Maddie smiled and hugged him closer since he was shivering and went back to sleep. In the morning she got up, woke up Cody and made breakfast to surprise Carey. That's when the phone rang.
"Hello?" said Maddie. "Martin residence."
"If you ever want to see your little boyfriend again, then deliver $50,000 to a tree in the middle of the park. You will see a park bench beside it with a cell phone. Leave the money and take the phone. You will be called at noon to learn the location. If you don't answer the phone, it's too bad because it's bye-bye boyfriend. You have until noon. And uh don't call the cops or he gets it understand?" The kidnapper hung up the phone before she could respond.
Maddie dropped the phone and dropped to the floor.
"Maddie, are you all right?" asked Cody as he tried to help her up.
"Yeah, I guess. Wake up your mom Cody, she needs to know this."
Cody went to wake up his mom with a bewildered expression on his face.
"What, is Zack home?" she asked as she noticed Maddie on the kitchen floor. "Maddie are you alright?"
"Yeah, I think so but you need to know this…"
She told Carey a word-for-word account of what the voice said. She started to cry again and Carey went to help her up and hug her.
"Don't worry Maddie. I'll ask Moseby for an advance on my check and then I'll call Kurt. He'll have the rest."
That still didn't help. So she thought of something.
"So how long have you loved Zack?" Carey asked her.
Maddie slowed down her crying a little. "How did you know?"
"Well don't get mad at her, but London told me. Why didn't you just talk to me? I've always wanted you for either Zack or Cody. Why do you think I keep asking you to baby-sit?" Carey told her.
Maddie was dumbfounded. "I never thought to talk to you really. I always thought you wouldn't let me because I was older."
"Well, you remember your Prom?" she asked.
"Yeah, I talked to you about an older guy and Zack heard the three years difference and he thought it was him," Maddie replied.
"And I told you that age didn't matter as long as there is a connection. I think you and Zack have that connection. Same goes for Cody. If he likes an older girl, then as long as she's alright with it then it would be fine with me to date her."
Cody blushed. How could she know that I liked London?
"So I'm going to talk to Moseby about that advance. I'll be right back," said Carey walking out of the door.
She hadn't told Maddie but she was terrified that Zack wouldn't be able to come home. She was scared that she might get him back but he wouldn't be alive. Carey tried to push these thoughts from her mind but Zack's dead body kept surfacing. She walked into the lobby with her night clothes still on and found Mr. Moseby by the front desk.
"Why hello Carey. So I haven't seen your…delightful children anywhere today. Are they sick?" he asked.
"N-no Mr. Moseby. Zack was kidnapped last night," she replied with tears in her eyes.
Mr. Moseby changed his attitude towards the boys and asked, "Really? I'm so sorry Carey. Is there something I can do to help?"
"Well, I need an advance on my check if possible."
"I can do one better. How about I just give you the money. How much is the ransom?" he asked pulling out some cash.
"Umm $50,000."
"Are you kidding me? I'm sorry I didn't mean to freak out like that. But I'm sorry. I only have $10,000. Is there a way for you to get the rest or do you want me to ask Mr. Tipton?" he said.
"No, $10,000 is fine. I'll ask Kurt for the rest. Thanks Mr. Moseby. I know you don't really like them much anyway."
"Oh Carey. I like them I just think some of the things they do are reckless and could endanger them or my guests. That's why I always got onto them but I actually think that they liven up the place a little," he told her patting her on the shoulder.
"Thanks Moseby. You don't know how much that means to me," said Carey heading back upstairs.
"Hey Carey, before you go," Mr. Moseby said before she left, "Have you seen Maddie? She's late today."
"Yeah, she's in my suite. She was the one who was with him."
"Well tell her she's off for the day. It must be devastating for her. Thanks!" he added as the elevator doors closed.
When Carey left the suite, Maddie got up and finished breakfast while Cody put the bed back in the couch. When Carey came back in, Maddie and Cody sat down with her to eat breakfast.
"Ok. Moseby gave me $10,000. I'll still need to call Kurt for the rest. Maddie, this is wonderful. I hope where ever Zack it, he's at least eating something," Carey said finishing her pancakes.
"Yeah. I know. Well Cody and I will finish the dishes. You go call Kurt so we can go quickly to the park," Maddie said clearing the table.
"Ok. Kurt…Kurt oh here it is. Hello? Kurt? Yeah we need to talk. Maddie took Zack and Cody to dinner last night and umm Zack was kidnapped and I need $40,000 to get him back. Uh-huh. What? But he's your son too! Oh ok. Yeah Ok thanks Kurt. Yes when you have time. Thanks. Bye," she hung up the phone and started crying.
"Mommy what's wrong?" asked Cody.
"Your dad doesn't have the money. He went broke. But he's on his way to see you guys. Maddie, maybe we should call the police," Carey said.
"No Carey we can't," said Maddie coming over and putting her hands on Cody's shoulders. "I just know that he would kill him. Please I have one more idea. Let me try it. If it doesn't work then we can call them. Come on Cody. You can help me."
Maddie and Cody left the room and went to see London Tipton. They knocked on the door.
"What? Oh hi Maddie. Hi Cody. What do you guys need?" she asked.
They explained about the kidnapping and how she loved him and how much they needed to save him.
"Oh Maddie. Of course I would like to help. Hold on. I'll go get my purse."
London came back and she gave Maddie the rest of the money.
"Before you go, Cody I have a confession. I know your not as rich as me but I kind of like you so would you want to go to dinner with me? I'll pay," she asked grabbing Cody's hand.
"Y-yeah. I would love to."
Cody hugged London and they left.
When Maddie and Cody left, he turned to her and said, "I would feel even more happy about going out with London if I wasn't terrified about Zack."
"I know Cody. I'm happy for you two. London probably talked my ear off about you," said Maddie hugging him.
"What and you never told me?" he asked.
"Sorry. If I wanted my secret about Zack a secret I couldn't tell you."
"Oh ok. So what are we going to tell Mom?" he asked.
"The truth. London gave is the money and you are dating her," she said.
"Ok. Hey Mom, guess what. Me and London are dating," said Cody when he walked through the door.
"So your idea was to ask London?" Carey asked.
"Yes. She gave it to us so I'm going to go to the park and drop it off. Cody can go with me. But we have to hurry. Carey stay here in case I need you. I'll take my cell and call if I do. Alright, let's go Cody," said Maddie when Cody was ready.
As they left the Tipton, Mr. Moseby wished them luck and called a cab for them.
They got in the cab and went to the park.
"Ok Cody. Look for the tree. If you find it just holler," Maddie said.
She kept a close watch on him and soon they found it. Maddie put the money she had put in a paper sack in the hole in the tree while Cody grabbed the phone.
"Ok. It's 11:58. We have two minutes left. I hope he is alright," she said sitting down.
Cody sat next to her to wait. He handed her the phone as it rang.
"H-hello?" Maddie asked in a weak voice.
"Good. You came in time. Did you bring the money?" the voice asked.
"Yes, I put it in the tree," answered Maddie.
"Good," the voice said again. "Now I suppose you want to know where your little boyfriend is."
"Please, sir. We are all worried," said Maddie.
"Alright. Now I want you to go to the bus station and get on the number 49 bus and ride it to the last stop. I will call you when you get there. Don't miss the bus."
The voice hung up.
"Ok, Cody. We have to call your mom and tell her that we have to get on the bus. Let's go," she said standing.
"Ok, do you want me to call?" asked Cody.
"Sure here's my cell."
Maddie handed Cody her phone and he called his mom.
"Alright," said Carey. "Just be careful and call me when you have him."
Cody hung up as they got into the bus station. Maddie went and bought tickets for the number 49 bus and they got on. They were silent for a while.
"So ho long have you actually liked Zack?" asked Cody.
"Well I never knew it at the time but at my Prom when we danced," she answered.
"Oh, well I've liked London since she went out with that Trevor guy," said Cody scooting closer.
"Are you cold?" Maddie asked.
"Yeah a little. But I guess I'm ok," Cody said.
"Here," said Maddie giving him her jacket. "I don't want you to get sick with all this going on."
"Thanks, Maddie."
Maddie moved closer and let him lay on her lop. He stopped shivering and fell asleep.
"Last stop!" yelled the bus driver a little while later.
Maddie woke up Cody and they got off the bus. The phone rang again.
"You guys must really care about that kid. Well, in front of you in an old hospital. He is in there. You have an hour to find him before he dies. Good luck." The voice hung up.
"Come on Cody we have to start looking for him! Cody?" She turned around and found him staring at the hospital.
"That's the hospital my grandpa was at when he died. They had to close it because all the doctors quit saying the hospital was haunted," said Cody.
"I know you are scared but we have to find Zack," said Maddie.
"Ok, let's go," Cody said trying to toughen up as they walked into the yard.
The two of them walked up to the door, which read: "Do Not Enter." Maddie stopped and looked at Cody. "You ready?"
"As ready as I'll ever be," Cody answered.
They walked into the front door holding hands since Cody was still scared.
"Alright Cody. Hand me that phone," Maddie said taking the phone from him.
In a few seconds her phone rang and she answered it. It was her. She handed the phone to Cody and said, "Alright. Here don't hand up. This is so we can split up to look for Zack. I really don't want to but this place is huge and we really need to find him quickly."
Maddie stopped talking. She could hear a little girl screaming.
"What was that?" Cody asked.
"I don't know but it doesn't sound like Zack," said Maddie.
"I know. Now I'm scared. Thanks for keeping me on the phone though," said Cody.
"Your welcome. Now let's go."
Maddie walked one way and Cody walked the other.
"Anything yet Cody?" asked Maddie.
"Not yet," replied Cody.
Maddie walked into a room. She could see the bed that once held a patient named Martin.
"Hmm," she thought. "Maybe this was their grandfather's."
"Hey Maddie, you still there?" Cody asked in a worried voice.
"Yeah, have you found him?" she said ready to run.
"No I just got to the end of the hallway and I got worried," he answered.
"Oh ok. I'm heading back so we can look upstairs."
When she left the room, a picture caught her eye. She picked it up and was shocked. It was Zack, Cody, Carey, and an older man who must have been their grandfather. She put the picture in her pocket and left. She met up with Cody in front of the stairs so they could go upstairs together.
"Ok, you can hang up now. We will go together from here," said Maddie.
"Alright," replied Cody.
They started to walk up the stairs together. When they got to the landing, they saw a light coming from one of the rooms.
"That must be where he is," whispered Maddie.
They crept silently to the room. When they were about two rooms away they heard a cry.
"Maddie!" yelled Zack.
"Oh my gosh! It is him!" yelled Cody.
They ran into the room and saw him lying on the floor.
"Zack!" yelled Maddie. "Are you alright?"
She looked down on him. His breathing was really shallow and his shirt was bloodstained.
"Oh no! Cody call the police! Hurry!" she shouted at him.
She knelt down and tried to find the wound. She found he had been shot in the chest just to the left of his heart. Before she knew it, she heard sirens.
"Cody, did you even call the cops yet?" she asked looking up at him.
"No there is no service up her. I wonder how they knew we were here," he replied.
"Cody? Maddie?"
They could hear Carey calling them.
"We're up here!" yelled Cody.
He left the room and returned with his mother and two paramedics.
"We traced the cell phone we found at the park after Carey called us. Then we left it there so that you would find it. We tried to trace it every time someone called but he wasn't on the phone long enough," said an officer coming into the room. "Then we got a hit and it told us that you guys were up here at this abandoned hospital. We tried to get here as quick as we could. We'll take him to the hospital. Why don't you guys go home and get some rest."
"No!" shouted Carey, Cody, and Maddie at the same time.
"We are going with him!" said Maddie fiercely.
"Alright, fine but we need to get you cleaned up. You are covered in blood," said the officer.
They followed the paramedics downstairs and out the door. When they got outside, the paramedics put Zack in the back of the van and handed Maddie some wipes to clean up with. Maddie threw them in the dumpster when she finished and got into the police car.
"Alright so umm I guess we should say thanks," said Maddie.
"Yeah, I don't think Zack would have made it if you hadn't of shown up when you did," said Cody.
"Well hold on. He's not out of the woods yet," said Carey.
"Well we just wanted to say thanks officer. Right Cody?" Maddie said.
"You're welcome. Well here we are," said the officer.
They got out of the car and Maddie, Cody, and Carey ran inside.
"You can't see him yet. He is still in critical condition. We'll come get you when you can see him," said a nurse leading them to a waiting room.
London, Mr. Moseby, and Kurt met them at the door. London automatically went to Cody and hugged him. Kurt went to Carey, and Mr. Moseby went to Maddie. Then Kurt hugged Cody tight.
"Thank-God you are alright Cody," he said into his hair.
"Thanks, Dad. Love you too," he replied.
"Here, Carey. I found this in a room while we were searching for Zack," said Maddie handing her the picture.
"Thanks, Maddie. I haven't seen this picture since the day the kid's grandfather died," Carey said hugging her.
"Alright, we can let one person in now. He's asleep but someone can go see him," said the doctor.
"Maddie, how about you? You care so much for my boys," said Kurt.
The rest agreed.
"Ok, if you say so…"
She left with the doctor and he let her in his room. He opened his eyes and smiled at her. She went to him and took his hand. "I love you, Zack," she said.
She kissed him on his head and he rolled over and fell asleep.
Hope you liked it. Please review!!!!!!