?I don?t like being summoned,? Chase growled to Sophie by way of greeting as he thumped his way across the living room of the house that she and Alain shared. He ignored the questioning arch of her brow and the judgmental frown that formed when she took in his appearance.

Curled up in an oversized chair in cow print pajama bottoms and a tank top with her hair flung into a mess bun, Sophie had no room to make judgments about appearances. Pajama bottoms? Since when did Sophie start wearing pajama bottoms? At nine on a Saturday morning? Usually by now she?d been jogging, showered, dressed for work, and was negotiating a major deal with some nation-state to supply them with an over abundance of Rhovnik weapons. This was all DeMuer?s fault.

?Wow. Who pissed in your coffee?? Her feet fell to the floor as she posed the question and it was then he spotted the fuzzy matching socks she was wearing. He couldn?t even look at the offensive socks.There had been a time only a couple years ago that he had questioned if there was anything but Burberry in Sophie?s wardrobe. Chase was no fashion guru but he was relatively sure that those socks were not London street chic. ?And, God, you look like crap,? Sophie added bluntly as she flipped the book in her lap shut.

He had to admit she was probably right. He hadn?t slept much since Cait had showed up at his door with that fake tattoo, since he?d blown up at her for being so open with her feelings for him, since he?d violently grabbed her arm and shaken her. The alcohol hadn?t helped either. Some idiotic part of his brain had tried to convince the rest of him that he?d be in less pain if he self-medicated with excessive amounts of liquor. It hadn?t worked. In fact, it made the pain worse. Yet, he just couldn?t stop drinking. Hung over, exhausted, and awash in guilt, he probably did look worse than Sophie even with her bed head and cow print pajama pants.

?You really don?t want to start with me today,? Chase responded as he sunk onto her couch, frowning at a ray of sunshine that was spread across the old wooden floor beams. The sun shouldn?t be shining today. It should be dark, gloomy, and rainy. Just like his mood. What a fucking traitor that sun was.

Sophie narrowed her eyes at the odd frown and his inexplicable fascination with the way the light play through the window. ?Fine, fine. Why is Kat in town??

His eyes spun on his employer/cousin. Of course, she knew Kat was in town. Even if Kat had kept to her promise of keeping what had happened between he and Cait to herself there was no way that word wouldn?t get back to Sophie that Kat had stepped through a portal into RhyDin. Finally, he lifted his shoulders into a shrug and admitted as much of the truth as he cared Sophie to know. ?I broke up with Cait. Kat's here to try to do damage control.?

That information, however, was clearly news to Sophie. Her eyes grew wide with surprise and she leaned forward, placing an elbow on her knee and rest the tip of her chin on top of her closed fist. It gave him just a fleeting moment worth of hesitation that for once she had not known the gory details of his personal life before he himself relayed them to her.

While the news was a surprise to Sophie, the question that she replied with was a shock to Chase. An irritating shock but a shock, nevertheless. ?Why the hell would you do something like that??

He lingered for a moment over her question. It was almost as if she hadn?t wanted him to break up with Cait. Wasn?t that what she had been after all along? If he lived to be a hundred and three, he?d never understand the women in his family. Actually, if he was destined to be stuck with those women for the next eighty odd years, he?d rather not live that long. Eventually, he could only shake his head. ?You know why.?

?Well, I did a background check on her,? Sophie started, leaning forward to pick up a folder off the coffee table before her. Before he had a chance to give her another well prepared speech about keeping her nose out of his business, Sophie cut a glance up to him. ? I know, I know. You can lecture me later but you and I both know you?ve done plenty of your own research on Alain.?

And, of course, she was right. He had used Rhovnik resources to look extensively into Alain?s background when he began dating Sophie so he fell silent, biting back that speech. She reached forward, handing the folder his way and he lifted off the couch long enough to take it from her. ?I?ll let you make up your mind about what you?re going to do with this,? she stated quietly.

The silence that followed was heavy. Somewhere in the old house a clock was ticking away the passing seconds. The financial records in the folder were studied carefully. He didn?t need a running commentary from Sophie about what he was looking at and she didn?t provide one. The documents spoke for themselves.

?This can?t be right,? he muttered softly.

?I didn?t think so either. We followed the money trail. There were some secret offshore accounts that he had established years ago. Well, they are still being accessed and not by Cait. It appears she has no idea that they exist. So we tracked down who was accessing them and--?

He flipped past the financial and legal documents to the real power behind the punch that the folder delivered. There was Sophie?s proof in colored blown-up 8x10s. One after the other. He flipped through them in disbelief. ?Christ.?

?And got photographic evidence,? Sophie finished.

There was no way the subject of the photos knew that he was being followed and his every move being captured by a telescopic lens. Sophie?s team was far too experienced for a sloppy mistake. Yet, the man in the photographs had a hounded look. There was that vague anxious air of a man who was constantly looking over his shoulder, waiting for his past to catch up to him.

Well, it seemed it just had.

Sophie?s voice had softened. There was even a measure of sympathy in her tone. ?What?re you going to do??

The question drew the weight of the matter home. Chase flipped the folder shut and lifted his brown eyes to Sophie. Outsiders always found it amazing that the Rhovnik cousins could go from childish bickering to complete support with the flip of a switch. That?s what was expected of comrades in arms. That?s what family was all about.

He heaved a heavy sigh, letting his shoulders droop with the weight of the news he had no choice but to deliver. ?What can I do? I have to tell her.?

Cait sat curled on a beach chair on the same island where she and Chase had spent the weekend before. The patio doors to the room were open and she sat outside on the chair, curled beneath a blanket just staring at the water. A trash can sat beside her over flowing with crumpled tissues and two empty beer bottles lay on the ground next to the trash can. It had been hours since she'd bothered to look at her phone or even get up out of the chair and now she didn't know if she had the strength left to get up and go to the bed or if she'd just fall asleep out on the patio.

Kent had been relatively accommodating after he had a good look at the information that had been uncovered. He'd even provided Chase a key to the room that Cait was staying in. A request to be there when Chase delivered the news was ignored. Chase knew that Cait would want to be alone to process it.

There had been no doubt in his mind where he would find Cait but he didn't rush in her direction. Instead he lingered for a moment in the doorway, studying her profile silently before drawing together the courage to knock on the already open door to alert her to his presence.

"Hey, Cait."

Assuming it was just Kent when she initially heard the door to her room shut, she didn't bother to look or move. Remaining in the chair, she huffed softly and shifted to lean on her hip.The sound of Chase's voice startled her. Sitting up for a moment, she sucked in her bottom lip and narrowed her eyes towards the water as a range of emotions flooded her. Leaning back into her chair, she didn't turn around, she just pulled the blanket up higher and tried to hide beneath it. "Hi." Whispered softly after a moment. She really wanted to give Kent a piece of her mind for letting Chase in, but she could deal with that later. "Why are you here?" She still didn't bother to try and look at him.

He thumped the folder against his leg as he reminded himself that he was here to deliver the news, not stare absently at her face. With an exhale of air, he stepped forward to move out on the patio but then came to a hesitating halt. There was no guide to handle this situation. He was on his own. "I need to talk to you."

Shifting her head up, she barely glanced at him and the folder he tapped against his leg and then looked away again with a sigh. "Didn't we already do enough talking? I just need some time Chase. I need to think." Her voice sounded strained as though she was going to lose it any moment and had to speak soft and slowly in order to maintain any kind of control. As she grasped the arms of the chair, her knuckles turned white. "You shouldn't be here."

"I know," he responded quietly. He took another step in and then eased to a seat on the mate of the chair she was sitting in, leaning forward slightly towards her. "I'll leave after I tell you you this. I'm not here about us."

Sitting up again, she turned to face him, though she was having a hard time looking directly at him. "What is it?" She wasn't sure she could handle anything else at the moment. "Did something happen?"

"Sophie did a background check on you. A pretty extensive one. She found an anomaly. A couple offshore accounts that your father opened but that weren't a part of your inheritance." The folder ended up in his lap and his forearms landed on his knees. The words came slowly from his lips as he struggled to find the best way to lay it out before her.

"Why the hell was Sophie running a background check on me... and my dead father?" She glared at him and threw the blanket off and stood up, nearly tipping the chair over as she did. Hitting a beer bottle with her foot, it fell over and loudly banged against the bricks of the patio. Crossing her arms over her chest, she turned back to face him. "So my dad was hiding some money. Big deal. Is she going to accuse him of some crime next just to further tarnish my family name and give you another reason as to why you shouldn't be with me?"

"That's just the thing. Why was your dad hiding the money? I think she was curious more than anything. I mean she had all your father's financial records. He was an open book. Why did he start hiding the money all of a sudden?" Her questions and anger were expected and even welcomed. He much rather than she were angry with him, with Sophie, with the whole lot of them than with herself. He was to blame.

"Have a seat and look at this," he encouraged quickly. He flipped through the folder to a stapled document and handed it over.

"It's a release signed by a George Morcol. Your father was his attorney. It seems that Mr. Morcol was accusing a Dr. James Hall of medical malpractice for inserting a coronary stent into his heart. The thing is the stent wasn't medically necessary. This release was Mr. Morcol's hush money. Sophie... well, she got her hands on your father's hard drive from his law office. Jakob was able to find out from some deleted files on the hard drive that your father had figured out that Dr. James Hall along with his attorney, a Petra DeMayo, were taking illegal kick backs from a pharmaceutical company for the operations. He had an informant. We think it might been a nurse that worked with the doctor. It looks like they were collecting evidence. They were going to turn in the whole thing."

At first she had started to open her mouth to lay into him some more. She didn't know why her dad would hide money or why it would be any of their business. When she tried to speak, nothing came out and her voice cracked softly the more Chase spoke. "Yeah... I .. I remember him telling me a little bit about that when I was home visiting. What's it matter? He's dead now and so is the case." Walking towards him, she snatched the file from his hand, angry that he had things about her father, things even she had never seen.

"Wait." He stood quickly as she snatched the folder out of his hand. Instinctively his hand moved out to her arm but he stopped himself before he touched the visible bruise that he had caused on her arm.

That momentary distraction in which he forced air back into his lungs after being sucker punched by the visible reminder of what he did to her left him unable to grab it back before she opened it. There on top of the stack where pictures of Cait's father. Each and every one of them time stamped within the last month. There were pictures of him entering a bank. There were pictures of him eating on the patio of cafe. There were pictures of him carrying groceries out of a store.

He forced himself to draw his eyes back up to her face and whispered in a quiet, gentle voice. "The money was put into the accounts at the same time, Cait. We believe he felt he had to go into hiding. We don't know why. His death was faked. An attendant at the funeral home confirmed to our people that he was paid off. The ashes they gave you weren't your father. The accounts are still active. Your father is still alive."

She hissed softly as he reached for her and yanked back. Her eyes went to the bruise as the same time his did. The harsh gaze she wore softened slightly, she wanted to tell him so much that it didn't matter, that she knew he hadn't meant to hurt her and he hadn't, not really. When the folder was opened though her eyes squinted in disbelief at seeing her father... or a man who looked very much like him with slight differences and dates that read this year. "No... no .... no..."

The pictures were flung on the ground as she looked at each one and tossed them away. Her hands were shaking as she looked back up to him, obvious hurt in her eyes along with sadness and confusion. "Why are you doing this?! What is this?!" She was screaming now and threw the folder at him. "Why are you letting Sophie do this?!" Moving forward she shoved him. "I don't... no ... " A wave of nausea rolled over her and she choked on a sob as she fell against him and clutched his shirt to brace herself.

He grimaced, not from physical pain but from her emotional explosion, as the folder struck his arm and dropped to the tiled floor under their feet. He remained perfectly still until she fell against him. His initial hesitation was forgotten. His arms wrapped around her tightly and a hand reached up to guide the back of her head in closely against his chest.

"I'm so sorry, Cait. I'm so sorry."

The Dunraven Hotel was situated 19 kilometers southwest of Limerick on the banks of the river Maigue in the story book village of Adare. Chase and Cait raised not a single eyebrow when they checked in and were escorted to their suite. After all, what young couple in love wouldn't want to enjoy the picturesque thatched houses, the nearby Cliffs of Moher, King John's Castle, or any of a number of luxurious amenities that the Dunraven Hotel offered?

It had taken a full ten hours of sleep for the mixture of Unisom, Valium, and alcohol to clear from Cait's system. The irritation that had settled in at the Rhovnik doctor's for giving her such a high dose to make it through the flight was alleviated only slightly by admitting to himself that little else, including him, had given her comfort since she'd heard the news. At least the tears had stopped for a little while and she had been able to sleep.

He'd urged her to take a shower when she awoke groggy but sober around mid-afternoon, leaving him sitting on the sofa to flip through the channels. There had to be a sports channel that showed something other than soccer. Manchester United and Chelsea had their own channels! And he had always thought that the Big Ten network was going a little too far!

Walking out of the bathroom in a towel, she finally seemed alert to her surroundings. A soft smile rested on her lips as she looked around, really seeing their room for the first time. Their accommodations were beautiful to say the least, she just wished that they could really enjoy them and were not here under such stressful conditions. "I forgot a change of clothes," she mentioned as she secured the towel and moved to get clothes from her luggage.

"Have you heard any updates? Did I miss anything while I was sleeping?" Her nervous grin turned kind of sheepish at the mention of her sleeping, she had very little recollection of the flight, the drive, or anything that had happened since. "I didn't leave claw marks in your arms from the take off did I?" She vaguely recalled gripping the chair rest on the plane and Chase for dear life.

He shoved the mute button on the remote and then dropped the remote onto the arm of the couch as she stepped out of the bathroom. Talk of marks on arms still was a sore point. His jaw tightened briefly but almost immediately he forced the tension from his posture. "I'm fine. And, no. Nothing new. He's staying at the Adare Manor. Just around the corner. Evidently there's really great golfing there."

Despite being in a country she had always wanted to visit, she wasn't sure she felt like going out to explore, so she slipped on some pajama shorts and a t-shirt. Grabbing her brush, she settled on the couch and curled up in the corner while she started to work on getting the knots out of her hair. "I can't believe he's so close. I hope he doesn't leave before we have a chance to go there." Her brow creased with worry and her lips pressed into a thin line.

"He picked a beautiful place to hide, doesn't really surprise me when I think about it, especially staying at a golf resort. It kind of makes me feel better that he's still making time to enjoy things in life, I just wish I could have been a part of it all these years. I just have so many questions. How could he ..." Biting down on her tongue as she felt herself getting worked up and angry, she shook her head. "Sorry." Chase was given a weak smile and a shrug. "You've really been great Chase, I couldn't have gone through all of this without you, I just wish I wasn't so weepy... you must be sick of me sobbing constantly."

"Of course not. Don't apologize." He stated softly, leaning forward to drop his elbows on his knees. Once again he found himself wishing for a how-to guide on being there for your girlfriend when she finds out that her dead father isn't so dead. "What's our next move?"

Pursing her lips together, she mulled over the few ideas she had while continuing to brush her hair out. " I don't really want to wait to see him. I just want to get it over with, I'm so nervous and excited. What do you think? Should we go soon or wait a day or two? You're not as emotionally invested in this as I am, so I want your opinion. I'm not exactly rational these days." Rolling her eyes at herself, she leaned forward and set the brush down and then extended her legs, stretching out on the couch.

He hit the power button on the remote to flip off the television as he rose to his feet. He stared at the black screen for a moment before turning back to her, shoving his fingers into the side pockets of his jeans. "I really can't make that decision for you, Cait. I got you here and I'll be here for you for whatever you need of me... but you've got to take the next step."

Taking a deep breath, she nodded and fought the urge to curl back up into a ball and try to hide beneath a blanket. "I know. You're right." As much as it showed that she hated to say that, she knew it was true. "Well then, I'd like to go soon. I'm well rested and fairly stable at the moment, so I think I'd like to do it today. I just want to get it over with before I chicken out."

"Okay." The word was drawn out carefully and accompanied by a slow nod of his head. He rocked back on his heels, searching for the right thing to say. Unfortunately, nothing came. "You want me there or do you want to go alone? Or relatively alone. I'd have to send Kent along. We should be safe here but I don't want to take any chances. I can tell him to keep his distance."

Standing up abruptly, she it dawned on her that she should start putting on make up and do her hair. Pacing around the room, she tried to decide which to do first and what should she wear to see her father again after such a long time. Pausing by her suitcase, she looked to him and blew out a deep breath after puffing out her cheeks. "Mmm. Come with me. At least to the hotel, maybe wait outside? I want to go in alone, but it'll make me feel better to know you're close by. Would that be okay?"

"Absolutely. Whatever you need." His voice remained soft. Despite the room being spacious and comfortable, he felt too large for it and on edge. He remained rooted in place by indecision, silently cursing himself for his inability to be more help.

"Okay then." After unzipping her suitcase and flipping it open, she motioned inside. "First thing I need your help with... what do I wear?"

A cheerful elderly doorman in a top hat and tails grinned widely to Cait as she approached the heavy wooden door. He pulled it open, motioning her within. A polite nod was given to Kent as well. "Gran' evenin', Miss. Evenin' to you, Sir."

Beyond the doorway, the impressive exterior gave way to a breathtaking interior. A great cavernous lobby greeted them with stone arches curving thirty feet above their heads. The portly woman behind the ornate wooden desk seemed a perfect fit. Her hair was pulled back in a no nonsense bun but a pleasant smile was planted firmly on her lips as Cait approached. If it were any other age, she could easily be mistaken for the grand manor's maid. However, in the Adare Manor?s current incarnation as a luxurious hotel she served as the front desk clerk.

"Can I help you, Miss?"

As they went inside, Cait's breath was taken away. The hotel was like some kind of fairy tale and she wished that she were here for pleasure instead of urgent family matters. Her head dipped in greeting to both the doorman and then the desk clerk as well. "I was looking for someone. I was wondering if maybe I could get a room number for a Mr. Keavy. Collin Keavy?" She bit her lip, not remembering if Chase had mentioned and alias or not. She looked back over her shoulder to Kent to see if he had remembered, she had so many things going through her head she was having a hard time thinking straight.

Kent took a step forward as Cait fumbled and smiled smoothly to the woman behind the desk. Her polite smile remained in place, seemingly unimpressed by his charm. "It actually is probably under Collin Hogan."

After Ben Hogan. It hadn't taken the Rhovniks long to start tracking Collin Keavy once they'd learned of his tendency to just pair his first name with the last name of a famous golfer and use that as an alias. The bumbled aliases, the obvious money trail, the tendency to move from one exclusive golf course to the next... They were clear signs that Collin Keavy was a novice at the whole "on the lam" lifestyle. This was no professional criminal used to disappearing. This was an amateur -- albeit a highly intelligent amateur with a good dose of creativity when it came to faking his own death -- stumbling his way through the difficulties associated with trying to vanish into thin air.

The woman's face warmed as her eyes danced back to Cait's face. A light of recognition sparkled. She didn't even bother to consult the computer monitor before her. "Mr. Hogan? Of course! Such a pleasant gentleman! He was a guest here for two weeks."

"Right. Hogan." She nodded and looked to Kent, mouthing a thank you to him. Looking back towards the woman, her face lit up as she mentioned how pleasant her father was...was....was a guest here? She repeated what the woman said and then leaned forward, clutching the desk. "Was a guest? He's still here right?" The room felt like it was spinning and she looked to Kent, disappointment clear on her face.

"No, dear. He checked out two days ago. Was he expecting you? He didn't say anything about anyone joining him." The desk clerk's brows furrowed as she focused on Cait' distress. Kent's posture tightened a bit at the news that they were too late. He took a quick step forward as if wanting to be closer to Cait's side in case she needed the support.

"No.. no. I was here to surprise him." Her voice started to crack and she withdrew her shaking hands from the desk, looking to Kent again, completely defeated. " I just... I need a minute." Looking around she tried to see which direction the bathroom might be in. "Where is the ladies room?" Her eyes were already welling up with tears and she sniffled loudly, trying to hold it together.

The clerk's sharp eyes jumped from Cait to Kent and back again. They were well dressed enough and knowing Mr. Hogan spoke volumes for them in her book. After a split second of indecision, the clerk offered a nod and motioned towards a hallway off to her right -- through an archway, past the baby grand piano, and towards a hallway of dark, ornately carved wainscoting. "Just down the hallway and on your left, Miss."

"Thank you." Her head dipped in thanks though she couldn't manage to smile. Looking to Kent, her eyes narrowed. "Don't even think about following me. I said I need a minute. Alone." She didn't mean to snap at him but she was just so crushed and let down that she needed a moment to cry her eyes out without someone trying to tell her it would be okay or to calm down. Quickly she darted past Kent and ran for the hall, even as people looked at her for being so loud.

Kent hesitated for a moment, feeling accusing eyes turn his way from the desk clerk and the few guest mulling around in the lobby discussing dinner options or coming in from a round of golf. The chances that any Rhovnik enemies followed them from RhyDin to Cleveland to Newark to Dublin to Agare Village were ridiculously slim.

Cait had asked for a minute. She needed to compose herself. Kent slowed to a stop near the piano and attempted to sink into the side of archway that rose over his head with his head hung. The perfect image of a boyfriend who had just been snapped at. The guests gathered in the lobby would quickly lose interest.

Crying women were not his specialty... and he had found that any such situation involving the woman's father was a field full of unpredictable field mines. Hell, he wasn't even sleeping with this one. This was a job for Chase. He began fishing his phone out of his pocket determined to get Chase's ass in here to handle the fallout.

Quickly darting down the hallway, she nearly passed the ladies room when a hand reached seemingly out of nowhere and grabbed her so roughly she would have fallen if not for the arm that caught her and quickly tightened around her midsection while the hand that originally had grabbed her moved to cover over her mouth. Cait struggled to take in a shocked gasp of air as she fought against the arms around her.

Managing to get one hand out from under the arm grasping her, she slapped her hand back against the attackers face and tried to swipe at his eyes with her fingernails. For a split second the hand around her mouth slipped away and she took the opportunity to scream. "Kent!"

The scream rang out loudly in the hallway, echoing all around them. The hand clamped back down around her mouth and her arms were pinned once again by his other arm while he picked her up easily enough and began running down the hallway for a back exit. She continued to struggle in her attackers arms while screaming against his hand for help.

Her voice shouting his name was an instant bolt of electricity. He tossed a four letter curse word into the phone and then shoved it into his pocket without another word to Chase on the other end. The confused looks from the guests in the lobby barely registered as he sprinted to the hallway.

Kent burst through the back door and into the bright late afternoon sun. The chosen exit faced west causing him to squint into the glare as his eyes adjusted to the light but he did not slow. Rounding the corner of the building, his eyes adjusted just in time to spot the nondescript white work van that was parked on the narrow path between the manor and the meandering river that swung around the estate. The van's double back doors were thrown open as the trio of kidnappers and Cait approached. His gun was in his hands without even realizing it but he struggled to find a clear shot. Not without risking Cait's life.

Just as he made the decision to try to disable the van and began aiming for the tires, gunshots rang out as the kidnappers caught sight of him and opened fire on his position. Bullets struck the centuries old stone walls of the building as Kent ducked back around the edge of the manor for cover.

Cait gave it her all fighting against her kidnapper, but he was much too strong for her and she had no leverage, especially with his cohorts at his side. As she heard gunshots ring out, she was roughly thrown into the van. Before the double doors of the van were even shut, it began gaining speed, kicking up dust in its wake.

Chase burst through the doors behind Kent just as the van began to become a small dot in the distance. Kent couldn?t tear his eyes off the retreating van. He watched the horizon even after there was nothing left to see. Only then could he force himself to look Chase?s way.

Yet, the anger and accusing glare that Kent had been expecting were no where to be found. A cool, professional mask had slid over Chase?s entire form as he frowned at his phone. It was a look Kent knew well and one far more frightening and violent than Chase?s infamous temper.

?I got a license plate number,? Kent stated in a rush.

?It?s probably stolen,? Chase muttered as he drew the phone up to his ear after punching in a number.

?Who are you calling? What are we going to do??

A grim, humorless smile crossed Chase?s lips. ?You know that charm I gave Cait for her bracelet? The little purse shaped one? I gave it to her after she slipped her protection that day and left her phone on vibrate. It?s a tracking device. I?m calling Jakob to get her location.?

For the first moment since he heard Cait scream his name, a dose of relief spread through Kent. Chase offered a wave of hope with his clear confidence that she would be found unharmed and Kent clung to it tightly.

Being tied to the chair had Cait's skin crawling.

She had suffered from panic attacks many times through out her life and was doing fairly well at fighting one off at the moment, though she suspected she had prescription drugs lingering in her system from the flight may have been helping. However, her attacker didn't have to know that and since he was being sympathetic towards her, a panic attack may just be the thing that could help her.

Letting her body go slack for a moment, she gave into her emotions and pushed herself mentally to imitate the break down. Tears started streaking down her face and she sobbed loudly and then added in gasped breaths while struggling against her bonds. Anyone who watched her would see that she wasn't simply trying to get away, something seemed wrong with her. "Can't... breath...."

She added more gasps for effect and little desperate shrieks. "Panic attack. I need to move. Please let me move." She didn't let her eyes focus but instead let them roll around in her sockets as she tried to raise her head to look at him and gasped again loudly.

"Please ... help..."

Bones, the lanky fair-headed kidnapper had been left alone in circular room leaning against a far wall listening to the sounds filtering in through the crumbled holes of the ruined house of his three cohorts argue over a game of dice while they sat on the grand front steps. Finally, the crying in the room with him became too much to ignore. His eyes swept towards the woman and he heaved a reluctant sigh.

Why couldn't she just sit quietly? They were only an hour from packing up into the van to head to the port. The waiting boat would cross to England and deliver her to that short-skirted lawyer. And Bones could head home with a fat wallet. She had to shut up. If Ronnie, the gang's irritable leader, believed he was incapable of keeping one tiny woman quiet, Bones would certainly have hell to pay.

Twisting his lips into a frown, he shoved himself from his lean and crossed towards her. "You've really got to shut up."

Sniffling louder, she shook her head. "I can't. I'll be quiet. I'll do anything, just untie me. "

Struggling again, she exaggerated her movements, not really wanting to pull that hard on her wrists or risk hurting her shoulders. "I'll be quiet." Looking to him again she made sure her bottom lip trembled. "Can't breath." She repeated this again while gasping. She had never actually passed out from a panic attack, but some times it did make her feel like she was struggling to breath, so she focused on that, hoping he'd not risk letting her die from lack of oxygen.

Bones cursed lightly beneath his breath as he leaned forward to untie the snug square knot that Ronnie had secured in place around Cait's wrists behind the chair. With a drop of sympathy he noted the expertly tied knots of the rope had chaffed her wrists and was beginning to cut the circulation off to her hands.

Just as Bones began to loosen the rope's grip on Cait's wrists, the crunch of the drive under fast moving tires was paired a split second later by the burst of gunfire. In the circular room under the crumbling entrance hall, Bones was unable to see who was doing the shooting. However, he could hear the shouts of Ronnie to his guys as they dived for cover. Their crew was on the receiving end.

She would have liked to had time to sit a moment and let the feeling return to her hands. She cried out softly as blood rushed back into her hands, but she didn't waste a minute more of time, afraid that he'd tie her back up if he thought his boss was coming. Swinging her arms around in front of her, she flipped her hand over and brought her palm crashing up towards his face, aiming for his nose. Her hands were still weak and she hadn't ever really used the move the Kent had taught her in self defense, but, she hoped it would be enough to break his nose and startle him so that she could begin her escape.

As a man whose nose had been twisted out of place several times, Bones had often wondered why the human form had such a ridiculous flaw. If it only took nine pounds of pressure to break a nose why was it left so exposed in the middle of the face? The crunch of his nose yielding to her palm would have filled the room had the sound of return gunfire from above them not washed out everything else.

The flow of blood came fast and heavy. With a growl, Bones ignored it and leapt towards Cait. Her advantage of surprise was over and he wrapped his hands around her neck, pushing the small woman against the back wall until her body struck against it. His fingers squeezed tighter, sinking into the flesh and cutting off her air supply.

The moment of celebration as she saw blood streaking down his face was short lived. The wind was knocked out of her as he slammed her against the wall and started to choke her. Panic seized her and she stood frozen for a moment,desperately trying to recall more of the training that Kent had been showing her over the past few weeks.

The movements came to her quickly and she just let her body take over, trying not to think about it and rather just do it. Bending her knees slightly, she dropped down and twisted to the left as she brought her right arm down and over his arms, hoping to cause his hold to release, in another swift motion she brought that same right arm back, slamming his face with the back of her fist. Girl instincts kicked in right about this moment and her leg came up, aiming to slamming her shin against his groin area as hard as she could.

For a small woman, she packed a punch. As he was left doubled over with a pained exhale of air, Bones realized that he had mistaken thin for weak. She was incredibly fit. Unfortunately, he had not admired her form as closely as he should have.

He was done with this fight. There was no way he was going to let a girl get the better of him and Ronnie seemed to need his help outside (if his bellows between gunshots for Bones to "get his lazy ass" up there were any indication). As he sucked in the pain and rose to his full height once more, the gun tucked into his waistband was yanked free. Instantly he knew he couldn't shoot her. Ronnie would kill him because that short-skirted lawyer chick would kill Ronnie if the girl ended up dead.... but he could drastically reduce her will to fight.

Drawing the gun up towards his opposite ear, he then struck out at her. The butt of the gun landed hard against her temple, hoping to send her brain bouncing around in her skull enough to do some damage.

Cait was indeed in incredible shape thanks to being a dancer, she was strong and flexibile and had great stamina and thanks to Kent she actually had some knowledge when it came to protecting herself. Each blow landed where she had wanted them to, but he unfortunately was harder to take down than she hoped.

As the butt of the gun slammed into her temple, she felt as if she'd been hit by a car. The whole room seemed to slam to the side in her vision and she lost her balance and crumpled to the floor. Her vision was completely blurred and black starry spots filled her eyes. Fighting back the urge to vomit, she raised a hand to her head, trying to feel for the damage. Her fingers came back feeling sticky but she couldn't get her eyes to focus to see just how much blood was on them.

Slowly the man came into her line of vision and Cait smiled weakly before letting her eyes close. The room still felt like it was spinning even though she was laid out on the floor and she had no idea how much strength she had left, but there was no way he was tying her up again or bringing her anywhere else. She wanted this to end here. She'd let him come to her and just when he would think she was out, she'd let the surge of adrenaline she felt pulsing through her veins guide her into another attack.

Bones felt his lips turn upward in a sneer. All lingering hints of sympathy for the little woman had disappeared. She wasn't the sweet, helpless woman in need of his help. She was a raging witch just like all the rest. Rage colored his vision the same shade of the blood that dripped off his chin to the floor. He urged her forward with the gun, begging for more.

In the heated moments, Bones never noticed the gunfire outside had stopped.

As Cait moved forward to strike again, a set of strong hands dragged her back in and then warm arms wrapped her into a protective hug. Instantly, Kent's voice was in her ear reassuring her before she could turn her attack on him that he had her, not another kidnapper, while his eyes remained on Bones who kept the gun leveled at them. "It's okay, Cait. It's all going to be okay."

Just as she opened her eyes to strike out again, she was being dragged backwards. Her instincts were to start flailing and kicking but the familiar voice calmed her enough that she didn't hurt him. Her vision was still swimming, but she could see well enough to see that her attacker had a gun on them. She didn't want Kent getting hurt and with him protecting her, who was going to take down her attacker. Screaming, she wiggled in Kent's grasp. "Don't shoot!"

Her head lolled from side to side as she struggled to hold it up. The nauseated feeling returned and she felt her self starting to heave. Giving up the fight, she slumped against Kent, letting her head fall against his shoulder and closing her eyes again.

As Cait's eyes drifted shut, the sharp crack of a single gunshot filled the room, bouncing off the arched walls and ceiling increasing the magnitude of the almost deafening noise. Yet, it was neither Cait nor Kent who dropped to the ancient floor. Instead, it was Bones whose lifeless body clattered to the ground with his gun still in his hand.

"You couldn't have at least waited until I got Cait out of the room? Don't you think she's had enough trauma for one day?" Kent snarled towards his boss as Chase lowered his weapon and moved fully into the room.

No verbal response came as Chase crossed the room and dropped to a crouch by the side of the fair-headed kidnapper's side. He shoved two fingers roughly against his neck, remaining quiet for a moment before he rose once more. "He?s dead. I guess we?re going to have to figure out who?s behind this the hard way."

Staring down at the blindfolded man, Cait struggled to keep herself together. Even though it had only been a short time since Chase had told her that her Father was alive and they believed they could find him, it had felt like she had been waiting forever. So much had happened in those weeks, the disasterous trip to Ireland that she was still healing from seemed so far away now that she was standing in front of her father. Chase had assured her that the way they got her father to Rhydin was the best, he wouldn't have trusted anyone or gone willingly, drugging him was the only way.

Pacing silently in front of him, Cait wiped tears off her cheeks and looked up to Chase for a bit of reassurance as she approached her father. Just as she was going to remove the blindfold, he raised his hand slowly and removed it himself. Swallowing the lump in her throat as she saw her Father's surprised look of recognition, she quickly wiped at the tears that were falling harder. "Hi Daddy." Another shy and unsure step was taken towards him. Chase lingered in the doorway, making sure that Colin's back was to him but that Cait could still see him, remaining there until she gave him the signal that she was alright and ready to be alone with her father.

Unable to hold herself back any longer, Cait threw herself into her Father's arms which opened as soon as she made the move to go to him. Colin was unsure of how she had found him and if she would be angry. How could he explain this to her? But the second she made the move to embrace him, he opened his arms and wrapped her into a tight embrace. Cait's tears were the only sound in the room as they shared this moment.

Pulling back, Cait held her Father's face between her hands, just staring at him with a bittersweet smile. " I missed you so much." Whispered softly to him. Colin himself broke down into tears; tears of joy at seeing his daughter and relief that she wanted to see him after what he had done. Colin started to whisper apologies to her, try to explain and Cait quietly shushed him. "It's okay... it's okay. I know. I know everything and it's going to be okay. You're safe here."

They were standing (or sitting as the case may be) in an apartment on the tenth floor of a respectable building only a block from Chase's. Needing realty fast was a common issue in the Rhovnik landscape. The family was constantly relocating as were their employees or protectorates or, in some cases, mistresses. Being a realtor for them was always interesting. The RhyDin division had done an excellent job getting their hands on this place quickly and then outfitting it with comfortable furniture. Nothing too over the top. Everything down to a basic supply of groceries had been taken into consideration, leaving the pair before him nothing to do but... well, catch up on everything they had missed. Chase leaned against the doorway that led towards the bedroom and his arms crossed over his chest, keeping his face trained in that careful expression of nothingness.

"How did you find me?" Colin was still studying his daughter with disbelief.

"Well, my boyfriend and his family have a lot of... connections. They just stumbled upon some information that didn't make sense and from there they kept digging and found you. We actually were in Ireland, we got there a day after you left." Cait touched her neck, remembering the kidnapping and trauma she had endured. There was still some slight bruising around her temple, but one would have to know they were looking for it to know it was there. However, she was still suffering from post-concussion syndrome and at times it's effects were noticible to others enough that she knew she wouldn't be able to hide it from him. He would be able to see the pain on her face when one of the headaches hit her or a sudden wave of dizziness. That story however would be saved for later.

"We ran into a little trouble in Ireland, but, again, my boyfriend was able to deal with that situation and he kept searching until he was able to locate you once again. He and his friend were the ones who brought you here." Cait flashed a small smile up at Chase and nodded that she was alright and he could leave her and her father to share this private moment. " I'm sorry about that, by the way, they were afraid you would have ran if they tried to talk to you openly about me or the situation." Colin nodded to Cait, knowing that he would have ran and what she was saying made sense.

"I was thinking that maybe you could get cleaned up and maybe we could have some dinner... catch up? Unless you'd like to rest first. " Colin shook his head no quickly and smiled. " No. No. I couldn't possibly rest right now. There is so much I want to talk to you about."