(Chapter 8. CGH, various places in LA, Amanda's office. March 3, 2033.)



Steve and Amanda were alone in the lab, waiting for the paternity test results.

"So, what if it's positive?"

"It's going to be positive, Amanda. I know it already; I just need some solid proof before I tell Steven, Dad, and Maribeth."

"Well," Amanda tried to sound hopeful, "until we have the test results, let's just say, what *if* it's positive?"

Steve shrugged.

"I guess I have to tell Steven. I mean, really, if I don't, Amanda, that's…" he shuddered, unable to utter the word 'incest'.

"It's going to be hard on everyone, Steve."

"I know, but do I have any other choice?"

"I guess not," she said dejectedly.

She came over and put her arm around him. "Hey, Steve, it'll be ok."

"I hope so."





Emily helped Jesse out of the Ford, and she led him to a different vehicle. He could tell this one had an open top, and it smelled of leather. "Hmm," he said, "a convertible."

"You're good. How'd you guess?"

"The air doesn't feel closed in."

He heard some humor in her voice as she said, "It was my Mom's. It's a 1976 Corvette Stingray t-top coupe, metallic dark green with caramel- colored leather interior and all the original equipment."

"Cool."

"Definitely." He felt her putting the top up. The air closed in around him. "But also conspicuous. I have to hide it somewhere."

"Emily, what do you need me for?"

"You'll know soon enough."

It was only a few minutes this time. He sensed when they pulled into another building, and this time, she said, "Ok, you can remove the blindfold."

He did so, and the first thing he did was look at her. He knew she was only thirty, but she looked much older, much too tired to be so young. Then he noticed her bloodied shoulder.

"Man, that's a mess. Let me get a look at it."

"Inside, Dr. Travis."

"Hey," he said gently warning her, "you agreed to call me Jesse, remember?"

She smiled. "I guess I did."

She let him help her out of the car and into the house. As they entered the main room, Jesse saw an old man cuffed to the radiator.

"Hey, cop. It's about time you came back. What if they'd found me?"

"Shut up, Moretti. You're still alive and you haven't even said thank you yet."

"Moretti?" Jesse said in shock, "Giancarlo Moretti? Jesus, Emily."

"It's a long story, Doc…Jesse. You're safer if you don't know."

"I'm not so sure I believe you."

He sat her down and helped her remove the top of the body armor and the blouse she wore beneath it. He saw Moretti leering, and gently turned her around.

"Jealous bastard, ain'tcha, Doc?"

Looking over Emily's head, he echoed her sentiments from before.

"Shut up, Moretti."

Examining the wound, Jesse told her, "I have to get you to a hospital, Emily. That shoulder's a mess."

"No. No hospital."

"Emily…"

"No, Jesse. The people who did this would come for me there. Innocent people might get hurt. Like it or not, I have to keep that swine alive. Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."

"Emily, I have to irrigate the wound before I stitch it up. It's gonna hurt like hell."

"I know. I've survived worse."

Jesse studied her face. It was pale and drawn, but determined. Pain lines were etched deep around her mouth and eyes, pain and something more. That something more made Jesse's decision for him.

"I do believe you have."

He got her over to the couch and had her lay down. Then he found an old rag, balled it up, and told her, "Squeeze that if it hurts."

She nodded, and he went to work.

Nearly half an hour later, Emily was trembling and sweating, in shock because of the pain. She hadn't cried out once. She hadn't flinched, hadn't moved. Jesse was impressed. She was even tougher than Steve. That brought on a grin.

"Your father would be proud of you."

"I didn't realize you knew my dad," she said, eyeing him warily.

'Me and my big mouth,' Jesse thought.

"Oh, I didn't know Keith well," he tried to say lightly, "but well enough to know he'd be proud."

She smiled.

"Thanks."

She tried to sit up, but Jesse gently pushed her back down.

"Jesse…"

"No. Don't even argue. You come here out of the blue, kidnap me at gunpoint…"

"Hey, me, too," the half-forgotten mobster called.

They both yelled, "Shut up, Moretti!"

Looking back at Emily, Jesse continued softly, "You need to rest. You've lost a lot of blood, and I *know* the pain of that procedure took a lot out of you. You need some sleep."

"Now is not the time, Jesse."

"Look, does anyone know where you are?"

"Nope."

"Do you expect anyone to find you any time soon?"

"Not for at least a day or two."

"Then rest." He went over to the table and picked up her weapon. Brandishing it about with a confidence he did not feel, he said, "Steve made sure I learned how to shoot. If anyone breaks in, I'll shoot, and the noise will wake you up. Rest until morning, then we'll have some breakfast, then you can get rid of me. I promise."

Emily thought about it a moment, and nodded. After all, he'd promised. She closed her eyes, snuggled down into the couch, and Jesse pulled an afghan over her.

After a few seconds, she opened one eye and said, "For a while there, I wasn't sure I could tell the good guys from the bad guys anymore, Jesse. Thanks for clearing things up." Nodding back towards Moretti, she said, "Don't let him out of your sight."

"I won't. Now sleep."

Soon her breathing evened out and she was sleeping soundly.





Steve's pager went off, and he dialed the phone. As Amanda watched, the color drained from his face. He slumped down on the desk. "Oh, no."

"Steve?"

He held up a hand to hush her.

"Ok, I'll be there ASAP."

As he hung up, Amanda blocked his exit from the lab and asked, "Steve, what's wrong? What happened?"

Knowing it would be easier to tell her than argue, he said, "You'll have to settle for the short version."

She nodded.

Taking a deep breath, Steve summarized as quickly as he could.

"The feds have been protecting a Mafioso named Giancarlo Moretti. The Gaudino indictments were a direct result of his testimony before the grand jury, and he's expected to testify soon at the trial. After the Gaudino trial, the LAPD gets a crack at Moretti for evidence against Gaudino in several other open investigations, including one on further mob corruption of the force. Problem is, there's some pretty strong evidence that someone in the witness protection program is in with the Mob, and there was a real concern that Moretti would never make it to the hearings."

"Ok. So what does that have to do with you?"

"There was also a plot going within the LAPD to kidnap Moretti as the Feds moved him to a new safe-house. Ron tells me Emily was part of that plot."

"Oh, God, Steve, no."

Steve shook his head. "The other day, Ron asked me to arrange a safe house for Moretti. It seemed that Emily was legit, that she had infiltrated the conspiracy and was ready to help get Moretti out. But Ron wasn't sure. I was. I just didn't think Liv's kid could go wrong. Ron was expecting her to turn Moretti over to me."

"What went wrong?"

"Apparently everything. The kidnapping almost worked. They were just loading Moretti in the van when Emily's own men turned on her. Martin Rossi pulled his weapon on her. The feds shot at Rossi and the other two men, and they're pretty sure they saw Rossi shoot Emily."

"Rossi…" Amanda muttered, then snapping her fingers, "I know him. I mean I've met him. He's one of Dion's Lieutenants, isn't he?"

Steve nodded. "I'm sorry, Amanda. This will reflect badly on him for a while, but Dion's a good cop. He'll rise above it."

"I know he will, Steve," she said patting his shoulder affectionately. "He trained with the best."

Steve smiled and said, "Thanks, 'Manda."

They were silent a moment. Then Amanda asked, "There's more, isn't there?"

Steve nodded reluctantly. "A couple hours ago, someone called for Steven. When he was unavailable, she asked for Jesse instead. Immediately after the call, Jesse signed himself out, went to the supply closet and got a suture kit, bandages, morphine, antibiotics, an irrigation tray…"

Amanda interrupted. "Everything he needed to treat a gunshot wound."

"Yeah. Well, someone saw him leave the hospital in a big white Ford. A redhead was driving, and she had a gun on him."

"Why didn't anyone come get you?"

Steve gave an exasperated look.

"Considering the purpose of my visit, I didn't exactly go out of my way to let anyone know I was here. Word eventually filtered back to Leigh Ann, and she contacted me here."

"Oh, I see," Amanda nodded. "What do you think she's going to do next?"

Steve shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts, or at least settle them in some kind of order.

"We don't know whose side she's on now, Amanda. Jesse's definitely not safe, but we don't know if he's in danger from her, or from the people who are after her."

"Oh, Steve," Amanda said sympathetically. "What are you going to do?"

Steve shrugged.

"Find him."





The man in the warehouse grinned evilly. The Chief's bastard brat had Moretti, and she was on the run. What's more, she had kidnapped the Chief's best friend. What a scoop! The best part was, he could sit on this story until he needed a distraction…or until he was ready to complete his revenge.