Disclaimer: Don't own the characters. Not making money off of them

Rating: K+ (Genfic, just a little of violence).

What is it about? A kid is missing, some strange things happened all around and the team have to find out what, why and who is behind all of the...'twisted facts' in the case.

Characters: All of them, well, lets think a little... Oh! I forgot somebody... well, guess you all know who...

Part 12

Day 3 Late night

As the plane landed, they saw nine people climb out of the trucks. Jack recognized Coltwell, Fanning, the Hoskins, Joan and Peter, and two more men. One of the men resembled the man on the hospital video monitors who had taken Martin and Brian.

From the plane, three men got out and they unloaded seven boxes and left them on the right side of the plane's stairs. Coltwell and Peter Hoskins got closer and he could see Peter opening one of the boxes; he took one big bag and ran some tests on the powder inside. He nodded and after that they moved the boxes to the trucks. Coltwell showed the men by the plane his computer and they also nodded.

After that the action took on an almost surreal quality. Shouting was heard, lights flashed, gun shots split the air. The first shot took Coltwell down and the second was for one of his men. Everybody ran for cover and started firing.

Danny heard Jack through his earpiece, "Stay put. I want to see who is an agent and what they're planning"

"They just fired, never gave any warning. They're on their own."

"Yes, I know... let's see how it ends."

When the shooting had finished, the plane's engines roared loudly in take-off mode. One of the men by the door was helping Peter and Joan Hoskins into the plane as it started to move away. The boxes were left behind and the plane taxied down the runway and climbed into the sky.

The sound of random gunfire continued to split the night air but Jack and his team were unable to pinpoint the exact location of the shooters. Jack decided to make his move as the firing stopped.

"FBI, Drop your guns!" and the police and agents with him moved to the remaining people on the runway and secured the nearby hangar.

Coltwell was dead shot in the head; his bodyguard was beside him, alive. Collins and Talbot were alive and moved through the hangar attempting to secure prisoners, Fanning was dead. Jack had had enough of the subterfuge and decided to take all the remaining people who were alive into custody. They would sort out the players during the interviews.

At the hospital...

Vivian was waiting with Brian on her lap. He was too little to understand all that had happened and that he had seen but he understood enough to be scared. Vivian tried to get him to sleep but every time he closed his eyes and started to drift he saw Martin with blood on his face and he would jerk back awake. He kept looking at Vivian and pleading with her to take him to Martin.

"Just a little longer sweetie and then we'll see Martin"

"I'm scared. Why did those men hurt him? Is it because of me?"

Vivian's heart went out to the little boy. She imagined Reggie at his age and couldn't imagine how hard it must be to see someone that you look up to being hurt.

"No honey, it wasn't because of you. Those were bad men, but they are gone now."

"I want to see him! Is he dead?" and he started to cry, "Once I had a rabbit and one day he was so quiet, like Martin was after they hit him, and Maria said that ... Maria said that he went to live with God..." he was crying and trembling. Vivian tried to calm him down, but she knew that hearing that Martin was alright and being able to see him was what was necessary.

She gathered him in her arms and she approached the admitting nurse.

"I need to know about Martin Fitzgerald. It's been a long time and we need to talk to the doctor, now." Vivian glanced meaningfully at the crying boy in her arms and the nurse's eyes softened.

" I'll see what I can do" said the nurse.

She went inside a room and within minutes came back out and motioned for Vivian to approach. As they reached the door, the doctor came outside to talk to Vivian. "Hi, I'm doctor Sam Richards; we're not quite finished worked on him. I'll give you a few minutes with him but that's all."

Martin lay in the bed, covered with a sheet part way up his chest. Vivian could see that his ribs were bandaged and that his face was sporting additional bruising. A new IV line was in his good arm. A monitor in the corner beeped softly recording his respiration, blood pressure and heart rate.

Vivian sat in the chair that was next to the bed and held Brian on her lap so he could see Martin. He reached out with his little hand and gently touched Martin's cheek. "Martin, are you dead?" he asked between sobs.

Martin heard that little voice, and struggled against the tiredness and pain. He cracked his eyes open trying to focus, his left eye was swollen shut and with the bandage on his brow to protect the latest stitches it was hard to see. He knew Brian was scared and he wanted to take away the fear from the little boy. "No...Brian... you ok?"

"You're alive! ... Yes, I'm OK now! I'm going to stay with you and make you better; I'll make you peanut butter and jelly to eat."

Martin managed a small smile for the little boy. "No, go with Viv, you need to sleep" he didn't know what was happening with the case anymore but he was so tired and didn't want to face anything more happening to the boy if he stayed with him. He figured it would be safer for Brian to stay with Vivian.

Viv saw the change in Martin's face, and knew he felt guilty that Brian had witnessed him being beaten. She sighed inwardly wondering why he felt the need to punish himself. "Martin, you did good. He's alright thanks to you. You better not forget that. Now just rest. They are going to move you to a room soon and Brian and I are going to stay with you."

The doctor appeared through the door and looked pointedly at her. She gave Martin a final pat on the arm and he smiled weakly at her. "We'll be waiting just outside."

Brian didn't want to leave but Martin assured him it wouldn't be long and he should listen to Vivian.

About an hour later Martin was settled into his room with Brian curled up by his side. Vivian sat in the chair in the corner and used the room phone to call Jack and get an update.

"Jack, how is everything?"

"We've got most of them, Coltwell is dead and so is Fanning. We have Collins and Talbot and others from the FBI as well as more of Coltwell's people."

"What about the Hoskins." Vivian whispered their name, not wanting to take a chance that Brian was listening to the conversation.

"They disappeared with the plane. How is Martin?"

"He's resting, he's supposed to be sleeping but I don't think he's able to relax enough yet. He's been through a lot, not only the beatings, but dehydration, exhaustion among other things. Brian and I are with him in the room."

"It's probably a good idea that someone is with him at all times. I think the risk is mostly for Brian right now. I'm sure his parents are going to come for him but I don't want any chances taken with Martin either, not with the unknown traitor in Victor's camp."

"Alright, I'll talk to you later." Hanging up she looked over at Martin. He and Brian had been softly whispering and although she didn't know everything they were saying she knew Martin felt guilty. He was too tired to keep the mask in place and she could read the guilt on his face plainly.

"It's over Martin" she said

"What you mean?"

"Jack, Sam, Danny were at the runway when the deal went down. They got them, Fanning, Coltwell, Collins and more." She paused not wanting to tell him everything but Martin, despite his weariness heard the pause and asked softly.

"The... parents..." he was afraid to ask, he didn't want to know, didn't want to let Brian go, but he had to face it, whatever it was.

"They got away in the plane. We don't know where they went."

"So... not over" his eyes showed the pain inside, he knew they'd want the boy back. Hell, who was he kidding, he knew he wasn't up to the job of raising a little boy, he knew there was no way social services would even consider it since he wasn't married, wasn't even dating, hell, it hadn't even been more than a few months since joining NA and the rules were strict. No new relationships for at least a year.

Still, he knew he could provide some stability for the little boy. Be a big brother. Surely there were aunts and uncles nearby that would take the boy in and then Martin could still be a part of his life and Brian would have a normal childhood as well. There was no way Brian would be going back to his parents, they were criminals. His head ached at the possibilities, and his heart ached along with it, Brian deserved better.

"Martin, tell me you're not mad at me" the sweet voice brought him out of his thoughts.

"No, Brian. Why would you think that?"

"Because they hit you, they did that to you because of me!" he'd seen it and he'd listened what the men told him, and as he remembered, his eyes started to flood with tears again.

"No...don't cry. I'm fine" he said, but he couldn't finish, he was so tired. Despite his best attempts his body was finally giving in to the trauma and he was drifting quickly towards sleep.

Vivian finished for him "Brian, sweetheart, he's tired now, he's not mad at you. He loves you, don't worry, he'll be fine soon and you'll play again together." Vivian knew that Martin and Brian had grown very close very quickly. She also knew that Martin knew his time with the boy was reaching and end. The good thing was that Brian was too young to think very far into the future. Time holds no meaning to little children they don't understand the concept of the future until they get there, but for Martin it was a different matter.

Martin felt a tear slowly slide down his check and watched him gently rub the little boy's back. Brian just snuggled in close and draped his arm across Martin's chest. Martin didn't even react to the touch, Vivian knew he was just enjoying to time he had with Brian and she decided to step outside to give them a little time to drift off to sleep together.

As she stepped outside she saw the nurse who had settled Martin into his room talking with a doctor. She stepped up to them and softly cleared her throat.

"Can I help you?" The nurse looked up at Vivian and asked.

"Just wanted to find out how long you are going to need to keep Martin Fitzgerald in the hospital."

The doctor closed the chart the two of them had been reviewing. "A lot will depend on how he is in the morning. We need to get his fluid levels up and make sure further damage hasn't happened to his arm. If the bones need to be realigned it will probably have to be done surgically. We've scheduled an X-ray in the morning to determine that. His Cat Scan didn't show any blood clots around the brain so it will just be a matter of keeping him quiet, although not much of that has happened from before."

Vivian looked in the doctor's eyes and saw both stern authority and concern. She nodded knowing the doctor was correct.

"We'll make a decision in the morning."

"Thank you." Vivian felt she had given Martin and Brian enough time to settle and quietly returned to the room.

"Thanks, Viv" Martin's voice rose softly from the bed. Her eyes adjusted to the semi-darkened room and she could see that Brian was sound asleep and that Martin wasn't far. "What do you think will happen?" he wanted to know, but he also didn't want to know

"I don't know, but I hope whatever happens will be the best for him"

"Me too, thanks Viv." With that he succumbed to his body's need for sleep. Vivian stood for a long time looking down at the two of them as they slept. Then she settled into the chair ready to keep watch for the night.

TBC