The note simply read. "I have your wife. You have three days to come up with five million dollars. No cops. Wait for my call."

Chris let out a roar and stood up, knocking over his chair in the process. He slapped the note against Dave's chest and ran into the house, knocking over everything that stood in the way of his car keys.

"Chris! What are you doing?" Autumn screamed and Dave gently eased her out of the way.

"Talk to me man. What's going on?"

Chris had his keys in his hand, his heart pounded in his chest. Dave blocked his path. "Get out of my way Batista!"

"Not to you tell me where you're going."

"I'm going to get my wife back!" His face was red, tears flooded his eyes but he was too angry to try to push them away as they fell.

"You know where she is?"

"Lesnar. Who else would do this? It's coincidental that he shows up and my wife goes missing, don't you think?"

Dave thought for a moment, choosing his words carefully because he wasn't sure how to deal with such a situation. "But what if it isn't Lesnar?"

"Who the fuck else could do this? He took my fucking wife and is going to do God knows what to her! I'm going to kill the bastard!"

"If it was Lesnar, let me go find him. Let me deal with him. You need to be here."

Chris raked a hand through his hair. His quietly shed tears turning into sobs as he left his head fall against the wall. "What the fuck am I supposed to do? Pace the floors! I have to do something."

"It's just a suggestion, but you could call the cops."

"NO!" Chris shook his head adamantly. "Absolutely no cops. The note said no cops and I'm not risking it. Not yet."

"Where is Lesnar staying?"

"Ask Autumn, she knows." Chris hissed through clenched teeth.

Autumn looked at Dave and shrugged. "I have no idea where Brock is."

"Sure you do, aren't you the one that got him to come back for her?"

Autumn appeared dumfounded. "No, I had nothing to do with him coming back here!"

"But you never wanted your sister with me. You wanted her with Brock!"

Autumn shook her head. Her own tears flowing freely. "No Chris, you are wrong. I did have my doubts about you at first but only because I never wanted to see Mel hurt again. I wanted to be sure that you wouldn't treat her like he did. I'm sorry Chris. I really am. It's obvious to everyone that you love her and are the best thing that has happened to her." Autumn eased into the room and sat on the edge of the bed.

"I'm going to go downstairs and see what I can find out." Dave walked away after Autumn nodded letting him know everything was ok, for the moment.

Chris stood at the window his back to her. He didn't say a word. He couldn't stop the tears from coming or the anger for whoever had his wife from boiling up inside him. He hurt like never before. It was literally as if a piece of him was missing.

"There's something I need to tell you." Autumn walked over and sat down in a plush chair next to where Chris was standing. He still didn't face her and she didn't try to force him. "Melony doesn't know this, actually no one does but me and Brock." Chris turned toward her. "Brock didn't leave Melony willingly. I caught him with other women on more than one occasion. I thought it would hurt Mel less if he walked away as opposed to telling her that he was a serial cheater. I knew she would forgive him and be miserable as opposed to leaving him after all she had invested in him. So I threatened him, more like blackmailed him I guess. Either he leaves without a word or I would call in some favors and make sure he never saw the light of day again. One of the females he was 'seeing' was underage. Therefore he gave in and left without a word or explanation. And you know the rest."

Chris plopped down on the bed and stared at Autumn for a minute before he ever said a word. "Thank you."

She half smiled and they both sat there for a moment in silence, knowing that each was in their own way trying to make sense of things.

"I want her back." Chris said with his voice cracking.

"Me too."

--- --- ---

Chris, Autumn, Shannon and Molly were all gathered in the living room waiting on Dave to return. Everyone else had long since left at Chris's request. And Dave managed to call in a few favors and track Lesnar's credit card usage pinning him to a hotel in downtown Atlanta. No one really said much. Molly and Autumn drank cup after cup of coffee and Chris paced the room nervously. Shannon sat on the edge of the sofa wringing his hands. Suddenly the cell phone that had been left for Chris rang and everyone surrounded him. "Where's my wife?" Chris barked into the phone.

"She's safe, for the moment." The unidentifiable man said on the other end.

"Let me talk to her."

"In a minute. First I want you to listen. Like the note said, you have three days to get me my money. I want one million in cash and the rest transferred between two bank accounts. I'll give you the numbers and further instruction when you have the money."

Chris closed his eyes quickly saying a prayer that he was doing the right thing. "Fine, but first let me talk to my wife."

There was a pause then he could hear the man telling Mel that she had three seconds to make it count. "Chris, I'm ok." Was all she had time to say as the phone was being taken away he heard her tell him that she loved him.

"Mel! Mel!" Chris called out but got a dial tone for his answer.