for them?"

"Thank you, Mr. Moseby...We are going to look for them too."

"Yes, well, let me know if you find them and I can let Kirby know to stop looking."

"We will." Bailey and Maddie head one way and Zack and Cassie in the other.

In a locked storage closet.

Lying on the ground unconscious is none other than Cody and Joe Pickett. Eventually, both begin to stir and slowly regain consciousness. They look at each other and simultaneously ask what happened. Cody staggers up, trying to shake the effects of the chloroform from his system and tries the door. Unfortunately, its locked. He turns to Mr. Pickett.

"Locked..."

Joe Pickett is still a little woozy. "Let's just call somebody to come get us out..."

Cody reaches for his phone but finds it missing. "My phone's gone..."

Joe reaches into his pocket but makes the same discovery. "What is going on here?"

Cody looks around. "I have no idea...but this was obviously premeditated by someone..."

Joe is confused. "By who? Who would want to chloroform us and lock us in a closet? I mean, I don't know anybody in Miami let alone this ship..."

Cody thinks and realization hits. "Oh no...she didn't..."

To be Continued...