A/N We know this wasn't the name of the real mayor of San Francisco at the time of this story. The mayor's name in this chapter was a fictional(made up) name due to the fact writers aren't allowed to use names of real people in their stories.
Chapter Four
"Steve..." Jeannie started before being cut off by Steve.
"Remember what I said at the house about getting in the car; don't hesitate, Jeannie."
Steve and Jeannie kissed once more then she got in the car with tears running down her face. As Steve headed back toward the waiting vehicle Irene knew she had to get Jeannie away from there. They left before Steve had even reached the other vehicle and drove straight to San Francisco General. Irene knew this was hard enough for Jeannie to deal with so felt them leaving before Steve reached the other car was best for Jeannie.
Steve was roughly handled by two others who had appeared from the car as he approached. They cuffed and blindfolded him and shoved him into the back seat where another hooded figure waited. One of them got in on the other side of Steve, holding a gun at Steve's temple.
The team that consisted of Mike and Lee Lessing were in a van while an unmarked car held Bill Tanner and Dan Healey. Norm Hasseejian was holding fort at homicide squad room.
"Hopefully we'll get a signal from the transmitter in Steve's boot as soon as they start driving. Mike are you sure you want us to hold back a minute before following?" Lee inquired.
"Yes, I told Bill and Dan to follow immediately, so it would be too obvious to have two cars follow right away. We will all meet up once there is an indication where they have taken Steve."
The tension was almost unbearable to the teams that were to follow Steve, not to mention all others who were involved in this. Once the car left with Steve, Bill and Dan proceeded to follow them. A signal was received almost right away. Mike and Lee followed a minute or two later. They had not dared to put a chopper in the sky this night as they feared for Steve's life.
The captors seemed to notice that Bill and Dan were following and picked up speed to get out of their sight. In the meantime Jeannie and Irene had arrived at San Francisco General and Petey was being thoroughly checked over with a watchful Jeannie and Irene right there. The doctor, who they found out was named Hugh Armstrong, had very good news once he had finished checking the baby.
"Petey is very healthy. He has been taken good care of and has suffered no maltreatment."
Jeannie, who was feeling totally worn out wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry but started doing both at the same time. Irene thanked the doctor profusely for his help. He could tell Jeannie was suffering effects from the ordeal she had been through so far and he knew it was far from over. He gave her a mild sedative and suggested Irene see she lie down once they got to her house. He also thought Jeannie should be made to try to drink and eat something soon.
"I hope she would have no more excitement anytime soon but from what I was told that would be too much to hope for."
"Yes, it would be too much to ask or hope for. At this very moment, her husband is in the hands of the captors of their little boy. Until he is back with her safe and sound I don't think any of us will fully rest."
They were cleared to leave. Jeannie held Petey close as Irene stayed extremely close as they went back to Steve's car. On the way to Irene's, Jeannie cuddled Petey close. He could not stop patting her face with his little hands.
"Hey, little man your mommy loves you so much it is beyond imagination. Daddy will be home with us soon I hope and then we will never be separated again."
They got to Irene's. She took Jeannie and Petey to the spare room. She had it set up with a baby crib for Petey, as she knew Jeannie would not want to sleep away from him. She had got essentials from Jeannie and Steve's with Mike's help. Jeannie changed Petey's diaper and put him down for some sleep. He saw Irene standing there as well and started to cry. Irene seemed to understand that it was not her as much as it was the child had been dragged away from his mom and dad and been held by strangers for a short time. She knew no matter how short a time he might have been held or how good he was treated while they had him, he had to have been terrified that his mom and dad were nowhere to be seen. Jeannie gave him something to drink to comfort him more. Then Petey looked around as though looking for someone else.
"Dada"
Jeannie's pallor changed from semi normal to white as a sheet. Irene noticed and embraced her and assured her with conviction, "Honey, Mike will bring Steve back to you and Petey. Hopefully with all the arrangements they have set in place it will be sooner than we think."
"I can't make it without him, Irene. He is everything to me."
In the meantime, Steve's captors had arrived where they planned to hold him. Without any warning he was roughly pulled out of the car. Steve remained impassive although he had a huge collection of butterflies in his stomach. He was just thankful Jeannie and Petey were safe now that truly was all that mattered to him even if it meant his death. He heard the ice cold voice of the female captor.
"You will be searched if we find anything you will have to deal with the consequences."
Steve said a silent prayer that only the knife be found in his right boot if they found anything. He knew if they found the transmitter there would be absolutely no hope for him. Steve was thoroughly searched or at least they thought they had thoroughly searched him. His prayer was granted the transmitter was not found; his chances to survive improved in Steve's mind. The female captor was not pleased at all, she had hoped to find more. Steve was shoved into a chair and one hand was cuffed to a table. They wanted him to have one hand free for his next task. The mayor's number was dialled for him then the phone was placed in his hand for him to talk once they heard the phone answered after two rings. There was a trace on the phone as they hoped if Mike couldn't find where Steve might be held, a trace would help. The Mayor had the call on speaker so Gerry O'Brien and the others in the room could hear the call.
"Mayor DuBois, this is Steve Keller. I guess by now you know that there are some people who demand the release of Nick and Marie Tannenger. If their demands are not met by dawn they plan to send me back to my wife and Lieutenant Stone in pieces."
"We are working on a solution to this problem, Inspector Keller."
The man who searched Steve had been playing with the confiscated knife. The female captor took the phone from Steve, the next thing that the Mayor heard was a pain filled horrifying outcry.
"Your officer has just been cut with his own knife. You better hurry with our demands; his blood is pouring fast. The cutting has begun."
