Gina spotted Carl leaning against the wall next to the bathroom. She hadn't gone far; just walking around, keeping an eye on everyone around them for a threat.
"She still in there," Gina asked, walking up to him. When he didn't respond, she reached out with a hand. Her eyes grew wide as she saw a blood stain appear from beneath his jacket.
She pushed open the bathroom door and ran inside, gun raised, ready to fire. She kicked open every stall door in search of the teenager.
She stopped as something on the floor caught her eye. She looked closer and her heart stopped in her chest. It was Zoey's panic button.
Within minutes, the club had been emptied, all of the patrons having been questioned. Police cars surrounded the building as investigators combed over every inch of the place. "Have we found her," Gina asked, walking up to John Walker, head of security at the scene. "Rachel and Anna have been sent home. They don't know anything."
"Not yet," he reported, "We've shut down the city. Whoever has her, we'll find her soon."
"It's hard to believe that she's already in college," Abbey said, looking over the pictures in front of her. She, Jed and Abbey's best friend and the surgeon's general, Milly, sat in the residence. Jed sat in front of the tv, watching the Notre Dame/Syracuse game.
"C'me on, dammit. Get the ball in," Jed shouted at the screen.
"She's still beautiful as ever," Milly said with a smile.
Abbey looked up as there was a knock on the door and Jed moved to get it during the commercial break.
"This better be good," he said, opening the double doors. The smile on his face faded as he saw Ron Butterfield, the head of security, standing on the other side, a look of seriousness on his face.
"Sir, we have an incident," he said, trying to keep the emotion from his voice. Jed met his eyes and without asking, knew what had happened.
"Oh God," he said, feeling the glass of brandy slip from his hand.
Abbey looked up at the crashing off the glass. She moved her lips to ask what was wrong, but her voice died on her lips as she saw the tears in Jed's eyes.
"Where was the last place she was seen," Jed asked, running down the stairs. He was headed for the Oval Office, for no other reason than he felt like he could somehow control his daughter's kidnapping from there. He'd left Abbey upstairs with Milly.
"At a club," Ron reported as they entered the Oval office, "She went into the bathroom, when Carl was shot. Gina found him a couple of minutes later. She swept the bathroom and all she found was this." He held up the small black box with the red button in the middle. It all became real when Jed saw his daughter's panic button laying in Ron's hand. "The city's been shut down. All flights are being delayed while planes are searched. We'll find her, sir."
"You better damned well make sure that you do," Jed said, leaning against his desk. He looked at the picture of Zoey on his desk. She was sitting on her horse, wearing her helmet and a bright smile. He closed his eyes and prayed he would see that smile again.
"Hey Zoey, have you seen the tv," Adam asked, walking in from going to the store.
"Just this movie .Why? What's going on," she asked, flipping the channels.
"Washington D.C.'s been shut down," he said. "They think you're missing."
She stopped on CNN, which was focused on a scene at the club she was supposed to have been at. Red and blue lights flashed from cop cars surrounding the club. On the right side of the screen was an image of the White House. "I have to get home," she said, standing up and gathering her things.