A/N: Well, longest chapter and second to last. ;) Hope you've enjoyed the journey.

Jack huddled on the floor of the van and blocked out the sound of Don and Beulah bickering. Their voices had risen in sound and intensity over the past twenty minutes and the thing that would have stopped their fighting was nowhere in sight: money.

"Don't you dare, Don, he's just a child!" Beulah shouted.

"He's a kid like any of the other kids we've met, so why choose this one?" Don bellowed back.

"He's different."

"He's got you wrapped around his finger! Those big eyes in that small face, they're just calling at you to let him go scot free!"

Beulah didn't answer for a moment, then she said, "We'll find someone else. A different one."

"No. We have this one, and we're keeping him until the money gets here." Don checked his watch. "Which should be happening in the next hour or so. So we'll sit tight." He shot a glare at Jack who had looped his fingers around his sweatshirt strings. "Where's your brother, Jack? Huh? Where is he with my money?"

"I don't know," Jack said quietly, scooting back as far as he could. Don chuckled and took a swig from a beer can. He'd had quite a few, Jack didn't know how many, but it was part of the reason Don was yelling. The other part was the money. Which brought Jack's mind full circle: Where was Angel? Or Jerry? Or Bobby?

Where was Bobby?

Because that's who Jack really expected to show up. Sure, they'd talked to Angel. But Bobby would be looking for him, and Bobby was always there to help him first, before anybody.

He jumped when Don opened the van door and stumbled out, swearing—and wielding a gun. "I'm sick of waiting here!"

Bobby strode forward to meet Lt. Green in the parking lot only a block away from the gas station. "Good to see you, Thaddeus."

Angel and Jerry snickered as Green cleared his throat. "Nice to see you too, Bobby. But I'd appreciate it if you didn't use my first name," he added in an undertone which Bobby blithely ignored.

"So, where's my brother?"

"Just down the way. Look, Mercer, we do this my way or we don't do it at all," Green cautioned. "Got that?"

"Sure, so long as you're carrying a loaded gun, I'm happy. Me and my brothers brought some too."

Green shook his head. "No. You can come and park yourselves by the squad car, but you're not getting any closer than that."

Bobby moved closer and said in a low voice, "Look, Thad, I thought I made it pretty clear to whoever was on the phone that I wanted to be in on the action but I wanted police backup."

"Police aren't backup for civilians, Bobby."

"No, aren't they? Funny, 'cause they always seem to be behind me, sirens and all," Bobby cut in with a dangerous edge to his voice. "But the Mercers aren't your normal everyday laymen, either, alright? I can handle myself."

"This isn't about you handling yourself, Bobby. This is about keeping the hostage alive."

The thought made Bobby pause. "Jack's going to be fine."

Green sighed. "Yeah, sure, Bobby, I've seen your brother and he's a good kid and all." He shrugged. "But he's not street smart. He's the musician of the family, the crazy artist. And he's a kid."

"Well, whatever he is, crazy musician or not, I'm going to get him. And judging by the fact that you're here, you want to help."

Green looked away wearily and then met Bobby's determined gaze. Let Mercer have his way. He didn't want to fight him and the criminals. "Alright, fine."

Bobby nodded once. "Good. Let's get going." He raised his voice and waved an arm to get the other two squad cars' attention. "Let's go! Big Bad Thad is on a roll!"

Green covered his face with a hand, groaning under his breath. Once they caught the criminals, he was going to kill Robert Mercer.

Beulah watched helplessly as Don dragged the boy out of the van and shoved him to the asphalt. The kid instantly curled into a ball, but it was the empty look in his eyes that was frightening. This had happened before. Not this, maybe, but he'd been treated like this before. The thought made her want to protect him. But Don had the gun, loaded and ready, and he wouldn't hesitate to knock her around or even use it on her if he felt like it, especially when drunk. She wouldn't do anything, not even for this kid, not even for this innocent little boy….

Don hauled Jack to his feet and jerked the kid's face so he was looking up at him. "Where's my money?" he shouted. When the kid didn't answer, he backhanded him. The boy's lack of response was disturbing, even to Don. There was blood trickling from his temple where he had hit the asphalt, and blood gathering in the corner of his mouth where he had been hit, but he said nothing. Not one word. He didn't even cry.

"This kid is too much for me," Don muttered to himself, glancing wildly between the van and the boy. The money wasn't here. It was just before ten. They weren't coming with his money but he couldn't have this kid running around to tell about him. He cocked the pistol with his thumb and hesitated for a moment. Then he fired.

Bobby heard the shot from his car and instantly shoved the door open, yelling at Angel and Jerry to get out too. Lt. Green and the other squad cars pulled up just in front of them, pulling out guns and using their doors as shields.

"Freeze!" Green bellowed, training his gun on the man standing over two huddled lumps, one of which looked suspiciously like Jack.

"Jack!" Bobby shouted, beginning to run. When Green stopped him Bobby tried to shove past him. "Let me go!"

"Bobby, stop it! Get in your car."

"No! That freak shot my little brother, he's dead! I'm going to kill him!"

"Get in your car!"

"No!"

"That gun may still be loaded, he could shoot you too!"

"I don't care!"

A swift punch to the jaw sent Green sprawling for a moment, but he was fast to tackle Bobby again. They both hit the ground, Green on top. Don saw the mayhem and took advantage of the confusing situation. Hauling Jack up by his hair, he pulled the kid against him and shoved the muzzle of his gun against Jack's neck.

"You here with my money?" he yelled to the surrounding cop cars. "You bring me what I asked for?"

At the sound of the man's slurred voice, Bobby fought to his knees until Green pulled his arm around his back and forced him down again. "One move, Mercer, and I swear you'll feel the butt of my gun to your head."

Bobby pounded a fist into the asphalt and groaned in frustration. Then he looked up. Jack was staring at him as best as he could. Don's grip on Jack's hair made it hard for Jack to look any way but up, but he was trying. Bobby noticed he had even moved to place his head closer to the gun's muzzle so he could look.

"Jackie," he whispered, a sob catching in his throat.

Jack's eyes were strange, different than he had ever seen them—empty. But when Bobby whispered his name, something moved in Jack's eyes. "Bobby!"

Galvanized into action by the child's scream, Green ordered his men, "Move!"

"Drop the gun! I repeat, drop the gun!"

"Put your hands up!"

Don moved back, Jack whimpering as he stumbled backwards. "Nobody move or I'll shoot! I'm expecting Jack's brother!" he called. "He here?"

Bobby stopped struggling and twisted his head to look at Green out of the corner of his eye. "Please?"

Jack could feel Don's surprise when three figures came striding in answer to his call, illuminated by the headlights. He allowed a small smile on his face. Don hadn't expected three brothers to come after him for their little brother. He wanted to stay awake for the end, but everything kept swirling around.

"Stop right there."

Bobby, Angel, and Jerry paused as Don cocked the gun.

"Stop. You have what I want? You got my money?"

"You got our brother, then fine, we'll pay you what you've earned," Bobby replied. "And he better not be hurt."

"He's here. He didn't get shot." Don waved an arm vaguely in the direction of the other lump on the ground which turned out to be a woman. "Shot her instead. But I want the money. Give me the money first." Don licked his lips nervously, sweat beading his forehead.

"Hand me the kid, and we'll pay you."

"No."

Bobby's voice grew harder. "Give me my brother."

"No!"

Jerry put a restraining hand on Bobby's shoulder when Don pushed with the gun. Jack whimpered when he felt the cold metal push harder against his neck. Bobby could see the indentation it was making on the soft skin and his heart rate rose in response. This man would not get off easy.

"Fine," Jerry said. "Fine. Angel?"

Angel threw a filled pillowcase a few feet away, just out of reach. Don looked between the men, visibly shaking. "How do I know it has the money?"

Angel shrugged. "Guess you'll just have to go get it to find out."

It was clear that the beer was working havoc on the man's system along with whatever drug he had taken last. But that didn't stop the cruel smile that played on his face when he asked, "And what if I take little Jackie here with me?"

That was it. Bobby lunged forward at the sound of his pet name for his brother on this man's lips. A gun went off. There were shouts and orders as the cops went in. A cry of surprise and then a call for an ambulance when they saw that a woman was huddled on the ground. The sound of flesh hitting flesh. The click of handcuffs. A siren wailing and tires crunching on the asphalt as one of the cars drove away, criminal secure inside. An ambulance came to load up the woman, check for injuries on the four civilians involved.

Lt. Green put a hand on Bobby's shoulder, noting that Don had looked much worse off than the oldest Mercer. "Not a scratch," he commented.

"How do you think I survived in Detroit for so long?" Bobby returned wryly.

"Jack okay?"

Bobby sobered. "Yeah, he's fine. I'll take care of him."

"You sure, we can call the ambulance back and check him over?"

"No." Bobby shook his head decisively. "I want him at home. Where he belongs."

Green nodded and Bobby cracked his trademark grin. "Thaddeus Green strikes again."

"Bobby, you'd just better shut your face or I will—"

Bobby raised his hands, chuckling at the detective's ire, and moved away to join his brothers. He scanned Jack's prone figure sleeping in Angel's arms before he opened the car door and started the engine, Jerry and Angel getting in behind him.

"Alright, boys. Let's go home."