"Thanks for the lift, Steve." Rick hugged the former Colonel as he got ready to fly back to Ojai.

"Don't mention it, pal. Rudy needs a ride anyway." Steve Austin grinned as their mutual friend rushed through the gate, security guard in tow.

"There you are, guys. I'm glad you're here, Rick. Laurie was miserable without you yesterday." Rudy advised him, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "It's a good thing Robin stayed with her last night, otherwise neither of us would have gotten much sleep."

"Is she okay, Rudy?" Rick started to worry, then the doctor shook his head and put a hand on his shoulder.

"She's fine, son. She just had trouble sleeping; she said she had a headache. I gave her an aspirin, and she finally nodded off with Robin next to her. Oscar was going to make sure she had some tea before she went to her table in the hall."

"Thanks, Rudy, you don't know how I worried I was yesterday. As soon as I file our paperwork with Phoenix P.D., I'll go get Laurie and Robin from the Convention and head for home." Rick told them.

"No trouble, Rick. Laurie was very good yesterday, but I'm glad she's calling it quits on the appearances. Too many unsettling people, at least they secured her area and she has two security guards." Rudy informed him.

"Thanks, Rudy, I'll feel better when I see her. Whoa, what was that?" Rick saw a flash of light toward the city, then lights around the terminal going out.

"Oh, damn, it's a power outage of some kind." Steve turned around, then saw a few emergency blinkers go on. Immediately security officials came around, announcing all flights were grounded.

"Geez, Steve, I'm sorry." Rick felt bad that his friends were stranded, then the big man put a hand on his shoulder.

"Nothing to be sorry about, it's an act of whatever." Steve grinned. "You go right ahead to my buddy, I hope there's not a blackout where she is, she really hates the dark."

"You're right about that, Steve, I'm going, if you can't fly out tonight call me, I'll give you guys a place to hang tonight!" Rick promised, then waving goodbye, hightailed for his truck.

Across town, Laurie was thinking of her husband, as she waited to take her turn at the podium. "Laurie." her thoughts were interrupted by the voice of James Archer, and she smiled when she saw his calm smile. "Yes, James?"

"I've got some good news, I'd like to show you something if I can." he looked excited, and her heart went out to the quiet man.

"Sure, what is it, I'll be speaking in a few minutes." Laurie stepped away from the waiting area. James took her hand, then led her toward the backstage area.

Suddenly the lights flickered then went out and the whole area was dark. As voices called out and murmuring from the audience started, Laurie was startled, then was grateful that James had her arm.

"What's going on, is it a power outage?" she asked him, blindly following him.

"I think so, I heard it started out by the airport, I guess it spread." his voice came back to her strangely different. At once a warning bell went off in her head, something was wrong.

"James, where are we going, I want to find my son and daughter." she started, then realized they were near the exits in the back of the hall.

"I'll take them to you soon, but I have a wonderful surprise for you, you'll be very happy." he told her, pulling her along. Uncomfortable, Laurie stopped dead in her tracks.

"James, I want to go back, I'm scared of the dark and I want my children, now." she said, then tried to jerk her hand loose. Abruptly he dragged her close to him, then covered her face with a cloth as she struggled with him. .

"No, no, Laurie, it's all right, you'll be safe with me, safe in your new place." she heard him saying and she hit at Archer with her fists, only for him to pin her wrists with one strong hand.

"No." she moaned, feeling dizzy and sick, then she felt herself falling, hearing his voice before she passed out.

"You'll be safe with me."

An hour later, Rick was finally arriving at the convention center, cursing the traffic jams and figuring he had missed hearing his wife speak. As he pulled into the parking lot, he saw crowds of people milling around, then caught sight of his daughter and Ian Whitecloud, looking anxious. As soon as he found a place, he jumped out and ran to them, a bad feeling in his stomach.

"Robin?" he yelled, and she turned, then waved at him.

"Pop! Thank God you made it!" she called to him, then hugged him as he reached them.

"What happened, did you guys have a power outage too?" he asked, and Ian nodded.

"Yes, Dad, just before Mom was to speak, we're waiting for them to let us back in, only thing is we haven't seen her and I can't find anyone who knows where she is."

"Maybe she's with Prescott and that James Archer, I know they were responsible for her schedule. Is Oscar here?" Rick was troubled, this wasn't like Laurie.

"Yes, he's pulling rank and gone inside with Robbie to find her." Robin answered, starting to feel worried herself.

At once Rick "called" to her, "Laurie, where are you, sweetheart?"

There was no response, just a feeling like, she was in trouble.

"Angel, I'm here, answer me, please."

Nothing.

"Pop!" Rick turned and saw Robbie coming toward him, then he reached out and embraced his son. "Did you find her, son?"

"No, and we just got power inside. Nobody's seen her since before the blackout, almost an hour and a half ago. The last person who saw her was Mr. Prescott, he said she was in the waiting area then when they escorted everyone out she wasn't there. Uncle Oscar and the security team are going through the hall and backstage now." Robbie answered, grateful his father was there.

"I'm not getting anything from her, let me try her transmitter." Rick felt a growing fear as he hit the button on his transmitter, then called to his wife, "Laurie, it's Rick, darlin' where are you?"

No reply, so Rick called to Oscar and the older man responded.

"Son, I'm glad you're back. Any sign of Laurie?"

"No, Dad, can you get the locator turned on for her?" Rick asked.

"I'll do it right now, Rick. Keep trying to reach her, we've just about, oh, no." Oscar's voice was anguished, then he was silent for a moment.

"Dad, what is it?" Rick heard a deep breath, then Oscar finally came back on. "I found Laurie's watch with blood on it, it was near the hall exit. Rick, she's in danger, someone must have taken her."

"We'll find Laurie, I promise, Dad. She has her pendant on, we should be able to find her with that." Rick grasped at the chance of locating her with the backup transmitter his wife always wore.

"You're right, son. In the meantime, try to find out who may have been with her in the waiting area, Prescott says the security cameras show her being escorted out of the area just before the power went out." Oscar explained.

"Will do, I'll have Robbie go look at the tape." Rick decided.

"Pop, wouldn't Mr. Archer have a list of the others who were supposed to speak?" Robin asked, trying to concentrate on anything but the thought of her mother being hurt.

"Yes, honey, he was the one in charge of the schedule." Rick looked around, then spotted Ron Johnson just parking his cruiser. "Robin, you and Ian see if anyone has seen Archer, he might have a copy. I'll see if Ron can put out an APB."

As the Simons split up, Rick went to meet the chief of detectives, only to see a tense look on his face. "Rick, I just got the call about Laurie, any news?"

He shook his head. "No, and I'm worried. Oscar found her watch near the exit to the hall, it had blood on it. I haven't been able to reach her, Ron. Someone has my girl and we don't know why."

"We'll find her, Rick. I've got her description on the radio and every patrol is on the lookout." Ron looked at Rick, then saw Robbie jogging toward them.

"Got something, son?"

"Yes, Ron, I just saw the tape of Mom in the waiting area next to the stage, she was talking to James Archer, then he took her arm and led her down the hall. Right after that the tape went blank. Only thing is, I just saw a tape of the back entrance, and you can see a figure carrying something or someone out to the parking lot. I hate to say it, Pop, but I think Mr. Archer took Mom."

"I can't believe it." Rick was heartsick. The man who had supposedly helped his wife get her start, how could he do this?

"Archer, isn't he the owner of those bookstores in all the malls." Ron asked, then seeing Robbie nod, continued, "Let me get a phone number and address for him, we'll call his home and see if anyone's seen him since, what was the time stamp on those security tapes, Rob?"

"The ones in the waiting room are 12:05 and the exit tapes are 12:12 pm." Robbie read from his notes.

"Good job, son. I'm going to call the station, guys. I'll be right back." Johnson turned on his heel and went to his cruiser.

Rick tried to reach out to his wife, "calling" to her. "Laurie, sweetheart, where are you?"

Suddenly he felt her respond, faintly at first. "Rick, darling, something's wrong."

"Laurie!" Rick quickly turned and told his son. "I hear your Mom. Find your uncle."

Standing next to Ron's cruiser, he asked Laurie, "Darlin' it's going to be all right, do you know where you are?"

"No, Rick, I feel dizzy, so tired. I was at the convention, I was going to talk, only..." he felt her pause, then a rush of fear came through him.

"Rick, he grabbed me, oh how could he do this, I was so scared!" Laurie "told" him, sounding like she was going to cry.

"Sweetheart, it's okay, who grabbed you?" Rick was livid at the thought of her being so frightened.

"James, James Archer, he said he had a surprise to show me, good news. Suddenly it was dark and Igot frightened, I told him I wanted to go find Robbie and Robin...." Abruptly her thoughts stopped, and Rick waited a moment, then "called" "Laurie, I'm here, what's wrong?"

"He's here, Rick he's gone crazy, he says this is my new home." Laurie told him, as Oscar rejoined Rick.

"Like hell it is, Laurie, can you move, try to turn on your pendant." Rick was hard put to stay calm, then he twisted the frequency knob on his watch until he got his wife's voice on his transmitter.

"Laurie, you're safe here, you don't have to worry. See, I fixed everything nice for you, you'll be happy here, I promise." Archer's voice came through loud and clear.

"No, James, untie me and let me go, please. I belong with my family, I want my children." Laurie's trembling voice sounded over the miniature speaker and Rick wanted to yell in frustration.

"You can be with your family, I promise once you get settled in, you can have them here, so Robin and Robbie will be protected too. Don't you understand, Laurie, this is for your benefit. You won't have to stop telling your Grandmother's stories now." the man's voice had an angry edge to it."

"James, I've written everything I can about my grandmother, I want to tell other stories now. You don't have the right to hold me here, I want to go back to my family now." Rick heard the anger in her voice, and he hastened to "tell" her, "Sweetheart, I'm listening. Find out from him where you are."

Suddenly a slap sounded over the transmitter, and Laurie cried out.

"Here is where you'll stay, Laurie. I've done everything for you over the years, I know what's best for you. I even got your Grandmother's journals for you, so you have no excuse for not having material to use." James Archer's voice had a vicious tone, and Rick quickly told Oscar "We need to find them now, he's losing it."

"Darlin', say anything to him, see if you can get him calmed down." he begged her.

After a moment, he heard her tearful voice, "James, I'm grateful for all your help, I was going to tell everyone at the convention you were there at the beginning."

"Ron called Archer's home, his wife is there now." the older man said quietly, his face pained at hearing what was happening to Laurie. "He's not there, but she's willing to talk to us."

"Let's go, Robbie?" he looked at his son. "You stay here and wait for Robin and Ian, I'll call you to let you know what's happening, if you get anything, signal your uncle."

"I will, Pop. Be careful." his son hugged him then embraced Oscar.

"I've got the search warrant." Johnson ran up to them, then the three men piled into the cruiser and took off, as the younger Simon watched with his heart in his throat.

Rick turned up his transmitter, and listened as Archer acted like nothing was wrong.

"I know, and I care so much about you and the children. I want you to be happy. I think I can help you with your writing, you don't have to quit telling Kasey's stories."

"I don't feel good, James, is there a bathroom, I'm going to be sick." Ron looked at him and whispered "if she can distract him, we have a better chance of taking him by surprise."

"Providing he's at his home, his wife says no, but maybe she knows of a second home." Oscar added. As the three men pulled up to a gated home, Rick heard James Archer offer to help his wife. "I've got your arm, Laurie, I'm sorry I had to take your shoes, but the floor is all carpet." he explained chattily.

As they heard a door close, Laurie turned some water on and then whispered "Rick, I'm going to be sick, please hurry."

"Darlin', it's okay, just breath through your nose." he told her, worried about her being ill.

"Rick, I'll stay and listen to my girl, you go in with Ron." Oscar offered, and Rick thanked him. "Oscar's here, he's going to talk to you while I find out where you're at, sweetheart."

As the older man waited, Laurie put some water on her face, then told Oscar, "I'm going to see if I can convince him to let me go, Dad."

"Be careful, honey. We'll be there soon." he told her softly, then was quiet as Archer opened the door. "Do you feel better, Laurie?" he asked. "No, my stomach is so upset. Please James, I want to be with my children, I promise not to tell anyone about this, please take me back to the convention center." Laurie pleaded.

A sigh was heard, then James Archer's voice.

"All right, Laurie, come sit down here and I'll bring you together with your children. You must be thirsty, this will make you feel better." Oscar heard the man pouring something in a cup, then Laurie making a choking noise. "No, no, you must drink this." His tone insistent.

Oscar knew something was wrong, then he listened as Archer said, "Wait right here and I'll get the car."

A door closed,, then Oscar suddenly heard a gasp, then Laurie's voice, wavering.

"Dad, I don't feel good, something in the water......" then silence.