CHAPTER 31
LATE NOVEMBER (AFTER THANKSGIVING): NOTTINGHAM HOUSE
Sara sits on the couch staring out the window at the morning sky. 'These last few weeks have been interesting. Aras is back and we're working things out. Emma has been spending time with Aras. I worry about that, but Aras promised she wouldn't do anything stupid when Emma is with her. So far she's kept one promise in life. Thanksgiving went by with no problems.' Sara looks up as she feels a hand stroke her hair and looks up smiling. "How is Emma?"
Ian sits beside her "She's worse. Coughing, sneezing, stuffed up... headache." He frowns "Don't you want some coffee?"
Sara shakes her head. "I'm trying to cut down... I've been drinking a lot this week."
"Mmm"
"Poor baby must be miserable." Sara says sympathetically.
"She just needs some sleep and she'll be fine."
Sara looks at the clock. "Damn if I don't get moving I'm going to be late for work." She stands "Join me?"
Ian wraps his arms around her shoulders brushing his lips over her ear. "You're insatiable."
"Bother you?" Sara asks with a grin.
"No." He takes her hand bringing it to his lips.
"DADDY" Emma yells her voice whiny.
Ian sighs "I will go see what she wants then I will meet you in the shower."
"Don't take too long." Sara leans up kissing him before they head up the stairs and separate, Sara going into their bedroom and Ian heading into Emma's room.
"What's wrong Emma?" Ian asks as he enters the room where Emma is coughing and sniffling.
"Juice, Daddy." Emma asks with a yawn.
"All right baby. Anything else?"
"No."
"All right, I'll be right back with your juice." Ian leaves the bedroom and heads downstairs to the kitchen where Martha is starting the morning rituals.
"How is Emma?"
"She's miserable." Ian answers as he takes a glass out of the cabinet.
"Worse?"
"Yes. Her cough is worse." Ian answers as he pours Emma a glass of orange juice. "Can you call the school and tell them she won't be in?"
"Sure."
"Thank you." Ian walks out of the kitchen and walks up the stairs returning to Emma's bedroom. "Here you go Em." He sets the glass on the nightstand. "Need anything else"
"No. Thank you Daddy." Emma yawns
"You're welcome. Martha is downstairs if you want anything. I have to go get ready for work."
"OK." Emma watches as her Dad walks out of her bedroom then sits up grabbing the glass she takes a sip of juice.
HALF HOUR LATER
"Just a minute." Martha holds the phone out to Sara. "It's Danny."
Sara glances at the clock. "Damn. Tell him I'm out the door." She finishes off her toast then kisses Ian's cheek while Martha speaks to Danny.
"He said don't stop off for coffee... or you'll be late." Martha calls as she hangs up the phone.
Ian follows Sara to the foyer. "Drive carefully... the weather is getting close to snow."
"I know." Sara pulls on her jacket then steps up to Ian kissing him lightly. "Have a good day."
"You too." Ian brushes her hair back. "I love you." He says seriously.
Sara smiles "I know. I love you too." A moment later Sara steps away grabbing her backpack and helmet. "See you tonight."
"What time will you be off work?" Ian asks
"Not until 9 or so." Sara answers "Give Emma a kiss for me." She hurries out the door.
Ian shakes his head amused at Sara's rush. 'Always late.'
LITTLE LATER
Ian enters Emma's bedroom where the teen is coughing and groaning. "How's my sweet girl?" He asks sitting on the edge of the bed.
"Miserable." Emma groans. "I don't remember feeling this bad the last time I was sick."
"Yes well you rarely get sick." Ian reminds brushing Emma's hair back.
"Do you have to go to work?" Emma grumbles. "Can't you stay home with me?"
"Sorry my girl, I have to go to work. I will check in on you every so often."
"OK."
Ian leans down kissing Emma's forehead then frowns. "You feel a little warm." He remarks. "I will have Martha check your temperature, OK?"
Emma nods.
"If you're feeling worse tonight then I will call Immo and have him come and check you out all right?"
"OK." Emma yawns.
"Just get some rest and I will see you tonight." He kisses her forehead again then moves away. "Try to get some schoolwork done." As Ian walks out of the bedroom as a feeling of uneasiness hits him. 'Maybe I should stay home.' He heads down to the kitchen where Martha is cleaning up the kitchen. "I think Emma might have a slight fever, maybe I should stay home."
"Ian she'll be fine. Besides don't you have to give him that preliminary report on the upgrades today?"
"Yes." Ian says grudgingly.
"Go to work." Martha assures. "I will call you if she feels worse. I have a few errands to run but I'll be home for a good portion of the day."
Ian reluctantly nods "I should be home for dinner. If not I will let you know."
"All right."
OVER AN HOUR LATER: VORSCHLAG
"How is Emma?" Kenneth inquires as Ian enters his office.
"In bed. Her cold is worse. She has a slight fever."
"She doesn't get sick very often." Kenneth muses
"No. It's been a few years since she's had a cold."
Kenneth nods "Now for the upgrades what is going on?"
NOON: NOTTINGHAM HOUSE
"Emma" Martha calls from the doorway
Emma groggily looks at Martha.
"I'm going to run some errands. Do you need anything while I'm out?"
"No." Emma yawns
"I should be back in a few hours. Call me if you think of anything you might need."
Emma pulls the covers over her head.
Martha chuckles at her actions. "Boys keep an eye on the grumpy one."
"Bite me." Emma says from under the covers.
"Just go back to sleep. When I return I'll give you some more cold medicine if you need it."
SOMEWHERE IN NEW YORK
"Yes?" A man says in greeting.
"Kid's alone."
"Wait 20 minutes to make sure the woman is gone then go in. Don't harm her in anyway or I will kill you." The man hangs up and looks at the pictures of the dark haired teen with her parents spread before him. "Package sent?"
"It is on its way. As per instructions it won't be delivered until 1PM."
"Good. It will give us time to secure the girl. Make sure the room is ready. No one is to harm her."
"Yes Boss." The smaller man hurries away.
12:30: NOTTINGHAM HOUSE
Hugo lifts his head his ears perking up as he looks at his young mistress then Felix who goes on guard as well. Slowly the two older dogs stand and quietly leave the room.
Downstairs the front and back doors silently open and three men enter without the alarm going off. Quickly and quietly the man entering through the back door makes his way to his partners in the foyer, as he rounds the corner he's attacked.
Hugo growls low, launching himself at the first man in his sight going straight for the throat. His teeth sink into the man's throat before the man can even make a sound.
Another man turns to see his friend's throat being ripped out and shoots the dog the only sound heard is a pop and two thuds as the man's body falls to the ground as well as the dog's. "Damn it." He looks at his dead friend when a large dog knocks him over.
The third man, the leader, shoots the final dog before he can do much damage to his partner. He looks at the man on the ground annoyed. "Let's get the girl." He starts up the stairs the remaining man follows.
Upstairs Emma sleeps in her bed unaware of what is going on.
Loki whimpers and crawls under the bed watching as the two unfamiliar people enter the room.
Emma awakens startled as she feels a prick in her arm. She struggles to get away as she sees two unfamiliar men beside her bed. "Let me go." She says groggily as she drifts into unconsciousness, her final thought, 'Daddy.'
The leader looks at the other man "Boss said grab a change of clothes for her and a pair of shoes."
"Why?"
"Just do it all right!" He nods at the corner "Her backpack."
The second man dumps everything out of the backpack and goes to the dresser grabbing some clothes out of the dresser and a pair of shoes off the floor. "Done." He announces.
"Go check and see if there's anyone out front." The leader removes an envelope from his pocket and sets it on the dresser then carefully picks up the unconscious teen.
SAME TIME: VORSCHLAG
As Ian is walking down the hall, he stops dead in his tracks as a feeling of intense unease hits him. 'Something isn't right.' He removes his phone from his pocket hitting the speed dial for the house only to get the voice mail. Next, he tries Emma's phone and frowns when he gets her voice mail as well. 'OK that's not normal.' He hangs up and presses the speed dial for Martha's phone.
"Hello?"
"Martha are you at the house?"
"No. I had to run some errands."
"Oh yes. Emma didn't answer."
"I gave her some cold medicine a while ago... and I turned off her phone so she wouldn't be disturbed. She's probably out to the world."
"Perhaps."
"I was going to be out for a few hours but I forgot something so I have to head back to the house so I will check on her and if she's awake I will have her call you."
"All right." Ian says before hanging up.
1PM: VORSCHLAG
"Mr. Nottingham this just arrived for you." The secretary, Mrs. Nielson, enters the office carrying a large envelope.
"Thank you." Ian nods taking the envelope. Once the secretary leaves his office Ian leans back in his chair and opens the envelope removing some surveillance pictures of Emma. "What the..." He trails off as he quickly goes through the pictures of Emma taken over a variety of times and locations: Emma being dropped off at school, talking with her friends on school grounds, Emma at the park skating with her friends, he and Sara chasing Emma around the yard. His eyes narrow 'Someone has been watching my child!' He stands suddenly the urge to check on Emma overcoming him. He grabs the envelope of pictures and his overcoat and hurries out the door.
"Sir your meeting." Mrs. Nielson reminds
"Cancel it. Tell him I had to go him." Ian says gruffly as he heads to the elevator. Once in the elevator he removes his phone dialing a familiar number.
"Yes brother?" Mobius says in greeting.
"Get back here." Ian orders
"What's wrong?" Mobius goes on alert as he hears Ian's tone.
"I'm not entirely sure. Some has been following Emma."
"What?"
"I just received a bunch of pictures of Emma taken over time." Ian sighs, "I have a bad feeling about this Mobi."
"I will catch the first flight back."
"Good." Ian hangs up.
SAME TIME: NOTTINGHAM HOUSE
Martha enters the kitchen through the garage and frowns when she sees the back door open. "Emma" she shakes her head as she sets the grocery bags on the counter just as she hears a pained whimper coming from the front foyer. She sighs "Loki what did you do this time?" She mutters heading towards the foyer stopping in her tracks when she sees a man covered in blood lying on the floor with a motionless Hugo beside him while Felix lies in a pool of blood whimpering. "Emma" Martha calls worried as she hurries up the stairs to Emma's room to find the bed empty and the dresser drawers open and Emma's schoolbooks on the floor. "Emma" Martha calls panicked. "Sweetie you know I'm not as good at hide and seek as your Dad." She quickly searches Emma's room to find only Loki hiding under the bed and Emma's phone still on the nightstand. "Ian's room" Martha mutters heading into her employers room only to find it empty. "She's gone." She realizes quickly removing her phone she presses the speed dial to Ian's phone.
SAME TIME: CAR
As Ian pulls out of the underground parking lot his phone rings. He reaches into his pocket and removes the phone pressing talk. "Yes?"
"Emma's gone." Martha says worried.
"Gone?! What do you mean gone?"
"She's not in her bed or yours. Ian... there's a dead body here. Hugo's dead as well. Felix is injured and Loki is hiding under Emma's bed."
"I'm on my way. Don't call Sara or the police but do call the vet and let him know that Felix is injured."
"Fine."
Ian hangs up then dials Mobius's phone.
"Yes brother?"
"Emma's gone."
"What do you mean gone?"
"Someone took my daughter out of her bed." Ian says his voice cold and hard.
"Isn't it a school day?" Mobius asks confused.
"She came home sick yesterday so I let her stay home."
"All right. I'm on my way to the airport right now."
"Good."
"I'm sure she's fine." Mobius assures hoping to calm his brother down.
"If there is one scratch on my daughter I will kill whoever put it on her and whoever else was nearby." Ian grinds out before hanging up.
SAME TIME: 11TH PRECINCT
Sara shifts in her seat and absently taps her pen.
Danny groans "All right Pez what is it?"
"Huh?" Sara looks at Danny startled.
"You've been tapping your pen for 10 minutes." Danny states.
"I have?"
"Yes." Jake says without looking up.
"Sorry." Sara says sheepishly. "Just restless."
"Its the caffeine. I tell ya you need to cut back." Danny remarks amused.
"I haven't had a cup today." Sara admits.
"What?" Jake says surprised.
"I've had a lot of coffee lately." Sara shrugs "Decided to cut back."
"No wonder you're restless." Danny laughs "You without coffee... is interesting."
"Yeah" Sara looks down at her paperwork and within minutes the three are working in silence.
10 MINS LATER: CAR
"Yes?" Ian says in greeting.
"Where the hell are you?" Kenneth demands
"Emma's gone."
"Gone? I thought she was home sick."
"She was." Ian stops at a red light. "Someone has been stalking her." Ian informs his Father.
"What do you mean stalking her?"
"Someone sent me pictures of Emma. Emma with her friends... at school... everywhere." Ian tightens his grip on the steering wheel. "Martha called... said there's a dead body as well as Hugo. Felix was injured."
"Have you told Sara?"
"Once I assess the situation I will tell her. You know what will happen once I alert the police that there is a body in my house. If I tell them Emma was taken I won't be able to take care of this myself."
"And why is that a bad idea?"
"Because it could take them longer to find her than it would take me."
"Mobius?"
"On his way."
"I'm going to have to tell Sara but I need you to cover on Emma. I'm going to have to tell the police that Emma is at the house for the day."
"All right." Kenneth agrees. "I will call the house and make sure they cover it."
Ian's silent for a moment surprised by his Father's agreement. "Thank you Father."
"Good luck young Nottingham." Kenneth hangs up.
Ian presses the speed dial for Sara's phone.
"Pezzini" Sara greets
"Sara"
"Hey Ian. What are you doing?"
Ian takes a deep breath "We have a problem."
"What is it?" Sara frowns on the other end.
"Meet me at the house and we'll talk."
"Ian"
"Its not something I want to discuss on the phone."
"All right, I'll meet you there. 15 minutes?"
"I'm almost there." Ian says
"OK." Sara hangs up staring at the phone.
"You OK Pez?" Jake asks
"I uh... I have to go." Sara says absently. "Something isn't right."
"What do you mean?" Danny questions
"Ian's tone. It wasn't normal... I have to head to the house." She stands "Cover for me?"
"Sure." Danny nods
"I'll check in in a while." Sara says grabbing her jacket and helmet before hurrying out of the office.
FEW MINUTES LATER: NOTTINGHAM HOUSE
"Martha" Ian calls entering the house.
"Over here."
Ian finds Martha sitting beside a whimpering Felix who is lying in a pool of blood. "How is he?"
"The bleeding has slowed some but if he doesn't go to the vet soon..."
"Sara's one her way."
Martha nods
"Call the vet and have him come pick Felix up. I will deal with an repercussions with the police." Ian heads up the stairs to Emma's room. "Emma" he looks around the room when he notices an envelope on the dresser. He opens the envelope and removes a piece of paper.
'She won't be harmed. I will call soon.'
Ian sits on the bed the note in hand and takes a deep breath. "She'll be OK." He mutters
Hesitantly Loki crawls out from under the bed whimpering.
Ian looks at the shaking dog. "She'll be fine Loki." He scratches the dog's head. "I'll get her back." He looks at the nightstand pictures of he, Sara, and Emma laughing. "I'm not going to lose her." He says firmly.
WHILE LATER
"Ian" Sara calls entering the house.
"He's upstairs." Martha says from beside Felix.
Sara gasps seeing the body of an unknown man and Hugo. "Where's Emma?" Sara asks puzzled by the fact her daughter isn't comforting her beloved dog. When Martha doesn't answer, Sara hurries up the stairs to find Ian sitting on the floor of Emma's bedroom with Loki's head on his lap. "Ian where's Emma?"
"She's gone." Ian says glancing up.
"Gone? What do you mean gone? Who was that man?"
Ian stands handing her the large envelope. "I received this before Martha called me."
Sara opens the envelope paling at the pictures. "Someone followed her?!" She looks at Ian horrified. "Where is she?"
"I know nothing." Ian says
"Who has her?" Sara demands
"I don't know."
"Why didn't you call the police?" Sara questions "Someone kidnaps our daughter and you don't call the police?!"
"Because this isn't something the police can handle."
"What?"
"This isn't a normal kidnapping Sara."
"Normal? There's nothing normal about kidnapping!" Sara says angrily.
"Because it's connected to me!" Ian retorts. "Nothing connected to me is normal. This person knows me."
"So what now? We just ignore the fact that someone took our daughter!" Sara says angrily. "What about that man downstairs?"
"We'll have to report that but we don't have to report Emma missing."
"What?!"
"Look, give me 48 hours to find her."
"You want to put Emma in more danger?!" Sara exclaims
"No! Telling the police and getting them involved puts her in danger."
"Then how are we going to explain the body downstairs?" Sara asks.
"I'll handle that. I know this goes against everything you were taught but if this is something that was caused by me I want to handle it in my own way." He says "Please Sara."
"What are you going to tell them about Emma?"
"That she's at Father's. He already agreed to cover. Once we get her back I will tell the truth, I promise."
Sara sits on the bed, "Just get her back."
Ian kneels before her. "I will... I swear." He brings her hand to his lips. "I'm not going to let anyone hurt her."
Sara nods "I know."
"You call Danny and McCartey and I'm going to go help Martha with Felix."
"Ian" she whispers
"It's going to be fine." Ian kisses her lightly then stands walking out of the room.
Sara takes out her phone dialing the number for the office.
"Homicide, Woo."
"Danny its Sara. There's a problem..."
10 MINS LATER: NOTTINGHAM HOUSE
"My God the man's throat was ripped out." Jake says with disgust as he sees the body. "Sorry about the dog man."
"He died doing what he was trained to do." Ian says looking at his dog. "The vet came to get Felix and he's at the animal hospital."
"How bad was he hurt?" Danny asks
"He was shot in the shoulder. Vet said he should be fine." Ian answers
"Where's Emma?" Danny asks thinking that the teen will be worried about her dog.
"She's at Father's, I decided to drop her off there for the day. Martha had errands to run and I didn't want to leave her home alone all day with a fever." Ian explains
"Where's Sara?" Jake asks
"Upstairs in Emma's room. She's trying to get Loki to calm down enough to come out of Emma's room. He refuses to leave." Ian answers. "Martha is going to take him over to Father's once your officers are done with her."
LITTLE LATER: ACROSS TOWN
The man looks at the sleeping teen. "How did it go?" He asks the man standing nearby.
"Jones is dead. One of the dogs attacked him."
"Did the girl see that?"
"No. She was asleep. She didn't wake until the needle was in her arm."
"The dogs?"
"Shot two... couldn't find the third."
The man nods. "No one interacts with the girl. She's a fighter, her father trained her from a young age."
"How much damage could she do?" He asks looking at the girl.
"Her father was Special Forces, Black Ops... assassin... fighter also taught from a young age."
He looks at the girl with renewed interest. "When are you going to call her Old Man?"
"Soon." The two men walk out of the room locking the door behind them.