AN: Thanks for the incredible response to this Snowing story! See previous chapter for important authors notes on characters and story notes.
Important note: Milah is not Neal's mother in this universe. Cora is I've taken some liberties again with characters and back stories. :)
Special Note: The character of TJ Morrison is a Manifest character. The characters of Nick and Greta Branson are based on Hansel(also known as Jack and Nick Branson) and Gretel from Once season 7. The character of Isaiah is a Manifest character.
Another Note: As we get further into season 2 and season 3, I will be focusing more on the major Manifest plotlines and not so much the minor ones that involve one offs with passengers, in addition to the original plots I have created for this story. Season 4 will be premiering soon and once I see what I'm working with, I'll make a decision if this story will be going with a Manifest type ending or if I have to move to more of a Once ending. Most of you that watch Manifest know that (spoiler alert) that Margaret's counterpart character in the series, Grace, dies at the end of season 3. I will not be doing that with Margaret. Either way, when the time comes, I will give this story a satisfying ending that may or may not match the series. :)
This one will update bi-weekly on Sunday nights now. Please consider leaving a review, it is much appreciated. Thanks to those that reviewed the last chapter:
Grace5231973: Yep, they messed with the wrong family! Glad you're enjoying! :)
Jennifer Baratta: Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!
Guest: Whoops...you're right. I fixed it, thanks for letting me know. I'm glad you like the story anyway though. :)
Ghostwriter: Yep, it's getting dicey. Glad you're enjoying!
Sexystarwarslover: Yes, David and Margaret are going to be frantic. Yeah, the wedding was really beautiful, only to be spoiled by these dirt bags. Yep, Killian still loves her. Ruby can see it. Yeah, Henry has helped Neal in a lot of ways. And I think Neal will soon repay that favor. Yep, they're going to pay and regret this. Glad you're enjoying it!
Lightning in a Bottle
Chapter 78: Icing Conditions, Pt 1
Commotion erupted at the Nolan house, as Emma and Neal returned with the frightening and bone chilling news that Henry had been abducted. By three drug dealers seeking revenge against Emma, no less.
"I'll get him back, MM…I promise," Emma said, as she hugged her sister-in-law, who was freaking out.
"Why Henry? Why would they take Henry?" she cried, as David held her close, letting her cry against his shoulder. Emma swallowed thickly.
"It's my fault…they're getting back at me," she confessed.
"What do you mean?" David asked.
"I arrested these dealers…and they want their meth back. But it's more than that," she explained.
"The Calling told me to let them go, but I didn't and I arrested them. The main guy was taunting me…like he knew I had a Calling to let them go," she confessed.
"Why didn't you?" David roared.
"Because I was doing my job, David! I…I didn't know…" she cried, before trailing off.
"Didn't know what?" he asked.
"Their cook house…it blew up after I arrested them. I think they were supposed to be in it when it exploded, but I screwed up," she replied.
"You defied a Calling! This is what happens!" he cried.
"I know! I know I screwed up…but I'm going to fix this!" Emma insisted.
"How?" Margaret asked.
"I'm going to give them what they want. I'll get their stash from the evidence locker first thing in the morning," Emma replied.
"First thing in the morning!?" David exclaimed.
"We can't wait!" Margaret cried.
"We have to! If I bring any cops in…they'll kill Henry," Emma said.
"Oh my God…oh my God…" Margaret cried, as she started to lose it again.
"I'll fix this…MM. I promise," Emma replied, as she went to check on Neal.
"How are you holding up?" she asked.
"I'm fine…you need to be with your family," he replied, as he shivered.
"They're your family too and I need to run to the precinct. Be here when I get back, okay?" she asked. He gave her a half smile.
"I'm not going anywhere," he promised, but both were acutely aware that his death date was tomorrow.
"Please Vance…" Regina pleaded. He sighed.
"Fine…her routine for the past two weeks seems pretty simple. She spends her mornings in a building in midtown. Then she takes a ferry downtown to a windowless building
on the corner of Church and Thomas. But it's only a matter of time before we identify one of her scientists and find out what she's learned. We can't risk blowing that now," he
replied.
"We don't have any more time…Neal dies tomorrow if I can't figure out how to stop it," Regina said. He sighed.
"Moving on the Major is no simple op. You need to sit tight and hope for a miracle," he said.
"I prefer science over miracles," Regina replied, as she walked away in a huff.
Emma arrived at the evidence locker first thing that morning and already, the clerk was suspicious.
"That's a lot of meth. Are you sure you need the whole thing?" she asked.
"Yeah. I sent in a tainted sample to the lab. Now they got to retest the whole batch, and, you know, Captain's pissed," Emma replied.
"I need your signature," the clerk said, as Emma sighed for the evidence bags. The woman went about filling out the paperwork, her fingers clacking on the keyboard and
there was a beep from the computer.
"What are you trying to pull? System says Killian Rogers is the lead detective. You're on leave," the clerk said.
"Does it look like I'm on leave?" Emma snapped, as she picked up her desk phone.
"Detective Rogers, please," she said, as Emma heard Killian on the other end. She hadn't wanted to involve him, but it looked as though she had no choice now. It wasn't
long until he arrived down at the locker, looking a little confused by Emma's presence.
"Do you know anything about a methamphetamine lab tests? Nolan's not authorized. Says here she left to get married," the clerk said, as Emma's eyes pleaded with him.
"What, and this is her honeymoon?" Killian asked.
"I need an authorized signature before I can release any evidence," she said and he signed it.
"Thank you. Sorry. It was not supposed to go that way," Emma said, as the cage rattled, as it was opened and the evidence was released to them.
"Yeah, I didn't think it was. What are we up to?" he asked.
"No, don't worry about it. Just go back to your desk. Don't get involved," Emma replied.
"Em, I just signed out an industrial-size box of methamphetamine. I'd say I'm involved.
"What are you up to?" he questioned. She sighed.
"Henry's been kidnapped," Emma confessed.
"What?" he exclaimed.
"I'm trading the meth to get him back," she said.
"The escaped Meth heads," he realized.
"Killian, you know as well as I do that the only way to get him home safe is to pay the ransom," she said. He knew she was right. No amount of hostage negotiation would
work with a guy like Jace.
"Okay…let's get him home," Killian replied.
"Fiona!" Regina called, as she boarded the ferry that morning. The woman in a long black coat turned to her, unable to mask her surprise.
"Or should I say Major General Fiona Black?" Regina asked and the Major smirked.
"Hello Regina. To what do I owe this surprise?" she asked.
"You know why I'm here. For starters, you got me fired, bitch…and you have something I want," Regina replied.
The cell phone rang and Kory answered it.
"Do you have the product?" he asked.
"Yes…let me talk to Henry," Emma replied, as Jace took the phone.
"I'm assuming you weren't stupid enough to tell any of your friends at the department," he warned.
"No. Let me talk to Henry. I need to make sure he's okay," Emma insisted.
"Remember when I promised you hellfire and fury?" Jace hissed.
"Jace, please don't...please don't hurt him," Emma pleaded.
"If I don't get back what's mine, I'm not gonna hurt him. I'm gonna kill him," Jace warned, as he hung up the phone.
"And what exactly is it you want?" Fiona asked.
"You've had a breakthrough. It's why you pulled my medical license, had me shut down," Regina replied.
"Sounds like you've gotten some help from beyond the grave," she said, as she smirked.
"So Vance lived. Surprise, surprise," Fiona surmised.
"He has eyes on us right now," Regina replied. She smirked.
"I'm a better liar than you, Regina. No, he doesn't. You're freelancing," Fiona said.
"People are gonna die. I need to find a cure. You stole my work!" Regina said.
"Your country thanks you for your contribution to its defense," Fiona replied.
"What if I have more to offer? If you tell me how to get rid of the genetic mutation, I can give you a complete medical profile on a man with an identical mutation who wasn't
on Flight 828," Regina offered. Fiona smirked.
"You mean Neal Cassidy? You don't think I have you and the Nolan family monitored? It was a beautiful wedding, by the way," she said.
"You're right. Neal Cassidy was crucial. Without his exonic sequences, I never would have found what I was looking for. Unfortunately for you, that means that you have…
nothing to offer," Fiona added.
"I have more than enough proof to go public," Regina threatened.
"Careful, Regina Those are the kinds of threats that get people killed. You really think you're ready to play at that level?" she asked, as the foghorn sounded.
"Ohh. This is my stop. It was nice to see you," Fiona said, as she disembarked and went on with her day, leaving a frustrated and desperate Regina behind.
David held Margaret, as Emma and Killian explained the plan to them in the kitchen. And it didn't sound all that promising to David.
So, we're supposed to leave a duffel bag of meth under a bench and, what...hope for the best?" he asked skeptically.
They'll show us Henry's okay, and once they confirm what they've got, they'll release him," Emma said.
"And what if they don't? What if they just take the drugs and run?" Margaret asked.
"They don't want Henry," Killian insisted.
"Are you actually on board with this?" David questioned, looking at his sister.
"Okay, look, no cop's ever supposed to say this to a family of a hostage. As dangerous as this is, involving the NYPD can make matters worse. They're trying to make an
arrest. Things can go sideways," Killian revealed.
"Well, we don't want to risk that," David relented.
"No, we don't," Killian agreed.
"Look, all that matters here is that we get Henry back safely. So, with that being said, Killian's plan is the way to go," Emma insisted. He nodded.
"It's what I would do if it was my son," Killian agreed.
"Killian will be there out of sight if anything does go wrong," Emma said, as the door opened and Ruby let herself in.
"Hey. It's just me. I came in the back in case anyone's watching. I thought maybe you guys could use this comms gear I borrowed from ESU," Ruby said, as she handed her a
pack of equipment.
"Y-You told her?" Emma asked incredulously.
"She's your partner," Killian answered.
"So much for no cops," David said.
"Hey. Today we're family," Ruby replied. Margaret smiled softly at her.
"Okay…what happens next?" she asked.
"It's time for the exchange," Killian said. David nodded and kissed his wife tenderly.
"Bring our baby boy home," she said.
"I will…" he promised, as he left with them and Killian explained the plan and it was executed.
They arrived at the plaza near the ferry docking station in lower Manhattan. David was waiting on the overpass, impatiently, for any sight of his son and his kidnappers.
Emma was on the plaza and placed the duffel bag full of meth under a bench and slowly started to walk away. Killian and Ruby were out of sight so as not to be recognized.
"Where the hell are they?" David asked impatiently. He was wearing an earpiece that was on a secure comm with the rest of them.
"Easy David…they'll be here," Emma replied.
"I've got eyes on them…two guys on the other side of the bridge. With Henry," Killian said. David saw them and his son saw him too.
"I see him…he's okay," David said in relief. Emma left the duffel bag and slowly walked away. Unfortunately, a good Samaritan got curious and called to her.
"Excuse me…young lady!" she called. Emma cursed inwardly, knowing that this nosy woman could blow the whole thing.
"You left your bag!" she called.
"Look…I'm a cop. I need you to walk away," Emma said, as she showed her the badge on her hip. The woman scoffed.
"I can get one of those for ten bucks on the Canal," she claimed, as she flagged a uniform officer.
"Shit…" Emma cursed.
"Emma…what's going on?" Killian asked.
"Good Samaritan," Emma replied.
"Damn it, lady," Ruby cursed.
"She left a bag under the bench," the woman reported.
"Alright, thanks," the officer replied.
"I did that on purpose. I can explain, okay?" Emma said.
"Lady, cop or not, you can't just leave your bag unattended," the officer replied.
"I am a detective at the 28th," Emma said, as she heard her impatient brother in her ear.
"This is taking too long. I got to get Henry!" he cried.
"David…Emma is taking care of it. Hang in tight," Killian warned.
"You're about to blow an undercover operation right now," Emma advised.
"I'll see what my sergeant says," the officer said, as she called it in.
"We're being played," Jace growled, as they took Henry and fled.
"Henry!" David cried, as he started chasing them.
"We got to head down there," Killian said, as he and Ruby made their move.
"No…Henry!" David cried, as he pushed his way through the crowd.
"Hey!" one person cried, as he collided with them.
"Henry!" David called, but it was too late. They were gone and still had his son.
"Somebody want to explain to me how a duffel bag of meth that's supposed to be in the evidence locker was a part of a failed hostage exchange?!" Graham demanded to
know. He was as pissed as Emma had ever seen him.
"Captain…" she started to say, but he cut her off.
"I've got Midtown North making noise that we didn't give them a heads-up on an undercover op, and the chief wants to know what's up with our evidentiary chain of custody!"
he shouted.
"They took my nephew," Emma confessed.
"And you should have come to me. Haven't I convinced you of that, after all we've been through?" he asked.
"Cap, she couldn't. There was a ticking clock on the exchange," Killian replied.
"And we have procedures, damn it! And as long as you work in this precinct, you will follow them!" Graham called.
"If you think that I give a damn about anything other than saving my nephew…" Emma snapped, as she put her badge and gun on his desk.
"You're quitting the force?" Graham asked.
"Yeah, if I have to. I'm bringing Henry back," she said angrily.
"Emma…" he snapped, as she turned back.
"Resignation not accepted. From here on out... we do things my way," Graham replied.
"I told you it was stupid to do it in public like that! This is on you!" Jace accused Kory.
"You're the one who wanted to take a hostage. Now we're stuck with him!" Kory shouted back.
"And how the hell else are we supposed to get back our supply, huh?!"Jace asked.
"This isn't about the supply, and you know it. You just wanted revenge. We should just ditch the kid and head for Canada," Kory suggested.
"The kid's the only leverage we have!" Jace argued, as Pete watched over Henry, who was laying on a cot in the other room of the cabin they were hiding in and Pete saw the
little boy shiver.
"Hey. You must be cold, huh?" Pete asked, as he found a blanket and Henry shrunk away from him.
"It's... It's okay. I'm...I-I'm not gonna hurt you," Pete promised.
"I know you're not, but...he wants to kill me," Henry replied.
"Uh, no. He...my...my brother's just... angry," Pete stammered.
"I'm not scared, but...my sister must be," Henry said.
"You... You have a sister?" Pete asked.
"Two, actually. Eden's just a baby, and Olive's my twin. She worries about me.
I just wish I could send her a message, just to say everything's alright," Henry replied. Pete glanced at Jace and Kory, contemplating on whether he should help the little boy
or not.
Cops were now swarming the Nolan residence and Margaret described their son and what he was wearing to the officers, while Emma and David congregated in the garage.
Her brother was silent and that's what worried her most.
"David…I'm sorry," she said and then sighed when he remained silent.
"What more do you want from me? I'm already dying inside," she pleaded.
"We're supposed to follow the Callings. That's...that's all you had to do. Then these bastards would have died in that meth-lab explosion, like they were supposed to, and
Henry would be home safe," he seethed.
"Yeah, maybe he would, but now we have to…" Emma suggested, but he cut her off.
"No, not maybe. I told you all other paths lead to disaster. You...you didn't listen," he said in frustration.
"Listen to what, David...let him go? I am sick to my stomach, but it didn't make sense." Emma exclaimed.
"You didn't want it to make sense!" he exclaimed back.
"How could I, David?! That is a voice in my head, telling me to let Neal die or to let three scumbag drug dealers go. That's not a voice I want to listen to," Emma argued.
"We don't have a choice!" he cried. She sighed.
"If we have zero control over what we do, then what was the point of us coming back in the first place?" she argued. He pointed at his boards and all they had been through.
"This. This, this. This, this, this is the point!" David shouted.
"All of this was dumped in my lap and yours. We were chosen. I don't know how, I don't know why, but I do know the only way for any of us to survive is to do what the
Callings want, and I am scared to death because you didn't...that it's too late," he said, choking back a sob.
"But we almost got him," Emma reminded him.
"But we didn't!" he cried, as they hugged.
"But we will…" she promised.
"I'm sorry…I'm sorry I yelled. Margaret and I love you like you're more than our sister. Like you're our daughter. We…we just want our son back too and all of us safe," David
said.
"I know…I love you guys too like you're my parents and we're going to get Henry back. Together," she promised.
"Together," Margaret said tearfully, as she ran to them and they enveloped her in their hug.
"What is this place?" Regina asked, as he arrived at the nondescript building.
"Somewhere that doesn't exist. I also got into your lab at the hospital and gathered up what research I could," Vance said. She glanced at him in surprise.
"Just because I'm dead doesn't mean I don't have connections," he added, as she looked at the computer screens.
"Thank you. That's…" Regina said, but he interrupted.
"What were you thinking, going to see the Major on your own? I told you to hang back.
"You went and announced we were watching?" Vance scolded.
"I'm sorry. I don't have time to play the long game. She knows you're alive, by the way," Regina replied. He rolled his eyes.
"Well, that's terrific," he snapped.
"Regina, now is not the time to go rogue!" he shouted.
"Look, Neal is gonna die if I don't find a cure," Regina shouted back. He sighed.
"What did she say that made you think you need a lab?" he asked.
"That Neal's exons were where she made the discovery. I need to run an analysis to see if I can find a stable solution. I just need to load Neal's sequence data into the
simulator," Regina said, as her fingers flew over the keyboard and she performed the task. The computer beeped.
"What? It's gonna take longer than I thought," Regina said dejectedly.
"Well, look at the bright side. You may have a cure in a week," Vance replied.
"That's six days too late to save Neal," she said. She had to find the Major again. She had to make her help her save Neal…
