Thanks again for the reviews everyone! There is one more chapter to go after this one...
Chapter Eleven - Reunion
As Danny pulled the car to a stop in front of the house in Yonkers, Stacie couldn't believe her eyes. From the outside, it was just another one of a thousand houses on a tree lined street in a neighborhood not unlike the one she grew up in. The only difference was the menagerie of police cars, F.B.I. vehicles and ambulances assembled on the front lawn. A shudder ran through Stacie as she watched the chaos unfold in front of her. No one would have ever imagined that something as seedy as a sex slave operation was occurring in a place as ordinary as this.
"Stay here." Danny warned her, opening the driver side door and getting out.
"I said I would." Stacie said, unable to take her eyes off the scene.
"I mean it, Stacie." Danny leaned into the car and his gaze turned steely and serious. "No matter what happens."
The tone of his voice caused her to turn to look at him. "I promise." She whispered. "Now, go get my sister and those girls."
Stacie had to grin as Danny hit the car's remote control door lock as he took off up the walkway. Did he really think that was going to keep her inside the car? But when she tried the door handle out of pure defiance, she learned that she was locked inside a car specially made for the F.B.I. - it could only be opened from the outside or with the remote. She had wondered why he had allowed her to come along without much of a fight and now she knew.
Stacie watched Danny meet up with the Missing Persons Unit Team and after only a few moments they all disappeared inside the house. Stacie drew in her breath as she watched Danny draw his gun and closed her eyes in a silent prayer...for Maggie, for Danny, for the other girls, and for the safety of everyone involved in the rescue.
A commotion outside the car caused Stacie's eyes to fly open. Martin and Sam emerged from the house with a woman in hand cuffs. Mother. Stacie looked at the woman's short, stylish hair cut and fashionable outfit in surprise. This woman didn't look like a monster at all. Looks can too often be deceiving.
Once 'Mother' was safely in the custody of the authorities, the front door of the house opened once more. Danny, Jack, and Vivian came out with a crowd of young girls. There were so many of them. Almost immediately, Stacie recognized the familiar soft, blond curls that framed her sister's confused face.
"Maggie!" Stacie screamed. She tried the door handle again, momentarily forgetting that she was locked in. "Damn it, Danny." she muttered, turning toward the window and started pounding on the glass with her palm. "Maggie!" she screamed again.
Suddenly, despite all the chaos going on outside the car, Maggie stopped and turned toward the car where Stacie was. "Stacie!" she called, the tears forming in her eyes as she began running to the car.
Seeing what was taking place, Danny unlocked the car with his remote and motioned for a nearby police officer to open the car door for Stacie. She practically fell out of the car in her haste, but regained her balance and ran toward her sister. Only when Maggie was safe in her arms did Stacie allow herself to exhale. "Oh, Maggie. Maggie." She repeated her sister's name over and over again, holding her closer each time she said it. Maggie buried her face in the warmth of her sister's coat and held on tighter than she had ever held on to anything in her life.
"I'm sorry." Maggie whispered through her tears. "I'm so sorry."
"No." Stacie pulled away slightly from her sister, caught her face in her hands and looked her straight in the eye. "You have nothing to be sorry for. Do you hear me? Nothing." For the first time, Stacie's eyes scanned Maggie's appearance. She was wearing make-up, which Stacie suspected covered up various bruises. But other than that she looked okay, even though Stacie knew that she was far from okay. Like Natalie, Maggie would have injuries to her heart and soul that only time and love could heal. Maggie finally nodded and Stacie pulled her back into her embrace.
"I love you. I love you so much." Stacie said into her sister's hair. "I just don't want another moment to pass without you hearing me say that." With those words, Maggie began to sob and Stacie held her tighter. "I've got you." Stacie whispered, letting her sister cry out all that had happened to her. "I've got you, Maggie. And I promise not to let you go ever again."