A.J. listened to the threat to his brother and sister-in-law with growing horror; the call from Robbie had woken him and Linda up and he had driven over from Phoenix almost on autopilot.

"Uncle A.J., can you get to Mom and Pop's right now? Something's happened to them, they've been kidnapped."

"What?" A.J. rapidly blinked away sleep as his nephew told him about a 911 call that his mother had placed, how her voice was heard pleading for someone's life, then cut off.

"Was….was the ranch broken into?"

"No, the back door was left unlocked, but there was a note on the floor.. it says, "I have Laurie and Rick Simon. They will be returned alive and unharmed if Oscar Goldman, Dr. Rudy Wells and Col. Steve Austin turn themselves into me within 24 hours. If not, I will torture and kill Mr. And Mrs. Simon. Instructions will follow."

Now he sat at their kitchen table, still set for the lunch they were to share with Oscar and Rudy. Looking tired and aged, Oscar was on the phone, trying to persuade Jaime to go stay with Chrystal until it was safe. Rudy was on his transmitter, trying to get the Secretary to give up Michael Marchetti's last known whereabouts.

And he and Robbie were not so patiently listening for their loved ones' captors to leave so they could talk to Rick and Laurie. Already she had somehow turned her pendant on, so they had heard the identity of the kidnapper in stereo.

"Babe, please understand, I know you can take care of yourself, but we're talking about Marchetti here, he won't stop at anything to revenge himself on us. Please…can you please stay with Chrystal, if not for yourself, for her?" Oscar was beside himself and some of that must have come through to Jaime, for he suddenly quieted down and murmured, "Thanks, honey. I love you too."

Hanging up the phone, the former OSI Chief sighed. "Rudy, any luck?"

"Thank you sir." Rudy disconnected his transmitter, then looked over at the others.

"They've put the main beam on their locator, we should have a location within 3 minutes. I'm glad you got through to her, pal."

Oscar shook his head. "I think it was just because Jaime realizes what a fembot can do. Marchetti really scares her, just the fembots do Laurie. Do we know where Marchetti's been since he was let out?"

"Yes, the files show he was spotted in Ojai, then vanished." Rudy tried to sound optimistic as he continued. "However, the Secretary says a set of plans for the Rockpoint research base are missing, so he's getting us the coordinates now."

Just then Rick's voice came quietly over A.J.'s transmitter. "A.J., Dad?"

"We're here, Rick. Are you guys okay?" the younger Simon asked.

"Other then a headache, I'm fine. Sweetheart?" Rick tried to turn his transmitter closer to her.

"I'm okay, just scared, A.J.. Don't let Oscar and Rudy and Steve trade themselves, this guy is nuts." She added.

Oscar spoke up, "Laurie, we're going to find you two; I'm glad you had the smarts to call 911. Robbie just missed getting there in time to stop Marchetti, thanks to the operator paging him."

"Can you tell where we are, Dad?" Rick asked, glancing nervously at the closed door to their prison.

"No, unfortunately there must be interference with your location device, but we think you're over by Flagstaff, at the Rockpoint Research Base. It's been closed for years, but a person matching Marchetti's description was spotted there." Oscar explained, then a knock on the front door caused all three men to tense up. Pulling his weapon out, A.J. made his way to the living room, then looked through the window.

"Steve!"

A.J. flung open the door and welcomed a stern-faced Col. Austin. "Any word?" he immediately asked, then heard Rick's voice over the transmitter. "Guys, he's coming back, hurry!"

Steve stopped in mid-step as he listened to the voice echoing off Rick's watch.

"Well, Mr. Simon, I'm ready to contact your friends to see if they care about you and your wife. We'll let you speak to them, but one cry or attempt to let them know where we are, and …" Steve heard silence, then a muffled "no!"

All four men were livid with anger, as suddenly the phone next to them rang.

A.J. picked it up, saying "Simon Residence.

"Mr. Simon, I'm sorry to disturb you, but I have a message regarding your brother and sister-in-law." A. J. tensed, asking, "Who is this? Where's Laurie and Rick?"

"Patience, Mr. Simon. One moment." Marchetti's voice faded, then Rick spoke.

"A.J.? It's Rick."

"Rick, are you okay?" A.J. motioned to Robbie, and he took his transmitter and went in the other room to listen.

"Oh, I'm just fine, hanging out, just the two of us, and our friends here…." His voice was cut off suddenly, then Laurie's came on…breathy and almost tearful.

"A.J.? Is Dad there?"

The younger Simon took a deep breath, trying to control his anger. "Yes, sis. He's here. We're going to get you and Rick home, don't worry."

"I know, but…I love you all, little brother, and tell him and my buddy and Uncle not to go to any trouble for us. Please." Laurie's voice strengthened at that point, then an audible swear from Rick let them know the phone was taken away from her.

"She's a very noble woman, your Mrs. Simon." Marchetti was back, and his tone hardened as he said, "But I want Oscar Goldman, Steve Austin and Dr. Wells at the entrance of the Sedona Airbase, by six am tomorrow morning. I want them unarmed, no tracking devices or police around, or Mr. and Mrs. Simon will be dead."

"Play for time….ask to contact us.. then have a call back." Oscar mouthed to A.J..

"All right, but you'll have to give me time to get a hold of them…."he began, only to have Marchetti interrupt him. "No foolishness, Mr. Simon… I happen to know Col. Austin is in the area now, and Goldman and Wells not far away, not with their precious family in danger. I will call you at 5 am tomorrow morning, either to verify they are at the airfield, or to plan two funerals. Their call."

At once there was a dial tone, and angrily A.J. slammed the receiver down.

"How dare he…..that animal…."

"A.J., it's all right, son, we know…." Rudy put his hand on A.J.'s shoulder, calming him. The agony in Oscar's face was what worried him: to go after this madman, possibly condemning Laurie and Rick to death, or surrender himself and risk their dying anyway.

"Wait a minute…." Robbie held up a hand as he came back in the room. The voices on the transmitter was angry, and it took a minute for the men to realize the manbot and Marchetti were at odds.

"You said after you killed Dr. Wells and the others, you would release Mr. and Mrs. Simon, then repair my face!" Wells was yelling furiously.

"I've changed the game; I want Jaime Austin. You are to go to her home and kill everyone else there, then bring her to me, alive." Marchetti ordered.

Rick watched this turn of events with unease; on one hand it had distracted their captors enough that Laurie was able to work on the ropes holding him to the chair. But Wells had so far been more "human" to them; Marchetti was vengeful enough to kill Laurie and him. If one destroyed the other…..

"Rick, almost done…." Laurie whispered, then they both froze as Marchetti advanced on the manbot, shouting "I own you, you'll do as I say or I'll return you to the junk heap!"

As the two adversaries walked away from the cage, Rick managed to pull one wrist free, then aim his voice at his transmitter. "A.J., we've got to get out of here! Can you zero in on our signal?"

A.J. started to reply in the negative when Steve Austin turned from the phone he'd been working. "Tell him yes! The locator beacon just picked them up, they're outside of Flagstaff at the old Rockpoint base. We'll be there in 20 minutes!"

"Did you hear that, Rick? We're on our way, just hang on!" A.J. told him excitedly.

"We will, just hurry." Rick replied, then squeezed his wife's hand as she finished untying his wrists. "Okay, sweetheart, hold still."

Making quick work of her bonds, Rick kept a wary eye on Marchetti and Wells, who were now waving furiously at each other. Just as he was about to untie her ankles, Marchetti turned toward the cage, then barked, "What do you think you're doing? Freeze or you're dead!" Rick quickly looked around for something to use as a weapon , only for the ex-con to rush the enclosure. Before he could open the door, Wells was on him, seizing him by the arm, then throwing him clear across the room. Rick watched in disbelief as Marchetti landed on his back, and lay there, unconscious.

"Rick, hurry!" Laurie struggled to get up, and quickly he turned back to free her from the chair, only for her to scream, "Look out!"

Rick whirled around to see Wells ripping open the cage door. "Get away from her, Simon!" he ordered, then rushed inside the enclosure. Rick stood up and stood in front of
Laurie. "I won't let you hurt her, Wells. If you leave, you'll be free of Marchetti." He said.

In reply, the manbot pushed him to the floor, then grabbed a terrified Laurie up in his arms and ran out of the cage. Turning back to Rick, he told him "I'm not going to hurt Mrs. Simon, I'll be safe as long as she's with me. Go, or I'll kill you!"