Chapter 3

In the morning

John was in the kitchen and made breakfast for Sam and Chloe. He didn't sleep since he called Bailey in New Jersey, because he worried too much about the whole situation. He poured himself a cup of coffee and sat down on the table, as he heard a voice from behind.

"Good morning, John", the little girl walked to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Morning Sweetie… how are you today", he asked her.

"Yeah, I'm fine… but I'm hungry!"she grinned and sat down on a chair beside him.

John smiled, "Okay, and what do you want?"

"Uhm… do you have cereals, John?" she asked, grinningly.

"Of course I do" he went to the cupboard and took out a packet of Choco Pops. Then he filled a bowl full of milk and handed it to Chloe. She thanked him and began to eat.

"Is your Mummy still asleep?" John asked, while he watched her eating.

The little girl nodded, "I think she is very tired… and she had some nightmares, too".

"Really?" John asked, concerning. "I'm going to look after her, I'll be right back" he smiled and left the kitchen.

John opened the bedroom door silently. Sam was still asleep and he watched her for a moment. Cautiously he sat down on the bed beside her and whispered, "Sam?"

Sam stirred and slowly opened her eyes, as she saw John in front of her, "John?! What are you doing in my bedroom?" she asked, confusing.

"First of all, this is my bedroom," he informed her with a smile, "but it doesn't matter… how are you today?" he asked.

Sam looked around and sighed, "Oh, I remember… okay, of course it's yours" she smiled, "yeah, I think I'm fine… where's Chloe?" she asked.

"Oh, she's in the kitchen, having breakfast. Sam, I have to tell you something."

"Yeah, what?" she looked into his blue eyes.

"I have a plan… actually it's Baileys but okay" he started.

"Bailey? You phoned him?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, of course… he always knows what to do" he looked at her and continued. "Okay, here's the plan. Is there a friend of Chloe, where she can stay for a few days?" John asked, hopefully.

"Uhm… yeah, Amber is a good friend of hers… but why…" she asked, confusing.

"Okay, great. You call her later. Bailey told me about his house outside of Atlanta, and he suggested to hide there until it's safe. After the wedding, which will be this afternoon, he'll immediately come back and try to find out who did this okay." John told her.

"But where's this house? I don't know if I'll find it." Sam looked at John.

"Don't worry… I know the way, we're gonna find it!" he smiled.

"What… what do you mean we? You're not coming with me, do you?" she said.

"Of course I do! Do you think I would let you go to a house, somewhere in the middle of nowhere… all alone? No way!" he said with a smile.

Sam sat on the bed and looked into John's eyes. She was so happy to be with him right now, because she wouldn't know what to do, if she was all by herself. Everybody knew, she's a very tough and self conscious woman, but if it comes to her own family, she becaomes too weak, nervous and hurtful. She couldn't bear to lose another member of her family after Tom.

"Sam? Hey… earth to Sam… anybody at home?" he said, looking at her.

"What? Uh.... sorry uhm… did you say something?" Sam asked.

"Yeah… I said, we should hurry" he stood up and walked to the door, "coffee is ready!" he said and went back to the kitchen.

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30 minutes later

Sam came into the kitchen with the phone in her hand. "Okay, Amber's Mum agreed… Chloe can stay with them for a couple of days." Sam informed John.

"What? I can sleep at Amber's? Really?" Chloe looked at her mother, smiling widely.

"Yep, I have to work you know… outside of Atlanta." she glanced at John, "…and since Angel is not here at the moment, you can stay with Amber. It's cool, isn't it?" Sam smiled at her little daughter, "but now I have to discuss something with John, okay?" she told her and left with John the kitchen. "John, I drive Chloe to her friend and you go to the headquarters, looking for the key." She told him.

"What? No no… I don't let you alone, Sam. It's too dangerous if we split now. First, we bring Chloe to her friend and then we're looking for this stupid key. And that's that." he looked into her eyes and walked into the bedroom to pack some things.

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2 hours later

Sam and John got out from a big supermarket with 4 bags full with food and walked towards John's car.

"Do you think we bought enough" Sam asked.

"Sam… 4 bags for both of us… I don't want to spend the whole winter there, you know." He told her, jokingly.

"Neither do I but I think better more than less", Sam responded, while John opened the trunk and put all the bags in it. Both got inside the car and John started, "Okay, we have the key… a bag with some things, food…", he grabbed inside his jacket, "…my cell phone, my gun…".

"Wait… your gun? For what?" she asked, concerning.

"I don't know… but it won't do any harm." she looked at her.

"Well… you're right," she sighed and took the map. "So, where is this cabin exactly?"

"Hmm… let me see…" he grabbed the map, "okay… there…" he pointed at a spot in the middle of a forest south from Atlanta . "We take this highway and then… we have to look for the right exit… along this road through the forest…hmm… well okay, this should take an hour or two." he looked at Sam and gave her the map.

"Great, then let's go" she smiled and fastened her seatbelt.

Two hours later they arrived at Bailey's house.

"Looks nice, doesn't it?" John got out of the car and opened the trunk.

Sam nodded and took the bag from the seat behind, "John?"

"Yeah?" he took two bags and looked at her.

"Are you sure nobody followed us?" she looked around and then at John.

"I didn't see anyone… no car… nothing. Don't worry Sam, we're safe here." He said with a smile and opened the door. Sam followed him, put the bag down on the chair next to the door and looked through the house.

"It's really nice here… I think I could stay here for a while" she took off her coat and walked towards the kitchen. "Besides this… I didn't have a vacation for two years." she smiled at John.

"You call this vacation? Did you forget I'm here, too?" John looked at her, grinning.

"Don't be ridiculous John… I'm glad you're here with me. " she told him, looking into his eyes, and he did the same. Four years they worked together and became good friends, trying to hide their feeling for each other. The whole VCTF team could see the chemistry between them, except John and Sam.

After a moment of looking at each other John answered, "You're very welcome… I... I told you, I'm always here for you… if you like it or not." he smiled.

"Thanks" she smiled back at him, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I … I go and … get the remaining stuff from the car." John said and walked back to his car.

Sam watched him walking away and smiled. She never thought they would get so close, that John would help her in such difficult situations. Normally, Bailey was there for her. No matter when or why, but they were best friends since they worked together. And she thought there wouldn't be another person like him, but she was wrong.

A few seconds later, John came back and brought the bags into the kitchen. "So, what would you like to do now?" he asked, looking into her eyes, "I mean… we can cook something… or I don't know… watch TV?" he suggested.

"Hm, I don't know… maybe we explore the surroundings a little bit?" Sam said.

"Sounds great" he smiled and left with Sam the house.

"Did you hear that?" Sam closed her eyes, as they sat down on a log a few minutes ago from Bailey's house.

John looked around and then at Sam, "No, what?"

"Absolutely nothing… pure silence, it's fantastic… isn't it?" she smiled and looked at him.

John laughed, "Yeah… that's true. No Bailey who's screaming at me, because I still haven't finished my paperwork…" he said, grinning. With these words, his cell phone rang and he saw Bailey's name on the display, "Oh great, when we speak from the devil!" John laughed and took the call. "Hey Bailey, how are you doing?"

"Hey John… where are you?" Bailey asked.

"Oh we're at your house already. Really nice place!" John answered.

"Yeah, I know… John, I don't get a flight for today… I'll take a machine tomorrow morning, okay?" Bailey told him.

"Tomorrow?" he looked at Sam, "well, this should be okay… maybe you can call Nathan and George, so that they can start until you're in Atlanta ."

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A few miles away a man was sitting inside a small bus with a pair of headphones and listened to the phone call between John and Bailey. "Not very smart colleagues you have there, Sam." he grinned.

Last night, when Sam was at John's apartment he manipulated John's car with a radio beacon, so that he was able to follow them wherever they decided to go. That he bugged the phone calls of John was just an addition to find out what they were planning. So he sat there and listened to their conversation.....

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