I hope this isn't a mess editorially speaking. I'm rushing to put it up because with all the spoilers coming out and people speculating on what's going to happen, I need to make sure that my stuff is up so people know I'm not relying on Twitter for my ideas! I was just finishing the next 2 chapters and someone blew my plotline, lol. Dang. If you find problems, message me and let me know. Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 12 – Foul Deeds Rise

"Hey, it's Harris. Let me talk to Silverfox." He couldn't believe he was hiding in a broom closet to make a call regarding a national security risk.

"Uh.. I'm afraid that won't be possible. He's fallen off the radar. We're not exactly sure where he is at present."

"Seriously? You can't track him with GPS?" Harris was more than a little annoyed. He needed to reach his senior agent now.

"Seriously?" the 20-something techno-geek "receptionist" mimicked. "You think we didn't try that already? What part of 'fallen off the radar' eludes you?"

Harris clenched his fist. He'd never hit a woman in his life, but he was tempted to make an exception for this one. Through clenched teeth he asked, "Then who's handling the Keller case?"

"Well now, see, that's the first intelligent question you've asked me. And the answer, as it happens, is Ghostwalker. He took over the case once we lost contact with Silverfox. Who, if you happen to run across him, you are not to engage. Let GW know immediately. Silverfox may be compromised."

Harris rolled his eyes at the girl's abbreviation of Ghostwalker's code name. "I think I could have figured that one out on my own, thanks," he sniped back.

"Just makin' sure. Now, did you want me to transfer you to GW?"

"Please." Please, God, anything to get me off the line with this irritating woman… Harris was at the end of his patience. In short order he was connected to the senior agent and reported his findings. He really hoped they could get this Keller guy in custody soon so he could get back to regular surveillance work. This crap about having to work undercover as a janitor at Mt. Sinai hospital was starting to wear thin. But it had finally paid off this morning. He hadn't seen Vincent Keller with his own two eyes, but his ex was convinced she had. On a hunch, he had slipped into the parking garage and managed to catch the foxy red-head with a guy who matched Keller's description. He couldn't see his face clearly for the hat he had pulled down over his eyes and the coat collar turned up shielding more of his features. But Harris was dead certain that's who was waiting for the good doctor when she got off work.

Catherine woke with a start before sunrise, her heart racing and feeling panicked, remnants of a nightmare. No… not a nightmare… something… different. Her hand flew to her head to keep it from exploding from the pounding pain assaulting her. Think Cat she commanded herself. Taking a few deep breaths she tried to relax. Danger! Something wasn't… right. But what? Damn it, why was this happening to her? Why did she know things she shouldn't know, and if she was going to know them it would be a lot more helpful if what she knew wasn't so damned vague! It was a toss-up whether she was more freaked out or frustrated at the moment. Definitely frustrated, she decided. There would be time to freak out later once the crisis was past. Grabbing her cell phone that was still open from when she fell asleep talking to Vincent, she speed dialed Tess.

Tess moaned in her sleep as her cell went off on the nightstand next to her. It couldn't be time to get up already… Without opening her eyes her hand groped wildly until her fingers latched onto the offending device. She flipped the phone open and pulled it to her ear. "Vargas," she mumbled into it. She could hear panicked breathing on the other end and someone said her name in a voice that seemed vaguely familiar yet.. not? Pulling the phone from her ear and barely lifting one eyelid, she looked at the caller ID. Shit! Cat! Suddenly she was wide awake and alert, sitting up and pushing the hair from her face while looking to the clock. 5:27. "Cat, what the hell!? Do you know what time it is? What's wrong?"

"Help me… please…" Cat pleaded through the pain spearing into her head. "Something's… wrong…."

"Cat, push the call button for your nurse honey," Tess instructed, trying to regain her composure. Something must really be wrong if Cat was calling her for a medical consult.

"Not… that kind… of wrong," Catherine ground out. "Evil…bad…danger…"

"Jesus, Cat, you're scaring me! What's going on?"

"Please come… danger… bring help."

Help? "You mean backup, Cat? I need backup?"

"Y-yes!"

"Okay you sit tight. I'll call Joe and I'll be there in 10. I don't care if I have to sprout wings to do it, you hear me?"

"Thanks-" Catherine's voice faded off and the call ended abruptly. Tess was already half finished dressing. She punched Joe's speed-dial while she slammed her feet into her boots.

"Damn it Vargas, it couldn't wait another hour?" Joe groused into the phone.

"No! Cat just called and she's flipping out about being in danger and needs us! Hospital – NOW!" She ended the call as she grabbed her keys, badge, and gun and ran out the door. Joe would probably be pissed at the way she barked the order at him, but under the circumstances she didn't give a rip.

Alex grabbed her purse and the large coffee from the console, glancing at the dashboard clock before killing the car's engine: 5:36. Ugh, it was going to be one long day. It was bad enough she was going to work a 12 hour shift, but then she had gotten called to help in ER before her scheduled hours started. Apparently there had been some freakish early-morning multi-car pileup on the Henry Hudson Parkway, and they were swamped with serious injuries. It wasn't often the ER drew from other departments for backup; in fact, this was the first time Alex had ever been called. Even though she didn't mind helping out in a pinch, she was glad it wasn't a regular occurrence.

She locked her car, and her thoughts fixed on Vincent. Less than twelve hours earlier they sat in her car in almost this same spot. She still couldn't believe he was alive, after all this time. Part of her wanted to be angry with him, but she just couldn't. It was just something about the desperate way he had begged her to leave him dead. She knew as certain as she knew her own name that he wasn't making any of it up. She just wished he could tell her what had happened to him; why he had to pretend to be dead.

As she was walking to the garage elevator, a shudder shook her slender frame. She had been so lost in thought, that she hadn't noticed how cold it was this morning. She pulled her coat more tightly around her, but when the hair on her neck started to stand up she knew that it wasn't the frigid air that had caused her body to shake her from her deep thoughts. Something felt… off. She looked around to see if anyone else was in the vicinity, but the garage was quiet. Too quiet. Just as her head turned to face in the direction she was walking again, a hand came around her and covered her mouth. She stiffened, but wondered if it was Vincent. Had he come back? At the jab of a gun poking her ribs, she lost hope that it was the desired lovers' reunion.

Alex began to squirm and fight against the man holding her, but he was much too strong for her to make any headway at getting free. The hand holding his gun snaked around her waist and squeezed her so tight against his body she couldn't breathe. "Settle down, sweetheart," he commanded with a growl. "This will go so much better for you if you do. I don't want to have to hurt you, but if you force me to, I will." She decided to change tactics, especially since she was getting light-headed from lack of oxygen. She relaxed, going totally limp in her attacker's embrace, making him bear the full weight of her body. Unfortunately for her, that didn't seem to deter him in the slightest. She felt herself being dragged along as she slowly drifted toward unconsciousness. Air began flooding her lungs again as she felt his hold on her shift so he could lift her off her feet and… Her eyes fluttered trying to focus. Where did he put her down? She screamed as she watched the trunk cover come down over her and plunge her into total darkness.