Chapter 9

As they drove, Brian Donovan looked anxiously behind him, trying to determine if they were being followed. He held Martin's weapon in one hand while his free hand rested against his son's chest as he did what he could to prevent the youngster from toppling as the car moved. Finn sat on the back seat, the lap strap of the seatbelt across his tiny torso, the shoulder strap too big to hold him safely. Sam looked over her shoulder anxiously, only able to see the danger her son was in and unconcerned for anything else.

"Where are we going?" she asked Brian, the vehemence in her voice telling him she was pissed off and ready for a fight.

"Shut up and keep driving," he retorted. "I need to think."

"Need to think?" Sam laughed. "It's a bit friggin' late for that!"

Donovan glared at her, a surge of rage rising in his chest. He raised the weapon in his hand and was about to hit her with it when he realized what he was doing and stopped himself.

Jesus, what's wrong with me? I'm not this person.

He was overcome with a feeling of self-loathing. What had he become? For a guy who a year ago never even had a speeding ticket, his life was now unrecognisable. He had turned into a pill-popping abuser, a murderer and a kidnapper. Whatever way he looked at it, he was screwed.

Samantha continued to drive until Brian told her to take a right off the main road. She didn't even challenge him. There was no point. She would just do as he said and try and get him to see sense. Her goal was to get her son home safely and she would do whatever it took to ensure that happened.

Back at the gas station, Martin was talking to the local sheriff, trying to explain his reasons firstly, for being on his turf and then trying to explain what had happened. It all seemed a bit unorthodox to the sheriff, but he was willing to give the young agent the benefit of the doubt. He agreed to allow Martin ride with one of his officers and to follow the perpetrator. The plan was to co-ordinate with the FBI, pursue the car and eventually stop it.

On the roof of the FBI building, Vivian and Jack prepared to board the waiting helicopter.

"Are you sure you're up to this?" Vivian shouted loudly, to ensure she could be heard above the noise of the rotors. "I can get Danny to come with me."

"No, I'm fine," Jack insisted. "Let's go."

The pair continued to the black unmarked helicopter, crouching low to avoid the rotor blades. They climbed on board and both donned headphones so they could communicate above the noise. Jack was extra careful as he put on his headphones, gently resting the band of the headphones on his delicate skull and avoiding his stitched scalp. He noticed Vivian watching him with concern. For her benefit, he gave a thumbs-up sign. Within minutes they were in the air and heading northeast in the direction on Binghamton.

They received constant updates from the tech room via their headsets and a laptop that they had provided for them. They were able to virtually track the movements of the car in question and monitor any changes in direction. Technical Support was also in direct contact with the sheriff's control room, who in turn relayed instructions and information to their deputy and Special Agent Fitzgerald on the ground.

"We need to stay back and not force Donovan's hand. We don't know what he's capable of," Jack yelled unnecessarily into the microphone for Viv's benefit.

"I agree. I'll tell the sheriff's department to keep their cars at a safe distance," Viv decided.

Jack nodded his approval. He tried to appear as though he was on top of things, like this was just another case, but inside he was in pieces. He feared for the outcome of their pursuit. From experience, he knew that there was seldom a happy ending in such instances. All it took was a wrong word or a trigger-happy cop to produce a disastrous outcome. As much as he hated to allow him the upper hand, right now Donovan held all the cards. He had hostages, so this would have to be done his way. Jack had experience of hostage negotiations in the past, some successful and some not so, but he prayed that he could direct this particular one to a successful outcome. He tried to distance himself from the emotion of the situation. He couldn't allow his feelings for Samantha and Finn to get in the way of him doing his job. Emotions would only be a distraction. He already had enough of those. His head was pounding and as he looked at the laptop, his vision was blurring again. He decided now would not be the best time to bring that up. This wasn't going to be easy, but Sam and Finn were counting on him to bring them home.

Back in the sheriff's car, Martin was in radio contact with Broome County PD's Control Centre . He and Deputy Lowe were about 15 kilometres from Donovan's position. They were continuing at high speed, slowly reeling in the distance between them.

"They've turned off the I-86 onto Oakdale Road heading north," Martin repeated, having just been told this by control.

He looked over at Lowe, who was concentrating hard on his driving and impressing the agent with his skills. Martin felt helpless, sitting in the passenger seat, giving instructions to the young deputy. He felt the weight of the world resting on his shoulders. He had just found out that Jack and Viv were on a helicopter and heading their way. Besides being shocked that Jack was back at work so soon, he also had to prepare himself for the tongue-lashing he would no doubt receive. He had really dropped the ball on this one. Sam and Finn were in unimaginable danger and he could have prevented it. Guilt consumed him.

Today had been one of the days he would rather forget. Unfortunately, throughout his career, Martin had a few of those disaster days but he always seemed to recover from his mistake or cope with the results. He hoped that this disastrous day would at least have a happy ending. He couldn't allow himself think of any other outcome.

Samantha checked the rear view mirror, hoping to see a car tailing them, waiting to make a move. But to her disappointment, she could see nothing. Brian sat back in silence, keeping a watchful eye on his son as he tugged playfully at the safety belt. Every now and again, he would catch Samantha's eye as she checked the mirror.

"No one's coming, you know," he taunted cruelly.

"Brian, we have to stop this. We have to go back," Sam said calmly, hoping to make him see sense.

"Go back? To what? I killed a federal agent. That's the death penalty," Brian answered, his tone revealing how scared he actually was. "No, this is the only way. We can get to Canada, start over."

"Brian, you didn't kill anyone. Jack's alive," Samantha told him, hoping to convince him.

"You're just saying that to get me to change my mind," Brian replied. "I was there, remember?"

"You could have killed him, but you didn't. You fractured his skull, but he's alive….and pretty mad at you," Sam told him.

"Yeah? Well…..I wish I had killed him," Brian said heartlessly. "If it wasn't for him, we'd still be together."

"You know that's not true, Brian," Sam replied. "You changed. I didn't want to be with a man whose answer to disagreements was to hit me."

Her words struck a chord with Brian. He felt ashamed. He looked at his little boy, who sat reaching for his dad, oblivious to their conversation. He loved that child so much. He couldn't bear to lose him. He hated himself for hurting his mom.

"Just….. keep driving," he said eventually.

Sam did as she was told. As they left the suburbs of the town, the road narrowed and their surrounds became more rural. Soon they found themselves on a country road with grass shoulders. On one side of the road was a glassy lake and the other was dotted with trees and shrubbery and the occasional house. It was quite picturesque Sam thought as she continued along the road. She was deliberately not driving very fast, as the road was unsuitable for such driving. She tried to imagine what was going to happen to her and her son. In a couple of hours they could be at the Canadian border. She wondered how Brian planned to get across, especially considering that they had no passports and he was a wanted man. She hoped he wouldn't do anything stupid.

Back on the helicopter, the pilot's voice came through Jack's headset.

"Sir, we're about five miles south of the vehicle's position. How close do you want to get?" he asked.

"Take us close enough to get a visual," Jack replied, glancing quickly towards Viv, who nodded in agreement.

"No problem," the pilot replied.

Within minutes, Jack and Vivian could see the black town car, winding its way along the shore road. He looked at the online map on the laptop. About ten miles further on, there was an intersection. It would be a good place for a roadblock. He immediately contacted Broome County and enquired of the possibility of this. They agreed to send some cars but weren't able to guarantee if they'd make it on time. It wasn't what Jack wanted to hear and he tried to convey the importance of them intercepting the car there. They agreed, but it all boiled down to timing. Coordinating such things was difficult in rural areas.

"Hang back a little," Jack advised the pilot. "Don't want him to make us. Let's just keep an eye on him for a while."

Jack observed the car through binoculars. He couldn't be sure but thought he could see Samantha in the driver's seat. He hoped that was the case. At least it gave Samantha some form of control and would hopefully prevent Brian concluding this saga with a suicidal act. It also gave him hope that she wouldn't try to run the roadblock and that the drama should end there.

However, as he watched through the binoculars, his attention was drawn towards a larger vehicle that was approaching their car in the opposite direction. It was a silver SUV that was towing a boat on a trailer behind it. It was considerably wider than the SUV and took over most of the road. Watching as it descended the slight hill along the lake edge, Jack realized that something wasn't quite right. The vehicle and the trailer moved peculiarly. He couldn't quite figure what it was. It was only when he noticed the boat trailer start to overtake the SUV that he realized what was happening. The trailer had come loose and was out of control.

"Shit!" he exclaimed as he watched helplessly as the trailer continued down the hill, gathering momentum as it did so.

"What is it?" Viv asked anxiously.

She looked at Jack and then leaned over his lap to see out the window on his side. They were still a way back and she couldn't make out very much at that distance.

"It's gonna hit them," Jack said, watching as the catastrophe unfolded before his eyes.

He could see the black town car climb the ascent slowly, oblivious to the danger that was stalking them.

"Radio their car, now!" Jack ordered the pilot, knowing in his heart that it was useless. There was no time. There was nothing anyone could do.

In the sedan, Sam was concentrating on the road as it rose in front of them. The afternoon sun shimmered on the mirror-like lake to their right. She was about to comment on its beauty to Brian when suddenly the bow of a large boat was looming down on her. It came from nowhere. She reacted as anyone would and tried to avoid a collision with the runaway trailer. Brian barely had time to react. He saw the white hull and instinctively reached for his son, using his strength and his body to protect him. The car swerved violently to the edge of the road, but there was nowhere to go. The trailer smashed into the driver's side of the car, forcing it off the road. Sam fought hard to maintain control, but the wheels lost all traction on the gravel and the car slid down an embankment before it turned over on its side. As the car tumbled, Samantha's only concern was her son. Eventually the car came to rest on its roof on the lakeshore.

The boat trailer continued for a few more metres before coming to a crushing halt in a bank of trees and rocks.

Jack was stunned. This couldn't be happening.

A/N - couldn't resist a little cliffie. Hope u can survive for another few days. Will update Sunday.