"Frankie, have you seen the news?" Johns voice sounding rather panicked on the phone.
"What news? What's going on John?" Frankie asked as she made her way slowly into the living room.
"Just put the TV on, it's all over the news." John still sounding agitated as he talked.
Frankie took a seat and flicked on the tv, changing channels until she found a station broadcasting the news.
"Oh my god, John. What the hell? Do you know anything?" Watching the news on the screen is disbelief.
"Not much. Everything is hush hush, but I did hear a rumour. Someone has been in touch with your old unit, your replacement no less. Something to do with a computer and an attempt the retrieve some file from the hard drive." Frankie now ignoring the tv, her full attention back on the telephone in her hand.
"The cold case unit? I wonder what they have to do with all this? Have you spoken to Eve?" Frankie turning the tv off and looking at the picture on the wall of her old team.
"No, I've tried but she's busy apparently. Can you do some fishing? See what you can find out." John turning on the charm as he spoke to Frankie.
"I'll see what I can dig up. Thanks for calling John. Bye for now." Frankie waiting for John to bid her farewell before hanging up the phone.
Frankie wasn't sure who to try ringing first. Felix was probably the best person to speak to so her old lab was the obvious place to start. The direct line number just rang and rang, obviously Felix was busy or not in the lab. Next was Boyd, who's direct line and mobile were just ringing. She did leave a message on his mobile asking him to ring her when he could but she didn't hold he breath. She knew how hectic it could be in the cold case unit, everything going from nought to one hundred in minutes. He would ring her when he got the chance, she was certain of that.
Boyd was having his own problems in the cold cold unit. He now knew Spencer was hiding information from him, meeting his old boss Tom McQueen behind his back and bringing a package into the office that had not be through security and no one else knew about. He hadn't wanted his gut to be right, but it was. Boyd knew he had to talk to Spencer, and what he found out when he did didn't make him feel any better about what was going on. Grace, Grace would be the voice of reason. Talking to Grace would help him work things out. Grace did help sort him a few things out, and they brought in a previous witness. Boyd stood back and watched as Grace interviewed the witness, his ability to stand back lasting only a few minutes. He ended up in the interview room with Grace along with Stella, while Spencer was pursuing his own investigation after ambushing Felix in her lab.
After the interview, Boyd and Grace went to his office while Stella returned to her desk. Felix was still working in the lab and Spencer was off on some wild goose chase trying to prove himself. When Felix found out that someone had attempted to tamper with the hard drive on the computer she automatically went to see Stella. Stella was the only other person who had access to the computer since its arrival in the cold case units offices. Stella was on the phone when she arrived, so Felix waited, she was not going to be put off asking if Stella has tried to corrupt the hard drive. Felix waited, walking around to Spencer's desks as she did. It was then she noticed the book on Spencer's desk, the birthday card placed beside it. She picked it up, looking at it before opening the cover.
When Felix opened the book all hell broke loose. Between the explosion, the cloud of dust from the book and the offices internal sensors going off there was panic. Felix dropped to the floor, Stella dropped her phone and Boyd and Grace came charging out of Boyd's office in a total panic. Grace tried to help Felix, Stella went for water and Boyd had to call in the incident, a chemical attack in his own offices.
Felix was wheeled away unconscious to her own lab which was now under quarantine. There was people in hazmat suits everywhere, while Boyd, Grace, Stella and Harry were all rushed away to be showered, changed and herded into a interview room. To say Boyd wasn't happy was an understatement, his temper slowly rising the longer they were locked in. No matter how much he shouted he wasn't getting anywhere. He still had his phone, Spencer would be able to help him out. Yet phoning Spencer brought about a new bag of trouble. His temper was now through the roof, Spencer was in danger, no one was helping, and he still had no idea how Felix was. Just when he was about to all out flip the door to the interview room opened and in walked a human hazmat suit demanding his phone. He shouted, he screamed, and he demanded but got nowhere. Grace stepped in and between them they handed in his phone in a sneaky exchange for the guy in the hazmats phone.
Boyd needed to do so much but had no clue what was going on. Spencer, Spencer was his first priority. Boyd made a call to get Spencer some help, having no idea what was going on with him. He did make a call which in turn made Grace ask questions. Boyd filled Grace and Stella in on what he knew, Stella staying quiet on the sidelines the whole time. Without his own phone Boyd has no idea of contact numbers for anyone, every number he needed was in his own phone. When he didn't receive any news on Spencer he made another call to get the the number for Tom McQueen, the only person he could think of to be in a position to help Spencer.
Boyd was going crazy, and he was taking Grace with him. Just as Grace was about to have an all out screaming match with Boyd the door opened and Boyd was asked to escort the nice man in the hazmat suit. Boyd was up out his chair and at the door before anyone could ask what was happening. Boyd was passed his own lovely snug fitting hazmat suit to put on before he was allowed to leave, which he put on without complaint. Boyd turned and gave Grace a quick nod as he left, he would be back to bust her out as soon as he could.
Boyd was lead down to the lab, his lab, the very lab Felix was lying unconscious in. As soon as he entered he was greeted by a man who he presumed was commander Drake, the very man who had probably more to do with what was going on than he would admit to. Boyd did check it was okay to remove the very restrictive helmet part of the hazmat suit before taking it. He was correct as the man introduced himself, commander Drake was stood in front of him. Boyds first question was asking how Felix was, his team always being his priority. Felix was okay, but they still had no idea what she had been exposed to, or so he was told. After being questioned by Drake, and lying through his teeth Boyd was free to go, and so was Grace and Stella, as long they stayed in the building.
"Frankie, it's me again. Have you heard anything yet?" John again asking on the phone.
"No, I've left a message. I'm sure they'll ring me back when they get a chance." Frankie knowing they would do just that.
"Frankie, I'm sorry to be the one to tell you but there's been a chemical attack. The whole place is under quarantine. I've only just found out as I know someone in the building on the floor above. Air con has been switched off, building evacuated, place is crawling with police and extra security. I have no idea how long ago, or how many victims, if any. All I know is everyone is on lockdown from your old unit." John finally pausing as he took a breath.
Frankie's head was reeling, Johns words bouncing around her head. Chemical attack, her old team being effected, building on lockdown. She had clearance in these situations, or at least she used to have. The baby now taking resident inside her with it's foot on her bladder was her never getting anywhere near now ticket.
"Frankie, are you okay?" John's voice bringing her back to reality.
"I'm okay. I'm going to make some calls, I need to see what I can find out. If you hear anymore let me know, please John." Frankie asking John to keep her informed.
"I will, good luck." John hanging the phone up as Frankie just sat there.
Frankie sat with the phone still at her ear. Grace, Spencer, these people were her friends. Even Stella was starting to grow on her slowly over time. She didn't really know her replacement Felix, but Boyd hadn't complained about her so she couldn't be that bad. Boyd, Boyd, Boyd! She felt her eyes starting to sting, the tears gathering in the corners as she fought to stay in control. Just then Amelia decided that moment was perfect to remind Frankie of her presences. The baby shifted about and did stretches, her tiny foot slightly visible against the taut skin.
"Ohhh Jesus, Amelia." Frankie sobbing as she reached down and ran her hands over her bump.
Frankie sat crying, everything else fading out as she rubbed her hands over her unborn child. Her unborn child whose father was stuck in a building after a chemical attack. This could not be happening, it could not be real. These sort of things happened in movies, not to unimportant pregnant lab rats who just so happened to be pregnant by there ex boss.
"Come on Frankie, get a grip. This is no good, you need to do something." Frankie giving herself a pep talk as she tried to wipe away the tears.
Frankie looked through her phone's phone book, sorting through the numbers of people who could possible have information. Three phone calls later she was slightly further forward but not by much. She had been informed that yes, there was a casualty of the chemical attack, that person was receiving treatment, but as of yet the other three members of the team and one visitor were under quarantine. If three members of the team were in quarantine and one was being treated where was the fourth member? And who was the team member not in the office? She now had more questions than answers, something she really didn't need. She needed to focus, focus on the important things. Boyd was somewhere in the building. If he wasn't he would have called her. So, that meant he was either in quarantine, or he was being treated. Either way he was alive, and she would cling on to that small piece of hope until she heard any differently.
Boyd went straight to his office to get change, picking up his mobile on the way. Stella and Grace between them helped Boyd sort the mess out that the case had become. Corruption, betrayal, lies and deceit, going all the way to the top, all the way to Drake. Stella did play a small part in the betrayal but she did redeem herself by helping Boyd. Boyd did manage to track Spencer down, which ended with a shoot out. Drake was dead, Tom McQueen was dead, and Spencer was left bleeding from two separate bullet wounds, one in his leg and one in his shoulder. Boyd was there when the ambulance arrived, stayed with him until he was whisked away to surgery. There was nothing much else he could do but wait. Spencer was as tough as they come, Boyd convincing himself Spencer would be fine. After Spencer was wheeled away Boyd slumped down into a seat in the waiting room. He needed to make some calls and let everyone know what was happening. As he flicked open his phone he saw a batch of missed calls and voicemails, all from Frankie. He had been so preoccupied with the case and Spencer he hadn't even thought to ring Frankie. He would speak to his team first, then go and see Frankie.
After talking to Grace and giving her a quick update on Spencer he told her he was going to Frankie's if anyone needed him, he had some serious damage limitation to do. She was no doubt worried sick about him going on the number of calls she had made. He had just been so focused on his work, on doing the right thing he hadn't taken into account Frankie and how she would be dealing with the situation. No doubt Frankie was still in touch with her own friends and colleagues, who had no doubt contacted her about what had gone down in the building. He presumed none of them knew about the parentage of the baby, but that she would be kept up to date about her old team. Looking down at his ripped trousers and blood-soaked hands he decided it was time to go and face the fact he had been a selfish arsehole and take whatever Frankie dished out.