By Leslie

Disclaimer: Most of the characters in this story belong to ABC-TV. They are not my property. I am simply borrowing them, without permission from ABC-TV, for my enjoyment.

My personal thanks to Sue Burke for her diligent efforts as a beta-reader. Without her support and encouragement, this story would not be a reality.

This story picks up where the series left off. During the convention, Schmidt mentioned that the second season would have them heading for the hills. He also mentioned that Tom and Sloan would have a child. I juggled those comments around in my head and jotted down a few ideas. Before long, I had an image in my head of the first episode for the second season....I've mixed in some original ideas, but here's one of several interpretations of what Schmidt might of had in mind. Enjoy!

*****

"911. What's your emergency?"

"Hello, yes, I need an ambulance. Please, hurry!" Sloan Parker kneels down and carefully props Ed Tate's head up with a pillow she'd grabbed off her flowered chair as she'd reached for the cordless phone. He's conscious, but is basically immobile and unable to communicate with her. He's disoriented, his eyes appear glassy, and there is a small circular mark on the side of his neck. Sloan touches the mark softly with the tip of her finger, knowing it's from some kind of injection.

"What's the nature of the emergency, ma'am?"

Unsure of whether to involve the police, Sloan simply states, "My best friend just collapsed on my living room floor."

"Is your best friend breathing?"

"Yes, he's breathing, but it's shallow."

"What's your address, ma'am?"

"202 East La Loma Road, Apartment 305. It's located above the Kingsbridge Florist Shop. How long before they get here?" Sloan has been on the phone for less than a minute, but it seems like an eternity. As she glances over at the clock on the mantel, Sloan spots Tom's mug on the table by the lamp. Tears immediately fill her eyes.

"The ambulance is on the way. They should be there within five minutes, ma'am. Just stay calm and wait for them to arrive." Several seconds pass with no response from Sloan, and the operator asks, "Ma'am, are you still there?"

Sloan hears the emergency operator's question, but she can't seem to form the words necessary to answer his question. She absently places the phone down beside her and stares at the mug. Suddenly, she flashes to the image of Tom as he was being shoved into the unmarked van. She will never forget his expression. She squeezes her eyes shut, knowing without a doubt that it will forever haunt her.

*****

As the ambulance pulls away, Sloan rushes frantically to her car, determined to keep pace with it. Taking her seat and reaching back for her seatbelt, she notices a suspicious figure standing across the street. They make eye contact only briefly before he begins to cross the street, heading straight for her car. Sloan immediately panics, starting the car and shifting it into drive before speeding away.

As Sloan's car disappears around the turn, the figure standing in the middle of the street pulls out his cell phone. A dark sedan emerges from the adjacent alley, stopping only briefly to let the man into the car before racing around the corner in pursuit.

*****

Sitting in the middle of the sparsely decorated living room of the safe house he'd been living in for the past few days, sipping on a cold glass of water, Mark Ward closes his eyes, knowing he needs to be rested if he is going to stay sharp. At this stage of the game when the stakes are high, any mistake, no matter how minor, could be fatal.

Just as Mark reaches a comfortable resting state, the phone abruptly rings. Without bothering to open his eyes, he reaches over to the small side table and grabs his cellular phone.

"Yes?"

The familiar voice on the other end says briefly, "Dr. Parker is headed to Memorial Hospital with Dr. Tate. It appears that he was injured during the attack."

"Your objective hasn't changed, John. Get them here ASAP; there's a problem with Team One."

"What kind of problem?" John asks, clearly disappointed that things aren't proceeding without a hitch.

"They've lost track of the unmarked van that was carrying Tom," Mark replies.

"What now? We can't leave Pasadena without him. He's too important to our cause."

"I'm well aware of his importance, John," Mark states plainly. "I'll figure something out. Report back to me when you have Dr. Parker and Dr. Tate in your possession."

Without waiting for a response from John, Mark disconnects the call and punches in Walter Attwoods' cellular number.

*****

At his end, the man who had approached Sloan's car as she'd driven away folds up his cellular phone and puts it in his pocket. "He wants us to get them out of the hospital," he says quietly, glancing over at the driver.

"What about Daniels, John?" The driver looks back at him, his aura tight with concern. "What happened?"

"They lost him," John answers. "For the moment, anyway."

"Then why aren't we meeting up with Team One to find him?"

"Because someone has to get Sloan Parker and Ed Tate, Jacob," John says patiently, meeting his brother's worried gaze. "They're important to our cause too."

Jacob looks unconvinced, but then nods his head, turning his attention back to the traffic in front of him. "We should be there in ten minutes," he predicts.

*****

As Ed lies sleeping in his hospital bed, Sloan reaches into her purse, swiftly locating her cell phone. She has been trying for hours to reach Walter and Ray. Dialing Walter's cell number again, she rises out of her chair, stretching her screaming muscles as she heads toward the room's only window. As the sun begins to rise, lending a warm glow to the room's interior, Sloan listens to the automated recording on the other end. Frustrated, she immediately ends the call, looking back helplessly at Ed's still form.

"Walter, Ray, where are you?" Sloan whispers to herself.

"Doctor Attwood and Detective Peterson are safe. They are just temporarily out of reach."

Sloan jerks her head around at the sound of the unfamiliar voice, and her eyes widen as she recognizes the man standing in the doorway as the one she had spotted last night outside her apartment building. Retreating a few steps and frantically looking around the room for something that could be used as a weapon, she trips over the chair. Scooting across the floor backwards, unwilling to turn her back on this man for a second, she reaches up and grabs the call button, pushing down on it repeatedly, praying the nurses aren't in the middle of a shift change. Given the early hour of the morning, though, she doesn't hold out much hope for a speedy response. As the man moves forward, Sloan opens her mouth, ready to scream at the top of her lungs if necessary. She's not going down without a fight.

"That's unnecessary, Dr. Parker," the man says calmly. "I'm not here to harm you or Dr. Tate."

"Who are you? What do you want from me?" Sloan asks, her voice shaking as badly as her hands.

"My name is John. My only objective is to transport you and Dr. Tate to a secure location." John slowly approaches Sloan, reaching out a hand to help her off the floor.

"And where might that be?" Sloan asks, staring up at him warily. As he leans down toward her, his trenchcoat opens slightly and she notices that he's wearing a firearm.

"Like I said before, Dr. Parker, a secure location. It's not safe for you here." John senses a sharp peak in her fear and follows her eyes to his right side, realizing suddenly that it's in response to his gun. John simply states, "It's a requirement in my line of work, Dr. Parker."

Hesitating, Sloan finally puts her hand in his and lets him pull her to her feet. Once she's up, John releases her hand and reaches over to lower the rails of Ed's bed. After carefully pulling out Ed's IV, he removes the nasal canulla before preparing to lift him up off the bed.

"What do you think you're doing?" Sloan protests, reaching out to try to stop him. "We can't leave...Dr. Tate is in no condition to be moved." She is becoming increasingly annoyed with John. He doesn't expect her to just take him at his word, does he?

John feels her annoyance overpowering her fear, but knows that it won't be long before one of the nurses reaches the room. Unwilling to wait around for the nurse, he shakes off Sloan's grip and takes her wrists in his hands to hold her still, looking down at her. "Not every dominant wants to kill humans, Dr. Parker," he says intently. "I'm offering you a chance to live, if you'll take it, and to get back to your own people." Then, without waiting for her response, he turns and picks Ed up, heading swiftly toward the door. As he reaches it, another man dressed in a long trenchcoat appears, pushing a wheelchair in front of him, and the two lower Ed into the chair. The second man quickly wheels Ed away and the first turns back to look at Sloan one last time. "There's no more time for debating, Dr. Parker...the nurse should be here at any minute. Are you coming?"

Sloan looks at him uncertainly and then around the empty hospital room, thrown off-balance by this latest turn of events. Then, with a jerky nod, she grabs her jacket and purse and quickly follows him out of the room.

*****

"Pull in right here, Ray," Walter Attwood says, staring out the passenger window of the car intently. "This should be it."

Ray Peterson slows down, noticing the beige, two-story house that is set quite a distance back from the road, secluded from any other houses. Its exterior is plain and it looks deserted; all the shades on the windows are drawn, and the lawn looks like it hasn't been mowed in some time.

"I still don't feel right about this, Walter," he says uneasily. "How is it that Mark is so well informed about your boss' actions...securing the lab, kidnapping Tom?" Ray's patience is running thin. Mark had made another call to Walter's cell phone last night, only minutes before they had reached Whitney Labs. He had informed them that Walter's boss, Allana Thorn, had kidnapped Tom, secured the lab, and had several men watching both the lab and Walter's home, hoping that Walter would make an appearance. To say the least, Mark had been stingy on the details. Unwilling to answer most of their questions over the phone, he had given them precise directions to this safe house outside of Pasadena and told them to come straight here.

Unsure of what was going to happen once they reached the house, Ray had insisted on returning home to Grace and Matt first. He wasn't about to leave them there unprotected, knowing that Allana would do anything to get her hands on them after what he and Walter had pulled. After much debate with Walter, Ray had called Grace and told her to quickly pack the necessities, grab the emergency cash, lock up the house, and leave from the back porch, crossing through the neighbor's yard and meeting him on the next street. Not sure that keeping Grace and Matt with him was such a good idea, he had decided that sending them by bus to Arizona to stay with Grace's old friend from college was their best bet. Hopefully, Allana wouldn't be able to make the connection and his family would be safe until he could return to them.

As they pull up to the safe house, Ray shakes his head in disbelief. "Given Tom's kidnapping, we should be meeting up with Ed and Sloan in order to plan our next move, not meeting with this guy."

"I'm sure Mark has a good reason for asking us out here, Ray," Walter replies as they both get out of the car. Besides, he promised me that he was taking care of everything, and said that our only concern should be getting here to meet with him."

Reaching the front porch, Ray looks back at Walter, who is trying to straighten the collar of his shirt in order to make himself look more presentable, and says grimly, "I just hope 'everything' includes Ed and Sloan!"

*****

As the limo pulls up to the abandoned warehouse, Allana Thorn is lost in her own thoughts. If Walter leaks any information to the press about the events of the past few days, it could mean the end of her career. She's not concerned so much with the press....they can be controlled....but her superior, Mason Jones, would know of her failure and she would be severely reprimanded. She has worked too hard and sacrificed too much to let everything slip away now. Walking back toward town, her heels blistering from her dress shoes, after Walter had so generously left her on that deserted stretch of road last night, she'd known that she would have to act fast. Her first step would be kidnapping Tom. With him trapped and at her mercy, Walter and Sloan would be willing to do anything to get him back. Both had formed an attachment to him--especially Sloan. And while Walter was the 'leader' of the group, Sloan was the driving force behind it and Walter knew it. Neither one would be willing to sacrifice Tom's life, and she would use their vulnerability to get her revenge and to get her cell phone back from Walter.

Allana stares out the tinted window grimly. One way or another, she vows, she's going to get her hands on that phone. It alone is enough to bury her. Never being a team player, she hasn't exactly played by the rules, and while that willingness to do anything and deal with anyone has gotten her to where she is today, it has also made her vulnerable. In order to be effective, to reach a level of power that few people achieve, she's had to associate with some less than prestigious and sometimes even dangerous people, and their numbers are lodged in the memory of that cell phone.

Even before the limo reaches the main door of the warehouse, the leader of the assault team is waiting. He knows from experience that she doesn't like to be kept waiting and is notorious for her ruthlessness. As she rolls down the window, he approaches, leaning down to see into the vehicle.

"Have you followed my orders?" Allana asks coolly.

"Yes, ma'am. Daniels was stripped of his original clothing and placed in the cage."

"Is the overhead light on? And did you lower the temperature in the warehouse? I want him kept as uncomfortable as possible and in a constant state of stress. Is that understood?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Turning her head back toward the front of the limo, making eye contact with her driver, his signal to drive, she adds warningly, "I'll be back this evening. There are some matters that I must attend to today. I'm leaving you in charge. Don't disappoint me, Warren."

"No, ma'am."

Once the limo has pulled away, Warren takes a deep breath, relieved that conversation is over. Before heading back into the warehouse, he turns to watch the cascade of warm colors that fill the sky as the morning sun crests over the distant mountains. Warren soaks up the comforting sight before him, knowing it's the only pleasant scene he's likely to witness today.

*****

"Just relax, Ray," Walter says calmly, following him up the walkway to the front door. "I'm sure Ed and Sloan are on their way."

Just as Ray reaches for the buzzer, Mark opens the door. Smiling briefly, he unlocks the screen and pushes it open. "Good morning, gentlemen," he states rather formally. "Won't you come inside?"

After Walter and Ray clear the doorway, heading for the living room, Mark scans the street before closing the door, making sure that no one has followed them. As he enters the living room, he notices that both men are still standing, despite their obvious fatigue. "Please, make yourselves comfortable," he says, gesturing toward the couch that sits against the far wall.

Without hesitation, Walter takes off his leather jacket, placing it neatly on the arm of the couch before sitting down. Ray follows suit, hoping Mark will cut to the chase.

Taking his seat on a chair across from them, Mark asks, "Did you find the place all right?"

Walter replies, "Yes, the directions were fine."

"Did you encounter any trouble?"

"No trouble. Why do you ask?" Walter asks warily, knowing Mark is trying to figure out what they've been doing for the last several hours.

"I was expecting you some time ago," Mark replies, sensing Ray's growing aggravation.

"I had to ensure my family's safety first," Ray blurts out. "I wasn't about to leave them unprotected."

"Of course not." Mark bows his head slightly, a form of apology among his people.

"I don't mean to be rude, but when are you going to explain what's going on?" Ray asks, determined to get some answers.

"When the others arrive," Mark states briefly. "John called me only minutes before you arrived. He and his brother, Jacob, should be here within the hour, along with Dr. Tate and Dr. Parker. The other two members of my team will be joining us later."

*****

Reaching one of the hospital's exits, John swiftly lifts Ed up out of the wheelchair, leaving it in the middle of the corridor. Making their way to the parking garage, Sloan notices the security car heading their way.

"John?"

"Don't panic. He's just making the rounds," John replies evenly.

"Don't you think we look a little suspicious? You're carrying a full-grown man to the parking garage in his hospital gown!" Sloan's voice is consumed with panic.

John looks down at Ed's attire and quickens his pace. "Walk beside me. Block his view as much as possible. We're almost there."

As they reach the dark sedan, Jacob disarms the alarm and unlocks the doors. Opening the back door, he motions to Sloan. "Get in."

Sloan quickly jumps into the back, sliding over to the other side as John leans in, placing Ed's limp form down beside her. Instinctively, Sloan places Ed's head on her lap and begins to push his hair away from his face. John is startled by the gesture, but says nothing. It's not his place.

Jacob, who had quickly climbed into the driver's seat, swings his head around to look at John. "What's the hold-up? We need to get going."

"All right, start the car," John says quietly, still watching Sloan's hand move repeatedly across Ed's face. As Sloan looks up at John, he quickly averts his gaze, pulling back and shutting the door.

As the car pulls out onto the street, tires squealing, John pulls out his cell phone. Calling Mark, he says tersely, "We're on the way." After replacing his phone in his pocket, he looks back at Sloan, who is now fussing with Ed's flimsy nightgown. "We'll reach our destination within an hour."

Sloan silently nods her head, glancing up at the mirror to see Jacob's brown eyes looking back at her. Suddenly feeling uncomfortable, she quickly turns her attention back to Ed, who appears to be waking.

*****

As the elevator reaches the top floor, Allana reaches down for her briefcase and heads straight for her office. Unlocking the door and flipping on the lights, she notices a neat stack of progress reports on her desk, along with a couple of pink message slips. Taking her seat at the desk, she tries to organize her thoughts, focus on the task at hand. Pushing the message slips aside for the time being, she flips through the progress reports quickly. All seem to be progressing nicely, except one. Allana frowns. She has had her hooks in Lewis for almost a month now and has nothing to show for it so far. Not one piece of valuable information has passed his lips, despite her 'persistence' in questioning him. Slamming the file down, she leans back in her chair, squeezing the armrests with both hands, her knuckles turning white from the pressure. "Now what?" she mutters under her breath. She is running out of ideas. "How much longer is that man going to hold out?"

Regaining her composure, she swivels the chair slightly, reaching down for one of the messages that had fallen to the floor when she'd slammed the file on the desktop. As she brings the message closer to her eyes and the writing becomes clear, Allana cringes. It's from Mason Jones, her boss, dated yesterday. Quickly reaching for the phone, she dials his cell phone, knowing he's in Washington overseeing a new project. After only two rings, he answers. "Yes."

"It's me. I just received your message. I would have gotten back to you sooner, but I was otherwise detained." Allana keeps her voice steady, despite the overwhelming panic that is coursing through her bones. Before he has a chance to ask any questions, she continues, "Is there a problem with the Washington project?"

"No. In fact, it's proceeding quite nicely. I simply wanted to let you know that I will be returning a few days early, and I expect you to be prepared to brief me on your current projects when I arrive. Have there been any new developments?" Mason asks curiously.

"I've just finished going over the progress reports that were on my desk this morning, and all but one seems to be on track."

Over the phone, she senses Mason's frustration and disappointment. She can almost picture his face, although he is miles away, and knows that he's well aware which project has run into problems. There are a few minutes of silence before he replies. "Find a way to crack him, Allana. I'll be back in two days. Two days. I want results!"

Allana hangs up the receiver, knowing there isn't a friendly 'goodbye' coming from the other end. Looking out the window at the morning sun, she can almost physically feel her time running out. Mason's early return means she has to work fast, faster than she originally planned. Desperately, she tries to think of what her next step should be, and then, suddenly, an idea smacks her straight in the face...she has Tom in her custody, and Lewis, and the means to capture Sloan too. All she would need, she muses, is the three of them alone in a room together, and she could use them to get back what she's lost and more.

Rocking back and forth in her chair, Allana smiles as she slowly begins to devise a plan. If she plays her cards right, she can clear up all her problems before tomorrow night.

*****

The dark sedan slowly pulls up to the safe house. Inside the house, Mark turns his head abruptly, sensing their presence. He checks his watch. "Right on time."

"What?" Ray asks, lost in his own thoughts.

Walter glances out the window and nudges Ray. "They're here!"

Both men jump off the couch, unable to control the nervous energy that has been building over the last hour.

As the three of them walk out onto the front porch, John and Jacob exit the vehicle, both giving Mark a quick glance as they walk back to open the rear doors.

Walter and Ray rush down the steps toward the car, with Mark following more slowly behind them, sensing the relief that colors their auras.

Sloan jumps out from her seat in the back, using the door as support, practically knocking Jacob off balance in her haste. Walter and Ray smile, expecting a huge hug from her. Instead, she stops a few feet short of them and places both hands on her hips.

"What the hell is going on?" Sloan snaps. "Where have you been? I've been trying to reach you for hours." Walter raises his hand to stop her tirade and is about to reply when he sees Ed, who has one hand braced against the car for support and the other holding his gown closed. The expression on his face is priceless....a combination of fury and total embarrassment.

Ray shakes his head in disbelief. "Sloan, you could have at least provided the man with some decent clothes."

"Don't start with me, Ray," Sloan replies evenly. "He's bitched at me for almost a full hour over that stupid gown."

Mark steps forward. "We need to go inside. There is a lot we have to discuss."

Walter places his hand lightly on Sloan's shoulder, steering her in the direction of the house. Ray holds back, wanting to make sure Ed can make it up the stairs on his own. All that poor guy needs is to take a header down the stairs, he thinks ruefully, to take away every last drop of his dignity.

After the introductions are completed and everyone has taken a seat, Mark starts to explain what has occurred over the last few days. "I received a call from an 'associate', who informed me that Allana was mobilizing her forces."

"Who's Allana?" Sloan asks with a frown.

"Allana Thorn is my boss, Sloan," Walter interjects.

"As I was saying, Allana was mobilizing her forces," Mark continues with a nod of thanks to Walter. "Unsure of where they were going to strike, I placed one team at the lab and one team at Sloan's apartment."

"Why would she attack us?" Sloan interrupts again, feeling totally confused.

Ray steps in, explaining the events of the last few days...Walter's meetings with Mark, the shoot-out, stealing Allana's phone. Everything.

"You're telling me Allana kidnapped Tom over a stupid cellular phone, Walter?" Sloan says in disbelief.

"There's a lot of valuable information on this phone, Sloan," Walter replies, reaching over to pull the phone out of his leather jacket. "Information that could ruin her. I had no idea she was going to kidnap Tom, though. If I had, I would have warned you."

Sloan looks over at Ed, who is sitting on the couch. He's fully dressed, thanks to Mark, and is doing his best to absorb everything, but he's still obviously a bit groggy from the effects of the drug and his time in the hospital. Realizing she isn't going to get much support from him this morning, she turns her attention back to Walter. "So what do we do about Tom?" she asks, tears filling her eyes.

Mark takes a couple of steps toward Sloan. "Dr. Parker, I know the last few days have been traumatic for you, but I want you to know that we are going to do whatever it takes to get him back." John walks up beside Mark with a couple of napkins he had grabbed from the kitchen just a few minutes earlier. Handing them to Sloan, he receives a small smile and a soft thank you.

Regaining her composure, Sloan asks, "How do we locate him? Allana could be holding him anywhere."

"Can't we just make a trade?" Ed suggests. "Walter, you can reach her, can't you?"

"Yes, but Allana isn't going to be happy with just the phone. She'll never play it straight. She has made it quite clear, based not only on her actions but our recent conversation, that she is not interested in co-existence, Ed."

Ray leans forward in his chair. "What if..."

Mark abruptly interrupts, realizing this conversation is headed in the wrong direction. They're missing the point. Allana has no intentions of releasing Tom. Kidnapping him had simply been a power play, putting her in a position to control their actions. "We don't have time for 'what ifs'. We'll determine Tom's location and retrieve him. There will be no exchange, no bargaining."

"And how are we going to determine Tom's location?" Ray snaps, unhappy with Mark's interruption.

Mark looks over at John and Jacob, who have taken up positions on the far wall. Turning back to the others, he states briefly, "I'm working on that as we speak. I have a team out looking for him now."

Sloan has been staring out the window for the past several minutes, running through their options in her mind. Her eyes fixed on a small cluster of clouds that almost resemble a heart, she says, "Breaking Tom will take time...time Allana doesn't have." Sloan turns around slowly, meeting Walter's gaze. "Tom doesn't know anything about her cellular phone or your location, Walter, but I do."

What are you getting at, Sloan?" Walter asks, unwilling to believe his suspicions.

Ed pushes himself up to the edge of the couch, running his hand through his hair. "She's suggesting we use her as bait, Walter," he says tensely, and then looks up at her. "Which is out of the question, by the way."

Sloan ignores Ed's last comment and looks to Mark, who seems to be deep in thought. "Mark, since Allana hasn't heard from Walter yet, she's going to be looking for any opportunity to raise the stakes. To apply added pressure. If I'm out in the open, unprotected...." Sloan trails off. "Is there a way to keep track of my location? One that is undetectable?"

Jacob steps forward. "We could use a radioactive isotope to track her location. I doubt their equipment would be sensitive enough to pick it up. Besides, they would have to be looking for it specifically."

Ray's eyebrows raise in alarm. "Radioactive?" His gaze falls to Ed. "Isn't that harmful?"

"In high doses or with repeated exposure, yes," Ed replies, still staring at Sloan, who has moved from the window and now stands next to Walter. Ed fights to keep his voice steady...he knows that desperate times call for desperate measures, but the idea of using Sloan as bait is beyond desperate. It's insane. 'She isn't thinking logically,' he thinks to himself frantically. 'Who knows what Allana has already done to Tom or what she'll do to Sloan once she has her?'

"What do you think, Mark? Is this acceptable?" Jacob asks.

"No!" Ed insists, his voice harsh with emotion. "Damn it, Sloan, you're not thinking clearly. You're not built for this. You're not a soldier."

"No, Ed, but this isn't your decision," Sloan counters, her voice filled with determination. "I'm a big girl. I know the risks."

Realizing these two are never going to see eye to eye on this issue, Walter decides to intervene. "Wait a minute. Let's take a step back."

Picking up on Walter's attempts to control Ed and Sloan's flaring tempers, Mark adds, "Why don't we take a break? You'll find some deli meat and cheese in the refrigerator for sandwiches. I'm sure everyone must be hungry."

Ed and Sloan both look rebellious for a moment, each intent on making their point, but then they nod reluctantly, conceding the wisdom of Walter and Mark's suggestions.

Ray is the first to leave the room, the others slowly following his lead. As Sloan passes by Mark, he lightly touches her arm. "May I speak with you for a minute?"

"Of course," Sloan replies, and lets him guide her over to sit down in one of the nearby chairs.

"Are you sure this idea of offering yourself up as bait is something you want to do?" Mark asks gently, lowering himself into the chair beside her.

"Yes. And I know this is way out of my league, but I have to do this. Tom would do it for me."

"I understand." Reaching for her hand, he adds, "I'll talk with John and Jacob and make the necessary arrangements."

"Thank you, Mark."

"Don't thank me yet." Mark smiles as he helps Sloan to her feet.

*****

"Come on, George. We going to play cards or what?" says one of the soldiers, who leans over to grab another handful of potato chips. "I've got rounds in less than thirty minutes."

"In a minute, Justin. I think Warren is talking on the phone with the Boss Lady."

"The Boss Lady?" Justin looks over at Warren, who is sitting in front of the security monitors, watching Tom's still form. "What makes you say that?" Justin asks, before shoving a couple of chips into his mouth.

"Only the Boss Lady makes him that nervous," George replies, pointing over at Warren's leg, which is rhythmically bobbing in place under the table, reflecting his tension.

Both men start laughing as Warren ends the call and places his cell phone on the table. Swiveling his chair around to face his team, he states briefly, "Look sharp. Daniels is getting some roommates...two of them."

Shawn, the youngest soldier on the team, who is sitting at the back of the room, says jokingly, "I hope they'll provide us with a little more entertainment than Daniels. Personally, I think he's a little boring."

The look Warren gives Shawn is enough to get his point across. They are there to perform a job. This isn't play time.

"George, Shawn, Jack, you'll stay behind. When the additional cages arrive, set them up in the warehouse near Daniels and adjust the lighting, placing one spotlight over each cage. You know the drill." Turning to the other team members, he adds, "We'll be retrieving the prisoners. Justin and I will handle Dr. Parker. She's human, so she shouldn't be a problem. The Boss Lady has activated a tracking device on her car, which is located at Memorial Hospital. The rest of you will take Lewis, Daniels' mentor. Although he will be heavily sedated for the transfer, he is extremely dangerous. You'll need to take the same precautions you took with Daniels. Once I get the information we need from Dr. Parker, I'll drop her off here and we'll head out to the location. I'll give you the details of the mission later. All right, let's get going."

As the men grab their equipment and head out to the van, Warren unlocks the storage cabinet, pulling out some of the supplies he'll need...most importantly, sodium pentathol, otherwise known as truth serum. Allana has ordered him to handle this kidnapping personally. She's given him specific instructions: strip Dr. Parker down, check her for tracking devices, use the sodium pentathol to retrieve Attwood's location, and bring her to the warehouse.

*****

As soon as Mark, John, and Jacob finalize the plan, they walk into the kitchen. Walter and Ray are sitting at the table talking quietly, and Ed is leaning against the counter, finishing his drink. Mark reaches out with his senses, locating Sloan in the bathroom down the hall. Jumping on this opportunity, he asks Ed to join them at the table.

"Gentlemen, I want to take this opportunity to discuss the entire plan," he says in a low voice, sitting down at the table across from them. "For obvious reasons, Sloan will only be informed of her assignment."

The three humans exchange wary glances and nod their heads.

"Team One will be arriving within a few hours with the necessary equipment," Mark begins, "including the radioactive isotope and the explosives we'll need."

"What are the explosives for?" Ed asks, wanting to understand every aspect.

"We're going to set a trap for Allana's people," Mark explains. "They'll come here once they've got Sloan in custody and have questioned her .... I'll make sure of that by telling her that she can let them know the location of this safe house. Team One will rig the house with the explosives and be waiting nearby, and when Allana's forces arrive to capture the rest of us, our people will detonate the devices, killing everyone inside." He frowns. "It will only deal with a fraction of her team .... we're assuming that most of her people will be guarding the site where she's holding Tom now .... but still, taking out even a few of her people will help us."

"Now," he continues, "once Team One arrives here with the supplies, Jacob will leave for Sloan's apartment. John will take another car and escort Sloan to the hospital to pick up her car. He'll then tail her back to her apartment, where she will pack the clothing and supplies she and Tom will need for the trip."

"What trip?" Ray asks, sharing a confused look with Walter and Ed.

"We're leaving town, Detective Peterson. I won't give you any specifics at this time, but once John and Jacob leave with Sloan, the rest of us will head out, gathering any supplies we'll need...food, clothing, etc. Prepare yourselves for two days of driving."

"This might seem like a stupid question, but why are we splitting up?" Ed asks, wanting to do more than simply gather supplies. "Why don't we all stick together?"

"There are a lot of bases to cover, Dr. Tate," Mark replies. "And since we're short on time, we need to split up, share the workload. Once you and I and Walter and Ray have finished gathering supplies, we'll drive north on Highway 9 until we reach a rest stop, which is about 20 miles out of town. In the meantime, John and Jacob will be watching Sloan. Once she's captured, they'll use the radioactive isotope to follow her to wherever Allana's men take her, which is hopefully where they're holding Tom. We're expecting them to leave her there under heavy guard and then come after us here at the safe house, where they think we'll be, and that's when Team One will hit them with the explosives."

"So someone will be keeping an eye on Sloan even after she's in that woman's hands," Ed says anxiously.

Mark nods his head. "They won't be able to intervene, but they'll know where she's being held and they'll assess the security arrangements of the facility. Then they'll radio Team One, which will head out there to meet with them to assess the situation and plan the attack. Once they've retrieved Tom and Sloan, they'll meet us at the rest stop."

Sensing Sloan approaching, Mark nods to Jacob, who quickly turns to look at the doorway that leads to the hallway.

When Sloan enters, the room grows deathly quiet. "Did I miss anything?"

"Nothing, Dr. Parker. We were simply waiting for your return," Mark replies, standing up out of courtesy. "Please, take a seat."

Once Sloan sits down, Mark returns to his seat. Looking at Sloan, he states, "Team One will be arriving soon with the radioactive isotope that John and Jacob will use as a tag to follow you to wherever Allana's people take you."

"Since I'm not the scientist of the group, I'm still a little confused about how this radioactive isotope works," Ray confesses.

"It's rather simply, actually. Isotopes release radiation. Radiation that can be detected," John replies, looking over at Ray. Ray frowns, still confused, and John continues, "Radioactive isotopes are used all the time in medicine to study the function of body organs, Ray. We've simply developed a way to use it as a tracking device. When Sloan is injected with the radioactive isotope, it will travel through her bloodstream, and as it decays, it will release alpha and beta particles, which are electrically charged. When the nucleus of the isotope reaches a high-energy state, it will emit gamma rays, which are particles of electromagnetic energy. With a special scanner, we'll be able to detect those rays and use them to track Sloan's location to within a certain distance and actually make out her physical form inside a building with special binoculars."

Ray smiles, his face clearing. "Right...simple," he says wryly.

Mark turns his attention back to Sloan. "Sloan, once John drops you off at the hospital, drive your car straight back to your apartment. Quickly pack any clothing or personal items you and Tom will need."

"Then what?" Sloan asks.

"Just wait. They probably won't strike until nightfall, which will give you a few hours to prepare." Mark senses Sloan's nervousness. Feeling a sudden urge to reassure her, he continues, "Sloan, everything will be fine. John and Jacob will be watching the apartment. They'll see everything that happens, and they'll be right behind you wherever Allana's people take you."

"How long before your team moves in to rescue us?" Sloan asks.

"Once you arrive at their secret location, John and Jacob will immediately start gathering information about the building...layout, security, and everything else they'll need to plan the rescue." Mark pulls out a piece of paper from his shirt pocket, handing it to Sloan. "This is a list of some of the information Allana will most likely need from you... the address of this safe house, a description of the layout, Walter's next move, etc. Memorize it."

John jumps in. "Keep your responses short. Don't volunteer any additional information."

"Wait, why would I want to tell her your location?" Sloan asks, not knowing about what they've planned on the side.

Mark simply replies, "We want Allana to send some of her team here. It will cut down on the security at their location, giving us a better chance of success. Besides, if you don't give her the information she asks for, it could get extremely painful."

"Right." Sloan lets out a shaky breath and looks over at Ed, who seems to be fascinated with a particular spot on the table. At Mark's last comment, he looks up at Sloan, eyes filled with fear. She knows he's upset with her decision and is worried about her safety, but she won't let that stop her. She has to reach Tom.

*****

"On your feet, Shawn. The delivery van is here," George yells, annoyed that the young soldier has the nerve to be dozing in his chair after he'd refused to help with the lighting. "Nap time is over."

"All right, George," Shawn replies, rubbing his hands across his face. "I was just resting my eyes."

As the two men walk outside, they notice that the driver of the van has already opened the back and has started to unload the cages. Since they are strapped down to wheeled platforms, the driver easily moves them down the ramp. Turning to the soldiers, the driver states briefly, "They're heavy. It will take both of you to lift them."

"Thanks," George replies, grabbing hold of one of the cages. "Shawn, bring the other one."

As the two soldiers head for the cargo door of the warehouse, the driver adds, "By the way, I need the platforms back."

"Of course, we'll be right back," George replies, reaching down for his two-way radio.

When they reach the door, George tells Jack, who is watching from the monitors in the control room, to open the cargo door halfway, giving them enough room to push the cages into the holding area. Once George and Shawn clear the doorway, Jack immediately closes the door.

As they work their way to the center of the warehouse, they notice that Tom Daniels is back in his usual position, kneeling in the center of the cage. Tom senses the two soldiers, hears their breathing, smells their aftershave, but his eyes can't see beyond the spotlight's persistent glare. He knows that they are wheeling in cages. He'd caught a quick glimpse of them as the outer door had opened, letting in the afternoon light. He immediately knows this is trouble.

George stops about ten feet from Tom's cage, watching to make sure Shawn is following his lead. "This should be good enough. Help me with this one." As both men lift the cage, George tries to quickly push the platform aside with his foot and loses his balance, dropping his side of the cage. The loud crash sends a surge of adrenaline through Tom's veins, his senses heightening instantly.

"You okay, George?" Shawn asks, a small smirk on his face.

"Yes, I just lost my balance. I can't see what the hell I'm doing."

"Perhaps it would be easier if we just lift the cage and walk it over, instead of trying to push the platform out from underneath," Shawn suggests, knowing the older man's patience is running thin.

Then, looking over at Daniels' expression, Shawn decides to have a little fun. "You know what this means, don't you, Daniels? You're going to have to share the spotlight. I bet you'd like to what who it is, wouldn't you?"

"You know the rules, Shawn," George admonishes him. "No talking to the prisoner."

"I wasn't going to tell him and ruin the surprise, George. Just relax."

"I'll relax when this job is over," George replies evenly. "Now, help me with this other cage. We don't have all day. The Boss Lady could arrive at any moment."

Shawn gives him a sly look. "It looks like Warren isn't the only one that gets a little nervous around her."

Tom immediately picks up on the soldier's slip of tongue...'Boss Lady'. That answers one of the questions he's been juggling around in his head. Unfortunately, it leads to several new ones. Why would Walter's boss kidnap him? Was this payback for protecting Shane? Had she found out about the genogenesis serum?

After removing the second cage from the platform without incident, they push the platforms back to the cargo door. As soon as both men leave the holding area and the door closes, the spotlights above the two new cages come on. From above, the three cages make a triangular shape, each cage making up one of the corners.

Staring over at the cages, Tom fears the worst. With Walter's boss as his kidnapper, that drastically lowers the list of possible prisoners. Tom only hopes that Sloan isn't one of them.

*****

"Here, let me help you with that," Ray offers, grabbing one of the briefcases from the attractive young woman standing in front of him in the doorway of the safe house.

"Thank you."

"My name is Ray Peterson, by the way," he says politely, stepping aside to let her into the foyer.

"Hi, my name is Josephine, but most people call me Jossie for short."

As she walks past him, Ray's keen instinct for detail kicks in and he notices that she has a rather small frame, stands around 5'6", wears her brown hair fairly short, and has piercing blue eyes, which seem almost familiar. Before he's able to comment on them, Mark walks up, placing a hand on her shoulder, drawing her attention. Ray realizes the opportunity is lost and walks into the kitchen, giving them some privacy.

"Were you able to get everything we need?" Mark asks her.

"Yes. Michael is bringing in the rest of the equipment."

"Is this the isotope?" Mark gestures to the one briefcase she still holds.

"Yes, along with two scanners." Handing him the briefcase, she notices the strain in his expression, the tiredness in his eyes. These past few days have really taken their toll on him, she reflects, as they had on all of them.

"Excellent. Everyone is assembling in the kitchen. I'll meet you in there as soon as I talk with Michael," Mark says, turning to walk outside.

Heading into the kitchen, Jossie notices the red-haired scientist she's been dying to meet for some time, almost as long as she's been dying to meet Tom, sitting at the kitchen table. As she starts to approach her, John steps forward, blocking her way, "This isn't a good time, Jossie. She's got enough on her mind already."

Just as Jossie opens her mouth to reply, Mark and Michael enter the kitchen. Sensing Mark's eagerness to get started, she decides to hold off. As everyone gathers around the table, Mark begins, "Before we get started, I would like to introduce the other two members on my team...Michael and Josephine. They will distribute the equipment." As Jossie and Michael step forward, opening the briefcases and tote bag, Mark looks over at Walter, Ray, and Ed. "I'll meet you on the front porch in ten minutes. Time is of the essence."

All three men hesitate, reluctant to leave Sloan alone with Mark and the other dominants, and Sloan meets Ed's gaze intently, knowing that they need to talk. Mark senses the emotions simmering in the room and nods his head at Walter reassuringly. "She'll be fine," he says evenly.

Walter meets his eyes challengingly and then gives an abrupt nod of his own before herding Ray and Ed out of the kitchen ahead of him.

Once they're gone, Mark walks over to the counter and opens the briefcase, which contains the isotope and scanners. After handing the scanners to John and Jacob, he takes the vial and syringe and approaches Sloan. "Are you ready, Dr. Parker?"

"Yes," Sloan replies absently, distracted by the need to talk with Ed before she leaves.

"Hold out your arm." Mark fills the syringe, expertly raises a vein, and slowly injects the fluid.

As Sloan feels the pressure of the needle against her skin, she closes her eyes and pictures Tom.

It's the morning after Ed had given him the genogenesis serum. They're walking through the park and Tom hands her a package of honey-glazed cashews he'd bought from the local vendor, after grabbing a couple for himself...

"Dr. Parker, are you all right?" Mark asks gently, placing his hand on her upper arm, looking intently at her face.

Suddenly, Sloan breaks free of her reverie and opens her eyes to find several sets of concerned ones looking her way. They must have sensed her emotions.

"I'm fine. I was just remembering..." Feeling the sting of tears, Sloan leaves it at that. She was not going to break down now, not in front of all these people.

Feeling reassured, Mark says softly, "It's time to go. John will meet you at the car."

Unwilling to trust her voice, Sloan simply nods her head.

When she reaches the front door, she sees that Ed is waiting just outside, watching her with those deep brown eyes of his. Sloan walks directly up to him, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. She softly whispers in his ear, "I'm sorry about the hospital gown. I'll make it up to you." It's not what she really wants to say, but he knows what she's feeling, what she wants to say, but can't.

Letting out a strangled laugh, Ed replies jokingly, "You bet your ass you will."

Pulling back with a smile, Sloan places her hands on either side of Ed's face, urging him to bend his head slightly and then kissing him on the forehead. Turning to Ray and Walter, who are standing off to Ed's side, she quickly hugs them both before making her way down the steps of the front porch.

As soon as Sloan reaches the car, John starts the ignition and shifts the car into reverse, waiting until she takes her seat and closes the door before pulling out of the driveway.

As the car drives out of sight, Mark, who has been watching the interaction between the humans from just inside the front door, steps out onto the porch. He senses a different array of emotions coming from the three men standing there and dreads their reactions if something should happen to her. Feeling a need to break the silence and mounting tension, he states briefly, "I know we've got a lot on our minds, but we've got to stay focused. She'll be all right."

*****

As the driver of the unmarked van pulls up to the security gate of the abandoned warehouse, he notices that the Boss Lady's limo is parked off to the side, facing the security gate. "Shit!"

Both of the soldiers who are guarding Lewis in the back ask in unison, "What's wrong?"

"The Boss Lady is here already," the driver states grimly, reaching over to grab the two-way radio he had placed in the passenger's seat.

As they pull up to the warehouse, the driver radios inside, announcing Lewis' arrival and requesting that the cargo door be opened. Stepping out of the van, he walks around to the back and opens the doors. The two soldiers in the back exit, rifles in hand. The driver steps forward and reaches into the van, pulling sharply on Lewis' chains. "Let's go!" he says tersely.

Never making eye contact with the soldiers, Lewis slowly moves forward and steps out into the afternoon sun. He momentarily closes his eyes, focusing on the warmth of the solar rays against his bare torso and face. Seconds later, his eyes shoot open as the driver shoves him from behind.

"Start walking," the driver orders harshly. "I'm sure as hell not going to carry you."

Still feeling the effects of the sedative they had administered to him earlier, Lewis struggles to keep his balance as he walks toward the open cargo door. The door that will most likely lead him to his death, he reflects grimly. Unless, of course, Allana's soldiers get sloppy. But Lewis has to admit, their strategies and procedures are almost flawless. Since his capture, he has never been allowed within reach of an armed guard during the times they've moved him from one site to another. Instead, the guards who carry weapons always keep their distance, never getting close enough for him to get the drop on them, and it is always an unarmed guard who deals with him directly. In this case, it is the driver who pushes him forward roughly, while the other two soldiers walk behind, their weapons ready.

As they reach the door, Lewis' senses pick up a familiar presence inside, weak but familiar. Lewis smiles, knowing it's his young pupil...Tom Daniels. Allana is changing the rules of the game...interesting.

*****

"I'll drop you off right here, Dr. Parker," John states, pulling up to one of the hospital exits, quite a distance from her car.

As John brings the car to a complete stop, Sloan unfastens her seatbelt and reaches down to make sure her car keys are still in her jacket pocket. Before getting out of the car, she turns to look at John. "You'll be right behind me?"

"Right behind you," John echoes, feeling her fear reaching new levels.

As Sloan begins to walk along the sidewalk next to the hospital, John turns on the scanner. Everything is working perfectly, he notes. The isotope is doing its job. When Sloan veers off to the left, heading for parking lot B, John shifts the car back into drive and starts to circle around the lot so he'll be in a position to follow behind her. Just as he makes the first turn, he senses a sudden threat approaching and looks up to see a black unmarked van in his rear-view mirror, pulling up to Sloan's car from the opposite direction.

Damn, this wasn't how it was supposed to happen. Suddenly, he realizes that her car has been tagged. They've been waiting here all this time, thinking she was still inside the hospital. John panics, reaching into his pocket for his cell phone. Since Jacob is stationed at Sloan's apartment, which is a good five minutes away, and Team One is still at the safe house placing the explosives, he is her sole link to salvation. If he loses her, it's over.

Putting the phone to his ear, he waits for his brother to answer and watches helplessly as the side door to the van opens and arms reach out to snatch Sloan off her feet and pull her bodily into the van. Jacob finally answers the phone just as the van's door shuts and the vehicle takes off with a squeal of tires. "Jacob, they've grabbed Sloan in the hospital parking lot," John says tersely. "They're heading south. Get over here!"

*****

Both dominants sit in complete silence, staring into each other's piercing blue eyes. Old eyes that are filled with anger and disappointment clash against young eyes that are filled with fear.

They are caged like beasts, battered and bruised, barely holding onto their sanity...their identity.

They are silent survivors.

The only noise that can be heard, the only pain that can be felt or inflicted, comes from within.

Inside Lewis, there is a dark place where negative energy is running wild, desperately trying to tunnel its way to the surface. But she is watching. She is always watching. He feels her lurking in the shadows, waiting for him to drop his defenses and release his wrath. A wrath that will leave him vulnerable and unprotected. He knows her well. If he lets his control slip, she'll use it against him. He has to stay calm, at least on the outside.

Turning his attention back to Tom, he states evenly, "See what your betrayal has cost us, Thomas?"

Tom immediately knows what a tight hold Lewis has on his self-control. He never calls him Thomas. "For me, it was worth it."

"Really? You've lost everything. Your honor. Your status."

"I haven't lost anything, Lewis," Tom says with conviction.

A wide smile slowly spreads across Lewis' face. "We'll see," he says, looking over at the last empty cage.

*****

In order to stop Sloan's persistent screaming and struggling, Warren pushes her to the floor of the van on her stomach and presses his knee to the small of her back before gagging her. Then, grabbing the back collars of her shirt and jacket, he pulls sharply on them, ripping them off her with cool efficiency.

Lying face down on the metal floor, Sloan feels nothing but the cold hands of her attacker. The pounding of her heart, the sound of her rapid breathing, the throbbing in her head have all faded into the background. All her senses are focused on him...his touch, his breathing, his smell...

Binding her hands tightly, he flips her over and removes the rest of her clothing. Once she is naked, he runs a hand-held scanner across her body from head to toe, searching for tracking devices. Finding none, he reaches over for the black running pants and tank top undershirt he had grabbed from the storage cabinet at the warehouse.

While dressing her, he looks at her face for the first time. In that second, his heart almost stops. Her expression is one of pure terror. Tears pouring from her emerald eyes run down her cheeks, merging with a thin stream of blood that is coming from a cut on the side of her forehead. Quickly averting his gaze, he grabs the undershirt at his side and slips it on over her head, covering her face for a second. Pushing her onto her side, he carefully unties her hands so she can bring them up through the armholes. Once her arms are through, he swiftly ties her hands in front of her, giving him better access to the inside of her arms. Reaching into his pocket, he pulls out a small vial of sodium pentathol and a syringe. She tries to scoot back, but he holds her in place.

Suddenly, Sloan feels a sharp pain in her left arm. The bite of the needle sends a warm tingling sensation through her body, bringing with it a strong calming effect. She feels her pounding heart begin to slow. Her vision becomes blurry, her breathing slows, and her limbs feel unusually heavy. Looking up at her attacker, she sees him lean in closer, but she is unable to defend herself. He is staring her straight in the eyes.

"Dr. Parker?"

"Yes," Sloan replies, her speech slightly slurred, her eyes unfocused.

"Dr. Parker, I have a few questions for you," Warren says, knowing he has to act fast before she slips into unconsciousness. Sodium pentathol acts like a sedative, but it also causes its subject to become very communicative, sharing thoughts without hesitation.

"Dr. Parker, where is Walter Attwood?" When Warren doesn't receive a response, he grabs Sloan's chin and forces her to focus on him. "Dr. Parker, where is Walter Attwood?"

"At the safe house," Sloan replies briefly.

"And where is the safe house?"

"North of Briarwood Estates," Sloan replies, her eyes wandering around the van. Justin, who is driving, looks back briefly at Warren.

"Do you remember the address?" Warren asks, grabbing a pen from Justin, ready to write it down on the back of his hand.

"1512 Hayes Street."

After writing down the address, he tosses the pen back to Justin. Looking back at Sloan, he asks, "Does Attwood still have his boss' cell phone?"

"Yes," Sloan states slowly, struggling to keep her focus. "Walter says it contains valuable information on Allana..." Sloan finally slips into unconsciousness, engulfed in darkness.

Realizing she's going to be out for some time, Warren moves to the front of the van. Grabbing his cell phone off the dashboard, he calls the warehouse. "Jack, it's Warren. We're in route. We've got the package and the intel."

*****

It's been almost twenty minutes and John is still tracking Sloan's position. The unmarked van has left the interstate and is heading out toward the farming fields. Keeping just out of sight, he realizes that there are plenty of old crop storage warehouses in these parts. They would make excellent holding facilities. Since there's no traffic on these old gravel roads and no neighbors to speak of, Allana's people could come and go at all hours and not raise suspicion.

As the van pulls off the main road, John slows down, looking for a safe place to park his car. He decides to drive a little farther up the road, knowing the assault team will be turning the other direction to drive to the safe house. After parking the car, John grabs the scanner from the passenger seat and his bullet-proof vest and duffel bag from the trunk, which contains all the equipment Jossie had given him at the safe house...weapons, night-vision binoculars, wire cutters, etc.

Following the readings on the scanner, he works his way through the brush to an old abandoned warehouse, which is approximately a quarter mile from the main road and is surrounded by a security fence. Staying near the edge of the brush, he watches as two soldiers exit the van and pull an unconscious Sloan out of the back. As they approach the warehouse, the cargo door opens and then closes as they clear it. Just as John reaches for his cellular phone, he senses his brother's approach.

Walking up behind John, Jacob squats down beside him. "What happened?" he asks, still a little shaken.

"They were waiting at the hospital and grabbed her when she approached her car."

"I can't believe they kidnapped her in broad daylight," Jacob says in disbelief.

"When they pulled Sloan out of the van, she was unconscious. They entered through the cargo door on the south side."

"How many soldiers have you spotted so far?" Jacob asks, wanting to get an idea of what they're up against.

"So far, just the two who kidnapped Sloan..." John trails off, spotting Allana's limo parked off to the right, near the security gate.

"What's wrong?"

"Allana's here," John replies, pointing over to the limo. "Considering her haste, it shouldn't take long before she has the information she needs."

"Do you think they'll attack the safe house before nightfall?"

"It would be stupid, but let's not take any chances." John looks into his brother's worried eyes. "Call Jossie and Michael. Tell them to pick up the pace. Give them directions to the warehouse and tell them we'll call when the assault team leaves." As Jacob reaches into his jacket pocket for his phone, John continues, "Then call Mark and tell him the situation. They'll need to run by Sloan's and pack some of her things, along with Tom's."

"He's not going to be happy with the way this is going," Jacob points out. "We're not exactly on schedule. No matter what time Allana's team attacks the safe house, we'll have to wait until nightfall before we can attack. "

"I know," John says grimly. "I just hope Sloan can hold on until then."

*****

Even before they open the cargo door, Tom senses her presence. He closes his eyes tightly, realizing his worst fear is coming true.

Sitting across from Tom, Lewis is startled by Tom's emotional output. The expression on his face is unmistakable...Sloan is nearby. Lewis knows exactly what is racing through his mind and feels strangely compassionate, knowing Tom's about to face one of the hardest situations of his life.

When the door opens, the first thing Tom notices is the smell, which is carried in with the warm summer breeze. It's a weird combination and it takes his senses a few seconds to sort out each individual scent. Her perfume is the most evident. He also picks up the faint smell of blood, which can only mean one thing, and garlic.

As the two soldiers approach, Tom realizes that Sloan is unconscious. Warren has her slung over his shoulder. When they reach the empty cage, Justin swings open the door. Warren kneels down and places Sloan on her back in the middle of the cage and then releases her hands. When Warren stands up, Justin closes the door and locks it. Then, both men turn and make their way to the control room.

When the soldiers leave, Tom immediately scoots over to the bars of his cage, desperately trying to get a better look at her. He notices that she's bleeding from a small cut on her forehead, but he can't see any other physical injuries, except for some minor bruising on the side of her face. Focusing all his senses on her, he realizes that her heart rate is slow and her breathing is shallow. His anger increases with the realization that she's been drugged.

Lewis sits back on his haunches and watches Tom. He is so wrapped up in Sloan that he has totally forgotten about Lewis. Glancing over at Sloan, Lewis suddenly notices that the frame of his own cage is slightly bent, which is putting strain on the hinges. With enough force, he might be able to snap them, allowing him to escape. But Lewis realizes that he'll need an adequate distraction, one that will give him enough time to snap the hinges and slip out. Lewis jolts from his reverie as he hears a soft moan coming from Sloan.

"Do you smell that, Tom?" Lewis asks curiously. "If I'm not mistaken, sodium pentathol has a garlic-like odor."

Tom's eyes dart over to Lewis, seeing a slight grin on his face. Unwilling to play this game, Tom turns his attention back to Sloan, who is now starting to move her limbs.

"I wonder what information Allana's men have pulled from her mind," Lewis says, clearly trying to taunt him.

Tom takes a deep breath. "Shut up, Lewis."

"What's the matter?" Lewis asks with mock concern. "Have you told Sloan things that could come back to haunt you...haunt me?" Sensing his pupil's agitation, Lewis continues, "I guess we'll find out soon enough, won't we?"

*****

Entering the control room, Warren immediately walks over to Allana, who is watching the security monitors with keen interest.

"Did the sodium pentathol have the desired effect?" Allana demands.

"Yes, I retrieved Attwood's location from Dr. Parker," Warren replies. "Apparently, he is using a safe house near Briarwood Estates."

"Did you ask her about my cellular phone?" Allana asks, keeping her eyes on the monitors, watching as Tom moves over to the side of his cage nearest to Sloan's.

"Yes," Warren replies, glancing over at the members of his team who are waiting for further instructions. "According to Dr. Parker, he still has the phone and believes there is valuable information on it that he plans to use against you."

"Your only concern is retrieving it, Warren. Is that understood?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Send a few members of your team to the address," Allana orders. "Inform them that I want Attwood brought back here, along with my phone."

"Ma'am, I was planning to head this mission personally."

"No, I need you here," Allana replies, standing up. "I'm sure your team is capable of performing this simple task without your help. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some work to do." As Allana walks toward the door, she overhears Shawn talking with one of the other soldiers.

Having noticed Tom's demeanor, Shawn is saying jokingly, "It looks like Daniels is a little upset. Do you think it has something to do with that beautiful redhead?"

The other soldier just shrugs his shoulders, knowing this isn't the best time to be joking around, especially with Allana still standing in the room.

Allana turns around to look at Shawn. "Do you find her attractive?"

"Yes, who wouldn't?" he replies, a big grin on his face.

"Would you like to get a better look?" Allana asks, wanting the young man's curiosity to help get the ball rolling.

"Sure," he responds eagerly. "What did you have in mind?"

"I get the feeling that you might enjoy taunting Daniels. I'm sure approaching Sloan would do just the trick."

Catching on quickly, Shawn winks his eye and heads out to the cages, grabbing a bottle of water along the way, knowing this is going to be the most fun he's had on this mission so far.

Back in the control room, Warren walks over to the storage cabinet and pulls out several canisters of tear gas, placing them in a dark duffel bag. Approaching his men, he says, "I'll need three of you to head out to the safe house and retrieve Attwood and the cellular phone, which will leave five of us here, including Shawn, to guard the prisoners." Turning to George, who is Warren's second in command, he states, "I want you to head the team, George."

George nods silently and walks over to the desk for a piece of paper and pen. "What's the address and how do you want me to handle the situation?"

"1512 Hayes Street. It's just north of Briarwood Estates." Handing George the duffel bag, he continues, "You can handle the situation the best way you see fit, but I would strongly suggest using the tear gas. It will give you the advantage."

George nods his head and with a flick of his finger, he chooses two soldiers to follow him out of the building. As the three-man team heads out to the van, Warren assigns two of the others to patrol and then walks over to the monitors, standing behind Allana, who has taken a front row seat for the show.

*****

Approaching the cages, Shawn notices that Sloan is beginning to regain consciousness. She's moving around and her eyelids are starting to flutter. Perfect timing, he thinks to himself.

Reaching her cage, he feels both dominants' eyes on him, like a burning sensation on the back of his neck. Crouching down, carefully picking a position that gives Tom an unobstructed view, Shawn reaches into the cage, pushing a couple of curls from her face.

"Don't touch her," Tom says evenly, his hands gripping the bars of his cage.

"Shut up, Daniels," Shawn replies, keeping his eyes on Sloan. "This is none of your business."

Tom knows that he needs to stay calm, keep his protective instincts in check. Shawn is simply looking for a reaction and he's not about to give it to him...not yet.

As Sloan's eyes open, Shawn says softly, "Welcome back, Dr. Parker."

With the glaring spotlight overhead, Sloan struggles to keep her eyes open. From her position, she can't see the other two cages. All she sees is this young soldier, who is opening a bottle of water and holding it out to her.

"Are you thirsty?"

As Sloan goes to raise her hand, she finds that it seems heavy and her coordination is off.

Seeing her struggles, Shawn says generously, "Let me help you." He places his left hand behind her head and places the water bottle to her mouth with his right. Sloan takes a couple of swallows and pulls her head back, a sign that she's finished.

When Sloan turns her head to the side, Shawn notices the cut on her forehead, which has stopped bleeding, a soft scab already forming. Reaching into his pocket, he pulls out a couple of tissues. Wetting them with the water, he places the tissue to her forehead, pressing down harder than necessary, causing Sloan to yelp in protest.

Tom tightens his jaw, feeling Sloan's pain through his senses. Focusing on Shawn, he picks up on his malicious intent. He had deliberately wanted to hurt her.

"I'm sorry, Sloan," Shawn apologizes. "It looks like I made it worse. You're bleeding again." With that last comment, he glances over at Tom, seeing the anger blazing in his eyes.

As Shawn tries to apply the tissue back to her forehead, she slaps his hand away. "Stop it!" she pleads, turning over on her side, curling up into a fetal position.

Lying there, Sloan gets the sense that someone is watching them. Looking up, she spots another cage nearby. Squinting her eyes, she recognizes the figure inside. It's Lewis. Sloan's heart rate jumps, her eyes widen, and a cold chill travels down her spine.

Seeing her reaction, Lewis looks over at Tom, who is frantically trying to figure out what's happening. He can't see her face and doesn't realize that she's spotted Lewis. Lewis decides to take pity on his pupil and projects calm. Tom's eyes dart over to Lewis, who is staring at him with a blank expression.

"Don't turn you back on me," Shawn snaps, his gentle manner now gone. "I was being nice to you." Shawn grabs Sloan's hair and pulls her head back, hitting it on the bars of the cage. Sloan cries out as he reaches in with his other hand, wrapping his fingers around her throat. He pulls her up into a sitting position and turns her face toward Tom, whose face is now pressed up against the bars of his cage.

"I'm going to kill you!" Tom yells, his voice consumed with hatred.

"This is a whole other side of you, Daniels." Shawn tightens his hold on Sloan's throat, causing her to whimper helplessly, her eyes filling with tears as she looks over at the man she loves. "I'm impressed. I didn't think you had it in you."

"Why don't you come over here and I'll show you what I'm capable of?" Tom hisses through gritted teeth.

"I don't think so," Shawn replies, a wide grin forming on his face. "Playing with your girl is much more entertaining." Shawn leans down and smells Sloan's hair. "She smells so good, so clean, so innocent." Looking back over at Tom, he says tauntingly, "I bet she tastes good too."

Tom lets out a fierce growl and begins to bang his shoulder against the unyielding door of his cage.

Shawn releases Sloan, pushing her to the floor of her cage. Standing up, he walks over to Tom, whose shoulder is turning purple from his attempts. "Take it easy, Daniels. I'm not going to pop your cherry," he whispers softly, before walking back to the control room.

Watching this scene play out in front of him, Lewis knows that Allana is watching. This is all part of her plan. She knew exactly what she was doing when she sent this young soldier in here. Lewis looks off in the direction of the control room, knowing it's only a matter of time before she turns her wrath in his direction.

*****

Sitting at the edge of the brush, approximately 100 yards from the warehouse, John spots the assault team leaving the warehouse. He frowns, looking down at his watch, noting that they will arrive at the safe house a couple hours before nightfall. 'Why is she sending her team now?' he asks himself. John glances over at Jacob, who is still talking with Mark on his cellular phone. Clearing his throat, he motions to Jacob to look in the direction of the departing team.

Jacob's eyes widen. "Mark, I'll have to call you back later. Allana's assault team is leaving the warehouse. I need to call Jossie and Michael and make sure they're ready."

After a few seconds, Jacob says briefly, "Understood." He looks over at his brother with concern. "Our top priority is ensuring Tom and Sloan's safety. If we need to attack before nightfall..." Jacob trails off, sensing John's acknowledgment. "I'll call Michael. See if you can't work your way along the brush to get a better look at the dimensions of the building."

As John heads off, Jacob squeezes the bridge of his nose with his fingers, shutting his eyes tightly. "So much for the best-laid plans," he muses.

*****

"Tom!" Sloan yells, crawling over to the corner of her cage. "Stop it! You're hurting yourself!"

Tom turns his head sharply, watching her crawl towards him on her hands and knees. He is so angry, all he can see is the red hand print on her throat and the blood on her face.

Sloan struggles to sit up, wiping away a stream of blood that is running down her temple. "It's okay. He didn't hurt me."

Tom knows she is lying, he can feel her pain, but he forces himself to relax. She's scared and hurt, and he needs to stay strong. "You're bleeding," he states softly, sliding back to the corner of his cage. "Tear off the outer pocket on your running pants. Use it as a bandage."

Sloan winces in pain as she turns her head around to locate the pocket. She is so exhausted, it's an effort just to breathe. Pulling apart the velcro, she places her fingers in the pocket and yanks down. "Tom..." Sloan trails off, too tired to put forth any more effort.

"Sloan, listen to me," Tom pleads. "I know you're hurting, but you need to apply pressure to the cut, stop the bleeding."

Sitting there, Lewis wonders why Tom doesn't just tear off his pocket and throw it to her, and then he realizes that his pants are made of nylon and have inside pockets. Sloan's appear to be fleece with outer pockets in the back. Looking down at his own pants, which are basically surgical scrubs, he pulls off the leg pocket, folds it up, and throws it to her. Feeling Tom's confusion at his actions, he glances up. Tom's eyes are wary. Lewis clears his throat. "The smell of her blood, mixed with the garlic odor from the sodium pentathol, is making me sick to my stomach," he says plainly. Tom simply nods his head, knowing his mentor isn't going to expand on or alter his explanation.

Tom looks back over at Sloan, who is totally unaware of Lewis' actions. "Sloan, turn around and grab the cloth beside the cage, along with the water bottle."

Sloan slowly maneuvers herself around and grabs the plastic water bottle and folded piece of material, pulling them inside the cage. Fingering the material, she looks over at Lewis, who quickly averts his gaze.

"Keep the cloth folded," Tom states. "Wet one side and place it against your forehead."

After following Tom's orders, she takes a few swallows of the water before pushing the top down on the bottle and rolling it across the floor to Tom.

The bottle stops a couple of feet short, but reaching out, Tom's able to grab it. After drinking almost a third of the water, Tom closes the top. Looking over at Sloan, who nods her head slightly in response to his unspoken question, he places the bottle on the floor outside his cage and rolls it over to Lewis.

Lewis watches as the bottle rolls across the floor, stopping only inches from his cage, and then looks up at Tom with his own confused expression.

"Just returning the favor," Tom says briefly. Turning to Sloan, her head leaning against the bars, her eyes closed, he asks softly, "What happened after they kidnapped me?"

With her eyes still closed, Sloan tries to figure out how to clue him in to their plans without Allana catching on. Realizing she can't explain everything, she decides that the best way to respond is to lie to him .... Tom will catch on to her deceit in an instant, and hopefully will realize that something is happening. She has to keep her lies subtle, though; otherwise, Allana will realize that her story doesn't fit. Opening her eyes, she replies, "I ran upstairs to find Ed lying on the floor. I called an ambulance and followed it to the hospital. While I was watching over Ed, I got a phone call from Walter, asking me to meet him at a safe house. He also mentioned something about a cell phone. When I was leaving the hospital, they grabbed me."

Both dominants are staring at her, sensing her deceit, but she focuses on Tom. His eyes look deep into hers, piercing her mind, gauging her emotions. Suddenly, Sloan feels a tingling sensation on the back of her neck, which radiates up her scalp and across her face, causing her to shake with chills.

"Where's Ed?" Tom asks, wanting verification that his first impression is correct.

"I left him at the hospital," Sloan replies tersely, glancing over at Lewis, whose eyes are filled with amusement. In those few seconds, before he looks away, the darkness behind his eyes is gone.

Sensing the brief connection between them, Tom almost flinches. What is he doing? Why is Lewis showing himself to them as anything but a threat? Has his time in captivity changed him?

Suddenly, Tom is pulled out of his reverie as the sprinkler system is tripped, sending a spray of cold water down onto the cages. Within seconds, they're drenched.

Lewis looks over at Tom with a wide smirk. "I guess she's upset about the water bottle."

Tom's expression stays passive. He looks over at Sloan, who is pushing the wet hair off her face.

Just as abruptly as the sprinklers came on, they turn off. Then, the cooling units on the roof turn on, and a rumbling sound echoes through the warehouse. His eyes dart back to Sloan, who is looking around frantically for the source. "It's all right, Sloan," he says calmly. "It's just the cooling units on the roof."

"What's happening?" Sloan asks, her voice filled with panic.

"It's about to get real cold, Dr. Parker," Lewis replies, exchanging a knowing look with Tom.

*****

"Jossie, did you remember to grab the small briefcase by the front door?" Michael asks, checking his watch.

When they'd received the second call from Jacob, informing them that Allana's team was on its way, they'd had to scramble to get things ready. While Jossie packed the van and then parked it up the road, Michael had finished setting the charges. Now, they were waiting across the street, hiding behind a small cluster of oak trees.

"Yes," she replies, staring through the binoculars at the road leading up to the house. "I also turned on the radio in the kitchen and the shower down the hall."

"Good thinking," Michael says, knowing the assault team will wait for confirmation of activity inside before entering the house.

"Did Jacob say anything specific about the facility where they're holding Sloan?" Jossie places the binoculars down and double checks the wiring for the detonator.

"Just that it's an old crop storage warehouse with a security fence surrounding the immediate area." Reaching over for the binoculars, he continues, "He mentioned that Allana is sending three soldiers here and that there are at least two other soldiers in the warehouse...the two who kidnapped Sloan."

"Why is she sending her team here already?" Jossie wonders. "What's the big hurry?" When Michael doesn't respond, she frowns, looking over at him. "Michael?"

"They're here," he replies.

The black van stops several yards short of the driveway. With a clear, unobstructed view, Jossie and Michael watch as Allana's men exit the van and spread out strategically around the property.

After several minutes, the soldiers slowly start to converge on the house. Michael immediately picks up on the team leader, knowing he's the one to watch. As Michael watches through the binoculars, Jossie has her hand ready on the detonator, waiting for his signal.

When the soldiers are within 20 feet of the house, they secure their gas masks and pull the pins on the canisters, throwing them through the windows. Then they charge the house, kicking down the front door, weapons ready.

As soon as the last man enters the house, Michael gives the signal and the house explodes in flames. Jossie and Michael wait several minutes, watching as the flames dance across the roof, fueled by the subtle breeze. With no signs of survivors, they grab their belongings and run to their van, heading straight to the warehouse.

*****

"How much further?" Jossie asks, knowing nightfall is quickly approaching.

"We're here," Michael replies, driving past the warehouse and pulling the van off the road near John's car. "Jacob mentioned that they're about 100 yards from the warehouse, through that brush."

"I'll grab the equipment," she says, jumping out of the van before Michael even turns off the engine.

Leaving the keys in the ignition, Michael steps out of the van, and then walks to the back to help Jossie. "Here, I'll take that," he offers, smiling at her sudden impatience. She's been waiting for this moment for a long time, and she's not going to let anyone get in her way.

"That's okay," she says, pushing his hand away. "I've got it." Shutting the back doors, Jossie quickly turns to head for the warehouse. "You coming, Michael?" she yells over her shoulder.

"Yes, sir!" he responds jokingly. "I'm right behind you." Michael shakes his head, almost laughing out loud at the sight in front of him. Jossie's weighted down with equipment and is struggling to push her way through the brush, the straps of the duffel bag getting caught on the branches. "You need some help?" he asks politely.

"No!"

"Are you sure?" he continues, raising an eyebrow. "It looks to me like you're having some trouble."

"I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself," she replies plainly, irritated that he's making a joke out of it.

Sensing her growing annoyance, he decides to keep his mouth shut. One more wisecrack and he'll be eating that duffel bag.

As they approach the south side of the warehouse, they spot John and Jacob sitting behind a dense cluster of trees, cataloging their equipment. Walking toward them, Jossie glances off toward the mountains, noticing that the sun has already fallen below the peaks, but still lends a colorful hue to the evening sky. Within the hour, the color will fade and all that will be left is darkness.

"How did things go at the safe house?" Jacob asks, watching as Jossie places their equipment on the ground.

"Fine," she replies tersely. "What information have you gathered about the warehouse?"

John chimes in. "As you can see, it's surrounded by a security fence with barbed wire. There are three cargo doors on the south end and a door over on the east end, which faces the security gate."

"How's their security?" Michael asks.

"Nothing we can't handle," Jacob replies. "There are security cameras, but their scope doesn't seem to reach beyond the fence, which is only fifty yards out from the warehouse."

"There are two soldiers on patrol," John adds.

"What's their pattern?" Jossie asks.

"They continually circle the warehouse," John replies. "When one is walking the south end, the other is walking the north end."

"So when they reach the corners, they've got a view of the entire perimeter?" Jossie asks, picking up the binoculars to take a better look.

Looking over at Michael, who is pulling out the thermal scanner, John replies absently, "Right."

"How many soldiers in total?" she asks, wanting to take into consideration all the aspects of the mission.

"There are three that we know of," Jacob replies. "Two of them are working patrol. The other one is inside."

"We can assume there are at least a few additional guards inside, along with Allana and her driver, so we're looking at eight or nine hostiles," Michael guesses, stepping in front of the others to use the scanner.

"Are you picking anything up?" Jossie asks.

"It's hard to tell. The building is heavily insulated." Michael frowns. "It appears that the storage area is housing three prisoners."

"Three?" the others ask in unison.

Handing the scanner to John, he says, "Here, take a look."

John takes the scanner and leans out past the trees, careful to keep out of sight from the guards. "Why is the back of the building so much colder than the front?" he asks curiously.

With the binoculars, Jossie scans the warehouse and spots two large cooling units on the roof. "She's using the cooling units on the roof to freeze them, inducing stress."

"Can you pick up anything from the front?" Jacob asks, eager to get a look for himself.

"Not really," John answers grimly. "Since the front is warmer and it's heavily insulated, their heat signatures are blurring together. They must be clustered together."

Jossie nods her head intently. "How are we going to approach this?"

"Timing will be everything," Michael states. "With the cameras covering the grounds, we can't deal with the two soldiers on patrol until we're ready to strike. But we'll have to take them out before we enter the warehouse. Otherwise, they'll come up from behind and box us in."

Looking at Michael, Jossie suggests, "If we all crawl over to the fence together, John and Jacob taking flank positions where they can see the east and west sides of the warehouse, we can use the wire cutters to make an opening in the fence right in front of the cargo doors while the soldiers are out of sight. When they circle around, John and Jacob can take them out. Then we'll slip through the fence and head straight for the cargo door."

"How do we tackle the door?" Jacob asks, trying to picture the plan in his mind.

"A few small charges should do the trick," Jossie suggests. "While I cover the cargo door, making sure no one exits through the east door and comes up behind us, you guys can charge the room, taking out the hostiles."

"That could work," John states, impressed by Jossie's initiative.

With everyone in agreement, they hurry to organize the equipment. When darkness falls, they'll move in.

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