AN: I don't own any of the CSI:NY Characters or any of the show's storylines that I may refer to from time to time, but the rest of the plot is mine.

15. Transferred

"Mac? ... I'm at the hospital, we've got a problem." He gasped.

"What's up Sheldon? ... What's the problem?"

"Mac, they got-"

"Hawkes!" There was no answer, just the dial tone. Mac rushed through the lab to find Stella and Danny who were in the break room. He called Adam too, as he hurried past the trace lab. With everyone alert to his determined attitude he began to issue instructions.

"Adam get a trace on Hawkes phone, he should be at Trinity General. ... Stella, call the hospital, check on Flack and Laura."

"What's going on Mac?" Asked Danny.

"I don't know, yet. Hawkes just called said there was a problem. Before he could tell me the line went dead. ... Danny try calling Hawkes back, and keep trying, I just get voicemail."

"Mac do you think it's the babies?" Stella asked her face etched with worry.

"I don't know Stella, but from Hawkes tone it was something unexpected. As soon as you've got an update let me know. My office in 10 minutes, I'm going to ring Angell, let her know we might need her. ... I think we may need to pay the hospital a visit."

Everyone left to go about their assigned tasks.

--

Hawkes didn't swear often, but this was one of those times. The signal on his phone had gone, probably something to do with the concrete and steel stairwell. He didn't have time to find a good spot and call again so he pressed on down the stairs, bursting through the fire escape into the loading bay as the doors were closing on a private ambulance parked there. He lunged for the door and for a moment his fingers made contact, not enough to see inside, or to keep hold, especially when a foot emerged and kicked him backwards, the wind being knocked out of him prevented any further attempt to stop them. Breathing hard he cursed again as the doors closed and the vehicle raced away with lights and sirens going. Hawkes watched helplessly as he writhed on the floor, however, he did manage to get the number plate and a description before it turned the corner away from him.

--

Stella's phone rang and she quickly answered it. "Bonasera. ... What? When? ... OK we're on our way." She flipped her phone closed and hurried across to Mac's office where he was on the phone to Angell.

"... Thanks Jess, I appreciate it." Stella didn't wait for him to hang up but launched into the reason for her presence.

"Mac! We're needed at the hospital, they've just red flagged a possible abduction of a newborn and we can't raise Flack or Hawkes."

"OK ... Jess, we're heading over to Trinity can you meet us there and pull someone from Missing Persons too, we may have an abduction." He hung up the call with Angell and turned to Stella. "Any news yet on Flack and Laura?"

"Nothing, hospital won't tell me anything, I'm worried Mac."

"I know, me too. Grab Danny, let's go."

--

A nurse escorted a tired and drained Don from the delivery room and down the corridor. She sat him down with a cup of coffee in the nurse's lounge and waited until he seemed ready to talk. For several minutes he just stared at the cup in his hands as he hunched forwards with his elbows on his knees, processing everything that had happened.

"Mr Flack? ... Is there anyone you would like me to call for you?" She asked softly.

He shook his head. "No, not yet. ... How are the babies?" He asked sombrely.

"Why don't you go down and see for yourself, the doctors should have finished their assessment by now and will be able to answer all your questions."

"But what about my wife?"

"There's nothing you can do for her now, your children need you. ... Go visit with them for a while. ... Have you got names for them?" Don looked confused. The nurse didn't push. It had been a traumatic morning for the entire family and now everything rested on the new father's shoulders. He was alone, not wanting anyone with him. She rested her hand on his arm. "Things will get better, ... you have done everything you possibly could. What your family needs now is for you to go meet your children, talk to them a bit. Tell them about their mom. Anything just so they hear your voice, get to know you."

Don put the untouched coffee on the table in front of him and ran his hands over his face. "I'm no good at this, Laura- ... Laura, she's the one who knows what to do."

"You'll learn, have faith in yourself."

Don slowly processed the events of the last 24 hours. It was all like a dream. But the fact was that right now he was the most important person in the lives of those babies and his place was there with them. He brushed away a few tears which trickled down his cheek and looked up with a slight grin. "I can take down the most cold hearted murderer, but I'm floored by my own kids." He scoffed. The nurse smiled.

"It happens, I've seen bigger men than you cry when they first hold their child."

"How do I get to them?" He asked standing up, more focused now that he had been given time to process everything and decided on a course of action.

"Down one flight turn right and the end of the hallway. ... Is anyone likely to call for you?"

"Maybe, ... could you not tell them anything, I'm not ready to deal with them yet. ... I'll call them later."

"Of course."

"Our friends are cops, they'll try flashing their badges, don't tell them anything without a warrant ... and could you tell them downstairs too?"

The nurse thought it was a strange request, but promised she would note it down. He was next of kin after all and that should be respected.

--

An orderly depositing garbage across the loading bay saw Hawkes pulling himself off the floor and approached him.

"Hey man, you OK?"

"Yeah, I'm fine" Croaked Hawkes rubbing his lower ribcage, still regaining his breath. "You see that ambulance take off out of here?"

"Yeah, broke about a dozen protocols heading out like that. ... You need a doctor?"

"No, I'm fine, but I do need a phone or better cell reception." Hawkes sighed holding up his phone to check the signal.

"Best spot is down there on the corner. .. Quicker than finding one inside too." He pointed down the road where the ambulance had gone.

"Thanks."

Stumbling slightly, a hand on his ribcage, Hawkes headed down the street.

--

Don walked towards the NICU nursery as one of the nurses came out of the closely controlled area. She looked a little surprised to see him there. "Mr Flack? ... I didn't expect you to come down. The babies have already been transferred."

He looked at her confused. She took in his dishevelled appearance and realised he was not completely focused. "Transferred?" He queried. "Transferred where?"

"Presbyterian, Dr Ahmed, their paediatrician said you authorised it last night, that you were going over there yourselves later when Mrs Flack recovers a bit."

Don looked around and walked over to the glass window and looked in thinking he would be able to see something. Several babies were in there under close observation. "Why didn't they stay here?"

The nurse knew he wasn't processing the information, "You wanted them transferred." She replied as gently as she could.

"I didn't want anything, are they alright?"

"They were in pretty good shape for preemies and they've got a doctor and nurse on the bus with them. They're in good hands."

"Can you take them back here? Laura .. their mom she's- I need them here."

"Flack!" Danny's voice boomed down the corridor as he rushed in with Stella. "Hawkes called us."

Stella caught up to them and looked at Flack, he looked like he had aged 10 years overnight. She hugged him. "How's Laura and the babies?" She asked glancing at Danny.

"I was just telling Mr Flack the babies are on their way to Presbyterian, ... transferred as he requested last night. They're in pretty good shape." She advised realising Don was not going to say anything.

"Transferred?" Danny asked incredulously. "You're transferring premature newborns across the city!?"

"It's quite ok, they have a medical team with them."

Stella put a hand on Danny's arm as Don stood staring into the room. "Danny." She nodded at Don. He moved across to stand next to him. Stella held up her badge. "I need a quiet room and I want to talk to all the staff that had any dealings with the Flack twins since they left the delivery room and I want Dr Ahmed back here with the babies immediately."

"What's going on?"

"We have reason to believe the babies may be the target of an abduction. ... We need to talk to their father first, ... in private."

The nurse nodded and pointed to the staff lounge across the hall. Stella nodded to her then drew Danny's attention. "Danny." Stella tilted her head in the direction the nurse had indicated. "... Don, come with us, we need to talk to you. Where's Laura?" Danny guided Don into the open lounge and Stella followed closing the door behind her. "Don?"

"Stella? What are you doing here?" He asked his mind clearing a little. "How did you know? ... I don't understand, they transferred-"

"Don, I need you to focus, what's going on? How's Laura?"

"She's, .. I need her Stella, I don't know- … I need my kids, why did they send them away? … I need- You know something, … that's why you're here? … What are you keeping from me?"

Stella exchanged furtive glances with Danny. Don's mind was clearing and they weren't quite sure which way he was going to jump when they told him what they knew.

"Stell? … What's happened to them Stella, please."

"I think you should sit down. … Where's Laura?"

"I'm not sitting down, tell me." He argued more forcefully.

"O-K … Here's what we know for sure … Hawkes came by to see you this morning, check on how things were. … He arrived while you were in delivery. He saw the nurses take the babies out of the room. He was going to go check with their doctors for you when he spotted one of the nurses acting suspiciously. He followed her, but not in time to stop her taking the twins to a private ambulance. … As far as the staff here are concerned it appears they were expecting them to be transferred, Mac's contacting the ambulance company and the hospital to check if they've been booked in. … Don," She rested her hand on his arm in a comforting gesture. "We think someone from the clinic is still out there and has tried to take them."

"Tried! Stella, they have, you just admitted they were acting suspicious! I need to find them! I can't lose them too, … I just can't!" Don ranted.

Stella looked at Danny in horrified confusion as Don collapsed onto the couch, his head in his hands.

"Danny, stay here, I'm gonna find out what's going on. Don't worry Don we'll find them, we will. Don't go anywhere until I get back!" She instructed Danny and took off out of the room.

--

Mac was with Hawkes outside the hospital. "You should get yourself looked at."

"I'm fine Mac, we need to find that ambulance. I'll talk to Adam, try and pick up the GPS locator, see what this plate can do for us, I found it around the corner. ... It was on the ambulance, I think they switched plates." Hawkes held up a battered number plate.

"If you're sure." Mac answered with a concerned look.

"No question. ... Someone needs to check on Flack and Laura, things didn't sound good when they wheeled out the second baby. I don't know what happened."

"It's OK Danny and Stella are with them, they'll fill us in when they know something. You need a ride back to the lab?"

"No, I've got my kit in the car I'll link into Adam from there."

"Stay in touch. ... I'll see where we're at with eye witness testimony."

--

Stella was with the nurse who had been with Don when she arrived. "What do you mean you can't tell me anything. This is a serious matter the twins are out there and vulnerable. Their father is already in shock with everything that has happened and you won't release information for us to help find the babies."

"I'm sorry detective, but strict instructions from Mr Flack that we couldn't release any information without a warrant."

"He's in shock he just lost his wife and his babies are who knows where and you won't let us help him? That's hard!" Stella snapped.

"Lost his wife?" Answered the nurse confused. "Mrs Flack is in ICU. She's- ... I'm sorry I already said too much. ... Either Mr Flack give us authority or you come back with a warrant."

Stella realised sadly that the nurse was only protecting the family's privacy and doing her job, but she was still pissed that they wouldn't help and that Don had effectively shut out the team. It would take too long to get a warrant, she had to get Don to tell them what they needed.

I know, the evil muse is still in charge. She has to go!! ... Please review and help me get rid of her...

Hope Flack isn't too OOC in this, but I figured with everything happening in the last 24 hours he'd be in shock!