HEY THERE :)

SO HERE'S SOME ACTION AND A LITTLE SOMETHING ELSE. ;)

PLEASE R&R :)

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What happened at the end of the previous chapter.

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Alex cursed Inwardly. There was so much more he needed to get out of her, but first he had to find that vase. She was stronger than Vernon Greeves and he knew he'd have to prepare a stronger dose of the drug. That would take time. He rose out of his seat and glared across at Lucas. "You heard the address right?"

He tore his eyes from Jo."2 West 120th Street."

"Well don't just stand there then. Get a team together and go find this Colin Smith. And take Aran and Carl with you."

"Sure." Lucas rounded the bed and started for the door.

Alex followed after him and locked the door behind them."I'll call you when we have more information on this guy."

Lucas simply nodded and headed back to the main house.

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CHAPTER 13.

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The CSI Team looked exhausted, so Mac had commanded them to go home and get some sleep. Danny and Lindsay weren't happy about that, but Mac stayed firm to his word and promised them, If Jo was found, he'd call them straight away. Danny was up for arguing the point further, but Mac cut him off, before quickly headed out of the CSI Department to meet up with Don.

With the Chief's permission, Don had managed to get a team of fifteen officers together and several choppers were also available to help with the search. An hour later, they were standing outside the Roseville Police Station. The plan was to meet there because Sheriff Daniel Shaw and several units from Roseville would also be accompanying them on the search.

Mac muttered under his breath, turned away from Daniel and started walking back to his car. He'd gone over the Map with Don and the teams about a half dozen times already. Surely, they'd got it by now. "How much longer are we waiting around here for God sake!" He called over his shoulder.

Don looked up from the map and sighed heavily. "We go in 15 minutes Mac!"

Jo might not have fifteen minutes. "I'm going to get a coffee! I'll be back in 5!"

"Get me one too!" Don called back.

Mac got in the Avalanche, slammed the door in frustration and drove off to the gas station around the corner. It took him hardly any time at all to grab the coffees, so he circled around for a few minutes to get a feel for the area.

When he reached the end of the road he turned into Cricket's Lane and saw Branch Brook Park in the distance. At the far side of the lake he noticed a massive structure. That's the Roseville Mental Hospital. He frowned. They closed that down years ago. He was too far away to see clearly, so he drove further down the lane to get a closer look.

Several minutes later, he drew to a stop alongside a small field, about two hundred metres from the building. He quickly grabbed his binoculars from the dashboard and peered through them. There are lights on inside there.

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Don walked across the road and looked around the corner. There was the gas station, but Mac's car was nowhere to be seen. It was at that very second, his phone started ringing in his pocket. He answered it quickly. "Mac?"

"Hey."

"Where the hell are you?" Don asked nervously.

"I'm at the end of Cricket's Lane," Mac answered, as he continued to gaze through his binoculars.

Don rolled his eyes. "What are you doing at the end of Cricket's Lane?"

"I'm 200 metres from what use to be Roseville Mental Hospital. This place was closed down years ago right?"

Don gripped the phone a little tighter in his hand. "Yea. Why?"

"Don they're lights on inside . . ." Unease crawled up Mac's spine. ". . . and I think I just saw two guys walking around the building."

Anxiety tightened Don's chest. "Okay, you sure you've got the right building?"

"Of course I've got the right building!" He answered in an agitated tone.

"Just stay there! Don't go any closer! I'll check with Daniel."

"Well just hurry up and. . ." Mac froze to the spot when he saw who came out the main entrance of the smaller building.

Don started to jog towards Daniel, but slowed slightly when he heard Mac go suddenly quiet on the other end. He pressed the phone closer to his ear. "Mac?"

Rage slammed through his heart and it took everything in him not to dive out of the car and charge after him. "Don! I've spotted him! He's here! Alex Cole is here!"

Shit! Don's eyes flashed across to Daniel.

Daniel frowned and quickened his pace toward him. "What's up?"

"Mac's found them already."

Daniel's eyes widened. "What? . . .Where?!"

Don turned quickly and started to dash back to his car. "They're hiding out at Roseville Mental Hospital!" He called back.

"Bloody hell!" Daniel whirled around to the teams. "We have a sighting! Roseville Mental Hospital! Team 1 and 2, take the main road and circle around the back of the property. Let me know when you're in position! Team 3 and 4. You're with me!" He turned back and swore loudly when he saw Don's car disappear around the corner. He dived in his vehicle and took off after him.

Don sped down the road white knuckling the steering wheel, his tyres screeching on the asphalt as he turned sharply, passing the gas station on his right. He slammed his phone on the hands free device. "Mac? You're pretty close to that building. You sure they won't spot you?"

"I've moved the car back 50 metres and parked behind some trees." Mac grabbed the binoculars and scanned the perimeter. "Where the hell are you lot?" He asked impatiently.

"I'm turning onto Cricket Lane now. Just lay low. I'm only several minutes away." Don answered anxiously.

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Alex Cole walked towards the large building and was just about to head inside when he heard siren's in the distance. He whirled around and pulled out the night vision goggles from his pocket.

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Mac swore under his breath and grabbed the radio. "Daniel! Get those damn siren's turned off!"

Daniel screeched onto Cricket Lane and looked back. An ambulance was speeding up the main road on it's way to Hawthorne Hospital. "It's not one of ours!"

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Alex scanned the area and saw a car parked at the side of the road several hundred metres from the house. Dammit! He grabbed his gun, aimed around the trees and fired at the vehicle.

Mac ducked as the bullet tore through the edge of the windscreen, sending shards of glass flying in all directions.

Panic slammed Don's chest. "Mac? . . . Mac answer me damn it!"

"I've been made!" he shouted. He scrambled out of the car and ducked down behind a tree as another bullet whizzed through the air and pinged off the side of the bonnet.

Suddenly Alex saw Mac, and enraged he started to move across the field towards him. He grabbed his phone and pressed speed dial. "Ed! I need you to meet me outside . . ." He stopped mid-sentence when he saw a line of vehicles speeding down the lane. "Crap! The Police have found us! Vacate the building now!" He shouted.

It was at that moment, all hell broke loose. Alex fired several more shots at Mac, then turned and dashed back to the main wing of the large building, just as Ed, along with around twenty other men, burst out of the smaller building and started running to their cars.

None of Alex's goon's were even looking Mac's way. They were too busy trying to get the hell out of there. He shot at a few tyres and brought the radio back towards him as he bolted across the field after Alex. "Daniel! Where the hell are team 1 and 2?!"

Daniel swore under his breath and stared anxiously through the front windscreen. "They're still several minutes away from the house. It's a good few miles around that lake Mac!"

Don continued to floor the gas down Cricket Lane and was relieved to see the house now only a mile or two away. "Mac. I'll be with you in a minute."

Mac sprinted up to the main doors, took a deep, steady breath, then swung them open and stepped inside. "I'm requesting radio silence." He whispered as he turned and started to move quietly down the dimly lit corridor.

Anxiety rose up in Don once again. "Mac? Where the hell are you now?"

"I've followed Alex into the main wing of the hospital."

Don went to bury his foot on the gas pedal, only to realise he was already flooring it. Dammit. He should have talked to the Chief. He knew Mac had been way too emotionally involved in this case. "Mac! Get out of there and wait for back up!"

Mac swore inwardly, flipped off the radio and continued moving along the corridor. A minute later he'd reached the end. He looked left, then right. God, It was like a damn maze in this place. What direction had that sonofabitch gone in? He muttered another curse and tried to listen above the chaos outside. Suddenly, he heard a door being shut further down the corridor. He turned right and quickened his pace toward the sound, checking every room for Jo, as he passed.

When he turned the next corner, he skidded to a sudden stop and gripped his gun tighter in his hand. The door on his left was shut, unlike the others that had been left slightly ajar. He trained his gun at it, released a long, pent up breath and slowly turned the handle. It was locked. He reared back, counted down from three and slammed into the door several times, but it wouldn't budge. Great! He muttered under his breath, aimed his gun at the lock and fired.

The second Mac came charging into the room, Alex slammed into him and knocked him to the ground.

Mac's gun flew out of his hand and clattered across the floor.

Alex glared down at him. "I thought about keeping you alive." He pressed his weapon to Mac's chest. "That plan hasn't quite worked out so I guess I'll just have to kill you instead."

In a flash of movement, Mac swung back his fist and slammed it into Alex's arm.

Alex grunted in pain and his weapon slipped from his hand and landed on a worn, dirty bed spread. He swore loudly and tried to reach for it, but Mac's fist connected with his face. He fell backwards and slammed to the floor. "Argghhh!" He spat the blood from his mouth and was about to get to his feet and attempt to deliver a blow to Mac's ribs, when he heard thundering footsteps coming down the corridor towards him. Fuck.

Mac lunged for Alex's gun, grabbed it, and spun back around.

Alex was now up on his feet and running across the room towards the window.

Mac squeezed down on the trigger and this time the bullet caught Alex on the shoulder. Unfortunately, it didn't stop him. He just kept going.

Mac hadn't fired the second shot. Hadn't heard the glass splintering around him as Alex crashed through the window and disappeared into the darkness. He was frozen to the spot, the emotions slamming through his heart as he gazed wide eyed at Jo lying unconscious on the bed just a few feet from him. Cuts and bruises covered her face and arms. She looked so pale, so lifeless. He fought back the panic and moved unsteadily across the room toward her.

"Jo. . . " My God. Alex had put her in restraints. He noticed that one of the leather buckles had been loosened and he swallowed back the rising nausea. Alex intended to take her with him, the bastard.

Mac swallowed back the emotions and quickly freed her from the leather straps, then he gently turned her to face him.

"Jo. Wake up. . . It's me. . .Jo . . . open your eyes."

She didn't respond. He checked her pulse. It was slow, but steady. Rage and fear intensified within him when he noticed four empty syringes lying on the table. Moisture filled his eyes as he leaned towards her and carefully lifted her into his arms.

"It's gonna be okay." he whispered shakily. "You're gonna be just fine. . ."

Don rushed into the room, followed by Daniel and four other Officers. He slammed to a stop and glanced anxiously at Jo. "You've found her. . . Is she okay?"

Mac's eyes flashed up at Don. "She's been drugged. I need to get her to a hospital."

"The paramedics just turned up. They're out the front."

Mac swallowed hard and gazed back at Jo. "I shot Alex in the shoulder, but . . . he got away. He went through the window."

Daniel bolted across the room and kicked the last of the shards of glass from the window. He turned back to the Officers. "Come on!" He shouted urgently. "We've gotta get after him!"

Don turned back to Mac. "Get yourself and Jo out of here, but be careful some of Alex's goons may still be loose out there." His eye's shot back at the window. "I'm going after Alex."

Mac watched Don tear across the room and jump out of the window after Daniel and the other Officers. He sighed heavily, gently drew Jo against him and quickly made his way through the corridors and out to the paramedics.

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Five hours later, Jo slowly drifted back to consciousness. White washed walls and glaring lights greeted her as she opened her eyes and it only serving to intensify the pain currently throbbing through her skull. She swallowed down the nausea and tried to pull her mind back together.

"Hey."

She turned to his voice. "Mac?" She felt his hand gently grip hers and she released a long, shuddering breath. "You're . . . here."

He drew his chair closer to the bed and leaned towards her. "It's okay. You're at the hospital. You're safe now."

She gripped his hand tighter. "What . . . happened?. . . How did I get here?"

He reached out and stroked her hair. "We found you." He took a deep, unsteady breath. "Everything's gonna be okay. Right now you need to rest. . ."

"Why is my vision all blurry? . . . I was . . . in a chopper. . . Where did you find me? . . ."

"Shh. It's alright." He swallowed into an aching throat. "The memories. They'll . . . return in time."

Even through the haze, she could still make out the anxiety in his expression and fear clawed through her. "Why can't I remember? Have I got concussion?"

"Jo. You're gonna be fine, but right now you need to get some more sleep. . ."

Panic slammed her chest. "No!" She interrupted. "I . . . I need you to tell me . . ."

He shot out of the seat and gently pulled her towards him.

Automatically, she wrapped her arms tightly around him and clutched at the material of his shirt, trying her best to hold back the tears. "Did you . . . find me in the basement?"

Mac closed his eyes as the low, raw ache gripped his heart. The last thing he wanted to do was help her remember the trauma she'd been through. He sighed heavily and pressed his lips to the top of her head. "No. We found you in Roseville . . . You were unconscious. When we got you to the hospital, the doctors discovered . . . a large amount of . . . Ethyl Alcohol and Scopolomine in your system."

She pulled away from Mac and glanced fearfully up at him. "Truth Serum?"

"Yes. The Scopolomine caused the short term Amnesia."

"My God." She whispered. She turned and stared out of the window. "What did I tell him?"

"I don't know, but I'm guessing he asked you where the vase was." Mac answered softly.

Jo's eyes flashed back at his.

Mac brushed away a stray tear from her eyelid. "Why didn't you tell me about the vase?"

She swallowed into a dry throat and looked down at the bed sheets. "What vase?"

Mac sighed inwardly and continued to gaze steadily at her. He knew why she was doing this. She was ashamed that Alex Cole was her Uncle. That's why she'd tried to run from him on several occasions and why she was lying to him now.

"The time for secrets is over Jo. The NYPD have been assigned to this case now and they've been filled in on the latest developments."

She leaned back against the pillows and closed her eyes, as the shame and grief tore through her heart.

"When you're better, Don's gonna be asking you some questions. You know you're gonna have to be straight with him, so why don't you start practising on me?"

Slowly she glanced up and met his piercing gaze. "I'm sorry. I was trying to protect you."

"I know." Mac reached out and held her hand. "Are you up to telling me how you found out about the vase?"

She gazed across at him for several seconds, then glanced down at his hand. "Back in 2008, Seth told me he'd found some document's on a vase that was stolen from my father's house back in July 1963. I tried to find out more, but got nowhere and when I went back to Seth the next day and asked him where he'd found the information, he said he'd made a mistake, read the information wrong. I asked to see the documents. He told me, he'd deleted them. I didn't believe him. We had an argument. He continued to stick with the story. I wasn't getting anywhere with Seth, so I spent the next three months trying to find the information myself. I found nothing so I . . . let it . . . go."

"Okay. . . Look you're tired. Get some rest and we'll talk about this . . ." He stopped mid-sentence when he saw Jo freeze, her eyes widening in terror as she gripped his hand tighter. "Jo? . . ."

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She felt hands tighten around her throat, choking her.

She fought frantically, trying to get free. . .

"You Bitch! You Bitch!. . ."

. . .Felt the excruciating pain when he kicked her in the ribs again and again.

"You think I'm nothing?!"

. . .Felt the muscles tear in her shoulder as he yanked her toward him, waiting for an answer. And she gave him one. "I know you . . . raped my mother . . .that makes you nothing."

. . . Felt the terrible pain once again as his fist slammed into her face.

"I'm gonna enjoy making you suffer Jo. . . ."

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She screamed in fear as the sharp pain clawed through her ribs.

"Jo! . . . Jo open your eyes! Look at me!"

She tried to strike out at him. Tried to get away, but she was too weak against his strong grip.

Feeling totally helpless now, Mac pulled her against him and held onto her as she continued to try and fight against him.

"It's okay. . . Jo It's just a flashback!"

Seeing her like this, It felt like his heart was being torn in two. It felt like he was dying inside.

"Jo It's me Mac. I'm here."

A tear circled his eyelid.

"Please. . .Jo come back to me."

Mac? Her eyes flew open, her breaths coming in painful gasps as her heart continued to thump loudly in her chest. "Mac?" she cried.

Oh thank God! Mac forced himself to take several long, steady breaths as the relief swept through him. He continued to hold onto her and rocked her in his arms. "I'm here. It's al right, I'm here. You just had a flashback. You're okay."

She forced herself to open her eyes and stared fearfully around the room. "I'm . . . not there."

Slowly he eased her back on the pillows. "No you're not . . ." Rage simmered within him as Alex Cole and Lucas Rohr's face flashed through his mind. ". . .Never again."

She brought her hand to her ribs and bit down on her bottom lip as another sharp pain tore through her. "I'm . . . sorry. Did I . . . hurt you?"

"No, but you need some pain relief." He pressed the call alarm by the side of her bed and started to move away.

Immediately she saw the guilt flicker in his eyes and she gripped his hand to stop him going any further.

He stopped dead in his tracks and met her anxious gaze.

"Alex Cole got away didn't he?"

He swallowed hard and simply nodded.

She swallowed back the fear, carefully leaned towards him and touched her lips to his. "It's okay," she whispered shakily.

They locked eyes for a long, immeasurable moment. Then slowly he brought his hand to the back of her neck, leaned in closer and deepened the kiss. Her lips tasted so sweet and luscious and soft. God. He'd missed her so much.

She became so lost in him, the pain and hurt disintegrating to nothing, as the kiss grew more demanding between them, so intense. Yet he was so gentle as his tongue caressed hers in a hungry, passionate dance.

Finally, he pulled away and gazed back into her beautiful, brown eyes. "It will be. I'll make sure of that." he murmured quietly.

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OKAY . . . SO I MANAGED TO GET A LITTLE BIT OF MAC WHUMP ACTION IN THERE. I KNOW IT WASN'T MUCH, BUT I PROMISE IT WILL GET BETTER AS THE STORY PROGRESSES. I THINK IT WILL HAPPEN MORE TOWARDS THE END OF THE STORY THO.

AND AS OF YET, I DON'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING IN THE NEXT CHAPTER, BUT IT'S GONNA BE A MORE ANGSTY ONE TO COME ME THINKS ;)