Angered by the threat, Laurie returned, "What do you want with us? We don't even know you." Linda broke in, "How do I know you won't kill the guys?"
"What I want is not your concern, but I give you my word, Mrs. Simon. No further harm will come to them if you ladies come alone and park in back of the bus station. One hour."
Click.
Before she could say anything, Oscar stepped forward and turned off the speaker, then Ron picked up his speaker.
"Did you get anything?"
Suddenly they were all cheered by the look of encouragement on his face. "Okay, Send a couple of units to block off the area. Don't go near the place until I get there."
Clicking off his radio, Ron turned and faced the Simons. "Both of you did a good job, you kept him on long enough. We got a trace on Altman's phone, it's coming from the old Meyerslab building. We'll close in as soon as we isolate where the guys are."
"Wait a minute, that's on the other side of town….what if he's there and the guys are at the bus station?" Laurie said, putting an arm around Linda as she started to shake.
"We'll stake out both places, honey, but the phone call came from that location, so Rick and A.J. are probably there too." Oscar explained reassuredly. He turned and told Ron, "I'll follow you over, and we can try using our transmitters to pick Rick's locator up when we get there."
Robbie spoke up, seeing his mother becoming agitated. "Rob and I'll take the bus station, Uncle Oscar. Just in case the guy tries to move Pop and Uncle A.J."
"Good idea, son. Laurie, don't even say it." Oscar held up a hand as Laurie tried to protest. "I need you and Linda to stay put and monitor Rick's transmitter. In case we have trouble finding them, I'm going to need you to try to reach him."
At once Laurie nodded, realizing her involvement could possibly endanger Rick and A.J.. "All right, Dad. I'll listen for any signals from his locator, or …if he somehow can reach me.."
"That's my girl." Oscar smiled and hugged her, then Linda. Ron put his jacket on and followed him out the front door.
As the sound of both men's cars drove away, Laurie closed her eyes, trying to reach out to her husband. "Rick, darling, help's on the way. Please hold on for me, love."
"Come on, Mr. Simon, you can defend yourself better then that!"
Rick collapsed on the ground, biting his lip to keep from crying out in pain. He refused to give the bastard the satisfaction of seeing him beg. Steeling himself for the next blow, he was surprised to be picked up, then dragged back to where his brother was.
"Okay, tie him up and put them both in the van. We have ten minutes to get to the bus station." The older man said with a sarcastic smile. "While their friends are combing the Meyerlab building, we'll be getting ready for our lovely guests."
"No!" Rick burst out, then yelled in pain as Altman struck him hard in the head.
"Silence! Frank, tape their mouths, I don't want any noise from them."
Within minutes, Rick and A.J. were carried to a waiting van, then dumped inside. As the van peeled away from the abandoned building, Rick managed to reach his spare transmitter with his numb fingers. As he hit the button with his fingers, he heard Laurie's "voice" in his thoughts, and tried to respond.
"Laurie? Sweetheart, don't come, whatever you do don't let Altman make you come!"
"Rick? Dad, Ron and Rob are looking for you.. do you know where you are?" Laurie sat down, catching Linda's attention. "Try to reach Rob." She mouthed.
"Laurie, we were at the Meyerslab building, but now…..let me see if I can spot any landmarks." Rick craned his neck, then froze.
"Sweetheart, we're at the bus station, call Ron and tell him we're here!"
Relaying the information from Rick to her sister-in-law, Laurie grabbed up a jacket. "Linda, I'm not standing by and letting Rick and A.J. die, I'm going with Robbie, I'll keep you posted."
Laurie ran out the door after her son, catching him just as he was ready to drive away. "Robbie!"
He stopped, rolling down the window. "Mom, what happened? I need to catch up with Rob."
Getting in the passenger side, she said, "Your father and uncle are being taken to the bus station, call Oscar and Ron and have them meet us there."
Immediately Robbie put the car in gear and took off, putting on his transmitter and attempting to call both Chief Johnson and Oscar. Getting no answer, he made a decision.
"Mom, what's Pop's location, can you tell on your watch?"
"It looks like they're moving, we'll have to wait until they stop." She explained, then watched the locator on her transmitter as they sped through the late evening dusk.
In minutes they reached the old Phoenix Bus Depot, now gated and padlocked. Circling the block, Robbie noticed an unlocked gate, and slamming on the brakes, backed up and drove onto the property.
At once Laurie saw the locater light on her transmitter stop. 'Robbie, look, they seem to be on the first floor of the office building…" A beeping noise stopped her, and she turned on her speaker to find Oscar on the other end.
"Laurie? Robbie just signaled me, have you heard anything?"
"Dad, Rick turned on his locator, and I was able to reach him, they moved him and A.J. to the bus station. According to Rick, Altman is being helped by his son, who seems to have super strength of some kind." She began, then froze as the locator on her watch showed the room Rick and A.J. were located.
"Uncle Oscar, it looks like Mom's transmitter shows Pop and Uncle A.J. are on the first floor, off the main lobby. We're going to try to get closer." Robbie told them, turning off his lights and creeping close to the building. Just then a light went on in a room near the front of the building, and slowly he drove adjacent to the overgrown shrubs climbing up the old brick façade. Pulling up just short of the illuminated windows, Robbie and Laurie climbed out and cautiously approached the entrance. Right before the entry steps, Laurie noticed a ladder carelessly left against the outside of the station.
"Robbie, can you lift that ladder and put it up against the wall? Maybe we can get into the building that way and get your dad and A.J. out."
"Sure, but I want you to stay outside, this guy's crazy, and if he sees you…" Robbie whispered, then his mother interrupted him.
"No, Robbie, you need to trust that I won't let myself be used against your father. There's no time to wait for Dad and Ron, we have to free them now." She replied in as quiet a tone. "You need to trust me, son, I can handle it, I promise."
He stared at her for a moment, then nodded. "Okay, Mom. You climb up as quietly as you can, then come back down if there's any chance you'll be spotted. Signal me if you see them, and I'll break in the front and take down Altman that way, while you get Pop and Uncle A.J.. Rob should be here in a minute."
Laurie hugged him, saying, "Be careful, Robbie. I love you."
His eyes got very bright. "I love you too, Mom. Let's go."
As quickly as possible he moved the metallic ladder to just under one of the lit windows, then waited until Laurie went up the steps before dashing toward the front door.
Slowly raising herself to one side of the window, Laurie carefully peeked in, then had to hold back a cry.
There just below her was a white-haired man, holding a gun on a bloodied and beaten Rick and A.J..
"Rick? Darling, hold on… Robbie's coming in the front, can you hear me?" she "called" to him.
"I hear you, sweetheart, tell him to be careful, Altman's son was hiding the van, he thinks you and Linda are coming." came his "reply".
Suddenly her transmitter lit up. "Mom? Rob just caught Altman's son, he was headed back into the building. I've called Ron, he'll be here in a moment to take care of him. Can you see Pop?" Robbie asked.
"I can see him through the window, honey. Altman's right below me, I'm going to wait for your signal, then jump on top of him, I can open the door for you." She answered, then tensed, seeing the murderer becoming agitated below her. She "called" to Rick. "What happened?"
"Sweetheart, tell Robbie and Rob to hurry, Altman's ready to start shooting!"
Afraid the madman was ready to snap, Laurie called back to Rick, "I'm right behind Altman, darling. On the count of ten, I'm going to come through the window and stop him!"
Down below her, Rick was shocked to hear her words. "No! Laurie, don't come, it's a trap!"