TBITC Chp. 25

A/N: this may be my last update until after May 12. But then I'll be done with school and should be able to update more often. Of course, four chapters in a week is a record for me. Thanks and happy reading. – Terry

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With the bag over her head, Nancy couldn't tell how long they'd been driving. She guessed it was an hour or so, but she couldn't be sure. Just when she was about to get her bearings one of the men yanked the bag off her head. Then she felt a bottle being placed against her lips. "Drink." A voice said, and she did. Just as quickly the bottle was removed then she recognized the man who'd spoken to her.

"You're…" She started, anger clouding her eyes.

Jack nodded. "Yeah, I'm the guy you pissed off. Look, I'm going to be straight with you, I have no intention of hurting your children," Jack laughed at the absurdity of it. "I mean, first off, why would I want to kill your kids in order to get Sam back?"

She shook her head. "I…I don't know. I don't…I don't know anything about you, other than you're a very dangerous man."

Jack grinned. "I'll take that as a compliment. Now, you're going to help me. Call it atoning for your sins, so to speak."

"What do you want?" She asked, suddenly eager now that she knew her children weren't in danger.

"Where's Sam?"

"The Rutherford Children's Home, it's a good place, I assure you. He's being well cared for." She said, worry creeping into her voice when Jack's expression darkened. "Did I say something wrong?"

Jack shook his head. "He's not there, I promise you."

"How can you be sure?" she asked.

"Tell me where you and Detective Stetler went after you left the Delko residence and what you did, exactly. Leave nothing out."

"We drove back to my office, Sam was very distraught, and I did my best to calm him down." She said, and Jack looked away, fighting his emotions as he imagined the trauma Sam must have suffered. "Are you his father?" she asked, suddenly.

Jack was caught off guard by the question. "No, I'm not." He finally said, then asked, "Why?"

"Because I can't see anyone who wasn't his father going to all this trouble."

Kenny laughed from the driver's seat. "Lady, if you knew Jack at all, you wouldn't be saying that."

"So, what happened after you got to the office?"

"Detective Stetler offered to drop Sam at RCH and I took him up on it, as it was already two in the morning."

Jack shook his head in disgust, and laughed bitterly. "So, not only are you stupid, but you're also lazy."

"Excuse me?!"

Jack laughed, again. "My insolence offends you?!" Then he grabbed her by the throat, slammed her into the side of van and drew his 1911, pressing the weapon hard under her jaw. "Listen, bitch, very carefully. We followed the car you used, and it didn't go anywhere near this children's home your talking about. You think I would've done this if it had! Rick Stetler, the man you listened to, took Sam BACK to the man who'd been molesting him!"

Nancy's eyes widened in horror. "What? Why would he do that?"

Jack released her and sat back, suddenly deflated like all his energy suddenly left him. "I don't know." He said finally, looking away.

They sat in silence for several minutes, when Nancy spoke up. "What can I do to help?" She asked, and looked at Jack. "I know that you don't believe me, Captain but I am sorry for what happened and for my part in it."

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They drove back to beach house in silence, until Kenny said. "We have to tell them."

Jack nodded, reluctantly. "Yeah, we do."

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They had opted to just lay everything out for the team, Frank, Meagan and Alexx. Alexx again secluded herself in the bedroom after hearing the horrible news. Jack tried the door to her bedroom and was surprised to find it unlocked. He went in and saw her lying on the bed, tears streaming down her face. His heart went out to her, as he knew what she was feeling. Having been a parent himself, he couldn't imagine how anyone, much less those charged to protect to innocent, could hurt a child, or at the very least allow it to happen. She saw him and reached out to him. He went to her and held, trying to comfort her, to be strong. "Just get him, just get him back." She begged, over and over.

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A/N: Ok, this chapter went in a slightly different direction than I was intending, but I decided to go with it. If you really don't like, or have ideas how it could be changed, please let me know and I'll consider your ideas. But if you like it, let me know that too. Thanks for reading. - Terry