1


"Olivia. Stop." Alex chuckled, cell phone to her right ear as she stroked the long hair of her ponytail, watching Theo push Grace on the swing before moving to Isabel and then repeating the action, over and over again, their little boy trying to be fair and equal when it came to the number of pushes he was doling out.

"Well, let me know and I can call Fin and have him send a patrol car out," Olivia kidded.

"That won't be necessary, Babe. No sign of Big Peter-Peter Pumpkin-Eater here today," Alex looked around and behind her at the branching trails of the park. "Or his trench coat." Alex giggled. "God, it's so beautiful today, Liv. Not too cold, not too hot. I wish you didn't have to work."

"I know, Al. But I'll be home early. I'm leaving here as soon as Dr. Klein finishes his examination of a new patient and then we'll get her and her son and daughter settled into a room. So it'll be around one."

"Well…" Alex looked at her watch—eleven o'clock— "…how about we go out to dinner tonight? Take the kids to that new Hibachi Teppanyaki grill where they all get a chef's hat and get to see one of those onion volcanoes? They'll love that." Alex smiled as she watched Grace giggling as she went higher and higher.

"That sounds great, Al."

Alex could hear typing then, commotion in the near distance, where her wife was, at Haven House.

"Higher!" Isabel screamed.

"I am!" Theo yelled back before biting his tongue and giving her a hefty push.

"OK, Liv. I'll let you go. But I'll see you soon?"

"OK, Al. I'll call right before I leave to see if you need anything on my way home. OK?"

Alex smiled as she watched the girls get off of the swing and their brother get on one, both of her blondies standing behind him and ready. "Sounds good. I love you."

"Go! Push me!" Theo yelled.

The girls began pushing him with all of their strength, their ponytails already askew, little faces pink with exertion and the rays of the sun, tongues also sticking out as they used all their strength.

"I love you, too, Babe." And Olivia's end disconnected.

Alex ended the call and set the phone face down on her right thigh, still watching the kids from the bench where she was sitting. It was a gorgeous, cool, low-sixties, April morning and they had been in Central Park, just a couple of streets over from Lexington Avenue, for the past two hours and the kids were all beginning to show signs of exhaustion and hunger—little t-shirts and hoodies and jeans worn-in, wind-blown hair all over the place, rosy cheeks, sweat pasted locks around their foreheads and temples.

"OK, guys. Two more minutes and then we're gonna head back home and eat lunch. OK?"

Theo nodded. "OK, Mommy!" He giggled, his grin broad as he swooshed forward. "Yea!"

Alex stood and slipped her cell phone into her back pocket and then folded her arms, looking down at her jeans and navy crew neck sweatshirt, noting a couple of stray Hillary hairs on her top, as she walked slowly toward the graveled section where the kids were. She opened her mouth and yawned and covered it before looking around and then smiling at a couple pushing a stroller as they passed by.

"Come on, guys. Let's go. Off of the swings. Iz, get your jacket. You dropped it, Baby."

Theo and Grace came toward her then and reached out for her hands as Isabel moved to just next to one of the poles of the swing set and retrieved her pink sweat jacket that she had discarded haphazardly only a few minutes ago.

They all began walking down the paved path then, the trails surprisingly not busy, but the impending rain might have been a factor in what was keeping people away—that and the Tartan Day Parade that was happening at 44th and 6th Street.

Theo let go of her hand and walked in front of her and Isabel took her free hand, each girl now on either side of her.

Thunder rumbled in the distance in the east and it traveled across the sky and Alex looked up at the darkening clouds.

"Mommy. My shoe," Isabel squeaked.

"Well, let's practice tying it, my girl." She looked ahead and called to her son. "Theo, come next to me and let's wait for your sister."

Tying shoes was still a work in progress—especially the twins—and the ladies had been patiently teaching and re-teaching the process, all three having it down at this point, but all needing a little extra time to complete the task.

"Good girl, Iz. You got it." Alex smiled, watching her.

Theo squatted next to a hedge and began picking up a couple of small gray rocks while Grace pulled away from the blonde, their hands still together.

A man came around the corner then, walking a beautifully kept Boxer on a leash. The dog moved to a tree and lifted his leg and did his business, a nice stream exiting.

"That doggie is going to the bathroom, Mommy? On the tree?" Grace's expression was intrigued.

"Yes, Baby." Alex caught eyes with the man and they smiled.

He was young, attractive, shaved head, dark features, most likely Hispanic in ethnicity. His eyes were dark and intense, yet kind.

"Good morning," he smiled, his dog now moving closer and beginning to sniff the blonde's knees before moving to Grace, as well.

Isabel finished her shoes and took Alex's left hand again.

"Good morning." Alex looked at Theo who was still looking for rocks. "Come on, Theo. Let's go, Baby. Before it starts raining."

Theo dutifully walked up to her and looked up at the man, squinting against the sun that was peeking through the gathering clouds.

"He has your eyes," the man offered, pulling the leash and twisting it around his hand to shorten it, bringing his dog closer.

Alex narrowed her eyes at the man. "That's what everyone says."

"Can I pet the dog, Mommy?" Grace looked up at her then, using her hand to shield her eyes.

"It's the man's dog, my love. We need to ask him." Alex looked at Theo who was now watching the dog with interest.

"Do you want to pet him?" The man questioned.

Grace nodded quickly, smiling and Theo did, too, while Isabel moved closer to Alex and rested her right temple on Alex's side. The blonde wrapped her arm around her. "Go ahead, guys. Pet the nice dog."

"His name is Frankie." The man offered. "He's very friendly."

Theo and Grace squatted down and began petting the canine's short caramel brown fur—carefully, lovingly—their children so good with animals after being around Hillary for so long.

"He's a beautiful dog," Alex smiled, beginning to stroke the crown of Isabel's hair with her left hand.

"Thank you," the man declared.

Thunder rumbled once more, this time lightning accompanying it.

The man looked up. "Looks like it's gonna be a big one." He had a slight accent, perhaps one that he had had since birth that had gently faded over time. His gaze went to Alex then. "You probably have a nice, big house, though, to get back to. Keep you safe from the rain. Something fancy, I'm sure."

Alex studied the man now and saw a sudden coldness. She held Isabel's hand tightly. "Come on, Gracie, Theo. Let's let the man go. We need to get home." She held her right hand out and Grace came immediately, placing her own in the blonde's.

"Nice family you have. Beautiful kids. It's nice when a family can stay together and be there for each other."

Alex tried a smile and then moved up to Theo, nudging his backside with her knee. "Let's go, guys." She looked at the man once more. "Have a nice day."

"Did you think that tearing my family apart would end there?"

Alex froze then, the hairs on the back of her neck standing at attention.

"Did you really think that letting my father die in prison wouldn't have consequences?"

Alex's heart began to thud inside of her chest then, her hands beginning to tremble.

"Mommy?" Theo looked up at her, his brow wrinkled. He pressed the back of his head to Alex's stomach, staying close to her now.

Alex smiled down at him. "Let's go, guys. Come on."

"No," the man said, his tone calm. "I wouldn't do that. Besides…you won't get far." He turned slightly to his left to show Alex his back right hip, opening his red and white Fila jacket, the silver glimmer of a pistol peeking from his waistband.

Alex looked back at him, feeling her hands shaking even more now as she held her daughters' hands, feeling her body break out in a cold sweat, feeling her legs weaken beneath her. She steeled herself as she spoke, "My wife is a New York City detective, Sir. I'm not sure what you're trying to pull, but all I have to do is make a phone call and an officer or detective will be here."

He smiled then. "Same detective from thirteen years ago? The one with the short dark hair?"

Alex closed her mouth and swallowed then, not understanding how this man knew anything about her. Out of all of the cases they had closed, of all of the people they had put away, this had to be something that was related to one of those. But which one?

"I was thirteen years old, thirteen years ago, Ms. Cabot." He smiled again. "I was thirteen when my father was murdered in prison. And you're the one who sent him there."

Zapata.

Alex felt her lower lip begin to quaver then, but she clenched her jaw, attempting to stop it and trying to appear strong.

"And I've been keeping up with you. We both have…"

Just then, another man came down the path, into view, a similar look but shorter and more muscular, the same intense darkness to his eyes.

"My brother, Armando. And if I didn't tell you already…I'm Raul." He held his hand to his chest charmingly.

The other man stopped to the right of Grace then and her little girl looked up at him, squinting.

Alex felt her throat close up then and she swallowed hard, willing the tears away.

"Mommy?" Grace questioned.

Alex only smiled down at her, knowing that her face held fear and wasn't comforting in the slightest.

"Mommy, what's happening?" Theo's voice was high, innocent, scared.

"It's OK, Baby," Alex whispered, her voice barely audible.

Raul continued, "The press is a very informative organization. You can find out a lot about people. City workers, police officers, weddings. I spent my own time locked up for the same thing my father was in for." Raul leaned in then, as though telling a secret. "But I was never as bad as him." He grinned. "I guess you could say I continued the family business. Now, I'm out." He grinned and held his arms to the side. "And ready for payback."

Two bikers whizzed by then and Alex thought about screaming, yelling, but knew she would be risking her life and the lives of her children if she did.

"Do you like this kind of candy?" Armando held out a new, opened package of Starburst, offering the kids the first one—a red one.

Isabel's face lit up and she reached for the small square, smiling.

"No, Izzie!" Theo reprimanded. "Not from strangers!" He pushed her hand down.

The two siblings looked at each other then, Isabel's face red now, scowling, Theo's expression relaying much of the same irritation.

"I want a piece of candy!" she demanded, stomping her right foot.

"Iz…we're going home now to eat lunch," Alex tried, pulling all three kids closer to her body then, hearing the unsteadiness in her own voice, the uncertainty that was being relayed to her children. "No candy right now." She could barely hear her own voice over the pounding of her heart. She looked back at Raul. "Please," she said softly. "Please don't hurt my children."

The two brothers looked at one another and began laughing then.

"Like I said, Ms. Cabot…that mistake you made thirteen years ago…it just can't be forgotten. I got too good a memory. You should have let it go back then and I wouldn't be here right now." He looked at the kids and smiled. "Especially with so much to lose. You should have thought about your future. About your children's futures."

Armando spoke up then. "We all have to pay for our sins, ADA Alexandra Cabot." His mouth turned up into an almost devilish grin, his eyes sparkling.

"Please let my kids go. They know how to get home on their own." Alex leaned over, the palms of her hands on the girls' chests. "Right guys? Remember like Mama and Mommy showed you how? You remember how to get home from here…" she gasped then, her emotions overtaking her body in the form of near-hyperventilation, "…don't you?" She felt her face contort then and her sobs came on full force.

Theo nodded below her and Grace did as well, Isabel only looking up at her in confusion.

Alex stroked their hair again and looked back up at the men. "I beg you to let them go and do whatever you're going to do with me." Alex's mouth quavered violently. "Please…" she whispered.

A trio of elderly people began walking by then and Raul placed his hand on his weapon casually, smiling at the older man and two women as they passed, his eyes glaring at the blonde at the same time.

Once gone, he looked at his brother and then Alex. "Let 'em go…" He motioned his head.

Alex let out a sigh of relief and then she squatted in front of them, putting her hands on her children's shoulders, their waists, trying to find comfort in touching them as she spoke. "Theo go straight home and go to Mrs. Ethan's and call 9-1-1." Alex swallowed, willing her words to come out, her voice to stop shaking, her face to stop contorting. "Go as fast as you can, Baby. OK? I need you to do that, Theo. Take your sisters and go straight there." Alex gasped, her tears coming fast, in torrents, as the rain began lightly and, within a few seconds, it was quickly turning into sheets.

Theo nodded, his own mocha face reddening, his eyes tearing. "What about you? Where are you going?"

"I'll be fine, my boy…" she placed her hand on his cheek, "…but you gotta do this right away. OK? Go straight to her townhouse." She looked at the twins who were both crying now, tears streaming down their faces.

Grace leaned in and hugged her, wrapping her arms around her. "Don't cry, Mommy," their brown-eyed girl soothed.

And then all three were leaned against her, hugging her.

"I wanna go with you, Mommy," Isabel gasped against her. "Can I?"

"Get them out of here!" Raul barked.

The children jolted against her body at the clamor of his tone and then Alex pulled away and looked at the taller brother.

"Go!" he commanded. "Tell them to leave!"

"Go, Babies. Mrs. Ethan's. Right away, my loves. Don't stop." Alex stood then and watched as Theo took his sister's hands and began walking toward the trail that would lead them to the street. All they had to do was walk three streets over and they would be there. They had practiced it, at least, twenty times in the past two years.

Theo looked back and eyed her just as he disappeared around a hedge, his expression uncertain.

"Go, Theo," Alex whimpered, motioning with her hand before hiding her contorting face behind it. "Run..."

"Is the car there?" one of the brothers asked behind her.

"Yeah, it's there."

"Good."

Then a sudden, sharp, burning pain to the back of her head.

And the park, the spot where she had last seen her three children, and the world around her, all went black.