TITLE: 'In the Hands of a Stranger' (4/8)
AUTHOR: Cindy ()
RATING: R
CHARACTERS: Toby and the gang
SUMMARY: The West Wing's past comes back to haunt them.
POV: Toby Ziegler and then the rest of the characters in 3rd view.
DISCLAIMER: The characters used from the West Wing do not belong to me; they are the property of Aaron Sorkin.
TIMEFRAME: After "I Used to Know Everything, Now I Know Nothing."
***7***
Thursday morning wasn't like any other that I have ever been a witness too. I went into work with my wife and daughter with the knowledge that three boys had gone missing and their parents all worked in our administration. When I got to my office I was informed of the fourth child, same as all the others. His name was Jesse Vincent Plaza and he was the son of my wife's assistant.
CJ called me in hysterics, the whole West Wing was in an uproar. Four innocent little boys were taken with no witnesses to help us out. How was this possible? A meeting had been set up between the Senior staff with the President and I was soon on my way to the Oval Office.
What I found in the oval office was one President who was in no mood to fool around and he warned us that our priority right now was to find these boys. None of us could have agreed with him more. Only problem is where do you start? That was where Leo came in.
"Anyone that you can remember that has ever talked back, argued, threatened even left here upset, I want their names," he explained to us all.
"Leo are you kidding? That could be just about anyone who has ever entered the White House," Sam stated.
"You're a writer Sam, I suggest you get busy." That was Leo's response.
"CJ, you and I are going to separate information and come up with a story for the press. I am hoping we have something they don't and maybe they can help us come with a lead or whatever it is they do," Leo told CJ who just nodded her agreement.
I kept my eyes on my CJ. I was looking for any signs of fatigue, should I find any she was going home. Whether she liked it or not, she and our child were not going to be placed in danger.
She smiled at me and tried to look enthused to the discussion that was taking place. And the Oscar goes to…CJ Cregg Ziegler for her beautiful attempt at playing a woman with no stress or emotions.
"Charlie is going to comb the streets with the men and women who have kindly given up their time to volunteer. Many other members of the staff will be also be joining Charlie as well. As for Sam and Josh, you two will get down to finding me names of people who came into contact with this administration like I mentioned earlier."
"Why me?" Josh asked.
Leo put his attention to Josh and replied, "Because if there was ever anyone famous for pissing someone off Josh it was you." Josh didn't argue that fact. I waited for my role but then we were all excused.
As they left I stayed in my spot waiting for them to realize that they forgot me. When they didn't say anything I spoke up. "Um excuse me, Mr. President, Leo? I think you forgot me?"
The President and Leo exchanged a look and then the President said, "No Toby we didn't forget you. I think after last night you could use a break so –"
"I'm sorry? A break? From what?"
Jed looked at me like a parent does to a child when they know they have stolen the missing cookie because they can see it in the child's hand still. "Toby, I know about last night."
I waited for more. "What about last night Sir?"
"Toby last night you were spotted on the hill and you were talking to Cliff Calley."
"So, two men can't have an innocent conversation without repercussions taking place?"
"Mr. Calley left your conversation with a broken jaw, a broken nose and two broken ribs. I'd say the repercussions haven't yet begun."
I tried to play as if I had no idea of what they were talking about. There was no way I was putting my career on the line for that shit. "Sir, I still don't understand-"
"Listen Toby cut the bull. You and I both know that you went down to the hill with Josh and you worked Cliff over pretty well. I am not reprimanding you for it because I also know why you did and had I been in the same shoes you were in there wouldn't be a bullet fast enough to stop me from doing the same. But the fact remains that you were seen and you obviously have some issues that need to be dealt with."
"I don't have any issues Sir. And may I ask, who informed you of last night's episode?"
"You can ask but I won't tell. And the reason I won't tell you is because Cliff Calley has no intentions of pressing any charges against you, he isn't even admitting to anyone it was you."
"Why would he do that Sir?"
"Let's just say that Sam has some evidence that will keep Mr. Calley quiet for a long long time. I myself have it from Cliff's tongue that this will be kept in secret. Or atleast that is what I think he said, he has a bad slur now thanks to you."
"Good," was my comment.
"Don't go trying to be a martyr Toby. You're a good man and you have a lot of good to do with your life still, don't throw that away for trash like Cliff. He's not worth it, trust me."
"So what am I supposed to do in the mean time Sir?"
"Help Josh and Sam. I have reason to believe that you might have helped make that list a bit longer too. I just wanted to get your attention to stay behind so we could chat."
"Consider it successful Mr. President," I said sarcastically.
"I think I may Toby, I think I may. You are excused." And with that I left the oval office with my job still secured.
***2nd Sitting Room***
Josh and Sam were sitting at the large table that seated approximately 20 people. Papers were strewn all around the table that contained the many people we have come into contact with. I came in as they were beginning to read from the list.
"Hey what took you so long?" Josh asked looking up from the paper he was reading.
"It turns out that I didn't have your back after all Josh," I paused for Josh to get that quizzical look in his face. He released a nervous laugh and then I continued, "It seems it was our friend Sam here." I smiled at Sam who blushed. Josh took his gaze from me to Sam but didn't say anything right away.
"Is that right?" Josh said smiling at Sam who shrugged his shoulders.
"It was the least I could do you know."
"What was it you did actually?" I asked Sam.
"Oh well nothing really. I just took some pictures of Donna with my new digital camera and emailed them to a certain person who took a shit-kicking last night. Nothing big." Sam was smiling as he told us what he did. Josh started to laugh.
"You guys are my heroes, I swear to God," he said looking from Sam to me.
In unison Sam and I said, "We know."
I sat down across from Josh and Sam and picked up some of the papers and began reading the lists and crossed off those I didn't piss off. I didn't do much crossing the first few pages.
***Leo's office***
CJ and Leo were reading through the police files that they had regarding the missing children. Leo said, "The only thing I can see really is that he is taking the boys only. Scott Emanuel has three girls besides Hunter."
CJ flipped to the file she had on Scott Emanuel and his family and began to read out loud what she found. "Shaila, Trista and Kyra. They are all older than Hunter, let me see here—Kyra is older than Hunter by five years."
"Those are funny names," Leo commented. CJ disagreed thinking they were sweet.
"How are they sweet? Girls should have normal names like other little girls."
"Normal Leo? Mallory isn't exactly on the top ten of the most popular names for girls."
"Yeah but Mallory is a nice wholesome name," Leo defended his daughter's name.
"These names are wholesome. This is a new century Leo these names are considered normal."
"In my day Mary and Alice were what people named their daughters."
"Like I said Leo, this is a new century." CJ smiled at Leo who grinned.
"Not cute CJ, not cute at all. I am afraid to ask what names you and Toby have chosen?"
"Well I can guarantee it won't be Mary or Alice that's for sure." They shared a laugh.
"Have you guys even discussed it yet?"
"Yeah although I wouldn't call it a discussion. It was more say an argument."
"You two argue over names? That wasn't a problem with Jenny and I. Right away we both liked Mallory."
"Well I personally like Georgia for a girl and Noah for a boy," CJ confessed to Leo.
"Georgia? Georgia's a state," Leo informed CJ as if she wasn't aware of that already.
"I know it's a state but I like it."
"Have you even been to Georgia?" Leo asked CJ.
"No, and I don't plan on visiting it anytime soon either. I happen to think it's a pretty name for a girl."
"And Toby doesn't agree with you?"
"No?"
"Why?"
CJ sighed and then answered, "Because it's a state." Leo laughed.
"I told you."
"I don't dispute it being the name of a state alright. I like it and it's better than Molly."
"Where did Molly come from?"
"Molly is what Toby wants," CJ told Leo.
"Molly is cute," Leo said.
"Exactly! Molly is too cute. It's not a strong name. Now Georgia is a strong name."
"But Georgia's a state."
"I KNOW!" CJ snapped.
"Noah is nice though too. Atleast it isn't a state. What does Toby see wrong in Noah?"
"Toby thinks the other boys will make fun of him."
"How?"
"Noah don't think so, Noah don't want to-" Leo was howling at what CJ was saying." It's not funny Leo."
"Yes it is CJ. And I hate to go with Toby on this one but I have to agree. Kids can be cruel."
"Yeah well I don't like Toby's idea of naming the child after him."
"What's wrong with that? That is a respectable tradition, the son receiving his name from the father."
"Leo, Piper's Christian name is Tobi. I am not about to have two kids and a husband named Toby." Leo thought this over and agreed.
"You're right. That is way too much Toby for one person to handle."
"Thank you," CJ said glad that he had seen things her way.
Leo went back to the file he had and said, "CJ, Ron Butterfield has girls too, their names are Shannon and Brittany and they too are older than Ethan."
"Hmm, what about Nancy? Does she have a daughter too?" CJ asked Leo who was ahead of her and already checking.
"Yes she does. She had a little girl who is younger than Robert. Her name is Roma. Now Roma is an unusual name."
"Get new glasses Leo, it says ROSA. Rosa with an S not an M," CJ corrected.
"Well either way Roma is still unusual."
"I'll keep that in mind Leo. So what does that give us. All of the missing children have a sister and no brothers."
"What about Carol? Does she have a daughter?"
"No, Carol only has Jesse."
"Hmm, well there goes that theory."
"Okay so we'll come up with another one." Leo and CJ continued on reading the files they had in their hands.
***8***
"Refresh my memory of those two again?" I asked Josh. We had been going through the list of names for 9 hours now and we were all getting pretty tired. CJ had already taken Piper home and called in to say that she everything was fine at home. Ever since this had happened I had become more protective of the girls in my life and I wanted to make sure that nothing ever happened to them.
"I don't recall them to be honest with you," Josh answered.
"What were their names again?" Sam asked Josh.
"Mark Brookline and Steven Joyce," he repeated.
"I know them. In fact I fired them."
"You fired them? Sam when?"
"Atleast I think I fired them, Lionel Tribbey was there too. He fired them after I did," Sam said.
"For what? Who were they?" I interrogated Sam.
"Mark and Steve, remember that stuff about the memo?" Josh and I sat there with blank stares. "The memo that Tribbey accused them of lying about. On Ainsley's first official day she had to go to them and they blew her off. Then they sent her flowers with bitch on the card. I don't remember everything they wrote but I went to them and I fired them."
"Good job Sam. I'm proud of you," Josh complimented Sam who thanked him with a smile.
"Do you think they would be capable of this?" I directed to Sam.
"God, I don't know. I mean it wasn't like we hung out and I knew them well. But if they were angry with anyone I would think it would be directed at me, not people who work for the White House."
"This is a waste of bloody time. Why can't we just on the news and say, hey you fucking asshole give us the kids back or we're going to come after you?" Josh said.
"First off they may get offended by us calling them names and I don't think they are going to be scared with that threat considering we don't even know who the hell they are," I said. "Use your head Josh."
"Well I can't narrow the list down to help us here. How do we know what these people are capable of for Christ's sake?"
Josh had a point but we couldn't just give up. We had to try whatever means we had. These children had to be found, and I wanted them found safely.
Sam's cell phone began ringing and he got up and walked a few feet away to answer it. When he was done the colour from his face had drained.
"They found Hunter Emanuel," he said quietly. Josh and I bowed our heads. The three of us didn't say a word for what seemed like hours but only turned out to be a minute.
"Is he-?" Josh couldn't finish his question.
"I don't know, they just said that he was found. I am going to go to Leo and see if he knows anything more." Josh and I stood up.
"We're going with," I said to Sam speaking on Josh's behalf as well.
***Leo's office***
Hunter was found about an hour ago, he is still alive but he is unconscious," Leo told us.
"Where? How? When?" Three different questions from the three of us at that same time.
"He was found on a bench in the park an hour ago and was taken to the General Hospital. Two cops that were chasing down a purse snatcher came across the boy and called it in. He was coherent at the time but he apparently went into shock soon after he was found. They weren't' able to get anything out of him."
"Oh thank God he's alright," Josh said looking up at the ceiling. I was so happy that he had been found and that he was eventually going to be alright.
"Should we search the park and look for the other children? Maybe they are not far from where Hunter is?" Sam asked.
"We have the police all over the area. The police will do everything they can to keep looking for the other children. Our best hope is that he left Hunter out to be found so maybe he'll do the same for Ethan, Robert and Jesse," said Leo.
"I'm going to call CJ and tell her the news, I'll be right back," I said to the three of them.
I stepped out of Leo's office and removed my cell phone from my pocket. I exhaled a deep breath that I feel I had been holding since Monday morning when this first happened. I called CJ and told her the news and she was full of questions that I promised to answer when I got home.
***Press Room***
I was standing off to the side of the room as CJ delivered the news to the media. Dozens of hands shot up at once as she concluded her statement and began to take questions. CJ was a genius at her job, I loved to watch her work. Josh came up behind me and gave me a tap on the shoulder.
"Hi," he said. I said hello back.
"Look at these guys, they are hungry for news," Josh observed.
"Yeah really. They ask all the proper political questions when what they really want to ask is 'any idea on who this cowardly bastard is and when he will be destroyed?'"
"I hear that. That's why I could never be a reporter. I'd be the one asking that question directly. Fuck being polite," Josh said whispering. We gave each other a grin unsuspecting that there was a rookie reporter eavesdropping in on our conversation.