Chapter 8- Abduction

Liam Hardy smiled at Katie as she dropped her head onto his shoulder, while they were waiting for their mom to come out of the supermarket. He watched James as he slept , he would always remember hearing his dad say that children were devils by day and angels by night.

"Mom's taking her time" Katie sighed.

"New town, new market" Liam summed up for Katie.

"I guess, hey Lee, do you reckon we'll ever meet our dad's family?" Katie asked.

"I hope so, one day" Liam said. He smiled when he saw their mom coming out of the market looking flustered.

"I hate it when shops change everything around!" she said with a twinkle in her eye that made her appear much younger than she was. The kids laughed as they helped her load the bags into the trunk of the car their dad had rented while they were in town. It was then that Liam saw the Russian man watching him.

"Mom, who's that guy?" Liam asked nodding in the general direction of the man.

Kayley looked at him then shrugged her shoulders "Don't know, Lee."

Later that afternoon, Kayley realized she had forgotten to pick up milk for James. Liam volunteered to walk to the store for her and was on his way back when he saw the same man he had seen earlier, only this time, the man appeared to be following him.

Liam quickened his pace and so did the guy. Liam wound down different streets but carried on heading in the same direction as the hotel. Liam was quick, but the man was quicker and soon caught up with him. Liam felt a cloth get shoved under his nose as a hand grabbed his collar and hauled him towards the van. He inhaled in shock and found the cloth smelled sickly sweet. Liam Hardy's world went black.

Kayley Hardy sat staring at the door willing it to open and for Liam to come walking in saying that he had taken a wrong turn on the way back or something. Maybe the store was out of milk and he needed to go to another one? It wasn't like Liam to just get distracted and make his mom worry. After two hours, she just couldn't stand it anymore and she dialed Joe's cell.

"Liam's gone missing" these were all the words she said before he answered.

"I'm on my way."

"Liam's gone missing, I have to get home," Joe said apologetically as he glanced at his family. The note of anxiety in his voice could not be missed either. "I'll call you if I get any leads on Sam. Something's telling me this may be connected."

Frank quickly glanced at Callie and she nodded her head. How he loved her - she could read and understand him so easily. "Joe, wait, I'll come with you." Frank didn't know if it was the possibility that the two abductions were connected or the fact that he just wasn't ready to let his little brother out of his sight again that soon, but he just knew he had to go with Joe.

"Thanks, Bro," Joe replied with a small smile as he headed for the door.

The ride to the hotel was a tense one. Neither brother spoke much as they were both lost in their worries for the missing boys. Frank sighed to himself as he realized how awkward it was to say something to his little brother - the little brother that had once been the center of his life. He felt tears burn behind his eyes as he reached across the seat and squeezed Joe's shoulder. "It's good to have you back, little brother. I know we will find our sons."

Joe kept his eyes on the road but he reached up to grasp his brother's hand as he nodded with confidence. "It's good to be back, Frank - good to be with together with you. We will find them. We'll find them together."