Adding the Network: Chapter Five

-NDHB-

When the garage exploded, an alarm was sent to the Network offices.

Elizabeth Pierce was the first person to reach a car. She did not wait for anyone to catch up to her. Elizabeth started the car, flipped on the siren, and peeled out of the lot.

Fifteen minutes later, she was staring at what was the house of Nancy and Frank Olson. The garage had fallen in on itself. The house and part of the garage were on fire. Oh, God, Elizabeth thought, instantly blaming herself. The fire department arrived and she went to speak to them, "My family is in there."

"How many, ma'am?" the man in charge asked.

"My daughter….my son-in-law, and my granddaughter," she explained.

The man ran off to the other fireman to explain the situation. Elizabeth collapsed in her seat in the car and waited.

I'll have to call Joe. He just had the baby. And poor George has lost someone already. …How am I going to tell Carson? her thoughts were scattered. I can't lose my baby. I need Carson. With the last thought echoing in her mind, Elizabeth dialed Carson. "I need you," she said when he picked up.

"Elizabeth?" Carson wondered. "What's happened? Are you all right?"

"You were right. …I shouldn't've left. She's hurt and it's all my fault," Elizabeth cried.

"Who are you…Nancy? Nancy's hurt?" Carson demanded. Elizabeth heard what sounded like a baby crying in the background. "Is Frank okay? Bess and Joe are here with Kip and George, I'm going to put you on speaker," he explained.

"Okay." Elizabeth paused to collect her thoughts and started from the beginning, "I was at the temporary headquarters for the Network and the alarm for the house went off. We-Nancy Frank and I- thought that Ned may have tapped into the security cameras, so we were moving them to a new location. …I shouldn't have let them go back. They were supposed to check if Ned was tapping in. They left and about an hour later, the alarm went off. I rushed over and…oh…the garage had collapsed and was on fire. The fire department's here…" Elizabeth trailed off. She really did not know what else to say.

"Were Frank and Nancy inside?" Joe questioned.

Elizabeth answered, "I don't know."

"What if they die?" George whispered. Elizabeth heard Kip and Bess comforting her.

It is too soon for George to lose someone else. I just got my Nancy back; I can't lose her. Elizabeth watched the firefighters work.

"The fire department is searching for them right now," she explained to everyone on the other end. "I'll call you as soon as anything happens." She sat down to wait again.

-NDHB-

Across town, Ned, Sophia, and Melinda celebrated the death of two famous detectives. "Ahh…revenge is sweet," Sophia commented from her perch on one bed.

"I'm glad I got her off my back," Melinda added from the other bed.

Ned was the voice of reason-or party pooper-of the group, "We don't know if they're dead yet. Our luck, they're fine and want their own revenge." He watched the few remaining cameras.

Sophia giggled, "Come on, Neddy, loosen up."

Melinda moved out of the way as Sophia flung out her arms and fell back on the bed. "I think you're loose enough for all of us," she suggested. "What did you do while we were gone?"

"Nothing, I'm celebrating. …You guys are boring!" she screeched.

Ned saw a black boot cross the video monitor. "The fire department's looking for them. If the blast didn't kill them and firemen find them alive: Nancy and Frank are coming after us. They will be very pissed."

Melinda joined him at the screen, "I think you should take a break, Ned. Let me watch the screens for you."

Ned shook his head. "I'm fine, I could use some coffee," he dismissed her.

Melinda sighed and walked for coffee. Sophia watched her go. She then bounced off the bed and over to Ned. "Neddy," she cooed, "You don't think they're really still alive." She started to rub his shoulders.

Ned pulled away. "Sophia, I know Nancy and Frank: they're lucky. I think they have a very good chance of being alive." He went back to his watch on the screens.

-NDHB-

Joe paced as Bess rocked the baby.

Kip comforted George.

Carson Drew joined Joe in pacing.

It had been an hour. Joe had called his mom who would call his aunt. Carson had called Hannah who had burst into tears and demanded to be notified as soon as there was news.

They were waiting.

Every person in the room-save Jacqui who was just a baby-felt an immense guilt weighing them down. "I want to be able to do something," Joe begged.

Bess soothingly placed her hand on his arm. "It'll be okay, Joe. Could you stop pacing? Here-" she shoved the baby at him "-change your daughter."

-NDHB-

Elizabeth sat in the car for an hour. She hated not being able to help find her daughter. She wanted them found. How would I tell Carson if she isn't alive?

The first odd thing she saw since the search began was the firefighters running from the house. The man waved over Lieutenant Jacobs-the man in charge-and ran back to the house. Elizabeth slowly got out of the car. She followed the paramedics to see her daughter.

-NDHB-

Nancy woke two hours later. The nurse who was reading her chart beside her spoke, "Hello, Mrs. Hardy. How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine. Where's my husband and daughter?" Nancy demanded.

"I…um…I don't know, ma'am. Why don't you let me check you over, then I can find out," the nurse suggested.

"Thank you," Nancy agreed.

The nurse checked Nancy and left. She returned a little while later. "Your daughter is fine. Your husband…was burned very badly. The doctor is coming to see you."

-NDHB-

Kip and George walked along the tarmac until they reached Elizabeth waiting with the car. "Nothing more than you know," she predicted their question.

"Can we go see Nancy?" George wondered.

"Sure. Joe still staying with Bess?" Elizabeth questioned. She slid behind the wheel of the car.

Kip answered, "Yeah. He's really split with the decision. Bess wants to leave too."

"That's why we're here," George finished.

Elizabeth grinned, "Well, let's go check on Nancy and Frank so you can report to Joe and Bess."

The ride to the hospital was made in silence. They rode the elevator in silence as well and Elizabeth led the way to the NICU where Nancy was with the baby. Michaela was old enough that they could have put her in the pediatrics ward, but with both parents in the hospital… they had placed her in the Neonatal Intensive Care to prevent attacks.

"Hey," Nancy greeted. Her voice was rough from mild smoke inhalation. Kip could see the outlines of bandages on her arms. She continued, "They're releasing Michaela and me today. Frank has bad burns and they're waiting. I don't know when he's being released."

Kip watched her try to lift Michaela with her obviously sore arms. "You've been in two days…here," Kip picked Michaela up for Nancy.

"Thanks," Nancy said, "Two days is too long. Did you find him in the motels?"

"It's taking us longer than we thought. Should be done by the end of the day," Elizabeth stated taking Michaela from Kip who looked relieved not to be holding her.

"I could help. We know Ned's made us, so it's not like I can go anywhere. I'd be safe at Network Headquarters with Michaela," Nancy said.

"You want to stay with Frank?" George questioned.

Nancy nodded, "I would love to. But, Frank and I talked and he had a valid point: Michaela needs me to stay with her. That doesn't mean I can't visit." She looked to Elizabeth for confirmation.

"We can see him before we go," Elizabeth agreed.

-NDHB-

Agent Shayla Patricks sat in the Networks car with her partner Agent Heather Wilson. They had a lead that Ned was here and were staking out the hotel. It had been and hour since they started.

Heather had called in while she got coffee. It had taken her fifteen minutes to make the call. Now they were both waiting. "Agents Pierce and Coles should be here soon. Apparently this is the best we've gotten," Heather had explained.

Now an hour later, Elizabeth and Kip arrived with Nancy. At Heather and Shayla's stares, Nancy explained, "My friend is watching Michaela. I'm staying back. I just need to know we've caught him."

Both agents nodded in understanding before everyone started watching the rooms.

Nancy passed the time daydreaming about the life she and Frank would have with Michaela.

Kip thought about asking George out. He thought it was time she got out.

Shayla imagined getting back to her husband and their pig farm.

Elizabeth decided she wanted to get back with Carson. She wanted to get to know the woman her daughter had become. Her granddaughter.

Heather thought about lying with her dog by the pool and catching some rays. Not that she was so obsessed that she missed the woman walking out of room 111. "Nancy, is that Melinda?" she asked.

Nancy looked where Heather was pointing, "Yeah that's her."

Kip questioned, "Should we get her now or…do you want to see if Ned and Sophia are in there too?"

"Heather, get Melinda now." Elizabeth thought, "Kip, Nancy, we're going in. Shayla, keep watch." They hopped out of the car.

Heather pulled her weapon and charged after Melinda. Melinda surrendered without a fight.

She later confessed that she had been expecting to see them, since Nancy and Frank were still alive.

Nancy and Elizabeth each took a side of the door and drew their sidearms. Kip pulled his gun out as well and knocked on the door.

"Use your key," a woman inside shouted. Kip glanced at Elizabeth. At her nod, he kicked the door in and they entered. Elizabeth and Nancy went in low followed by Kip.

-NDHB-

Nancy had Michaela back and was checking Frank out of the hospital.

Ned was in jail.

The president was reviewing all jail systems in the United States.

Sophia and Melinda were back in as well. It was made sure that they did not share cells.

Elizabeth had decided to join Nancy and Frank on the flight back. She said she wanted to get to know Nancy.

George said she wanted to spend some time seeing Washington and she would be back soon. Nancy couldn't wait to see Jacqui, Joe and Bess's baby. Life had gone back to normal, for now at least…

-NDHB-

Edited: 27 December 2008…ladybug1115