keep up the reviews :) make me feel all warm inside.

also, props to the person who can figure out the means to my madness in chapter titles. hint: all are song titles...

12:00 EST

Arlington, Virginia

Tim Smith's home

Harm stopped his car in front of Tim Smith's house and getting out, approached the front door. He tried the doorknob to find it locked, not that he expected to find it unlocked. Still, he had tried keeping that ray of hope alive. Sighing with frustration he walked around the house, but breaking in was apparently futile. He was about to walk back to the car when a neighbor working outside leaned over the fence and called to him.

"You lookin' for Tim?" She called.

Harm turned to her, a questioning look in his eye. "Something like that."

"Well, he was sent to jail a week or two ago. His house has been locked up ever since. Nobody seems interested in trying to sell it, and nobody appears interested in buying it." Harm walked over and she continued. "Although when his brother was down, packing up a few things, he did mention he'd like to move in. He said he just had a few scores to even out first." She laughed and shook her head. "They always were weird people."

Harm walked closer. "He had a brother?"

She nodded. "Brad Smith." She suddenly smiled. "Oh, I'm sorry, where are my manners? I'm Katherine Crate."

Harm shook her extended hand and forced a smile on his face. "I'm Lt. Commander Harmon Rabb." He decided she didn't need to know anything else. "Do you know where Brad Smith is now?"

"No . . . can't say that I do. Ever since his brother went to jail, he seemed to just have . . . snapped. He can his brother were going to buy his father's business after he died, as partners, but when Tim went to jail he couldn't." She shrugged her shoulders. "Who knows." She looked up at Harm. "I have a key to his house, he had a cat, whom I assume Brad now has, and I would take care of it from time to time. Would you like it?"

Harm nodded eagerly and waited while she went in the house to retrieve it. Thanking her profusely, he headed back to the front door and unlocked it. Stepping inside, he shut the door behind him and immediately began searching the house.

After an hour of looking through all the rooms thoroughly, Harm had found nothing conclusive except a picture of Tim Smith and another person that looked like him, whom Harm assumed to be Tim's brother, Brad. Taking the pictures, he swept the room again with his eye before exiting the house. He saw the neighbor, who was planting flowers in a flowerbed, and approached the fence.

"Is it alright with you if I keep this key for awhile?"

Katherine shook her head. "Not at all. I don't need it anymore."

Harm thanked her and then turned back. "Brad didn't mention by any chance, where he was going, did he?"

Katherine leaned on her rake and a thoughtful expression crossed her face. "He mentioned about getting away for awhile. Going to the beach or something. I think they have a beach house in Virginia Beach, but I'm not sure. I didn't know why he wanted to go at this time of year, with it being so cold and all, but I guessed it was because there weren't many people around and he was still upset about his brother."

Harm thanked her once more and reminded himself he'd have to remember her name. If he found Mac, he'd be grateful and would have to thank her again. 'When I find Mac.' He reminded himself. 'When I find Mac.'

2:00 EST

Unknown location

Mac knew if she wanted to get out, she'd have to do it herself. Even if Harm did find out about Brad Smith, which alone was improbable, he would never be able to track her to wherever she was. Where was she, anyway? She could hear seagulls outside and thought she could detect the sound of waves, but the pain in her stomach was so great she had a hard time concentrating on anything except that.

She forced her eyes open and bit back the nauseous feeling rising in her stomach as she swung her head around to survey the room. It was light outside and she could see the room more clearly now. It appeared to be a bedroom and she could detect a bay window at the far end. She tried inching her way over, but with her hands and feet tied and her ribs screaming in protest at every breath, progress was slow and painful and she eventually had to stop.

It was minutes later when Brad appeared, carrying a slice of bread and a glass of water. He untied her hands and handed her the food. She hungrily consumed the meager amount of food he had given her, meanwhile preparing a plan of escape now that her hands were freed. But how could she escape when every breath required her utmost concentration?

Brad twirled a gun around his finger listlessly as if sensing her thoughts. "I wouldn't get any ideas about escaping, Miss Mackenzie." His sinister smile suddenly turned cold and menacing. "Because I won't hesitate to shoot you."

She ignored the comment and finished the small meal. She knew he had put something in the water, because she was beginning to feel dizzy and disoriented, but she had been so thirsty she couldn't stop herself from drinking it.

He stood up and walked over to her. Tying her hands up again, he lifted her chin with his hand and smiled. "Besides, I want to have some fun with you before I kill you. I still haven't thought of how to do that yet. I was thinking of taking a little boat ride, where you would accidentally fall over board . . ." He stopped and looked at her. "But as I was saying, I want to have some fun first." He leaned down and kissed her.

Mac tried pushing away, but it only resulted in him kissing with more force. Laughing, he broke the kiss and stood up. "There's more where that came from. But right now, I have some errands to run." She kicked out with her legs and heard a yell of pain. Before she knew what had happened, he had punched her in the jaw and she could taste the blood beginning to trickle down her lip. Brad grasped her arms with such force she thought he was trying to break them. "I'll get you back for that, you can bet on it." He whispered threateningly.

She thought she heard the click of a camera, but wasn't sure. She was more concerned about trying to stop her bleeding lip. Quickly giving up, she let her head fall back on the floor, exhausted.

Mac prayed this would be her chance to escape. But how could she? She could hardly breath without screaming in pain and whatever he had slipped in her water was really beginning to affect her.

"I gave you something to help you sleep, and to make sure you don't escape." Brad smiled and walked out the door, closing it behind him. But every word, every sound seemed like it was coming from a thousand miles away. She didn't know what to expect from Tim's psychotic brother, but what she did know was that she'd rather die then have Brad torture her in such ways as he suggested. She couldn't bear that now that she had lost all hope of anyone finding her. Even if it meant not being able to tell Harm goodbye and that she loved him. She wondered what Harm was doing now? Maybe he was flying Sarah, or maybe he was visiting AJ. Her thoughts where disoriented and muddled. 'Sarah, he's probably trying to find you.' A voice piped up. She tried pushing the voices away, but it took too much effort. She was so tired and she knew she had to save energy for her escape.