Thank you to everyone who took the time to read the last chapter, and those who have marked it as a favourite or set up an alert! I hope you continue to enjoy it! I've not proof read this chapter too well, so I'm feeling a little insecure about it. let me know what you think, and any suggestions you may have.

The beginning bit is not meant to be offensive to anyone - just showing that some people are insane enough to twist words that they shouldn't for their own means.

Chapter 15

Friends in Dark Places

""God said, "Let there be light" and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness." He gave me the light, and He told me to fill you with that light, so that you leave the darkness behind. It will never claim you; death will never touch your soul. You will be reborn into the light, never needing the death of sleep…"

Jackie had stopped listening and was instead staring at the new recruit, a young man she did not recognise. His face was drawn, dark circles under his eyes, lacking sleep. Within a week he would begin to feel refreshed and reenergised, within a week he would be worshipping the man who sat in his wheelchair on the stage, believing he could create miracles.

Seven months ago she'd given her third meal of the day to Jennifer, while Paul wasn't watching. They were meant to eat everything on their plate, and usually there was no reason not to. The food was delicious. She had no idea who cooked it, but it had become one of the highlights of her 'stay'. Jennifer had been so hungry one evening that Jackie had simply swapped her full plate for Jenn's empty one, pitying the girl her small portions. It seemed that Rostow wanted to keep Jenn thin, that he did indeed have plans for her, but the girl quite naturally had a better appetite than that.

That night –or the time when they thought it was night - when they went to their rooms for 'rest period' she found herself unusually hyperactive, and instead of allowing her eyes to close for the hour they were given to rest, she stayed alert. Out of boredom, she began to clock watch, willing the hour to go by so she could join some of the other in a study group, or read. The single hour turned into five, then six, then seven, and then as if by some miracle she saw the hands of the clock begin to wind back.

But it wasn't a miracle. The clocks in her school when she had lived in England had all done the same thing – she has seen it happen on one Monday morning when the clocks had been put forward for spring. Controlled by someone – electrical impulses or something like that. And then she knew - they were being drugged.

The house had no windows. All the light was false; every room had a UV lamp so no one felt the effects of missing sunlight too much. Their weight and health were monitored daily, so correct amounts of any sleeping tablets would always be administered, and meal times were constantly supervised. All of the women had been given a contraceptive injection of some sort or so she figured, so even nature could not let them know how many days had actually passed.

Everyone believed that they were sleeping for only one hour in a twenty four hour period, but in reality it was their concept of time that had been changed, not some miracle created by Rostow. They were all older than they thought.

Jackie let her mind wander while trying to keep her eyes fixed on their self-declared leader. There was no way out. The people that had wanted to leave seemingly had, such as Sam. But he'd been there for different reasons; he'd had a different level of enlightenment, or what she called the Rachael Effect.

Rachael sat next to Rostow looking as effervescent as ever. Her hair had been dyed dark by one of the other women there and it suited her as most things did. Rachael wasn't there most nights, but when she was few people could take their eyes off her. Jackie wondered where Sam was. He hadn't been back for four days and she was concerned. Sam had wanted to leave, he'd become dissatisfied with the group. And now he hadn't come back. Jackie wondered why; why no one who wanted to leave ever came back or made contact.

She had to get out of there.

-&-

Stella banged on the door and called Lindsay's name, her eyes feeling dry with tiredness and her head beginning to pound. Mac was paying the check in the diner when Angell's call came through, her tone matter-of-fact and direct as usual. They had headed straight to Lindsay's apartment and found Danny already stood outside her door, banging enough to wake the dead.

"I think we need to go in, Stella," Flack said, his attire strangely casual. Stella pulled Lindsay's spare keys out of her purse and unlocked the door, her hand on her gun. Mac followed her in, covering her back.

"It's clear," Stella shouted. It was only a small, one bed roomed apartment and it became obvious that no person was in there very quickly. Flack, Danny and Angell followed them in, any thoughts of tiredness washed from their minds by the sense of urgency that the situation was creating.

"Her bed's been slept in but not made," Angell said. "And her nightshirt has been left on the pillow. My guess would be that she's got out of bed to go somewhere in a hurry."

"Any sign of her weapon?" Mac said, having pulled open a few of the kitchen drawers to check for its presence there.

"Can't see her badge either," Flack said, standing with his back to the door. "Any idea where she normally keeps it when she's at home?" He looked at Danny, who was stood looking slightly useless, his hands in the pocket of his biker jacket.

"Beside her bed. Her gun's normally kept in the drawer of her bedside cabinet so it's near in case of emergencies," he looked sullen, his eyes swooping round the room, hunting for ideas and theories.

"Was Lindsay still feeling bad about what happen to Officer Moor?" Angell said. Stella noticed how close she stood to Flack and wondered where they had come from to both arrive at Lindsay's apartment at the same time.

Danny nodded. "She just wanted to be on her own. If she makes a mistake, she's like that…" he looked at Angell. "You think she's found a lead and is following it up herself?"

Angell shrugged. "Possibly. She might have had an idea for something and wanted to see if it would lead anywhere before having more people chase it up. I doubt she's put herself in danger," she stopped having noticed a change in Flack's expression. "What is it?"

"The guy on reception at Vanderbilt Hall – the one you got Raimo's details from," Flack's tiredness showed in his lack of eloquence.

"How would Lindsay know him?" Angell said. Even with all Danny's panicked atmosphere running off him and clouding the room it was impossible to miss the connection between Flack and Angell. Stella glanced at Mac and wondered if he'd seen it too.

"Didn't she have a case there a few months back? Some girl was attacked by a jock in her class?" Flack said, still being held by Angell's gaze.

"Mary-Elizabeth Miller," Danny said. "It was one of those cases that really got under Lindsay's skin. She nailed the scum bag that did it though."

"I suggest that Danny stays here to see if Lindsay turns up, or anyone comes looking for her," Mac said. The signs of tiredness were fading, Stella observed, as a new mission began for him. "Flack and I will go over to Vanderbilt and you two should go home and get some sleep." He gestured at Angell and Stella.

Angell shook her head, and for a moment Stella wondered whether the detective was taking Mac's instructions as insulting seeing as it was the two females he was sending home. In reality, she knew that any rest would last two or three hours at most, at which point Mac and Flack – or Flack at least – would take a few hours out.

"I've spoken with the guy on reception there before and we had a good rapport," Angell's tone gave away exactly what type of rapport that was, and Stella saw a strange expression briefly cross Flack's face. He had never been possessive with previous girlfriends and she wondered about the depth of the relationship that was being forged between them. Seeing a colleague was not something Flack would have begun without thought. Maybe she should chat with him about it sometime.

Mac nodded. "If you feel you'll be able to get more information out of him, should there be anything to get, then Flack and I will take first rest. Call me when you're done. Danny, stay here. You think of anywhere she might be, then call one of us." He glanced at Stella before making his way out of the apartment and she read his look. He wanted to talk.

"Angell?" she said. "I'll see you outside. I just want to check something with Mac." Angell nodded, and left with Flack, who gave Mac a puzzled look. Stella stepped outside the apartment, saying a quick goodbye to Danny, who was pacing around the room still, looking as if something was eating him from the inside. "What's up?" she said, keeping her voice low.

"I'm going to stay here with Danny, at least till he's calmer. You think something's happened to Lindsay?" he said, his tone matching her's.

"Well you obviously don't," she said. "If you suspected anything you'd have started a full scale search."

He nodded. "I think Flack's right. Lindsay's got a hunch and she's following it. She'll be back in her apartment before we find where she's gone. I want Danny to be there so they can finally clear up whatever's going on between them."

"I hope you're right," Stella said, eyeballing him.

"I'm always right," he said.

Stella laughed.

-&-

Peter Andrews had his back to the reception desk and was filling away papers when Angell and Stella arrived. He turned around with a start, realising that there was someone else present, and his face broke out into a broad smile when he saw Angell. She returned the grin, ignoring Stella's raised eyebrow and flashed her badge.

"Hi Peter," she began. "This is Detective Stella Bonasera, who works with the crime lab, and we met a couple of days ago. I just wanted to ask you a few questions."

"Sure," Peter said, fidgeting nervously with his too long fringe. "Tell me – are all New York cops as pretty as your team seem to be?"

Stella laughed lightly. "It's nice of you to say that, Peter. C an I assume that you've seen another of our team tonight?"

Peter nodded. "Detective Monroe was here about…" he checked the clock. "…an hour ago. She was asking about Lebowitz."

Angell felt a weight lifted off her shoulders. "Any idea where she went after here?"

"I think she was heading home. She said I'd confirmed what she'd thought and been very helpful," Peter said, a note of pride springing into his demeanour.

"What was it you told her, Peter?" Stella said, giving him a smile filled with enough charm to make Danny pass up on a ball game.

"Just that Lebovitz had been staying at my place – lying low there. There are people she wants to avoid – or rather one person she wants avoid," Peter said. Angell got the feeling that he would like to talk for what was left of the night.

"You know this person's name?" Angell said, her voice now serious. She had a feeling she knew what was coming next.

"Rachael… somebody. I don't remember her last name. Leb doesn't talk about it much," he said with a shrug. "You know, maybe you and I could get a coffee sometime?"

Angell smiled. "I'm sorry – I'm seeing someone. If things were different, maybe. Is Leb at yours now?" She tried to appease him, but a dark look that fell into his eyes told her it hadn't worked.

He sent her a cold look, and gave his answer to Stella instead. "She's not left her room for a day and half. I keep bringing her drinks and calling her every couple of hours to make sure she's okay. You want the address?"

"Did you give to Detective Monroe?" Stella said.

Peter nodded. He was just about to speak again when Stella's cell began to ring. She took a step back from the reception to answer. Angell heard Mac's voice as he began to explain.

-&-

"I thought something had happened to you?" Danny's voice filled the apartment. Now Mac had gone he could stop this illusion of being in control. "You didn't take your cell; you didn't let anybody know what you were doing. Lindsay, we have a killer who has no issue with murdering cops…" He stopped. She was smiling at him.

"I had an idea. I couldn't sleep. Next door were…" she shook her head. "I was gone two hours, maybe slightly longer because I stopped to get a hot cocoa from the all night diner."

He let his head drop, his elbows on his knees and his legs apart; his hands rubbing his head as he was want to do at times of frustration. "I've had Mac, Stella, Flack and Angell here. I even interrupted Angell and Flack getting their first bit of 'alone' time. I seriously thought something had happened to you, Linds."

"Montana girls are made from stronger stuff than that. You should know that by now," she sat down next to him, her hand resting on his back.

He looked up at her, feeling his shoulders become less tense. Impetuously, he threw an arm around her and pulled her into him. She let herself be drawn close, the quiet of the night wrapping round them like a feather quilt; soft, warm and comforting.

-&-

Flack answered after the first ring and Jess wondered if he'd been sat on his cell. "Lindsay's fine. She's back at her apartment. Shouldn't you have been asleep?" she said, not giving him a chance to speak first.

"I wanted to know what was happening," he said, his voice sounding tired and weary, the lack of sleep catching up with him.

"She's found a lead. The Lebovitz girl that was on reception and worked at the therapy place, it looks like she's linked to Rachael McKinsey. Stella's bringing her into protective custody until we question her in the morning," Angell said, keeping her eyes open for a cab.

"Good. We've got something to work with," Flack said. "I spoke with the powers and we have nine men back off sick tomorrow. We're both off shift till two pm and then we're on a late. Late not meaning nights, so I'm taking you to dinner."

"Do I not have a say?" Jess said, laughing.

"No. Where are you heading back to now?" he said, sounding drowsy.

"Home, I guess."

"Come back to mine," he said. "I can describe for you what I'm wearing if that'll get you back here." He began to sound more awake.

"Isn't that meant to be my line?" she said, getting into a cab and giving the driver Don's address.

"Hey – equality between the sexes. I'll wait for you at the entrance." He hung up, leaving her with a growing warmth inside.

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