Time passes slowly, the team works hard to connect the pieces of this elaborate puzzle. Hicks spends his time talking to Wendy, first aid, and Isa. As the hour comes to a close, Hondo grabs Hicks. When he enters, the team goes quiet
"Alright" Hicks says "first aid treated Isa for her minor wounds. Then I brought her to Wendy. For safety, we are not bringing her to a hospital until this whole mess is sorted out. Now, lay it all out for me"
"We used the names Adler and Sullivan, along with Isa's" Tan says "after a lot of digging, we have two primary suspects, Marcus Adler and James Sullivan. Met during college as they both studied to become pharmacist. The winning theory is that they used the knowledge to make the pill" Tan then pulls up the pictures of the men
Sullivan has white hair with an equally white face. He has an angular nose and a mouth that seems too wide and too small at the same time. The square like face makes Sullivan appear as a general. His eyes are a mix of brown and green, dead on the inside
Adler looks nothing like his daughter, blonde hair and icy blue eyes. The round and wrinkled face made his mouth appeared as if it was smeared on with a sloppy hand. Adler's features are too drastic for his face, making it feel like he was out of place. He stands smugly and appears almost bored
"When the money rolled in, Marcus Adler met 19 year old Asian, Isabelle Wu" Hondo says "police reports say that Isabelle called 911 repeatedly and begged for a restraining order. But none were given, base on the statements of Isa and others, we strongly believe that she was sexually abused" Deacon now pulls up a picture of Isabelle
She looks like an older version of Isa. Her brown eyes are soft and the black hair has more visible brown streaks. The mouth is lush and fit beautifully on the round face the features laid on. Isabelle has softer features in contrast to the others
"And then there was Isaac Adler" Hicks says, the team nods solemnly "Isa isn't connected to all of this, is she?"
"No" Hondo says "Isa spends most of her time away from the house, and Marcus has gone to great lengths to get rid of her. Using the pill to knock her out at night and possibly beating her into silence"
"That's a relief in a terrible way" Hicks says
"How is she?" Luca asks
"Wendy is trying to get her to talk, but it's a process" Hicks says "the best thing we can all do for her is catch that son of a bitch. Do we have an address?"
"That's the problem, there is no address tied to any of their names" Tan says "and with no other connections, we have no way of finding the house, without Isa"
Hicks nods slowly, understanding what the team is asking him to agree to
"Commander" Hondo says "we need Isa"
"There is no other way?" Hicks asks
"If there was, we would do it" Luca says,
Hicks paces around the table, think it through. Finally, he reluctantly nods. The team goes to meet Dr. Wendy in the doorway of her office
"How is she?" Luca asks again
"I am not too certain, Isa is someone who spends the majority of time alone. When she isn't, the people are normally not friendly" she explains "Isa is not used to being around people who give kindness without needing something in return"
"Has she said anything about her home life?" Street asks
"No, she's doesn't talk very much" Wendy says "but from what Hicks said, Isa is a victim to child abuse and trauma. Kids like that don't talk at all"
"What is she doing right now?" Tan asks
"Playing with some clay" Dr. Wendy says "keeps her hands busy, and keeps her from running"
"Can we come in?" Chris asks
Wendy nods. The team enters and sees Isa making balls of clay. She sits on the ground, the coffee table up to her chest, unsure what a couch would be like to sit on
"Hey Isa" Luca greets
She nods, but doesn't say anything
"What are you making?" Tan asks as the group sits on the floor next to her. Isa doesn't answer, eyes fixated on the lumpy spheres
"Are you ok?" Street asks, putting a hand on her leg.
As a natural response, Isa jerks her knee, making the table shake. She looks at them now, before shrugging
"Want to help us catch the bad guys?" Hondo asks, that gets her attention
"How?" She asks
"Isa, we want you to know where you live" he explains carefully "do you have an address?"
"I do not know, I only know the woods" Isa replies
"That's ok, could you show us?" Street asks
"No" she answers
"How come?" Luca asks
"Without them, I go to onto a foster home, I will not live there" Isa says
"That won't happen to you Isa" Deacon says "we will make sure of it"
"You can not say that" Isa argues "If you take them away, I will have no one"
"Now that isn't true" Luca says "we will have your back for your entire life"
"I do not want to go there, where there are Mitchels everywhere" she argues "they might hurt me, but they are only two"
"Isa-" Hondo tries
"No!" she yells, allowing her anger to take over. Then Isa pulls herself short "sorry, no. I would rather live with them till the day I die than be sent there"
"Isa, do you know what a promise is?" Luca asks quietly, she looks at him
"Heard the word, but not the concept"
"A promise is something friends and family can make to each other, and it is never broken" Luca explains "does that make sense?"
"I think so" Isa says
"I promise, that you will not go into the system Luca says "we all promise"
The team nods
"We will find someone who will look out for you ok?" Street says
Isa nods in understanding
"Do you promise?" She asks
"Promise" Hondo answers
"I'm scared" she says
"That's ok" Hondo says "because that means you care"
"Want to find them?" She asks, they nod. Isa stands and takes Luca's hand. They quickly gear up and follow her into the woods. Isa walks through the woods, hand not leaving Luca's, who holds it gratefully. Eventually the group is so deep jerk the woods that they have no idea where they are. Isa then stops and looks past something
"We close?" Street asks
"I just realized, they might not be home" she replies, she releases Luca's hand and looks ahead "I do not see the car"
"You sure?" Luca asks, looking ahead and barely making out a blob of a house "that's pretty far away"
"Only way to know is to enter" she says "I will go"
"Isa-" Hondo starts to says
"If they are not there, then there is no point in raiding the place" Isa reasons, walking on, but not before Luca says
"If you are gone too long Isa, we will charge in there"
"He's right" Hondo says "we will come for you"
"Go straight ahead, first house you see" she answers shyly before disappearing. The team waits impatiently, wanting to go in and arrest the group
"19 minutes and 30 seconds" Hondo says, looking at his watch "that's long enough let's go" the team marches straight ahead and then freeze. They now are staring at the back of a fancy rich house. The house has at least three floors and appears to be new
"And yet the man can't buy his girl some clothes" Street comments bitterly. Hondo tries to quietly open the back door but it locked
"Luca door" he commands, Luca goes over and cuts the lock off. Then they enter, walking through the basement they find a small mattress. They are able to scan the room and can easily tell that this is Isa's room. They are about to go up when a man enters
"Hello, may I help you?" He asks
"Looking for a lost girl" Hondo says "name is Isaac Adler"
"I think you got the wrong house, I live alone" he answers
"Well, sir" Deacon says "this is a big house to be living alone in"
"I enjoy the free space" he answers patiently "open and spacious"
"So you won't mind letting us enter and search?" Hondo asks
"I do not consent" he replies
"Got something to hide?" Luca asks
"Nope, just want y'all to respect my privacy" he says, then team hears a crash and the sound of someone falling on to the floor
"Everything good up there?" Hondo asks
"I think so" he replies "thank you for stopping by" then they hear it
"Dom!"
"Isa" Luca whispers. Knowing that it has gone south, the man tries to reach for a gun. Training kicking, Tan tackles the man and is cuffs his ass
"I'll take him outside" Tan answers "go find her" Now the team clears the basement and goes up the stairs. Searching that floor, they find nothing. Continuing on they see Sullivan trying to flee out the window
"No you don't!" Chris says pointing the gun right at him. The man then gets on to the ground, preferring to be arrested than be dead "24-David, Sullivan is in custody"
The group continues up to the last floor. As soon as they open it, a body guard tries to attack them. So Street punches him in the face. The bodyguard then tries to hit Hondo, but before he can, Street kicks the guy in the stomach. Street throws him to the ground
"26-David, one suspect in custody"
The remaining three head down a narrow hallway. There Deacon opens a door and the smell of death spreads across the floor. Peeking in, Deacon sees that the room is a bathroom, there Isabelle Adler lays dead her own blood. She holds a razor blade in her left hand
"30-David" he says "found the mother, DOA"
Hondo and Luca reach the end of the hallway and are greeted by a wide bedroom. They clear it and make their way to the balcony. There Mr. Adler is standing over his daughter. He dangles her over the railing, an evil smile spreads across his face. Isa looks up at him, holding on for dear life. Adler grins wider, knowing that if he merely shakes her too much, Isa will fall a good thirty feet and die
"Stop it right there" Hondo shouts
"I'll do what I please" he growls, shaking his arm to make Isa's grip loosen. She whimpers "immunity or she is dead"
"Want to go to jail for murder?" Hondo asks
"I won't because you'll give me what I want. It's always about the hostage" Adler answers, then he turns to Isa "isn't that right Isaac?"
"Yes sir" she mumbles
"Always about the hostage" he says "immunity or she is dead!"
"That just isn't happening" Hondo answers, Marcus snickers
"I would second guess that" he jerks his arms and Isa's grip starts to loosen as she slides down his arm "Isaac is the victim, don't want to hurt the victim. Isn't that right Isaac, you're just a victim"
"No sir" she answers, voice trembling at the words
"No?" Adler asks, surprised as that is the first time he has ever heard the word 'no' come out of her mouth.
"No sir" she repeats "I am not a victim, Mother is"
"Your slutty mother killed herself, Isaac!" He yells, jerking his hand again "get a grip, she ain't no victim"
"She is the victim of your hand" Isa replies, words coming out without permission as her voice grows stronger "she might have slit her wrists sir, but you were the reason and the one who put the blade in her hands"
"Now look at this?" Adler says to the team, he swings her against the rail, making her grip loosen more "my dear son has grown a pair. Wonder how far that courage will take you"
"Farther than you ever will" Isa says, she looks down and then she looks at Hondo and Luca. Isa's eyes lock on Luca, her now white eyes meeting his green "do you trust me, Dom?"
"Of course" he answers, Isa's face changes, from fear to determination
"Trust me than" Isa says, she looks at her father "I am no victim, I survived, the very thing Mother wanted me to do" Isa lets go of her father's hand and disappears beyond the balcony.
"Isaac!" Adler shouts looking for the kid, angry, he turns back to the group "shit!"
"Get down!" Hondo yells, heart breaking "now!"
Seeing no alternative, Adler tries to jump off as well. But as he jumps, Luca grabs his hand. Refusing to allow Adler to take the easy way out
"Not so fast" Luca yells, pulling him up. Luca shoves him to the ground and cuffs him "Marcus Adler, you're under arrest for selling illegal pills and child abuse" Hondo goes over to the balcony in small steps. He peers down, ready to see Isa's corpse, but instead finds the ground is empty.