Author's note: Sorry for the delay. I had technical difficulties in accessing this chapter, and had to wait until it could be resolved.

Chapter 5

Zach and Kendall arrived at the neonatal unit. Despite Zach's hopeful prediction, Ryan's arms were empty. "Oh God, Ryan, where is he? Where's my baby?"

Ryan took a deep breath. "They haven't found him. Security is trying to contact the nurse who was scheduled to be on shift before Julia came in. Julia said that when she arrived, Betty wasn't at her post and Spike wasn't in his bassinet. She checked all the usual places and neither were anywhere to be found."

Kendall gripped Zach's arm. "You think this nurse took off with Spike?"

Julia came into the room. "While we can't rule it out, I have to say that I find it hard to believe she would do that. Betty has been working in this hospital for years and her love for babies is matched only by her professionalism. The fact that both she and Spike are missing comes as a complete shock to anyone that knows her."

Kendall clenched her fists. "I don't give a shit how shocked you are. What are you doing to find the bitch?"

Julia held up her hands in a calming gesture. "We're trying to get in touch with her right now."

Kendall sneered. "Get in touch with her? How very AT&T of you! Why aren't the cops pulling up to her house as we speak?"

Julia sighed. "The police are on their way. They've put out an APB."

Kendall sat down in a nearby chair, hugging her arms to her abdomen. "I can't believe this is happening. I almost lost my baby once, and now it's happening again. I didn't even have the chance to bring him home." Tears streamed down her face. Zach sat next to her and pulled her into his arms. He spoke soothing words to her.

Ryan fought tears of his own. Julia rubbed his arm. "You want me to call Erin and Jonathan? Let them know what's going on?"

Ryan took a deep breath. "Thanks, but I'll wait a bit - see if we get some more news."

Kendall looked up from Zach's shoulder. "I need my mother. I need to tell her what's happened."

Zach whipped out his cell phone. "I'll call her." He kissed Kendall on the head and went out into the hallway. He dialed Erica's cell number and was immediately bumped to voice mail. Ending the call, he tried the number to New Beginnings. Val answered the phone. "Val, this is Zach Slater. I need to speak to Erica, it's urgent."

Val made a huffing noise. "Get in line. We're going out of our minds down here. Erica missed her flight to New York and she won't answer her cell. She's supposed to interview Angelina Jolie, for God's sake! Do you know how hard it was to get her? Jesus, I need some Xanax."

Warning bells went off in Zach's head. "Erica's missing as well?"

"As well? Who else has disappeared?"

"Her grandson, Spike."

"Oh my fucking God! Is it too early to get drunk? I'm so sorry, Mr. Slater, I don't know what to tell you. Maybe Erica had another one of her goofy spells and decided to take Spike for a stroll in the park instead of making it to the most important interview of her career. Look, I need to go. I have to put out some fires, here. Ta." Val disconnected the line.

Zach gripped his cell phone, trying to think rationally. He looked up to see David Hayward approaching him. "Did I just hear correctly? Erica and Spike are missing?"

Zach took a deep breath, not wanting to deal with Hayward. Kendall and Ryan came out into the hallway. "Did you get ahold of my mother?"

Zach gestured with his cell phone. "Val just told me that Erica missed her flight to New York."

Kendall's eyes widened. "Oh! The interview with Angelina Jolie - that was today. She missed her flight?"

Zach nodded. "And she's not answering her cell phone."

Kendall shook her head. "That doesn't sound like her at all. This can't be for real. Both my mother and my baby are missing? What could have happened to them? Are the two connected, do you think?"

David cleared his throat. "I think it's entirely possible that they're connected. And I think I know who's responsible. Greg Madden."

Erica fumbled with her lap belt, pausing to try and get ahold of herself. After a moment, she had calmed herself enough to be able to click the buckle into place. She glared up at Greg, defiantly. Ignoring her look, he handed her the baby. "Oh, my sweet little boy. It's going to be okay. It will. Yes, it will." She cooed at her grandchild, while Madden took his seat and clicked his belt into place.

Greg pressed a button that indicated to the pilot that they were ready for take-off. After awhile, the jet started to move. Erica glanced over at Madden. "He really should be in an infant carrier."

Greg's smile was rueful. "I agree. Unfortunately there are no stores open this early in the morning. Not to worry, I'm sure the flight will be smooth and he'll be perfectly safe in your arms."

Erica took a deep breath. "Just exactly how much money do you have that you can afford two jets?"

Greg smirked. "My parents were very well off and I was an only child. Then there's the fact that helping people start families is a very lucrative field."

Erica narrowed her eyes. "Ah yes, the baby black market. I'm sure you were well paid by your adoptive parents."

Greg frowned. "'Black market' implies that I was engaged in illegal activity. Every adoption was completely above board."

Erica quelled the nausea. "I don't want to hear your pathetic rationalizations. What I want to hear is where we are going. What are your plans for Spike and I?"

Greg gave her a self-satisfied smile. "I thought that we could go to my favorite retreat and have some time together alone, just the three of us. Perhaps if you get to know me better in a more intimate setting, you'll realize just how perfect we are for each other."

Erica looked skyward, fighting for self-control. "I'm well aware of your freakish obsession with me. What I don't understand is why you had to include an innocent baby in your twisted fantasy?"

Greg cocked his head. "Why Erica, my sweet. Surely you don't think that I would leave my own flesh and blood behind?"

Leo tapped his foot nervously in the obstetrics waiting room, hoping that his impulsive behavior hasn't resulted in Greenlee's baby being in danger. God, what had he been thinking? He had it right the first time he bumped into her at the cafe – he turned and ran in the opposite direction. But after a tortured night of dreaming about their wedding, their lovemaking, their knock-down drag-out fights, he'd been left feeling emotionally raw. When she showed up again the next day and stared up at him with her beautiful, vulnerable eyes – he asked her out on a date without even thinking. His mother almost lost her mind for real right there in the café.

The doctor came out of the examining room and Leo sprang up. "Mr. Smythe, not to worry. Your wife will not be giving birth today. She was having false labor pains brought on by stress. We were just about to perform an ultrasound to check on the baby. Would you like to come in?"

Not bothering to correct the doctor, Leo went into the room. A sonogram technician was moving a device over Greenlee's exposed belly, looking for a good picture of the fetus. Greenlee was staring at the screen, and didn't notice Leo come to stand beside her. He hoped she would let him stay – he really wanted to see this.

They watched as the technician and the doctor pointed out the baby, making note of various parts of his body. Leo watched in fascination the tiny life that Greenlee was carrying inside of her. The technician turned up the sound so that they could hear the rapid heartbeat. Greenlee gazed lovingly at the screen. She murmured words that Leo couldn't make out, but understood completely. The woman he deeply loved was becoming a mother. The longing to have her back was so intense that it threatened to poleaxe him. He placed his hand on the back the bed to try and steady himself.

The doctor smiled at Greenlee and said that the baby was perfectly healthy. "He is very big and well developed. If you had given birth today, I think he would have been fine. We'll give you a moment alone so you can get dressed." The doctor and technician left the room.

Greenlee leaned her head back, dizzy with relief. Her baby was going to be okay. Tears welled in her eyes as they often did these days. She was an emotional wreck and tired…oh so tired. She needed sleep. Wearily she turned her head to the side. Through her blurred vision she saw someone was standing next to her, staring at the TV monitor. Some part of her registered that it was Max. She looked up into his face and gasped softly. He shifted his gaze to her, and the expression on his face was one of love and tenderness. "Greens," he whispered hoarsely.

Greenlee wiped the tears away, but more continued to flow. She felt light-headed. It couldn't be. The face was different, but the eyes…and the voice… "Leo? Oh my God, it's you."

His expression was grave. He shook his head slightly. "Greenlee…"

She grabbed his hand and pulled it to her. She examined the topography of his hand. "This is Leo's hand. It's you. I know it's you. The face is different but everything else is the same. Admit it! Admit that you're my husband." She held his hand to her cheek. "Please."

"Greenlee…" Leo couldn't continue the charade any more. He couldn't look into her beautiful face and lie to her. He blurted everything out in a rush. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Greenlee, I wanted to protect you from the truth. But I can't do it." He sat on the edge of the bed. "I didn't die when I went over the falls. I was rescued and blackmailed into pretending I was dead." He swallowed hard. "I'll explain everything, but you have to know that I never wanted to leave you. The past four years have been a living hell." Greenlee stared at him, her expression blank. "Greenlee? Maybe we should go someplace private so I can tell you the whole story." He stood up again. "Here, let me help you up."

She still had his right hand held to her cheek, so he put his left hand on her opposite shoulder. Greenlee knocked it away. She dropped his right hand as if it were on fire. "No. NO! How could you? How could you tell me such a vile thing? I lost my head for a moment and thought my husband was resurrected from the dead, and…and you take advantage of me by pretending you're him? You sick son of a bitch!"

She scrambled off the bed, adjusting her hospital gown. "This was all a set-up, wasn't it? You saw me in the café and recognized me. You researched me and found out how rich I am. You must have decided that I was ripe for the picking. Poor little Greenlee, widowed, divorced and pregnant. You knew I would be craving companionship, so you swooped in with your charming gentleman façade. I can't believe I fell for it. God, I'm pathetic."

Leo ran his fingers through his hair. "Greenlee, please, just let me explain."

She put her hands over her ears. "Get out! Get out or I'll call the police."

Knowing she would make good on her threat, and worried that he would trigger more contractions, Leo left the room.

Zach, Ryan and Kendall stared at David. Ryan cleared his throat. "Greg Madden? He's been gone for like a month. How do you know it's him? I mean, why would he come back now?"

David sighed and put his hands on his hips. "He didn't come back to Pine Valley because he never left. I've had him…contained…all this time."

Zach's eyebrows shot up. "Contained?"

David nodded, reluctantly. "I had him held in a secure place to try and coerce him into telling me where Kate is."

Kendall frowned. "So after he told you what you wanted to know, you set him free?"

David shook his head. "I didn't set him free - he never told me what I wanted to know. When I came back from Scarsdale and went to check on him, he was gone."

Zach shook his head in disgust. "He escaped? While you were off trying to get in Dixie's pants, Madden got loose? You really are a complete fuck-up."

David glared at him. "I don't know what the hell happened! It should have been completely impossible for him to get out. There's only one way that could have happened – someone let him out."

Ryan rubbed his chin. "You think maybe it was Josh?"

David shrugged. "I think it's a very good possibility, although I don't know how he could have known where Madden was. I haven't exactly asked him about it. He obviously doesn't know who imprisoned Greg or the cops would be handcuffing me right now. If he did let Greg out and I start asking him questions, he might figure out it was me and turn me in."

Ryan folded his arms. "How do you know we won't turn you in?"

David scoffed. "Tattle on me for doing something that either of you would have done in a heartbeat if you had gotten to Madden first? Besides, you have other things to worry about. Finding Erica and Spike. That's why I'm telling you what happened, so you don't waste your time pursuing false leads. The night that I captured Greg, Erica was with him. He had drugged her and put her on his jet to fly God knows where. Now that he's escaped, I think it's very likely that he tried again."

Kendall clasped her hands together. "Okay, that possibly explains my mother's disappearance. Why would he take Spike? What does he want with my baby boy?"

David shook his head. "I don't know. He tried to make you give Spike up for adoption, right? And your decision to keep your son probably really pissed him off. He's maniacal about getting his way with these babies. Look at how stubborn he's been about keeping Kate's whereabouts a secret. Once he's decided that someone is not fit to raise children, he will do anything to make sure that person doesn't come near them."

Ryan took a deep breath. "That makes a lot of sense. But I think there's a more significant reason why Madden would want Spike."

Zach gave Ryan a warning look. "All this speculation about why that twisted freak does anything is a waste of time. If Madden was the one who took Erica and Spike, it makes sense why the alarm in the nursery didn't go off. He would have had access."

Kendall narrowed her eyes. "Zach, why are you changing the subject? What is it you don't want Ryan to say?"

Zach exhaled. "I just don't want to waste valuable time with what ifs. Madden's a slippery bastard. We need to move fast if we're going to find him."

Ryan spread his hands. "Well the first thing we need to do is try and get confirmation. Madden is the logical suspect, but we don't have anything concrete. I don't want to be chasing windmills."

Joe came up at that moment. "We found Betty. She said that she left the hospital because she had gotten an emergency page from her family. Her father has cancer and could go at any moment, so her sister pages her whenever things are looking bad. When Betty got home, her sister said she never made the call. The cops checked Betty's pager and saw that she was telling the truth – the emergency code was there."

Kendall put her hands on her hips. "I don't give a damn about her dying father, she should have never left my child alone!"

Joe sighed and shook his head. "I was just about to get to that. She didn't leave him alone. She left Spike with someone she knew and trusted and who appeared to have every right to be in the neonatal unit visiting the child he helped create. Doctor Greg Madden."