A/N I do not own John McBain or any of the other OLTL characters. All others are my own creation. Please don't sue cause I am broke and have nothing to be sued for anyway.

Also sorry for the long delay in updates. I have been on vacation.

Chapter 24

She had to do this; it was the most important thing she ever had to do. These people meant business and she knew that she wasn't meant to come out of this alive. She still didn't understand why she was being used as a pawn in this game of revenge. By listening and pretending to be asleep she had found out more of what was going on but it still wasn't nearly enough. She needed to know who all the players were and what their rolls were. If she was going to protect Rex she had to stay alive at all costs.

"Come on Natalie," Natalie muttered to herself, "you can do this." She was standing on the rickety dresser and trying to pry off an air vent in the hopes that she could shimmy though and escape. He guards already made their morning check on her and she had till after noon to get the rusted grate off the wall and climb through. That is unless Walter or one of his cronies didn't drop by for an unexpected visit.

She was still confused by his behavior. His actions didn't make sense. Why go to all the trouble to fake his death and get in with the mob but then reveal himself to her? Why tell her that he wasn't her father then act like he was doing her some sort of favor by kidnapping her? He was planning something, something that even the Mafia wasn't aware off and was going to use her to somehow further his plans. She was sure of it. Now if only she could figure out what it was maybe she could use that to stay alive.

Giving the grated one last pull and shoving the handle of a hairbrush between the wall and the lip of the grate it came off with a low pop. She held her breath and waited to see if anyone heard the noise. After a minute she heard nothing and hoisted her self up into the vent.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

"I still don't like it one bit," John grumbled as he and Shelly snuck around the house and hid in the tall bushes designed for privacy. This was the best plan they could come up with and he didn't like it one bit. It involved Shelly too much. Hell even Mikey was involved in it!

"Shhhh...!" Shelly hissed at him. "Besides its all we got and you know it!" Shelly didn't really like this any better then John did but she knew that it was the only way. She and Rex played the biggest rolls but John's part would make or break this plan. She just hoped he would be able to hold his temper long enough once he found out the rest of the plan. The part that she and Rex worked out alone and didn't mention. One because she knew John wouldn't go for it and two because she knew the chances of either she and Rex getting caught were high. Shaking her head she smiled ruefully, Rex had been against her plan too. But he knew if he didn't help her she would do it anyway and probably get killed. John and Rex had more in common then either of them knew.

John spoke into his watch, which had a microphone in it, "Ok Michael. You're up." And then sat back and waited for their cue. He watched as Michael and Christina stumbled drunkenly up the walkway, their hands all over each other. Pretending to be drunk and out for a good time. As they stumbled and giggled up the walkway John saw 3 guards start to rush around and then they met Michael at the door. John held his breath anxiously, praying all went right.

Taking out the picture of Natalie Rex had given him that morning John looked at it quickly. He felt a strange attachment to the beautiful woman looking back at him. She couldn't have been more then 20 or 22 in this picture but she had this look in her eyes, kind of sad, haunted even and it just called to him. When Rex had slapped that picture down in front of him this morning he had immediately felt something for her and he knew now more then ever that he was doing the right thing. Natalie was important to him and though he didn't exactly know why he was going to do anything he could to save her.

He took a finger and ran it across the face smiling back at him. His heart sped up slightly and he felt somehow changed every time he looked at her. Shaking himself out of his thoughts he looked back up and put away the picture. Concentrating on Michael and Chris he waited for the signal that the guards were occupied.

Shelly watched her brother and her best friend risking their lives and she began to feel scared. She was scared that she got them into something that could kill them. If they failed and didn't rescue Natalie, if John or Michael or Chris was killed she would never forgive herself.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Rex crouched in the bushes 100 feet away from the mansion watching John and Shelly as well as Michael and Chris. He was waiting for his cue from John to do his part of the plan. He hadn't wanted Shelly involved in this but she wouldn't take no for an answer. John couldn't persuade her and neither could Michael or Chris and definitely not him so this was it.

But while he wasn't happy that others were involved in this mess he knew that Natalie had to be his number one priority. Saving his sister mattered more to him then anything else in his life.

Seeing a sudden movement near John and Shelly he gasped, but stayed where he was. They were too far away for him to help. There was nothing he could do.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

John saw something move out of the corner of his eye and automatically shoved Shelly aside and leapt at the unknown threat. It was a guard that was patrolling the grounds. Both men went down in a tumble of thrashing arms and legs, grunting in pain as they began to fight.

The other man was on top of him and John struggled to dislodge him. Using his knee he brought it up hard and fast, catching the other man in the groin. As he loosened his grip because of the pain John flipped him over his head and rolled on top of him. Delivering a quick brutal blow to the man's windpipe crushing it. The guard fell silent, killed instantly by the blow.

Shelly watched in silent horror as John and the other man fought. She was frozen in place by an overwhelming fear and couldn't move. As John killed his attacker Shelly was suddenly struck with the consequences of her decisions. Her decisions not only put others in danger but also forced others to kill because of her! Sick with shame she finally looked away, regretting ever getting involved with this scheme. Regretting that it in fact had been her idea and that if anyone died, good or bad, it was her fault.

"Shelly!" John hissed at her in a low voice. She was white as snow and was shaking violently. "Are you ok?"

Shelly looked at him with new eyes. She had known that he was FBI that he killed people. Had in fact seen it in her visions but seeing it first hand, seeing how fast someone could die really shook her up. She might have thought she was ready and could handle killing someone if necessary but she hadn't known, not really. Looking at John she wondered how he did it, how he lived with the fact that he had killed a human being. As she thought about all he had been through her respect and admiration for him grew. He really was a hero, not just because he was FBI but because he lived with the consequences of his actions and still tried to help others.

"Shelly!" John hissed again, it was almost time and they couldn't afford to have her zone out or freak out. There were too many lives at stake now.

Shelly blinked and really focused on him. "I'm fine John," she said, filled with determination that she would live up to his faith. She didn't want to let anyone down, get anyone killed. Pushing her fear aside she squared her shoulders and prepared to do her job.

John nodded at her, relieved that she was ok. She had scared him for a minute there. Focusing again on Michael he saw that it was almost time. He tensed his body and reached for his gun, waiting for the signal. So focused were they that they didn't hear the footsteps creeping up behind them, muted by the lush grass of the lawn.

"Drop the gun!" A voice commanded from behind them and John felt a gun barrel pressed to the back of his head. Glancing at Shelly he saw that she too had a gun to her head and her arms were up above her head. He dropped the gun and waited foe his next instruction. It came seconds later, "Turn around."

Both John and Shelly turned around and gasped loudly, "YOU! WHY?"

"We all do what we must to survive." Rex said with a shrug.