PLEAS IN THE LIGHT

Donovan eyed the dark haired college student warily.  Although it wasn't odd for a person her age to suddenly become unreachable for a day or two, it pricked his suspicions in light of her employers' dire situation.  He had met Lisa once or twice while she was working for his brother and sister in-law and she always seemed like a nice enough person.  He had to wonder what was making her so nervous while he studied her unwaveringly.  Was it just being under his scrutiny, or was she hiding something?

"Mr. Donovan," Lisa stammered, taking in the bustle of activity in the downstairs of her employer's home.  "Why was I taken from campus and brought here?  What's going on?"

He folded his arms over his chest.  He wasn't quite ready to answer any questions for her yet.  It was a tactic he used regularly.  Once she started talking, only then would he put her at ease by supplying her with the information she requested.  "Where have you been for the last twenty-four to forty-eight hours?"

"Excuse me?  I don't believe that is any of your business," Lisa insisted as she moved toward the door.

Donovan stepped in front of her, effectively blocking her route.  "It's my business now," he assured her coldly.  "This is not meant to be an invasion of your privacy.  Simply, the FBI has been trying to contact you and have had no success until today.  Your employer's children have been abducted and your disappearance looks a bit…unsavory."

Lisa's eyes widened with disbelief.  "The babies?  Oh my God!"  She turned and spotted Kara and Farron Donovan sitting together on the sofa, clinging to each other as if trying to keep a grip on their sanity.

Donovan followed the young girl as she made her way through the crowded room to her employers' side.  Kneeling before the couple, she tentatively reached out and placed her hand over Kara's.  "Mr. and Mrs. Donovan…I'm so very sorry.  If there's anything I can do…"

"You can come with me and answer my questions," Donovan interjected sternly.

Kara looked up at her bother in-law.  He was in all-work mode now.  Wherever "Uncle Frank" had gone, he was buried deeply within the cold exterior of Agent Frank Donovan.  She nodded and squeezed Lisa's hand.  "Yes, Lisa.  Go with Frank…it's the only way to help us now," she answered pitifully.

Lisa stood when she felt the grip of Donovan's hand on her elbow.  "Of course, ma'am," she replied in a hushed whisper.

Farron pressed a soft kiss to Kara's temple before he straightened and followed Donovan to the kitchen.  He stood in the doorway and listened to the conversation.  Lisa sat with her back to him and had no idea of his presence.  Donovan made no indication he was aware of him, either.

"Now, tell me where you've been."

"Really, Mr. Donovan, I went to a Rave that lasted for like…twenty-four hours.  I couldn't have told you my name by the time I left.  I just remember waking up at my boyfriend's yesterday.  His name is…"

Lisa rattled off the information to Donovan and Farron's heart sank.  He had no idea why he held any hope that Lisa had information about the twins.  He assumed it was just his desperation; how would his sweet little housekeeper know anything about his twins' whereabouts?

Donovan turned to see Farron standing in the doorway.  He moved to him quickly, and closed the door without a word.  Nodding to Monica, he took Lisa by the arm and escorted her out the backdoor.  Monica followed closely. 

"Where are you taking me," Lisa demanded.

Donovan released her and shot her a cold look.  "I fail to believe that you have had your head buried in the sand during the time the twins have been missing.  It's been all over the news.  I intend to do a complete and thorough background check on you, including your finances.  It's safe to say that your friends will also be investigated." 

His icy stare never left her as she contemplated his threat.  He could see the panic enter her eyes, but there was something else that caught his attention.  In the bright sunlight, he could easily see the uneven tones in her hair color.  One tiny section was actually blonde. 

"What…what are you staring at," she stammered.

"Your hair," he answered simply.  "Odd shade.  Jet black…with splotches of blonde; temporary dye?"

"So…what if it is?"

Inside the house, Kara stood slowly as Farron opened the kitchen door after hearing the outside door open and close.  She moved to his side at the window.  Something was up; Farron had sensed it from his brother's actions and now Kara was getting the same waves from Farron.

They couldn't hear their voices, but Lisa was beginning to look panicky, and Monica had moved closer as if to keep the girl from bolting, although she had no where to go.  The yard was crawling with federal agents and police officers.

"So…nothing.  Just making an observation," Donovan stated blandly.  "Such as, the woman who hired the delivery company that brought the note…she was blonde.  Could easily cover up that blonde with temporary hair dye, couldn't she?"

"I suppose," Lisa agreed. 

"She could easily be a college student who works for the parents of those abducted children."  When Lisa began to protest, he held up his hand to silence her.  "She could also have a connection with the man responsible for the kidnapping.  It's just a matter of time before I find out that connection," he assured her.

Unaware that the backdoor was now open or that Farron and Kara were observing them, Lisa began to break down.  "Look…I didn't know about the kidnapping, I swear!  He only asked…only asked about Mr. and Mrs. Donovan's schedules.  I swear!"

"Oh my God!"

Monica, Donovan, and Lisa all turned in time to see Kara running down the steps followed by Farron.  There was no time to react before Kara launched herself onto the younger woman, knocking them both to the ground.  Kara's hands closed firmly around Lisa's throat and repeatedly banged the girl's head on the ground as she screamed, "Where are my babies!  Give me my babies!"

Lisa clutched at Kara's hands as they squeezed the life from her.  "I don't…know…" she stammered, praying someone would pull Kara from her before she choked to death.

Farron kneeled beside Kara and covered her hands with his, slowly peeling her fingers from the girl's throat.  "Let go, querida," he whispered.  Let go, so that I might kill her. 

Kara slowly loosened her grip from Lisa's neck as her eyes locked onto hers.  "Tell us what you know.  Please, bring my babies back." 

Farron pulled his sobbing wife off Lisa and into his embrace.  "She'll talk…she'll talk," he repeated.

Lisa gazed into the eyes of Farron Donovan.  Icy black eyes stared back at her.  She had thought she had seen cold, unfeeling eyes in first Raphael Ortiz and then Frank Donovan, but the dead look in Farron Donovan's eyes put them all to shame.  She wasn't sure whom she was more afraid of at that moment—Raphael Ortiz, or the man now staring her down.

"I'll talk," Lisa croaked, rubbing her bruised throat.  "But what I can tell you won't help you."

"What do you mean," Donovan demanded, pulling her roughly to her feet. 

"Raphael took the twins, yes, but I don't know where they are.  I hired the delivery company at his orders, but I have no idea where he took Brittany and Bryce."

"Why…why did you do this!?"  Kara screamed as she lunged for Lisa again, but Farron tightened his grip on her, keeping her from inflicting bodily harm on the girl.

Lisa released a disheartened laugh.  "It's the oldest story in the book.  I love him."

Farron grunted in disgust.  "You mean nothing to him.  A toy.  A toy who helped take two innocents."

Lisa physically recoiled from him.  "He loves me."

"You are nothing," Farron repeated.  "And your actions only prove it."

By that time, Jake and Alex had joined them.  "Take her…find out everything she knows.  Keep her under guard.  If Ortiz discovers we know of their relationship, he may have her killed."

"He wouldn't," Lisa protested, struggling against Jake's hold on her.


"Let's go, let's go," he ordered, dragging her back to the front of the house to a waiting vehicle.

"Frank," Farron began, but stopped when Donovan waved a hand.

"We'll question her in length, brother.  But I believe her when she says she does not know.  Ortiz would not easily give up that information.  Lisa was a high risk to him; easily found out and easily made to talk.  He would know that in her."

"She has to know…"  Kara sobbed, burying her face against Farron's chest.

"We'll find out what she knows, Kara," Donovan assured her.  "Farron, take your wife inside and calm her down."

Farron gave a slight nod and helped Kara back into the house.  He led her to the living room where Cody passed the time waiting for the next call on the floor with Rachel and Tristan.  Loralei watched from a distant vantage point.  She and Donovan exchanged a brief glance.  She had been more than tempted to demand what was going on but knew it wasn't her place.  Something about Lisa had set him off.  If she could get him alone for five minutes, she might have a chance to find out.  However, 'work mode' ruled him and would likely do so until this was over.  It didn't exactly take rocket science to figure out that the girl was somehow involved.  Suddenly, she felt the need to remove her children from this room.  She approached them and lifted Tristan into her arms.  He wasn't quite surefooted enough to tackle the staircase, but Rachel would do just fine.  Neither of them was happy about being taken away from the Cody Forrester Puppet Hour, but they went readily enough.  Perhaps intuition told them this wasn't the time to try Mommy's patience. 

It didn't take long to coax the little ones to sleep and by the time Rachel gave up her fight against it, she thought she heard a distinct sound:  the ringing of a telephone. When she heard the activity below, she was certain of it.  Loralei tore out of the bedroom and flew down the stairs.  In a horridly silent moment, Donovan was literally commanding his brother with his eyes to stay put for a few rings.  He nodded toward Cody who hit a button on his portable console to broadcast the call to the entire room.  The room filled with silence again as they waited. 

In the back of his mind, Farron heard his brother's words:  You make the first move.  He wants to dominate you.  Gritting his teeth and fighting to maintain a calm tone to his voice, Farron opened his mouth, his jaw cracking, the noise seemingly amplified ten times.  "Raphael," he bit out through clenched teeth.  In that moment, he made a decision.  He would only speak to the man in Spanish.  Kara didn't know Spanish and he could get to the heart of the issue without causing her more harm.  "¿Dónde mis niños son tu bastardo?"  [Where are my children you bastard?]

Ortiz laughed, filling the room with his poison.  "Ah, Mateo es espalda el columpio repleto.  Sus mocosos son finos, tu amarillo pincha.  Quiero que su mujer entienda lo que digo, Mateo.  ¿Por qué no hablar inglés?"  [Ah, Mateo is back full swing.  Your brats are fine, you yellow prick.  I want your woman to understand what I'm saying, Mateo.  Why not speak English?]

Farron seethed with anger.  He felt a snarl obscuring his face.  His wife's eyes were studying him curiously, growing large with shock.  "Si tu menciona jamás a mi esposa otra vez, yo lo mataré.  ¿Entiende tu?  Diga mí lo que tu quiere.  Quiero mi hogar de espalda de niños."  [If you ever mention my wife again, I will kill you.  Do you understand?  Tell me what you want.  I want my children back home.]  Another laugh issued forth from the tiny speaker.  Kara shivered.  This man was purely insane.  Farron had forgotten [and didn't give a fuck] that several people in this room could interpret the conversation.  There was only one person in the room he cared to protect right now.

"Tu sabe lo que quiero, Mateo.  Quiero el dinero.  Su es decirme no soy bastante bueno.  Tu tendrá que tener la mano y el plomo mí allí."  [You know what I want, Mateo.  I want the money.  Your telling me isn't good enough.  You will have to hold my hand and lead me there.]

"Tu hijo de una ramera.  Nosotros ambos saben que esto no está acerca de dinero. La parada jugando los juegos, Raphael.  Denomine sus términos y yo los encontraré."  [You son of a bitch.  We both know this isn't about money.  Stop playing games, Raphael.  Name your terms and I'll meet them.]

Suddenly, the room grew silent again.  No one moved or breathed.  It seemed as if everyone's eyes were glued to Farron.  He stood in the middle of the room clenching his fists tightly, grinding his teeth, likely cracking a few of them.  This fucker would die and he would be the one to take his life.

"Tu es más listo que pensé, Mateo.  Quiero su cuero. Quiero que tu pague por poner mi padre en la prisión.  Su muerte será mi recompensa.  Tu viene sólo. Sé que usted se para con un espacio repleto de agentes federales, inclusive su hermano.  Yo lo llamaré en su teléfono de célula y diré tu donde encontraremos esta noche.  Haga cualquiera yerra y prometo tu que sus bebés cesarán de existir y sus muertes serán…que digo...menos que humano."  [You're smarter than I thought, Mateo.  I want your hide.  I want you to pay for putting my father in prison.  Your death will be my reward.  You come alone.  I know you're standing with a room full of federal agents, including your hotshot brother.  I will call you on your cell phone and tell you where we'll meet tonight.  Make any mistakes and I promise you that your babies will cease to exist and their deaths will be...shall I say...less than humane.]

"Encontraré sus demandas.  Daré tu lo que tu quiere.  Tu jodió con mi esposa, con los niños, y con la familia.  Una vez que tu tiene mi cuero, tu los sale sólo para siempre. ¿Entiende tu?"  [I'll meet your demands.  I'll give you what you want.  You fucked with my wife, children, and family.  Once you have my hide, you leave them alone forever.  Do you understand?]

"Su cuero arrepentido es todo quiero de tu, Mateo Luis.  Después que yo le doy la cabeza a mi padre, sus deudas se asientan.  Mantendremos en contacto."  [Your sorry hide is all I want from you, Mateo Luis.  After I give your head to my father, your debts are settled.  We'll keep in touch.]

The line went completely dead and in the background, the activity had picked up again, but Farron didn't move one inch from his spot.  He didn't notice when Kara tentatively approached him from the side.  She didn't recognize him at that moment.  He was someone else.  He was Mateo Luis.  She was afraid to touch him, afraid that she would receive an electric shock.  She had only understood a word here and there, but nothing could tell her more truths than the look in her husband's eyes.  The moment he realized she was gazing at him, he came out of his trance and reached out for her.  Behind them, Donovan was staring at his brother, boring his eyes into the back of his head.  He had understood every word, knew exactly what his stubborn twin was going to do.  He wouldn't have it.  He watched as his twin took his wife to a more private location.

*  *  *

"What did you agree to, Farron," Kara whispered once they were alone in the den. 

Farron shook his head as he sat down on the small couch, bringing her with him.  He pulled her close and buried his face against her neck.  He could not bring himself to lie to her, but he was not willing to tell her what needed to be done.

Kara understood without his saying a word.  She wrapped her arms tightly about him and lovingly stroked his hair.  She had watched him transform from the man she knew and loved into a complete stranger before her eyes.  Although she knew her Farron Donovan had been a living, breathing, part of that scene, it was a colder, harder man that had spoken to the bastard who had taken their babies.  She didn't know the man he had changed into, wasn't sure she ever wanted to know him.  For some reason Farron felt it was necessary to bring him to the surface, and for that reason alone, she would accept him.  She said the only thing that made any sense to her at the moment.  "Every day I think I can't possibly love you more, and each day you prove me wrong."

"You are my life, Shel," he whispered against her neck.  "I love you…you and our beautiful twins.  Remember that…always."

"We'll never forget," she promised, resting her cheek against the top of his head.  She wasn't a fool; she knew he was trying to tell her without words that he would be leaving her soon.  She closed her eyes and prayed for strength.  It was all that was left for her now.

*  *  *

Donovan's eyes sought out his wife and he noticed that she was sitting on the bottom step of the staircase.  He needed a break.  If he didn't get some air, he would lose his mind.  He approached her and sat beside her.

"Farron is going to die, isn't he," Loralei asked quietly.

He shook his head.  "Not if I can help it.  I'm going to talk to him and get this crazy idea out of his head.  Did you pick up on any of it?"

She shrugged.  "A little here and there, Frank, but it…it was all over his face.  Kara knew.  He didn't have to speak a word of English, Frank.  She knew."

He took her hand and kissed it.  She was exhausted.  It was all over her.  "I suppose you wouldn't take the kids and go home?"

"No," she said.  "I'm not leaving.  She's going to need support."

Donovan smiled a little.  "I thought you would say that."  He stood and moved toward the direction Farron had taken his wife.  He found them sitting together with their arms wrapped around each other. 

Kara noticed him before Farron.  When he felt the slight shift of his wife's body, he turned and fixed his eyes on his twin.  They were about to have one of the biggest fights they'd had in nearly two years.  After whispering soft endearments to his wife, he stood to follow his brother out of the room.  The two men went into the kitchen and Donovan closed the door behind him.  He was tempted to stick a chair up to the door to keep stragglers out.  Like his twin, Donovan was certain they were about to have a knock down drag out fight.

"You know I'm not going to let you do this, don't you," Donovan began.

"I don't see how you can stop me," Farron said.  "You don't understand, Frank.  They're not your children.  Yours are upstairs asleep.  Mine are God knows where.  I have to get them back.  If it means dying for them, I'll do it.  I'd die for them twelve times over, Frank."

Donovan sighed.  "I do understand.  Don't you think I know how it feels to love your children enough to want to lay down your life for them?  They need you in their lives, Farron.  They need their father and they can't have that if you do this.  I'll know every move you make.  If I must, I'll cuff you down.  Don't think for one moment that I won't do it.  The team has ways to safely follow without detection.  We've done this a million times.  I'm not allowing your wife to become a widow.  I refuse to see Brittany and Bryce grow up without their father.  You said much the same thing to me once.  Remember?"

Channeling the yellow dog that was Mateo Luis, Farron allowed his face to go blank.  He had opened his mouth to spin an incredible lie, but he couldn't do it.  "You do what you must, Frank.  I shall do the same."

*  *  *

After her husband had left her, Loralei went back upstairs to check on Tristan and Rachel.  She thought she had heard a stray cry.  Since Brittany and Bryce had been snatched from their mothers' arms, she had grown ever so protective of her own babies.  As she expected, it was Tristan who had awakened first.  He was the easiest to coax to sleep, but the first one to wake up.  She knew they sensed that something was out of place.  They picked up on the slightest discord.  She thought back to the time when Donovan was in the hospital.  Kara and Farron had brought the kids more than once.  Tristan was still a tiny little baby and one of the crankiest infants she had ever been exposed to, but he hardly whimpered at the hospital.  Rachel, who without fail, would ask consistently for her father if he had been out of her sight longer than a few hours, didn't mention him.  The only time the two of them became animated was when she snuck them into his hospital room after he had had a long day of almost torturous physical therapy.  Now, Rachel had been asking about her cousins, but she noticed how her aunt and uncle reacted to her curious questions.  She wasn't an idiot.  She knew they were upset.  Sighing, Loralei took Tristan into her arms to lull him back to sleep.  It wasn't beyond him to tug on her hair, but today, he didn't even try.  He buried his little face in her neck.  She carried him over to a nearby chaise lounger and sat with him in her lap.  Before long, Rachel woke up, focusing her eyes on her mother and brother. 

"Momma?  Wachel want out wif yew an' Twissan." 

Loralei looked over at her daughter and noticed that her bright green eyes were set on her curiously.  By that time, Tristan had gone back to sleep.  She gently laid him down on the chaise and approached her daughter.  She took the little one in her arms and carried her back to the chaise.  After a few minor adjustments, both children were snuggled up against her.  Loralei had no idea that someone was watching her.

*  *  *

Only when Frank had been satisfied with his answers, was Farron able to leave his twin and go in search of his wife.  There was much he had to…no…there was much Mateo had to be ready to do when that phone call came, but it could not be done until he said goodbye to his Shel.  When he discovered she was no longer waiting for him in the den, he had searched the downstairs, but found no trace of her.  He climbed the stairs and saw her immediately.  Her back was to him as she looked into the guestroom.  It was the room Loralei normally put Rachel and Tristan down in when they were visiting and needed a nap.  He could hear his sister in-law's soft tones soothing her children and knew Kara was aching for their twins.  He started toward her just as she released a tortured sigh, headed down the hall, and slipped quietly into the twins' nursery.

He took a brief moment to enter the guest room.  He smiled sadly down at Loralei as he touched each of the children's cheeks.  "I don't think I ever thanked you for allowing me to be in their lives."

"No thanks are needed, Farron.  Only one thing…stay in their lives.  Trust your brother."

He nodded briefly and left her to go to his wife.  He found her standing before the infants' crib and he moved up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist.  He rested his chin atop her head and sighed when she covered his hands with hers.  He honestly couldn't say how much time passed before a word was spoken.  He just wanted to hold her and forget about the rest of the world.  His only thoughts were for his wife and adored children. 

"Do you think they miss us," Kara asked, her eyes still fixed steadily on the empty crib.

"Yes, querida.  They are not wrapped in the comfort of your arms, or listening to the love in your voice.  They are as incomplete as we are."  He kissed her temple.  "Can you be strong, my own Shel?  Can you be all that they need you to be?"

A tear escaped Kara's eye and rolled undeterred down her cheek.  "I don't know if I can, Farron.  I think I can and then I'll catch myself watching Loralei with Rachel and Tristan…and I hate her.  I find myself hating all that she has because my arms are empty and I don't know what future my family has."

"Shhh…what you feel is understandable.  Would you think less of me if I told you I had thrown the same words in my brother's face?"

She reached down and picked up Bryce's favorite teddy bear.  "Of course not.  I'm so empty inside, Farron.  I just don't feel…human," she admitted as she turned to face him.

He moved a hand from her hip to cup her chin and lift her face to his.  "You will have our twins back, this I promise you."

Kara's eyes closed as more tears reached her eyes.  She was sure Farron was unaware of the emphasis he had put on the word 'you' when he said,  "You will have our twins back."  It only further supported her fear that he was going to do something drastic.  She could not understand the conversation he had carried on with Ortiz, but she got the meaning easily enough from the pure unadulterated rage and hatred that she had seen on Farron's face.  "There's one other thing you must promise me."

"Anything," he whispered before kissing her closed eyelids.

Kara pulled back slightly and locked eyes with him.  "That our children will not be the only ones returning to my arms."

Farron groaned softly and looked away.  "I can't make that promise, querida."

Kara reached up and placed a hand to his cheek and gently turned his face back towards hers.  "You listen to me, Farron Donovan.  I will accept nothing less.  I love you, I need you, and I may be damned selfish, but I want you with me forever.  Do you understand?"

He understood and he loved her all the more for her intense devotion to him, but he could not make that promise to her.  It would be just one more lie to add to the pile he had created lately.  His answer to her was to crush his lips to hers and take them in the most demanding, passionate kiss they had ever shared.  He would take it to his grave, and she would have to live with it, without him, for the rest of her life.

--To be continued…