Girls' Night Out

by Amelia L. Rodgers ©2001 all rights reserved

Not to be used without author's permission.
E mail author
All rights reserved Not meant to infringe on UFO copyright or CSI copyright. Contains Adult material, situations and language. Violence.
Dedicated to the celebration of women all over the world and what they can and have and will continue to achieve. Go, girlfriends.
Nate? get a life. <vbg>

Commander Straker's heart was pounding against his chest like a man caged on death's row, determined to get out. This little gathering should have been a stroll in Hyde Park, but it was his first time back in the thick of things, and he'd forgotten what it was like, he mused dryly. Fear was an uninvited but familiar guest when dealing with aliens, and this was no exception. On his haunches, he took a step forward, his boots sinking into the damp mud. He was completely clad in black, only his vibrant blue eyes were revealed by the hole in his close fitting mask. Beside him, Nathaniel Zouri, tense, lifted his night vision binoculars, nodded. He reminded Ed of a half starved jaguar on the prowl for food.

"I can't say I like you being in on this mess," Alec Freeman's voice said next to him in near darkness. Alec was dressed the same way, and their voices were muffled by their masks, giving them the advantage of not being overheard although the building they were headed for was several yards away.

"Me? You're the new father. Just stay behind me when I go in, and hope the aliens haven't come up with any ammo that penetrates my Kevlar jacket. Besides, it's high time I got back to work, Alec."

"Being out in a field at night in the woods about to free a bunch of laboratory boffins is not your job, Ed."

"It is my job. I'm in command. That poor excuse for a racehorse I own will just have to wait. Besides, it could be worst. Think about this, Alec. If either of us gets killed, we'll have a lot of explaining to do to Yetunde and Claire."

Alec grinned at Ed even though he knew Ed wouldn't see it. Ed's eyes, like twin aquamarine jewels framed by the mask hole, showed amusement. Ed had also painted his skin around them black, so that they stuck out even more. He reached for the night vision binoculars on the lanyard around his neck, saw the sinister guard walk by the building at the time they'd expected, and Ed lowered them, deftly reaching for his own Glock, attaching the silencer to it.

"Time, ladies and gentlemen. Let's go spill some alien blood."

Like the English fog itself, the Shado operatives crept slowly over the damp earth as a light rain fell. Several operatives followed them as backup. Yards behind them, the mobiles were parked, and ready. Once they were finally within a few feet of the lab, they moved into action. Ed Straker slipped up soundlessly behind the guard, pulled his head back with one arm around his throat and smashed open his helmet in a fluid movement then shot him in the back. Ed did not even pause to see the body fall, instead he and the others continued to snake their way into the building, hoping the other aliens hadn't heard the helmet glass cracking. Ed slid his weapon into his holster and brought up a rifle, his hand steady as they moved down the corridor, the layout of the building fresh in their minds. Suddenly, an alien turned the corner, startled to see them, and hit the alarm before Ed put a burst of bullets dead centre through his helmet, then his heart, again shattering the perspex and splattering the green liquid that meant life.

"Take cover!" Ed yelled, as suddenly shots rang out, and were returned with the same lack of courtesy. It went on for several minutes, and then a welcome silence fell.

"Shit. I'm getting too old for this." Alec Freeman said and Ed was relieved to hear his voice. Ed signaled to Nate and Nathaniel disappeared around the corner cautiously, came back, took off his mask and grinned.

"The good guys won again," Nate said. "We rock."

Ed's walkie-talkie crackled into life as he moved to introduce himself to the captives.

"You receiving, Archer? Arrow here." a woman said.

"Go ahead, Diaz."

"A few rats left the sinking ship, but we got them. Sky One's reporting one UFO is history."

"Good to hear, Carmella. You enjoying your girls' night out?"

"I'm shitting bricks just being on the two way, but yeah, who needs to repair hairline fractures? Nina was right. This is more fun."

"I generally don't put raw hot tamales like you in harm's way, but I like for my operatives to have a little taste of action now and then." Ed didn't bother to mention to Carmella that her success helped his goal of hiring more capable handicapped men and women into Shado. She knew it was why he'd agreed to her coming along.

"You're the bee's knees, Eduardo. Diaz out."

"Did you just call my girl a raw hot tamale?" Nate asked Ed.

"I take it the little romp in her waterbed went well?" Alec grinned.

"Well don't cut it. She's red hot." Nate said blissfully. Ed chuckled. He smiled at the six captives in lab coats.

"How do you do, ladies and gentlemen? We're here to rescue you. Hansen, Christopher, take their gags out and make them comfortable. Oh, by the way, you won't mind if I have a little look see in your lab? How kind of you. Alec, will you see to their medical needs?"

"My pleasure, Ed."

"Hey what is in that needle-OW!" one of them said, not looking very grateful for his rescue, thought Alec.

"Sorry if it hurt, I never quite got this injection business down. Now you know how the rats feel. Don't worry though, it won't hurt you." Alec proceeded to give the others amnesia shots while Ed inspected the lab. Then when all of them were carted off to the van that would take them home, Alec joined Ed. Ed was holding up a glass tube in a gloved hand.

"Send in the clones." Alec said.

"Bad joke, Alec. At least we know why the aliens wanted to try and take over this laboratory. I think its best we ruin their little plans to have alien hybrids cloned. I could use a hot cup of coffee, how about you?"

"Sounds good to me. Say, did I ever tell you the new detective I hired has a lead on my Dad?"

Ed was watching his operatives start to roll the computer hard drives out on trolleys and gather the lab samples up. He nodded at Alec.

"Yetunde told me. Hope it works out this time. I know you've been disappointed before."

"Yetunde still insists on working two hours a day at Mayland, why can't she just quit her job? I don't like the idea of Frances and Angel corrupting my daughter's mind with all that Christian stuff."

"I hardly think a newborn is going to be corrupted that fast, Alec. Besides, they only take care of Ayomide while Yetunde works. Yetunde's a modern woman, Alec."

"Why did we men ever give women the vote?" Alec complained as they made their way back to Ed's Shado car.

"Momentary loss of sanity I guess." Ed responded with a grin as they left the premises. He saw Diaz roll in her wheelchair toward Nate as the rain fell harder over England, and they embraced. Diaz looked troubled by something as she spoke to Nate.

"What's the matter, you miss taping an episode tonight of Absolutely Fabulous or something?" Ed smiled when he reached them. Neither Nate nor Carmella smiled. Ed lost his smile, pulled his mouth into a hard line, and tried to ready himself for what had to be bad news.

"Spit it out, damn it. Its fucking cold in this rain." Alec said, standing beside Ed.

"Claire Spencer and Yetunde Folsade are missing." Carmella said. "We just got the report. Yetunde never came to pick up the baby, and Claire never got home."

"Jesus!" Alec exclaimed. Ed took a step backward as if he'd been struck, startled. His hands rolled into fists, and he took a deep breath, regaining icy control.

"Then why the blazes are we standing around doing nothing? Let's move." Ed commanded, voice hard.

Hours later. . .

It was the sound of soft weeping that eventually roused Dr. Claire Spencer from her drugged sleep. She rose slightly and hit her head on something she couldn't quite make out. Her head and legs hurt badly, and someone had pulled her long black hair out of its customary French roll, judging by the way it lay messily on her shoulders. Was I hit? Concussion? Slowly her vision sharpened, and everything came swooping back to her like a hawk flying back to its nest with an unlucky rodent. Oh my God, Claire thought.

She was in a cage, and it wasn't all that much bigger than she was. It looked as if it had been handmade out of flimsy chicken wire. She bit her lip hard to keep from screaming. Her hands were tied behind her back, there was a coffee tin provided for her to relieve herself in, a dish of water, and a dish of something lumpy and white she didn't recognize that was attracting a fly. She was nauseous, and wondered what the kidnapper had used on her to keep her asleep. How stupid could she be? How often did they drum training into Shado operatives about not setting yourself up to be a victim? That young man had stopped her car saying he needed help for his wife, and he had looked so harmless. And then she'd been foolish enough to try and help, and he'd grabbed her once she'd opened her car window, and she had fought him, and then everything had gone black. God, what if this was the aliens? Had he been in league with the aliens? Ed and Alec and Nate had been gone several hours, and she knew their absence would have ended with a raid on a laboratory building that some aliens had taken over. What if this was aliens? No, Claire don't faint. Think. Think. Think. What would Edward do? Look at the surroundings, start planning your escape, try and make a connection with your kidnapper, make sure you avoid the Stockholm syndrome that had made some victims start to identify with their kidnappers. Stay tough. Stay calm. Stay alert. Use your head.

How did you use your head when you were dressed only in your black slip and panties, and you were locked into a cage like an animal? No. I'm sure this wire isn't that strong. Draft coming from somewhere. White walls. Cement floor. Paint chipping. Light bulb in the ceiling, blinking like it might cut out altogether sooner or later. Cooing of pigeons coming from somewhere close by. Their droppings were assaulting her nose. Mildew. Draft, was it a door crack? Window? Might be a window. Cold in here. Listen. Listen. They teach you to listen and try and figure out where you're being held. Make use of anything as a weapon. Come on Claire, just remember protocols and you'll be fine. God, she almost could hear that wonderful warm distinctive voice of his comforting her, advising her, the sound of it like the feel of his arms around her. Tears ran down her cheeks.

Oh God, Edward. I'm so afraid. I'm so damn scared. Crying, someone else was still crying. Was this a trick? Couldn't be aliens. Too amateurish. She could feel her wristwatch was still on, and her bonds weren't that tight. Did he want ransom money? Or was he one of those criminals who just wanted to kill and abuse and rape. No Claire, don't think about it. No gag, so probably wherever she was there was no chance of someone overhearing her if she screamed. How long had she been unconscious? Did Edward know she was gone? Should she scream? They taught you to scream fire, it brought more attention. Crying, that crying again, not far from her. So pitiful. She had to risk it.

"Who's there? Is anybody there?"

"CLAIRE! Oh blessed Olorun, Claire! It is Yetunde! He hurt me, oh Mother of Mothers Yemaya he hurt me! I thought I would never stop bleeding."

"Oh my God Yetunde, I can't believe it. How bad are you hurt? Are you in a cage like me?"

"The filthy fucker stops my car on my way to Reverend Brisby's to get Ayomide, I roll down my window, he tells me his baby was hurt, and like an idiot I believe him. I reach for my purse to get my cell phone. Then he tries to pull me out of my car, I fight, I scratch the hell out of him, but he manages to hit me, sticks a hypo in me and I cannot remember anything else. I was slower, Claire, normally I could have broken that fucker's neck but I am still out of shape and --oh my sister. Oh Claire. Will I ever see Alec and Yetunde again? Oh, I--"

"Yetunde, be quiet, I hear something."

The slamming of a car door. Footsteps on gravel. A woman's pitiful keening. Key in a lock. Stronger draft now. Blast of cold. Claire pressed her face against the wire to try and see something. What she saw twisted her heart like it was merely a pipe cleaner.

It was him. The kidnapper.

And he was dragging a terribly bruised Dr. Carmella Diaz by the rope attached to the bonds which held her hands together behind her back, dragging her like you would an animal to the chopping block and she only wore one prosthesis which dangled and then fell off as he pulled her in.

"My God! You leave her alone, you sick bastard!" Claire yelled. The sound of Claire's voice brought Carmella halfway conscious.

"Madre de Dios. Claire!" Carmella stopped keening and sobbed.

His eyes bored into Claire like a power drill, and she backed away involuntarily against the back of the cage, nearly knocking it over.

"Don't you give me orders. You're like all the rest of them! Filthy girl doctor! I'm going to kill all of you, don't you understand?"

"Do you think we will just let you, you disgusting son of a bitch?" Yetunde snapped.

"You be quiet! You be quiet! I'll hurt her! I'll hurt her bad! I'll kill her right now!"

"We'll be quiet. Just tell me why you're doing this. Help me understand. Tell me why." Claire made her voice as soft as she could.

Yetunde was muttering in her native language, but she suddenly understood. Claire was going by the book. Make the kidnapper see you as a human being not an object. That way it made it harder to kill you. Yetunde shuddered.

"You be quiet," he said, but she noticed some of the threat had faded from his voice. He was about Ed's height, maybe early twenties, skinny, short cropped dirty blond hair, burn scars on his forehead, acne gone amuck, black looking eyes that must actually be deep brown. Thin mouth. He wore blue jeans that looked soiled and a plaid shirt. His jacket was dripping from the rain. She remembered he smelled bad. She watched him as he forced Carmella into a cage pretty much identical to hers. At least she'd be able to see Carmella even if she couldn't treat her, Claire thought. The Latino doctor's face was badly bruised and Claire could only guess at what Yetunde must look like. Rage grew in Claire, a rage she knew she had to choke down.

"Don't hurt her. You really don't want to hurt her." Claire said as gently as she could.

He locked her in with what looked like a flimsy lock, and then he came over to Claire's cage.

"You haven't eaten," he said. "How come?" He studied her for a long time, making her uncomfortable.

"How do I know you haven't drugged it?" she said quietly, relieved at how calm she sounded. I'm a doctor, she thought. I can do this. These women need me. I can do this. Edward would do this. He has some attraction to me, I can use it. I have to do this. It makes me sick just to look at him but I have to do this. I need to be as strong as Edward.

"I wouldn't do that to you! You're pretty! You're the pretty one! Why would you think that I'd drug your pudding?"

"You drugged me after you hit me. I'm not sure what you used. Did you inject me? Where did you get it from? Was it choral hydrate?"

He broke out into a big proud smile that only made him more repulsive.

"I watched telly and figured out what to do. It was easy. There's lots of it at the veter-" He stopped. His face got ugly.

"What?" Claire said, suddenly frightened again.

"You're trying to trick me! You're just like all the rest! Filthy girl doctors! You watch! I can hurt you! I can kill you like the animals when they get sick! "

"I'm Claire. Dr. Claire Spencer. Why do you say girl doctors are fil-?"

She gasped involuntary as he bolted forward and kicked her cage, spilling most of her precious water supply, and then he hurried out. She could hear him locking an unseen door.

Claire shuddered. She heard a door slam and then a motor rev up and the sounds of car tyres pulling away from gravel, then nothing. Finally she sighed with relief and tried not to shake so badly, and wished she could brush away the tears that came.

"There's no reasoning with that madman, Claire." Yetunde said in disgust.

"What other choice do I have?" Claire protested.

"I've been trying to make a hole in this damn wire, I've been pushing it, trying to twist it, break it in half. I can't get much of a hold on it with my hands tied, damn it. Ah ah ah! I miss Alec. I miss my baby daughter. What is wrong with me that I am suddenly feeling like a scared rabbit and not like the Shado lieutenant that I am?"

Claire had to chuckle softly. It felt wonderful. It felt normal.

"Your instincts have changed, Yetunde. You have a baby now. It doesn't mean you've automatically become a shrinking violet because you gave birth a few days ago. Carmella, are you all right? Are you in much pain?"

"I am so ashamed, Claire." Carmella responded in a thicker than usual accent. Claire figured it was because Carmella was so scared. She had good reason to be.

"Last night was so wonderful, I was able to help in the mission like the Commander wanted, the first handicapped person to serve in the field. And then I go and help that filthy good for nothing monster. If I still had my legs I would have kicked him in the coyones. It didn't take him long to get me out of my van. I am strong in the arms but the coward hit me too hard in the face. Why couldn't I have stayed with Nathaniel? No, I insist on using my own van that I had adapted so that I can drive it. I am too stubborn. Edward and Alec know that you are missing. We told them last night. They will come for us, won't they Claire?"

"You know they will. Try and stop them. We just have to try and help them find us. This person likes me, I need to see if I can win him over so he doesn't hurt any of us again. That will give us time we need. Yetunde, I know it goes against the grain to be decent with him, but can I count on you?"

"You are new to Shado, why are you are the only one acting like you still have half a brain? Ah ah ah, I will hate it, but yes, I will cooperate."

Claire laughed nervously.

"Believe me, I am more scared than all of us combined, I'm just not thinking about it too much. Yetunde, can you see anything from where you are?"

"Window, and it's broken, but its pretty high up. If we could get out of these things we might be able to stand them on one another and try and go out that way."

"No, I saw it as he was dragging me, too far up. This wire won't hold our weight even if we could get out and the door has a lock on it. We're in some kind of garage or shed or something. I think we're several miles outside of Southern England, he had me in his van and it seemed like the ride took hours. I woke up a little while in the back. It smelled like bird shit. Made me throw up." Carmella sighed.

"He must work at a vet's somewhere. Maybe a technician or something. I wonder why he hates female doctors so much?" Claire said thoughtfully.

"He's targeting female doctors at Mayland. Once they find out Carmella is gone, I hope they put extra security on the rest of us. Damn him, he took my engagement ring and the pram pin Edward gave me. He took my dress and my shoes too, the bastard," Yetunde said, with a little sigh. She began to cry.

"Yetunde, did he-oh Sacred Heart of Christ forbid it, did he molest you?" Carmella said in horror.

"No, sister, no, but it won't be long now, judging by the behaviour of the ball-less animal. Did he molest you?" Yetunde asked, and Claire was fearful of the answer.

"No, Thank Dios. No, no, he just hit me bad, hit me when he saw that I wasn't the helpless cripple he expected who couldn't fight. I hit him at least once. Maybe twice. It all went so fast."

"Hope it was hard." Yetunde said coldly. "What about you, Claire?"

Claire sighed.

"No, I'm fine, he didn't touch me. At least I don't think so. He may have just stripped us because that's what happened in whatever show he watched. I still have my bra and slip and panties and hosiery on. I swear after this I'm going to make Edward teach me how to shoot that weapon of his. It usually scares me to death just to watch him put the Glock in his shoulder holster, but now I want to learn how to shoot someone."

"If we all live long enough to get rescued, I am going to ask Edward to let Nathaniel have this bully for five minutes," Carmella said. "And then I will strap on my false legs and kick whatever is left of him to bits."

"Never mind Nathaniel. I want him for one minute. Thirty seconds. That is all I'll need to carve his face up so badly no plastic surgeon could ever repair it." Yetunde said determinedly. Claire chuckled again.

"I think I am getting more afraid of you two than of him," she declared, giggling. The Shado women laughed all together, but Claire knew that fear was already steadily eating away at them like termites at wood. How long can we hold on, oh Edward, please come soon.

Ed Straker watched the forensic technicians from New Scotland Yard examine the beige Volvo that belonged to Claire Spencer with an expression as impassive as if he'd been carved from marble. Nathaniel Zouri paced back and forth, and Alec Freeman gulped down his third cup coffee with bourbon in it.

"Anything?" Ed snapped tersely. He'd gotten the news that Carmella Diaz was gone, and he figured it wouldn't be long before they found her van too. The prey seemed to be female doctors at Mayland Hospital, and now he'd doubled the security precautions at Mayland, as well as warning other hospitals in the area.

"No prints yet, Sir, same as on Dr. Folsade's car, but we're still searching. Must have used gloves."

"Fuck! They must have left something! Do your job, man! She can't fight back, don't you understand? She's got no legs! She has no fucking legs!" Nathaniel spun and pounded the wall. Ed gave him a stern look, but Alec went up to him and patted him on the back.

"They're the best, Nate. They're doing everything they can."

"I'm going to get a refill on this coffee. You two stay here. I'll be back." Ed went out of the area where the car had been brought, right past the coffee machine, and climbed the stairs to the sixth floor where the chief inspector's office was, without bothering with the lift. Ed sailed past a startled, protesting secretary, and opened the door in a way that nearly pulled it off its hinges. A man Ed did not recognize was seated across from the chief inspector, and speaking casually to him.

"Did you know that the water beetle Anacaena bipustulata is only found in Eng-" he had started to say. Both men turned and looked at Ed. The chief inspector almost looked grateful for the interruption of the lecture on bugs.

"I'm sorry, Sir, he just flew past me!" his secretary complained, giving Ed a look of disdain. Ed appeared not to give a rodent's posterior about her opinion of him.

"Nothing to worry about, Lois, I know him. Please sit down, Mr. Straker. Close the door, would you, Lois?"

When the door closed, Ed looked at the stranger meaningfully.

"Get rid of him, chief inspector." ordered Ed, pointing at the stranger.

"Nice to meet you too." the man said, mildly amused.

"I don't have time for small talk. Three of my people have been kidnapped, and your staff have found nothing. There are three women out there, and you know as well as I do how critical the first twenty-four hours are when someone goes missing. Now I have people searching in a three mile radius-"

"Five." the stranger said. "I recommend five."

Ed ignored him and looked at the inspector impatiently.

"Mr. Straker, forgive me, I'm forgetting common courtesies. Mr. Grissom, this is Mr. Edward Straker, CEO of the Straker Foundation, and we work together on occasion."

"How do you do, Mr. Straker. Gil Grissom, crime scene investigator out of Las Vegas. My specialty is forensic entomology. I'm here for the weekend on a forced vacation. Got a kidnapping on your hands? I recommend searching in a five-mile radius. Maybe I can help?"

Ed looked at the inspector.

"He's highly recommended, Mr. Straker. He may be able to find something my chaps can't."

Ed stared at Gil to the point where he almost had to look away. Ed's steady gaze like was like a blowtorch cutting through his skin. However after what seemed like an eternity, he seemed to have passed whatever test the platinum haired man was giving.

"Come with me." Ed ordered, and Grissom followed him, curious about a man that even the head of New Scotland Yard's forensic department gave awed deference to. As they walked down the stairs, Grissom studied Ed carefully as if Ed were one of his beloved insects. Carefully groomed platinum blond hair in need of a haircut or at least a trim, surprisingly thick for a man that might be in his early or middle forties. No hair loss. No sign to indicate it was a wig. Perfect cheekbones. Ed seemed to have his share of wrinkles, but he was one of those men on which it looked good. Aquiline nose. Large, evenly spaced blue eyes. Perfectly shaped mouth with a slight scar on it, barely noticeable. Fair skin. Distinguished looking. Damn handsome. Slender. Body of a male model. Air of a man who was used to having all his orders obeyed and God help the person that didn't obey. Confident. Perfect posture, possibly military background. Right handed from the way he's using the stair rail. Well-groomed nails. Long fingers. Beautifully cut but outdated navy blue Nehru suit worn with a white turtleneck sweater. Black leather ankle boots. Expensive. Looks like a refugee from Gentleman's Quarterly magazine. No jewelry except for a wristwatch, and it wasn't a Rolex, surprisingly. Straker looked like a Rolex type. Slight scent of cologne. Citrus. This Straker doesn't seem like things get to him, but he's hiding acute worry and God knows what else. Typical male reserve, afraid of emotions. I think I might like this guy. How peculiar. I usually feel more at home with butterflies, Grissom thought with humor. This guy, I like.

"Entomology, the study of insects as applied to forensics. Interesting area in forensic science. Studying bluefly larvae to determine the time of death of a murder victim." Ed said suddenly. Grissom blinked at him and then smiled.

"I'm impressed. Not many people know what the word entomology means let alone have some idea of how it works in forensics," Gil told Ed. Ed shrugged.

"I was interested in bugs as a kid. Used to go after fireflies, caterpillars, that kind of thing. My hobby didn't thrill my mother," Ed said, with no humor evident in his tone.

"Fireflies, huh? Nocturnal luminous insects of the beetle family Lampyridae," Gil intoned. "Did you know they don't bite, don't have pincers, carry no disease and in fact are quite harmless? They cannot even fly fast, Mr. Straker. They have a life span of two months."

"Maybe they consider two months an eternity, Mr. Grissom," Ed responded, looking melancholy.

"Maybe they do. Call me Gil."

"Call me Ed. It's been a while since I learned their technical names or remembered anything about them. I think I prefer to think of them as lightning bugs, miraculous little creatures that fascinated the seven year old I once was," Ed said. With Grissom behind him he joined Alec and Nate. They looked in puzzlement at Gil. "He's a crime scene investigator from the States. He's here to help," explained Ed.

"They found some blood stains, Ed," Alec said.

Ed became frozen.

"Was it Claire's?"

"We're waiting to find out now," Alec said. Grissom wondered who Claire was but he said nothing. Whoever she was, the agonized look in Straker's eyes told him the lady rated high in Straker's estimation.

"I didn't bring my forensic kit with me, can I borrow one of yours and a fresh pair of latex gloves?" Grissom said calmly to one of the techs. He found the way that the forensic tech looked at Straker for confirmation to allow it very interesting. It was almost like Ed was in charge. But then, maybe he was. He'd said 'three of his people had been kidnapped.' It occurred to Gil that he'd be worried about Willows, Brown, Stokes and Sidle in the same way. His people back in Las Vegas on the graveyard shift. Gil put them and his questions about Straker out of his mind, accepted the kit he was given after Ed gave a curt nod, and started to work.

"Remind me never to send you out for coffee," Alec told Ed with a smile. Ed was leaning against the wall with arms folded in a casual manner he didn't feel, and looked at Alec, puzzled. "You left for coffee but you didn't come back with it," Alec explained. Ed shrugged. Nate kept pacing. Ed knew it would do no good to ask him to stop.

"Well, well, well what do we have here? Strands of hair. Judging from the look of them, they were pulled out, probably in a struggle. More than sufficient to get cells for an DNA fingerprint." Gil held it up with tweezers and put it into a specimen bag. The tech frowned, worrying about his job security after missing it. Ed shot him a look like a bullet.

"What colour is it?" Alec asked.

"Blonde." Gil answered.

"It's not Dr. Spencer's. She's a brunette," Alec explained.

Ed squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, and he opened them again so quickly that Gil wasn't at all sure he'd seen Ed react. This guy is cooler than liquid nitrogen, or at least he has a need for people to think so, Gil reflected, and then kept searching the Volvo. Ed's cell phone beeped and he took it out from inside his jacket and raised the antenna on it and hit a button.

"Straker," Ed said tersely. Gil looked up for a moment from inspecting the inside of Claire's glove compartment. Ed's mouth pulled into a line, clearly he wasn't appreciating whatever he was being told. "Yes, yes I understand. I'll be there, stay where you are." Ed hung up and shoved it into his jacket again.

"What is it, Ed?"

"That was Dr. Constantine. Pawnshop owner in London just reported that he bought two pieces of jewelry with an Asprey and Garrards trademark on them. One was a garnet and diamond engagement ring and one was a brooch with garnets and diamonds in the shape of a pram. Fellow who brought them in used an obviously fake ID card. The pawnshop owner has him on the surveillance video tape."

"Jesus. Yetunde," Alec gasped.

Ed nodded.

"Let's go, gentlemen."

"Strake,." Grissom called. Ed stopped impatiently, looked back. "Mind if I tag along?"

"I have no objection. Come on. You can ride with me, Alec can ride with Nathaniel."

Claire Spencer woke up, a little startled that she'd even fallen asleep. She saw that Carmella was asleep but stirring, restless, and she could hear Yetunde snoring. Claire stretched, quickly relieved herself in the can left for that reason, managed with difficulty to get the lid back on and ate a little of the pudding, and drank a little water. There wasn't much of it left, and she hoped their captor would refill it soon. I can get by with little food or no food, but I can't get by without water, she thought. I wonder what Edward is doing? I bet he blames himself for all this. I bet he isn't eating. I bet he's existing on coffee. He's going to get sick the way he carries on. Oh God, I can hear the car. He's back. Okay, Claire. It'll be okay. It'll be okay. Pretend you're asleep.

Soon the door opened, the sound waking Carmella, who watched him in fear but defiance. Claire studied their kidnapper, stirred as if the sound had woke her up as well.

"You're back. I thought something had happened to you. We need water. Water and fresh food. The pudding is stale now. Could you bring us something more nourishing?" she asked softly.

"I don't have to listen to you. You'll eat and drink what you're brought, and you'll do what I say. Otherwise I'll hurt you."

"It's just that this cage digs into my legs when I try to sleep. Look." Claire raised her slip and showed him her leg, which had the wire impression on it from constant pressure of being on it. "It hurts, and it's cold. Maybe I could have a blanket?" She watched his pupils dilate at the sight of her leg and a strip of bare thigh, knowing it was arousing him.

"If you don't make any trouble. You tried to hurt me when I captured you."

"If someone did that to you, kidnapped you, you'd fight too. Being stuck in here is frightening."

"Move back. I've brought you water."

"I knew you didn't want to hurt us. My name is Claire, what's yours?"

"Why should I tell you? You're just one of those girl doctors, even if you are pretty."

"It wouldn't hurt for you to tell me." Claire smiled.

"Ian," he answered lamely.

"Ian. I like that name. Do you think we could have something more to eat, Ian? Maybe sandwiches?"

"Don't you try anything, or I'll hurt you. I have a knife," he said, producing one and studying her. He opened her cage door, knife in one of his hands and poured the water in her dish, then closed the cage again and locked it. He went on studying her as she drank in the same way she'd eaten, lapping up the water the way a cat might, knowing she had no choice with her hands tied behind her back the way they were.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" he asked.

"No," Claire said, thinking about Ed, and the way he'd held her, the sweetness of his kiss.

"I wish you were my girlfriend," he said.

"Would you like to touch me? I'd let you touch me if you bring us better food."

"I've never seen a girl the way they are on telly."

"How are they on telly?" Claire asked, her stomach a pretzel of fear.

He looked at the floor then back at her.

"You know. Naked."

"Ian, listen to me. If you do something for me, I'll let you see me naked."

"Claire, are you loco? Don't do this!" Carmella shouted. It roused Yetunde.

"What is going on?" Yetunde said sleepily.

"Quiet, Carmella," Claire said. "Well Ian?"

"What do you want me to do?" he said, turning the knife over in his hands nervously, watching her closely.

"Let them go."

"No! They're my prisoners!"

Claire shrugged.

"I don't see why you need them. I thought you thought I was pretty."

"You are!" he exclaimed in frustration.

"So let them go. If you let them go, and prove to me that they got back to the hospital safely, I'll let you see me naked. I'll be your girlfriend, Ian. Its up to you."

"Claire, do not do this!" Carmella pleaded.

"She's lost her mind!" Yetunde squealed.

"You have to promise! You have to promise, or I'll kill you," he told her.

"I promise. Let them go."

"I'll have to drug them or else they'll hurt me. Especially the black one."

"You're damn right I will, you sick monster!" shouted Yetunde.

"Yetunde, be quiet," implored Claire. "You can drug them. You don't need to knock them out completely. Do you have any of the choral hydrate left? It only takes a few cc's to make them unable to hurt you."

"I've got some. I was going to get more girl doctors but the security guards are all over the place now. I had to go away or they'd hurt me. They have guns."

"And you have a knife," Carmella said furiously.

"Please, Carmella." Claire begged.

"How do I prove to you that I let them go?" he said eagerly, his eyes crawling over her like eager black ants.

"Have our faces been on television?" Claire said after a minute of thought.

"Yeah. On the news. Even on the radio. The police are looking for you but it won't be like it was on telly. Nobody will find you," he boasted.

"Then if Yetunde and Carmella get back, they'll say it on the radio. Then I'll know. And when I know, you can look at me naked. I'll be your girlfriend. Like on the television."

"Okay. You better not be tricking me or I'll hurt you." He pulled a bottle and a hypo out of his pocket, prepared a shot and injected Carmella through the cage wires. Carmella winced, looking terrified. Claire formed the words 'it'll be okay, Carmella' with her lips. Carmella nodded, pale and shaking, face wet with tears. He went off and did the same with Yetunde. Carmella went limp within a few minutes.

Dear God. Am I doing the right thing? Claire watched him drag Yetunde out and then Carmella. Claire began to weep fearfully and rock herself. What if I'm not doing the right thing? What if he kills me anyway? No. This buys time. And time is all Edward needs. Oh please God. I haven't prayed in a long time. Please hear my prayer, God. Don't let anything bad happen to any of us. But if I die, but if Ian kills me, please don't let Ed grieve for long.

Ed, Nate and Gil all waited for the kidnapper's likeness and his prints from the pawnshop receipt to be processed through the computer. Nate looked like he was on the edge of losing it, and although Alec had not said much Ed knew he'd been beside himself with worry. Ed had convinced him to go to Angel and Frances' house and look after Ayomide. Alec had protested but Ed had pointed out the baby needed its father, and reluctantly Alec had gone, making Ed swear that he'd keep Alec informed.

"There he is. Bastard has a record and is on probation," Nate said darkly. He watched Ed jot down the information on two pieces of paper from his black leather Filofax, and he accepted the one Ed gave him.

"We're fortunate that he does, Nathaniel. Address on the police record doesn't appear to match the one on the fake ID he used, but at least we know what he looks like now. Works at Harrier Vet Supply Company. Nate, you go to the supply company, get what information you can there. Gil and I will try the addresses, see what else we can find out."

"Sir, you shouldn't be alone." Nate pointed out.

"I'll be fine, Nathaniel." Ed managed a smile he didn't feel. He looked exhausted.

"I'm not your bodyguard for nothing," protested Nate. Ed scowled.

"Arguing with me is costing us precious time! Do what you're told, Zouri. Carmella's life may depend on it." Ed snapped in his customary commander's tone of voice.

"Shit." Nate said, knowing he'd lost. "Anything happens to you cause I left you, Peter Evers will kick my black ass from here to the Netherlands. And I don't even want to think about what Alec would do to me."

"Go," Ed said. He watched Nate run off and Ed led Gil back to his bronze Shado car.

"This is one great set of wheels you have here." Gil said as the gull winged doors closed, and Ed started the engine.

"We'll try the address on the ID card first, it's closest. Put on your harness, your seatbelt. You an automobile enthusiast like Nathaniel?" Ed asked quietly, not really wanting to make small talk, but knowing it helped him take his mind off the possible nightmare of finding nothing but three dead women.

"No. I prefer forensics. A car don't do anything for me unless I'm scraping paint chips off of it, or cutting a swatch off the carpeting, or searching for prints or something I can coax DNA from. Evidence does it for me." Gil said, noticing Ed wasn't snapping on his own seatbelt. He grinned. "You're forgetting something."

"What now, Mr. Grissom?"

"I've got mine on. What about yours?"

"Hmmm? Oh. Right." Ed fastened his harness, and fed the addresses into his onboard GPS system. The screen beeped in confirmation, a map lit up and Ed increased his speed. "You're an interesting person, Mr. Grissom."

"Gil. That could be said of you. I saw the way they all reacted to you. They treated you practically like you were royalty."

"I've known most of them for a long time. My friend Alec in particular."

Both of them were silent for a while and then Gil broke the uneasy silence.

"This guy isn't a sophisticated criminal, you know. His police record showed only run of the mill shoplifting. Something made him upgrade to kidnapping."

"Let's hope he doesn't move even further up the ladder to killing, Gil," Ed said tersely.

"This Claire. She's the one that's important to you. Wife? Girlfriend? Old flame?"

"She works for me," Ed said quietly.

"In other words you love her." Ed gave Gil a quick look of resentment, but didn't respond, brought his eyes back to the road. "Tell me about her. What's she like? How would she have reacted to being kidnapped, beside possibly struggling with the kidnapper?" Gil asked.

"She works for my Foundation as an accountant and financial adviser, and security is key after the events of the 11th of September, so she's trained in how to behave under such a situation. She knows basic judo and karate but is sometimes reluctant to use it even when she has to. She's also a physician, so she would put her emotions and needs aside in favour of Carmella and Yetunde's, if indeed she got the chance. She's probably too trusting. She's not that independent, not in my estimation, anyway. She eats junk food, and she drinks far too much grape soda pop. She's bright, determined. Compassionate. Funny. She's old fashioned. Caring. She's loyal. Trustworthy. She's somewhat fragile, sensitive. She doesn't always do what's right for her. She became a physician late in life, and she's had a personal loss recently. She's ethical, almost too ethical. She'll hopefully remember what she was taught, and survive. She isn't the kind of person I'd generally hire for my business," Ed intoned, "Because she's just not that tough."

"And you're nuts about her." Gil smiled. Ed frowned. "Look Ed, I don't have to be in forensics to know it. Anyone can tell. It practically rolls off you in waves when you talk about her. Like a emotional tsunami," Gil told him. "Does she know you love her?"

"Do we have to talk about this?" Ed asked.

"Does she love you back?" Gil persisted.

"Is being irritating a trait you were born with, or does it go along with being an entomologist?" shot back Ed in irritation. "Because, excuse the expression, you're really starting to bug me."

Gil chuckled at Ed.

"Okay, Ed. You win. I'll shut up. So you liked bugs as a kid, huh?"

"I liked about everything there was in nature as a kid. I loved science and math and biology, you name a science, I loved it. The kids made fun of me for preferring school more than recess. My mother thought there was something seriously wrong with me," Ed said without smiling, looking at the screen from time to time. Gil grinned at him.

"I can believe it. Where were you born?"

"Boston."

"England is a long way from Boston."

"England is a long way from Las Vegas, Gil. Most people don't come to England on holiday and get involved with kidnapping cases. Most people don't like bugs, come to think of it."

"Most bugs don't like them," Gil pointed out.

"We're here," Ed said, and parked the car. His cell phone rang again. "Straker. Yes. What? My God! Yes, yes, Alec, yes. I know. I know. What? I swear to God. . . Yes. Yes. I know. I know, damn it. Find out who the bastard was. Keep me informed." Ed hung up.

"Something go wrong?" Gil asked.

"Yetunde and Carmella were found, the kidnapper let them go. They'll be all right, they were both rushed to Mayland hospital. Claire wasn't with them. She made a deal with the kidnapper to --" Ed took a deep breath, and his hand balled into a fist. "To show him her body if he let them go. She was waiting to hear confirmation that they were safe. Waiting for it to be announced on television. Some idiot orderly at Mayland leaked it to the press without authorisation, and it was on television. The kidnapper would know it by now and so would Claire. By now he would have gotten what she offered him. If he bothered to wait at all."

"You're worried that he'll get greedy," Grissom said somberly.

"Yes, yes. We have to find him before it happens. Hopefully we find him in time. Come on."

"You didn't say anything about keeping me tied up and blindfolding me," Claire said, voice unsteady, knowing that he still held the knife. Her relief at finding out Carmella and Yetunde were safe had quickly turned to terror when he'd pushed her into the van and had driven somewhere with her. Oh God, where is Edward? I'm alone, it was easier when I was taking care of them, but I'm alone now, Claire thought tearfully. "Let me go, please!"

"You keep quiet. Or I'll hurt you," he said, pulling her by the rope attached to her bonds so that she nearly stumbled.

"Take my blindfold off, Ian."

"In a minute. Wait until I get you in the bed."

"Don't hurt me. Please don't hurt me."

"You're scared! You said you liked me! But you're scared. You lied! You lied to me!" he yelled.

"Don't be angry at me. The blindfold just scares me, that's all. I swear." Claire choked back a sob. She screamed when he pushed her back onto a bed. She tried to get up but he pulled the rope so that her arms were tied to the headboard.

"Shut up! Shut up or I'll hurt you! I'll cut you, I swear!"

"No, don't, please. Please take off my blindfold. Please."

When he was sure she was securely tied to the bed, he reached for her, hand on her breast and she jerked away.

"Don't, don't, don't," she begged.

"Stop it! You stop it!" Suddenly he hit her across the face and she screamed then sobbed. "Ian, please," she implored him. "Don't hurt me."

"You promised. But you lied. Just like that girl doctor. She said she liked me too. But she didn't. Just like you. She thought she could get away. They think she went on holiday, but she didn't. You're going to do what I say now," he said triumphantly.

She felt him cut off the straps of her slip with the knife.

"If the address Nathaniel got from his job site isn't accurate--" Ed said almost desperately.

"Ed, it matches the one on his police record, and they would have double checked it, we'll find them in time," Gil said. Both of them were back on the road, after quickly seeing that the ID address was bogus. "If we don't get there first, your team will."

"This was such a stupid move on her part. God! She should simply have played for time. Why did she have to be so foolish? Why the blazes did I ever let myself be talked into hiring her? I don't know which one of us is the bigger idiot." Ed pounded the steering wheel angrily and brought his speed up to the full capacity of 200 mph.

"She offered herself up as a sacrificial goat to make sure they were okay. She took a gamble that he would do what he said, actually let them go. Not the wisest decision, but one you've got to respect. She took a gamble, and she won," Gil said.

"I don't call being alone with a kidnapper and allowing him to see your body, possibly setting yourself up to be raped in the process, I don't call that winning."

"The other women are all right, Ed."

"It was too high a price to pay," Ed snapped.

"Why do I get the idea that you'd take the same kind of risk out of consideration for your people? Like that fellow you mentioned. Alec."

Ed said nothing. They drove the rest of the way in a thick silence, Gil studying him as if the two men had known each other all their lives. It was nearly dark when they reached their destination, and Ed parked several yards away, opened the gull wing doors and got out, hunching his shoulders against the relentless, rainy November weather. He examined the two-story house that he was interested in through binoculars from his glove compartment. Whatever dark secrets it held were covered in equal layers of ivy and dust. It didn't seem to be growing old gracefully. No lights showed in the shuttered windows, it seemed desolate. Nobody had put out the welcome mat for years. Ed's stomach gave a little lurch when he saw the storage shed. In the relative silence, he could hear pigeons cooing. Gil frowned and pointed to an empty van a few feet away, its doors slightly open. The Shado commander nodded curtly. Crossing around to the rear of his Shado car, his boots crushing the gravel, he opened a concealed compartment, handed Gil a flashlight which Gil accepted, and took one for himself then paused a moment.

"You know your way around a gun, Gil?" Ed asked, pitching his voice low. Ed fished for and handed Gil a Heckler and Koch pistol after loading it and putting a silencer on it, and passed him a shoulder holster to accompany it. Ed hadn't waited for him to answer.

"I'm more comfortable with insects than I am bullets, but yes," Gil answered in the same quiet tone Ed used, and strapped it on. "Does everyone in this Foundation of yours tote around weapons in secret compartments in their flashy cars?"

Ed closed the compartment and gave Gil a thin crescent moon smile as he took out his own Glock from his shoulder holster and attached the silencer to it. It occurred to Gil that under that distinguished, civilized layer that Ed showed the world lie a much different Ed Straker.

"Road rage," Ed told him in a manner that was anything but humorous. "You never can tell when you're going to run into it." Gil grinned. Ed guided his flashlight's beam inside the van as Gil looked on. Ed nodded. " From what Yetunde and Carmella told Alec, that's the van he used all right. Let's take a look around the premises."

"Hemiptera Reduviidae," Gil said as they shone their flashlights over the gravel as they approached the house rapidly.

"I beg your pardon?" Ed responded, pitching his voice low again.

"Hemiptera Reduviidae. Otherwise known as the assassin bug. Watching you prepare to strike you suddenly reminded me of one."

"Should I be flattered?"

"Look," Gil suddenly said. He was pointing his flashlight at something that shone brightly on the ground. A ladies' wristwatch. Ed recognized it as belonging to Claire Spencer. Ed slipped it into a pocket.

"That's Claire's. Turn off your flashlight. We're about to crash his little private party. Keep your eyes open. I wouldn't want for anybody to be studying the blowfly larvae on our corpses to determine our time of death."

"You think this amateur still has a weapon? Maybe even a gun?" Gil asked.

Ed's eyes glittered.

"Yetunde and Carmella told Alec he had a knife. At any rate, I certainly hope he attempts to use his weapon on us, Gil," Ed replied in a fervent fashion that slightly chilled Gil.

"Why?"

"Because then I will have an excuse to put a bullet through his skull."

"You lied to me. You said you'd be my girlfriend, but you're no better than she was. She acted like she liked me too, but she lied. I took care of her. Just like on telly. You lied. You made me do a rotten thing. You made me do it. Why won't you talk to me? I could hurt you, you know." He scowled at Claire as he stroked her hair.

"Take my blindfold off." Claire whispered, her voice wearily hoarse, tears freely flowing from her eyes. "And give me a blanket, I'm cold. I'm so cold."

"You can't tell me what to do. I have a knife. I used it to kill her and I can kill you. You have to be good to me. You have to be my girlfriend."

"Who was she? Who did you kill?" she asked listlessly in a voice that sounded foreign even to her own ears.

"Filthy girl doctor, that's who. Her friends don't even know she's dead. Thought she could push me around. I showed her. I sure showed her."

"Bring me some water. My throat hurts so much. Everything hurts so much. Bring me some water Ian," she sobbed.

"Be quie-"

A floorboard creaked and he pulled his hand off her in fear and looked around him wildly.

"What was that?" he asked nervously.

"I want some water," Claire repeated.

"No water. No water until I say. First I get to touch you again." He reached out in satisfaction and rubbed her bare breast. Claire keened like an abandoned puppy, low at first and then louder. It turned into a ragged sob.

"Stop it. Stop it or I'll hurt you," he warned.

"Take your filthy hands off her," Ed Straker commanded.

The kidnapper whipped around, saw Ed and Gil, and jumped up, flourishing the knife. Ed suddenly fired his Glock and the knife flew out of the kidnapper's hand, a scream of pain squeezed out of him like the last dollop of toothpaste from a tube. He held his wrist in his other hand and it spurted with blood. His eyes were like manhole covers.

"No! No! Don't hurt me no more! I didn't do anything."

"Gil, cover her and get that blindfold off, and cut her loose."

Claire had started her low pitiful keening again. When Gil lifted the blanket over her, she cried out.

"Don't, don't, don't, don't!" she shrieked.

"Claire, its Ed, you're going to be all right. It's Ed. He won't hurt you, he's a friend. I've come to take you home, Claire. It's all over, I've come to take you home," Ed said gently. She seemed not to be able to understand or to even know he was there. He looked at the kidnapper, who huddled in a corner a few feet behind Gil.

"Easy now, Claire. I'm only taking your blindfold off," Gil said. At the back of his head was the fact that he didn't have his gloves on, and everything around him was evidence, but he understood fully that her needs were greater than his reluctance to ignore crime scene protocols. He recognized shock when he saw it. Her brown eyes were dilated and she was trembling faintly as he freed her from her bonds. "Ed we need to call for an ambulan- Ed, don't," Gil cautioned. Ed had his Glock pointed at the kidnapper, and was closing in on him inch by inch and was saying something that at first Gil didn't comprehend. He had to strain to get the words.

"Run for it." Ed was saying. "Give me a reason to kill you, you bastard. Run for it. I need a reason. Go on, you damn coward. Are you scared? How does it feel? How does it feel when you're the one that's being tortured? I need a reason. Run, you disgusting piece of human garbage. Run, damn you!"

"NO! No, no! You'll hurt me!" The kidnapper looked at Gil, terrified. "Make him stop! Don't let him hurt me!"

"RUN!" Ed roared.

"NO NO NO!" the kidnapper bent over, covered his head and rolled up into a ball of terrified flesh.

"Ed, stop it," Gil said nervously.

"Don't run, then. I'm going to kill you anyway," Ed said flatly. His finger curled over the Glock's trigger.

"Ed, you can't be judge and jury here. It would be murder, don't you see that? You pull that trigger and you'll be on the top rung of the same ladder he climbed. Ed, listen to me. If you kill him, I'll have to report it. Don't put me in that position, Ed. I respect you too much. Please," Gil said urgently.

Ed tore his eyes away from the kidnapper and locked them onto Gil like a Sidewinder missile seeking a target.

"Don't you understand what happened here, Grissom? Don't you? Can't you see? He raped Claire, Grissom. He raped her."

"I know, Ed. Just like I know you won't kill him, because it would be wrong. Because knowing it is wrong is what makes you different from him."

"Even an entomologist like yourself should know there are some insects you have to crush," Ed said, but he lowered the Glock slowly and put it in his holster. Gil sagged in relief. Claire looked at him with uncertainty as he smiled at her and then turned her head to look at Ed. She smiled faintly as recognition returned.

"Edward?" Claire said softly, hopefully. "Is it really you?"

"Claire. Yes, yes. It's really me." Ed took a step toward her.

The kidnapper suddenly shot his hand out; bloody fingers closed over the knife, raised it over Grissom's back and swooped it down.

A single precise shot was all it took. The knife clattered noisily down. Gil jumped and looked behind him at the corpse with the hole between lifeless eyes, and then looked at Ed in shock, obviously fearing the worst. Ed smiled somewhat as he returned the Glock to its holster.

"Relax, Grissom, it wasn't like you think. He was about to stick that blade in your back. Something tells me you would have objected to that. I couldn't let that happen. I have too much respect for you. Even if you do bug me."

Gil grinned as Ed crossed to Claire, and took her into his arms.

Claire Spencer looked up from her laptop as Ed's hospital room door opened slightly, and a hand thrust through holding a Waterford crystal vase containing a stunning arrangement of white roses and orchids. She chuckled weakly as Ed came in, smiling at her. He'd insisted she be put in his private room while she recovered. He was resplendent in a black turtleneck, cream ankle boots and cream Nehru suit, the one she had once confessed to him that she liked best. Claire thought he looked more wonderfully sleek and elegant than any flower nature could create.

"Edward, you and Alec and Nate and Reverend Brisby and Frances have already turned your room into a flower shop." Claire reached out for the flowers and smelled them. "They are beautiful."

"Then one more bouquet won't matter. How's my favourite patient?" He set the vase down and sat beside her on the bed's edge, trying not to notice the bruises on her pale cheek.

"Eager to get out of this place. How are Yetunde and Carmella doing?"

"Yetunde's back with Ayomide and doing much better, but not sleeping much with all the four am feedings. Alec insisted on taking care of the both of them at home. Alec claims he now can change a soiled nappy in his sleep. Carmella's back in fighting form, but taking a few days off. Nathaniel spends a lot of time at Carmella's house these days, getting fat on her enchiladas and tacos. He won't be able to fit into that stylish wardrobe of his if this keeps up. Might be a good thing, come to think of it. I'm stuck with Peter Evers as a bodyguard for now, and he's driving me certifiably crazy as usual. I may have to give Nathaniel a raise to coax him to come back."

Claire chuckled.

"What more have you found out about that person that took us?"

Ed frowned. "I don't know that you should be bothered at this point with the details."

"Please, Edward?"

"Well, the investigation is nearly completed. The police found the body of Dr. Jacqueline Kincaid and a still unidentified woman buried in the basement of the house Ian lived in along with Kincaid's suitcase. Multiple stab wounds. She had left for the United States to attend a conference there, but she never made it. Apparently she'd treated him for minor burns once, befriended him, and his sick mind read something else entirely into her friendship. The evidence the police found in his brother's van pretty much seems to indicate Ian did the same thing to her that he did to you. The house belonged to his older brother Glen, who had been on holiday in Australia for a couple of months. Naturally when he was contacted, brought back and told what happened he said the same thing most relatives and friends of serial killers do. That's impossible, my brother is just a kid who likes to keep pigeons and is keen on watching police shows on telly. Sure, he got into a spot of trouble but he'd never commit a murder. Well, Nathaniel told me his co-workers at the vet supply company where he worked as part of his probation considered him a disgusting little monster. They weren't at all surprised that he was a murderer. They always suspected he was stealing all kinds of things, including drugs, but nobody wanted to get involved so nobody reported anything missing. Ian was a lot more craftier than the police gave him credit for. For instance, that shed he had you all in was on the grounds of the house. He just drove you all around Southern England for a couple of hours so you'd think you'd been brought to a different location, miles away. When actually you weren't all that far from Mayland Hospital."

"How terrible, Edward. Jackie worked in the burn unit, I didn't know her well, but we talked sometimes," Claire said quietly, fighting back tears.

"Do you understand what you did, Claire?" Ed took her hand lightly in his. He noted with dismay that she nearly pulled away, and was making a conscious effort to allow him to touch her. After what she went through, I have to be patient. I have to do what I can to help her heal from what that bastard did to her, he thought. Having to tell the police what happened, and be examined was bad enough. Thank God that madman's blood was negative for any sexually transmitted diseases. Ed forced himself to smile at her, although his heart was sinking.

"I don't know what you mean."

"You saved Yetunde and Carmella, Claire. You saved their lives. He would have eventually killed all of you. We found a scrapbook of photographs he'd torn from entertainment magazines. Apparently you greatly resembled his favourite actress on a police drama he watched, so he was more than willing to get rid of them so he could have you. It was a wonderful stroke of luck. "

"Oh Edward. I was so stupid. I tried to do what you'd do. And look what happened to me."

"Claire, Dr. Meli and Dr. Constantine tell me you've refused to talk about the rape. You can't put it behind you unless you talk about it."

"No, oh God, please! Please, please, Ed. I just can't. I can't." Claire burst into tears and pulled her hand away.

"All right, you take your time. I won't let anyone pressure you until you're ready. I just want you to know, well, I'm here, Claire. I'd be willing to listen to you if you ever wanted to talk to me about it. You remember that, all right?" Ed said gently.

Claire settled down and was silent for a long while.

"Edward, that man that was with you that night."

"Gil Grissom? He flew back to the United States. He asked me to give you his best."

"Oh, he's gone? I wanted to thank him. I think you came very close to shooting Ian, Edward. It would have been wrong. Revenge is wrong. We both know what it did to Eric. I would hate for you to have gotten into trouble with the police over me. I'm so glad he talked sense to you when I couldn't."

"I can't say that I'm sorry Ian tried to stab Grissom, Claire. I'm glad I'm the one who put a bullet in Ian. You're right, though, of course. It's too bad I couldn't have signed him up for Shado. However I don't think I could have torn him away from his test tubes and his bugs." Ed smiled. "Anyway, don't worry about Gil. I sent him a thank you package. Now, speaking of packages. . . " Ed opened the Velcro fastener on his jacket and drew a white velvet box out of a pocket. "Found this in a Cracker Jack box. Or it may have been at Garrards. I can't seem to remember."

"Edward, you are never going to be able to start financing Shado if you keep giving everyone presents," Claire scolded.

"What fun is there in being one of the richest men in England if I can't spend my money the way I want to?" Ed moaned dramatically as if he were auditioning for his own film studio. Claire smiled at him.

"If you insist on behaving like a baby, then all right. What did you get me?"

"Oh, gosh, nothing much. I forget. You open it."

Claire shoved the laptop aside and accepted the box from Ed. She lifted the lid.

A shimmering 7-millimeter pearl ring set in platinum and flanked with channel set emeralds and diamonds glimmered inside the silk brocade lined box.

Claire studied it without a word, shaking slightly.

"I confess I secretly asked Frances if you'd ever demonstrated a preference for stones in jewelry. She told me you liked pearls and emeralds. Clever, aren't I? I wasn't in Air Force Intelligence for nothing."

Claire looked up at him.

"Edward." was all she said. He reached for her other hand. It seemed so tiny and frail in his. He kissed her fingers tenderly.

"Claire Spencer, would you do me the honour of becoming my wife? I love you dearly. I can't imagine spending the rest of my life without having you close by. Will you marry me?"

"No." Claire whispered without the least bit of hesitation.

Ed Straker couldn't have looked more stunned, betrayed and hurt if she had struck him across the face. It was an effort to force her name to escape from his lips.

"Claire..."

"I'm sorry Edward," Claire blurted hysterically, "I can't marry anyone. Can't you see that? I can't marry anyone after what happened! Go away! Just go away and leave me alone! I don't love you. Do you hear me? I don't want to marry you or anyone else. And that's never going to change! Now go away!"

Claire pulled her hand away, shoved the box back in his hand, jumped out of the bed and locked herself in his bathroom. He could hear her loud sobbing and he was sure half the hospital staff could, too.

Ed 's features were etched in pain and misery for several terrible, unbearable seconds, and then he closed the box, his expression as frigid and as airtight as a marble crypt. He thrust it back into his pocket, got up and walked swiftly out of the room, his heart a fortress again. He had walked into the room as Ed.

He left as Commander Edward Straker.

"Hey, Grissom, welcome back! Did you run into Queen Elizabeth or something?"

"What do you mean, Catherine?" Gil asked.

"You don't know? You're the only one who doesn't. You better get in your office before they eat everything."

"What are you talking about?" Gil asked again, and then he saw something on his chair, and Brown, Stokes and Sidle stepped away reluctantly so that he could get a better look.

It was the biggest damn rattan food basket he'd ever seen in his life. It was crammed with every kind of food you could ever conceive of, and was wrapped up in green cellophane and tied with a massive red velvet and gold ribbon. It looked like it could rid the planet of famine all by itself, Gil thought.

"You have to share, Gil," Sidle said, eyeing some chocolates the way a vulture would survey a dead deer.

"When did this little token of appreciation arrive in my department?"

"About a half hour before you did. It was addressed to you. And there's an envelope and a package for you, too. All from somebody named Straker. Who is this Straker, and is he single?" Willows demanded, spying some Beluga caviar and licking her lips.

Gil grinned.

"Just somebody I met. And yes, he's single, Catherine. Something tells me he won't be single for long."

"What is he? A billionaire or something?" Brown said, his eyes on a sausage.

"As a matter of fact, yes. He's the head of the recently formed Straker Foundation. I got the feeling he owned half of Southern England. Among other things, he's one of the better-known philanthropists they have, especially with charities that deal with children. I uh, met him socially," Gil lied casually. "He's an pretty interesting guy. He likes bugs too."

"Well now that figures. Well are you going to feed us or what?" Sidle asked impatiently.

"Go ahead and open it. And have the decency to leave me something, will ya? And don't forget Brass." He watched them tear into it with a grin. Willows dipped a cracker into the Beluga caviar and munched as everybody headed back to work with their arms full of goodies.

"Heaven, absolute heaven. You'll have to introduce me to this guy if I ever get to jolly old England, Grissom. Oh. The envelope and package are on the shelf. The messenger almost didn't let me sign for it."

"Oh?" Gil set the basket aside on his desk and grabbed the envelope and package and pulled his office chair into a corner for privacy. He tore open the envelope as Willows fished around again in the basket for another cracker.

Inside was a single piece of beige vellum notepaper with STRAKER FOUNDATION in engraved gold letters at the top of it, and a cheque signed by Ed and made out to him in American dollars. He whistled when he was through counting zeros on it. Gil read the note, which was typed and signed by Ed.

I hope you're suitably impressed by the fact I'm typing this note to you myself, Gil. I haven't typed a letter in ages. In any case, I'm sending this cheque because I know you can put it to good use. Buy your people the equipment they need to continue exposing monsters and putting them behind bars. Believe me, I know what it's like when you're forced to depend on a bureaucracy to provide your people with the right tools for the job. As for the gift basket, I particularly recommend the red ruby seedless grapes and the Washington red delicious apples.

I think you'll like what's in the package. Be sure to squeeze it.

With affection and sincere thanks,

Ed Straker

Gil smiled. He slipped the cheque and note in a pocket, and then he opened the package. He began laughing out loud.

It was a bright plush toy firefly. Gil squeezed it and it lit up. Gil chuckled.

"This rich guy sends you a toy firefly?" Catherine grinned.

"A lightning bug, Catherine, a lightning bug," Gil corrected her, and reached for, and bit into a Washington red delicious apple.

"So the aliens were hoping to grow half alien half human embryonic stem cells to enable them to survive. Interesting. You're sure nothing was missing from that lab?" Ed leaned against his desk, turning his paperweight around in his hands moodily and looked at Keith Ford.

"Absolutely, Commander. Everything was accounted for and all the information pertaining to the experiments on the lab computers were deleted. One of the scientists experimenting with the cloning was assisting the aliens, we think they'd promised him new technology. He was among the people you rescued, and he got the amnesia drug along with the others. The cloning matter was destroyed. It's all in the report, Sir."

"Good. They may have advanced technology in some areas, but not all their problems have been solved. The day they are solved is the day we really have to worry. I'm expecting a full scale attack, and we need to be prepared for it. That's all, Ford."

Ed waited until Ford had left, put the paperweight back in its stand, and flipped through the report again. Alec came in.

"What's on your mind, Alec?" Ed said, and then went on reading. Alec punched the button to close the door.

"You."

Ed strolled to his chair and sat down, still reading. "I'm busy, I have no time for riddles, Alec. You'll have to be more specific."

"You want specific? I'll give you specific. I've been getting an earful about the way you've been treating staff."

"Meaning?" Ed raised his eyes in irritation.

"Meaning that you're driving them until they're about to collapse. Now the Ed Straker I know is a considerate, compassionate man. He wouldn't push his people past their limitations."

"Have you forgotten what we do here at Shado, Alec? This isn't a tea party. We're at war. If they want it easy, they don't belong here."

"You know nobody here wants it easy. Yes, we are at war. But you don't win war by attacking your own company, the way you're doing. So, right here and right now, I want to know what happened."

"Alec, I'm busy. I have no-"

Alec reached over and pulled the report out of Ed's hands and threw it across the room.

"Goddamn it, Alec!"

"No Ed. You are losing this one. Now spit it out."

"I don't know what you mean."

"You know perfectly well what I mean. What happened? What's got you so miserable? You look like hell, you look like you haven't eaten in days, you're not even drinking coffee. I want to know what happened. Now."

The two gentlemen locked eyes the way stags lock antlers. Ed was the one who lowered his antlers first. He rose, and went over to the conference table, his back to Alec. Alec waited.

"I proposed to Claire. She said no," Ed said softly without turning, sadness heavy in his voice.

"What? Why?" Alec asked, disbelieving.

"Constantine and Mela think Claire thinks she's damaged goods after the rape. She can't get Claire to think otherwise. I've tried talking to her. You have no idea what it's like, Alec. I live with her, I see her everyday. We're civilized and polite to one another. She might as well be on Mount Everest. She won't talk to me. I don't know what to do. I've given up on her. Just when I started to think maybe at last I'd found someone who accepted Shado, and accepted me. You know what's pitiful, Alec? I carry the damn engagement ring around with me. I go in her bedroom when she leaves for Mayland and I pick up her nightgown, and I breathe in her perfume, and I remember the feel of her in my arms. I lie in her bed and I feel the warmth her body left there. I long to touch her. I don't know what to do. I'm dying by degrees, Alec. I think it's over."

"When has Ed Straker ever given up on a challenge?"

"When he knows he cannot win," Ed said, turning around, misery etched on his face.

"Would it help if I talked to her, Ed?" Alec said, concerned.

"Nothing's going to work, Alec. She doesn't want me."

"Does the fact she was raped make any difference to you?"

"The fact she was raped didn't change the fact that she's the woman I love."

"Have you told her that?"

"I've tried. She won't listen to me."

"Christ, Ed, you've got to make her listen to you!"

"And how do you suggest I do that? Even being in the same room with her only reminds her that I'm a man, and men rape. So not only is she damaged goods which I wouldn't want, I'm also no better than the animal that raped her simply from the nature of my genitals. So what do I do, Alec? Force her? Forcing her would be abusing her all over again, Alec. I have to face the fact I've lost her." Ed forced a chuckle. "Marriage and Straker just don't mix. It's time I faced that happiness isn't in the cards for me."

"Ed, you can't just give. . . "

"I'm suddenly very tired, Alec. I'm going home. Take over here for me, will you?"

"Ed."

Ed Straker punched the door button and went out. Alec frowned, and then he sat in Ed's chair and picked up the phone.

"You can't do this. You must be nuts," Peter Evers said. Nathaniel looked off in the distance.

"I've made up my mind, Pete. Soon as he gets here, I'm going to tell him," Nathaniel said.

"Don't you know he just lost his girl? You can't do this now, Nate. I mean I'm not no psychiatrist, but this just isn't right."

"He'll be okay. He's the Commander."

"Oh and I guess that makes everything all right? You think he doesn't have feelings the way you and I do? Boy, you just aren't the guy I thought you were. You don't know what loyal means." Peter frowned.

"Get off my back, Pete. You want to talk about feelings? You try having no legs and being stuck in a cage by a nut. You experience that kinda fear for yourself, man. You talk about his feelings? What about Carmella's feelings? What about my feelings? Don't I have the right to have a future?"

"What does Carmella think of all this?"

"She don't know yet."

"Oh that's rich, that is. So you think you can make decisions for her?"

"Here comes his car. Don't mess with me, I've made up my mind."

"I hope you're satisfied when he goes to pieces," Peter said in disgust.

"Man, this is Straker we're talking about. He'll survive."

"When Colonel Freeman finds out what you're going to do, you won't survive."

Peter Evers shook his head sadly as Nathaniel walked back to the house. Ed got out of his car.

"You're home early, Commander."

"Not that early. Has Dr. Spencer gotten home yet?"

"Not yet. You want something special to eat tonight?"

"I'm not hungry, thanks, Nathaniel."

"Man, I may be speaking out of line, but your clothes are hanging on you, Sir. You gotta eat something."

"I'm going on up to bed, Nate."

"Wait, sir, I have something I have to tell you."

"Nathaniel, can't it wait?" Nate shook his head. Ed wearily sank onto his living room couch. "All right. Make it short. I'm about to fall over."

"I'm quitting my job with you and quitting Shado and taking Carmella with me."

"WHAT?" blurted Ed.

"Look, Commander, I can't leave Carmella in Shado after everything that happened to her. Being a hostage like that. She just can't cope, having no legs like that. I'm going to be moving in with her, and down the road, I'm going to be marrying her, maybe even having a kid or two. She needs me more than Shado does. She needs me more than you do. Pete's top notch, you know that. You'll be safe."

"Carmella agreed to this?"

"She doesn't know yet. But hey, she wakes up shaking and sweating when I'm with her, reliving the kidnapping over and over again. I have to be with her all the time now. I know she'll be relieved to just be a doctor again. So I'll be writing an official letter of resignation, and you can use the amnesia drug on us, but I'm doing this."

"Fine, Nathaniel. You'll be looking for work, I'll see that you get good references. I wish you and Carmella the best. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to bed. Good night."

"Night, Commander. Glad you understand. Sleep well."

Ed went slowly upstairs, paused at the master bedroom where he slept. Glad you understand? I don't understand, Nathaniel. I don't understand what the sin is that I'm atoning for. Explain to me why it feels like the end of the world, Nathaniel. Why am I losing everyone I care about? He sighed and glanced at Claire's bedroom and went in. Claire's nightgown was on the bed. After a brief moment of hesitation, he took off his ankle boots and his jacket, not bothering with pajamas or sleep rituals and got into her bed, holding the flimsy garment close. He stared at the ceiling. Tears formed in his eyes.

"Goodbye Claire. I'll always love you," Ed said to the empty room. Tears were still wet on his cheeks when the oblivion that he longed for came in the guise of sleep.

Much later, Claire Spencer got home, waved at Peter Evers. It wasn't unusual for Peter to be there so much. Nathaniel must be at Carmella's again, she thought. She used her electronic pass to get in and went upstairs. She stopped, hearing the sound of mild snoring. Why is he home so early? Oh well, that isn't any of my concern anymore.

Claire entered her bedroom and gasped. Ed was sleeping restlessly in a fetal position, grasping her nightgown. He moaned a little and changed position. Claire quietly left and went downstairs to the guest bedroom.

Why are you making this so hard on me, Edward? Haven't I had enough torture? Oh Edward, can't you see that this is for you? That you deserve better? You have no right to miss me like that. I have no right to miss you. And I do, oh God, I do. Why couldn't it be you, Edward? Why couldn't it have been you that I gave my body to? He just tore me, Edward. The most terrible thing in the world, he just rammed himself in me, over and over and over. He just ripped my insides like you'd rip a piece of paper. He's killed love in me, Edward. You have to go on with your life. Please, Claire sobbed. I want you, Edward. But it's not right. Nothing is ever going to be all right ever again.

Claire threw herself across the bed and sobbed herself to sleep.

Peter Evers had been studying the surveillance screens. He sighed loudly. After a moment of thought, he picked up a telephone and dialed a number.

"Oh poor Edward. What shall we do?" Frances whimpered and passed around plates of freshly made scones and various homemade jellies. Yetunde accepted one, sighed heavily, and spread a liberal amount of strawberry jelly on it, grumbling to herself.

"I have the will power of a jackal when it comes to Frances' food these days," Yetunde announced, and bit into it. Frances smiled somewhat and Alec grinned at Yetunde, knowing she was trying to lose weight she'd gained from the pregnancy.

"Nobody can refuse anything you bake, Frances. Anyway, that's why Yetunde and I are here. I need your help." Alec sat on the edge of the Brisby's couch and gently rocked a drowsy Ayomide in his arms.

"You know getting them together again is going to be harder than building the pyramids in Egypt." grumbled Angel.

"We need to get them together and make them talk to one another. Perhaps once that happens, they will remember that they are supposed to be intelligent human beings," Dr. Rose Mela said with a smile. She was an infinitely tiny brunette woman in her sixties, who spoke with a European accent that might have been Jewish, and she served Shado as a psychologist.

"They better. I've been speaking with Ed, in the rare times I actually can corner him, and he's having a bona fide clinical depressive episode. If he does not eat soon, we may actually have to check him into Mayland and force-feed him," Caroline Constantine argued. "I've seen more weight on women suffering from anorexia. The strange thing is, he's as sharp as ever on the job."

"Naturally, Caroline. His job is the one thing that remains a constant. The refusal to eat is wrecking his health," Rose said quietly.

"So what do we do?" Frances wondered.

"Do you realize what Ed did today? He went home early. Early! Ed going home early is unheard of. I could hardly believe my eyes. I called Angel right away, and I'm on the way home when I get a call that hit me like a boxer's right hook!" Alec exclaimed.

"What do you mean, Alec?" Angel asked as Frances poured more tea from the silver tea service on the lace-covered table.

"Peter Evers called Alec. You will remember that I always liked Peter. Underneath all that military mumbo jumbo lurks a big heart. He is worried about Edward. As if our Edward didn't already have enough problems, now Nathaniel is leaving him and taking Carmella away too. He decides this, mind you, he decides this without even asking what she wants. I called Carmella, and I told her, and ah ah ah! I would not like to be Nathaniel right now."

"Never thought I'd see the day Nate would walk out on Ed," sighed Caroline. "But then I never thought I'd see the day Claire would dump Ed, either. And don't give me all the rubbish about the trauma of rape clouding her judgment. Ed is a thousand million zillion more times more fragile than her. This abandonment is destroying him."

"Nate is leaving Edward too? May Satan damn him! Nate is an disloyal idiot," Frances said firmly. "I will not be cooking for that poorly dressed imbecile ever again!" All eyes turned to her. Even Ayomide made a little cooing noise, as if she too found Frances' outburst surprising.

"That's not very Christian of you, Frances." Alec laughed and everyone joined in his laughter.

"When it comes to Edward, anyone that hurts him is not Christian in my eyes. May the Lord forgive me, but I find what Claire and now Nate is doing to him simply unforgivable."

"Amen to that, Cupcake. But it still hasn't answered our question. What do we do?" Angel complained, frustratingly plopping a huge chunk of orange marmalade on his scone.

Frances paced. Suddenly she spotted something and perked up. She beamed.

"You've thought of something," Rose said, amused.

"We will need Peter to help us," Frances announced firmly. She then explained to the others what she had in mind.

"To quote my beautiful Yetunde, ah ah!" Alec said. Yetunde giggled at him.

"He will kill us all," Caroline said with a big grin.

"We better hope that as a result of not eating that his gun aim is off kilter!" chuckled Angel. "Okay, let's set it up."

"We're plotting against Ed Straker. May the Lord save our souls," Caroline chuckled, and used her cell phone to call Peter Evers.

"This is a regular coup d'état. Makes me long for my military days." Angel grinned.

"A spiritual coup d'état, dear. For Edward and Claire's own good," Frances said firmly and the group huddled over several cups of tea and numerous scones for the next five minutes. The plan was beautifully lined out. Even little Ayomide cooed in appreciation.

"My daughter knows what is good for her godfather," Alec grinned.

Ed Straker awoke to the sound of the telephone. Wearily he looked at the alarm clock next to Claire's bed. It was nearly midnight.

"Straker."

"Edward! Edward, oh Edward, please come!"

"Frances, what is it? What's happened?"

"It's Stanley! He's had a heart attack!"

Ed catapulted out of bed, the phone pressed to his ear, heart sinking.

"I'll get an ambulance there in a matter of minutes."

"Edward, there isn't time for that! He wants to see you, something about that terrible camp you were both in. Please can't you come directly here?"

"I'm on my way, Frances."

Ed hung up, grabbed his shoes and his car keys and ran down the stairs two at a time. Peter Evers came toward him.

"What's the crisis, Sir?"

"Reverend Brisby's having a heart attack."

"I'll drive you there, Sir."

"That's not necessary, I can. . . "

"With all due respect, Sir, I'm in a much better position to get you there quickly and safely, and I cannot leave your side. You know that."

"Fine, fine. Let's go. I have no time to argue right now. My friend may be dying."

Claire Spencer came down the stairs sleepily, having heard all the commotion.

"What's going on?"

The door slammed, and she heard Ed's Shado car rev up and speed off. She sighed, and slowly climbed up the stairs, to her bedroom. Ed had obviously tossed and turned in his sleep and had thrown off her covers and her comforter had fallen on the ground. She reached for the comforter to smooth it. It was warm, with his warmth, like it was part of him, a second skin. Alive. Like him. However it had been cast aside, practically discarded. Forgotten. It seemed lost, there on the carpet, not on her bed, pristine and neat and warm. Sheltering her, comforting her, bright and warm and substantial. Like him, Claire thought. Like Edward Straker.

Claire began to sob, burying her face in it, pulling it to her.

Her telephone rang. She went on sobbing brokenly, and it continued to ring. She picked up the receiver angrily.

"What? What do you want?"

"Claire, child, thank the good Lord I got you home. I was afraid you might be putting in a late shift at Mayland. I'm begging you, please come. It's Frances, it's my beautiful, precious Frances. She's collapsed. I think it's her heart. She wants you."

"Oh no, Angel! I'll come right away, I'll call Yetunde, she's the expert in this! I'll have an ambulance. . ."

"No, no, child. The Lord has come to take my wife to her reward. All she wants is to see you. I don't want her to go to paradise with her earthly wishes unfulfilled. Will you come, child?"

"Of course. I'm on my way now." Claire hung up, stuck her feet into slippers, grabbed her purse from the wardrobe, and hurried downstairs.

The people gathered in the Brisby home broke into applause. Angel cackled, and made a sweeping bow to them.

"Thank you, thank you."

"Stanley you are nothing but a big ham." Frances laughed.

"Darling, you're all right. It's one of God's miracles!" Angel announced.

They all laughed and Yetunde in particular giggled.

"I will tell you what is a miracle. That Frances has put up with you all this time!" Yetunde explained.

"Are we all ready for the next part of this caper?" Caroline asked. "Peter asked to have his body sent back to Holland when the Commander kills him, but he's game."

"Oh we won't let Edward hurt the poor man. I've put everything where it needs to be, so now all we need is for Edward to show up. Oh dear! There he is! Hurry! I don't want him to see any of you. Stanley, lie down on the couch and start your death scene. After that less than Christian performance you just gave, it should be a breeze."

Everyone but Angel ran off in different directions to conceal themselves and Angel put his hand on his chest, and draped himself over the couch as Frances quickly hid all but two plates of half eaten scones.

Ed beat against the door, with Peter Evers standing aside him, looking at the ground, nervous as a bride on her wedding night. Frances answered, wearing a sorrowful expression, and closed the door behind him.

"Frances! I got here as fast as I could. Lieutenant Evers was good enough to drive for me. How is he?"

Angel moaned slightly. Ed went quickly up to him, knelt beside the couch. "Angel. It's Ed. I'm here. I'm with you. Angel, you can't leave all of us like this. Please. I need you. Can you hear me?"

"Ed, son. I'm so glad you're here."

"Angel. You're one of the closest friends I have. Don't die on me, Angel. Not now. Please. I won't be able to take it. Angel. Please."

Frances and Peter frowned at each other, Ed's grief was painfully evident. Frances nodded at Peter. Peter gulped.

Suddenly there was loud crying. The fussing and crying of a tiny Freeman.

Ed looked puzzled, and he turned from where he'd been kneeling, holding on tightly to Angel's hand.

"Frances, what on earth is that? It sounds like Ayomide. Are you baby-sitting her at this hour?"

"Shit," Angel said fervently. Ed turned and blinked at him.

"Stanley Brisby! Shame on you!" Frances snapped.

"Shame on me? That little girl ruined everything."

Ed Straker snarled.

"All right! I want to know what's going on and I want to know NOW." Ed crackled, standing up and scowling at Frances.

"Peter. For heaven's sake, Peter." Frances coaxed and prodded a pale Peter Evers. He looked shamefaced.

"I just can't do it. He's the Commander, Ma'am. I just can't do it. Goes against my grain, it does."

"Do what?" Ed Straker demanded.

"This," Angel said, and Ed turned toward him impatiently.

Right Reverend Stanley Brisby whacked him on the jaw, and Ed toppled to the carpet like a pheasant at hunting season. Angel looked more pleased with himself than he should have.

"Oh dear! Oh dear, dear dear," Frances said, and stuck one of the plush throw pillows under an unconscious Ed Straker's head.

Yetunde appeared from a closet where she was hiding with Alec and a now squalling Ayomide, and held Ayomide to her bare breast to suck.

"Ma'am!" Peter blurted and did an about face.

"Oh, knock it off, Peter. She's only feeding my daughter. Come on, help me get Ed into position. Christ, his ribs are sticking out. Come on, help me. Claire will be here any minute," Alec grumbled and he and Peter Evers lifted Ed up where they wanted him.

"Here she comes, Cupcake," Angel said, peeking through the lace curtains. "Hide everyone!" Angel warned. Everyone did a second disappearing act and the doorbell rang. Angel answered it.

"Angel, where is she?"

"In the attic. She was cleaning up there and she just collapsed. You didn't call hospital, did you?"

"I tried calling Yetunde on my cell phone and there was no answer, and so I called the cardiac unit and asked them to send an ambulance."

"Cancel it."

"What? Angel, you mustn't give up like this. They can help save her! What's wrong with you?"

"Just take a look, please. Right up the pull down steps here. There you go."

Claire looked.

A small table held covered dishes, a pot of tea and cups and saucers, and beside the table lie an obviously unconscious Ed Straker, covered by a quilt Frances had hand sewn. There was also an old fashioned commode and several throw pillows.

"Angel, my God! Edward! What is this all about? I don't under-"

Angel folded up the stairs, shut the door to the attic and latched it and clipped the lock securely on it.

"Up to them now," Frances said.

"NOOOOOOOOO! Carma! Babe! NOOOOO!" Nathaniel Zouri gestured hysterically while Carmella Diaz rolled furiously in the wheelchair she'd nicknamed the cruiser up to Nate's beloved pigeon blood red Jaguar XKR-R which was parked in her driveway, next to her van. She slammed against the door with a hammer for all she was worth. "Oh no, man! You're denting my baby!"

"You should be glad that I am not using this hammer on your thick black ape head, you disgusting good for nothing son of a bitch! So I am crippled, huh? So I can't make decisions for myself, huh? So you would dictate to me like a little dreadlocked Hitler and kick my ass out of Shado? What's next? Shall I salute you and say Heil Hitler and walk in lockstep? What gave you the right to make decisions for me? Madre de Dios, no, don't even come near me, you slug! And you walked out on Ed! You walked out on STRAKER! WALKED OUT! Ed is throwing his life down the toilet, not drinking, not eating. Claire tosses him out on his ass and what do you do? Do you try to help us get her to see things the way they are? NO! You walk out on him! You walk out on the one man that means everything to me, because unlike you, he never saw my stumps, he only saw my soul. You filthy, filthy, filthy little hombre! Arrrrrrrgh! Damn shatterproof windows!" Carmella whacked on the windscreen repeatedly with no result.

Nate watched Carmella then whack against the hood of the Jaguar with the hammer with his hands on his headful of dreadlocks, horrified. The surface of his incredibly expensive vehicle started to look like tapioca. He was grateful Carmella lived far out of earshot of any neighbours, since the both of them had been yelling at the top of their voices and mentioning Shado for several minutes.

"Carma, babe, please! I was worried about you. Oh man, it's going to take me a year to pay for that damage! Carma, honey, man, listen!"

"I am NOT Carma to you, you blockhead. I am Dr. Carmella Diaz to you, pig! I am going to smash this car, and all your cars into scrap metal to teach you a lesson!"

Nate dropped down on his knees next to her wheelchair, a beaten man. She reached out and knocked him against the arm with a well-placed blow, and he fell on his side in the driveway, yelped, and picked himself halfway up, rubbing his arm.

"Aw, man, I love you, I didn't want anything to happen to you. It wasn't easy to leave the Commander. He gave me a job when nobody else would. I just couldn't stand the thought of that guy hurting you like that. I was going insane! Man, I was worried about you, you were having bad dreams and I just never wanted anyone to ever make you that scared again. I'd do anything, even leave a dream job with the best boss in the whole damn world, cause I wanted to take care of you."

Carmella growled, but she stopped and stared at him.

"I am a trained Shado operative just like you are. I am not a baby. Si, I had nightmares. I am human, for goodness' sake. It just took me a while to get over being humiliated and made into a victim against my will. It didn't matter that I have no legs. I could have more legs than an octopus and still have to react to the trauma like any of the empty headed siliconed females you usually try and take to bed would. How dare you presume to make decisions for me? If I could pick up my own bootstraps after my fiancée treated me like dog shit when he saw I wasn't normal anymore, do you think what happened to me would keep me down for long? Do you know what being dumped feels like, Nate? Can you imagine what Ed is going through now, when he finally got up the courage to love again, and Claire, who has no more sense anymore than one of your dreadlocks, leaves him behind? How could you do that to him? How could you do this to me?"

Nate sighed.

"Man, I just didn't think. I love you, Carmella. I've never felt like this before. Let me try and make it up to you. Come on. Drive me to go apologize to Straker. But if you ever believed anything in your life, please believe that I really tried to show you I loved you. I never ever thought about marching down no aisle, but when I do, if you aren't marching down it with me, then that car and my job and everything else means zilch to me. Man, I'm speaking from my heart. I feel like crap. I hurt you, I hurt Straker. It was cause I thought that someday I'd lose you. I'd do anything to stop that day from coming. I swear."

"You stupid man," sighed Carmella. "Come on. Yetunde is at Angel's house, and they're all trying to come up with a way to get Ed and Claire back together. Let's go try to help. And for heaven's sake, get off your knees. If I ever roll down that aisle you're talking about, it'll be with you. But you better be wearing a decent tuxedo and not the rags I see you in every day. Give me a kiss, you stupid Neanderthal."

Claire Spencer, hoarse from yelling at Angel for several minutes, finally gave up and took a napkin dipped in cooled tea and wiped a spot of blood gently off Ed Straker's lips. I had to go and leave my cell phone in the car, Claire moaned. And Ed's cell phone is gone. They planned this carefully.

Ed Straker stirred a little, his lashes fluttered, the familiar azure beacons that were his eyes opened and he groaned. Then he looked at Claire. He cursed under his breath.

"Did you know anything about this?" Ed asked, trying the lock on the door.

"How could you think I'd know anything about this?" Claire protested.

"ANGEL! FRANCES! ALEC! SOMEBODY! I know you're down there! Let me the hell out! I swear I'll kick this door in! Do you hear me?" Ed yelled, steaming.

"Edward, forget it. I yelled too. They won't listen. The door's reinforced."

"So what am I supposed to do? Spend the rest of my life in here? ALEC!"

"How could they do this to us?" Claire sighed.

"How nice of our kidnappers to provide us with food and tea. Oh look, even a commode. All the amenities of an English household." Ed folded his arms.

"Who hit you?"

"Why does it matter to you?" Ed snapped.

"You don't have to use that tone at me, Straker."

"Why? Nothing I say or do can convince you of anything, Spencer."

"Edward, I don't want to talk about it."

"Oh believe me, I know. You hate my guts."

"That's not true!"

"Isn't it? You can't stand to be in the same room with me."

"Oh why did they do this? It's impossible!" Claire muttered.

"Don't worry. I don't plan to be around much longer." Ed blurted and then scowled at his own words.

"What does that mean?"

"Don't talk to me."

"Damn you, Edward. You're skin and bones. When's the last time you ate?"

"That's none of your concern."

"Edward, is this some kind of passive way to end your life?" Claire whispered in shock. "This total refusal to eat? My God, when is the last time you ever drank a glass of water. Oh God what have I done to you?"

"Stop worrying about me, Spencer. After all, I'm nothing but a man. No better than Ian."

"That isn't true!"

"Oh, isn't it? You could have fooled me."

"What right have you to do this? I was the one that was raped!"

"Were you? I'll tell you something, Spencer. We all feel raped. The people that care about you feel raped. I feel raped. I have struggled and struggled and struggled to believe that maybe one day I could have the courage to reach out again. So what happens? The woman I love is taken from me, and I'm out of my mind with worry that the next eulogy I'll be giving will be for her. Then I walk in a filthy room and I see her naked and tied to a bed, and my whole world is crushed, just crushed. Because I wonder if I had the right to ever expose her to the ugliness of the world, to the peril of the alien threat the world faces every day, without even knowing it's out there. I question why I ever signed you up to Shado when all the reports I got indicated you were far too fragile to adjust. Then I find out you not only saved their lives, I realise you saved mine. And stupidly I think that marrying you will make up for what happened to you. I'm so damn happy I think I'm going to burst. Then you rape me, Claire. You rape me with words. Do you hear me? You tear my intestines out, and I go around bleeding, but nobody can help me. You say no. And in that single, horrific word, you finish me off. I go to work, I breathe. I go home, I go to bed. I'm surviving. But I died Claire. I'm dead. Why prolong it? You don't love me. Why should I bother to live?"

Claire sobbed.

"Do you think I don't love you? Is that what you think?"

"That's what you said, damn you!" Ed shouted.

"Edward, I'm used. I'm blemished, I'm soiled. How could I be with you when I have nothing to offer you anymore?"

"My God, how stupid can you be?" Ed reached into a trouser pocket and pulled out the velvet box with the ring in it, opened it, took and held the ring within inches of her face. "I carry the blasted thing around, Claire. At night I hear you breathing. I wait until you leave so that I can go in and touch things that belong to you. Once I came home after a long day at Shado, and you were sleeping, and the strap of your lavender nightgown had fallen from your shoulder, and I could see the curve of your upper breast. And all I could do was think about how that bastard had violated you, touched you. And you know what, Claire? At times I found myself envying him. I thought of you, I thought of loving you, and I watched you, and I cursed myself for wanting you in that way. You lie there, looking so damn beautiful."

"Edward, stop, stop, stop!" she wept.

"I slept in your bed, I sleep in your bed, do you know that? That's the only way I can pretend you're there."

"I know. I know. I found my comforter on the ground, and I touched it, and I wished it were you."

"For the love of God, Claire, what's happened to us?"

"Why would you want me now? Why would you want me?"

"Claire. The only way you'd ever be soiled is if you believed it. You've decided to let him win. He may be rotting somewhere in the earth with my bullet in him, but he's laughing somewhere in hell because you let him win."

"I let him WIN? How can you say that? He raped me! He had a knife, Edward! What was I supposed to do? He squeezed my breasts and then he tore my slip and I could hear the sound of him taking off his clothes. I could smell him. I could hear him. And then the worst of all, he just pushed my legs up, pulled my panties off and he pushed into me, and he was huge and I screamed and screamed and I could feel---Oh God, Edward. Oh God." Claire sobbed.

"Claire. Nothing he did to you could ever make me feel any different about you." Ed said gently, his own eyes brimming with tears.

"You deserve someone better than me!" she cried.

"I make my own choices. And I chose you. I need you. I've tried to tell you how much I missed you, but you wouldn't let me get close. And good sweet Christ, I didn't want to abuse you anymore than you'd already been abused. But if you let what happened ruin your life, then he won, Claire. And if you let him win, then we'll both lose."

"Edward, are you sure?"

"Do you love me? Say you love me. Because if you don't, then I might as well be under the earth with that bastard. Because my life might as well be over. Those people locked us up in here because they're trying to save us. Now we have to do our part."

"Edward, I love you so much. I walked in my bedroom and saw you holding on to my nightgown and it broke my heart."

"Say it again, Claire. Say it again." Tears eventually broke away from Ed's sorrowful eyes and streamed down the flawless symmetry of his cheekbones. Claire reached up and gently pushed them aside with the fingertips of one hand, then touched his hair, and caressed his face.

"I love you, Edward."

"Marry me, Claire."

"I will. I will Edward."

Ed took her hand away, kissed it, and slipped the ring on it.

"It's so beautiful, Edward. I don't deserve it."

"I've missed you so much."

"How could you allow yourself to get so thin? You don't take care of yourself." Claire said, feeling his ribs under his turtleneck.

"She puts on my engagement ring for ten seconds and already she nags me like she's my wife," Ed quipped.

"Oh stop being such a baby." Claire smiled.

"Let me hold you."

"No." Claire said. Ed gasped. Claire laughed. "No, no, I don't mean it like that. I want you to eat and have something to drink first."

"Now?" he complained, putting his arms around her.

She pulled him closer and kissed his mouth lightly. Their eyes courted. Their lips met again and he kissed her, lingering for several seconds. He moved back just a little. She leaned forward and her lips brushed against his, and he tilted her head and he kissed her again, then both their mouths pressed and slid and sucked and melded. Their breathing quickened, and they reluctantly parted. She fitted herself against him and he grasped her hard his breath warm against her neck.

"I wonder how long they're going to keep us here?" Ed asked, his words muffled by her hair. He felt her body stir as she chuckled.

"I don't want to be rescued just yet." She moved away and he sighed.

"I don't want to let you go."

"I want you to hold me but I want you to eat."

"Fine, fine. I'll eat, I'll eat. What did Frances leave for us?"

"Who hit you? There was blood on your lip."

"Her so called pious husband, the right Reverend Stanley Brisby. They should call him the right hook Reverend. I never saw the blow coming. And to think they were all in this little campaign all together." He rubbed his jaw. She laughed, and handed him a plate with a chicken salad sandwich and grapes on it.

"They love you, Edward."

"They love both of us. We're very lucky to have them. I just wish they'd thought of a less painful way to get us back together!"

Claire laughed.

"Oh Edward." She smiled, and poured him some tea.

"I guess desperate times call for desperate measures," Ed mused and popped a grape into his mouth. She snuggled happily against him and he fed her a grape.

Later in the wee hours of the morning, Frances Brisby crept quietly out of bed, got into her chenille robe and tied her sash, slipped her feet into slippers. Angel was snoring loud enough to bring trees down, as usual, and she kissed him on the cheek lightly. Caroline had gone home. Alec and Yetunde were curled up in the guest bedroom with Ayomide, all fast asleep. Rose Mela was dozing in a rocking chair. Peter Evers lie asleep on the couch. Nathaniel and Carmella had come, and gone. Frances went into the kitchen and picked up the key for the attic door, and used it to unlock the latch. As silently as possible, she pulled the door open, and climbed the steps. A little nervously she looked inside the attic. Joyful tears fell down her cheeks and she smiled happily in triumph.

Edward Straker and Claire Spencer were nestled together asleep under the quilt heads on pillows, one of Edward's arms protectively across Claire and her hand resting on top of his. On Claire's finger the engagement ring shone brightly.

"Thank you, good and kind Lord, for the blessing you have given us," Frances said quietly, bowing her head. Then she raised it, gasped and brought her hand over her mouth in absolute shock.

Ed's expressive eyes shot suddenly wide open, and he was looking directly at her, amusement and admiration and peace on his face.

"Go back to bed, Frances. We're fine," Ed whispered. "And thank you all from the bottom of my heart."

"It was our pleasure, Edward, you know we all love you," Frances said, and went back down the steps. Ed smiled and relaxed, his eyes closed slowly, and he contentedly settled back into sleep.

It was the smell of fresh coffee that awoke Ed Straker and Claire Spencer. Carefully they made their way down the stairs, and they went into the dining room where Frances was serving breakfast to everyone. Eyes looked up and quickly looked down.

"I take it no one is going to say good morning to Edward and Claire?" Frances asked.

"ED! CLAIRE! You're here? I didn't even notice. Sit down and have breakfast," Alec said. "I asked Gay to fill in for you over the weekend and she was delighted to help, Ed. Remember, you need to go see that racehorse of yours soon." Ed gave him a look.

"Good morning, Sir," Peter Evers said. "Good morning, Ma'am."

"You two look like you slept well," Yetunde grinned.

"As well as two people who were kidnapped by their so-called friends and locked into an attic all night could, yes. Why, Reverend Brisby. Fancy meeting you here."

"Ed son, I particularly recommend having the strawberries on your flapjacks. Frances made an all American breakfast for you. Real maple syrup from Canada, too."

"Funny thing about this morning, Reverend. Someone socked me on the jaw. Knocked me out."

"Did they, Ed son? Well, how unfortunate. Sit down, sit down." Angel lifted a dainty rose patterned porcelain cup of hot tea to his lips.

"It may be possible that you merely hallucinated being struck, Commander. After all, you had not eaten and drank next to nothing for a while," Rose Mela said with a grin.

"I didn't hallucinate the bruise on my lip," Ed said, and took the cup out of Angel's hand and set it carefully back on the table. Angel blinked at Ed. Claire gulped, sat down and smiled at Frances, but Ed remained standing.

Peter Evers looked at Ed.

Ed shot him a stern look and Peter lowered his eyes to his plate of beans on toast. Then Ed turned back, and smacked Angel on the jaw. The rotund reverend went flying out of the chair, and Claire broke out laughing. Frances gasped.

"Edward didn't want to break the cup, Frances. I knew that was coming," Claire giggled.

"Edward! I simply will not have such violence in my home. Stanley, are you all right?" Frances exclaimed, not at all worried or surprised. She knew Ed too well. Ed looked smug.

"Did you get the number of the lorry that hit me?" Angel rubbed his jaw, and winced as Ed took a seat and served himself.

"You won't have violence in your home, but evidently you have no problem with kidnapping, Frances." Ed winked at her. She blushed and helped a laughing Angel up.

"Sir, if I could make a statement?"

"Let me guess, Lieutenant Evers. This involves how bad you feel for plotting to hit your superior officer and acting as co-conspirator in a kidnapping?"

"Sir, I readily accept any punishment you decide to give out."

"I readily advise you never to do this again. As I recall, you didn't hit me. You're not up on charges. Yet. Relax and eat your breakfast, Evers. "

"If you two weren't so damn bloody minded, we wouldn't have to plot against you," Alec said, giving Ayomide her bottle of Yetunde's breast milk.

"Ayomide, tell your father that I could throw him into Shado's brig if I thought it would teach him a lesson. As a matter of fact, tell everyone at this table they are in big trouble," Ed said sternly, but his eyes twinkled.

"You locking up my daughter, too?" Yetunde wanted to know, buttering her toast.

Ed grinned and then smiled warmly at the content tiny Freeman in Alec's arms.

"She'd be the first one I'd lock up. Except she tried to warn me something was amiss."

"Huh?" Claire said, accepting a dish of French toast eagerly.

"Just when Angel nearly had me convinced he was at death's door, Ayomide cried," explained Ed.

"My little Ayomide was hungry, she did not warn you," Yetunde insisted. "She is on our side." Alec grinned at her.

"Frances was the one who was supposed to be at death's door," Claire said, amused.

"You only beating an innocent and helpless old reverend up, or are you locking me up too?" Angel laughed.

"Helpless? You? That was one hell of a blow you gave me. Innocent my Bostonian arse." Ed grinned. "This is delicious, Frances. I haven't had pancakes in ages. Consider yourself lucky that you're a great cook. If you weren't I'd have you in a ball and chain by now."

"Oh Edward, hush. You would not. You have a tender heart. Speaking of tender hearts, do you have anything to say?"

Ed forked a bit of pancake liberally drowned in syrup into his mouth and swallowed it, followed by a swig of sweet and light coffee.

"Am I supposed to say something?"

"I thought I saw something on Claire's finger that I never saw before."

"Claire! Ah ah ah! It is beautiful!" Yetunde squealed, spying it. Claire beamed and showed Yetunde the ring close up.

"He probably stole it from somewhere." Alec said, winking at Claire.

"Oh right. Like I didn't lend you the money to buy Yetunde a better ring? Yetunde, the ring he originally was going to get you had a stone about as small as his brain."

"You liar." Alec laughed.

"Oh I am sure of it. He is a boor," Yetunde declared and kissed Alec and he returned the kiss.

"You and Miss Spencer getting married, Sir?" Peter smiled.

Ed smiled at Claire and she smiled back tearfully.

"Looks that way."

Everyone whistled, cheered or stomped their feet in approval and Ed laughed.

"Oh well now you two just have to have some bubbly!" Alec insisted, as he finished with the bottle and started to feed Ayomide some baby food. Ed noticed Ayomide was getting more on her bib than in her mouth, but she looked pleased.

"You never give up, do you? " Ed told Alec, pointing to the coffee urn.

"I expect to see all that food disappear, Edward," Frances said.

"You tell him, Frances." Claire said, dabbing at her tears.

"Yes Mothers."

"Edward, may I have a word in private with you after breakfast?" Rose Mela asked.

"What's wrong, Rose? Did Ed forget one of his alimony payments again?" Alec teased.

"The idea of having you up on charges is really starting to appeal to me, Alec," Ed teased back. "Certainly, Dr. Mela."

"My poor Ayomide would have no Daddy if you put Alec in gaol," lamented Yetunde.

"You must be joking. Only reason Edward would put Alec in jail would be to steal Ayomide for himself." Claire laughed.

"And I'd make a much better Daddy, wouldn't I, pretty Ayomide, wouldn't I, you pretty little thing. You love your godfather, yes, yes you do," Ed cooed to the baby. The baby laughed. Alec scowled.

"How come she laughs for him and not for me? Quit that flirting. She's much too young for you. Now see? He proposes to one woman and in clear view of her he flirts with another one," Alec accused. Claire laughed.

"If I have to have a rival it might as well be little Ayomide."

"Let me feed her, Alec." Ed said, reaching for her. Alec rolled his eyes and handed her over.

"And he talks to me about kidnapping?" Frances quipped. Angel cackled.

"You tell him, Cupcake."

Alec watched Ed feed the baby and the baby lapped up the food readily as Ed did the classic airplane into the hangar method of feeding. Ed made rather impressive aircraft engine sounds. Peter Evers stared at his breakfast but he was battling an urge to stare in awe at this rather surprising new Commander Straker. Ed tickled the baby and it gurgled gleefully and spit out most of the food happily on Ed's hand. Yetunde and Claire giggled. Frances shook her head in a long-suffering manner. Rose just smiled.

"Ooops," Ed said, grinning, and reaching for a napkin, to wipe off the hybrid of baby saliva and what probably was applesauce.

"Ed?"

"Yes Alec?"

"Give me my daughter back."

"Do you want to go see Daddy? Nooooo, you love your godfather, don't you? Yes you do, you little princess. My adorable little Ayomide, yes and pretty soon we'll have your naming ceremony and Ed will get you a nice present, yes I will," Ed crooned.

"Edward, while you're feeding Ayomide you might want to eat also," Rose suggested with her constant smile.

"If he doesn't eat, Claire could always feed him like he was feeding Ayomide," pointed out Alec, reaching out to take the baby. Ayomide cooed happily.

"I'm not finished feeding my goddaughter, Alec."

"Give me back my daughter, Ed."

"Now let's see, we could settle this in the manner of Solomon. Cutting the baby in half," Angel said, grinning at Ed.

"Stanley! Don't even joke about that!" Frances scolded.

"Ayomide seems to be enjoying being fought over." Claire laughed. Ed was bouncing the baby on his knee between feeding her and she was gurgling happily. At one point he stopped and she cheerfully tried to chew on his finger, quite an achievement with no teeth. It seemed to be a lot more tasty than the baby food, judging by her delight in it, Ed noted.

"All women enjoy being fought over," declared Yetunde. "Edward."

"Hmmmm?" Ed flew another airplane into Ayomide's hangar.

"Give Alec my daughter, or it will be me cutting you in half."

"Let's see, it's been quite a day. I get hit, I get kidnapped, and now I get threatened. People just don't seem to have proper respect for Shado commanders these days."

"You poor baby," Claire said, rubbing Ed's shoulder. Ed winked at her.

"Respectfully, Ma'am, there will be no cutting of the Commander in half," Peter Evers said. Ed chuckled, and reluctantly handed Ayomide over to Alec. Ayomide examined Alec for a moment. It didn't take long for her to display a preference. She began to wail. Alec stared at her, and Claire and Yetunde began laughing. Frances hid a grin, Angel guffawed and Rose Mela chuckled.

"Even at her age, she's already enchanted by Edward," Claire said. Ed nodded and just tapped his foot, waiting. Lack of proper response on Alec's part didn't help Ayomide's mood any. Yetunde started laughing again. Ed folded his arms, waiting. Alec rolled his eyes and handed the baby back to Ed.

"Did that bad man scare you? There, there now," Ed cooed to her. Ayomide settled back, took an brief suckle of Ed's finger and then after positively identifying him in that manner, began to gurgle in contentment. Alec laid his head against Yetunde's shoulder in misery, causing everyone, even Peter Evers, to break up laughing.

"I don't think I've ever seen you laugh before, Lieutenant," Ed said, rocking a blissful Ayomide and taking another bite of his fruit topping, and a sip of coffee. "You should do it more often, it's very refreshing."

"Sorry if it was out of line, Sir."

"Nonsense, Lieutenant," Ed told him.

"I'm sure Edward didn't mean that, Peter. Does being in a group like this remind you of anything?" Rose smiled encouragingly.

Peter looked uncomfortably at Rose for making that statement. He shrugged.

"It sort of reminds me of my family, Ma'am. There were always babies around, mostly little girls. Leaving them to go into the coast guard in the Royal Netherlands Navy, well, I got a bit homesick. Especially for my little sister Gerta. When my tour of duty was over, Gerta, well she, well, never mind."

"When your duty was over, what, Peter?" Frances urged, pouring more tea for him.

"Peter, would you object if I told them?" Rose asked.

"Do what you think best, Ma'am. If you don't mind, Sir, I'd like to take a walk. Help the food settle."

"Go ahead, Lieutenant," Ed responded. Peter pushed his plate aside, got up and went out.

"What was that all about?" Alec complained. Yetunde slapped him on the arm. "What?" he told her.

"Peter lost his youngest sister to leukemia. He had no choice but to go and carry out his duty in Amsterdam, and I think he feels guilty for having to leave her. His parents resented him a good deal, and weren't proud of him as they should have been," Rose said. "I've been slowly trying to get him to talk about it. I think being with all of you together like this is good medicine for him. "

"I remember seeing in his dossier that his younger sister had died, but I didn't know what the circumstances were," Ed said quietly. Ayomide had fallen asleep in her blanket, and Yetunde took her.

"Oh Edward, we have to try and help," Claire said with a sigh.

"The poor man, God bless his soul," Angel stated.

"Edward, you must bring him here more often," Frances insisted.

"Well, we can try, Claire, but he has to want to be helped. I learned that the hard way," Ed responded, with a boyish smile. "Besides, he'll be living with Claire and I since Nathaniel is leaving the lieutenant will become part of our family, if that's what he wants."

"Nathaniel isn't leaving you, he is a big buffoon, Carmella was so angry at him making choices for her, that she took a hammer to his car," Yetunde said.

"She what?"

"She showed up last night with Nate. In her van. His car is pretty much tinfoil." Alec grinned. "She isn't leaving either."

Ed looked relieved as he shook his head.

"I'm not sure what he did deserved that!" Ed chuckled. "Even so, I'm glad."

"Attacking his car sounds like Carmella went for the jugular," Claire smiled, taking Ed's hand.

"Don't get any ideas about what to do if we ever quarrel, Claire," Ed declared, fingers closing around hers.

"Of course not, Edward. I wouldn't harm your car. I'd probably go after your Nehru suits instead. Maybe your paperweight."

"Is it too late to take the ring back?"

"Yes!" Claire laughed.

"Claire is learning fast how to handle the opposite sex," declared Yetunde.

"Why am I not surprised, with you and Frances coaching her?" Ed took a final bite of pancake, and Frances chuckled and poured more coffee in his cup.

"I'll be right back. I'm going to go see what happened to Peter," Frances said.

"Hold on, cupcake. I'll come with you." Angel said.

"Get your coat, Stanley, its cold out there. I don't think it'll be long before we have the first snow."

"Yetunde and I better get going, we have to make plans for the naming ceremony. Breakfast and dinner were wonderful as usual, Frances," Alec said, standing and kissing her on the cheek.

"My pleasure, Alec. God bless you all. You and your new family are welcome anytime in our home." Frances waved to them as they went out the door.

"I'll help wash up Frances, it'll all be tidy by the time you get back."

"Oh no Claire dear, I don't-"

"Don't be ridiculous. It's the least I can do. Dr. Mela needs to speak to Edward, anyway."

"All right, dearest. Wait up, Stanley. Your coat!"

Ed Straker went into the guest bedroom for privacy and spotted something on the pale blue carpet. He bent and picked it up, examining it.

"Now look at this. They forgot Ayomide's rattle. What kind of parents are they, anyway?"

Ed stretched and sat down on the edge of the bed, toying with the plastic rattle, irritated.

"What are you thinking about, Edward?" Rose said softly, easing into a wooden rocking chair with a multicolored afghan folded over the backrest.

Ed reached over and pulled the lace curtains back, looking out the window.

"You know perfectly well what I'm thinking about, Rose. You usually do. If you didn't, you wouldn't be in Shado."

"Is it so painful to watch a couple with a child, Edward? When you know outside of trying to adopt again, you know you will never have one of your own?"

"I had a son, Johnny. Dead. And a daughter by Lily, Flora. Dead. And a daughter by Margaret that didn't even have a name on a death certificate, but she's still alive in my heart. Have you forgotten that, Mela? Because I haven't." Ed stared out the window, stroking the rattle, tears forming in his eyes.

"I am sorry, Edward. Truly I am sorry. Why do you spend so much time with Ayomide when the sight and touch of her brings you such heartache?"

"She's my goddaughter and the situation isn't as bad for me as it may sound. Is this what you wanted to discuss with me? I'm fine. Can I go now?" Ed stuck the rattle in a pocket and rose up. He wiped the tears away with the back of his hand.

"Edward, you are indeed the duke of denial. Sit. This was not the issue I wanted to discuss. I simply noticed your longing for interaction with the baby."

"I see. If I am the duke of denial you're not exactly the bearer of brevity. I have things to do, Mela. It's bad enough I'm hardly in Shado these days. I don't want to give Henderson's sister the idea that I command Shado in absentia." Ed reluctantly sat down again, looking like droplets of water on a hot griddle.

"Edward, in the last twenty years or so, how often have you taken leave?"

"I took medical leave too many times to count. Why?"

"I am not speaking of medical leave."

"A few weekends now and then. A couple of days," shrugged Ed.

"A grain of sand on a beach, Edward. Holidays are not only overdue; they are essential for your mental and physical well-being. You let us handle Agatha Henderson. I want you to take the month of December off."

Ed jumped up.

"No!"

"Edward, sit." Rose raised a restraining hand, got up and closed the door, then she took her seat again, spreading the afghan across her lap for warmth. Frances had the electric fire going, but the November chill still crept into the cozy cottage.

"Mela, I simply can't afford to take-"

"Edward, I have discussed this with not only Dr. Constantine, but with Dr. Jackson and Dr. Shroeder and Dr. Folsade. You came very close to being forced into hospital because you would not eat."

"I'm fine."

"Sit."

"I've listened to this enough." Ed put a hand on the doorknob and she got up and stood in front of him, blocking the door. She hardly seemed to come up to his waist, she was so tiny. Ed reminded himself a red ant was tiny, but it still could bite and sting. He marched over to the bed and sat down the way a cadet would stand at brace. She chuckled at him and took the rocking chair again.

"Edward. Agatha Henderson already is quite aware of this. Caroline and I wrote out the report and we recommended a month of leave. This is not negotiable. These past years have been difficult year for all of us, but it has been especially hellish for you. You are starting a new life with Claire. There are mine fields ahead of you. Just because our little spiritual coup d'état, as Frances put it, succeeded it does not mean your problems are over."

"What are you saying?"

"You are marrying Claire Spencer."

"And?"

"Have you thought about the wedding night, Edward?"

Ed sighed, and slumped.

"Yes, I admit I have. When we were up there in that attic, I thought my problems were behind me. I admitted to her that I saw her with her breast partially bared like it was. I told her that I envied Ian. I wasn't thinking about what I was saying, I found myself wanting her. I wake up every morning and I'm painfully reminded of the fact I haven't taken a woman to my bed in years." Ed parted his lips in a conspiratorial smile. "Don't tell anyone, but I'm just as human as everyone else. I have feelings."

"It shall be our little secret, Commander." Rose smiled. "And, tell me, how did she react?"

He looked a little hopeful.

"At first, she didn't take it well. She told me she had been holding the comforter because it reminded her of me. We argued. Then we kissed. I think she was aroused too. I don't know who pulled away first. I know I didn't want to. Rose, I have to admit, if I hadn't known fully well that I had an audience, I might have made love to her right there and then. I wanted her and needed her badly. Instead, we just held on to one another. I know that bastard confused her ideas of what sex is like. I know I might have problems." Ed sighed.

"There are always problems, Edward. I do not have to tell you to be patient. I will tell you that it is best you let her come to you. Let her initiate sex."

"That may take forever. Mela, there are only so many cold showers a fellow can take!"

Rose laughed.

"Good things are worth waiting for, no?"

Ed sighed.

"I just don't know. What I do know is that after the whole debacle with Margaret, I have fallen in love again."

"Edward, your emotional stability is not so perfect right now. You refused the medication Caroline offered you to get you through the crisis. You turned instead to work, and drove your staff just as hard as you drove yourself. You did not eat. You drank perhaps the equivalent of a few teaspoons of water. You hardly slept. You became more self-destructive than usual. It alarmed all of us who admire and respect, and yes, love you. You cannot withdraw when something beyond your ability to handle it arises."

"Mela, I'm fine, really. I'm looking forward to expanding my foundation, raising enough of a nest egg to start funding Shado, exploring that new house of mine, and to being a husband again. I admit, I'd like it if Claire were able to become pregnant, but I'm grateful for what I have. I'll get around this rape problem one way or another. But I'm not about to leave Shado in someone else's hands when I'm perfectly capable of returning to work."

"Oh? This is so? And when did you add having a doctorate in psychology or psychiatry to your already impressive list of accomplishments? No, Edward. You were headed for a crash landing, and you did not call in a mayday. You will take a month off. You take care of everyone else at the emotional expense of yourself. No. You made me head of the division of psychology at Mayland, and you yourself said I know what's best for you, that I know what you are thinking. You will take the month off. You are far too important to Shado to not be allowed to heal. Am I understood?"

"Mela. For Christ's sake."

"No. I am not Catholic. Forget Christ. For your sake."

He stared at her and she stared at him.

"Formica Obscuripes," he finally said.

"And that is what, Edward?"

"A red ant. Tiny, yes, but it bites and stings. I picked up a few things from Gil Grissom. You remind me of a red ant."

Rose laughed.

"A red ant, yes? I like it. Have you thought about how you will get married?"

"I'd like a nice big wedding, but I guess it's not in the cards with Mary still alive. I sort of talked Angel around that fact when Margaret and I got married, and I know he and Frances would like it if we married in St. Stephens, but frankly it has bad memories for me.