A/N: Hey guys! I'm so sorry for the late (LATE) update however it was that time again when another hiatus was inventible. The surgery was successful (turns out I wasn't as sick as everyone thought I was. I'm fine and healthy for a woman in her 20's) my tooth fell out, I'm writing a book, and my husband decided to go back to school to pursue his degree and Doctorate and I'm the only one working. I'm fine, everything is fine just a quick debrief on what caused my long hiatus. I didn't want to leave y'all hanging so enough talking and let's get to the chapter!

Also: Just learned the former monarch Queen Elizabeth passed away this afternoon. My condolences to the royal family and commonwealth, however people have the right to grieve just as others have their right to protest. Sincerely an American.

Enjoy!

Previously on Little Girl Lost – The two teams have decided to join forces for the sake of protecting Paige and the Dineen family after learning of the kidnapping of their mother. Of course, tensions have flared and some members are getting along faster than others.

Chapter 23: Mark Your Move

Chapter Summary: Four geniuses enter a building, the problem is they don't know how many will come out.

"I hate to say it, but we really need the waitress." Happy Quinn Season 3 Episode 13 The Hole Truth

Walter stood silent as the door closed with a slam, an eruption of voices clouding his mind as everyone around him burst into anger and confusion the second Paige left with her sister. If he was being honest, Paige leaving hurt more than it should. Of course, she would want to go with her sister. Paige was a natural protector and he knew how important family was to her. With Ralph in a safe location and Cabe as a bodyguard, her sister would be the next person to protect especially where Mark and the 86ers were concerned. It was logical. It was a primary emotional response. He knew that. It was logical.

So why did it hurt so much?

"Walter!" Cabe shouted as he quickly grabbed his computer bag and walked quickly out of the room, monitoring the tracking device he put in Paige's backpack, and he lowered the coms as he could hear the others race after him.

"Walter, how are you tracking them?" Happy asked beside him as she had the tablet in her hands and he gave her the serial number as she nodded Sly and Toby were right behind them when he heard Cabe yelling at him in his ear.

"She knows something. They both do." Walter said tersely as he coded his way into the locked message software Tessa used to contact Paige. She wasn't the only one who could snoop around.

"Happy I need you to drive," Walter commanded as he tossed his keys to her and she caught them easily as they all ran into the parking lot, Walter typed away in the back as the van squealed out and Toby looked back from the front.

"Walt….what are we doing? It's not like we can follow them." Toby asked suspiciously as Walter only smirked.

"Yes, we can. We're using Tessa's own software against her. Ralph, did you get it?" Walter asked as he clicked opened the link and Ralph confirmed that he had a clear way inside and map schematics and passcodes were on a clear list on his screen and he smiled. "Excellent."

"Walter I have a lock on the software but I'm getting interference," Ralph spoke over the coms just as the tablet glitched with the data disappearing, and Walter was kicked out of the system he just spent ten minutes breaking into.

"What the – " Walter grumbled just as a message popped up on the screen

Nice try O' Brien, but this is a family affair. Mark Collins isn't here. Choose wisely.

Followed by a pinpoint that showed one stand-alone building and another point that showed a cluster of buildings three miles away. "Damn it!" Walter cursed as Florence looked up sharply and grabbed the tablet as she pinched her nose.

"This is a trick. She's making us choose!" She hissed as Sly and Toby exchanged glances and Happy's hands tightened on the steering wheel.

"Oh and let me guess…..Collins isn't with Veronica." Cabe grumbled over the coms as Walter sighed in frustration confirming Cabe's fears. "Ralph give me your com." Cabe demanded and there was a brief click as Ralph was no longer on the line.

"That is correct. She and Paige are in building 1 and Collins is somewhere in buildings 1. There's a fork in the road coming in one minute and 53 seconds. We don't have time to go to both, so we have to decide now." Walter said tensely as the van went quiet, the air tense as no one dared say a word.

Well, not exactly.

"We have to go right? That will lead us to Paige and Tessa. I trust Walter and that he made an accurate assessment of Tessa. Once we find them, we can find Mark." Florence said proudly as she looked at everyone in earnest Happy hmmfed from the front seat and Toby looked down torn over what to do. "We have to go right…right?" Florence asked, hesitation clear as she looked around. "They need us."

"Do they?" Happy growled out as she sped up and Sly gulped.

"33 seconds!" He said as Walter's breathing picked up.

"Yes, they do. We promised Paige!" Florence argued as Toby looked back and forth between the chemist and his wife.

"Mark has been missing for months and we haven't been this close to catching him since Norway. This is an opportunity that won't come again." Happy gritted out as Walter looked between his friends.

"Not to mention if Tessa finds him first she'll kill him. We need information from that son of bitch." Cabe threw in as Walter looked out the car window seeing paths diverge up ahead.

"23 seconds!" Sly shouted as everyone looked at Walter.

"Would that be a bad thing? I mean he did try to kill me. Huh? Does anyone remember that?" Toby jabbed as Walter glared.

"Then we're no better than him!" Walter said as Toby shrugged.

"Take deep breaths Sly," Toby said as Sly was slowly hyperventilating.

"I can't help it! We have to choose between Paige and Mark and this shouldn't be this hard!" Sly yelled as Florence shook her head.

"It doesn't have to be! We need to go right!"

"And risk losing tail of Mark!? We can't take the risk. We need to trust Paige she knows what she's doing. She's smart, she can handle herself!" Happy yelled as she jerked the wheel, and the fork became closer.

"13 seconds! Walter, we need to choose!" Florence urged tensely as Walter looked between the two paths.

"3 seconds!" Sly yelled as the paths became closer now.

"I'm not waiting!" Happy yelled as she jerked the wheel and the van skidded to the left as Walter snapped and the right path was in the rearview window.

"Happy!" Walter said aghast as she glared at him.

"You're not the boss of us anymore Walt. You couldn't choose so I did." Happy argued as she sped up and the road was becoming smaller by the second as his chest felt tight and the car felt too small.

"We need to get to Paige!" Walter argued as Florence was quiet in her seat.

"We need to clean up the mess. Tessa was right. We let Mark have too many chances. We need to end this now and we need your brain, Walter!" Happy argued as Walter was about to argue before he felt Toby's hand on his shoulder.

"We need to trust Paige Walt. Paige went with Tessa; we have to trust her decision." Toby said gently as Walter sighed as he knew that he wasn't going to win this argument. He knew he needed to trust Paige. However trust was fragile and it was broken already….how could he trust her when she had lied to him already? If the choice was as clear as he was making it seem he shouldn't have hesitated. She chose Tessa and for whatever reason what he liked or didn't like didn't matter. He had to trust her.

"I don't trust her," Florence said suddenly as she glared at all of them as Walter turned sharply. "Someone needs to be there, this isn't right!" Florence argued and before anyone could stop her she opened up the door, the wind blasting all of them as she jumped out, rolling on the dirt as Walter could only stare in shock.

"Florence!" Walter yelled as he went to dive in after her but his shirt collar was grabbed from behind him as Toby pulled him back and he could see her sprinting back to the road as he linked the coms once again and yelled "Florence what was that! You can't reach her in time! We can't go back to get you and get Collins at the same time!" Walter chastised as he could hear her ragged breathing.

"I know I won't reach them in time but I can help them. You guys handle Collins, I have Paige's six! I'll be fine!" She shouted as the van turned a sharp corner and the pin drop beeped signally that Mark Collins was in the first building they saw.

"We have to go Walter. We have to trust them." Toby advised as Happy pulled the van to a stop and Walter took a deep breath as Florence was breathing hard and Walter's eyes drifted toward the building. He had to trust Paige.

"Let's go."

As soon as they entered the dingy building and the doors closed, darkness enveloped them with nothing but the small holes of sunlight to lead the way and their breathing filling the silence. "Well, I'll take creepy and desolate for 1200 Jerry!" Toby quipped as Walter shushed him.

"This place doesn't look right, Walt." Happy mentioned as Sly looked around at the slightest noise.

"Guys I don't like this. I don't feel right about this. Why is it so quiet?" Sly asked hesitantly as Happy suddenly pushed Walter out of the way before Sly screamed before he fell to the ground in a heap Toby dodged just as Happy landed on top of Walter and Toby lay still on the ground.

"Toby!" Happy yelped before Walter felt a prick in his neck before his vision went dark.

Groaning Walter, felt around him groggily as the taste of iron was in his mouth and smooth stone underneath his hand. No doubt as a result of a drug serum and their bodies were dragged underground to a bunker.

"Walter, you awake?" Toby whispered as Walter nodded and opened his eyes, everything was blurry until he blinked a few times and his eyes got used to the dim lighting. Beside him, the others were starting to stir as he tried to gather his wits and surroundings.

Without answering Walter groaned as he discovered both his hands and legs were bound and his mouth gagged. As his eyes adjusted to the light he saw his team was the same way as all of them slowly awoke with gags in their mouths. Toby was the only one who could speak.

"Walt we're in serious trouble." Toby started before he was interrupted by a slow clap that echoed around the room. Glancing around he could barely make out a figure in the corner of a room until the lights were suddenly switched on and he blinked against the sudden brightness until Mark walked forward, smiling as Walter glared.

"Ah. It's so nice to have a visit from old friends. It seems that sentimental drivel may have its uses after all. My theory was correct. Our previous quarrels about humanity have served me well in knowing scorpion better!" Collins laughed as Walter kept his eyes on him while trying to gauge his team.

"Yeah, and studying mental patients has helped us understand your psyche" Toby quipped.

"Tobias your petty words will do nothing for your predicament. Here I was excited, elated to see my old friends once more but…I've made new ones. My friends are very thorough when they want someone and unlike some people who would rather peddle drivel in the name of scientific discovery they appreciate the pure genius, it takes in soundwave technology. Together we've made strides in helping the intellectual elite and not the back-end scum that I'm used to being around. There are some real criminals that are running around here." Mark shuddered as he walked closer to Walter and sat down in front of him as he looked at everyone with an unhinged smile.

"What's going on Collins? What's your deal? First, you try to ruin Cabe's life, and now you've graduated to hanging out with killers. Way to lower standards" Happy yelled as she got her gag out of her mouth Mark rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"Happy, as always, your cheery disposition and outright hostility have not been missed." Mark sighed as he fished for a small remote out of his pocket and pressed a few buttons as more lights started to turn on and their restraints started to tighten and Toby groaned. "Comfortable Tobias? My new friends made these special." Mark smiled as Toby glared.

"And are your new friends the tap dancing monkeys that make up the right side of your brain?"

"Tobias your comments, although may seem witty only prove your defeat is inevitable. I know you believe that you I have this vendetta against your team however the truth, as boring as it can be, is that I'm simply doing a favor. My friends helped me, I help them. A true partnership."

"A partnership of evil." Cabe jabbed as Mark only smiled.

Evil vs Good. Right and wrong. The lawful and criminal are all human terms made up to make themselves feel better. Why I know all of you have committed various crimes! Yet you an agent to prevent such things are directly working with people who have broken the law!" Mark boasted, laughing as he got off the floor and started to walk back and forth. "Walter and Happy's illegal marriage, Sly stealing money from various banks, Toby illegally gambling….does that make them criminals? Do they consider themselves criminals or are they lawful because of some human construct and shades of grey they tell themselves to make them feel better? Why Walter has even killed." Mark said quietly as his eyes glinted with malice and Walter flinched at the reminder.

"Well, there's a big difference between us and you Mark in the fact we don't intentionally harm people to get what we want. We try to help people." Toby argued as Mark rolled his eyes dramatically.

"And that's the exact type of simplistic answer I expect from the lowest intellect on Scorpion. Not even counting the new chemist that you added to the team or the waitress. I'm not here to debate petty philosophical differences. I'm here as a type of insurance." Mark chuckled

"You're after Paige now," Walter stated as Mark laughed.

"Oh, don't miscredit me, Walter. I'm not only after the waitress but her sister, her mother, and even an ex-boyfriend…just as my own personal touch."

"What are you talking about Collins?" Happy asked as Mark only smiled.

"I was initially very curious as to why Walter would invite a normal on the team. I had only guessed her role on the team was a way for Walter to gain exposure to her gifted son and then only to find out….she had a sister whose intellect was greater than mine! Seems the waitress had more skeletons in her closet than I had initially guessed. Only to find out what she had done to my dear friends." Mark slowly shook his head as he looked over his shoulder.

"I can understand a man's need for vengeance that can only be repaid in blood. Of course, I couldn't deny his request so I simply made it so that you would be separated….not that it was that hard. Her sister made sure of that." Mark said as he walked to the other end of the room and pressed another button before a transparent wall separated them and Mark's voice echoed in the room.

"I'm sure once the drugs had fully exited your system Happy will figure out a way to free yourselves of your restraints however when that time comes it will be too late. I do wish you luck Scorpion because once they're done with them….you'll have to find another waitress." Mark said coldly as his laughter filled the room as Walter looked on desperately.

"Paige" He whispered as Happy hurried to undo the restraints. He needed to get to her. Before Mark got to her first.

"We have to get out of here now!" Happy said urgently as she was already free and Walter could only stare, impressed as she got work on his restraints.

"Paige convinced me to keep nail files on me at all times; upkeep of the nails is good self-care and all that. The nail files are stainless steel and have enough strength to make a solid pick. Collins may be a genius but he isn't as smart as me with tools."

Walter smiled as his hands became free and he worked on the ropes on his feet before he ran to the panel and slowly started to unplug wires and configured the controls to his phone.

"Sly how long would it take to get from here to the coordinates where Florence was heading too?" Walter called as he coded his way in, trying to unlock the wall.

"About 20 minutes and 13.2 seconds!"

"Okay! Happy patch Cabe in and tell him we'll move back to rendezvous point B!" Walter called as Happy slid on the floor and started hammering at the bolts connecting to the glass.

"Already cued him in! He knows what to do now we have to get out of here before Paige is toast!"

"Ralph is trying to get in contact with Tessa but so far no one is responding. Their coms went out as soon as you all entered that building." Cabe said over the coms and Happy drove like a madwoman though the desert as Walter tried…and failed to lock onto Paige's signal.

"This isn't good Walter, if we can't locate them who knows what that psycho will do to Paige!"

"And Tessa" Sly countered and Toby rolled his eyes and scoffed.

"Yeah and Tessa. Although why we're ricking our tokuses for her." Toby grumbled as Walter kept a keen eye on the vast emptiness of the desert.

"She's Paige's sister – we have to help her." Sly said as he was doing calculations in his head to calm himself.

"That and without Tessa, we have no Paige, and no Paige means she the 86ers get to her first. As much as I don't like Tessa we need her." Happy said stiffly as the van managed to get faster.

"She's Paige's family….and a genius. She's one of us." Walter muttered as the van got quiet at the reminder of more than the threat externally but internally as well.

"She's like us. She isn't one of us. There is no us." Happy softly said as Walter looked away and frowned; his earlier conversation still ringing in his ears.

"Not yet anyways." Sly softly muttered as Walter caught his eye and softly smiled as Sly gave a shy smile in return.

"Uh guys not to break up this tender yet slightly awkward moment, but is it just me, or is that a Paige and Tessa-shaped body lying a few feet ahead of us?" Toby shakily announced as Walter looked up hastily and the outline of Paige's still form made his heart skip a beat.

"Oh my…Paige." Walter whispered brokenly as Happy skidded the van to a halt

"Walter she's not moving. Toby neither of them are moving!" Sly shouted as all of them jumped out of the van and Walter felt his legs moving but his whole body was cold. Cold and numb and shaky at what he would find.

"Paige!" He shouted as Toby ran slightly ahead of him and reached for her pulse point Walter grabbed her shoulders and lightly shook her. All reasoning escaped his mind as he tried to awake her. Because that's all that was happening. She was just unconscious. Anything else was out of the question.

"Paige!" He shouted as her eyes remained closed and her color pale. "Paige wake up!"

"Wake up!"

A/N: Okay not going to lie, I'm not the proudest of this chapter. Maybe in the future when I have more time (and drive) I'll rewrite it but I hope y'all like it! This story is reaching the climax and as a way to make sure, I don't disappear again I'll be creating a Facebook Group BookLoverstar's Story Corner. There I post updates on what I'm doing, when I update, teasers, and more! I'm working on the next chapters as we speak so to be updated give me a follow!