Redemption

Chapter Seventy

Sue's lower lip was being ravished by her teeth as she chewed nervously on the tender flesh. After her cry in the conference room, she'd managed to clean herself up enough to look presentable and to hide her tears from Lucy when she reentered the bullpen. If the rotor noticed anything amiss, she was kind enough not to ask, though Sue glanced over at her friend once and saw the anxious shake to the woman's leg as she tried to keep whatever question was inside of her from bursting forth.

Even if Lucy had asked, though, Sue wouldn't have answered. She couldn't describe what she was feeling at this time, because there was an amalgam of emotions wrestling around inside of her. She was terrified for Jack, but no matter how great that feeling was, she still could not push passed the love she had for that man.

Her tears hadn't been just for fear of losing him, they'd been for the overwhelming love she'd felt for him and the fact that—one day—he wanted to take their relationship to the next level and make her his wife. It was what she'd been dreaming about for years, but there was an empty, unfulfilled feeling racing through her at the thought of him never coming home to see that day clenched at her heart.

She wanted to believe that he would stay safe—that all of them would come back to her—and she prayed so hard to see that goal accomplished, yet she had the strange feeling that the team would be coming home, one member short.

"Sue?" Lucy asked as she waved her hand in front of her face to get her attention. As much as she didn't want to interrupt her friend's inner conflict, seeing that it was something that needed to be worked out on her own, she knew she had to keep the analyst informed. A COM-link was hooked up to her computer, like it would Tara's if she was operating from the bullpen, and she was receiving the same information as the computer tech on the other side of town. They were staying in touch for both: sanity's sake and just in case there was something Tara and Max missed while in the van.

She waited until Sue's watery, hazel eyes fixed upon her brown ones, feeling her heart clench at the turmoil she found racing through Sue's mind. "Uh, Jack just entered. Communication with him will be cut off." She saw the blonde nod and sent her own prayer up to keep their friends safe and to ease Sue's racing mind.

DeMarco was the first thing Jack noticed as he was led into the warehouse. He laid sprawled—facedown on the cool concrete—motionless. Fear took hold of the agent's heart and bent down to see if his friend was still alive. A sigh of relief escaped him when he felt the faint beating of his pulse and turned him over to make sure his airflow wouldn't be obstructed. He feared this would happen and only hoped Danni hadn't become Dessa's next victim.

He got back to his feet and let his well-trained eyes scan his surroundings. The building was surprisingly empty for as many men who were supposed to be working under the terrorist. His anxiety increased ten-fold at the thought that this was all a trap and he wouldn't be able to keep his promise to Bobby. They should have anticipated this, but there was always something more floating around Dessa's mind; at least this time, the words "Bubonic Plague" were nowhere to be found. Of course, there as always that chance, wasn't there?

'Where is he?' jack asked himself as he fought to find one hint that Danni was still alive or that Dessa was still in the building. He didn't have to wait long for an answer, because as soon as the thought entered, his enemy showed himself.

"Welcome, agent Hudson," his voice boomed as he called from a steel balcony that served as an entrance to a second floor. Jack could only conclude that some sort of office was up there—these newer warehouses usually kept them on higher ground—and it could be a probable place to hide a hostage.

"Where is she?" Jack got right down to business. He was in a no-nonsense kind of mood and only wanted to get this over with and no amount of Dessa's taunting nature was going to sway him from doing what was right. He would try to play games to deter the agent—that was what he was best at, after all—but Jack wouldn't fall for them. He knew he couldn't let himself sink into this dark, dismal world and if his focus was taken from his task that was what was going to happen. He had to stay on track for himself, for Danni, and for Sue.

"Where is who?" The evil smile on the man's face as he calmly walked down the stairway—one that sat just off of the balcony—was one that made Jack's skin crawl. It was the sneer of a man who was up to no good as try as he might to ignore the creepy-crawly feeling that was tingling up his spine, he knew he couldn't.

But, the agent in Jack was in no mood for games—he just wanted to get Danni back—though, the other half of him was curious as to what was up his sleeve. "I'm not in the mood for games," starting with the truth was always a good touch. "Where is Detective Talbot?" As the man stepped closer and closer to him, Jack could see the real Arif Dessa behind the man before him. He didn't see Josef Vanderwhylen—though he was the most recognizable face he could think of at this moment—nor did he see Richard Palmerro, but the real man, himself; his evil reflecting from his eyes and giving his disguise away.

"Oh, her," was all he said at first, letting his eyes boar deep into the agent's soul until he was weak enough to give in. With enough of this stand-off and the mere essence of testosterone that clouded the air between then, this could last for a while, telling him that Special Agent Jackson Hudson was stronger than he was first led to believe. Luckily, he had a back-up plan. "She's of no concern of yours."

Jack's eyes went wide and his head snapped up toward the "office" where he heard Danni scream: "let me go" and a continuous struggle ensue. "You said you wouldn't hurt her if you got what you wanted. The bargain was her for me." He never expected Dessa to be a man of his word, but he expected some sort of inputted pride in his mind that told him that a deal was a deal and that he should stick to it.

Dessa nodded. "So I did, but I remember saying that she would only be spared from my wrath if you gave yourself up. My men, on the other hand, are a much different story." Special Agent Hudson needed to learn to read between the lines, he mused.

"Bastard," Jack growled, grabbing at the terrorist's shirt before being pulled away and receiving a solid punch to the stomach. He doubled over in pain and only grunted from the impact. He coughed to get air back into his lungs, a hand clutching his stomach with a grimace. He wouldn't show weakness in front of this madman, especially if he wouldn't do his own dirty work. His large "bodyguard" had been the one to hit him, hard. "You lied."

"I didn't lie," he stated while adjusting his shirt, "you merely just misinterpreted what was said. And I thought the FBI was supposed to be smarter than that." There was a sarcastic tone to his words that he didn't bother to hide, because he knew it would anger the agent more.

Jack's cold glare did nothing to deter the man before him, so he had to choose another way to knock him off his guard. "At least, let me see that she's unharmed." He wasn't sure what good it would do, but something inside of him told him that if she was outside that room, things would turn in his favor.

Dessa contemplated the question, though couldn't find anything that could thwart his plan. After all, there wasn't much left anyway. The charges were set and most of his men had been evacuated, except for his most trusted and loyal. They were the ones watching over Danni and they'd been without a woman's company for some time. She was their reward for making this plan a success, but he supposed he could allow this one, last request before Jack Hudson fell dead at his feet. "I don't see the harm. Adit," he nodded to the large, bulky man behind Jack who soon mumbled something in Arabic over the walkie-talkie in his hand.

A sigh of relief escaped Jack when he saw the door open—though he hadn't realized there had been a door before—and saw Danni being escorted out, everything seeming to still be intact, though her patience looked like it was running thin. Her guard sported a nice bruise that was forming on his left eye, probably from putting his hands somewhere they didn't belong. Jack knew her well enough and knew she wouldn't be put through something like that again; no one was allowed to touch her without her permission and the punishment would be fierce if they tried.

His sigh soon turned to a growl when the brute grabbed her tightly by the hair and held a gun to her neck; almost a mirror image of Jessup standing over her a year ago. "Danni," he managed to breathe out in a whisper. A large lump filled his throat, which he tried to swallow but was finding it difficult when she was being tortured before his very eyes.

She seemed to have heard him, though it was practically impossible, her eyes turning toward him in a pleading glance. "Jack," she whispered, but that was all she could let escape before her hair was tightened in her captor's grip. She winced in pain, a surprised yelp escaping her.

Jack turned his gaze back to Dessa, a newly-discovered determination racing through him. "The deal's off," he stated firmly, which caught the terrorist's attention.

A single eyebrow cocked in amazement at the agent's tenacity. If he wasn't so willing to get rid of the vermin, he could probably get much use out of Hudson and his noble heart. "There is no negotiation. You came to me and she lives. That was the deal. It's a gesture of good faith, I suppose you could say; don't make me have to take it back." Jack wasn't sure why the sound of the gun against Danni's neck cocking into place seemed so loud, but that noise seemed to echo through his soul. "I really would hate to damage such valuable… merchandise." He said the word "merchandise" with a sneer on his lips which told Jack more than he wanted to know about what was on his mind.

He needed to do something. The team was probably getting restless outside and would probably charge inside at any moment, Bobby leading them to their deaths. "My team won't accept your gesture. They'll need something more." It was the only thing he could think of and if it bought him more time, then it was worth the effort.

It was obvious that Dessa was losing his patience with Jack, though he gave a valid point. In a way, he had promised a released hostage, so going back on that wasn't what he'd had in mind. But, what could he give them that would satiate their want? As if he'd spoken the question aloud, the answer came to him when DeMarco stirred at his feet, emitting a loud groan of pain. A smile was once again formed on his lips as he nodded. "Very well, then more they shall get."