A/N: My apologies. I was so caught up in the virtual conference that I was attending last Thursday that I completely forgot to update this fic.


~ Chapter 46 ~

Louise Sadick observed the man before her closely. For the first time since she'd walked up to him in the waiting area, his face bore a dark, brooding expression. Her training allowed her to discern that his teeth were clenched, and that a light mist of tears was forming in his eyes. In spite of her best intentions, she couldn't prevent the feeling of empathy that overcame her. Clearly, Alex North was suffering.

"What happened to tear you and Dr. Evans apart?" she asked. Her tone was gentle, her earlier brusqueness gone.

Alex pictured the two men in black whose appearance in his office so many years ago had shattered his happiness, and irrevocably altered his life. He shivered involuntarily as he recalled their coldness, their threats, and their guns. Louise tensed as she watched the colour drain from his face.

"I'm sure you remember I told you it was complicated."

"Vividly."

"Well, here's the problem. I can't actually talk about it."

"What do you mean?" A sharpness had returned to her voice.

"In order for our discussion to proceed any further, you'll have to speak to someone at this number."

He reached over and, grabbing her pen and pad, scribbled ten digits on the paper.

"Don't worry, it's local," he assured her, his words laced with a tinge of flippancy.

"I would have billed you for it if it wasn't," she shot back, more relieved than she should have been at seeing his ghostly pallor recede.

She inspected the number carefully, turning it over in her mind in a quest to determine if it held any familiarity. Something stirred in the recesses of her memory, but she couldn't quite pin it down. She looked up at Alex.

"Who should I ask for?"

"No one specific. Whoever answers will do."

"And what am I expected to say to this person?"

"Let him know who you are, and why I'm here. He'll take it from there."

"Well, since you've left me no choice…"

Louise pressed the requisite ten digits and waited. On the third ring, a deep male voice answered.

"Hello?"

No identification, no clues, nothing. Louise sighed in frustration. She'd simply have to forge ahead without knowing anything about the man at the other end of the line.

"Hello. My name is Dr. Louise Sadick. I'm an Ethics Officer with the American Psychiatric Association."

"What can I do for you, Doctor?"

"I'm investigating a complaint against Dr. Alex North, and he's informed me that, before he can discuss the circumstances, I have to talk to you."

"He's quite correct," the man concurred. "I'll need to speak to him."

"Oh, but that's highly irregular," Louise protested.

"I appreciate your concern, but this is non-negotiable. Either you let me speak to Dr. North, or someone much more important than I am will be calling your boss."

Gritting her teeth, Louise handed Alex the phone. She sat back in her chair, hoping to overhear something – anything – that would help clear up the mystery that surrounded the subject of her investigation.

"Alex North here."

"Alex, Alex, Alex…" The man's tone was smooth and vaguely reproachful. "Didn't we tell you Dr. Evans would cause you nothing but grief?"

Louise watched as the muscles in Alex's jaw tightened, and his eyes turned icy.

"I'm not interested in your opinions," he declared, a hard edge to his voice. "I just need clearance."

"You know we'd require more time than she wants. We'd have to vet this woman, make sure…"

"Don't give me that," Alex interrupted, his impatience bubbling to the surface. "I'm quite certain you have complete dossiers on everyone who works here."

Louise stifled a gasp at Alex's statement, and her mind whirled. Clearly, he was somehow connected to a powerful government agency. The CIA or the FBI were the first to pop into her head. It would certainly explain all the secrecy. She moaned inwardly at the realization that investigating this particular complaint might bring her more trouble than she'd bargained for. The sound of Alex's terse voice broke into her thoughts.

"I knew you'd eventually see it my way. I'll let her know."

Without another word, he let the receiver drop forcefully into its cradle.

"Well?" Louise held her breath as she awaited his response.

"I've been given the okay to discuss the situation with you. Fire away with your next question."

Louise examined her notes. She'd totally forgotten her previous query in the rush of nerves that she'd struggled to subdue at the thought that she was interviewing a potential spy. Alex's keen powers of observation detected the hint of a tremor in the woman's hands, in spite of her efforts to hide it.

"Let me help you out. You were asking what had happened to tear Marlena and me apart."

"Oh. Right. Go ahead."

"As I mentioned before, we were in love. We were deliriously happy. Then, one day, two men dropped by my office."

"I'm guessing they weren't there for therapy," she offered, frightened by the intensity in his eyes, and hoping to lighten his mood.

He remained sombre as he continued.

"No, they weren't. They'd come to inform me that some of my research was… of interest to them."

"And?"

"And that was all, except that they made a point of telling me to keep the visit to myself. Which I did. It was clear to me that they meant business, and I would cross them at my peril."

"I still don't understand how this caused you to be separated from Dr. Evans."

"They came back a few days later…"

He picked up the folder for what seemed like the tenth time and started to scan its contents again. Reaching the end, he rubbed his bleary eyes and heaved a sigh of defeat. Whatever had attracted their attention, it was no more apparent to him now than it had been on the day of their first visit. He could see nothing out of the ordinary in the drug research he'd been conducting for the past six months. What was he overlooking? The phone rang, its unexpected jangle startling him.

"Alex North."

"It's lonely here. When are you coming home?"

There was a seductive quality to Marlena's voice that he normally found irresistible. On this night, however, her safety was his primary concern.

"Not as soon as I'd like. There's a case that's giving me some trouble, and I'm trying to get it squared away before we leave."

"Mmm… an isolated mountain cabin, snow, skis, hot chocolate, and you… I can't wait!"

"Neither can I. But I don't want to be distracted…" His words trailed off as he heard her giggle.

"No distractions? Are you sure?"

He chuckled, instantly grasping her meaning.

"Not of the work variety. You, on the other hand, are free to distract me as much as you like."

"I'll be taking you up on that."

His mind wandered in a most agreeable direction as he contemplated their getaway. He was brought back to the present by the papers in front of him.

"I hate to say it, but I've got to get back to work. I'll probably be quite late. Sorry."

"I'll forgive you… as long as you make it up to me this weekend."

"Count on it! I love you."

"I love you, too."

Just as he hung up, the door to his office swung open. A chill crept down his spine at the sight of the men before him.

"What do you want now?" he snarled, not bothering to hide his annoyance.

The shorter of the two strode rapidly towards the desk. His dark eyes held more than a hint of menace as his face stopped mere inches from Alex's.

"We're here to give you fair warning. You have five days to get your affairs in order."

"And then what? You're going to kill me for some research that affects you in a way I don't even understand?"

The taller man laughed. It was not a pleasant sound.

"Your life is not in danger… yet," he drawled, letting the significance of his last word sink in before he continued. "As long as you cooperate fully, you have nothing to fear."

"Yeah, right. Somehow, that's not terribly reassuring."

"It wasn't meant to be. I'm simply outlining the facts."

A sigh of impatience burst from the shorter man.

"Enough of the chit chat. Pack an overnight bag, and be here Monday afternoon at 5:30 sharp."

The man's tone brooked no argument, but Alex was too angry to care. Throwing caution to the wind, he rose to confront this unwelcome guest.

"And if I'm not?"

"Your fiancée is a beautiful woman, isn't she?"

The man's subtext was unmistakable, causing the blood in Alex's veins to run cold. As he absorbed the very real threat that hung in the air, he cleared his throat, and changed tack.

"Where will you be taking me?"

"You'll find out, in due time," came the curt reply.

"How will I explain this to…" He hesitated, loath to utter her name in their presence. "To those I love?"

"You won't. You're to say nothing about this, to anyone. Is that clear?"

The man's hand shifted to rest on the grip of his gun, and Alex swallowed, hard.

"Absolutely."

Turning on his heels, the man moved quickly towards the door, his companion in tow. The adrenaline that had fuelled him already ebbing, Alex sat down shakily, and dropped his head into his hands. Five days. Only five days until the strangers returned. He needed a plan, and he needed it now. He had to be ready.

Switching his thoughts back to the present, Alex focused his gaze on Louise. She was staring at him intently, barely breathing as she listened to the tale of what had transpired so very long ago. It took a moment for her to realize that he'd fallen silent.

"What happened next? Did you find a way to outwit those men?"

Heaving a sigh, Alex shook his head mournfully.

"To my everlasting regret, I did not. Then, true to their word, they showed up at my office late Monday afternoon – and proceeded to separate me from everything, and everyone, I held dear."