Thank you for all your reviews and patience. I like to stay a few chapters ahead when writing and the holidays prevented me from doing that. But, I should be back on a regular posting schedule now. Happy New Year!

Chapter 5

"Wait… WHAT? How is that even possible? I thought he was in Cambridge?" Elizabeth was shocked.

Henry glanced over at her but he couldn't here Isabelle's response.

"Alright. I need a read on the ground. How many? What's it gonna take? We should be back to the House within the hour." Elizabeth was stern with her.

Henry looked out the window. Listening to her. Her voice was a little cracked, she was pausing too long between thoughts. She hung up and sighed looking out the window. She hadn't read Henry in on the details yet but he got the gist.

"Does it have to happen tonight?" he asked.

She dropped her shoulders and looked at him. He met her eyes and could see the doubt. To others, Elizabeth McCord didn't wear her heart on her sleeve, but with him she did.

"It does now," she looked over at him with a half-smile.

"If you have any doubt in your mind, don't send our troops into harms way," he insisted. "You have to be confident to make that call, if you're not, give it time."

"I haven't got any more time," she sighed and looked out the window.

Henry slid his hand over to take hers resting on the seat cushion between them.

About 40 minutes later, they pulled back into the White House. Jay anxiously awaiting them at the door.

"Jay, I need a few minutes," immediately came out of her mouth. She turned to Henry, "Come to my office with me."

Once they got into the Oval, Henry closed the door behind him. She was making her way over to her desk. Now, dressed for a business day in navy pants and a cream blouse, he could see the outlining of the black bra she had put on this morning. He smirked thinking to himself, "the next memory."

She turned and met his gaze and that's when he saw it. The look of fear in her eyes, he knew it well.

"It's Andrew, isn't it?" he asked without her having to tell him.

She sat down in her chair and said, "Yes, how is that even possible? We pulled him off the Russian and he was going to school at MIT while tracking a Chinese student there." She looked up and it was then she saw all the color drain from Henry's face.

"He was with "the company?" Henry asked as he plopped himself down on the couch. "Elizabeth, you can't have Ellen calling the shots on this op."

"Trust me, that's the least of my worries," she said.

"Telling her is going to be much worse" he rubbed his hand over his face.

She said quietly, "That's why you're here."

"WHAT?!" his voice raised at her.

She pushed the button on her phone, "Blake, can you please send Jay in?"

It didn't take long for Jay to enter the office, "Sorry to mess up your weekend."

"That's okay. Henry is way too giddy about renovating the farm. So, I was happy to be pulled away," she smirked at Jay.

Henry flashed her the look, "It needs to be done, Elizabeth."

Ignoring that fact, she tucked her shirt in as she made her way over to her chair between the two couches, "Anyways, I just read Henry in, sort of. Go over the background again which will also give Henry a better idea of what we are dealing with here. I want to get them out Jay, but putting these troops at a high risk worries me."

"Start from the beginning…" Henry asked, glancing at Elizabeth not happy that he was just learning about this but he also understood her executive privilege. She always read him in when the time was right. Sometimes immediately, other times a few days in, other times not at all.

"He started training with the CIA under President Dalton shortly after his discharge. Following his training, he was given a few easy assignments in Europe."

"In Germany working for an aeronautical agency…" Henry glanced at Elizabeth as she spoke. It was obvious she knew about all of this.

"Bottom line is he came back and was trailing a student at MIT. That student got called back to China. Andrew stayed as to not blow his cover and finish his classes. Isabelle had plans to pull him after Christmas break. Last Thursday, was their last communication with him. This just came in while you were on your way back." He turned the computer to show Henry the video. It was clear Andrew had been tortured. He tapped out coordinates for us. Those coordinates lead to a cavernous area in Siberia."

Henry looked back at Elizabeth, "Russia took him?"

Elizabeth dropped the hand her head was resting on. "No, but a terrorist group working with a Russian hacking group did. Andrew and three more we think. We don't know who the others are yet."

"And the woman who he was surveilling in Germany is in that group." Henry stated.

Elizabeth pointed at him, "Exactly. Susan just had a call with Minister Avdonin. We have their permission to go in and get them. But, surveillance showed us this group is heavily armed and the cave is secured very well."

"Also, we don't know how deep that cave is. From what we can tell Andrew and three others are in there. We also are unsure about their plans," Jay explained.

Henry wiped his hand over his face, "What are your next steps?"

"Well, we need to bring Ellen in and tell her," Elizabeth said. "Then, it's to the Sit Room to watch the next surveillance. I'd like you to be in there."

Henry gave her a slight grin.

Jay left and asked Blake to let Ellen know she was ready for her. In the Oval, Elizabeth began to pace.

"Come here," he reached for her and hugged her, whispering in her ear, "We'll get him out."

A knock at the door separated them, Blake opened the door from Admiral Hill, without saying a word and closed it quietly.

"Elizabeth, how was your weekend away? Hope it was worth sacrificing our golf game." Ellen said cheerfully.

Elizabeth chuckled, as they made their way to the couches. "It was. Although not sure I like the renovations part of Henry's plans but nothing we can't get through."

Henry looked at her as he took a seat on the couch next to Ellen. Elizabeth sat in her chair and gave him an impish grin.

"Ellen, listen. We have a situation going on that I need to read you in on." Elizabeth started.

"Does it have something to do with Andrew? Is he okay?" she asked looking at both of them nervously but stoic.

"We just confirmed he is one of four Americans that have been kidnapped." Elizabeth spoke to her quietly.

Henry finished, "He was in Europe last year running an op on a suspected agent at an aeronautical company. We believe that agent is part of a group that kidnapped him."

She looked back to Elizabeth, "WHAT?! How is that possible? He was at MIT last week. I spoke to him on Wednesday. He said he was going to Vermont for the weekend to get away and get some studying done." She was beginning to panic. Elizabeth knew she needed to keep her calm. Although, she and Henry had been in this situation with each other it never involved their children.

"Do we know where he is?" her breathing had picked up.

"He is being held in this cave-like fortress in Siberia. Tough location, heavily guarded and armed. He is not the only one being held. I know there are at least four maybe more agents in there. Isabelle is on her way over to give an update. I really need your expertise in the room with Henry and Gordon's. But, if you don't feel up to it, I understand." Elizabeth looked at her to gain eye to eye with her.

"No, I want to be in there. I need to see it and give you the options of the best way to go," she was brave and stoic, Elizabeth didn't expect anything less from her.

Elizabeth reached over and touched her friend's hand, "I promise you, we will get him out."

Ellen replied to her, a tear in her eye with her voice cracking, "I know. I'm more concerned whether he will be alive or not."