There was silence again, then Rudy came back on the transmitter, sounding subdued.
"Rick, Gregson left behind Laurie's transmitter in the street…hopefully he doesn't find her pendant watch."
Cursing the killer who had taken his wife, Rick shook his head. "Okay, Rudy, you and Linda just sit tight. We're going to the old Vortex Wind Tunnels, we think that's where Gregson's holding Oscar and Mom. If we can center on Laurie's transmitter……"
As if in answer in their prayers, Rudy's tracking device picked up her pendant watch, then Rick turned his transmitter on, praying they could find her. There was nothing but silence.
As they sped toward Tempe, Ron called in a favor. 20 minutes later, the 3 men literally drove through a college parking lot, stopped at the guard gate and picked up an envelope, then got back on the road.
Just then A.J.'s transmitter beeped, and he switched it on to find Steve Austin calling them.
"Guys, I just talked to Rudy….Jaime and I are on our way to Tempe….we'll take the back way to the Vortex facility. I'll contact you when we get there., can you pick up anything from her, Rick?"
He shook his head. "No, I can't even sense her, we're too far away….wait a minute."
Rick's watch beeped, and switching it to receive, he heard his wife's whisper. "Rick?"
"Laurie…I'm here, sweetheart. Are you all right?"
"Yes, Rick..darling….please don't be mad….Gregson told me if I didn't come he'd kill Mom and Oscar then go after Rudy …..I thought…it's the only way to find them. He's got me in the trunk of his car….but… If anything happens…Please forgive me.."
Any anger Rick would have or could have had was instantly dissipated by her words.
"Darlin' it's all right, I can't get mad at my Valkrie…… Hold on for me…..we'll be there in a few minutes…I love you."
He heard a sniff, then her soft reply. "I love you too, Rick.."
Suddenly he heard the creaking of something being opened, then Gregson's voice.
"All right, Laurie, we're here. No trouble, and I'll let you stay with Oscar and your mother-in-law."
For the next few minutes, the only sound over the transmitter was footsteps, with the convicted killer coercing Laurie over rocky ground, then down a ladder or series of steps.
Just as Ron pulled into the private drive for the test base, Rick and A.J. heard Gregson stop, then remark sarcastically, "Sorry it's not the cavalry, Oscar….but at least I'll let you say your good byes in person."
"Gregson, you bastard.. what are you…Laurie!" Oscar's voice was shaky, but unmistakably relieved at the sight of his daughter. At once Laurie cried out, "Dad….oh Dad…Mom!"
The sound of weeping was heard as Cecilia gasped, "Honey…..what happened? How did you get here?"
Rick wiped his own eyes, relieved to hear his mother's voice. Before Laurie could answer her, Gregson cleared his throat.
"All right, I'll leave you three together ….for now. I have to go check with my buyer…seems he's going to get two for the price of one!"
"What the hell are you talking about?" Oscar sounded furious, and instantly Rick and A.J. were silent, as Ron quietly told them, "I'm thinking we don't have time to wander around; I'm going to drive to the last entrance, then hide the car behind the trees."
"You're more valuable then you thought, Oscar. You see, even though you've been out of action for a couple of years, I've got a client who'll pay good money to get information out of you. He's going to be very happy to see I've taken out insurance on getting top dollar." Gregson gloated, then Rick heard a door clang, and silence.
Waiting a moment, Rick was about to signal his wife when she whispered, "Dad, I've still got my pendant on….Rick and A.J. and Ron are near by..we have to get out of here."
Oscar's relieved sigh could be heard loud and clear as he spoke quietly. "Thank God….Rick, can you hear me?"
"Yes, Dad…are you and Mom okay?" Rick held his breath as Oscar replied, "Yes, son…just cold and tired….where are we?"
"You're in the old Vortex Wind Tunnels….we're parking behind the caves. As soon as I
get a bead on your location, we'll be right there." Rick started, then stopped as Cecilia warned, "Honey, we're underground, I don't know how you're going to find us in this maze."
"I do, Mom." Laurie interrupted. "We came in a door near the guard shed, then down a corridor, then left down a wooden ladder and past an old elevator shaft. I think we're in a supply room."
"That's my girl." Rick smiled as Ron and A.J. collected flashlights and weapons and followed him out of the cruiser. "Is there anyway you can get out of there?"
"He's got us handcuffed, but…Mom…is there anyway you can reach under my jacket ..I've got my little knife…." Rick could almost hear the blush in her voice as Cecilia stopped her. "Yes, honey…Oscar, turn around."
"Just when I think our daughter's run out of tricks…" Oscar's tone was full of pride, and the clicking noise that followed let Rick and the others know that Laurie had managed to free her father and Cecilia.
"Here you go, Baby." One more set of clicks, then Oscar said "See if you can put that in the lock…"
"I can't see, Dad. Can you hold my pendant up, maybe use the light…"
As Laurie worked on the rusted lock, Ron led Rick and A.J. silently around the rear of the old test site, then found the guard shed Laurie had described. Testing the door, Ron used his own "pick", and managed to open it.
"You two go in…I'm going to radio for back up. Just in case Gregson comes back, I'll radio you guys." He told them.
As they slipped in, Ron put a hand on Rick's arm. "Be careful, Rick…This guy's deadly."
"You too." He nodded.
As the two brothers vanished inside, Ron propped the door ajar, then called into Phoenix PD and the OSI. He'd scarcely finished transmitting when he heard footsteps, and quickly closed the door and hid behind the guard shed.
Inside the cave, Rick and A.J. had already made their way down a corridor, then found the rickety wooden ladder Laurie described.
"Careful, A.J….some of these rungs are almost split." Rick warned, then made it down the ladder to the second level. Just then footsteps echoed near, and Rick stopped in mid-step, then "called" "Sweetheart?"
"Rick! We're here!" Hearing his wife's "voice", he quickened his pace and turned a dark corner, only to almost run into his mother.
"Rick!" she choked, and threw her arms around him. Giving her a quick hug, Rick passed her to A.J., then embraced Laurie and Oscar.
"Never been so glad to see you in my life, son." The older man chuckled, then fell silent as footsteps sounded nearby.
"Quick…get Cecilia and Laurie out of here!" Oscar ordered in a low voice. "I'll distract him."
"No you don't…" Rick retorted, as A.J. led his mother and Laurie into an alcove. Just as Oscar and Rick found a similar hiding place, a flashlight beam swept past them and Gregson came down the opposite corridor, then vanished.
"Now!" Rick hissed. A.J. took his mother's arm as Laurie followed and they started down the rocky passage. Almost immediately a yell came from Gregson, and Rick and Oscar ran for it.
"There's no escape, I'll bring down this cave on you unless you surrender, Oscar!" Gregson's voice echoed threateningly.
At once a loud "boom" went off, and the walls began to shake. Already at the wooden ladder, Rick was hard put to stay on it as it began to sway. He had barely gotten to the top when he felt it coming apart.
"Grab my hand, Rick!" A.J. yelled, and gratefully Rick let him pull him up. Below him Gregson was shouting again, then another explosion went off. Running down the passage, the others stopped to catch their breath, then the whole cave began to crumble.