23 Hours Missing

8:10 AM

The Cage

Danny and Sam watched a very nervous Jesse began to pace. "Something's not right," Danny whispered to Sam, as Jesse kept looking at the door. "She knows something horrible is happening to Martin."

"Then why doesn't she help us?" Sam asked, as she looked over at Jesse. "She said that she wants to help us, so why doesn't she." Just then the door opened and two man dragged an unconscious Martin towards that cage. "Oh my god, Martin."

"What did you do to him?" Jesse asked Patrick as he came up behind his men, as they threw Martin down hard on the floor of the cage. "You weren't supposed to kill him."

"Shut up!" Patrick yelled at Jesse as he hit her on the face causing her to fall to the floor. "Don't you dare raise your voice to me again, or you'll be in that cage along with the rest of them." He then stormed out.

Jesse slowly got to her feet and watched as Sam went to Martin. "Martin," she called out to him, as she ran her hands along his body checking for bones. "Martin."

"This ends now," Jesse said softly as she headed off leaving the three agents alone.

"What is she going to do?" Sam asked, as she looked up from Martin to Danny.

"End this, I think," Danny said, as he watched Jesse slipped out of the window to the roof. "I think she's finally feed up with how her father is treating her."

"Do you think we can trust her?"

"With my life," Martin said, as he slowly opened his eyes. "Shep is stronger than anyone believes. She'll fool the best of you."

"Martin, are you okay?" Danny asked, as he slowly sat up and looked around. "Martin?"

"I'm okay," he answered, as he looked towards the roof. "I played Q and A with a stun gun."

"Ouch, sounds like fun." A noise caused them to look up to see a large duffle bag dropped from the window followed by Jesse, who had on a black and orange book bag. "What does she have planned?"

"Only time will tell." Jesse came up to the cage with a smile on her face. "Shep?"

"Hey, you're up," she said, as she took out a pair of bolt cutters and took care of the lock. "Think it's about time to fly the coop."

"Sounds good to me." Danny and Sam helped Martin to his feet. "What about Bubba's men?"

"Gone for the morning."

"And Patrick's men?" Sam asked, as she looked over at the door.

"You don't have to worry about them."

"Why?"

"Because I took care of them." She slipped on her stocking hat and pulled out a hand gun. The three agents froze at the sight of the gun. "You do trust me?"

"Why do you have a gun, Shep?"

"It's not mine." She then shot then all a smile as she grabbed the duffle bag and threw it at Danny. "Put those on." She then went to stand by the door and keep a look out.

"Put what on?" Danny asked Martin, as he took the bag from Danny and opened it. Martin then smiled as he shot a glance over at Jesse. "Martin?"

"Look for yourself." Danny and Sam peered into the bag to see their guns, clothes, and wallets. "Jesse, took them for us." They then got dressed in their outer clothing and pocketed their weapons,cell phones,and wallets. Jesse shot them a smile, as she came up to them and handed the gun to Martin. "Thank you, Shep."

"I never really did like guns." Shep then pulled out a black stocking hat and offered it to Sam. "It's really cold outside. You'll need it."

"Thanks," she said, as she took the stocking hat and put it on. "What really did happen to Patrick's men?"

"I locked them in the van," Jesse answered, as she took Martin's gun and shot out the light above them, just as the door busted opened. "I don't think that they're all that happy with me."

"Ya think!" Then came the sound of shots being fired and a loud scream echoed throughout the building.

24 Hours Missing