AN: A little present for you all on this St. Nicholas day. An early chapter as I have completed the story ahead of schedule. I really hope you all are enjoying this little story as I have enjoyed writing it!

Chapter 5

"I think that would be talking to me." They all turned around to see Natalie Hough standing in the doorway.

TCOP3

They sat around a conference table waiting on Natalie to begin as she looked at her hands. "You have to know the whole story for it to make sense. My father's family came to the area in the late 18th century from Europe. Farmers by trade, we bought thousands of acres and raised crops as well as livestock. By the early 19th century we had become wealthy and were known for our philanthropy. In the 1850's we gave the land to the group that started Sedgewyck.

"The family grew in notoriety and when my father was born in 1940 he had his choice of careers. He attended Dartmouth where he met my mother. They were married in 1965 and my oldest brother was born in early 1966. Derek was born in January 1967, Tim in April 1970 and me in February was killed in a boating accident in 1980 and that devastated my mother. She swore that nothing would cause her to lose a child.

"After Jon's death she doted on Derek. He was thirteen when Jon died and attending Sedgewyck. He met Ricky Rodgers when he came to school in August 1983 and they became fast friends, along with the others. In November 1984 Derek went missing. They found the body a week later and the funeral was family only and closed casket."

Roy looked at the young lady. "Excuse me for saying this, but you don't look like someone who has just relived a traumatic event."

"That's because I spoke to Derek this morning."

TCOP3

Rick opened his eyes slowly. He was in the dark with his hands tied behind his back. He tried to sit up but couldn't get the momentum.

"Rick?"

"Kate? Thank God! Are you okay?"

"I've been worse. How about you?"

He chuckled. "I'm okay, I guess. How long have you been awake?"

"A few minutes. Any idea where we are?"

"No. I'm sorry about this, Katie love."

"Hey! None of that, now. Any thoughts on how to get out of here?"

He tried to move his hands. "Do you know what they have us tied up with?"

She rolled to move closer. "It feels like duct tape, maybe."

He grinned. "You know, I once had Derrick Storm tied up with duct tape." Her throaty chuckle was music to him. "Duct tape does not like heat, you know?"

"Okay, mastermind...where will we get enough heat to cause an issue?"

Rick could move his hands enough to tell he still had items in his back pocket; they even left his sports coat on! "That may not be necessary. In my left back pocket I have a small pen knife. Can you try to reach it?" He heard Kate move around behind him and he felt a hand in his pocket, but before she could get it they heard footsteps approaching. "Play possum, Kate." They both went limp as the door opened.

The man peered in and noted that they were both still out. He glanced around and went back out. Rick chanced a quick glance out the door and saw a building across the street before the door closed again, plunging them back into darkness. He waited for several minutes until he knew they were alone again. "Okay, Kate. Can you try again?"

She rolled back and pulled the knife from his pocket. "I've got it."

"Good. Now open it and try to cut the tape from my wrists."

She managed to open the blade. "I'm afraid to cut you."

"It's okay, love. A little nick is better than what they have in mind, I'm sure." He felt her fingers move along the tape. "Right there...cut it there." He felt the knife blade rest against his wrist for a moment and then a few moments later his wrists were free. He pulled the tape loose and then sat up. He took the knife from Kate and cut the tape at her wrists and feet before cutting his feet loose. "Either these guys are amateurs or stupid. Either way, it works for me."

Kate chuckled softly. "Me too." Rick leaned over and cut the tape from her feet.

Rick worked feeling back into his feet and slowly stood. He stretched and then held out a hand to help Kate up. He reached into his pocket and found his phone. He flipped to a flashlight app and turned it on.

They looked around at their surroundings. They were in a shed of some sort and the walls were old wood. The air smelled stale but they could also smell oil and gasoline. Rick grinned. "I know where we are. I saw the side of the bowling alley across the street when they opened the door. We are in an old abandoned gas station. Do you still have your phone?" She checked her pocket and pulled out her phone. "Do you have any service?" She nodded. "Okay, I have enough I think." He flipped through contacts and found Lexie. He texted her their location and status, but that they did not know who grabbed them or why. He also let her know they were no longer tied up and to come without sirens.

They settled back to wait for a response.

TCOP3

Lexie looked up. "What do you mean you spoke to Derek this morning?"

Natalie rolled her eyes. "It means that we had breakfast together and were heading to meet with Ricky when we heard he had been kidnapped."

Roy sat back in his chair. "You mean that your brother faked his death?"

"No. I mean that he did not know until many years later that someone else had been killed and buried as him. When he disappeared he was sent to California by our mother so that the fact that he was homosexual wouldn't be found out."

Lexie's eyes widened. "Derek was gay?"

"Derek IS gay...and his name is now Derrica."

Lexie was about to respond when her phone vibrated. She picked it up and read the text as a grin started. "Ricky is nothing if not lucky." She looked at Roy. "He and Kate are okay. They are being held at an old gas station a couple of miles away. Are you ready to go?"

He nodded. "What do we do about Ms. Hough?"

Lexie looked at her. "Nat, can you get your brother in here? I think we need to have a discussion to get at what happened and get this all cleared up."

Natalie nodded. "He'll be here when you get back."

Lexie looked at her appraisingly. "We'll talk then." She then turned and headed out the door. "Let's roll, people. We're going silent and without lights. You surround Petersen's garage at a distance and I will drive in to see what's going on. When I give the signal, come in loud."

They all left the station to go get the kidnappers.

TCOP3

Rick used the flashlight app to look around the shed. The floor was pretty bare but the workbench was littered with lots of junk. He found an old car battery and a car radio antenna among the items. He looked in a corner and found a battery charger and a set of jumper cables. Looking over at the door he laughed softly.

Kate looked at him. "What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking we set up a present for our hosts. Can you find an outlet?"

She nodded and started moving things around on the workbench, uncovering her prize. "Here."

She watched Rick in fascination as he started putting things together He moved the battery charger near to the outlet and plugged it in. Turning it on, he verified that it worked. He turned it off and grabbed the jumper cables. "Kate, can you find something to put in the floor to look like us in the dark?"

"I'll try." She started gathering some rags and old tarps as he attached one lead of the jumper cables to the old metal doorknob and the other end to the charger. He used some of the left over duct tape to tape the car antenna to the other side of the jumper cable and then attached the other lead to the charger. He turned the charger on low and touched the end of the antenna to the doorknob and smiled when it sparked. He turned the charger off and found an old insulated pair of pliers.

He looked over and Kate had piled the rags into passable bodies. "Looks good. Now come over here and wait with me."

She came over and gave him a quick kiss. "For luck."

He grinned. "I am so glad you aren't my sister." She giggled and they settled in to wait. "It's SO hot that you got that!" He held the antenna out in a relaxed position and turned the charger up to full.

TCOP3

Lexie watched as the others went into position before slowly driving down towards the gas station. She noticed Killarney leaning against a van and pulled over. Getting out, she leaned against the open door. "Is everything all right?"

He glanced over at her. "Yeah, Sheriff. I'm just waiting on someone in the bowling alley."

She nodded. "How's Mr. Hough doing?"

"Pretty good. He's preparing to go away for a few days."

"Oh, a vacation? That's probably good." She heard a noise across the street and saw the other man from the video coming towards her. "It looks like your friend is here. I'll let you get on your way."

"See you later, Sheriff." He grinned like the cat that ate the canary. "Come on, Jed. We have a delivery to make." He waved at the sheriff as she started her car.

She hit the lights and jumped back out. "Hands where I can see them Killarney!"

TCOP3

Rick and Kate heard the whole exchange between Lexie and Killarney. When they heard the car start they were confused until they heard Lexie shout. They heard someone scramble for the door and it was opened. When Rick saw the man start to enter he whipped the antenna like a fencing foil at the man's head. As it connected a zap was heard and the man screamed as he went down. Kate ran over and kicked his gun loose as the sirens got loud.

TCOP3

At Lexie's lights coming on, the several cars started coming in fast. Lexie watched as the other man flew to the door and opened it. She drew her weapon as she heard teh zap and then a thump. Killarney stood there in shock and just raised his hands as the cavalry arrived. Lexie came around as Kate and Rick emerged from the shed. "Are you two okay?"

Kate grinned. "We'll live. MacGyver here made sure of it."

Lexie raised an eyebrow as she slapped the cuffs on Killarney. "I can't wait to hear that story. Oh, and I have one helluva whopper for you too."

Rick cuffed the one he had knocked out before turning around. "Let me guess. Aliens?"

Lexie grinned. "Pretty close."

Kate looked between them and shook her head. "Before you two swap stories can we go somewhere so I can get some Ibuprofen?"

"Tell you what, Kate. For being tied up with Ricky there, I'll buy you something stronger because I think you both will need it."

TCOP3

The last few days had been a crazy ride, she thought to herself. When she had seen Ricky and that woman heading into the clearing, she knew something was going to be happening. After twenty minutes with no activity, she watched as a small car with two women inside approached and slowed down, only to speed up again when they reached the cars parked on the side of the road.

Waiting a few more minutes, she saw Killarney come out and get in his car and drive off. She approached and went to the clearing. Seeing the dummy, she knew she had to tell someone. She left to go to the police station but wanted to make a stop first to say goodbye.

Thirty minutes later she was standing at the desk telling the deputy what she saw when a group of people came into the office. She turned around and came face to face with Ricky Rodgers.

Rick came in and saw the female with her back to him. She was carrying a very familiar backpack. He approached her just as she turned around. "Hello, Tim."

"Hi, Ricky."

He saw someone coming out of the conference room and turned to see a taller female. "Hello, Ricky. Long time no see."

Rick focused on the face and the mannerisms before feeling his blood pressure spike. "Derek?" He then promptly fainted.

Kate rushed over to him as Lexie laughed. "I told you it was a whopper!"

Once she made sure he was okay she looked up at the female that Rick had called Derek. "Are you really Derek Hough?"

He nodded. "I am...umm I was. It's Derrica now...Derrica Wick."

She then looked up at Tim. "Tim Hough?"

He nodded as well. "I go by Tina now."

Rick started to stir. "Wow, I must have hit my head. I swear I saw Derek in drag..." He faded as he focused on Derek again. "What the hell, Derek?"

"It's a long story, Rick. Wow, you are better looking than I remembered."

Rick sat there dumbfounded. "Okay. Let's all go into the conference room and get the whole story."

Rick watched as the Hough siblings, Kate and Lexie went in. He turned to the others. "Guys, thanks. I cannot say it enough." Ryan looked at Esposito and Montgomery.

Roy spoke up. "You know, I never realized how boring it was before you came into my precinct." They all laughed and headed in to get to the bottom of things.