"Hey, man-thanks for the quick turn around on that info," spoke John on his cell phone as he made his way up the steps to his room. He'd just dropped off a copy of the report at the diner for Antonio to pick up shortly. There were some major flags that he wanted to discuss, and realized he was going to have to go to Bo to get in on whatever the next step was.

"No problem. But apparently the search for his name popped up on someone else's radar. Just giving you a heads up about that."

"Oh yeah?" he asked as he unlocked the door and threw his keys on the table.

"They are planning a sting operation, John."

"On the compound?" he asked, stopping in his tracks as his mind began to race on his options.

"Within the next forty-eight."

"I want in, I don't care how you do it-do it."

"I had a feeling you'd say that. Already got approval," he laughed and gave him the details on location.

John had his bag halfway packed when he heard a banging on the door and then his named called on the other side. Stopping what he was doing he went and opened to see an upset Bo on the other side.

"You want to tell me why I just got a call from my contact at the FBI about Natalie's case? That he had more details to give my Chief of Detective's but couldn't reach him on his office line so called me?"

John gave a loud sigh as he walked back in to the room, "I'm sorry, Bo. But you had to know I wasn't going to stand around and do nothing."

"Have you been keeping information from the police on an ongoing investigation, John?"

"No," he said as he put his hands on his hips, hating that he was going to throw his friend under the bus. "Everything I've learned I have passed onto Antonio. There is nothing I know about that he doesn't-that's a promise."

"Antonio? He's been giving you information?"

"Not a lot, just these," he said as he grabbed the photos and handed them over.

"So, the matchbook-was you?"

John nodded, "I went to the Inn by myself-the guy gave me some run around, but finally gave me a name. I had my buddy at the Bureau do a deep background and came up with this," he said as he handed his copy of the report over. "Look at the last page."

Bo flipped to the last page and read it out loud, "Person has contacts with an underground cult. Location of cult is known, but cult leader is unknown at this time, though seems to be previously active and greatly influenced in religious beliefs."

Bo paused at the last words, "You think this is-,".

"Mitch Lawrence," he said, finishing Bo's sentence. "I remember reading a bit about him when I read up on Natalie during the Walker Flynn case. He was a real piece of work."

"That's an understatement. I-," he sighed, unsure where to start. "Were you going somewhere?" he said as he noticed the open bag sitting on the bed.

"My buddy Aaron called me. They are about to take this compound-it was already in the works before we found the connection to Natalie. That's probably what your contact wanted me to know. I want in on it-I didn't look for her while she was in that room. I need to rescue her more than ever."

Bo nodded, "You find my niece. I'm going to go see Clint and Viki and tell them what's going on. And get some extra security on Jessica. When it's all said and done you, me and Antonio are all going to have a sit down in my office about this side investigation."

"Understood," he said as he turned back to finish packing the bag.

"And John-," said Bo as he got to the door and paused to look back at the other man. "Thank you for your work."

"Anytime," he said with a half smirk.

Bo walked into the Buchanan Mansion glad his father wasn't alive. If he knew that Mitch Lawrence was alive and had Natalie it could very well kill the man. He'd called the station and asked that an officer be sent over to St Anne's and placed outside Jessica's door just in case. Now he was here to tell his brother and Viki just how much trouble their other daughter was in-and hoping that John and the rest of the FBI task force could get her out safely.

"Bo-I was just about to call you," said Clint as he watched him walk into the living room. "I just got a message from St Anne's about a guard being placed outside Jessie's room. You aren't going to charge her with anything, are you? She wasn't in her right mind-you know that."

"I haven't made a final call on that situation-the guard is there for her protection."

"Protection from what?" asked Viki.

"Mitch Lawrence. Apparently, he's alive and we have strong reason to believe he has Natalie."

"Oh God," she said and sat back down in the chair she'd just stood up from. "Do we know where they are?"

"I do not, but the FBI does. They are in the final steps of going into the compound. John is going to join them."

"Well, that's a good thing then-right?" asked Viki. "Together or not we know John cares for Natalie. He'll keep her safe."

Bo nodded, "We just have to hope he gets in there before something happens to her or Mitch gets wind of this and goes on the run with Natalie."

John strapped on the gear that had been given to him and looked next to one of the few men he could say he trusted his life completely with, "What?" he asked cracking a smile at Aaron.

"What is this girl to you?"

John shook his head, "A friend. That's all."

Aaron shook his head, his sandy blonde hair swaying from side to side, "The John McBain I know doesn't have friends. At least not the female kind."

"We dated. A few times, ok?" he said, not wanting to get into the depth of his relationship with Natalie at the moment. Not how it was her that brought him back to the land of the living and finally helped him move on past Caitlyn.

"Ahh," he laughed.

"Ahh? What the hell does that mean?"

"Craig and Brett said that whatever made you leave the FBI she must have been hot as hell."

"When did you start listening to those idiots?" he laughed.

"You have a picture?" he asked and laughed when John pulled one out of his pocket. "Yep. Hot as hell."

"Ok, Romeo," he said with a shake of his head. "Can we get serious for a minute?"

"Always," he said and watched his friend turn off the banter without batting an eye. It was one of the things he admired the most about his former partner-his ability to compartmentalize so quickly.

"This guy-I've never met him, but I was told some stories by Bo and Antonio. He can twist your thoughts or words and I'm seriously worried about Natalie being around him for any length of time. It's not that she believes him-but she wasn't raised by the Buchanan's. She's never felt to par with them and their lives. Some stuff happened back home and then this guy got a hold of her."

"So, he's probably already playing on the insecurities she has."

"Definitely."

Natalie walked down the hallway quietly, her bare feet making little noise. She didn't remember falling asleep earlier so when she woke now wearing a white nightgown she froze. The bile rose again in her throat at the thought of someone changing her clothes without her knowledge or permission. The door to her room was unlocked when she woke and now the only light came from a room at the end of the hall.

She had a strong feeling what to expect at the door and readied herself to face him-to tell him exactly where he could go.

Fight or flight-she was going to do both tonight.

Strong. That's what she always remembered John, Rex, and Bo describing her as—reaching the doorway she hoped she could prove them right on that.

"Mitch," she said and watched as he turned away from the fireplace and smiled at her.

"If it isn't my beautiful bride," he said as he neared her.

"There is no way I am your bride and why aren't you burning in hell where you belong?" she asked, taking a step backwards, but making sure he didn't get between her and the door.

"God has other plans for me, I suppose. Plans that include finally consummating our marriage," he said as he looked over towards the bed.

"You can add delusional if you think I'd ever sleep with you."

"It's not like anyone is looking for you. Not after what you did to my poor son-in-law. And losing the family company too. Tsk tsk. You have not been a good girl, Natalie," he said as he pushed her hair off her shoulder, and she tried to not let him see her fear.

"You are not Jessica's father, and what happened to Nash was an accident."

"Even so-your actions as of late have not been very becoming of the Buchanan name. So why don't we stop using that name and you can finally take your husband's," he said as he grabbed her and threw her onto the bed.

A/N: #sorrynotsorry for the cliffhanger. :)