Chapter 3



"Hey, Renee, where are you?" Dakota called from the front door. "I brought your little demons home."

Aidan looked up at her, his bottom lip sticking out in a pout. She laughed and put her hand on his head. "I'm just teasing." She called out again when she received no answer. "Renee, are you here?"

Still no answer. Renee walked further into the house, and glanced up the steps. "Parker, where's your mother?" She asked, seeing the little boy at the top of the stairs.

He ran down the stairs and wrapped his arms around her, tears sliding down his cheeks. "What is it? What's wrong?" She asked.

"M-m-m-mommy w-w-wasssss t-t-talking t-to Un-uncle D-d-danny and Aunt Cai-caitlyn." He took a breath before continuing. "M-m-man hur-hurt Un-un-uncle Da-da-danny. Th-then, h-h-he hur-hur-hurt m-m-m-mommy." Parker broke down into tears.

Dakota picked him up and carried him over to the couch. "Shhhh, Parker. It'll be fine. Your mommy will be fine."

He looked up at Dakota and asked, "D-d-did h-h-he k-k-k-kill m-m-m-mommy?"

"Of course not. No one would kill your mommy." 'At least I hope not.'

"H-he di-did s-s-s-something t-to Aunt Cai-caitlyn t-t-t-too. I d-d-don't kn-kn-know wha-what."

The door opened again, and Gabriel ran into the house. "Renee?" He called.

"Gabe." Dakota stood up from the couch and walked over to him.

Tears were threatening to flood from his eyes. "Where is she?" He asked quietly.

"I don't know, Gabe. Someone took her and Danny and Caitlyn."

"Where's Parker?"

"On the couch. He's really scared."

Gabriel ran to his son and gathered him in his arms. "Wh-wh- where's M-m-m-mommy?"

"I don't know, baby. But we'll find her. We'll find her."

"B-b-bad m-m-man t-t-took h-her."

Gabriel looked at his son. "Did you see it?"

Parker nodded his head.

"I need to call Sara."

Fifteen minutes later he hung up the phone. "Parker, we need to go see Sara and some friends." He turned to Dakota. "Can you take the kids to the house with you."

"Sure, Gabe." When she reached the door, she turned and said, "Don't worry. She will be back."

He nodded at her, tears in his eyes. Once she was gone, Gabriel took Parker out to the car, buckled him into his seat, then climbed in on the other side of the car. Turning the key in the ignition, he pulled out of the driveway.

*******

With Caitlyn slung over his shoulder, the man pushed Renee and Danny down a hallway in front of him. "Why are you doing this?" Renee asked.

"Ask him," he replied, nodding his head at Danny.

Renee glanced at the young agent. Her eyes asked the question, but he just shook his head. He glanced back at his wife, worry and fear filling his eyes.

Their captor pushed the two of them into a room then went to drop Caitlyn to the floor. Danny lunged forward, keeping his wife's head and shoulders from hitting the floor. He slid out from under her body, letting her head ease to the floor. Looking down at his unconscious wife, his eyes burned with tears.

"Maybe that'll show you I don't make idle threats," the man said.

Danny looked up at him, hatred flaming in his brown eyes. "My wife had nothing to do with this."

Vince Craig just shrugged. "She has something to do with it now."

"Bastard," Danny hissed.

Their captor's face hardened as he strode over to Danny. He sent his foot into Danny's stomach. A satisfied smirk settled on his face when Danny doubled over, groaning in pain. He walked away, tossing over his shoulder, "I will be back. And I wouldn't even think about escaping. You won't."

As soon as he left the room, Danny moved so his back was to Renee's. "Untie my hands," he said in a low voice.

She groped blindly for the rope. Finding the end, she pulled at it. Once the knot was loose, Danny pulled his hands apart. He untied Renee's hands, then went to his wife. He placed two fingers on the side of her neck and sighed with relief when he felt a pulse. He gathered her in his arms, holding her close to him. "Caitlyn, sweetie, you have to wake up. You can't do this to me. You can't leave me alone. I need you, baby. You have to stay with me." A single tear rolled down his cheek.

'I can't lose either of them,' he promised himself. They'd been trying to have a baby for the last three years, since they got married. If something happened now, they would both be devastated. And Caitlyn was his life. For so long, work had consumed his life. He wouldn't let it anymore. He left his job at work as much as he could now. But Caitlyn understood when he couldn't. When a case would hit too close to home. She understood. No one else would. He couldn't lose her. "Damn it." He didn't realize he'd said it out loud until Renee glanced at him. "Sorry," he apologized.

She forced a smile. "Don't be, Danny. And don't worry. She's gonna be fine. And your baby will be too."

She stood up and started looking around the room. Danny watched her then asked, "What are you doing?"

"I'm gonna find a way out of here. I don't care what he says. There's always a way out of every situation."

"I won't leave without her, Renee."

She turned to face him. "Neither will I, Danny. She's my friend, and I won't abandon her. Don't worry, once I find a way out of here, we'll take her with us."

They heard steps approaching the door, and Renee froze for a second. Then she sat with her back to the wall, her hands behind her. Danny didn't care. He didn't care how much their captor hurt him. It would take a fight to get him away from his wife. The door knob turned, and the door opened.

*******

"Gabe, two agents from the missing persons team are here. They're ready to question him." Sara told Gabriel as soon as they arrived at the police station. At her friend's worried expression, she added, "Don't worry. They'll be gentle with him. Get a cup of coffee or something. I'll stay with him."

She led Parker to one of the interrogation rooms where Martin Fitzgerald, Samantha Spade, and a composite artist waited. Sara knelt in front of Parker outside of the room so she was at eye level with him. "Just answer their questions, Parker. That's all you have to do, okay?"

He nodded his head.

"Okay. I'll be waiting right out here."

He looked up at her then walked into the room, jumping slightly when he heard the door close behind him. He sat in a chair at the table and looked at the two adults. "Y-you're Un-uncle D- d-d-danny's f-f-fr-friends?"

"Yes, we are," Sam replied softly.

"Y-y-you g-g-gonna f-f-find m-my m-m-m-mommy?"

"With your help, we will."

"What happened?" Martin asked, his voice lacking the softness of Samantha's.

"H-h-he h-hit Un-uncle D-d-danny." Parker threw his fist through the air to demonstrate. "M-m-mommy tried t-t-to st-st-stop h- h-him. B-b-but h-h-he hit h-her t-t-too. H-he t-t-tied th-their h-h-hands. H-h-he h-h-held s-s-something ov-over Aunt Cai-cai- caitlyn's f-f-face, and sh-sh-she f-f-fell."

"Will you stop stuttering and just tell us what happened?" Martin asked impatiently.

Samantha glared at him. "Martin, will you leave. Let me ask him the questions."

Martin stalked out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

"D-d-did I d-do s-s-s-something wr-wrong?" Parker asked, tears falling from his eyes.

"No, you didn't. He's just being a grump today. Can you tell me what this man looked like?"

"I th-think s-s-so. H-he w-wasss t-tall. St-strong."

"What about his hair? What color was it?"

"Br-br-brown. B-b-but k-k-kinda r-r-red. I-i-it ca-ca-came t-t-to h-h-his sh-shoulders."

"And his eyes?"

Parker shook his head. "I c-couldn't s-s-see."

Samantha looked at the composite artist. Then, she turned back to Parker. "Tell this man what the guy looked like. Everything you can remember. Don't worry if you can't remember everything."

Parker nodded his head. A half hour later Samantha walked out of the room with Parker. "He did a good job," she told Sara. Once Parker headed to find his father, she added. "I just hope we'll be able to find them with what he gave us."

Sara nodded in agreement. "What was up with Fitzgerald?"

Samantha shrugged. "Him and Danny have become better friends in the last few years. He's upset. And he's used to questioning adults, not kids. Doesn't realize you have to use different techniques."

"You seemed pretty good with him."

She grinned. "The product of nieces and nephews."

Gabriel lifted his son in his arms. "Did you tell them everything you knew?"

Parker nodded his head. "M-m-mommy co-come b-b-back n-now."

"Soon. They'll find her soon."

*******

Vince strode into the room and stared at Danny. "How the hell?" He didn't finish the question. Instead, he moved over to Danny, grabbing the collar of his shirt and dragging him away from his wife. Renee moved over to her friend to keep her head from hitting the hard floor. Vince glanced at her. "I'll deal with you later."

He pulled Danny to his feet, sending his fist into the young agent's stomach. He pushed him up against the wall and sent both fists into his stomach. After a few minutes, he started working on his face. Finally he let Danny fall to the ground. "Have enough yet?"

Danny struggled to his feet and spit blood on the floor. "What did you do with that boy?" He managed to ask.

Vince sent his foot into Danny's gut, causing him to gasp for breath. "Wouldn't worry about looking for him anymore." He kicked Danny again. "I warned you to lay off. But you didn't listen."

"It's my job."

Vince sent Danny sprawling to the floor with another kick. "Well, you won't have to worry about your job anymore."

"What? You're just gonna kill me." Agonizing pain filled his body, but he was angry.

Vince shrugged. "Eventually. Thought I'd wait for your wife to wake up. Let her watch and let her live with the memory of your death."

"You bas-" A hammer-like blow to his jaw stopped the comment. Danny tried to keep the darkness away, but he finally let it envelop him.

Vince turned to Renee. She bit back a scream as he advanced on her. He lifted her from the ground, and she kicked at his legs. He just laughed. None of her blows landed. Forcing her against the wall, he pushed himself against her. She could feel him through her clothes, and the thought of his body next to hers sickened her. She tried to get her knee up to where it could do the most damage, but he blocked the intended blow to his manhood.

She clawed at his face, digging away some skin and drawing blood. He screamed in pain then connected the palm of his hand to her face. Her head snapped around, and tears sprang to her eyes. She fought against him, doing anything she could to hurt him. Each time she landed an attack, he landed another blow. She would not allow another man, other than her husband, to touch her again. She would die first.

After ten minutes of struggling with each other, he threw her to the ground. "You're not worth it," he muttered. He sent the toe of his boot into her side for one final blow.

Her nose was bleeding and her bottom lip swelling. Soon both of her eyes would be black. And a bruise was forming on her jaw. Pain coursed through her stomach and across her ribs. She didn't think any were broken though. Probably just bruised. Darkness edged in on her, but she fought it off. 'Amie, I don't know if you can hear my thoughts or not, but we need help.'

*******

Gabriel looked over at Amie and saw a blank look in her eyes. He glanced frantically at Ian. "What's happening? Is she having a vision?"

Ian shook his head. "She's never had visions before, has she? Only feeling, correct?"

Gabriel nodded. "And others' thoughts."

Amie blinked and tears rolled down her cheeks. "Mom needs our help. She's hurt. Uncle Ian, you gotta help her. Uncle Danny's hurt too."

Gabriel grabbed his coat and walked out the door. Ian caught up with him easily and grabbed his arm. "You can't go after her yourself. You'll get yourself killed."

"You'd do the same thing, Ian. She's my wife, and I will find her."

Ian watched as Gabriel drove away then hurried to his car. He might be determined to save his wife, but that didn't mean he had to do it himself.

Sara stopped her bike in front of the large house a few minutes after the two men left. She stepped into the house and saw Amie. "Where's your dad?"

"He went to find Mom. Uncle Ian followed him. Mommy's hurt."

Sara grabbed Amie's hand with her right one. A vision assaulted her. A warehouse. She felt the coldness of the room. Renee on the floor, shivering. Danny and Caitlyn on the floor, both seemed to be unconscious. She sensed water nearby.

"Is your Aunt Dakota here?"

"Uh huh."

"Good. You stay here with her."

She ran out to her bike and sped away from the house.