"Honey, you should go to bed. The guys probably got to talking, that's all." Cecilia looked at Laurie's worried face, then hugged her.
"Thanks, Mom, but I'll stay up. I can't sleep without, I mean, I'm not tired." Laurie tried to put the best face on it. "You go to bed, I'll let the guys in when they come back."
"Okay, sweetie. If you hear anything….." her mother-in-law kissed her cheek, "It'll be all right, Mom." Laurie embraced her. "It's almost 4, they'll be here anytime."
As Cecilia went to her and A.J.'s room, Laurie sat down in a chair next to the sleeping Andrea, then tried to clear her mind and aim her thoughts toward her husband.
"Rick, I know you can hear me, where are you, love?" There was no response, so she figured he was still too far to read.
As the sun came up, Laurie couldn't take it anymore. She turned on her transmitter and hit send.
"Rick, A.J., can you hear me? It's Laurie."
Nothing but static. Then she saw the red light on her watch. Rick's transmitter was on.
Just then she heard a small whimper, then "Ma?"
Startled, she turned and saw a bright-eyed Andrea, sitting up and looking at her.
"Good morning, Andrea, it's Auntie Laurie."
A puzzled look came over her face, so Laurie sighed and repeated "Auntie".
"T!" the little girl repeated, giggling.
"I guess that's good enough, little one." She smiled in spite of her worry, then held out her arms.
Immediately Andrea came to her, and Laurie busied herself in getting the child up, then feeding her breakfast.
Finally settling Andrea in the sitting room with a children's program on, Laurie called the hotel operator, just in case there were any messages.
As she expected, there were none. Hearing a knock at the connecting door, she called, "Mom?"
"Laurie, open up, I just got off the phone."
Letting her in, Laurie saw Cecilia's nervous expression. "What is it, Mom?"
"Honey, I talked to Consuelo, Carlos's sister. He's in a hospital in Tijuana, there was an accident."
"Oh, no. Is he all right, are the guys with him?" Laurie had a sick feeling in her stomach.
"No, the guys weren't with him when he was found. Apparently he told the doctors they were forced off the road and Rick told him to go for help. Honey, Carlos told Consuelo we need to call the authorities. Rick and A.J. may have been taken hostage."
Taking a deep breath, Laurie embraced Cecilia, then headed for the phone.
First reaching their friend Abby's replacement at San Diego PD, Lt. Nixon, she reported the brothers' disappearance, then called Ron and Abby. Hearing their shock and worry, Laurie nonetheless felt better with Ron's taking charge of calling the Border Patrol and coordinating their search with that of Lt. Nixon.
After speaking with her father and Rudy Wells, Laurie nearly broke down hearing the unspoken fear in their voices. Promising to come to San Diego on the first available flight, Oscar offered to call both Robbie and Robin, hoping somehow they may have heard something on their transmitters.
"No, Uncle Oscar, but I'll try reaching them both. I can call in to work and come to San Diego to help look for Pop and Uncle A.J." Robbie offered.
"No, son. I need you to go over to your Aunt Linda's, just in case A.J. tries to reach her. Rudy'll join you there" The former OSI chief explained. As he spoke, Rudy comforted Robin, who was upset that her pregnancy prevented her from flying over to be with her mother.
"Honey, the best thing you can do is keep calm, not just for your Mom, but for your baby." He reminded her, then asked a nervous Ian to bring his wife over to her Aunt's house, believing they'd be safer there.
As the hours passed, Laurie and Cecilia took turns calling and speaking with the Baja authorities, who promised to investigate the Simon's disappearance.
As she waited for a call back from the hospital where Carlos was being treated, Laurie suddenly had a cold sensation, then she was watching Rick running through the dark, his figure illuminated by headlights. Men's voices were all around him, then the sound of shouting. She called to him to watch out, then he turned, as if he heard her voice.
"Rick, no!" she heard shots fired, then he fell.
"Rick!" Laurie screamed, then came to herself, sobbing.
At once Oscar's voice was in her ears. "Laurie, honey, breathe, just breathe. It's all right, you're safe."
Laurie opened her eyes, and found that Cecilia had just let Oscar in. Immediately he pulled her into his arms.
"Dad, I saw Rick, he's going to be shot!" she gasped. The older man continued comforting her, "Baby, it's okay, we'll find him. I promise. I need you to take deep breaths, that's it."
Slowly she calmed down and the tightness in her chest started to ease. "Was it a premonition?" Cecilia asked, handing her a glass of water. Laurie nodded then taking a sip, she let Oscar pick her up and put her on the sofa. Cecilia fetched a blanket then wrapped her up. "Better, honey?"
"Thanks, Mom." Laurie squeezed her hand.
"Laurie, how long have they been gone?" Oscar sat next to her and put an arm around her.
"Since yesterday afternoon, he and A.J. was just going to Tijuana to get a couple of piñatas for Christmas; his friend Carlos supposedly knew a great place that would make them to order." She tried to keep the fear out of her voice.
"That's A.J. told us." he replied, then added, "I thought they were just going and coming back."
"They were, but we haven't heard anything since. I just left a message for the doctor treating Carlos to let me know when he can talk again, he's the only key to where the guys were last." Laurie answered. She looked down, then Oscar put his hand on her chin and raised her troubled face.
"I just hate to tell Rick why Carlos wanted him to come, Dad. He's sick and wanted Rick and I to raise his child." She choked, "But I refuse to think that Carlos would ever put the guys in danger on purpose."
"We'll find them, just let me make a few calls. Did you try to reach Rick or A.J. on their transmitters." Oscar asked, his hand already reaching for the cordless phone.
"Yes, but I haven't gotten any response." As Laurie went to try again, a squeal of "T", sounded, and she sighed.
"Dad, she's so good, you'll love her. The only reason Mom and I didn't go with the guys is Andrea."
"Andrea?" Oscar turned then smiled faintly as Laurie left the room then returned with the playful girl in her arms.
"Andrea, this is Uncle Oscar, say hi!"
Instantly the child smiled, showing a baby tooth, and Oscar melted.
"Hello, sweetheart." He took her from Laurie and soon was carrying her around as he made his phone calls.
Within minutes he had spoken with the police in Tijuana, finding out that the wreck that was Carlos's car had been discovered within minutes of the border crossing. The Border Patrol told him the packages containing the piñata's they had purchased were still in the customs area, unclaimed.
Suddenly Andrea started to wail, and Laurie was startled to realize it was already after two.
"Oh my gosh, the poor thing's hungry. Let me go get the rest of the baby food from the truck." She told him.
Fetching her set of car keys, she went downstairs to the guest parking, then pulled the bag of baby food from the truck cab. Hearing the sound of a speeding car, she looked up to see a van screeching into the parking lot, then head straight for her. Backing quickly out of the way, she heard footsteps in back of her, then a man called "Mrs. Simon!"
Instinctively she turned then saw a eerily familiar face. Suddenly it was blocked out by something thrown over her head, then she felt arms grabbing her, lifting her up. The bag fell from her hand and she heard the jars smash on the ground. Faintly she heard a voice shouting her name.
Laurie let out a muffled cry, struggling against the person holding her, then a hand was over her mouth as she was placed on a hard floor, then a door slammed shut.
"Don't move, Mrs. Simon, or I'll kill your husband and his brother." A voice threatened.
Terrified, Laurie froze as she felt the van lurch forward, then gain speed.
"That's it, Mrs. Simon. Do as you're told and I'll let you see your husband, one last time." Her abductor promised in a snide voice.
Trying to remain calm, Laurie carefully inched her fingers onto her watch, then managed to turn the transmitter on. Instantly her arms were pinned to her sides, then something was tied around her.
Fear gripped her, then she started trying to calm down. "Please let them pick up my signal." She prayed.
As the fugitive van sped toward the border, Rick paced angrily in a small rusting cell, illuminated only by a single light bulb. He blamed himself for their predicament. A.J. had been right; now the two brothers were as good as dead.
Carlos must have known about the prison escape, why else would he have left his daughter with Laurie and Cecilia, he had knowledge of the Simon's and himself being hunted.
Having been taken at gunpoint to an abandoned city jail, Rodriquez grinned as first Rick then A.J. were handcuffed then thrown onto the floor of the cell.
"Well, Senor Simon, you and your brother get the privilege now of captivity. Let's see how you like being on the other end." The prison escapee gloated, starting to walk away.
Abruptly he paused, then smirked, adding, "I think I'll invite your nosy wife to join us; she's bound to miss you and I hate to deprive her of your company during your last hours."
"Leave her alone, damn it! She's done nothing to you." Rick shouted in a blind rage.
A.J. tensed beside him, then glared as Rodriquez merely laughed. "Nothing to me, huh, other then alienating my only brother?" He then walked away, locking the door behind him.
Now, as hours passed, Rick tried several times to contact his wife, realizing belatedly they were probably out of range. As both Rick and A.J. were stripped of their watches, the brothers exchanged a worried look, fearful their real purpose would be discovered and ruining any chance of them being located.
"Rick, sit down. This is not your fault." A. J. said, breaking the silence.
"I should have listened to you, little brother. I'm sorry I got you in this." Rick retorted, shamefaced.
"You didn't do anything wrong, Rick. Neither did Carlos. Rodriquez had years to plan this, we only had seconds to react." A.J. told him heatedly.
"Thanks, A.J.." Rick sighed, then heard Laurie calling to him in his thoughts.
"Sweetheart?" he answered, then felt her relief.
At that moment footsteps echoed in the distance, then the door to the cells opened and Rick swore, seeing Rodriquez and his accomplices dragging in a woman with a sack tied over her head and arms.
"Laurie!" he cried. Immediately Rodriquez said something in Spanish to the man holding her, who responded by pulling the covering off Laurie. She was gasping for breath and Rick paled at her tear-streaked face.
"Let her go, she can't breathe." He snarled at their captor.
"Of course, Senor." He responded, motioning with his head for his accomplice to bring her forward.
Producing a gun, he waved Rick away from the cell door, then unlocked it. As it opened, Rodriquez grasped her arm then pushed her in, causing her to stumble. Only Rick's quick reflexes stopped Laurie from falling, managing to catch her with his manacled hands.
"Make the most of your time together." The criminal smirked, then barked a command in Spanish and herded the other two men out of the room.
As the door closed behind them, Rick hurriedly untied the rope from around her arms as she caught her breath. "Sweetheart, are you all right, did they hurt you?"
"No, darling, just scared me. They threatened to kill you two in front of me if I resisted. Are you guys okay?" she asked, managing a smile as A.J. squeezed her hand.
"A little sore, honey. Is mom all right?"
"Yes, but awfully worried." She admitted, then lowered her voice. "Oh Rick, Carlos is in the hospital, he told us what happened to you two. We were so frightened, then Oscar came and started trying to track you down." Laurie bit her lip, then added tearfully, "I was so dumb, I didn't think that Rodriquez might have found out where we were."
Rick looped his arms around her, and kissed her as he replied, "No, sweetheart, you're not dumb. You didn't know he tracked us here. Where'd he grab you from?"
As Laurie told the brothers how she was abducted, Rick became infuriated. "The bastard. I'll kill him."
"You'll have to stand in line, Rick." A.J. retorted, then groaned as Rick suddenly got a gleam in his eye.
"Darlin', did you happen to carry your little knife with you?"
Laurie nodded, then blushed as Rick said, "Uh, A.J.?"
With a faint chuckle, A.J. turned his back and watched the door as Rick clung to his wife, masking her reaching under her top and retrieving the miniature blade she carried in her bra. Within minutes she had picked their handcuffs, then turned the switch on her watch to reach Oscar.
Rubbing his swollen wrists, Rick listened as Laurie whispered "Dad? I'm with Rick and A.J.. Can you hear me?"
Through a burst of static the older man's voice burst. "Laurie, baby, are you all right?"
Reassuring him she was fine, Laurie turned her watch over to Rick. "Dad, it's Rick, where are you?"
"At the border crossing, are you and A.J. okay?" " Oscar replied, anxiously.
"Bumped and bruised, but in one piece. We don't have much time; they're holding us in an old jail near the industrial park off the main highway. Can you track our signal?" he asked.
"Doing it as we speak, son. I should have a position on you any minute. How many men does Rodriquez have?" Oscar inquired, conferring with someone in the background.
"At least two, I don't think Matthews is involved this time, so Rodriquez is relying on hired help that only speaks Spanish." Rick answered, wrapping an arm around his wife.
At that A.J. tensed, then spoke up. "Someone's coming, hide the watch."
Rick handed it back to his wife, then pulled her in front of him to make it look as if he and A.J. were still handcuffed. Just as Laurie pulled it over her wrist, the door opened and the gun-toting convict came in, followed by his accomplices.
"All right, Mrs. Simon. Do as you are told and I'll let you live. You're going to make a call to your friends and tell them that you and the mister are going to Mexico for a couple of days, not to worry. If you aren't convincing, I'll kill your brother-in-law then your husband in front of you, slowly." Rodriquez sneered, unlocking the door with one hand then motioning Laurie out with the gun.
She shook her head, then heard Rick "tell" her, "Play along until I say freeze, Laurie."
"Now, Mrs. Simon." The man barked.
Pretending to obey, Laurie got up from the hard bench, still shielding Rick's hands from Rodriquez and his men. As she came toward the open cell door, Rick got up, then waited until she was in the doorway and their assailant was reaching for her.
"Freeze", he "told" her, then pushing Laurie out of the way, knocked the gun from the surprised man's hand as A.J. flung the cell door into both of the henchmen's faces, sending them to the floor.
"This is for laying a hand on my wife." Rick shouted, punching Rodriguez in the face then in the stomach.
As he collapsed to the floor, Rick grabbed Laurie by the hand as A.J. rushed the door then helped Rick jam the lock once all three were out of the room.
Catching his breath, Rick saw a door at the end of the hall, remembering it as the way his brother and he were brought in. "This way." he told them, then headed to the exit.
As he opened the door, the sound of something crashing behind them signaled Rodriquez was attempting to break out of the locked room, and the three Simons hurried out the door. As they came outside, they saw it was getting dark. Laurie spoke into her transmitter. "Dad, we're outside, Rodriquez is coming after us."
"We know where you are, honey. We'll be there in a minute, hang on!" came his breathless reply. Rick heard shouts from behind them, then A.J. spotted a white van a short distance away.
"We'll hide behind that van until Oscar gets here." He said, then Laurie offered, "that's the van they used to grab me, it might be unlocked."
"Good girl." Rick whispered, kissing her cheek. He nodded at his brother, who looked to see if anyone was around, then sprinted to the van and disappeared. Waiting a beat, Rick held Laurie's hand then the two of them ran for it. As they rounded the vehicle, the side door slid open and A.J. appeared. "Get in!"
Boosting his wife in then climbing in, the older Simon closed the door soundlessly then told A.J., "Look."
Peering through the rear window, they saw the door to the jail burst open and the three men rush out.
Rick could see them looking around, then Rodriquez gesturing at the highway. As two of his men started running in the direction of the road, the escaped convict came toward the van.
"He's figured out we came this way." A.J. voiced, frowning. Rick gave him a worried look, then abruptly grinned.
"Okay, A.J., let's bring him closer, then give him the slip."
Puzzled, Laurie looked at the two brothers, then got it.
"Good idea, darling." She murmured, then put her arms around him.
"I love you, whatever happens."
Rick nearly choked up, then managed a quick "I love you, too", as she kissed him.
Carefully opening the side door, Rick caught a glimpse of Rodriquez attempting to sneak around the side of the van, and he motioned for A.J. to slide out and run for the cover of the cars parked on the roadway. Just as A.J. started to exit, a caravan of cars roared into the parking lot, their lights pinning the two accomplices like a spotlight. A.J. ran toward the lead car, waving his hands, and the figure of Oscar immediately came out and beckoned him over.
Suddenly gunfire rang out, and everyone hit the ground. Rick looked at Laurie, then mouthed "Rodriguez".
Peering through the window, he saw Rodriguez sliding around the side of the van, and he pushed his wife toward the passenger door. Laurie shook her head, only to see the determination in her husband's eyes.
"Go now, sweetheart, please." Rick told her in a hushed voice.
Her lips formed "I love you." Then she turned and edged out the open door. He watched as she zigzagged through the rough ground to the rescuers. Rick heard the rustling next to the sliding door, then peeked out to see the convict aiming his weapon at her figure.
Furious, Rick slid the door open then pounced on the would-be killer, knocking him to the ground. As they wrestled for the gun, shouting was in the background. Rick tried to pin Rodriguez' hand then flip him, only to end up underneath his assailant. Rick kicked and squirmed, seeing him with something in his hand, then managed to duck his head away as Rodriquez tried to brain him with his gun.
Managing to jackknife his legs, Rick kicked with sudden force and propelled the convict off him. Scrambling to his feet, Rick took off running, only to feel a bullet go whizzing by his head.
Faking that the bullet hit its target, he dove to the ground, then heard a scream, "Rick!"
A volley of shots went off around him, and he stayed down until they stopped.
Getting to his feet, he saw men moving toward him, and he held up his hands.
"I'm Rick Simon, uh, American."
A light focused on him, then A.J.'s voice. "Rick?"
At once he squinted through the glare, then caught his brother in his arms. 'Thank God! We thought he shot you!" A.J. gasped.
"I thought he got you, is he..?" Rick's fear turned to relief as aman turned from the group of law enforcement around a figure sprawled on the ground, then answered. "Yes, Mr. Simon. He's history."
Suddenly Rick heard Oscar shout "Rick?"
"Oh boy, Laurie thinks you were shot, too." A.J. groaned, and the two brothers sprinted to the car where the big man stood, holding a trembling Laurie in his arms.
"Laurie." Rick called to her as he approached, then he saw her look up.
Oscar released her into his embrace, then shot him a look of gratitude as Rick comforted his wife. "Sweetheart, I'm okay, shhh."
"Thank God, my love. I thought.. I thought my premonition.. it was like watching a nightmare." She clung to him, half-sobbing.
"No, darlin', I just faked him out, that's all. My brave girl, he's gone, he'll not hurt us again." Rick promised, stroking her hair.
Sniffing, she raised her eyes to his face, then smiled. "Only brave because of you, Rick. You always come back to me."
"Always will, my angel." He kissed her, then hugged Oscar. "Thanks, dad. You made it in the nick of time."
"You're welcome, son. Nice fake out. Promise me one thing, though?" Oscar replied humorously.
"What's that?" Rick warily answered, then laughed as the older man said 'Next time you want to get a piñata, go to a party shop!"