Title: 500 Minutes
Chapter 4 – The Countdown Starts…

A/N: Well I am sorry that I am losing some of you as readership and reviews have dropped. I do apologize for that but hope that those still reading like this update.

Spike gratefully swallows when David releases his grasp on his hair and his head is allowed to fall back into place. Trying to aks for anything through the effective gag was going to be useless; he had to think about trying to find a way send a message to the team. If they wanted him to try to hack into something he might be able to send out some kind of signal, if even for a few seconds to one of the team to try to alert them to his location.

His brain stops long enough to look at Chloe…Chloe? The man called David said her name was Annabelle. Throughout most of his adult life he was known as fun loving, upbeat and the life of the party. But when it came to women he would usually stumble his way through a conversation, mentally beating himself up over what he should have said as soon as she would move on to someone else with a smooth set of lines. He had always tried to be himself and up front, why hide anything was his motto? But that usually bored women. But not Chloe. She seemed to understand right from the start.

But it was all a rouse and that's what hurt the most or was it the truth? He quickly curses the gag and hopes that he'll have at least a chance to ask her if everything she told him was a lie. So much for thinking his luck with women had run out; it was now worse than ever.

The van hits a small snag and his wrists instantly jolt in their restraints, snapping his mind back to reality and his grim situation. He had to get free. His mind could argue his dating woes later – but he had to be alive to be able to do that. Spike's eyes start to look around the van once more to see if there is anything that he can use to get himself free. But there was nothing. Until…

"Ah damn it. Detour. We'll have to take another route."

"Are they looking for us?" Annabelle asks in haste.

"No it looks like a routine stop for trucks before they go into the shipyards; probably looking for illegal immigrants or something. Let's go around."

Police? As much as he hated the idea of rocking the wheelchair onto its side, he'd rather face a bit of pain than the ultimate fate of death. The brakes were on and it was strapped to the floor but it was still able to move and perhaps even a bit of movement would cause the van to rock and draw the police's attention in their direction.

Here goes…Spike's mind readies himself, bracing his legs as best he can, his feet strapped down to the feet of the wheelchair. His hands grip the sides and he tries to throw all his weight onto his right side. A mandatory part of being on Team One was to keep active and fit and that meant trimming the body fat; however, that extra bowl of pasta would come in very handy right now. The locked wheels make a small scuffing sound as the chair tries to rock and then lands back in place.

Spike feels the van starting to slow and knows they'll be turning very soon, it was now or never. He throws his weight to the left and then to the right, the wheels shifting a bit more. However with the braces on and the chair locked in place all he did was draw Annabelle's narrowed gaze in his direction as a warning. Mustering up whatever look of defiance he could give her, Spike throws all his weight to the left, the chair moving about an inch.

"What's going on back there Spike?" David's annoyed tone calls out, prompting Spike to try to rock to the right once more. "Right...nice try."

But the van turns the corner and his hope of getting the attention of the police just passed with it. He was stuck. Really stuck and time was ticking. He needed something else.

The Federal Reserve? Spike forces his mind away from his useless escape attempt and then back to the illegal task they wanted him to complete. It was impossible and he was no code breaker. It was one of the best and most sophisticated security systems on the planet and for good reason, it held the country's monetary reserve. But it could also work, as soon as he tries to hack, he'll of course hit a firewall and hopefully trigger something that will track his IP address and send…his team? Maybe hope wasn't lost yet. All he could do at the time the security trigger was hacked was pray he could stall his kidnappers long enough for his team to find him. Or he could try to send them a personal message to one of their email accounts. He had to try something to alert them. If not, it really was game over.

XXXXXXXX

"Are you serious? Okay, yeah I'll be there," Wordy huffs as he looks up from the breakfast table, a doting daughter flanking either side.

"Kev seriously?" Shelly asks with a small sigh.

"Yeah sorry. Thankfully it's just a high priority jail transfer. I should be back for lunch," he tells her as he leans in for a kiss. "Just don't let the hot dogs get cold."

Wordy heads for his car, his hand reaching for his phone to dial Spike on the way in. Surely he had the call by now and Wordy tells himself he wouldn't be interrupting anything. However, as soon as he dials the number all he's rewarded with is, 'the number you are calling is unavailable…'

"What the…" Wordy frowns as he hits redial. "Come on Spike, pick up." But there was no answer, only the same frustrating voice telling him that his friend wouldn't be getting his call anytime soon. "Did anyone get through?" He steps on the gas pedal a bit more, hoping that as soon as he got there Spike would be ready and waiting.

However, the opposite greets him upon his arrival.

"Nice way to spend a Saturday," Ed groans as Wordy walks past him. But instead of saying good morning to his best friend, he heads for Spike's locker on a mission. Ed peers around the corner, watching Wordy with interest. "What's goin' on?" Ed inquires. "What no good morning for your best friend?"

"Anyone see Spike this morning?" Wordy asks just as Sam enters.

"He's not here yet?" Sam joins in.

"Wordy, he's got a new girl," Ed grins. "He'll be here."

"No it's just that…yeah…yeah you're probably right," Wordy nods as he turns and heads for his locker, telling himself the uneasy feeling inside was from eating the first part of his breakfast too fast and the latter half of his lunch too late. He pulls open his locker just as Greg enters.

"Morning gentlemen," he greets with a small smile. "Everyone ready for some babysitting?"

"Boss you seen Spike yet?"

"No…he uh not here yet?" Greg answers and then looks at Wordy who offers a small groan.

"Wordy, what's going on?" Ed asks directly. "You've been in Spike panic mode since you got here."

"I got a missed call from him this morning and now I can't get through."

"Who called him?" Greg wonders as he reaches for his phone. "Winnie, did you get a hold of Spike?"

"Left a message at home. His cell isn't working."

"Isn't working?" Ed retorts. "He's a walking gadget. Something has to work to get a hold of him."

"Maybe he's just l…" Sam starts and then stops, the room filling with a bit of silence as each male team member looks at the other.

"Spike's never late, new girl or not," Wordy mentions in truth.

"Okay I don't want to start a panic," Greg starts in a calm tone. "I'll get team four in today and we'll swap with them another weekend. Finding Spike is our top priority."

"And if this is a hoax?" Sam wonders.

"Then you have my permission to kick his ass," Greg smirks with an uneasy tone coming to the fore. "But we know how diligent each member of this team is. He'd call in if he…could. I'll start with the police accident reports and see if anyone matching Spike's description was in an accident. ID can be lost, so we can't rule that out."

"Sam, Jules to head over to Spike's to see what's going on. Jules just go in and talk to his mom…say you are picking something up, check his room just don't cause a panic. Spike's parents don't need another excuse to get on him about his job."

"Boss, he wasn't home last night…well at least not to stay," Wordy pipes up. "Jules can still go and see if maybe there is something of Chloe's there but he was with her last night – all night. She's a flight attendant so she probably stayed at the Sheraton. It's directly connected to Pearson."

"He didn't say which hotel?" Ed queries.

"I didn't want to pry too much."

"Okay Ed, Wordy you guys head to the hotel and keep me posted here. I'll get Troy from team two in here to help with Spike's computer…stuff," Greg tells his team, referring to Spike's counterpart on the other SRU team.

Ed waits until both Greg and Sam leaves before he looks at Wordy directly. "Okay what aren't you telling them."

"What does that mean?"

"Man I can read you like a book right now and I'm not likin' it so far. What is it?"

"This is all my fault," Wordy moans as he heads for his locker to get his jacket and vest.

"Your fault? How's that?" Ed counters as they finish suiting up and then head for the garage where their black SUV's were waiting. "Wordy what's goin' on? What do you know?"

"Okay Spike and I were at the bar and…this girl comes up directly to him…she didn't even bat an eye and…"

"And that was bad?"

"No but…there was just something off."

"And?" Ed continues to pry.

"And I told him to go for it."

"And that's a bad thing? You wanted him to be happy, there is no fault in that."

"I pushed him into it Ed. I shoulda told him…ah damn…I'll never forgive myself if something happens to Spike and she's involved."

"Let's say that maybe he rolled over on his phone and…you know broke it," Ed states with a small smile. "Hey we've all made the mistake of taking the phone…"

"Into bed while having sex?"

"Fine…yes," Ed retorts. "I'm sure it's broken and everything is fine, he missed the call and will feel really guilty about it and you can have him make it up to you."

"Hope so," Wordy sighs as Ed directs the SUV into traffic and he calls the Sheraton. "Yes can I have the room number for a Chloe Smith."

"Smith?" Ed slightly arches his sandy colored brows.

"Don't ask. Sorry no hello? Yes Chloe Smith. I just need her ro…she's not? Has she stayed there at all in the past few days? No…okay thanks," Wordy hangs up and looks at Ed.

"What else is close by?"

"The um…Hilton and the holiday in," Wordy calls into Winnie. "Winnie can you search for a Chloe Smith and see if she's registered at any hotel around Pearson?"

"Copy that," she answers as Wordy waits. He casts his tense gaze out the window and then back at Ed.

"We'll find him. Maybe it was a last minute change on her part," Ed mentions.

"Most of them stay at the airport for short layovers, I know how it works. And you're not worried about this?"

"Two of us worried isn't going to help Spike is it?" Ed counters in a softer tone. "And yeah…I'm worried."

"No Chloe Smith registered at any hotel near the Airport or in the GTA for that matter at least none of those two names together."

"And no accidents involving anyone with the last name Scarlatti or recent ER admits," Greg informs them.

"Is it possible to check the ones with the Chloe and Smith and see if any are recently from Vancouver?" Wordy asks Winnie.

"It'll take a few more minutes."

"Boss, can you get Troy to track Spike's last call? Wordy said he got one missed call from him about two hours ago."

"Copy that," Greg's voice answers in haste.

"We'll find him."

"In time?" Wordy looks over at Ed in haste.

XXXXXXXX

Annabelle turns and looks back at Spike and smiles, but his expression remains sour and fists tight. "Oh come on now Spike, it was fun while it lasted right?" She tells him as she gets into the back, using the same stool David did earlier. "Just hush now and don't fuss okay?" She whispers as she gently peels the tape off his lips.

"Annabelle!" David barks in anger.

"Just drive David," she snaps as she turns back to Spike.

"Annabelle?"

"Chloe is my middle name. You okay?"

Spike looks at her in shock and just shakes his head. "You're not serious right? Annabelle…or whatever…I can't do what you want."

"Of course you can, you bragged about it. To that guy at the bar and to me."

At the bar? So she or they had overheard his conversation with Wordy and Lou the bartender and thought he was serious.

"Look that was…a training exercise. No one can hack into the federal reserve," Spike answers in a whispered tone and then turns away, not wanting to look at the face that he was so willing to give his heart to after just a few blissful hours.

"Spike listen to me," Annabelle starts in a low tone, her hand resting on his denim clad thigh, slowly moving upward. "You have to do this…do you understand? You don't really have a choice. If you don't you're dead."

"Really? And if I do, you and Mr. Happy up there are just going to let me walk out of there free and clear?" Spike counters with a small hiss, his voice at a low tone.

"Spike you have to believe me that I don't want you hurt…anymore."

"Chlo…Annabelle, listen. If it's money you want, let me make a call. I can get my team..."

"No cops Spike. You really don't want to make David any angrier than he already is do you? Just get us our money or…"

"Awfully chatty back there," David pipes up, earning a small curse from Annabelle and a scornful glance from Spike. "My dear I do hope that you are telling Spike here about all the terrible things we are going to do to him should he fail us in any way."

"Oh I think he understands what his defiance will earn him."

"Annabelle," Spike looks up at her as she slowly stands up.

"Because if he doesn't…" she leans in closer, her hand snatching the roll of duct tape. "He'll learn that hell hath no fury as a woman scorned."

"No you guys have the wr…" is all Spike manages before Annabelle rips off another strip of thick tape and presses it down over his lips, silencing him in an instant.

"Just do as you're told and I promise it will be okay," she whispers before placing a small kiss near his right ear and the heading back to the front seat. "Otherwise you will die. David likes to kill."

No! Spike tries to growl, his already chaffed wrists still pulling uselessly at the hard plastic restraints keeping him bound to the wheelchair. It was their day off and he could only hope that the team had gotten a call, because if that was the case they'd have already started searching for him. If not, he'd be dead before they knew he was missing.

"Alright Spike, we're here."

Wordy, I pray that call went through.

XXXXXXXX

"Okay guys I got the last call from Spike's phone before it was taken off the grid."

"Taken off the grid?" Wordy asks in haste.

"Yeah you know from Tron," Ed smirks at Wordy who just shakes his head.

"Deliberately broken or disabled. My guess…broken."

"Right. Where did the last call come from?"

"The area would put him in the Hilton. I can't tell you the room, only the location."

"We'll take it from here and thanks. But don't go to far," Ed instructs as they take the turn off to the Hilton Hotel. "Boss you got that?"

"I did. If it's just a case of misunderstanding, go easy on him guys but make sure…ah just make sure he's there and get back to me as soon as you can. Sam and Jules are at Spike's home right now and so far Jules says everything's fine. I'm guessing if Spike is in trouble, it has nothing to do with his family."

"Work related," Wordy huffs under his breath.

"Or a vendetta against the team," Greg adds. "Let me know as soon as you are in his room."

"Copy that," Ed answers as he turns into the underground parking garage of the Airport Hilton. "Okay so she checked in under an assumed name, but you know what she looks like right?"

"I do. So hotel security first then?"

"Would be the best bet. If Spike came in last night then the night staff might have seen him but we don't have time for that," Ed replies as they both get out of the black SUV and head into the hotel room. Ed flashes his badge, asking for hotel security, Wordy in tow.

"Constable Lane and Wordsworth of the SRU, we need to see your security…" Ed's voice trails off as Wordy's eyes slowly roam around the room. He looks at the security cameras and frowns. Best case scenario, his friend was in bed with his new lady and this was all just a big misunderstanding. Worst case scenario, the security footage would show the ill demise of their friend and fellow team member and he'd forever curse himself for not telling Spike to be a bit more careful. But he knew Spike's luck with women, especially women who looked like Chloe. How could he tell his friend that she didn't seem into him in a genuine way?

"Alright lets see it," Ed's firm voice breaks into his thoughts. "You with me?"

"Yeah," Wordy remarks in haste.

The two of them turn their attention to the security footage, watching as Spike enters the hotel with a happy expression, heading to the front desk to get a room key. They then see him heading for the elevator and getting inside. Wordy sees the expression on his younger friends face and feels his stomach tighten. Spike, I hope this is all just a bit misunderstanding.

But the security footage would show him and the rest of the team that this was no misunderstanding and their friends life was indeed in grave danger.

"Here we go…third floor and…room…306," Ed's voice speaks in tandem with the security footage operator. "Okay who booked the room?"

"Checking that now," the tech goes into the computer reservation system. "A oh that's odd…Jane Doe."

"And no one questioned that?" Wordy wonders in annoyance as he looks directly at the hotel manager.

"Sir we try to respect privacy. Besides she paid in cash and…well it's not like there isn't really anyone named Jane Doe in the world."

"Okay. Has the room been made up yet?" Ed asks with a heavy sigh.

"They are just about to…" the hotel manager answers in haste. "And we tried to call the room again as you requested and there is no answer. Shall I send them in?"

"Tell them to knock and wait for an answer, if there is no answer, tell them to hold until we get there we're on our way up," Ed responds in haste. "But keep this footage ready just in case. Wordy."

"Let's go."

The two of them head for the elevator in silence, both of them hoping that this was nothing more than a technical glitch on their friend's part. Jules had already radioed in and told them that all was okay at Spike's and aside from a bar note that smelt like perfume nothing was missing or out of the ordinary.

They reach the third floor and see the hotel cleaning duo waiting in the hallway as instructed.

"We knocked Sir but no one answered," the older lady tells Wordy as they approach.

"Okay thanks. Please just stand back and we'll take it from here. Do you have a master key?" Wordy asks in a low tone. He takes the card and then gives Ed a nod before he heads for the other side of the door, both of them with their guns ready.

"Hey Spike? It's Ed. You in there buddy?" Ed calls out a bit loudly after a good solid knock. "Hey if I come in there right now, am I gonna see something I don't want to?" He asks with a small smirk. But that quickly changes to a frown when he's only rewarded with silence. "Let's go in," he whispers to Wordy. "Okay Spike, Wordy and I are comin' in."

Wordy readies his gun and offers a quick prayer that maybe his friend and his new lady were in the shower and just to busy to hear, but as Ed pulls out the master key card and then slowly pushes the door open, their fears are confirmed.

"Boss room is clear," Ed speaks into his head set so the rest of the team can hear. "Checking the bathroom."

"Ed you smell that?"

"Yeah. Fresh too."

"Wordy was is it?" Greg asks in haste.

"Ammonia, bleach…something strong was used to clean in here," Wordy turns back to the cleaning staff. "Was anyone in here since yesterday?"

"No…no Sir. We just got the call to come and clean the floor. But no one has been in here since the occupant left."

"Bathroom's clear. Cleaned out and yeah a smell of ammonia also."

"Someone is covering their tracks," Sam pipes up over the headset. "Wiping away fingerprints."

"Wordy check the room," Ed directs and within seconds both of them are slowly looking around the room, checking for anything that might help lead them to their missing friend.

"Okay I found what appears to be a piece of a shattered phone," Ed bends down to inspect a small piece of LCD screen embedded in the hotel room carpet.

"Guys, Spike's in trouble."

"Wordy, what did you find?" Greg asks in haste.

"I found blood spray," Wordy's worried tone pulls Ed's gaze to him in seconds. "Or at least part of it. Looks like whoever cleaned it, missed some," he finishes and back at Ed before adding in a soft whisper, "what have I done?"

A/N: Okay so the team knows that Spike is missing but how will he get a message to them and what else is learned about his kidnappers? I struggled a bit with the whole team in here so hope they seem in character for the most part (if not please don't flame, but I am open to helpful personality suggestions). Please review and stay tuned for more. Thanks everyone!