Chapter 2

Henry dialed Russell Jackson's number as soon as he reached his car in the garage. The phone rang six times before an exasperated Russell answered.

"Hello? This better be good Henry. It's after ten."

Henry started the car and slowly backed out of the garage. "Russell…it's Elizabeth. She's…"

"She's what?" Russell asked.

Henry took a deep breath and started again. How could he make Russell understand what was happening without wasting any time? "She's been taken. Held hostage by some official of Iran. I don't know. I just know that I need to speak to President Dalton."

"What are you talking about? She's not in Iran," replied Russell.

"Russell!" Henry shouted. "Listen. I'm driving to the White House right now. Can you get Conrad to meet me?"

"Not without a valid reason."

Henry sighed. Russell was so stubborn sometimes. He stopped at a red light and fought the urge to run it.

I don't have time for this. Elizabeth could be dying. She has to be okay. I have to be able to tell her that I love her one more time.

"Look, I'll explain what I know when I get there. Just meet me with President Dalton, okay?"

"Henry, are you alright? You sound a little off…" Russell said on the other end of the phone.

"Elizabeth is in danger and the President's Chief of Staff is arguing with me instead of helping me save my wife!" He beat his hand against the steering wheel, frustration and worry growing.

Henry's outburst sent off alarm bells in Russell's head. Henry was a calm person ninety-nine percent of the time. For him to be upset, it must be serious and it likely involved his wife. It reminded Russell of the time that Elizabeth was in Iran when she thwarted the coup and Henry came in to see the President. He yelled at Conrad and said that he would hold him responsible if she didn't make it.

"Are you absolutely sure she's in danger?" Russell asked.

"Yes. I wouldn't be calling you this late to chat. I'm seven minutes out. I'll meet you in your office."

Henry hung up the phone and dropped it into the empty passenger seat next to him. He put on his blinker and moved around a slow moving car, pressing hard on the gas.

How could this be happening? She was supposed to be safe. Why did she call me in what was possibly her final moments?

Part of Henry was touched that she wanted to say goodbye and remind him how much she loved him one last time, but the other part was confused about that decision politically. She had to know that calling the President was the better move. He could have talked to the person directly and maybe even tracked her location. Henry had very little information to go on and he was doubting that he would be of much help to her situation.

Elizabeth is smart. She has to have a reason for calling me and not Conrad. Maybe she is trying to tell me something else? Maybe she knew that Dalton would say he wouldn't resign and that the United States doesn't negotiate with terrorists which meant she was going to die and she needed to talk to her husband one last time…

Minutes ticked by and Henry couldn't help but think that he was letting his wife down. She was counting on him and here he was wallowing.

Hang on, Baby. I'm going to save you.

Henry parked the car, grabbed his phone, hoping that, by some miracle, Elizabeth called again, and slammed the door. He ran inside straight to Russell's office.

"Where's Conrad?" Henry asked, struggling to catch his breath.

"He's in the Oval. Hold on a second—tell me what's going on. What's got you so worked up, Henry?"

Henry took several quick breaths. "I already told you. Elizabeth's been taken. Some Official from Iran called me on her phone demanding that the President and Vice President resign in three hours or else they would shoot the Secretary of State and post it on the internet."

"How do we know this is a legitimate threat?" Russell asked, gesturing at Henry to sit.

Henry ignored his request and continued explaining what he knew to be true. "Because I spoke to her first! She sounded…hurt."

"Wait. I thought you said someone called from her number?"

"They did. But she was on the phone at first. She sounded like she couldn't breathe. She told me that she loved me and the kids and then someone else started speaking." Henry averted his eyes, slightly embarrassed telling Russell what he and Elizabeth spoke about briefly.

Russell knows she loves you. Get a grip.

"What's this guy's name?" Russell asked.

"He wouldn't say."

"When did they call?"

Henry looked down at the phone screen in his hand. "About thirty minutes ago now."

Russell typed some notes into his tablet that he always carried with him and Henry felt a flash of anger.

"What are you writing? Why aren't you calling President Dalton?"

"I'm just getting the information so we can figure out the next step."

Henry fought the urge to roll his eyes. "There isn't time! I already told you what they said. Are you going to help her?"

"Of course. But I still need to cross-reference what you told me with her official schedule. Have you heard from Blake or any of her DS agents?"

"No. She was only supposed to be gone two days." Henry flopped into the chair in Russell's office and wiped a hand down his face, attempting to keep the tears at bay. I'm getting nowhere. Why doesn't he seem more worried?

"Henry, it's okay. We'll bring her back."

"You don't know that," Henry said. His eyes hardened. "I'm not stupid. I know that we don't negotiate with terrorists. Even crazy lunatics that kidnap and hurt the Secretary of State. I know what the protocols are. But she's my…"

Wife. Lover. Partner. Best friend. Person. Everything.

Russell looked at Henry like he felt sorry for him. "I know."

"I don't want your pity. I want to bring her home. Alive," Henry replied.

I can't do this without you, Babe. Please hang on for me.

Russell stood up and grabbed his tablet. "Let's go meet with Conrad. I'll pull up her schedule and see if we can narrow down who would have known where she was today."

Henry followed Russell into the Oval Office and was greeted by President Dalton. "Good evening, Henry." He shook his hand.

We don't have time for pleasantries.

"Russell tells me that something is wrong with Elizabeth?"

"Yes. She's been taken hostage. They are demanding that you and Teresa Hurst resign tonight otherwise she'll be shot in less than three hours."

"And we're sure this is legitimate?" Conrad asked.

"Why does this entire administration think I'm lying?! Or crazy?!"

Conrad backed up slightly and Russell shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other.

The president's secretary opened the office door, breaking the tension.

"Ephraim Ware, Mr. President," she said, ushering the CIA director into the Oval Office. The door clicked shut behind her as Ephraim walked over to where the three of them were standing.

Henry glanced from Ephraim to Conrad, unsure of what to make of his involvement.

So they believe me?

Conrad's expression softened as he spoke. "Henry, no one thinks you are lying. We just want to make sure we have helpful information before the person that kidnapped Elizabeth makes any sudden moves. What can you tell us about how she sounded? Is she okay? Could the man have been bluffing?"

Henry sighed. "No, she's not okay. And before you ask how I know that, she's my wife. I know how she sounds on a normal day. She couldn't catch her breath. And she was in pain." Henry swallowed against the bile that was threatening to come up as he pictured Elizabeth hurt. "They were hitting her or slapping her. I could hear her whimpering." His voice cracked on the last word and he blinked to keep the tears from falling down his face. He looked away for a moment.

Man up. Elizabeth needs you to be strong. I will not cry in front of the President of the United States.

"What did the man say? Did you get a name?" Ephraim Ware asked Henry.

"No. He wouldn't give his name. He just said that Iran would get what they want."

"Who was meeting with her in Geneva?" Conrad asked. "Any ministers or presidents from Iran?"

Russell glanced down at the schedule on his table. "Looks like no one from Iran was supposed to be there. She was meeting with the Foreign Minister of Lebanon, but that's it."

"You're sure he said Iran?" Ephraim asked.

Henry nodded. "Yes. I definitely heard him say Iran."

Russell threw his hands up in frustration. "Well this makes no sense. We have no way of knowing who took her or what happened to Blake or her DS agents and why Iran is even involved."

Henry felt the blood rush to his cheeks in anger. "We're the most powerful country in the world! You're telling me that we're just going to leave her with some terrorist who is hurting her or possibly torturing her or doing God knows what to her?"

What if he was touching her? Oh God, I can't even think about that right now. Elizabeth, Baby, hang on for me.

"Of course not," Conrad said. "We're going to call her back so we can trace her location and see what we're really dealing with here."

Ephraim nodded. "My team is ready in the Situation Room when you are, Mr. President."

Henry breathed a sigh of relief for the first time since receiving the phone call from Elizabeth less than an hour ago. Now we're getting somewhere.

"Henry, we'll bring her back. No one is dying today," Conrad said, gesturing for Henry, Russell, and Ephraim to follow him out of the Oval Office and into the Situation Room.

He meant it to be reassuring, but Henry had his reservations . What if she didn't pick up? What if the man didn't stay on the line long enough for them to trace the call? What if she was already dead?

Several minutes later, the four of them were greeted by a team of people already in the Situation Room who stood up as soon as President Dalton entered.

Ephraim Ware spoke first. "Mr. President I think we should call Blake Moran first and see if he is able to give us any insight into what happened in Geneva. Maybe he can explain what happened to her DS agents."

"Call him," Conrad ordered.

One of the people sitting closest to the phone dialed the number and then pressed the button to put it on speaker so everyone could hear. Henry had seen him before, but couldn't remember his name at the moment. Elizabeth was always better with people's names than he was. It was a remarkable talent of hers. She could look at a list of names and memorize it at lightning speed. And once she met someone face-to-face, their name was locked in her memory forever. He envied that about her.

The phone rang over and over but there was no answer from Blake.

What if he was hurt too? Or dead?

"Has anyone been in contact with her detail?" Conrad asked.

"No sir. We lost communication with them about ninety minutes ago."

Henry closed his eyes. Oh, God. So she has no protection at all right now.

Conrad caught Henry's gaze. "Let's call her number. Are we ready to trace it?"

Ephraim and his team nodded.

The same person that dialed Blake's number dialed Elizabeth's and put it on speaker. It rang three times before someone answered.

"Hello?" said the same voice that Henry remembered from earlier.

Conrad leaned in towards the phone, placing his hands on the desk. "This is the President of the United States. What have you done with my Secretary of State?"

"President Dalton. Nice of you to join the party. We were just about to have some more fun."