3.24 It's Not Over Yet

Author's Note: I would suggest reading this chapter of Alex's side story before reading this chapter. It's not necessary but will give a more rounded view of what's happening.

Caleb dropped to his knees as the phone clattered to the floor. Turning Drew watched horrified as he burst into tears. Racing to his side she wrapped her arms around him thankful that the girls were with their Aunt Tayla for the duration of this nightmare. Her heart hammered in her ears while Caleb's tears soaked her shirt. "What's happening?" she asked anguish twisting her words until they barely squeaked out.

"I...I'm sorry" Caleb mumbled "I don't know why I'm crying. I'm just so relieved that this nightmare is almost over," he looked at Drew and smiled. "Alex just called to say the kidnapper brought Andrew to the hotel." He felt her arms tighten around him as her eyes widened in disbelief.

"Andrew? He's safe?" she asked in a small barely audible voice. Caleb nodded as she trembled in his arms reacting much the same was as he had. Lifting her face from Caleb's shoulder "I want to see my baby. I won't believe it until I see him. Hold him in my arms."

"Neither will I," he agreed helping her to her feet. "I love you" he murmured as she turned.

Stopping she reached up to stroke his bruised and battered face "I love you too," she spoke from the depths of her heart "if it weren't for you I'd have fallen apart."

His lips quirked at the corners "I was just thinking how brave  you were through all of this."

"Not brave," she shook her head "just too scared to give up."

He pulled her close kissing her forehead "together we can face anything," he said gently smoothing
her hair.

"I certainly hope so," she smiled up at him. She brought her mouth up to his pressing again him before pulling away. Taking his hand saying "let's go get our son."

***

"Ambrose ease up," Alex shook the man's shoulder "he's not going anywhere."

Easing his strangle hold on the dark haired male Ambrose eyed him uneasily "if I let you go, you won't try anything?"

Shaking his head from side to side "no I won't. Everything I've done so far has only caused more trouble." The boys demeanor was that of a whipped puppy...defeated. He slumped against the wall when Ambrose released him. Drained of all energy and willpower.

Taking pity on him Alex grabbed his arm and helped him to a chair "what's your name?"

"Ricardo Junior," he mumbled "Ricky if you like." He leaned forward burying his head in his  hands, shoulders shaking.

Alex watched the young man cry know he had been driven beyond his limits to save his sister. He looked down to find Andrew tugging on his arm. "Can we help him?" the little boy asked while never taking his eyes from his kidnappers face.

Kneeling beside his nephew Alex asked "why do you want to help him?" he was curious to know what the boy was thinking or if this was a classic example of Stockholm syndrome.

Shrugging Andrew looked away before answering "at first I was real scared. He acted real mean especially when I couldn't stop crying..." he stopped talking biting his lip.

"But what?" Ambrose asked becoming interested in what Andrew was saying.

"He talked a lot in his sleep," Andrew looked at the dejected figure of the man who had taken him from his house, his parents, everyone he cared about. "He kept saying he was sorry. He didn't know what else to do." He looked up at his Uncles " I think he was sorry for what he did and wanted to undo it if he could. If a bad man had one of my sisters I'd do whatever I had to to get her back safe. Wouldn't you?"

An older man sat silent drumming his fingers on the steering wheel. His eyes never leaving the hotel entrance. He scowled as a he watched a couple scurry past and through the doors. "The fool," he growled into the silence of the car. He'll never get his hands on that ledger. It didn't really matter. The ledger was already in his possession...had been for years.

His lip curled up in amusement. It was his way of showing the remnants of the old mans regime who was boss. They either obeyed or they died. The girl, the granddaughter of the old drug lord had been a pretty little thing. Pretty enough to tempt him into using her to satisfy his animal lusts but he restrained himself. With DNA testing the way it was he didn't want to risk leaving any trace of himself behind. Instead he watched as his flunkies tormented her. She was weak and as a source of entertainment had grown stale and boring. He hefted his bulk from the small compact car. It was time to teach these fools a lesson in obedience.

***

As soon as Drew and Caleb entered the room Andrew was smothered in hugs and kisses. "Mommy. Daddy. I missed you," he cried enjoying the attention.

They wrapped the boy in their arms as if they would never let him go. Drew couldn't keep the tears from flowing as she hold her son. She picked him up and carried him away from the group of men. 

"Let me look at you," she held his face in her hands searching for any signs of injury.

"Mommy" he protested "I'm fine. I'm hungry other then that I'm fine."

"Didn't he feed you?" she asked smoothing his hair back away from from his face.

"He tried," Andrew told her "he's not a very good cook." He made a look of disgust to demonstrate how he felt about his captor's cooking skills or lack there of.

"He didn't hurt you?" she looked at his face seeing the fading bruise on his cheek.

Yanking his face away Andrew grumbled "I'm fine."

"Son, she's only worried about you," Caleb said coming up to them finding it impossible to stay away for long. 

"I know but I'm not a baby," Andrew complained. Turning to his mom "I'm hungry, when can we go?"

"Soon baby soon, she told him looking up at Caleb.

Caleb looked over his shoulder towards the kidnapper "why don't you take him for a burger and ice cream...."

Drew wanted to protest. She wanted Caleb to come with them. She looked down into the pleading eyes of her son and his stomach growled loudly settling the issue. "Ok let's get something to stop that rumbling in her tummy. She smiled as went to tickle him. His laughter filled the room easing the tension between the men.

Getting up she turned to Caleb "would you like me to bring back something for the rest of you guys?"

He leaned forward resting his forehead on hers "thank you," he said quietly "we have things to discuss with that...man. I don't want Andrew to overhear it."

She looked up into his worried grey eyes and nodded "I'll call before we come back," she told him.

"I'm sure we'll be hungry by then," he told her giving her a brief kiss on the lips and squeezing her tight. "Love you," he murmured as he released her.

Taking Andrew's hand she smiled up at Caleb. "Love you too," she said as she opened the door and walked into the hall. Looking down at Andrew "where would you like to eat?"

"Anywhere," he said pulling her forward "I just want food."

"Alright alright I'm coming," she told him laughing. It felt good to have him back. To hold him. Feel him in her arms. Hear his voice. Talk to him. Things couldn't get much better, could it? They passed a burly older man with reddish brown short hair as he made his way inside the hotel doors. 

Andrew leaned in her as the man passed them whispering "I don't like that man."

Drew looked up to see the menacing look the man was giving them. She put a hand on her son's shoulders as they continued on their way. She debated with herself on whether to call Caleb and warn him. Warn him of what? That a man, a stranger gave her bad vibes? She stopped beside her car looking up towards the window she was sure was Alex's room. She knew he was going to think she was crazy but she had to make the call.

***

Mrs. Jeffries paced her small kitchen waiting for the nice young officer to come. She felt somewhat guilty hearing the description she gave of the kidnapper on the TV. Somehow she felt she had described the wrong man. What if she had? Now an innocent man was being hunted for a crime he didn't commit. The man's menacing blue eyes and his bullish nature fit with what she thought of a kidnapper. Shaking her head dismissing her doubts. She'll stick by the description she gave.

A knock on the door had her scurrying to meet the officer. His pleasant smile encouraged her to invite him inside. "I have oatmeal raisin cookies fresh from the oven," she offered with a smile.

He smothered a groan forcing a smile upon his face as he followed her into the kitchen. "They smell delicious." Once she had served him a plate and coffee he asked "you remembered something?"

"I did" she clapped her hands together as she looked around the cluttered table. "Now where did I put it?" she mumbled to herself.

"Just great," the officers grumbled around a half chewed cookies. The woman looked up at him a questioning look in her eyes. "Mmm great" he smiled around a mouthful of cookies.

She smiled as she relaxed into her chair again evidently satisfied with his response. She picked up a scrap of paper with them scribbles written on it. "I think I may have remembered the kidnappers license plate number."

The officers stopped chewing to stare at the older woman. Swallowing he held his hand out. She laid the piece of paper in his palm.

She explained in a hesitant voice "I've been dreaming of those numbers for days. I wrote them down on the first piece of paper I could find before I could forget them." At the officers excitement she omitted saying she had known this for days. She didn't want him to think she had been withholding information so that she'd have an excuse for the officer to come again.

The officers eyes lit up with interest "this may be the break we need to find the Grey kid." He stood up to leave "thank you ma'am for your help."

"You're welcome" she beamed with  delight "I just hope you find that little boy safe and sound."

"So do I" he said as he walked purposefully from the house.

***

The bullish man watched the woman and child as they passed him in the entrance. She had been so close. So pretty. His mind jumped to all the things he could do to her or have done to her. His play things never lasted long. He watched as the child leaned into her and he knew he must have transmitted his ill intent like a radio wave. Children were a good judge of characters and he was as nasty as they come. He smiled briefly at the thought. Once he finished his business here he would worry about acquiring another play thing.

He headed straight for the elevator without stopping at the front desk. He knew what room his prey was in. Most likely his prey wasn't alone. His fingers itched to feel the concealed gun in  his waist band in his hands. It's been a while since he had carried out an execution himself. He was looking forward to it. The way his prey always looked at him with fear in their eyes as he pointed the gun at them. The way they pleaded for their lives. Watching the final moment when the light drained from their eyes.

This was going to be a good day. He would dispose of his disobedient pest and his sister and whoever else was in the room with him. As he walked down the hallway he slowly withdrew his gun. Heart pounding in anticipation he readied his bulk as he prepared himself to throw his bulk at the door.

***

Caleb turned to answer his phone "miss me?" he asked.

"Always" Drew said with a smile "I don't know if this means anything but..."

Caleb listened to her hearing the fear in her voice "did something happen?" he asked.

"Nothing really..."

"Drew just tell me" his voice rising.

"Andrew and I saw this man as we were leaving the hotel. He...he just gave us really bad vibes. I have a bad feeling and I needed to warn you."

Some of Caleb's tension melted when he heard her. He refrained from asking 'was that all' until he remembers that Amanda, Drew's sister could sense things and maybe something like that was warning Drew. His smile faded as he asked for a description of the man. He turned to the young man asking "do you know a middle aged bullish type man with reddish brown hair and menacing blue eyes?"

The kidnapper swallowed convulsively as he stammered "that's...that's...the new boss, the guy taking over my grandfathers drug business." His forehead broke out in a cold sweat "we've got to get out of here. If he's here he's her to execute me for failing."

Hearing that Caleb walked to the door "Drew don't go anywhere until I join you." He opened the door took a step out when something hard came crashing down on his head.

***

"Caleb," Drew screamed into the phone. Andrew looked at her in concern then darted across the parking lot towards the hotel entrance. "Andrew get back here" she called after him.

With trembling fingers she dialed 911 informing the dispatcher "I think someone just attacked my husband...I was talking to him when he grunted in pain...he hasn't said anything since...No he's not ignoring me." Her voice was becoming more and more irritated answering the inane questions of the woman operator. "Look I have to go....Just send help." With that she ran towards the entrance where her son had disappeared a few moments before.

***

Laughing the large bulky man stepped over Caleb's motionless body and into the room. All three men looked up startled. "Well hello little Ricky" the man said pleasantly "surprised to see me?"

Taking a deep breath the dark haired young man took a step forward "this is between you and me. Leave them out of this."

"Too late for that," the man shook his head "the minute you walked into this room you were a dead man along with everyone else." He waved the gun around pointing it at Ambrose then at Alex "do you have the ledger?"

They all shook their heads. Ricky stared down the barrel of the gun "face it ledger is done forever."

"Oh I know it is," the man laughed at their stunned faces "I just wanted to see how far I could push you. Your parents are too wimpy. Honestly I didn't expect you to last this long." Shaking his head he continued "Every good boss knows he can't leave any of he old regime behind even ones as toothless as your family has proved to be. Once I'm done with you. I'll get rid of your sister...then your parents."  He pointed to gun at Alex hen at Ambrose "but first I want you to see what failure looks like." He started to chant like a child unable to decide "eney, meeny, miny, moe."

Ricky followed the movement of the gun taking a chance he knocked Ambrose to the floor as the man pulled the trigger. Without looking he hoped the bullet missed the pink haired male. Turning he tried to run for the bulky drug overlord knowing it would be the last thing he'd ever do. He heard the gun go off but he kept going. A third shot he felt a searing burning sensation in his lungs and chest. A fourth shot went off directed at someone else behind him as he lay on his back in agony. The wailing sounds of sirens coming nearer filled the room. He felt the man rummage through his pockets removing his car keys. "Don't worry boy your sister will joining you soon unless her air has run out then you'll be joining her."

***

Andrew tried to duck around the corner when he saw the menacing bulky man charging down the hall at him. Either he wasn't fast enough or the man was faster then he looked. The next thing Andrew knew he was being grabbed and hoisted into the air as the man ran. He remembered screaming but no one came to his rescue until a small form tackled the man around his knees making him stumble and fall. Andrew was knocked from the man's grasp only to find another man in a suit drag him behind the front desk in the hotel lobby. That was when he realized who is rescuer was "mom" he screamed as the man wrapped a meaty hand around her throat. He tossed her aside like a rag doll when several armed police men surrounded him.

Andrew watched astonished as the man surrendered without a fight. It almost seemed he enjoyed it like he knew these men couldn't touch him. It was a bit scary and Andrew hoped he'd never see the man again as he was led away by the policemen.