Author's Notes: Thanks as always for the reviews
Chapter Five
Awakening to a throbbing head, Jillian Deline slowly got to an elbow and put a hand to her temple. The blonde-haired, older woman's eyes opened to see total darkness, immediately causing her to wonder about where she was and how she got there. Thinking back, she could remember being ambushed and drugged by strange men in the middle of nowhere, but it seemed like a lifetime ago.
"Delinda." she whispered, suddenly remembering the other victim. Terrified, Jillian looked and groped around the dark room for any sign of her daughter. Her voice rose to a shout. "Delinda!"
"Mmm." a woman's voice groaned from nearby as Jillian's hand just barely touched what seemed to be another body. Finding that she didn't have the strength yet to stand, Mrs. Deline dragged herself over to the form. She could just make out the peaceful, sleeping features of her daughter.
"Thank God." a relieved Jillian whispered, hugging the younger woman close to her and refusing to let go. "It's going to be all right, sweetie. We're going to be just fine."
However, Jillian's mind was still focused on the men who had kidnapped the pair. Who were they? What did they want from the Delines? Suspecting that she knew the answer to the question, the blonde-haired, older woman closed her eyes and whispered a question into the dark.
"Oh, Eddie. Where are you?"
Opening the door, Larry was surprised to see Danny pacing around his hospital room like a caged animal. The tall, ex-Marine didn't seem to care that the hospital gown he was wearing was doing him no favors as he cradled his stomach with his injured, right arm and let the IV pole attached to the left drag behind him. Spotting his father out of the corner of his eye, Danny stopped in his tracks immediately. This allowed Larry the ability to see a weary look in his son's eyes; similar to one he had always had as a young child just before naptime.
"Thought that you were the doctor." Danny commented as Larry closed the door behind him.
"And I thought that you were supposed to be resting." Larry replied, walking over to his son.
"Can't." an honest Danny shook his head, "Not when Ed needs my help."
"But you can't help him right now, Danny." a gentle Larry said, putting a hand on his son's shoulder. "You look about ready to crash. Go sit back down on your bed."
"Not now." a defiant Danny waved off, trying to stifle the enormous fatigue he admittedly did feel inside. "I've got to figure out some way to make Ed take me along on whatever he's doing."
"Daniel Leo McCoy!" a suddenly firm Larry commanded, squeezing the younger man's shoulder tightly. "You are not going anywhere until you get some rest!"
"You can't order me around anymore, Dad!" Danny fired back, glaring at his father. "I'm not a kid!"
"You either go sit back on that hospital bed," an unrelenting Larry replied, pointing at the object in question. "Or I'll call Ed, who I'm sure will be more than happy to come back here and forcibly put you in it!"
"Fine." a reluctant Danny relented, marching back over to the bed, dragging the IV pole behind him. As he clambered back up on the bed, Larry moved the pole into the correct spot. "I don't see why you're so insistent about this."
"Trust me," a grinning Larry said, covering the hospital gown-clad Danny back up with blankets. "It would be ten times worse if your mother was here."
"I just want to help Ed." Danny sighed heavily, looking up at the ceiling. A couple tears of frustration trickled down his cheek. "Is that too much to ask? I mean, I know that I'm injured, but…"
"That's never stopped you before." Larry finished with an understanding nod. He smiled gently at his son. "Tell you what, kiddo. How about you get some sleep right now, and I'll speak with your doctor to see how early you can be released from this place?" A surprised look appeared in Danny's eyes as he questioned if his father realized what his plan was after being released from the hospital. Larry simply chuckled in response. "And yes, I do know that you're planning on going on some sort of secret mission with Ed to get Jillian and Delinda back, but I also know that it would be damn near impossible to stop you."
"This is what I have to do, Dad." an almost apologetic Danny said, looking at his father directly in the eye. "And I promise you that I'll be extremely careful."
"You'd better." Larry smiled, heading for the door.
"Mr. Deline!" a wheelchair bound man named Mitch greeted as both Ed and Mike entered the surveillance room at the Montecito. Both men stopped instantly in their tracks and looked at the graying man. "There's a visitor waiting for you up in your office."
"Thanks, Mitch." Ed nodded in recognition as he continued towards the separate room. Questioning who could be dropping by at a time like this, Ed motioned for Mike to wait outside as he noticed that not only was the sliding glass door shut, but also the usually clear windows had been switched to opaque. "I'll signal you if I need any help."
"Got it, Mr. D." a serious Mike nodded as Ed slid the door open.
Instead of seeing someone standing and waiting for him like he had been expecting, Ed's sharp, blue eyes initially spotted no one else in the general vicinity. As he closed the door, a puzzled, yet annoyed expression appeared on his face. With everything the Professor had done that day, Ed was definitely not in the mood for anyone's shenanigans.
"Who the hell is in here?" his voice boomed, looking around. "And what the hell do you want?"
"You should really take an anger management class, you know that." a very familiar voice chuckled as Ed's desk chair turned to face him. The current occupant, a dark-haired, cocky-looking, slightly younger man, beamed at the surprised Deline. "Or at least figure out how to greet an old friend."
"Haven't you put me through enough today?" Ed quietly questioned, glancing up at the sky and at whatever was up there. The man was Jack Keller, his former CIA partner with whom he had a rocky relationship. The gray-haired man's blue eyes suddenly looked back at the man behind the desk. "What are you doing here, Jack?"
"Came to give you some help, if you'll take it." Jack smiled, leaning back in Ed's chair. "Although, I could really get used to this office! If you ever think about retiring, Ed…"
"Don't hold your breath." Ed shot down, narrowing his eyes briefly. Running a hand through his short hair, the older man looked curiously at his former partner. "So, what makes you think that I need your help?"
"Let's just say that I've heard about everything that's happened today." Keller replied, drumming his fingers on the desk. Knowing that Ed would be skeptical of this claim, the dark-haired man decided to prove it. "I heard that your wife and daughter are missing and have reportedly been kidnapped, and that your protégé got the crap kicked out of him." He looked curiously at Ed. "How's the kid doing, by the way?"
"I'm sure that he'll be touched to know that you actually give a damn." Ed grinned, knowing that out of all of his employees, Danny was the one that liked and trusted Keller the least. Of course, Deline could see where his protégé was coming from, seeing as how Keller had attempted to cheat the Montecito in the past and had actually tried to kill Danny during the whole Panama adventure.
"Contrary to popular belief, I'm not heartless." a shrugging Keller rolled his eyes, realizing that he probably wasn't going to get an answer to his question. "So, do you want my help getting this Professor bastard or not?"
"What's in this for you, Jack?" a curious Ed wondered, knowing that Keller always had at least one way to profit from any mission he undertook.
"Aw, geeze." Keller replied before spreading his arms out innocently. "Can't a guy just help an old friend out? Why must you be so cynical about everything, Eddie?"
"Call me Eddie again, and I will send your ass through that window." Ed warned in his usual quiet, but gruff voice. "Now, answer the damn question!"
"I did answer the question." Keller replied, finally getting up from Ed's seat. The dark-haired, slightly younger man walked casually over to his long-time friend. "I'm not looking for payment this time, man. I just want to help you out, like an old friend should."
Ed's fierce, blue eyes surveyed the man in front of him carefully as Deline silently pondered the choice he now had to make. Sure, he still didn't trust Keller as far as he could throw him, and it would take a long time before Ed could completely trust the other man again. However, someone like his former partner would be extremely useful to him right now, especially with Danny stuck in the hospital.
"It's a gamble I've got to take." Ed whispered to himself before looking at Keller straight in the eye. He raised his voice again the next time he spoke, and offered his hand to the man in front of him. "Looks like we're back in business, Jack."
"Looks like." Keller nodded in agreement, shaking Ed's hand.
To be continued...