English is not my native language and I'm still looking for a beta reader, so if there are spelling or grammar mistakes… I'm sorry! But if you want to apply for the job as my beta reader… Be my guest!

Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own the characters of "Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman"… One Beth Sullivan does… But I do own the character of Jonas "John" Kerrigan!

Rating: I don't know anything about these ratings, but let's say T or PG-13. Just to be safe...

Warnings: This is NOT a very happy story! So, don't like… don't read... This story is the sequel to "Past Fears". If you haven't read that story I suggest you do that first. Otherwise this story won't make a lot of sense… I think…

Summary: Hank and Sully are traveling to Denver to make sure Zack is safe from John Kerrigan. But will Zack really be safe?

Chapter 5

"Zack!" Hank yelled as he burst into his son's room. "Zack!" he yelled again but there was no sign of him. "Where is he?" he called to Sully, who was still on the floor, recovering from the blow he took to the head. Hank, however, didn't seem to notice. Sully slowly got up from the floor. He was still a bit dizzy so he had to hold on to something, to prevent him from falling down again. "I'm sorry Hank," he said softly, "I didn't notice until it was to late… Someone knocked me out and when I came to Zack was already gone… I'm sorry…" Sully didn't know what else to say and neither did Hank. He was trying really hard to keep his cool as anger and panic were trying to overtake him.

"Did you see who it was?" Hank asked, fear evident in his voice. He already knew the answer to the question. Of course it had been John who took his boy; the real question now was: Where did they go? "I didn't get a good look at his face… but it had to be John… who else could it have been?" Sully said. He saw the worried look on Hank's face and felt guilty that he wasn't able to prevent it all from happening. "I remember him saying that he would play a game with you… hide and seek…" Sully continued, "My guess is that he went into the woods with him…" Hank nodded. He looked pleadingly at Sully. He'd never felt this helpless in his life. Sully put a hand on his shoulder. "We'll find him, okay?" he tried to convince Hank. "We're going to the forest and look for them." Hank clenched his jaw and nodded his head slowly.

Suddenly there was a knock on the already opened door. Both men turned their heads and saw Elena standing in the doorway. "I looked for the new English teacher," she said softly, "He's nowhere to be found… I'm so sorry…" She felt even worse than Sully did. She felt guilty about the fact that she let John Kerrigan / Wilson inside the school. She felt stupid that she had believed him, just like that! She should have asked questions… asked for identification records… or something… But the worst thing was that she had convinced Hank to go out to diner with her. She made him believe that Zack would be safe with Sully. And with that she had given John an opportunity to make his move on Zack… "I'm so sorry," she said again, her eyes filled with tears. "I should never have…" Hank didn't let her finish. "Don't. Ya. Say. It." His voice was gruff and low, and his eyes shot daggers at her.

"Hank," Sully interfered, "Let's go, okay? Elena, you stay here… just in case Zack comes back on his own…" He gave Elena a soft smile. He knew she felt guilty… so did he… But he also knew that Hank was feeling even more guilty and that, because of it, he was taking it out on her… Hank left the room without giving Elena a second look. "He doesn't mean it, Elena," Sully said to her softly, "And don't blame yaself for this… If someone is to blame, it's John Kerrigan…" She nodded at him as a tear slid down her cheek. "I'll wait here," she said as Sully walked away from her as well…

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Meanwhile, John had made it to the woods. He still held Zack's still form in his hands. "What am I going to do with you?" he asked himself. "I could just break your tiny little neck… and just get it all over with… Or I could torture you first… make you scream a little… hard enough for your dad to hear… and THEN break your neck," he mused. He laid the small boy on the ground and sat down next to it. "Maybe I should drown you… that's what your father did with my kids…" he chuckled at the thought. "What goes around, comes around!" he yelled into the darkness. Once more he looked at the young boy. "What to do, what to do…" he said softly as he leaned back against a tree, waiting for Zack to wake up…

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Denver Art School, Michaela read as she stood in front of a gate of a huge building. "This is the place!" she called to Jake. "Can I help you, sir, ma'am?" a man in uniform asked them. "Yes," Michaela said, "We're here to see a boy, Zack Lawson." The man nodded. "A very popular boy," the man murmured and opened the gate. Jake and Michaela nodded their thanks to the man and walked towards the enormous building. When they reached the door Michaela knocked on the door. The door was opened almost immediately by a young, beautiful woman.

"Hello?" she asked. Michaela could see that she obviously expected somebody else and that she was disappointed to see two strangers on the other side of the door. "Hello, I'm Dr. Michaela Quinn and this is Jake Slicker," she pointed at the man next to her, "We're looking for Zack Lawson… or maybe his father… We know he went to Denver to visit his son." Michaela's words obviously caught the young woman's attention. "You're friends with Zack's father?" she asked as she let Jake and Michaela inside. Michaela looked briefly at Jake before answering. "You could say that," Michaela said softly. "He should be here… together with Byron Sully…" The young woman's face fell. "I'm sorry," she said, "They're not here… I… I don't know whether to tell you this but… a man took Zack… Some very bad man…"

Jake swore under his breath. "Damn it, we're too late!" Michaela jumped at his words. Then she turned to the young woman in front of her. "Do you know where they went?" she asked softly. The woman nodded. "Sully said that they would probably go to the forest, so that's where Sully and Hank went to as well." The young woman looked carefully at the two strangers in front of her. "You two know something, don't you?" she asked. "Something that even Hank isn't aware of… Am I right?" Michaela sighed and then nodded. "They have no idea what they're up against," Michaela said, her face was dead serious. "Damn it!" the young woman swore, "follow me… I'll take you to the woods… You can fill me in on the way… Let's go!" Jake was a little stunned after the strong and commanding words of the beautiful woman in front of him. "Miss…" he started. "Elena," she interrupted him, "My name is Elena… Now come on, we have to hurry." She grabbed her coat and went outside. Jake and Michaela had no choice but to follow her…

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"Well, well… look who's awake," John said as Zack finally decided to open his eyes. "Took you long enough!" He pulled Zack up and dragged him along through the woods. "Wha… What… do you…w-want… with me?" Zack asked. John chuckled. "Like I told you before… I want to play a little game with your father…" He took big steps, which didn't make it easy for Zack to keep up with him.

"W-Why?" Zack asked. John stopped in his tracks. "Why?" he whispered dangerously at the young boy he held by his arm. "I'll tell you why! Because your father KILLED my children! And he's going to pay for that…" Zack shook his head in disbelief. "No!" he called out, "M-My father… would… never do… t-that!" John's eyes shot daggers at the boy. "Well, you better believe it, boy…" he said and pulled hard at Zack's arm. Zack winced in pain, but didn't scream out. "Now… don't you make a sound," he whispered as he kneeled down by a tree. "I want to hear your father scream out your name…" He moved his face closer to Zack's and laughed evilly at him. Zack shivered at the sound of it. Please Pa! Please, get me out of here! I'm scared…

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Hank and Sully wandered through the woods, hoping to find a sign of life from Zack. Sully looked for tracks while Hank looked around and listened as carefully as he could, hoping to catch a glimpse or a sound from Zack or John. "Zack!" Hank yelled suddenly. Sully looked up and eyed him questioningly. "What?" Hank spat, "Maybe he's already lying in the woods somewhere… bleeding… Hell… I don't know…" Hank sighed and shook his head. Sully looked at him, not really knowing what to say to the troubled man in front of him. He could only imagine what it would be like… Your child in the hands of a madman… "Don't think like that, Hank," he finally said, "You have to keep your hopes up… for Zack…" Hank nodded his head slowly. "If John hurts one hair on his body I'll kill him!" Hank suddenly called out and rushed by Sully to look for his son again. "That's the spirit," Sully said softly to himself and then followed Hank.

After half an hour Sully suddenly stopped in his tracks. "Ya hear that?" he whispered. Hank shook his head. "I heard something," Sully whispered again, "and I don't think it was an animal." Hank looked around carefully, but didn't see a thing. The only light they had was the moonlight, but they were in such a dark and deep part of the forest, that even the moonlight was no help to them. "Zack!" Hank yelled as loud as he could. Some birds were alarmed by the sound of his voice and both men could hear the birds flying between the leafs of the trees. After a few seconds everything was quiet again. Hank was about to yell Zack's name again, when he heard an annoying chuckle. It came from a distance, but it was close enough for both men to hear.

"Good evening Hans!" a voice said, a voice which Hank recognized as John's. "What do ya want John!" Hank yelled and again he heard the man chuckle. "I want to play a game of hide and seek with you, Hans!" John answered. "And we play by my rules… You have thirty minutes to find your son… When these thirty minutes are over… Well… I guess I have to get rid of him then… What do you say?" Hank looked at Sully and clenched his jaw. He didn't want to show how scared he was for his son, however, Sully looked shocked as well. "How do we know you haven't killed Zack already?" Sully called but there was no answer. Then they heard something else. "Pa!" It was Zack's voice. "Zack!" Hank called. "Did he hurt you?" As they spoke both men were trying to figure out where John was; where the sounds were coming from. "I haven't hurt him… YET!" John said. "But I will… Thirty minutes! They start now!" Then everything was quiet again.

Hank was feeling many different things all at the same time. He was angry, scared, worried and shocked. He looked at Sully and by the look at his face Hank could tell that he was feeling the same things as he did. "The sounds came from over there," Sully said and pointed his finger in the right direction. "Let's go then," Hank said softly. Thirty minutes, he thought… Please let us make it… Please…

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John looked at his watch. "Tick tack…" he said amused, "Time's almost up, boy…" He gave Zack an evil look and then chuckled again. Oh, how Zack hated that chuckle! It brought shivers down his spine. Zack sat on the ground near a bush. John had tied his hands and feet together and gagged him so he wouldn't make a sound. He followed John's every move and kept wondering what it was exactly that made John hate his father this much. He knew there was no way that his father had killed these children. But what did happen so many years ago? He had asked John, but he kept saying that Hank killed his children. Zack, however, hadn't bought it. One thing, however, was certain. John would definitely kill him, if his father wouldn't show up on time.

"Well, time's up!" John said after one last look at his watch. Zack felt his heart beat in his throat. John grabbed his bag and opened it. He was obviously looking for something. Zack didn't want to wait to find out what it was. He tried to get the rope from his feet and to his own surprise he was able to free himself. John was still busy looking inside his bag as Zack stood up slowly. He looked around, deciding which way would be the best direction to run to. He was about to make his move when he felt a hand grabbing him by the collar. "Oh no you don't…" John said, his voice low and dangerous. He pushed Zack back on the floor and grabbed the object he had been looking for from his bag. Zack's eyes grew wide when he saw what it was. It was one of the biggest knives he had ever seen. John chuckled at the sight. "And it's sharp too," he said as he pressed his thumb against the blade. His thumb began to bleed almost immediately. John moved closer to Zack and positioned himself above his struggling victim. Pa! I love you Pa! God help me… he thought as he saw the knife coming down…

TBC

Wow, I had lots and lots of inspiration when I wrote this one. Please let me know what you think!