FOUR

Martin was one of the many Federal agents who had heard Sam's blasting. He had also heard everything that Rodriguez had said to Sam, and everyone in the van was furious when he indeed proved to be unfindable.

"So we don't know whether Rodriguez has Jack or not." Vivian was obviously frustrated that the call was untraceable and he was glad that she was in the office rather than in the van.

"Yeah that's pretty much the case." Martin sighed rubbing his eyes. He found his way to the back of the van, opened the door and allowed himself into the cool New York air.

"Do we know how Samantha's taking it?" Vivian asked him. Martin could just picture her in her office, holding the phone up to her ear, holding her head with her other hand.

"Not well." Martin sighed remembering Sam's reaction.

"Get Samantha to come in." Vivian sighed.

"What now? Viv it's nearly 10.30." Martin was shocked by Viv's proposal.

"I know what the damn time is Martin. What I also know is that Rodriguez is close to Sam."

"We checked the neighboring buildings. He must have a telescope trained on her from a distance because we didn't find him."

"What is it with you and anything extra-terrestrial?" Vivian joked half-heartedly. "Have we got people looking into that theory?" She asked in all seriousness.

"Yeah we do, but I've been told that it's going to be easier in daylight or if they get views from the apartment."

"Martin, just get Samantha out of her apartment. She can stay with one of us for the night." Vivian had hung up before Martin had a chance to retort.

"What did Viv say?" Danny asked jumping out of the van, water bottle in hand.

"She wants us to bring Samantha in; she wants her to stay with one of us." Martin sighed as Danny took a mouthful.

"Just your luck." Danny said to himself.

"What was that?" Martin asked hearing Danny.

"Nothing." Danny responded innocently.

Martin looked at him knowing that he was lying. "I'm going up to get her." Martin turned and headed for her building.

"Good luck; nothing like a woman scorned." Martin chose to ignore Danny, but knew that what he was about to do was going to be hard.

"Samantha?" He knocked on her door calling her name.

"What?" She spat as she opened the door. Her eyes were bloodshot, the skin around them red. Her hair was messy; she generally looked a mess.

"I know you're not going to like this but we want to bring you in, for your own protection." He enforced when she turned away from him.

"What, and where would I sleep in the office?" She asked him scornfully.

"You can stay with one of us." Martin responded.

"I don't need people's charity." Sam leaned against one of the walls.

"Samantha, my boss is going to hate me for saying this, but the call that we got from Rodriguez we got earlier today, he said that Jack betrayed him, and you and I both know what that man does to people who betray him and their families." Sam looked up to the roof as he spoke, pain filling her.

"I just don't think I can live with the knowledge that my husband, a highly placed Federal officer, has been working for the enemy for so long." She sighed.

"It's for your own protection." Martin enforced. She nodded her head lightly, grabbing her coat as they walked out.

She stepped in front of him, his hand gently on her back, guiding her out of the building. She glanced at him quickly. The rest of the journey out of the building was silent.

"What are we going to do Viv?" Michael was standing in Vivian's office after hearing her plan for Samantha.

"Send her home with one of us. I would but Marcus's parents are staying with us for the week and I don't have a spare room." She sighed.

"What about Kelly?" Michael asked.

"Kelly Preston lives with three girlfriends, I hardly think that Samantha will want to go home to that." Vivian smiled lightly suddenly realizing that her plan wasn't as brilliant, well it never was brilliant to start with.

"Martin's the only one who can look after her and will take care of her." Michael sighed.

"Why?" Vivian asked.

"Because Danny's apartment, have you ever been there? That place is a ticking time bomb of bad stuff. Dirty laundry everywhere, I'm certain that he shops for clothes everyday." Michael chuckled. "And I have a wife and three kids under the age of six." He finished.

Martin walked in with Samantha as Vivian and Michael finished talking. "That will be all Michael." She smiled at him as he left.

"Okay I've done some thinking since I talked to you Martin, and it would be advisable if Sam you stayed with Martin because he'll have the quietest and cleanest place out of all of us." Sam nodded meekly. "But before you leave, Martin could I talk to you for a minute." Sam realized she was being asked to leave. She left and found herself a chair in the hallway.

"Martin, I just got sent an email by our lovely friend Mario Rodriguez." She began, Martin taking a seat in front of her desk. "I'm starting to think that Rodriguez i wants /i us to believe that Jack is being held hostage." She explained turning her computer around.

"What do you mean." Martin asked looking at the frame Vivian had paused a video.

"Listen." She pressed the play button with her mouse.

i "My dear FBI Agents who are looking for Jack Malone. Good luck. We're looking after him, he's said some things that have not gone unnoticed by myself and he and his family shall pay the price. Five million dollars are to be left in the Malone apartment seeing as how you have just removed her from the premises; but don't worry, I will find her too." /i

"That mumbling there." Vivian said as Rodriguez's voice finished. "I got tech to upgrade it, listen to this."

i "….sure this will work?"

"The Feds will think that we're holding Malone hostage in order to get money. Malone has a wife with two kids in Chicago he wants to return to and little Sammy is getting in the way of that." /i

"This is why I need someone looking out for Samantha." Vivian sighed as the tape finished.

"What are you going to tell Samantha?" Martin looked up at Vivian.

"The truth."