Chapter 21: Awry

A/N: A HUGE thank you to all of those of you who have reviewed! Love them all! Hope you continue to read, enjoy and review!

Auggie was pushed into a chair by one of Belenko's henchmen. His feet were bound to the chair and his arms were pulled behind him in a very uncomfortable position and also bound. He tried to move his head around as much as he could so Joan and Annie could see everything about where he was. He heard Belenko address Eyal.

"And who do I have the pleasure of meeting with... such bounty tonight?"

The door was closed and he heard Eyal's footsteps move closer into the room. "Ah, my name is not important. What is important is the fact that I have brought you a precious commodity, to you, and I think maybe I should be compensated for this. Don't you?" Eyal's voice never wavered. He was always so confident in everything he did.

Belenko laughed, harsh and loud. "And how, may I ask, did you know I even wanted this man you have brought me?"

"Come now, Alexei, can I call you Alexei? You should know that word of these things travels fast. I was in the neighborhood and could really use some scratch. So whatdya say? I think that three quarter mil outta do me."

"Well, sir, you are either very brave or rather stupid to come demanding such a price from me."

Eyal's voice became low and intimidating, "Or maybe I know you should pay the man who did the work several of your own men could not. You have what? Two, maybe three dozen men here with you? And not one of them could bring this to you? Tsk-tsk. Such amateurs."

Belenko clapped Eyal on the shoulder. "Yes, yes, I suppose you have a point. I can offer you 150."

"150? Do not insult me. I know he is worth much more than that to you. I won't take less than 650. 650 or I take my merchandise with me when I leave."

Belenko thought this over for a moment. Suddenly, he nodded. "Yes, I will give you 650. But you must give me some time. I do not have that kind of cash here. Give me 24 hours."

"I can give you 24 hours, but he stays with me. I'm sure you understand?"

"Yes, yes of course. I've waited months, what's another day? Here," Belenko pulled out a business card with a phone number on it, "call this number in 18 hours, you'll receive further instructions."

Taking the card, briefly glancing at it and placing it his pocket, Eyal nodded towards Auggie. "Mind cutting him loose so I can take him?"

Belenko waved at his man to do as Eyal said. Auggie felt his legs and arms suddenly become free. Eyal gripped him roughly by the elbow and turned to speak to Belenko. "One more thing. I'll only make the trade if you are there, personally. Don't want something to happen to your cargo in transport and you try to blame me. Next thing I know I've got you gunning for me and then I would have to kill you and that would just be bad for business."

Belenko smiled. "Yeah, I'll be there."

Annie breathed a sigh of relief as she watched Eyal drag Auggie out of the hotel and back to the car. Back to safety. Back to her. So far, Auggie's plan was working. Eyal had gotten Belenko to agree to a face to face exchange, out in the open. Which meant that a team could be in place to take him down. She had to admit, Auggie was a genius.

The very instant Auggie walked into their office, Annie wrapped her arms around him and squeezed.

She felt him wince, slightly. "Oh, damn, Auggie I'm sorry. I'm just so happy you're back here, safe."

He wrapped his own arms around her and kissed her forehead. "It's alright. I can take a little pain if it means you greet me like that every time I walk into a room." That coy smile played on his lips.

She pinched his arm. "Smartass."

"Always."

Eyal received his instructions and 24 hours later they were gearing up for their assault on Baby Belenko. Though Auggie had fought against it Annie was going to be in the tech-ops van right outside the abandoned factory Belenko had arranged the meet for. A team of men was going to be ready to swoop in right as the exchange happened to capture Belenko. Annie wanted to be sure nothing went wrong, and she couldn't bear the thought of letting Auggie go back into danger again without her being nearby.

"Annie, I still don't think it's a good idea for you to be there." Auggie was trying one last time to convince her to stay at Langley.

"Auggie, I'm going. I'll be perfectly safe in the van. Belenko won't even know I'm there." Her voice was stern and very final.

Sighing in defeat and running his hand through his hair, Auggie nodded. "Ok, I shoulda known better than to try to talk you out of this."

"Damn straight, Anderson. Now let's get this over with so we can go home to that oh so wonderful bed of ours, ok?"

Placing a soft kiss on her lips, he whispered, "Promise me you'll stay in the van?"

"I promise. I love you, Auggie."

"I love you, too."

Once again, Auggie was allowing himself to be manhandled by Eyal as he dragged him into the factory.

"Oh, good, it seems you've found me just fine." Belenko said as they came through the door.

"Yeah, let's just cut to the chase. You got the cash?"

"Ah, you see, I do not. You see, there was a bit of a problem..."

"A problem?"

"Yes, a very large one. You see, I don't want Mr. Anderson. Atleast not yet. He must get me the information I want before I can take him, and you see Mr. Lavin, there was only one way to ensure that he would do this..." Belenko waved behind him and a door opened.

Auggie's eyes widened at Belenko's use of Eyal's last name. How had he known that? He heard two sets of footsteps enter the building, but something was off about one of them. Shuffling, one set was shuffling, as if being dragged. A voice was being stifled, presumably by a gag of some kind. Eyal's hand on Auggie's arm tightened, drastically. Eyal gulped, audibly. The man who had entered was indeed dragging someone along with him with a gun pointed at their head. Just before Eyal spoke, Auggie felt it, the thing that he always felt when she was near.

"Auggie... he's got Annie."