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Title:Reasons Maia is kidnapped.
3 Author:Rodlox.
Summary:Just a few reasons why Maia might be kidnapped...each reason is a chapter.

Author's notes:This plot idea came to me before I saw the previews during 'Being Tom Baldwin'...but I just couldn't think of whole stories. So I've borrowed from the method of "five things that are definately not true about.
odd note:Yes, banana slugs and geoducks are mascots...heck, Homeland Security has a mountain lion.

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THREE:
MARCO.

Diana opens her door, expecting a police officer or Tom or someone other than me. Why would I be stopping by, after all, in the middle of a case. Maia missing or not, that just doesn't match any previous patterns. "Marco?"

"Yeah," I say, feeling that momentary awkwardness I hope proves to be only momentary. Movies always make this sort of thing out to be easier. And books...well, at least there's no colour out of time interfering.

"Mom!" Maia says, stepping into view from alongside the doorframe, and she gets swept up in a big bear hug by Diana. I stand here, patient. Diana sets Maia down after a bit, and asks her if she's all right, if she wants to talk about what happened... Maia turns around and hugs me, saying, "Goodbye, Marco," and heads inside, leaving me alone with her mother.

"Who found her?" Diana asks me.

I wouldn't say found... "I did," I say.

"And...?"

"Just me."

"And the kidnappers didn't put up a fight?"

She doesn't let me keep it simple: "There was no fight."

"What?" her eyes narrowing.

We always used to say we'd stick together, thick and thin, publish or perish, through grants and funding that dries up. We graduated together, all five of us Banana Slugs. Kept in touch, shared the results of our work, provided it wasn't a national secret.

Then again, we all had enough clearance that classification wasn't an issue. That's how it all started, with a way to open the secrets of the 4400, make it so anyone could have 4400 abilities. They worked on it for two years, in secret, with ol' Marco, numero five keeping abreast of what was going on in the broader world. Good ol' Marco, keeping quiet all this time.

But abducting Maia was too much. It was the one thing I couldn't allow. I couldn't stop them...didn't find out about it until after they'd taken her...but I went and got her back.

Now it's not five. Now it's four and one.

At least they gave me their word they wouldn't kidnap anymore. I believe them...they were never any good at lying to me.

The question is, how much of this is Diana going to believe. "Can I explain?"

"Oh you'd better," she snaps at me. I don't doubt that, in one pocket, she's speed-dialing Nina.

"I kept Maia safe." Yes, best to start with that. Disbelieve the rest, Diana, but please believe that. I explain it all to her.
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the end.