Josh couldn't feel relief when he finally got the voice he wanted on the phone. It had taken so long, too long, giving Josh too much time to mull over what he could, should and would say and now it was all a muddle in his head. He was tired, it was that kind of exhaustion that hit you when you finally reached your goal and only at the end of your task did the adrenaline that had pushed you through it abandon you to the realisation that you had burnt yourself out for success. It was a pity this kind of success was so minor.

It had taken Josh more than a few enquiries, it was the holiday period so there were no secretaries or receptionists to help, no admin staff in the House who could point him in the right direction. So Josh had taken a risk, one he would never admit to Leo but had confessed to Sam if only because he needed someone to say he'd done the right thing.

It was the day after Boxing Day, the first of those few odd, almost non-existent days between Christmas and New Year that for many Americans were a blur of cold leftovers and treats they would vow to avoid come January's resolutions. For Josh it wasn't a new day but an extension of Christmas Day's night. Boxing Day had been fighting off the fires of press rumours whilst mixing in some healthy normal White House problems that ranged from native to abroad. Some of them as frivolous as deciding which show the president would attend come New Year's Eve as he had spoken of attending a concert. Privately there had been considerations for seeing a visiting Greek orchestra perform as the Greek ambassador would also be in attendance and trade deals were being discussed between the USA and Greece. Given current circumstances, Josh still didn't know the president's plans for New Year's Eve.

It was only when Sam had come to Josh this morning to ask quietly on behalf of Mallory if Tom knew yet that Josh realised he didn't. How would he? It had been hidden from the news and no one had attempted to locate the congressman except for Mallory. Josh had also realised that it had been almost six hours since he had seen Leo. The president had insisted that Toby and Josh take the load from Leo and whilst he hadn't ordered Leo home, he had asked him not to be involved in work. As far as Josh knew, Leo was spending his time with members of the F.B.I enquiring for updates and pressing for leads.

Full of guilt at Sam's query, Josh had started the task of trying to locate Tom to deliver him the news. He had even called at the congressman's town house in person and found it unoccupied as was his office on the hill with no-one there to give Josh a clue. It was why, after much bickering in his own head, Josh had reached out to the only person he could think of that might know where Tom was- Congressman Jeffrey Haffley.

Jeff Haffley hated Josh perhaps as much as Josh hated him. Their run ins had been very few but they had observed enough of each other in action via media to know that if they ever attempted to get to know the other they would despise them. If there had been another option to Jeff, Josh would have taken it but he couldn't think of one and Tom had waited too long to be told about Cadence as it was.

With gritted teeth and a throbbing headache, Josh had delegated the grunt work to Donna to get hold of Jeff. It had involved several phone calls and brief conversations with various staffers before she had located him, surprisingly already back at work. It had made Josh a little suspicious, the man had young kids after all and should surely still be off enjoying the festivities but Josh had pushed the politics aside to try and find out what he needed to know without revealing the sensitive matter of the horror the White House was facing.

"Hi," Josh greeted awkwardly as Jeff's voice addressed him politely. Josh frowned to himself and pushed a hand up to his tense brow. He didn't even know what to call the man- a grunt of Haffley was a little too disrespectful for this phone call, he didn't like him so he wasn't saying Jeff and yet he didn't know him well enough for Jeffrey either.

"Josh," Jeff's voice was calm but suspicious as he showed no issues with being familiar with Josh. "I've gotta say, I don't expect a call from you at the best of times but right after Christmas, what gives?"

Josh suppressed a sigh. He had no idea what to say and knew he had to just get to the point. "Jeff..rey...I'm trying to find Tom Landis, do you know where he is?"

Although Josh couldn't see Jeff he knew the man was frowning and the silence that followed was almost smothering.

"Tom Landis," Jeff finally answered as a hint of irritation crept into his voice. "Why on earth do you care where he is? Sure you got your counterfeit version of his bill passed, you can't have anymore business with him."

Josh grimaced at Jeff's terminology and waved his free hand outwards as he replied. "No, see, I mean, not completely. We had some dealings with the environmental bill and I thought, maybe we'd room for something to offer him there since he lost this one."

"Right because after taking a thrashing from the Democrats having another compromise with them is just what he needs," Jeff retorted sarcastically. "Josh, I think this call could have waited and I think lesser people could have handled it."

Josh swallowed down a planned snap at Jeff's arrogance. He could tell the man was about to end the call so he abandoned his weak attempts at a cover story.

"Jeff I really need to talk to him, it's personal and it's serious!"

"Josh, he's trying to get a break from you lot I'm not going to help you ruin that."

"Jeff please," Josh begged. He scowled to himself, loathing the level he had sunk to just to try and find Tom. "I can't get into details but it is important I talk to him, it's about his girlfriend."

"Well I can't even begin to imagine why you'd be involved with Tom Landis' relationship problems but if she knows you that probably explains why he hasn't told me her name yet."

"Jeff, please, I need to get him immediately, it really is important."

"He's gone home Josh."

"Really? I was there, I didn't see him."

"You were in Chesapeake?" Jeff sneered sarcastically.

"Oh, oh!" Josh's eyes went wide with realisation.

"Is that all Josh?"

"Um no." Josh gave a bitter smile as he pushed his hand back to his throbbing forehead. "Do you have a number for him there?"

Jeff let out a tired sigh making it clear that he didn't consider Josh worthy of his time. "One moment."

Josh heard the receiver shift and feared briefly that the call had been disconnected until he heard a muffled rustling in the background.

Jeff returned to the phone a minute later and with an obvious reluctance called out the number to Josh.

"Josh, can I suggest for your New Year's resolution that you don't play political games with the liberal Republican? Tom is too nice and naïve for his own good, he won't last this term if he keeps trying to make nice with you. The party are already asking if he's blue on the inside."

Josh winced slightly. "Sure Jeff, wouldn't do for a Democrat and Republican to be friends because then there might be peace and we'd all be out of a job," he retorted bitingly.

"Glad you understand," Jeff replied sardonically. "Goodbye Josh, please don't call this side of the year again."

Josh didn't get a chance to reply before the call was ended. "Schmuck," he grumbled even though he knew it was unfair. Jeff had helped in the end after all.

Josh proceeded to dial the number he had been given and hoped for an answer. Chesapeake was just over three hours away and Josh had no idea when Tom had actually left for there although it had definitely been more than three hours since Josh had went to Tom's D.C domain.

"Hello?" The voice that answered sounded tired and a little irritated but it was definitely Tom's.

"Hey Tom," Josh greeted wearily.

"Josh? How in the hell did you get this number?" Tom quipped in bafflement.

"Tom, listen, I've got bad news but I can't go into details, not on this line, it might not be secure."

"What?"

"Tom, I have very serious news regarding Cady and I need you back here so I can tell you."

"Josh," Tom's voice turned angry, "I think you know, I don't want any more news about Cady. I did try to call her," he admitted, "to talk it over but she didn't answer so I'm giving us some space."

"Tom no, look, I can't talk about it over the phone but she wasn't ignoring you something... something's happened."

"Josh what the hell?" Tom snapped. "You're not making any damn sense, do you know that? What is it with you and Cady anyway? You know, you're the one person I can't get a proper read on. You don't like her but you defend her all the time, you're against our relationship but you don't want me to end it."

"Tom she's in trouble!" Josh blurted it out before he could help himself. He cursed himself mentally for his foolish confession and shook his head. "Damn it Tom, come back to D.C."

"Where will I meet you?" Tom queried quietly.

"At the White House."

"Right, I'll leave now."

"Good, I'll see you soon Tom."

Josh ended the call and exhaled heavily. Considering how excruciating the phone call had been Josh couldn't even imagine how difficult it would be telling Tom in person what had happened.


John Hoynes was doing a daring balancing act. He had to show some of his feelings for Cadence's plight, she was his employee after all and he had a history with her on the campaign trail, sure no one was to know just what kind of history but it meant it wasn't crazy to think that he might know her better than some other members of his team. The balance was in trying to figure out just how much of his true feelings he showed. If he got it wrong then he was off the rope and plunging towards Leo McGarry's wrath.

It was with Leo that John had sought out company. Even if John couldn't expose the extent of his fears for the young woman he could at least sit with someone who shared them. The problem was that John had thought it would be easier to sit with Leo and express some of his worry than it would be to sit in the Eisenhower and hide all of it but John had thought wrong. It was far harder to try and conceal some of his emotions and find that balance rather than simply conceal them all and don a mask of indifference just like the president.

What concerned John was that Jed's mask seemed a little too real. He had met with him once this morning when summoned to sit on the Cabinet to discuss free trade with Greece of all things. Already in a tormented mood, John had only turned more sullen as he had realised Jed was in favour of the move. Free trade was something John opposed as he believed it took business away from the American people. Seeing Jed debate the matter had made John angry, it was almost like nothing had happened, the only clue was that Jed's temper seemed as short as John's leading to a shouting match between them.

The worst of it all was that Jed had been happy for the story of the verbal skirmish to leak because it took some sniffing press noses away from the real story they were still unaware of. John considered privately that he was happy to be sacrificed to the press for this but he was annoyed Jed hadn't even discussed it with him before approving the leak. John also believed that it was only a delay tactic and that Jed and C.J really needed to get a handle on things and consider a statement before the news was blown for them.

John looked across the small office space to Leo. The man looked haggard and John doubted he had slept the past couple of nights. John had slumbered only briefly and only with the aid of vodka. The office wasn't Leo's but one loaned to him so that he could be on White House territory without being caught up in the business of Chief of Staff. It was small and dim, the window was narrow with a poor view of grey skies and the light bulb was dusty and due a change. The room had been cold until Margaret had ventured in and saw to it that the radiators were checked and adjusted.

Leo sat in a single office chair behind a desk, silent and stone faced, indifferent to the date or time of day as his blue gaze focused solely on the phone on the desk. He had greeted John with a look, at first curious before it slipped to disappointed as he realised it wasn't someone with news for him.

John occupied a well-loved couch sitting against a plain wall with a glass table before it. A half-drunk glass of water sat on the table before him, untouched for half an hour. John had abandoned his stilted attempt at conversation with Leo ten minutes ago. Now he sat cross-legged staring at the glass and contemplating whiskey. A strong part of him was sorely tempted to suggest getting smashed to Leo but the sensible side resisted.

John had considered leaving the man but he knew if there was news about Cadence, Leo would be the first informed and John wanted to be the second. The quiet of this office should have been a comfort but John found it a torture as all he had were his thoughts. She had been drunk, angry with him and probably all too vulnerable to whoever had taken her. Given her state, John had been a little astonished to hear how she had been able to protect Zoey. He had wondered how soon after her call to him it had all happened. To say he regretted not acting to find her that night was an understatement. His guilt had been so strong he had almost blacked out with whiskey last night. It had made listening to Jed berate him in the Cabinet this morning all the more difficult as his skull had pounded with each sharp word the president chose to add a sardonic emphasis to for John's benefit.

John wondered what he should say to her when she was found. If she was found. He tensed in his seat and his cerulean gaze flickered over to Leo. Was Leo tormented by the uncertainty of it all? Would he give a statement? Make an offer to whoever had her? John wondered at the fact that Leo hadn't, surely her captors knew who she was and had figured out that her powerful and wealthy father knew about her absence by now. Were they angry that Leo hadn't acknowledged things publicly?

John squirmed slightly as he thought of worse things, all the things they might do to get Leo's attention since they didn't seem to have it. Things they might consider to threaten him into helping carry out whatever demand it was they had.

It was difficult to know any of that. The only update today was that Raquel McCandless had been located and obtained. She'd made it across state lines and been picked up in a local garage. Now she was in some nameless, secure facility without a postcode probably, facing an interrogation from the F.B.I.

Agent Casper had informed Leo that Raquel had been dealing with people local to the country, she'd suggested accents akin to Texas but there was no certainty. There wasn't much more. The bullets they had used were nothing special and, despite them murdering two trained agents, their kidnapping had still been deemed sloppy so the conclusion was that they weren't military or Special Forces or anything like that.

Of course right now neither Leo nor John cared who they might be, they just wanted Cadence safe. Although, John was darkly hopeful that when she was found whoever had done this might become collateral in the rescue.

John fidgeted with his blazer pockets. They had already had her a full day and night, what were they waiting for? What had they done to her? There was the terrible thought that maybe because she wasn't Zoey she was dead already but John refused to believe that. He wondered how many more days there might be before they had something. She was the Chief of Staff's daughter and the bulk of the F.B.I were looking into it, how the hell couldn't they have more by now?

The door knocked and both John and Leo tensed as they looked to it expectantly.

When Leo failed to answer, John glanced his way again. Leo just seemed vacant, it was like the sound had drawn him back from another world but he was still lost in transit, uncertain if the knock had been real or imagined.

The door opened without the response and an agent John did not know the name of peered into them with a nervous excitement.

"Sir," the agent nodded to both John and Leo. "Cadence McGarry had been found."

With those five words chaos broke out in the office as Leo finally came back to life. He and John both jumped up simultaneously but as Leo had the desk in his way, John was able to corner the agent first.

"How is she?" John snapped. "And where was she found?"

The agent shrank back slightly as the taller man glowered down at him fiercely. "I don't know all the details, Agent Casper just gave me a quick call to say he was going to her and to let you, er Mr McGarry that is, know. He said she's alive but needs medical treatment and to head for Bridgepoint."

"We have a medical facility here!" John snapped.

The agent gave an anxious nod. "When she's stable sir."

"Stable?" Leo echoed with worry. "I need to get to her." He headed for the door, bypassing the agent as he did.

John hastened after Leo, determined that Leo wouldn't go to her without him. He didn't bother to wonder or worry over how it might be perceived. The only thing that mattered right now to John Hoynes was seeing Cadence and ensuring that she was well.