"You really care about that girl, don't you?" Mark prodded gently. Jack opened his mouth but no words came out. He couldn't deny it, but he wasn't sure if he should say it either. "Jack, it's nothing to be ashamed of. Sue's a very lovely girl, and I don't just mean her outward appearance. Son, if you love her-and I know she loves you, I've seen her-, then you're gonna have to be the one to take the initiative and step up to plate."

Jack seriously pondered the wise doctor's words. He actually smiled. Heck, what was the matter with him? After all this time, and he and Sue knew their feelings for each other when they looked into each other's eyes, after all they'd been through together on and off the job, how many times he'd almost lost her and wanted to give up...why not? Why shouldn't he tell her he loved her?

"Thanks, Mark." He smiled quietly. "I'm gonna head back now."

"Okay." Mark smiled, patting his shoulder.

"And...thanks. Thank you."

"Anytime." Mark replied and went to the doctor's lounge.

Jack skipped to Sue's room, his stomach fluttering wildly, his heart pounding loudly, driving out any other noise. He was scared, but he had to do it! He was finally going to do it! She might not accept him, but he had to be honest. Besides, he was tired of being too scared anyway. At first, he started to tip-toe then remembered that she couldn't hear him, plus wouldn't know he was there anyway in her state of mind right now. He peeked around the door and stepped in. "Levi? Hey, boy?" He greeted pleasantly. "It's Jack, buddy." It was dark in the room, but Jack suddenly had a sinking feeling in his body. Something was very wrong! He flipped on the light switch and his heart skipped a couple beats when he saw that Sue was NOT in her hospital bed! He quickly rushed toward the window in case she'd risen from bed and fallen, but she wasn't anywhere around! "Sue!" He called, then smacked his forehead, remembering that she couldn't hear him. "Levi! Levi! Where are ya, buddy?" Then Jack noticed a large lump on the hospital bed, swaddled in the blankets. He snatched it off: there was Levi, lying on his side, totally out!

"Levi! Levi, bud, it's Jack!" Jack frantically shook the dog, but Levi didn't respond. Jack gasped. He burst out of Sue's room, raced down the halls around the corners straight to the lounge. "BOBBY! Dr. Sloan?! Get over here!" He shouted. A whole gang of footsteps echoed as his friends and Mark, Steve, Amanda, and Jessie appeared.

"What is it, Jack?" Bobby asked.

"Sue's gone!" Jack blurted out anxiously.

"What?!" Steve blurted out.

"Gone?!" Mark and Bobby exclaimed together.

"Follow me!" Jack ordered and led them back to ICU to Sue's room where Levi was unconscious on her hospital bed.

"Blast! She is gone!" Steve vented.

"Oh, Levi," Tara gasped, looking at her pal. Mark and Jessie checked his eyes, and pulse.

"He's alive. But it looks like he's been drugged." Jessie stated calmly.

"Did anyone take her out for more tests or anything?" Myles inquired.

"No." Amanda shook her head. "She's supposed to be right here, resting and being monitored!"

"There's no way she could've gotten out of this room on her own with the condition she's in." Jessie stated. Amanda quickly questioned the nurses at their station, but each one assured her the had not seen Sue leave her room.

"Then she's been taken!" Tara gulped.

"We'd better split up." Steve said.

"All right, Myles? You check the emergency, and main entrance downstairs and see if someone has her." Jack commanded. "D, check every nurses' station in this hospital and find out if anyone's been wheeled out or wandering around answering her description. Tara, notify security and have them posed at all exits and elevators to be on the lookout for Sue or someone taking her! And tell them to also check the parking garage, every floor! And also check with the dispatcher and inquire of any ambulances leaving the hospital. Have security check any leaving, we've got to make sure she's not in one of them! Bobby, you and I will go check the emergency exits. Let's go!"

"Amanda, check the ladies' rooms to see if she's been dumped there." Mark ordered. Amanda nodded and rushed out.

"Jess? You check all of the OR's in here, and call security immediately if you find any being performed that weren't scheduled." Steve said firmly. "Also check the lab!" Jessie scurried out of the room. Steve glanced at Mark. "You take care of the dog, Dad. He may be our only shot of finding her! I'm gonna check down in the morgue. If someone's abducted her, he might have gone that way." Then Steve took off too.

Mark silently prayed that Sue would be found safe, and her friend Lucy too. He stared down at Levi and softly stroked the Golden's fur. "It'll be okay, boy. We'll find her. We'll find them." He whispered.


Everyone did exactly as they'd been instructed, then met back in the doctor's lounge. Jack was waiting there with Bobby, Amanda, Norman, Delores, and Dimitrius. None of them had found any news. Mark walked in. "H-how's Levi?" Bobby asked quietly.

"I think he'll be all right." Mark nodded. "Whoever took Sue, injected him with a sedative. He should wake up soon."

"Tough little mate." Bobby grinned slightly. Jack just stood there with a restless look on his face. Myles walked in and everyone looked to him for answers. He shook his head.

"No one answering her description was seen coming in or going out." He sighed.

"Same here." D sighed. Jessie appeared. He was panting and leaning against the wall.

"Nothing." He said sadly.

"Oh, gracious. This is a terrible disaster." Norman stated in a nervous tone. "An FBI agent, a patient, disappears right under the doctors' noses. Let's hope she comes to no harm."

"We don't need embellishment right now, Mr. Briggs." Delores rolled her eyes. Bobby closed his eyes and shook his head in frustration.

"We're all doing our best." Amanda told him softly. Bobby bit his lip and stared angrily at the wall.

"Tara, are you getting anything?" Jack asked anxiously, looking over at the computer geek.

"Security was just called down to the emergency exit in the basement." Tara replied. "Don't know yet what for." Jack sighed and crossed his arms. He felt like such a failure. Two of his dear friends, one of them he loved with all his heart, were out there somewhere, most likely being held by too clever, resourceful, ruthless killers, and at this moment, he had no idea where! He prayed in his head over and over again that they were unharmed.

10 minutes later, Steve entered the doctor's lounge and everyone faced him, hoping he had some news. "Steve, what happened down there?" Mark asked.

"I'd just reached the morgue when I thought I heard wheels on the floor," Steve explained. "I turned the corner and saw two aides moving a gurney through the exit. The person on it was covered in a sheet. I told them to stop, and showed my badge, and asked to see the body. One of them took a swing at me, then they both rushed outside. The one who tried to hit me fired at me. Security showed up and we all took shots at the Hurst where they loaded the stretcher." Jack's heart raced to think if Sue was on that stretcher and if one of those shots had… "We got one of them in the left shoulder, but they sped away."

"Great." Myles muttered. Bobby slammed his palms on the wall.

"Tara, get out an APB on Sue and any..." Jack started to say.

"I've already done that." Steve cut him off. "I've also requested any local hospitals or other medical facilities to inform us if they get a dark-haired guy coming in with a gunshot wound to the left shoulder."

"What can you tell us about the men?" D asked Steve.

"Uh, one was shorter and muscular-the one who swung at me-," Steve answered, "The other was tall and thin, but they were both wearing surgical caps and masks, so I couldn't exactly see them clearly."

"Okay, we need to track down every move they've made in this hospital tonight." Bobby remarked. "Even if they don't have Sue, their behavior was very odd."

"They've got to have her." Jack shook his head. "It's gotta be White!"

"Tara, talk to the director and see if you can get the hospital's security video feed. Maybe a few of the cameras will pick up some interesting images." D instructed.

"I'm already putting on my spy mask." Tara nodded, dialing on the phone next to her.

"Jack, Bobby, go back in Sue's hospital room." D continued. "Maybe we'll get lucky and our two alleged kidnappers dropped something. I'm just hoping Levi can tell us more when he wakes up."

"Yeah, how is he, Dad?" Steve asked Mark.

"Fine. Someone slipped him a sedative, but it was a light dose, just long enough for the kidnapper to make sure he was asleep, then take her away without the dog putting up a fight or alerting anyone." Mark said.

"Is it possible though that she might've come to, and suffered amnesia or a concussion from her injury?" Myles suggested. "I mean, she could be wandering around at this moment not even aware of who she is."

"It's slightly possible," Jessie shrugged. "But I highly doubt it. With her readings, she would've needed help getting out of bed, and would've collapsed very soon if she just started walking around."

"I agree." Mark nodded. "She was too lethargic to be able to get out that fast."

"There were too many incidents to indicate that this wasn't carefully maneuvered." Jack said.

"So, it's obvious that they disguised as orderlies, snuck up here and into her room..." Dimitrius said.

"Oh, good heavens!" Norman exclaimed.

"Sedated the dog before he could put up a struggle..." Steve added.

"Placed her on the stretcher, and covered the sheet over her..." Jessie stated.

"And walked out of here knowing no one would suspect them." Mark finished.

"Yeah." Jack said flatly. "Right behind our backs!"

"Perfect disguise." Bobby sighed.

"But why take Miss Thomas?" Amanda asked. "I mean, she's in a coma, and if she comes to while in their hands, she's gonna have a hard time focusing."

"Yeah, after what happened, if they're the ones who also abducted Lucy Dotson, it's not like Miss Thomas will be of much use to them." Jessie pointed out.

"Intimidation." Myles simply stated. "Trying to keep us from sticking our professional noses into whatever grimy business they're concocting."

"The no good scoundrels have dark minds." Delores huffed. "I'd like to see them ask me for medical treatment!"

"Someone must be feeling the heat, so we must really be onto them more than we think." Bobby added.

"But, why use a Hurst?" Jessie asked. "I don't get that part."

"Makes a perfect getaway car, and who's gonna disturb it? No one's gonna think twice about looking in it." Steve declared.

"I think Steve has hit it." Dimitrius replied.

"Maybe we'll have more luck when Tara shows us the footage from the security cameras." Jack sighed.

"I'm working on it." Tara remarked.

Jack grew extremely quiet. Lucy and Sue were both missing, most likely at the hands of these dangerous, clever criminals, and he along with his trusty team members had no idea where! "Hey, ya all right, mate?" Bobby asked him. Jack huffed and shook his head.

"I just pray to God they don't….you know." He said lowly, his eyes wide with fear. He would never be able to live with himself if they didn't get Sue or Lucy back...alive. Bobby hung his head and glanced at Tara, busy as usual at her computer. He was incredibly grateful right now that she was safe, here with them.

"We'll find them." Steve spoke up, then took a big gulp of coffee.A few minutes later, Amanda returned.

"Hey, guys? Someone who wanted to have some company is here." She smiled. Everyone looked in the doorway. Levi slowly stepped inside, hanging his head and looking forlorn. "He looked so sad, I just couldn't leave him in there by himself."

"Hey, fellow?" Jessie smiled at the dog, who kept his head low and whined. His eyes were on Jack. Jack knelt down and patted his knee.

"Come here, buddy." He said softly. Levi whined again and walked glumly over to him and rested his head on his knee. He looked up mournfully into Jack's eyes and whimpered. Jack patted his head and rubbed his ears. "It's okay, bud. We're gonna get them back." Then he whispered, "We'll get her back." The grieving dog lowered his head and cried again.

"Aaaww." Mark, Jessie, and Amanda shook their heads.

"Poor guy." Steve said. Bobby came over and knelt next to the sad pooch and ruffled his shoulders.

"Awww, good on ya mate." He said, trying to sound cheerful. "You're with the best search and seizure team in the world right now, ya know that, huh? Heh? Yes, you'd like to give a fang steak to those drongoes, wouldn't ya? Yyyesss, you would."

"How I'd like to see that!" Delores exclaimed. "Poor baby."

"We're doing our best, Levi." Tara said.

"Come here, fellow." Mark patted his knee. Levi glanced at Jack who nodded and Levi trudged over to Mark who knelt down on the floor. "Hey, it's all right. It's okay." He said softly. "And we're gonna need your help, boy."

"It's up to you, Levi, to help us." Dimitrius said. Steve knelt down next to Levi.

"Hey, big fella. Think you can give us a hand...er, a paw? We could really use your expertise." He smiled. Levi snuggled his head under Steve's hand. "It's okay." Steve said soothingly. Jessie's pager went off.

"Excuse me. I'll be back." He said and walked out.

"Come on, Bobby. Let's go back to Sue's room, see if we can find anything." Jack sighed wearily. "Here, Levi." He patted his leg and Levi followed them out. Then Mark's beeper went off too.

"It's Jessie." Mark stated. "I'll go see what he wants." Mark found Jessie in Exam Room #4. "What's up, Jessie?"

"Mark, Steve's gonna want to hear this!" Jessie exclaimed. So Mark fetched Steve, Amanda, Myles, and Dimitrius while Delores and Norman stayed in the lounge watching Tara.


Bobby and Jack entered Sue's vacant hospital room with Levi at their heels. They'd ordered all hospital staff to leave everything just as it was so they could thoroughly investigate, and Steve had officers on the way to go over it. Bobby and Jack entered underneath the yellow tape across the doorway and searched for anything that might lead them to finding Sue and Lucy. Levi placed his paws up on the bed and was groveling with his nose around the covers. Then he started grunting. "Something of interest in there, mate?" Bobby inquired and carefully started feeling around the blankets when his fingers touched something! "Jack?"

"Yeah?" Jack turned eagerly.

"Look at this." Bobby held a crinkled piece of paper.

"What is it?"

"Looks like some kind of receipt. For one of the rental studios in this fine city!" Bobby exclaimed.

"Here, let me see." Jack said, taking it. His throat fluttered. This sheet could possibly help them trace the stalker who did this! Though he couldn't wash away the nauseous dread wallowing around in his stomach, the overwhelming fear of what might happen to Sue, and Lucy, he felt a sliver of hope that maybe they'd finally have a concrete clue that would lead them to what they wanted! He placed it in an evidence bag. "Good boy, Levi." Jack smiled widely, giving the dog a well-deserved stroking.

"Good on ya, mate." Bobby added, patting his head. "Nice job, mate." And they left the room.


"Jason, Tom, what happened to you guys?" Steve and Amanda asked the two young nurses when they entered Exam Room #4. Jason Bongle, a stocky guy with sandy brown hair was sitting in a chair, grimacing and holding an ice pack to the back of his head. And Tom Jayme, the other nurse, slimmer with dark hair, was lying on his back on the examining table, holding a toweled ice pack to his forehead and holding his stomach with the other hand.

"Ugh, what didn't happen?" Jason groaned.

"Jessie found Tom stuffed in his own locker in the locker room and Jason on the floor. They were both knocked out." Mark explained.

"Yeah, someone conked them out pretty good." Jessie remarked.

"Tell me about it!" Jason growled. He didn't feel good.

"You two were knocked out?" Dimitrius asked.

"Look at us!" Jason exclaimed. "I can assure you, we didn't do this to ourselves!"

"Hey, take it easy, Jason." Jessie grinned, patting his friend's shoulder.

"And just who are you?" Jason glared at Myles and D.

"FBI." D showed his badge and so did Myles.

"What the heck?"

"One of the patients in here is FBI." Steve spoke up. "So, what happened?"

"These two guys, never seen them before..." Jason began.

"And they didn't look friendly either." Tom added.

"Just came right in and grabbed me around the throat!" Jason continued. "Then I felt a blow to my head."

"I came in and saw Jason on the ground, then asked who they were. I was gonna try to help Jason when the taller one poked and then whacked me hard in the guts with a broom handle." Tom cringed in pain. "Then the last thing I saw was stars. Next thing I knew, I was in here with Travis shining a homicidal light in my eyes!"

"Excuse me, sirs, but did either of the gentlemen look like these two?" Myles asked, holding up pictures of Lance and White.

"Oh, yeah!" Jason rapidly nodded his head. "That's them!"

"Uh-huh. They're the ones!" Tom exclaimed.

"You sure?" Dimitrius asked.

"You're positive?" Steve added.

"No question." Tom moaned.

"If you badge fancy badge flashers would quit asking stupid questions and pay attention, my headache wouldn't feel all this extra aggravation!" Jason snarled as his head whirled inside. Steve rolled his eyes and Myles winced.

"Sorry, Jason," Mark said calmly, "but it's terribly important. And thank you both, guys. You've been extremely helpful. We won't bother you anymore."

"I'd appreciate that!"

"You gonna be okay, Tom?" Mark asked. Tom stared at him pitifully.

"He'll live." Jessie smiled. "He's gonna have a heck of a sore stomach for a while, he's got an ugly bruise straight across his abdomen, but other than that, they should both recover nicely."

"Good." Mark nodded and shuffled out with Myles, Dimitrius, Amanda, and Steve.

"I'm gonna have that broom checked for prints." Steve huffed.

"Steve, why? We know it was them." Amanda shrugged.

"Maybe they left a transparent residue that we can find under a microscope that'll tell us where they came from." Steve answered. "Besides, they can add an extra charge of assault to their rap sheets." Amanda nodded. Steve's officers appeared right at that moment.

"What have you got, partner?" Cheryl asked.

"A kidnapping, and assault." Steve answered.

"I'll go get the broom." Mark said and walked away.

"He's decided to sweep the floor at a time like this?" Cheryl joked.

"Even if he did, I bet you any kind of money he'd find something very interesting!" Amanda smiled.

"Come on." Steve said. "I'll take you guys to the room." Just as they all headed toward ICU, Jack and Bobby were coming their way with Levi. They both looked excited.

"Well, you two certainly look pleased for somebody who's involved in a kidnapping." Amanda remarked.

"I take it you two found something?" Steve asked hopefully.

"That we did!" Bobby grinned.

"You found an address?" Dimitrius asked.

"Maybe!" Jack answered. "It might not be exactly what we're looking for, but it could be something!" he handed the evidence bag to Steve who raised his eyebrows when he saw the company's logo on it.

"Better show this to Dad." He said.


Okay, so I'm leaving you in the air. You'll have to wait till the chapter after the next one to read the details of what they found and what theories they'll come up with! Unfair, aren't I? Ha, ha. Please feel free to leave reviews. I'd like to hear them.

Oh no! Sue's been kidnapped now! What's gonna happen to her and Lucy? Can they rescue them before time runs out?