Title: Kidnapped - Part 6a
Author: Lynne Facella
Email address: Mulderette@a... or Lynne1919@a...
Rating: PG (language)
Keywords: Angst
Spoilers: Episodes through All in the Family
Archive: Sure, just ask so I know where it is going.
Disclaimer: All ER characters are the property of Warner Brothers,
NBC, etc., etc. (The bad guys are mine).
Summary: Dr. Carter is held for ransom and an unwitting Dr. Benton
gets dragged along for the ride.


After making a brief call to Kerry, Mark and Elizabeth sped back to the hospital. Kerry was anxiously waiting at the front desk when they arrived back in the ER.

"Let's go talk in the lounge," Kerry said discreetly as Mark and Elizabeth approached her.

Dave, who was on the phone awaiting some lab results, scrutinized the three doctors as they walked towards the lounge. "Hey what's up with the big powwow?" he asked Luka who was erasing his name from the board. '

"I do not know, Dave," Luka remarked. "I do not really think it concerns us though, do you?"

Dave shot Luka an annoyed glance. "Just curious man, no big deal. Yes, I'm still waiting," he said to the voice on the phone.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In the lounge, Kerry was beside herself. "No signs at all?" she asked. "Nothing?"

Mark sighed. "Nothing Kerry. Both their cars were parked outside. Everything seemed to be in place. They were just nowhere to be found."

"It was really very eerie," commented Elizabeth. She was very shaken by the fact that Carter and Peter were missing.

"So what should we do?" asked Mark. "Should we call the police?"

"I don't know, Mark," Kerry said hesitantly. "I'm not sure that's necessarily our place. Maybe we should contact their families first."

"All right," Mark nodded in agreement. "Maybe we should go in person? It seems kind of cold to blindside them with a telephone call."

"I could go see Peter's sister," Elizabeth volunteered.

"That would be good, Elizabeth. Thank you," Mark said, giving her a small smile.

"Mark, I would like to be the one to talk to John's grandparents," Kerry said. "Maybe they can get in touch with John's parents. Do you mind terribly covering me here for a bit?"

"No, of course I don't mind, Kerry," Mark replied. He reached into his pocket, pulled out the keys to his van and handed them off to Elizabeth. "Good luck," he said softly, giving her a brief kiss.

"Thank you, Mark," said Elizabeth. She placed her hand on Mark's cheek, momentarily letting it linger, just grateful that he was safe. "I'll be in touch."

Mark watched the two very different red-haired women walk out of the lounge. He then took a moment to gather his thoughts and made his way back out to the ER.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Elizabeth rang the doorbell of Jackie's house one last time. Obviously no one was home. Discouraged, she turned away from the door and was met by a woman standing on the sidewalk, staring at Elizabeth suspiciously. "Can I help you with something?" the woman asked.

"Perhaps you can," said Elizabeth, with a tentative smile. "I'm looking for Jackie. Do you know when she'll be home?"

"They're on vacation. I've never seen you around here before."

"Um, well no, I don't suppose you have," replied Elizabeth. She pulled out her medical ID card and showed it to the woman. "I'm Elizabeth Corday, a physician at County General Hospital. I work with Jackie's brother, Peter."

"Did something happen to him?" the woman asked with concern.

"No...as far as I know, Peter's fine," Elizabeth answered vaguely. "You wouldn't know any way for me to reach Jackie, would you?"

"No, no, they're driving down to Disney World. They'll be gone for two weeks." The woman's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "I'm sure she'll be in touch with Peter though. He knew they were going on vacation."

Elizabeth thought quickly. "I'm sure he did," she said, smiling brightly. "It's just that Dr. Benton is being presented a surgical award and we're planning kind of a surprise party for him. I suppose it can wait until Jackie returns."

"Well I guess it will have to," the woman replied. "That's nice about Peter's award. He's a very smart man."

"Yes...yes he is. Well I won't take up any more of your time." Elizabeth forced a smile as she made her way back to Mark's van. "Thank you very much for your help.

Elizabeth fumbled with the keys before she finally managed to get the door unlocked. She slid into the van and noticed that her hands were trembling as she placed them on the wheel. She took a few moments to compose herself and then started driving back towards the hospital.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kerry could not help being spellbound as she turned her car up the long driveway of John's grandparents' mansion. Of course she knew that John came from a wealthy family, but it was hard to really fathom the extent of this wealth until you actually saw it with your own eyes. Kerry got out of her car and made her way painstakingly up the front steps, pausing halfway up to rest her throbbing leg. Finally she made it to the door and leaning heavily on her crutch, rang the doorbell.

A butler came to the door almost immediately. "Hello. Can I help you?" he asked.

"Yes," said Kerry, giving the butler a tight-lipped smile. "I'm Kerry Weaver, the Chief of the ER over at County General. I was wondering if I might have a word with Mr. or Mrs. Carter. It's quite urgent."

"Please come in," said the butler and he directed Kerry to a seat in the foyer. I'll inform madam that you are here."

Kerry sat nervously waiting for the butler to return. She looked around the opulent splendor of the mansion with its high cathedral ceilings and walls lined with beautiful works of art. She had to wonder, with John growing up in this world of wealth and privilege, what exactly had compelled him to become a doctor. Once again she started to dwell on John. Wherever he was, she hoped that he was unharmed and would remain that way. Her thoughts were interrupted by the appearance of Millicent Carter. Kerry rose to greet her.

"Hello, Dr. Weaver," Millicent said. "What can I do for you?"

"I'm sorry to come unannounced like this," replied Kerry, dreading the news she was going to deliver.

"Please come into the living room," Millicent said, knowing full well why Dr. Weaver had come. What she did not know, however, was exactly how much Dr. Weaver actually knew about John's disappearance.

Kerry followed Millicent into the living room and the two women took a seat on the sofa.

"Can I get you anything to drink?" asked Millicent.

"No thank you, I'm fine. "Kerry clasped her hands anxiously in her lap. "Mrs. Carter, I'm going to come right to the point. I'm afraid I have some rather disturbing news. John did not report to work today and we have been unable to locate him. Another doctor, Peter Benton, is also missing and his car has been found in front of John's apartment building."

She looked expectantly at Millicent, waiting for some kind of a reaction. Millicent sat perfectly still, not reacting at all to what Kerry had just said.

"I'm sorry," said Kerry, confused by Millicent's lack of response. "But you don't seem to be very surprised by this. Do you know something about John's disappearance? Do you know where he is?"

"No," Millicent shook her head slowly, wondering if she could trust this woman. She felt compelled to talk to someone about this abhorrent situation. "Dr. Weaver," she began hesitantly. "I would like to share something with you, but I need your word that you will not go to the police with what I am going to tell you."

Kerry felt her whole body tense as she braced herself for whatever it was Millicent was going to say. "You have my word," she said softly.

"John and Dr. Benton have been abducted," Millicent stated. "They are being held for ransom."

"They've been kidnapped?" The words struck Kerry like a blow as the color drained from her face.

"Dr. Weaver, are you all right?" Millicent asked in alarm.

Kerry quickly pulled herself together. "Yes, yes, I'm fine," she said though her expression remained troubled. "Who abducted them?"

"I don't know." Millicent fought to keep her voice steady. "A man came to the house this morning. He had...he had a tape with John's voice on it. He demanded fifteen million dollars for their return. I've been making calls all day to get the money together. That man...that man implied that John had been hurt." Millicent's voice caught. "I just want him back safely."

Kerry took Millicent's hand and patted it comfortingly, trying to absorb all that she had just heard. "You're not going to notify the police?" she asked.

"No," Millicent shook her head adamantly. "He said they would be killed if I do. I'm not going to take that chance. I could never forgive myself if anything happened."

Kerry mulled that over doubtfully. There was nothing to prevent the men from killing John and Peter this way either. It seemed like a lose-lose situation. Kerry didn't say this out loud though. She tried to give a reassuring look to Millicent. "Let's hope they keep their word. When are you supposed to give them the money?"

"He said that he would call tomorrow afternoon."

Kerry nodded thoughtfully. "Does anyone else know about this? Your husband or John's parents?"

"No. My husband is out of the country on a business trip. Millicent paused. "I did not feel comfortable telling him what had happened over the phone. He would not agree with the decision I have made, Dr. Weaver. Perhaps you don't either, but I feel this is my best chance to get John back alive. The money is of no consequence. I just want my grandson home."

Kerry could see how very deeply Millicent cared for John. "What about John's parents?"

"They are unreachable at this time," Millicent said shortly.

Just then the butler reappeared. "What is it, Charles," asked Millicent.

"I'm sorry to interrupt you madam, but Mr. Wellington is on the phone."

"Thank you, Charles. Please tell him I'll be right there." She gracefully rose from the sofa. "I'm sorry, Dr. Weaver. I have to take this call. It involves getting the money for John's release."

"I understand." Kerry grabbed her crutch and used it to get to her feet. She handed Millicent a card. "Please page me right away with any news. I'll be praying for John and Peter's safe return."

"Thank you. I will do that," Millicent replied as she walked with Kerry to the front door. "I appreciate you coming, Dr. Weaver. John is very lucky to have people who are so concerned about him."

"A lot of people care about him," Kerry replied, squeezing Millicent's hand encouragingly. "Call me if you hear anything, or if you just want to talk."

"Thank you," Millicent whispered. She watched as Kerry made her way down the stairs and then briskly walked to the den to take Henry's phone call.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~