Chapter 1
John waited at the agreed to time, pacing up and down the docks. Wondering who it was he was meeting. He hated to sit and wait on informants, it made you a sitting duck. He considered that this might have been a trap but, decided to dismiss that thought. He trusted the man that set this meeting up.
After waiting thirty-five minutes, he decided he wasn't going to wait any longer. He walked up the platform, across the parking lot and to his truck. He let his mind wander and he drove home. Bo had told him yesterday before the ceremony that he was thinking of retiring and he wanted John to take over as police commissioner. He was conflicted. It was the natural progression of his job, he would work less on actual cases and be out on the street less and home more. It was more paperwork and ass kissing than he was sure he could handle. Natalie would be thrilled, he knew. She would worry less. And a less stressed Natalie would make him happy as well.
He was so distracted by these thoughts he failed to notice the black sedan following him until he had pulled into the drive way and it pulled in behind him. 'Shit!' he thought, how could he be so careless? He pulled his gun and carefully got out of the truck. He saw a man climb out of the driver seat, the man's coat pulling open and John noticed that he was also armed but, he hadn't pulled his weapon yet. Watching as the passenger door opened he was stunned to see Marty Saybrooke climb out.
"Marty?" He questioned, confused.
"Hello John", she smiled brightly at him. She joined the man and slipped her arm through his.
"What's going on?" John asked cautiously.
"We should probably go inside, we shouldn't do this out here in the open", the man said kindly.
"What makes you think I am going to let you inside my house?" John asked the man, giving him a hard look.
"Because, you don't want anyone to hear what I have to say", the man replied with a small smile. John knew he was right but, he also knew his family was inside. John looked toward the house. Natalie was going to put them all down for a nap, he could only pray they were all still asleep. Including Natalie, she was going to be furious when she found out Marty was inside their home.
He sighed not seeing a choice. He led them to the house and in through the door just in time to see Natalie walking down the stairs, she looked almost sick. Pale and green at the same time. She seemed frozen on the stairs. He saw her take a step backwards. Leaving the front door standing open he moved quickly to where she stood on the stairs.
"Natalie?"
She looked over at him, then back towards the living room, he remembered they were not alone. She seemed to be looking back and forth between him and Marty. He took a few steps toward her.
"What are you doing? Are you ok?" He asked her, afraid she might pass out, she was ghostly pale.
"What's going on?" She asked him cautiously.
He didn't answer her. He couldn't. He didn't know what to say. He looked down and ran his hand over the back of his neck nervously, not knowing where to start. He could see she was pissed.
"Do you mind telling me why Marty fucking Saybrooke is standing in my living room?!"
Marty spun around at the sound of Natalie's voice.
"Ah, Natalie. There you are. Didn't figure it would take you long to show up", Marty said smugly.
"Get OUT of my house", Natalie hissed, pointing to the door.
"Oh well, you see, I was invited. Inside. By John. If he wants me to leave, he can say so", she said in that same smug tone, looking between the two.
"If you're not going to leave on your own-" Natalie flew down the last two stair steps with the intention of physically throwing Marty out none to gently. John caught her up around the waist trying to stopping her from getting any close to the other woman. Natalie had moved down the stairs with such force that when she hit his arms, he ended up picking her up off her feet before setting her back down.
"Hold on", John said to the back of her head, with one arm wrapped around her waist and his other gripping her upper arm in case she decided to take a swing and anyone. "Can we just find out what is going on here first?"
"You should be in prison", Natalie hissed at Marty through her teeth, as she struggled to get free of John's grip.
"But…I'm not", Marty said nonchalantly, as she took a look around the living room, Marty continued with a false brightness, "nice place you've got here. And three kids…boy you guys have been as busy as rabbits. Got' him trapped now don't ya? Nope he's not going anywhere now," Marty gave her an exaggerated wink and a snarky little laugh.
"Alright", John said to the women, "that's enough." Natalie continued to struggle in his arms, "Natalie…stop."
When Natalie had stopped struggling against him , he removed the arm around her waist but, held tight to her forearm not entirely convinced she wouldn't go after Marty again.
"Marty, now that we are all inside, would you mind to tell me what is going on?" John asked calmly.
The man that neither John or Natalie knew stepped forward. "Maybe I should start", he thrust his hand out and introduced himself, "I'm Patrick Thornhart."
"Ha", Natalie couldn't control the loud bark of laughter that exploded from her, "dead husband", she mused looking toward Marty, "of course….classic." She turned her eyes to John who had let go of her arm to shake the man's hand and when she caught his eye, she raised a eyebrow in amusement and crossed her arms over her chest.
John looked back to the man, "John Mc-" he started but, the man interrupted him.
"I know who you are. And I apologize for being late to the meeting this afternoon", Patrick said.
"You…were the informant I was to meet?" John asked skeptically.
"It was my fault. When I found out who Patrick was going to meet, I insisted on coming along", Marty said giving John a large smile. John gave her a curt nod to indicate he had heard her but, turned his attention back to Patrick.
"I don't really feel comfortable doing this in my home, with my family here. Why did you follow me here? I'm sure you know this isn't how this works", John was frustrated, he knew the kids were upstairs and he could tell Natalie was going to blow soon.
"We heard that you were looking into the reappearance of Evangeline Williamson and Jared Banks", Patrick said, "we might know something about that, that's all. We aren't here to harm you in anyway."
"Really because her history suggests otherwise", Natalie said sarcastically from her position by the stairs. She wasn't moving unless it was to go after Marty if she had to. Her kids were up there and she would protect them with her life.
Marty chuckled and Patrick went to say something in response to Natalie but, John cut him off before he could start just wanting this meeting over with and Marty and her husband out of the house.
"What do you know?" John asked, taking a half step in front of Natalie and placing his hands on his hips. Patrick turned back to John.
"Not a lot of specifics that I can tell you but, enough for you to know you're going to have to back off this investigation", Patrick told him kindly.
John smiled at him, "you're here to scare me off, is that it?" John said as he moved across the room to close the front door he'd forgotten was left open.
"No, not necessarily. Just to inform you that you are in over your head." While Marty was definitely being snide and pushing Natalie on purpose, Patrick seemed to be genuine so far. John couldn't read him yet.
"Ok well let's start there then. Who's behind their disappearances?" John asked coming back over to stand in front of Patrick.
"Who isn't", Patrick smiled and shrugged. John looked at him clearly not amused.
"You know there is an outstanding warrant out for your arrest. I could have the cops here in a minute", Natalie said glaring at Marty.
"Yeah, isn't John the cops?" Marty said in a mocking tone, pointing at John.
Natalie bristled, "you're a murderer and you deserve to be in prison."
"Natalie-" John said frustrated with the situation but, needing her to control herself.
"Ok, can we just try to relax here?" Patrick turned to give Marty a pointed look. John noticed something was off with Marty, like she was on something. He thought about asking after her health but Natalie spoke first.
"Relax?" Natalie said, "are you serious? Maybe you don't realize what a psycho-"
"I know," Patrick said with a sigh, "I know everything that happened. And I am very sorry for what you went through. Marty was…..sick…..but, she is getting better", Patrick said looking apologetic. He stood a little closer to Marty almost like he was afraid she would do something.
Natalie took a few steps away from the stairs to stand directly in front of Marty.
"Sick? She murdered someone, she tried to kill me and she kidnapped my son…..twice. So you'll excuse me if her being sick isn't a good enough excuse", Natalie was furious.
"Natalie", John said taking a deep breath, knowing she wasn't going to go quietly, "why don't you go upstairs and check on the kids. I really don't want one of them coming down here." He looked at her hard hoping she was just do as he asked.
She looked back at him the same way, stunned that he would try to send her away. "I am not moving. I have to make sure she doesn't get near my kids", Natalie crossed her arms over her chest.
Marty scoffed but stayed quiet.
"I assume you've heard of Security Systems?" Patrick asked turning back to John, ignoring the women.
John laughed humorlessly, 'of course' he thought, "as in the top secret firm formerly run by Irene Manning, ties to the CIA-"
"And the INS, and the FBI and Homeland Security and every other government agency in the country and some outside the county, that you have and haven't heard of…yes, as in that Security Systems," Patrick added.
John rubbed a hand over his face. "What did an agency like that want with Evangeline or Jared? They have no special training or contact with anyone in any of those agencies, why either of them?" John couldn't make the dots connect on this no matter how hard he tried.
"That part isn't clear but, I can tell you they were selected specifically. No one is brought in randomly. Everyone that comes into the agency has a purpose", Patrick told him.
"So they don't remember where they were or what they were doing?" John asked
"They will only remember if the agency wants them to remember and I sincerely doubt they will ever be allowed to remember", Patrick supplied.
Marty gasped, clasped her hands together in delight and exclaimed brightly, "Liam? Is that you? You've gotten so big!"
Natalie whipped around quickly and there standing behind her was her eldest son. John stiffened. While he was fairly confident that Marty wouldn't try anything, he still didn't like the idea of her being that close to Liam or Natalie.
"Hey buddy, what do you need?", he tried to ask casually. Liam looked like a miniature John but, he was way too curious, just like Natalie.
"Seany is crying", he replied absentmindedly not looking at either of his parents but around at the strange adults in the living room.
"Go back upstairs and check on him for me, ok? Make sure he has his passy. He probably just lost it in his sleep", Natalie urged, her heart beating out of her chest. Neither John or Natalie wanted to make any sudden moves, not really being sure what Marty would do.
"But-" Liam started still looking toward the two strangers. Marty made a move toward the stairs and Natalie jumped in front of Liam, raising her arms in front of her. Her hands balled into fists, ready to protect her son.
"Go, son. Now", John said sternly. He'd never used that tone of voice with any of his kids. Liam turned his big blue eyes to his father in surprise but, John was unmoved.
"Ok", he said softly with tears in his eyes he turned and slowly trudged back upstairs. Natalie waited until he was out of sight before turning back to Marty.
"If you ever try to go near any of my children again….I will kill you", Natalie hissed through her teeth at Marty.
Marty turned her falsely innocent eyes to Patrick and John, blinking rapidly like a child, "are you going to let her talk to me like that?"
"Natalie-", John started calmly.
"Arrest her John!….arrest her and get her out of my house," Natalie was so angry, she didn't know how much longer she would be able to hold it together.
"Natalie", John said with all the patience he could muster, he begged her, "please…please go upstairs and check on the kids…and please let me handle this." Natalie met John's eye's from across the room, they seemed to have an entire conversation in the span of ten seconds.
She wasn't happy, and the cold glare she left him with chilled him to the bone but, in the end she turned and walked slowly and deliberately up the stairs.