Disclaimer: Not mine... you know who they belong to anyway.
A/N: This is fun and thanks for the reviews again. It's great to have some feedback. And thanks to my sister cos she really got into this as well. I never thought she would... mwa.
3. The Big City
Missing Person Unit, FBI, 8:00AM, the next dayJack was sitting in his office when Samantha poked her head through the door.
"Hey" she greeted.
"Hey, how are you?" Jack replied. Suddenly he wanted her to stay a while. He was feeling lonely and their case wasn't going fine.
"Good, had good night sleep" she stepped in "you?"
"Crappy but okay" he tried a smile.
He could see she was happy to be with him, she still had that spark in her eyes. It felt good.
"Uh huh... What's wrong?" she asked, concerned.
"I told Celia about Tim's Dad" he frowned. Did Sam knew about Tim's Dad?
"Yeah Danny told me. Not good I tell you. This guy could have done anything to the boy."
"Yeah but Tim never left NYC."
"What about the Dad. He could have come here, take Tim and be back in Sydney for the next morning."
Jack seemed a bit taken aback. He had imagined it but it seemed impossible to him. But then...
"Right, check that!"
"I'm on it Boss!" and she winked at him.
She had wink at him. What was she thinking of? She wasn't going to flirt with her Boss... not again! Still her heart was holding another speech. She pushed it back for the moment.
Jack, in his office was recovering from that very fact when his phone biped.
"Malone." He answered automatically.
"Jack there is a Frank Holloway, Australian Police Force, who'd like to see you." Said the guard downstairs.
"Oh yeah! I'm coming."
When he arrived to the main entrance, the guard nodded toward a man about his height. Dark hair, in a blue suit. He was in his mid forties and did look a lot like Tim.
"Mr Holloway" called Jack extending his hand to shake the man's.
Frank looked up at his name. The man from where the sound was coming was a dark haired guy in a dark suit. Frank had to smile to himself as he remembered the FBI were the men in black. He felt the guy seemed a little grumpy but then thought better of it. Considering the situation he, himself, had to look more than a little grumpy. He tried to smile but didn't thought it was a very convincing smile and he got up to shake the man's hand.
"I'm Special Agent Jack Malone, you talked to one of my collaborators on the phone."
"Yeah" said Frank "he said you were his Boss."
Jack smiled.
"I'm Frank Holloway" he paused then thought he might as well get used to the statement. "Tim's Dad."
Jack turned, saying "Follow me."
Frank did as he was told. He was trying hard not to let his feelings show. He took in every details of the rooms he was going through just to avoid losing what he had left of self-control.
They eventually entered a room, a white board stood on one end, a young man had his photo on it. Frank read the name beside it : Timothy Mykes. He was looking at his son for the first time. It felt so strange, he looked at the timeline traced in red then back at the picture. He was wondering if they were looking alike at all. He couldn't tell then a blonde woman stood up and stopped Frank from wondering any more. Special Agent Malone snapped him out of his reverie.
"This is Special Agent Johnson" he said pointing toward a short woman, brown. She seemed the kind of woman you shouldn't mess with. Frank shook her hand.
"And here is Special Agent Martin Fitzgerald" a young bloke, bigger than him stood from his desk, bowing slightly, Frank smiled a smile that didn't reach his eyes. Jack then turned to the blonde gal blocking his view toward the white board and introduced her as Special Agent Samantha Spade. Frank registered the name, he was sure he'd heard it somewhere but couldn't remember where. A late night movie probably. A young bloke, tall, whose ears were parted from his head came right at him and Jack said "and here's Special Agent Danny Taylor."
As Danny shook his hand he stated "We spoke on the phone."
"Oh yeah" replied Frank unimpressed but still glad he could put a face on the people who were looking for his son. Actually he was glad to put a face on his son too. He had been a perfect stranger 'til then. Had he walked past him on the street he wouldn't have known.
"Mr Holloway, would you mind coming to my office." Said Jack after having introduced the team to this peculiar cop.
Frank followed him. Jack quickly threw a glance at Sam who just made it clear the guy was clean.
He opened the door and invited Tim's Father to sit down. He went to his chair and sat too.
"Mr Holloway, how long have you known about Tim?"
"Five months but I... I actually saw him for the first time just a minute ago" and with that he turned to the board again. Jack smiled and went on with the routine questioning. He didn't feel that bad with him around. He had thought that maybe he would. Jack was the only man Tim knew as a lighthouse in the storm. But the guy seemed to love Tim more than anything. After an hour they even got to know each other a bit. Jack told him about his girls and the divorce and learned Frank had been married twice, both marriages being a disaster. Frank didn't seem to feel bad about it. Jack thought he might have to learn from that attitude in order to move on. Though Sam was still a very good reason to move on.
"Jack I have to thank you for everything you've done." Eventually said Frank, unconvinced.
"I'm just doing my job"
"I know but... Tim told me about a neighbour of his whom he was close to and I got the feeling it might just be you." He smiled.
"Ah maybe... We're friends."
They both smiled, they were on the same track and that rarely happened to either of them. Tim had somehow created something, some link between both men, in disappearing.
Frank then broke the silence "Do you have a phone I could use?"
"Yeah sure, you can use mine, I have some business with the team." Jack got out and Frank wondered if there were any bugs in here. It was the FBI after all. He quickly decided against it and picked up the phone. Not that it mattered anyway.
He dialled Rachel's number. He knew she was concerned and he knew she might phone him if he didn't but he much preferred it to happen now then... well during the action
"Goldstein" she replied on the second ring, that meant she was doing paper work, Frank smirked.
"I'm sorry miss I've lost me dog" said Frank in a high pitched voice.
Rachel recognised him at once but decided to play along.
"Yes ma'am, where d'you lost him?" she took a patient tone.
"I do' know. We were having fun on the beach and then the ice cream boat came and he was wiped out by a wave me thinks. Can you find him?" he said in the same high pitched voice.
"Ah yes ma'am, we'll send a boat."
"Then you'll have to send it to Manhattan Rachel" he said recovering his normal voice.
"Yeah right... How are you Frank?"
"Why is everybody asking the same question around here?" he said.
She smiled "The FBI treat you right?"
"Yeah they're fun and you shoulda seen that, they've got sheilas all over the place!"
She laughed even if she knew he was only hiding his concern under his humour.
The silence settled for a few minutes, Frank saw the FBI team gather up and discuss the "case", but not any case they were discussing his son and he got real again.
"They have his photo on a board here" he said, Rachel felt something had clicked.
"You know we do the same."
"Yeah but Rach... It... It was the first time I saw him. He doesn't even have my name, he's called after his Mum. It's weird."
"You'll fix that once he's back Frank. The only thing you've got to have in mind is to find him."
"Yeah... I thought I'd go to Celia and talk to her a bit. You know maybe he'll come back or... I don't know. He's gotta be out there somewhere."
"Hey look Sammy!" said a homeless guy to his mate.
"What?" said Sammy.
"There's a kid down there!"
"What?" said Sammy more concerned.
"Yeah look! God he looks bad."
"Common George we'll tell someone, leave him there, don't touch him. You don't know where he's been."
"Hey! Look he's got his credit card."
"George, leave it! Common!"
"Wait, wait, I wanna have cash. I'll just take his card, he won't notice!"
"George I don't like it!"
And Sammy left George and the kid there. He went to the parking lot they used as a shelter.
Missing Person Unit, FBI, 10:21AM
Frank had been watching the FBI team while they were working on finding Tim when the blonde girl came running toward Jack.
"Jack he used his credit card!"
Everyone in the room jumped up, including Frank.
He cast another glance at Tim's picture and went toward the group of Agents. He took a look at the picture and it hit him. "That's not Tim!" Jack took the lead.
"No Frank it's not, we're going there to try and find who it is. You stay here, all right?"
"What's happened to Tim?" asked Frank completely floored by a sudden realisation. If someone had taken his credit card, he might be dead.
"We'll find out soon. Stay here Frank!"
And they were all gone toward the elevator. Frank made a step toward them but Jack looked back and he thought he might as well stay behind. He wouldn't want a freaking father hanging around one of his case.
When the door opened, Jack gasped as he saw Celia.
"Jack?" she asked seeing the urgency in his eyes.
"It's okay Celia, we're on the right track. Come here. In my office. Wait for me."
She entered and sat there waiting watching when she spotted a long-forgotten silhouette. He was on the phone.
It was Rachel's answering machine. All along he was wondering if he shouldn't hang up but then she'd said he could call anytime. He explained her someone'd used Tim's card and how he was anxious about it. Then he hung up and started to think. When he couldn't take it anymore he looked at the picture again. The address was on it and he ponder over joining the FBI there or staying here. That's when he spotted her. Sitting in Malone's office, she was watching him. He decided to go and talk to her.
"Celia?"
"Come in Frank." The door opened to reveal a rather embarrassed Frank.
"Hi" he said a little unsure.
"Hi" she simply replied.
"So... you... how've you been?"
"Okay, never lonely again" she smiled weakly.
"Yeah" he smiled as well. He sat down by her side and took her hand "You should have told me Celia, I'd have done something, I don't know. But this is stupid."
"Frank we'd split for two months, I was back in the US and you were living half way round the world."
"I could have moved"
"You don't know anything else than Australia, Frank. You wouldn't have been happy. For all we know we could've split up after Tim was born. It would've been worse."
"We should have tried" he pleaded.
"Maybe, but it's too late now Frank. Let's get over it."
"Look there Jack, that could be him" said Samantha.
They had divided the team in small groups to make it easier. Jack had ended up with Sam, still wondering if it were such a good idea to be spending time so close to her.
"Yeah, lets get a move" he replied.
Sammy was watching the two suited agents, for he knew they were FBI. Only FBI wore these kind of suits looking out for people on the streets. He called George over.
"I don't like it" he said nodding toward them.
"What're they?"
"Cops"
"I don't like it" finally replied George when the two agents headed their way.
The two homeless began walking swiftly out of their shelter.
"Jack?" asked Samantha.
"Yeah I saw, call the boys they shouldn't be far away." He said, speeding up the pace.
"Danny, we've got our target on the parking lot across the street, they're running off. Can you stop them?"
"Sure" Danny's voice answered loud enough for Jack to hear it.
When Sam hung up he pushed her lightly with his hand and they ran after Sammy and George.
They heard the bigger guy shout 'run' and the race began.
For two men living in the streets they were pretty fast, they had trouble keeping up with them.
They soon saw the first one projected against a wall by Martin while the second one was chased by Danny. They stopped by Martin's side. Sam called Vivian over, she was still in the bank.
Danny in the mean time was running hard. He was sure the guy was the one on the picture, the one with Tim's credit card. They turned left and Danny jumped over trash cans before ending his run in front of a milk delivery. He could see the guy turning right in a small alley, when he got there he'd lost track of their suspect and went back to join the others. Jack swore and they all set off to the office again.
Missing Person Unit, FBI, 11:41AM
"In the interview room" said Jack to Martin.
He went to his office, surprised to find both parents there. At least it seemed they hadn't been arguing.
"You found him?" asked Frank before Celia had the chance to.
"No, but we found the guy on the photo, or at least one of his friends."
Celia looked down.
"You should go home Celia."
"I won't, I can't stay there alone. I feel useless."
Jack knew he shouldn't accept this but she was a friend and he couldn't help it.
"Right you two go get yourself a coffee with Agent Taylor" And he got out again and straight to the interrogation room.
"Mr Sammy I believe" he stated sitting down.
"Might"
"Right, have you seen this boy" he said showing Tim's picture.
"Might" Sammy replied
"Sammy you don't understand, you've been running away from federal agents, that's bad."
"Yeah, but federal or not you don't like God forsaken people"
"What's God got to do with this?" asked Jack taken aback.
"You go around in yer fancy suits and big cars but there's something else out there. Sumthin' ya don't wanna see" said Sammy bitterly.
"All right, and what about your friend... Where is he now?"
"Don't know."
"Sammy, he used the credit card of a missing person. Which makes me think he might have killed that person."
"George's not a killer"
"And you're is accomplice"
Sammy remained silent.
"Silence isn't gonna help you" said Jack again. But to no avail, George was muted.
He got out of the room stumbling right into Frank. He shot a disapproving glance at Danny who didn't respond.
"Let me talk to him" stated Frank, not caring if it was his investigation or notn anymore.
"You're not entitled to do that" replied Jack at once.
"I'm doing that everyday."
Jack inhaled slowly and then replied "Not in a federal investigation, not in the FBI office, downtown New-York and not when it concerns your son"
"I can make him talk" pleaded Frank. The look in his eyes turned Jack upside down.
He gazed around, Danny and Sam were there as well as Celia. He motioned for Danny to take her away, which he eventually did even if the mother wasn't disposed to.
He found himself alone with Frank and Sam. Limited witnesses.
"I give you five minutes" he then said.
"Hey there Sam" said Frank sitting down.
Sammy merely looked up at the strange Aussie accent and then down again.
"Well my boy, it seems you lost your tongue."
Sammy stayed calm, though he was wondering what an Aussie could have to do with the FBI.
"Where are you from Sammy?" asked Frank.
He was shocked, why would he care?
"Indiana" said Sammy.
Frank went on "Indiana... isn't that the state of Salt Lake City?" he asked, knowing fully well it wasn't.
"Nah, that's Utah."
"Ah yeah" Frank skilfully lied "What would I know eh! We don't have that many states in Australia!"
Sammy just stared.
"But you know what Sammy. You shoulda gone to Salt Lake City, because NYC isn't gonna be good from now on. You wanna know why Sammy?"
Sammy was seriously wondering who let that guy in "Why?"
"Because you wouldn't have met me there. Because my dear Sam you were too using this credit card with your friend George and that's gonna be the biggest problem of you life."
"We didn't use a credit card."
Frank took a photo out of his jacket, the one he had seen in the hands of the FBI a few minutes before and threw it in front of Sammy.
"See that's George, Sammy, according to these guys in black it is and you were with George when they caught you"
Sammy could feel Frank's breath near his left hear.
"Now Sam, Agent Malone gave you a very good reason to told them where George is and I'm gonna give you one more..."
On the other side of the glass, Jack was seriously doubting his move.
"... If you don't tell me where George found this credit card, your life is going to be a hell more frightening," with that he got a hold of the man's shoulder, tightening his grip so the tramp would feel sore when he would go out. Jack almost ran to the door when Frank added, "because you see the boy in that picture Sammy?"
Sammy nodded slowly.
"Well that's my son."
Sammy swallowed hard he was beginning to feel the hand slowly severing his throat, then was forced to face Frank. His face didn't lie, he was going to make his life a misery. Frank let go of Sammy's shoulder.
On the other side of the glass Sam shot a glance to Jack : "Now what?"
"Now you go in" he said.
"What?"
"Frank did a fairly good job there, the guy's on the edge but I want a real agent in there to get him to talk and he's not gonna talk to me."
"Jack, you know I don't think it was a great idea to let Holloway in and I really don't appreciate the idea of being stuck between him and that poor guy."
"That is why I need you to take the lead, Sam."
She was ready to voice a protest when he cut in.
"And that's an order."
"Sammy" she stepped into the room, breaking the staring match between the two men.
She didn't understand why Jack had let the Aussie in. Sure he seemed nice and all but he shouldn't be interfering with their investigation.
"Let me get this straight" she glanced at Frank who winked in such a way only she could see it, it made her becoming more aware of the new tactics she could use.
"Detective Holloway has been of great support to the FBI and I think we could afford to leave him alone some more time with you. Actually I've got a report on your arrest to complete, but if you wanna have a word with me beforehand, I'm here."
Sammy's eyes were flicking from the Aussie to the blonde girl relentlessly.
"All right! George found the credit card on the kid."
Frank sensed his body becoming taut.
"Where?" he said in a last rush of panic.
"Near the subway next to the bank, he was lying there unconscious and George wanted to have money. But I ran before he went to the bank. I didn't like it."
"Turns out you were right Sam... Detective if you please" she said indicating the door before they both walked out, obviously relieved.
Jack met them at the door, he looked at Sam "Not a word", she nodded but then turned to Frank "This is not the way we do things" she said angrily.
Frank just stared. Jack decided to step in before the real battle started. "Samantha was referring to the physical assault"
"What assault? There were none!" he replied in much the same way he would have told Jeff.
Jack reflected over it for just a split second "Yeah, and you never went in there!" he replied with just enough coldness in his voice to make sure his point hit home.
Frank nodded and turned around. Just before he began walking he caught the icy stare of Special Agent Spade. He was convinced there was more than meets the eye between the two FBI agents but he sure as hell didn't wanna know, all he cared was going to the subway Sammy had referred to.
TBC... and no more exams to get in the way.
