AN: An extra long one for the extended wait time. Thanks for all the reviews.


"Junior?" Zip asked before anyone else said a word.

Tank shook his head and Ranger watched Hector's expression darken. He knew it well as it mirrored his own.

"We have a place to start on Steph," Ranger told the men, needing to focus on anything other than Junior.

"I know," Hector said, "we just ran into Morelli, he gave me the file. His name is Marco Alcaraz. He's worse than Abruzzi ever was - in and out of prison since he was sixteen. Everything from gun running to sex trafficking to aggravated assault but the last one he got sent up for was kidnapping and torture."

Ice filled Ranger's veins and his fingers curled into tight fists as he tried not to think about what Stephanie was probably going through.

"We've been scouring her history…and yours," Zip added. "There are some flags, but nothing that fits like this."

Ranger nodded. "Do we have an address?"

"Two," Hector said, "but he won't have her at either one, they aren't remote enough. I need to dig deeper on the info Morelli provided."

"And I'm going check them out anyway and start questioning known associates and relatives," Zip said.

Zip was an expert at extracting information from unwilling participants.

"Tank, you go with Zip," Ranger instructed. "I need to handle things here and then I'll find you."

They moved as one, each headed to their respective tasks when Ranger's phone rang. Everyone froze as he snatched it off his belt and eyed the display. It was a blocked number, just like what had come through on Stephanie's phone.

He answered the call and the first thing he heard was muffled breathing and then a very faint and whispered, "Ranger," stopped his heart.

There was no mistaking the voice. "Tell me where you are."

"Not sure...the woods, maybe. There are animals. I keep hearing animals. He doesn't know...he doesn't know I have his phone. I'm sorry, I..." He was straining to hear her, pressing the phone so hard to his ear he thought it might break.

Stephanie inhaled sharply and her next words caused a wave of nausea. "He's coming!"

And then she was gone, but didn't disconnect the call.

"She left it open," he said to Hector. "The line, it's still open. Please tell me you can track this."