I was released a few days later. With Hara and Conna's blessing, I made a B-line to the port for my fighter then commed Wolf.

"About time you called, Kell," he answered. "I was worried that you had chickened out."

"Well, hello to you too. How's our prisoner?"

"Still not budging. Think you can break him?"

"I'm not giving him a choice."

He smirked. "I'll meet you in the hangar. Don't worry, no one will mess with you."

"Oh, I'm not worried."

I arrived at Sargasso and docked in one of the bays. Wolf and Leon welcomed me along with a black feline.

"Kell, this is Panther," Wolf introduced us.

Panther took my hand and kissed my knuckles. "Enchante, mademoiselle. It is a pleasure to meet you."

I was flattered. "The pleasure is all mine, Panther." I turned my attention to Wolf. "Take me to Tally. We don't have time to waste."

"Right this way."

They lead me to an elevator that shot us up quite a few stories. The elevator stopped after several minutes and opened up to a long hallway. The hallway was lined with giant windows every few feet with one door beside each. The boys led me to one of the windows at the very end. It turned out to be a one-way glass, we could see him but he couldn't see us.

Tally looked pretty ragged. He sat in a chair with his hands tied behind. He was slumped over to the side, still conscious.

"We've starved him, beat him, and even promised his freedom and compensation if he would cooperate," Wolf informed me. "No clues or anything to lead us to his boss."

"Maybe you need to something a little more… Drastic." I felt something change in me then. I was determined to find out who was going after my boss. I was just about capable of anything at this point. He threatened my friends and nearly killed me in the process. Those indiscretions weren't going unpunished.

I looked up at Leon. "Care to join me?"

Leon smirked as if knowing what I was planning. "Gladly."

He and I went in together, leaving Wolf and Panther outside of the room. Leon shut the door behind us. Tally looked up at me and went pale at the sight of me.

"No! How are you still alive after that?! You should be-"

"Dead?" I interrupted, circling him like a predator about to kill its prey. "I don't go down that easily. If you were thorough, it shouldn't have taken you three tries and you wouldn't have failed. In fact, you're going to give me the name of your boss and I'll be on my merry way. No strings attached. Or this will get very ugly."

Tally scoffed. "I've been here for days being tortured by Wolf O'Donnell. If he can't make me talk, what makes you think that you will?"

"Because Wolf's friends aren't the ones you've threatened," I told him matter-of-factly. "I'm on a revenge mission now. One, that, could've been avoided had you just killed me. You underestimated me, that's mistake number two. Now, give me the name of your boss."

He answered with his silence. I bent down and pulled a knife out of my boot. I played with it for a moment then flipped it in my hand and drove the blade straight into Tally's thigh, all the way to the hilt. Tally's scream was deafening. Maybe it would get my point across. I heard Wolf cry my name from outside of the room. Leon locked the door before Wolf could enter. I grinned at the chameleon.

"I see you're breaking rules."

He shrugged. "This is getting interesting. I'm not about to stop you."

Wolf kept banging on the door and yelling profanities.

"He's not too happy with you," I told Leon.

"He'll get over it."

I turned my attention back to Tally. I pulled the knife out of his leg and he let out another wail. He gave me a piercing look and seethed.

"You bitch!"

"Awww… Don't hurt my feelings, Cameron. Just give me a name and this will all be over."

"Not a chance."

I drove the knife into his other leg, let it stay for a moment and pulled it out. Tally's screech was just as wretched as the first. He began to sweat from the strain. Wolf kept banging on the door for me to stop. I easily ignored him.

"A name, Cameron," I demanded. "Or your arms will be next."

He panted from the pain he was most likely feeling but didn't answer me. I strode over to Leon.

"He's wasting my time." I pulled Leon's blaster from his hip and aimed it at Tally. "He's useless to me if he won't give me a name." I saw the panic settle in his eyes. "I'll give you to the count of three, you sack of shit."

He shifted uneasily in his chair.

"One."

He began to hyperventilate.

"Two."

Wolf's incessant pounding was beginning to irritate me. I was ready to put this guy out of his misery.

"Three-"

"Wait!" he finally called out. "The guy's name is Pete Liger! That's all I know, I swear!"

The name struck a chord in me. I tossed the blaster back to Leon and stepped closer to Tally.

"Pete Liger…? Craig's old partner?" I asked. "He was locked up the last I…" I trailed off. If I remembered Craig's story correctly, in order to be able to change his name and marry Melissa, he had to find a way to get out of the criminal world. So he named his partner to get amnesty and Pete got locked up while Craig was free to marry his now-wife and start his business.

The reality of the danger Craig and Melissa were in struck me like a blow. I turned to Leon.

"Unlock the door."

He did as I ordered and opened it for me to leave. As soon as I stepped out, Wolf grabbed me and pinned me against the opposite wall.

"What the hell was that?! Do you have any idea what you're opening yourself up to?!"

I shoved him away from me. "I did what I had to! Now shut up while I make a phone call."

I pulled out my phone and dialed Craig. My heart sank when I didn't get an answer. I called again. Still no answer.

"What's wrong?" Wolf asked.

"Craig isn't answering my calls…" I looked up at Wolf. "Craig never misses my calls. Pete's already there. I know it." I ran toward the elevator with Wolf close behind me.

I got to the elevator first. The door closed before Wolf could get in. I immediately called Fox.

"Hello?" he answered.

"Thank goodness you answered!"

"Skye? What's wrong? Why do you sound panicked?"

"I got the name. It's Pete Liger, he's Craig's old partner. I don't have time to explain everything right now but Craig isn't answering my calls. Pete's there, he's going to hurt Craig." The tears I was holding back began to flow. My hysteria was getting almost out of control. I took a deep breath and wiped my tears.

"You have to calm down, Skye. Falco and I will head to Gilford. We'll take care of this."

"No way. I'm not going to depend on you and Falco. Craig and Melissa are my friends. It will be too late by the time you get there. Just let General Pepper know that he has a hole in his maximum security prison." I hung up with my brother by the time the elevator opened to the hangar.

I bolted to my fighter, pushing past the criminals that were hanging around and quickly took off.

My mind was all over the place. All I could think about was the "what-ifs". I couldn't keep focused on one thing. My comm beeped at me with an incoming transmission and nearly made me jump out of my skin. I let it through.

"Not now," I replied irritatingly without finding out who it was.

"Skye, you're going in way too hot," Wolf's voice echoed around me. "You have to calm down."

"Calm down? How can you possibly say that to me? My friends are in the hands of a notorious felon and I have no idea if they are okay or not. But you want me to calm down. That's rich, even for you."

"I'm not letting you go in alone."

"I don't need or want your help."

"I'm not giving you a choice."

I was relieved that I wasn't going to be alone. There was no way I was going to tell Wolf that.

"Fine," I huffed. "We're going there to buy time for Fox and the military to show up. Nothing more. We don't use force unless we have to. Capiche?"

I heard his chuckle then let the silence take over. I commed into Gilford to let them know of my arrival with no reply. I docked into the station with Wolf right behind me. As I tiptoed around, I realized that there wasn't a single soul. Wolf came to my side.

"There's no one here," he noted. "It's abandoned."

"No…" I murmured. "They've all been paid off or threatened."

I went back to my ship to get my blaster. Wolf took my lead and grabbed his blaster as well.

"Any ideas on where they would be?" Wolf asked.

I thought for a moment. "I'm not sure. We need to find Melissa first. Craig would have hidden her." I pulled out my phone and called Melissa's cell. To my surprise, a shaky voice answered.

"H-hello?"

"Melissa! Thank the gods!"

"Skye? Oh my gosh! Skye, where are you? Pete Liger… Pete paid off our pilots. He's… He's…"

"Tell me later. Where are you?"

"The locker rooms… I'm in a closet."

"I'll be right there!" I hung up with her and turned to Wolf. "She's in the locker rooms. We'll find her first then go help Craig."

He agreed with me then we took off toward the locker rooms. I kept my guard up, just in case someone decided to stick around.

We made it to the locker rooms and searched a few closets. In one of the last ones, there was Melissa, huddled in a corner. As soon as she saw me, she jumped up and hugged me, tears streaming down her face.

"Thank goodness! It's really you Skye! It's really you!"

I held her tight. "I'm so glad that you're alright." I pushed her away but kept a firm grip on her shoulders. "Where are Craig and Pete?"

Melissa burst into another fit of tears. I was losing time and patience. I gave her a jolt.

"Melissa, please. We don't have much time. Where are they?"

She exchanged glances with me and Wolf. "Craig ran to his office. I don't know where Pete is." Her lip quivered as she said her next words. "Save my husband, Skye. I beg you."

"We're going to try. I called Fox. He and the military should be here any time."

"I'm going to hope and pray they make it before something happens…"

I gave her a quick squeeze on her shoulder. "Stay here. Wolf and I will take care of this."

We took off towards Craig's office. On the last elevator up, I had a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. Something bad was about to happen, I could feel it.

Wolf saw that I was tense and sighed. "I know you're on edge, Kell. You have to relax. It's the only way for you to stay focused."

"How are you able to stay calm?" I asked him.

He gave me a look that told me he wasn't.

I smirked. "You hide it well."

"I've had practice. Believe me, I'm not thrilled about coming on this wild goose chase with you. We have no idea what we're getting into."

"Then why did you come?"

"I don't want you doing something stupid. You almost died a few days ago. I couldn't have it on my conscience knowing that I could've either stopped you or at least make sure you made it back in one piece. You have a kid at home waiting for you to return. Isn't she enough to make you want to live another day?"

I wasn't sure if I should feel touched that he was trying to keep me out of trouble or if I should be offended that he thought I was just out to commit suicide.

I let out a huff. "You shouldn't feel obligated to do anything for me. If that's the problem then butt out. I don't need your help."

The elevator came to a stop. As soon as the doors slid open, a man stood a few feet away with a blaster aimed for me. Two shots were fired…