Thanks for much for the reviewage! I didn't expect when I started this fic I'd dedicate a whole segment to Maggie/Danny but it just sorta happened LOL. Glad it was liked, gives me a few ideas! :)
This chapter covers a lot of ground kinda quick, hopefully it makes some kind of sense. :/ Take as you will.
Sitting in his still parked car, Saul was reeling from Maggie's phone call. He'd just learned that Farrah had been kidnapped, that Carrie was a wreck and apparently in no condition to see anyone, even him.
But she was theorizing, convinced that Farrah's older brother Khaliq had been responsible for this nightmare. Caused the diversion then snatched her at the parade.
Running that possibility over in his mind, Saul told Maggie it was plausible but they had to do some more digging around.
He offered to put together a task force, recruit Danny, Virgil, Quinn, everyone they had to search for Farrah. That way he could go and be with his protege. Hold her hand, bring her soup. Wait with her for the storm to pass. He felt it was the least he could do.
He and Carrie hadn't spoken since their disagreement at Langley. Rather than working past it, dealing with her, he'd avoided things, surprised Mira with a romantic trip. Conveniently been gone for the better part of the crucial first forty-eight hours when they'd had the best chance of finding Farrah. It made Saul sick to his stomach. All he wanted to do now was help.
But Maggie had denied him even that. She'd been surprisingly cagey over the phone, not letting on where Carrie was even staying, repeatedly insisting he put all his effort into tracking down Farrah. Before Saul could demand more information she'd hung up, stopped taking his calls.
Now he was in his car unsure of where to go next. He could try Carrie's house, look up Maggie's address and go to her's. Or he could look into this Khaliq theory a little bit more.
Thinking the latter option was his best bet he made a few phone calls. Got Virgil's and Quinn's voicemails in the process but at least he was starting something, doing something. Maybe Maggie had been right, he'd be better off active than sitting and keeping vigil. This time anyway.
...
Danny had called Carrie's cell three times with no answer. He wasn't sure what had happened, after all she'd called him. Deciding it didn't make sense for him to drive all the way home and pace around waiting with the drawing, he drove over to the mosque and kept his cellphone close. Ensuring when Carrie did call he'd be close enough to her place or to Langley and could get the sketch to her promptly. He also figured prayer could only help at this point.
After he parked and locked his car, nearing the mosque he noticed two people leaving the community center through a side entrance he'd never used. They were heading towards the apartment complex nearby and moving quickly. Danny held back, watched before moving closer to get a better look at them. Once he did he froze, seeing the short red and the long blonde hair.
They were walking close together, almost guiding each other. There was a height difference and even from a distance Danny could tell it was a man and a woman. It was too coincidental to dismiss. Carrie being cryptic and insisting he call rather than telling him where and when to meet. Now that he knew she was protecting someone, who she was protecting, things became abundantly clearer.
He wanted to run over and confront them both. He wanted to punch Brody's lights out. He wanted to do a lot of things but kept in control, took a deep breath, knowing this would be better handled another way.
"Saul, it's Danny. I need you over at the community center. Now. You..you won't guess who I just saw here."
...
Saul was driving now, on the verge of getting his first speeding ticket in a long time as he made his way to the community center. He was a far cry from the man sitting numbly in the front seat unable to decide where to go, what to do first. At least now he had something he could direct his anger and frustration at. Finally he had something to take care of.
His and Danny's conversation was on repeat in his mind. Brody was back. Carrie was with him. Farrah was still nowhere to be found. The combination of all of these, not necessarily related incidents had him rivaling Carrie in terms of barely keeping emotion in check.
Still driving, when his phone went off yet again, Saul hit the hands free button on the wheel so hard it nearly broke off.
"What is it!"
"Saul, it's Virgil."
"What the fuck do you want?"
"Quit barking at me I'll tell you!", Virgil snapped, getting Max's attention.
"Will you quit watching me and do your fucking job! What did I bring you along for?"
Shrugging, Max continued wandering around taking photographs as Virgil sighed, leaned back against the side of the security van parked on a street corner.
"Excuse me?"
"No, Saul I wasn't talking to y-."
"Who are you with right now?"
"Just Max."
"Where's Quinn?"
"I don't know, last I heard he was riding along with some cops."
"Why did you call me then?", Saul asked.
"I just got your voicemail. Heard your theory, Farrah's older brother is behind this?"
"It's possible. We're not ruling it out."
Curious when Max waved over to him, standing by a trash can, Virgil frowned, walking over.
"What is it?"
"I just went to throw out my gum and saw this." Max said, handing Virgil some torn fabric he'd found jammed inside the trash can.
"What the fuck? Scrap fabric?"
"Look at the pattern, the color of it..", he pointed out as Virgil's eyes went wide.
"Son of a-"
"What? Virgil what is it?", Saul asked frantically over the car phone.
Virgil tucked his phone between his ear and his shoulder, sadly using his hands to unfold the fabric remnants. The satiny material looked like it had been shredded.
"Virgil!"
"Saul are you driving?"
"Yeah?"
"Pull over then okay? You..you won't like this."
Frowning, Saul obeyed, trying to keep his worry in check.
"You think someone Farrah trusted, someone who cared about her took her?"
"We just went over this, Virgil. Yes. Her brother, Khaliq."
"If this brother of her's is so devoted to his sister, is a devout Muslim, why the fuck would Farrah's hijab be torn up in a trash can?" Virgil asked bitterly.
Now seething, glad he'd taken Virgil's advice, Saul rubbed the bridge of his nose and a tear from the corner of his eye.
"Find Quinn and get to the community center. Maggie and I will meet you there."
"Which one of us is going to tell Carrie?", Virgil asked, refolding the fabric reverently before slipping it in his pocket.
"We all will.", Saul sighed heavily, putting the car in drive.