A/N : Thank you all so much for the lovely pm's, reviews, follows and favourites. So glad you all enjoyed Part one though I must say I am a little miffed that you all seem to think I know nothing about climbing ... okay so I nothing about climbing but hopefully I got away with it! And apologies to any experts out there! And now on with the story. As with part one there'll be two chapters a day to bring it to a close next weekend.

PART TWO

Chapter 19 – Lost and Found

Don wandered down the corridor swinging the large white carrier bag. He wondered if Mac would notice that there was a bag of prawn crackers missing. He wiped his mouth unconsciously as he stopped outside Mac's door. He leaned on the bell for a few seconds and waited. The door behind him opened and two pairs of eyes peered out at him.

"He's not back."

Don turned to face the partially opened door that was held by a chain. He could just make out a halo of white hair above the higher of the two pairs of dark beady eyes. "Hey there Mrs Jacobs." The lower pair of eyes growled at him.

"Mortimer, stop that. It's Mac's friend." Mortimer growled again.

"Mac go out?"

"Yes, this morning." The surprise on Don's face was evident. He looked at his watch despite knowing what time it was. It was gone six. He was about to ask what time when she continued, "Two men came around ten and he left with them. He looked awfully tired. Should he be going out with his arm like that?" She didn't wait for an answer. "He should have been back by now. He works too hard you know!" Don couldn't disagree with that. Again he was about to ask if she recognized the men but she carried on as though reading his mind. "I've never seen the two men before but I reckon they were feds." She almost spat the latter out indicating her dislike of the two men. "Just stalked down the corridor without so much as a by your leave. Almost crushed poor Mortimer didn't they?" Mortimer gave out a short sharp bark as though confirming her statement. "They went in and talked for a bit and then they all left. Anyone would think he was a criminal the way they were treating him marching him off like that. It isn't right is it Mortimer?" Mortimer growled in agreement.

"No it damn well isn't." Don muttered under his breath. "Thanks Mrs Jacobs." The phone was already out of his pocket and dialling by the time he reached the elevator. Where the hell was he now?

.

Don paced up and down outside the glass doors only stopping as Jo pulled up. He was surprised to see that she was accompanied by the Chief of Detectives, Al Harrison. Harrison's mouth was drawn into a tight thin line as he nodded to Don. Don fell into step beside Jo as Harrison pushed his way through the glass side door ignoring the main revolving one. He strode straight up to the front desk and slammed his credentials onto the receptionist's desk. The young man jumped visibly. Harrison identified himself and asked for someone called Saunders.

Jo and Don stood a few feet away looking around the nondescript grey lobby with it's marble floor and steel security gates. Several people wandered past eyeing them suspiciously. Jo leaned closer to Don whispering to him in a low voice. "You say he left at ten?" Don nodded. "But that means he's been here over eight hours." Don could hear the tension in her voice. "He's supposed to be on medical leave. The doctor didn't even want him to leave the hospital." Don wasn't surprised and gave an irritated shrug to indicate his disapproval.

They both turned as the elevator doors swished open and an elegant woman in a dark blue suit and crisp white blouse walked over to Harrison. She had a phone pressed to her left ear. She looked annoyed. She extended her right hand to Harrison as she finished the call with a muffled curse. "Al?"

"Audrey?" Harrison took her hand in a brief handshake but they could tell from the tone of his voice that he was far from happy. "What the hell is going on? You want to tell me why two of your agents have brought one of my officers in for questioning without going through me? An officer who I might add should rightly be in a hospital right now."

Audrey Saunders shoved the phone back into her pocket and help up her hands in defence. "Al, take it easy. There's clearly been a misunderstanding." Her tone was conciliatory but she was clearly embarrassed and more than a little irritated. "I asked Agents Wright and Wong to debrief Detective Taylor at the earliest possible opportunity..."

"Debrief?" Don couldn't help blurting out. "For eight hours?" Audrey Saunders jumped clearly surprised by Don's revelation. She looked as though she was about to say something further when she clearly changed her mind and stepped back and gestured towards the elevator.

"If you'll come with me." She turned back to the desk. "Three VIP passes please Jeffrey." The young man scrabbled in a drawer under the desk and handed her the passes. She handed them to Harrison, and Jo and Don asking them to clearly display the passes as well as their shields. She then called the elevator. The doors swished open. To their surprise they only rode the elevator one floor before alighting. They stepped out into a busy office space. A carpeted corridor led away from them in both directions. In the various offices dozens of white-shirted employees tapped away at computers or stood by photocopiers. They all straightened up slightly as they caught sight of Audrey Saunders, one even going to far as to push himself away from the edge of the desk where he had been perched chatting and attempt to hide the can of soda in his hand. Saunders stalked down the corridor followed by her three visitors causing a sea of heads to follow their progress and leaving in their wake numerous pairs of curious eyes and questioning looks.

She led them to the end of the hall where another elevator awaited. She pressed the button to open the doors and ushered them in. Don and Jo exchanged glances as the elevator buttons showed that it only went down. Saunders swiped her badge and hit the button marked B3 and they descended to the lowest floor of the building.

The corridor in the basement was identical to the one above, dark blue carpet, doors on either side, harsh neon lighting except that this corridor was silent and empty. It was impossible to see into the offices on either side as there were no windows. She led them to a door and without knocking flung it open. The two men standing inside spun round. Agents Wright and Wong straightened up as Audrey entered followed by Harrison, Don and Jo. She glared at them before turning her attention to the man sat at the other side of the table.

"Detective Taylor, I'm Special Agent in Charge Audrey Saunders." She walked over to the table that was strewn with files, photographs, hand-written notes on lined paper and oddly an old-fashioned tape recorder. A single plastic cup of water sat in front of Mac. She hesitated as he looked up at her. His face was ashen and the dark rings around his eyes spoke of his utter exhaustion. She didn't say anything else as she was pushed aside by Jo who squatted down by Mac.

"Are you okay?" She grasped his hand to find it cold and clammy. He gave the slightest of nods. Jo stood up and glared at the two agents. "We're leaving."

"But we're ..." Wright began only to be silenced with a withering look from Saunders.

"Detective Taylor?" Saunders began. "I had no idea that you were here. I can only apologise ..."

Mac held up a hand to stop her before pressing down hard on the edge of the desk and pushing himself into a standing position. He turned his attention to Wright and Wong. "I've told you everything I know," he said simply. He looked back at Agent Saunders. "I'm sorry about your agent. He was a good man." Saunders nodded somewhat taken aback at the easy acceptance of her apology.

"He was," she stammered. "Thank you Detective Taylor." For a moment they stared at one another and she thought she could see a glimmer of guilt cross his face. She leaned imperceptibly closer and lowered her voice. "He knew the risks. You did the right thing and we are very grateful for your help."Audrey Saunders looked at the man opposite her. A little of the tension eased from his features. At least she hoped that what it was was.

"Come on Mac. We're leaving." Discretely Jo placed her hand on his back.

For a moment Mac returned his gaze to Wright and Wong who were both looking a little nervous. For a split second she thought he was going to say something but she could feel him tense and as they walked out of the room he whispered to Don. "Don would you be so kind as to get my wallet and phone back for me, please?" He didn't wait for an answer nor did he look back.

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The ride back to Mac's was silent. Don kept glancing in the rear-view mirror but Mac appeared to the lost in his thoughts as he looked out of the window. Jo met his eyes more than once but neither said anything. They had wisely decided to not to question Mac regarding his detention at the FBI until they were home. The only time he had said anything was when they had emerged from the building. He had paused on the pavement and looked into the sun that was shining down the street and muttered something about how late it was.

Once they had reached Mac's apartment Don had heated up the Chinese take-away while Jo had given Mac his medication and removed the sling for him. As Don brought the food through he was glad to see that a little colour had returned to his friend's face as he and Jo sat sipping drinks but Do couldn't quell the anger that burned inside him.

"They had no right to keep you there," he stated firmly as he passed Mac an open box of chicken chow mein with two chop sticks stuck in it. Jo opted for the beef and onions. Mac nestled the box his left hand close to his stomach and grabbed at the chopsticks lifting a generous mound of noodles to his mouth. "Who do these people think they are? Detaining the head of the crime lab for eight hours. It ain't right!".He plopped himself into a chair opposite them.

Mac grinned as he stabbed the chopsticks back in the box. "Nah, it's wong!" he quipped.

Don huffed irritably. "How can you be so blasé about it?"

Mac shrugged. "They were only doing their job. They lost one of theirs and they're taking it hard. His name was John Silverman." A look of utter sadness passed over Mac's face. "He was married. Two kids," he finished quietly.

Jo laid a hand on his shoulder, her dinner forgotten. "How did you know?"

Mac looked at her. "That he was FBI?" He pulled a face and tipped his head on one side. "I guess looking back, I suspected from the very beginning." He smiled at their surprise. "First thing was that he looked surprised when he stepped out of that alley and pulled a gun on us. I was clearly not who he was expecting but he had no choice but to got along with it. Jowls … I mean Gaunt..." Don and Jo both smiled at his slip. They liked the nickname. "...was clearly calling the shots. I had a feeling Casey … or rather, Silverman didn't really know what was going down. Then during the journey he kept looking at me hard like he was trying to make a decision as to whether he should just turn the gun on Gaunt or not. My suspicions were confirmed when I got shot. He couldn't say anything because Mason was watching his every move but his eyes told me that he was sorry. And he started being more protective of Stacy. I knew for sure just as I began my descent to the plane. He whispered to me it was imperative that Mason got the diamonds and that he'd do everything he could to protect Stacy. He told me to save myself."

Jo smiled. "And you did."

Mac nodded in gratitude. "Stacy okay?"

Jo nodded. "She's a tough kid. She says she ready to go back to school but Alice thinks it will be better to wait till Monday. By the way Randall Wade called earlier today. He said they're going back to the wreckage the day after tomorrow to retrieve her father's body." Mac nodded. A sudden wave of fatigue came over him. "Mac you need to rest." Much to Jo's surprise he nodded, excused himself and left them.

Don watched him go. "He blames himself for what happened to Silverman," he muttered half to himself. Jo shrugged. "I wonder what gave him away."

Jo shrugged again sending her jewellery clinking."Who knows Don? Perhaps the fact that he let Stacy get away or maybe Mason just didn't trust him and was planning to get rid of him as soon as the job was done just as he was planning to get rid of Mac and Stacy."

"Any news on their whereabouts?"

Jo shook her head. "No and given the amount of time Wright and Wong kept Mac, I don't think they know either."

"So what now?"

Jo looked at him for a moment. "Nothing. It's over." They both knew that she was lying. It was far from over.

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