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Author's notes: This story is not meant to infringe on any copyrights. It was done purely for entertainment. My thanks to Cathy for beta reading! Hope everyone enjoys the story.

"Jim, hurry up! Pete will be here any time." Jean yelled at her husband from the kitchen where she was busy packing a lunch. "Jimmy, you hurry up, too. Your bus will be here soon."

"I'm ready, Mom." The six-year-old burst into the kitchen. "What's in my lunch?"

Jean smiled, "A peanut butter and banana sandwich. Does that sound all right to you?"

'Thanks, Mom, that's my favorite!"

"Jim! Hurry up!" A knock at the front door prompted her to yell at her husband again.
She opened the door to find his partner, "Hi, Pete. Jim's running a little late this morning."

Pete Malloy grinned. "That's okay, I'm a little early."

"Have a cup of coffee?"

"Sure, thanks." He followed her into the kitchen. "Hey, Jimmy."

"Hi, Uncle Pete!" The boy bounced up and down waving his lunch sack. "Mom packed my favorite sandwich! Peanut butter and bananas!"

Pete suppressed a grimace. "Sounds good. Thanks, Jean." He took the cup of coffee.

"Hey, Pete." Jim finally appeared. "Sorry to keep you waiting."

"No problem. This coffee is sure better than anything we'll get at the station."

"Jimmy, honey, your bus will be here any minute. You better get going." Jean gently pushed the boy towards the door after kissing him on the cheek.

"Bye, Daddy." He went over and gave Jim a kiss, too. "Bye, Uncle Pete." He waved and ran out the door.

"You guys better get going, too, so you're not late." Jean prompted.

Pete downed the last of his coffee in one gulp. "Thanks for the coffee, Jean." He headed for the door but at a much slower rate than the youngster had.

"Bye, Pete." Jean smiled.

"See you tonight, honey." Jim leaned down to give his wife a quick kiss.

"Be careful." She urged.

"Always." He grabbed a freshly cleaned uniform on his way out the door.

* * * *

"Any bets on whether or not we'll get 7 now?" Jim wondered.

"No bets, partner." Pete grinned. They'd already tried twice without success. If they didn't get it this time, they'd be out of luck for the day since there were only a few hours of the shift left.

"1-Adam-12, requesting Code 7. Corner of State and Grand." Jim requested.

"1-Adam-12, continue patrol and meet 1-L-20 on Tac 2."

Pete rolled his eyes and Jim sighed. "1-Adam-12, roger. Switching to Tac 2. 1-Adam-12 to 1-L-20, go."

"Jim," Mac's voice came through the speaker. "A Mrs. Hargrove from Roosevelt Elementary just called the station…"

Jim's head snapped up at the school name.

"…you need to go over and talk to a Mrs. Stanton."

"Roger, Mac." He gulped. "Did something happen to Jimmy?"

"Sorry, Jim, she didn't say. Just get over there Code 2 and see what's up. 1-L-20 out."
Even through the impersonal speaker, the compassion in his voice was evident.

"1-Adam-12, roger. Switching back to Tac 1." He leaned down and switched back to the usual frequency and replaced the mic on the hook. "That's Jimmy's teacher."

Pete nodded and answered quietly. "I know." He glanced over and noticed the tense look on his partner's face. "Just take it easy, partner. It's probably nothing."

"Yeah." Jim fervently hoped so but all he could think of was the possibility that his son had been injured.

It was a long ten minutes to get to the school. It was well out of their district and even though Pete was going as quickly as the speed limit allowed, it seemed to take an eternity for both men as they rode in silence.

Pete pulled up to the school and grabbed the mic, "1-Adam-12, Code 6 at Roosevelt Elementary on a station call."

"1-Adam-12, roger."

"Hey, Jim," Pete put a hand on his arm. "Take it easy. I'm sure everything's just fine."

Jim attempted a weak smile, "Yeah, you're probably right. We better check in with Mrs. Hargrove. She's the principal."

The two got out of the car and quickly put their caps on. Their movements were routine, done without conscious thought, as they made their way up the steps of the elementary school.

"Can I help you, Officers?" The secretary wondered as they stepped into the office.

"Yes," Jim removed his hat and nervously fingered the brim in his hands. "I'm Officer Reed, this is my partner, Officer Malloy. We were told that Mrs. Hargrove called the station and wanted us to see Mrs. Stanton." He paused and looked at his partner briefly for support. "My son's in her class."

"One moment, please." She knocked on the office door behind her, stuck her head in quickly and then turned back to them. "You may go in now."

"Thank you."

"Mr. Reed, I'm so glad they sent you!" The principal stood and extended her hand. "Oh, I'm sorry, I guess I should say 'Officer' Reed." She held out a hand and introduced herself to Pete. "Mrs. Hargrove."

"Pete Malloy." He shook her hand. "Could you tell us why you called the station? Does it have anything to do with Jimmy Reed?"

Jim tried not to fidget as he awaited her answer. She shrugged nervously, "Yes, I'm afraid it does. Officer Reed, you didn't send a detective to pick up your son, did you?"

"No." He shook his head, willing his suddenly weak knees to support him.

"Oh, dear, I was afraid of that."

"Can you tell us what happened?" Pete cut in as he glanced at his partner's suddenly white face.

"I think we'd better go talk with Mrs. Stanton. I'll take you there."

Jim walked down the hall next to his partner without hearing any of the sounds of a busy school in the middle of the day. His mind didn't register the sound of kids playing outside, the whistles emanating from the gym, or the smells wafting from the cafeteria.

"Oh, Officer Reed, I'm so glad you're here!" Mrs. Stanton rushed over as they entered her room.

Jim snapped out of his reverie and forced himself into thinking and acting professionally but still wasn't sure if he could speak calmly. He looked to his partner for help.

"Ma'am, I'm Officer Malloy." Pete knew without looking that Jim wanted him to take over for the moment. "Can you tell us what happened? Mrs. Hargrove said something about a detective?"

"Yes," she nodded, swallowing nervously. "Right after lunch, a man in a dark suit knocked on my door wanting to see Jimmy Reed. He showed me a badge and said that Officer Reed had been in an accident."

Pete nodded, writing everything down in his notebook. "Go on."

"Well," she glanced at Jim who still hadn't said anything. "He said he'd been sent by the department to get Jimmy and take him to the hospital to see his dad."

"Did Jimmy recognize the man?" Jim spoke finally.

She shook her head, "No, and he didn't want to go with him, but…"

"But what, Mrs. Stanton?" Pete prompted.

"I'm afraid that I told him to go with the man, that it would be okay. Jimmy kept saying that if his daddy had been hurt that Uncle Pete would have come for him. Who's that?"

Pete explained, "Me. I'm his godfather."

"Oh, I see. Yes, that makes sense." She was very close to tears by now. "I'm so sorry, Mr. Reed, I was so sure he was a detective. He had a badge… it looked so real…"

"Did you get the badge number?" Jim asked hopefully.

"Um, well, I don't really know. I'm not sure if it had a number on it. He wasn't really a detective, was he?"

Pete shook his head and tried to keep his voice steady for his partner's sake. "Probably not. Did he say anything else at all that might help us?"

"Well, I don't really know." She thought for a moment. "I'm sorry, I can't think of anything."

"What was the first thing that made you think he wasn't really a detective?"

"Well, I got to thinking about Jimmy's reaction after he left, and it just didn't seem right. Then, I looked out the window there," she gestured out the window where the street in front of the school could be seen, "and saw them get into a van. It didn't look like a police vehicle. First chance I got, I had Mrs. Hargrove contact your station to find out if there had really been an accident. When they said there hadn't been, I just about fainted. I don't know how I could have let this happen! I'm so sorry!"

"Could you give a description of the man or the van?" Jim forced himself to concentrate on being a professional instead of a hysterical father.

"Yes, I think so."

"We'll get a sketch artist down here soon. Mrs. Stanton, where are the other kids right now?" Pete wondered.

"They're at art for another few minutes. Then one of the aides is going to take them for an extra recess until the end of the day. They don't know anything's wrong."

Pete nodded, satisfied. "Mrs. Hargrove, is there somewhere private that I could use a phone?"

"Certainly. You can use my office."

"Thank you." He turned back to Jim who looked dazed. "Jim, I'm gonna call Mac. Are you gonna be okay?"

"Go ahead, Pete. I'll be okay." He attempted a smile to reassure his partner. It didn't turn out well.

"I'll be right back." Pete patted him on the shoulder and hesitantly followed the principal out of the room. He hated to leave Jim right now, but they needed to act quickly.

"You can use my office, Officer Malloy." Mrs. Hargrove led him in and gestured to her desk. "Take as long as you need. Is there anything else we can do?"

"Actually, there is." Pete turned. "Could you check all the other classrooms and make sure there aren't any other kids missing? I know that's a lot of work, but we need to know."

The woman smiled and nodded. "We've already done that. All of the other students are accounted for. I hope that helps."

"That's very good, and it does help." Pete was mildly surprised that the check had already been done.

"If you need anything else, I'll be right out here, or just ask my secretary and she can get you anything you need."

"Thank you." He picked up the phone as she quietly shut the door to allow him some privacy. It seemed to take an eternity for the call to go through and be answered, though in reality it was only ten seconds.

"Watch Commander's office. Sergeant MacDonald speaking." Pete heard over the phone.

"Mac, it's Pete." He took a deep breath and hoped to relay the bad news with some sort of professionalism. "We're at Roosevelt Elementary. Mac, it's starting to look like Jimmy's been kidnapped."

"What?" Mac was shocked. "Tell me from the top, Pete."

"The teacher, Mrs. Stanton, says that shortly after lunch a man came looking for Jimmy. He produced a detective's badge and said Jim had been in an accident and he was going to take Jimmy to see him. It didn't strike her as hinky until she saw the man put Jimmy into a van that didn't look official."

"You're right, Pete, that doesn't sound good. How's Jim taking it?"

"About as well as you would expect, Mac."

"Okay, have the staff make sure all the other students are there. I'll be there as soon as I can get there, what do you need?"

"The principal has already done the check, Mac. All the other students are accounted for. We'll need a sketch artist. The teacher thinks she can describe the guy. You can try to dust for prints, but I don't think you'll get much with all the kids around. I can't think of anything else right now." Just as he said that, though, he did have another idea. "Hey, Mac, wait, there is one more thing."

"What's that?"

"You better make sure that at least one detective comes down with you. Maybe the description of the guy will ring a bell with him, and we can show the teacher the badge and see if that's what the suspect had."

"Right, Pete, I'm on my way."

Pete replaced the phone on the hook and headed back to the classroom.

Jim paced the room nervously. Mrs. Stanton watched him but didn't say a word. She felt so bad over what had happened, and she knew no words could change the way Jim was feeling.

"When did Jimmy draw this?" Jim had stopped in front of a bulletin board full of kids' drawings.

"A couple days ago, I think." Mrs. Stanton walked over to look. "He was very proud of it."

Jim nodded as he looked at the picture. It was a typical child's picture of a house with a stick family standing in front of it. All of the stick people had big smiles on their faces and under each one, Jimmy had labeled who they were. He slowly reached a shaking hand up and touched the figure of his son and felt tears sting the back of his eyes.

"Jim?" Pete had come into the room so quietly that Jim hadn't heard him enter.

"What did Mac say?" Jim hastily wiped at his eyes before he turned. He composed his face to erase any signs of emotion, but Pete knew him too well.

I'm not buying the act, partner, but I'll let it slide for now. "He's on his way." Pete spoke gently; knowing his partner needed a reassuring voice right now. "He's bringing a detective and a sketch artist down. They might dust for prints, but I don't see how they can get anything with all the kids going in and out of here. Still, it's worth a shot."

"Yeah." Jim nodded. "How long till they get here, do you think?"

"Shouldn't take too long." He turned to the teacher. "School gets out fairly soon, right?"

"That's right, about half an hour. Why?"

"Jim, what do you say we check out the street? Maybe we'll pick up something."

Jim brightened somewhat. "Yeah."

Pete nodded; glad Jim was showing more signs of life. He thought keeping him busy might help a little. They went outside and started searching the ground.

"Pete, look!" Jim pointed at an object on the ground.

"What is it?"

"It's a shoe." Jim stooped down to retrieve it. He raised terror stricken eyes to Pete. "It's Jimmy's."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure." He turned it around slowly in his hands. "We got him these for Christmas after he begged us for months. He hasn't even broken them in yet. Oh, God, Pete! Somebody's… someone's…" He couldn't finish the sentence.

"Take it easy, Jim." Pete put both hands on his partner's shoulders to turn him to face him. "Take it easy. Everything's going to be okay. We'll find him."

"There must have been a struggle. Don't you see? That's the only way the shoe could have gotten here!"

"Okay, calm down." Pete tried to get him to look him in the eye. "Jimmy's a smart kid. He'll be okay."

Jim took several deep breaths, trying to fight down the rising panic. He finally looked at the intensity on Pete's face. That helped calm him enough to think coherently again. "I'm okay, Pete."

Pete released him slowly. "Hang in there, Jim."

"Okay." He nodded and continued to take deep, calming breaths.

They continued to search the area but didn't find anything else. Pretty soon, two black and whites and an unmarked car pulled up. Mac was the first out of his car. "Pete, Jim."

"Hi, Mac."

"Jim, I'm really sorry about this." Mac told the young man.

"I know, Mac, thanks." He nodded. "We, uh, found Jimmy's shoe out here."

"Didn't see anything else out here that would help." Pete put in. "But we might have missed something."

Mac motioned for the two officers that had just arrived. "Wells, Brinkman, check around out here and see what you can find. Don't overlook anything, you understand?" He doubted they'd find anything, Reed and Malloy were thorough.

"You guys only have about 15 minutes." Pete glanced at his watch. "School lets out then, and you'll be swamped by kids. You won't find anything useful after that."

Detective Parsons and Officer Larson, the sketch artist, joined them as the three headed back inside the school. Pete led them to the classroom while Jim absently toyed with the shoe in his hand.

Mrs. Stanton went over her story once again and gave her description of the man to Officer Larson. She was unable to get a license number on the van but had noticed that the right rear panel was dented and the back windows were plywood, as if the van had been in an accident and the owner had yet to repair the damages.

Suddenly, kids returning from their extra recess overran the room. The officers all moved out of the way and stood off to the side. Several of the kids noticed the strange men standing with their teacher and became suddenly quiet. One student approached Jim.

"Mr. Reed?"

"Yes, Billy?" Jim knelt down to be at eye level with the boy.

"Is something wrong?"

"Everything's going to be just fine, Billy." Jim managed to say around the lump in his throat.

"Is Mrs. Stanton in trouble?" The boy looked at his teacher, worry beginning to settle on his face.

Jim smiled, "No, Billy, Mrs. Stanton's not in trouble."

The boy brightened. "Good! She's a good teacher."

"I know she is."

"Hey, can Jimmy come play at my house tonight, Mr. Reed?"

Pete tensed, ready to jump in if needed. He watched as Jim squared his shoulders and tried to keep his voice steady, "Not tonight, Billy. Not tonight."

The boy shrugged, unaware of the slight tremble in the man's voice. "Okay, well, I better go before I'm late." He grabbed his bookbag off his seat and waved at them as he skipped out the door, "Bye!"

Jim's shoulders sagged the second the boy was out of sight. He slowly stood, feeling like he'd aged a hundred years. "Pete, I don't think I can do this."

"Yes, you can." He urged. "You can do this, Jim. You can. Just think of Jimmy and Jean. You'll be okay."

"Oh, God, Jean!" He moaned. "When Jimmy doesn't get off the bus, she'll worry. What am I gonna tell her?"

Pete shrugged sympathetically. "You'll figure something out." He looked over to Mac without Jim seeing and nodded towards the door.

Mac nodded but waited a few seconds before speaking. "Hey, Jim, why don't you go on home? We'll finish up here and let you know." He paused before continuing, knowing this would make it official. "I'll, uh, send for a couple of detectives to come over and set up a wire tap on your phone…"

Jim jumped as if touched by an open current at the mention of the wiretap. He knew that it had to be done, but it just drove home the fact that his son had just become a victim. They could barely hear him when he responded, "Right."

Mac exchanged worried glances with Pete before turning his attention back to Jim. "Jim, you know we're going to do everything in our power to get Jimmy back safely. All the guys have been alerted to keep their eyes open for him. I'll get a picture sent to the other divisions. We will get him back." He made sure the other man was looking at him, "Got it?"

Jim managed a sketchy smile. "Sure, Mac. Thanks."

"C'mon, partner, let's go." Pete put a hand on his shoulder and steered him towards the door.

Mrs. Stanton watched as the two officers headed for the door. She admired Reed's strength. She was in tears and Jimmy wasn't even her son. She watched as the other officers in the room patted Reed on the shoulder as he left. Not a word was said, but she imagined none was needed. She noted the determination in the sergeant's eyes as well as Officer Malloy's. Suddenly, she felt very sorry for the kidnappers.

* * * * * * * * *

The ride to Jim's house was even quieter than the one to the school. Each man was consumed by his own private thoughts. Everything had been said that could be said for now. Pete slowly pulled the black and white into the Reeds' driveway. Jim made no move to get out of the car as Pete shut it off.

"Jim?"

Jim continued to stare out the windshield. "What am I going to tell her, Pete?"

"Just tell her what you know, Jim." He sighed. "Jean's a smart woman, she'll know if you're not telling her something. It'll be easier on you both if she knows what's going on."

Jim glanced down at the shoe still in his hand and whispered, " How am I going to tell her."

Pete shook his head. "I don't know, partner. I don't know."

Jim took a steadying breath and shook himself out of his daze. "Hey, thanks for driving me back here. I'll let you know when we hear something."

"Well, if it's all the same to you, I'd like to stay." Pete sincerely hoped it wouldn't bother his friend. "Jimmy is my godson after all. But if you'd rather be alone, I'll understand. I'll go back to the station and see what I can do."

"No, Pete, stay. Please. It would mean a lot to me and Jean. I didn't mean to shut you out. I know you're worried about him, too. Please, stay. I need you here."

"Sure, partner, I understand."

Reluctantly, Jim got out of the car wondering how he was ever going to break the news to his wife. He had informed parents about missing children before. But how do I tell my own wife? 

"Jimmy, is that you?" Jean called when she heard the front door open.

"No, honey, it's us." Jim replied.

"Jim? You're home early."

Jim sighed and went into the kitchen to find his wife washing dishes. Pete stayed behind in the living room. He sat on the edge of the couch, throwing his cap on the coffee table. He winced as he heard the unmistakable sound of a dish breaking on the floor followed by an anguished cry from Jean. He rested his elbows on his knees and his head in hands and tried to reign in his emotions. Soon, the other room was quiet except for hushed voices and quiet crying. After a few minutes, he got up and quietly went outside.

Fifteen minutes later, Jim found him sitting on the front step. "Pete? What are you doing out here?"

"Just thinking." He shrugged. "I thought you two could use some privacy. You're not going to get much once Mac gets here."

"Yeah, thanks." He sat down next to his partner and friend. They sat in silence for several minutes.

"Jim? Pete?" Jean's voice was shaky. She stood in the doorway, arms wrapped around herself to ward off the chill. "What are you doing out here? It's freezing."

"We were just about to come in." Jim stood and followed his wife into the house, Pete right behind them.

"Pete, I'm so glad you're here." Jean's voice shook and a new batch of tears ran down her face. "I'm sorry."

"Hey, hey, there's nothing to be sorry about." He pulled her to him in a comforting embrace. "Like I told Jim, Jimmy's a smart kid. He's also a tough kid; he'll be okay. Don't let your imagination run away with you, okay?"

Jean choked back tears and nodded. After a minute, she pulled back. "Thanks, Pete. You're right."

"Why don't you and Jim go sit down? I'll go make us some coffee."

"That would be great."

Pete went into the kitchen, glad to have something to occupy himself with. The situation was wearing on him, too, but he felt he had to be strong for his friends. He thought the world of his godson, and despite what he had told Jean, he couldn't help but think of what had happened to other kidnap victims they had seen on the job. A lot of them had turned out okay, but too many hadn't. That's what scared him, and Jim, too. We know too much not to be scared.

A knock at the door interrupted his morbid thoughts and after he heard Jim open it, he heard Mac, "Jim."

"Any word, Mac?"

"Sorry, Jim." He apologized. "We got everyone's statement at the school. Wells and Brinkman didn't find anything else outside. We've got guys canvassing the neighborhood hoping to find another witness or even the van. Other than that, there's not much more we can do right now."

"Except wait for the phone call, right?"

"I'm sorry, Jim."

"I know." Jim nodded and gestured for him to come in. "Come on in. Pete's making coffee, you want some?"

"Sure. Hi, Jean. How're you holding up?"

"I'm okay, Mac." She smiled half-heartedly, obviously not okay. She had taken Jimmy's shoe from Jim and was now holding it tightly to her chest.

"Don't worry, we'll do our best."

"I know, Mac, and I appreciate it, I really do."

"Um, I'm sorry we have to invade here, but…"

She held up a hand to stop him, "It's okay, Mac, I understand. Just do what you need to do to get Jimmy back safely."

"You know we will." He reassured her.

"I'll go help Pete with the coffee." She waved around the living room. "Make yourselves at home."

Mac watched her go and sighed; this wasn't going to be easy on her. He motioned for the detective to set up the trace on the phone.

The night crept by as everyone tried not to stare at the phone. It rang twice. Once was a wrong number and the second a very annoying salesman that wouldn't take 'no' for an answer. Pete finally had to take the phone from his stunned partner and tell the salesman in no uncertain terms what he could do with his product.

Despite Mac and Pete urging them to get some sleep, Jim and Jean got very little. Some time around 1 a.m., they were persuaded to retire to their bedroom, but after two hours of staring at the ceiling, they gave up. Everyone drank more coffee than they dared think about.

At 8:10 a.m. the phone rang again. Everyone tensed as Jim answered the phone. Pete put a hand on Jean's shoulder to steady her. Jim picked up the phone, "Hello… yes, sir… yes, sir… okay… we'll be right there, sir. Thank you."

"What was that, Reed?" Mac wondered.

"The Captain." He looked at Jean. "They got a phone call five minutes ago. He's got the demands for Jimmy."

Pete helped Jean sit in the chair as the information sank in. Mac nodded, "Okay, Johnson, Hesse, you stay here with Jean…"

"No." Jean spoke up. "I'm coming with you."

"Jean, there won't be anything you can do there…" Mac started to say.

"No, Mac, I can't stay here and do nothing. At least if I'm at the station with you guys, I'll know what's going on. Please, I can't stay here."

"Jean…" Mac stopped when he saw both Jim and Pete nod at him. "Okay, you can come."

"Thanks, Mac."

The two detectives stayed behind in case there was a call to the house though it didn't seem likely. Pete followed Mac back to the station, Jim and Jean in the back.

A hushed quality permeated the station as they walked through the halls. They made their way down to the detectives' room to see what they had. Detective Miller outlined the demands before playing the tape for them.

"…they want Cole VanDiem released and flown from New York in exchange for Jimmy. Does the name ring a bell with either of you?"

Pete shrugged and shook his head. Jim thought for a moment before he also shook his head. "I don't think so. That's an odd name. I think I'd remember busting a guy with a name like that."

"What's he in for?" Pete wanted to know.

"You name it, he's in for it. Extortion, armed robbery, ADW, and murder to name a few. He's serving a life sentence."

"Why Jimmy?" Jean demanded. "What possible connection is there?"

Miller looked apologetic. "We don't really know. We thought maybe you guys had busted him before and they were looking to get even, but they must've just found out Jimmy's dad was a cop and thought they could use that. They probably figure we're more likely to deal with a child involved, especially the son of a cop."

"What are you… what's going to happen?"

"They want the swap to take place the day after tomorrow…"

"The day after tomorrow!" Jean exploded. "That's too long! What if they do something to Jimmy before then?"

"Take it easy, honey." Jim tried to soothe her, though it sounded like an eternity to him as well.

"They said they'd call back this afternoon with more information. The switchboard will send the call to this phone." He gestured to an extra phone on his desk.

Jean broke her husband's grasp and began to pace the room, still clutching little Jimmy's shoe to her as if it would bring her closer to her son.

"Now what?" Jim asked, though he was pretty sure he knew the answer.

"We'll listen to the tape and see if we can't figure out where they're holed up by the background noise. We know it was a local call so they're probably still in the area. That will help."

The day passed just as slowly as the previous night had as they waited impatiently for the next phone call. Pete finished up the reports from the day before with a little help from Jim, though neither was particularly focused on the task.

At 4:00, the phone rang. Miller held Jim's arm until after the second ring, and then nodded at Jim to answer it. "Officer Reed speaking."

"Ah, Officer Reed," the gravelly voice on the other end mocked, "I had a feeling I'd be talking to you. Now, listen good or you'll never see your son again."

"I'm listening, just tell me what you want." Jim clenched his jaw and listened as the man outlined more demands. "I'll see what I can do. But you have to let me talk to my son first. I have to know that he's okay."

"Daddy?" The scared voice of Jimmy Reed came over the line.

"Jimmy!" Jean was about to run for the phone, but Pete held her back. Jim gripped the phone so hard his knuckles turned white, his face grim. "Jimmy, are you okay?"

"I'm scared, Daddy."

"I know, Jimmy, but hang on. We're doing everything we can to find you… Jimmy? Jimmy, are you there?" He lowered the phone slowly. "They hung up."

Pete released Jean who rushed to Jim and was quickly wrapped in his arms. He held her close and stroked her hair. He tried to reassure her that their son was safe. The others tried not to interfere in their private moment.

Miller was the first to speak. "Well, Reed?"

"Jimmy's okay. Scared, but he didn't sound hurt." He took a deep breath. "They want to make the switch the day after tomorrow at 4:00 on Canyon Road. He says there's an abandoned farmhouse about ten miles south of the exit. He, uh, said I should come alone with this Cole VanDiem, and, um, he wants a, uh, helicopter…"

Miller nodded. "We'll listen to the tape. Why don't you and your wife go grab some coffee?"

"Yeah." Jim took Jean down to the break room while Pete stayed to talk to Miller.

"How's it look?" Pete hitched a hip onto the side of the desk.
"You know we can't make the exchange, Pete." He pointed out. "Besides, there's no guarantee they'd let the kid go anyway. I'm really sorry. I know you're close to him, too."

"Yeah. Now what?"

"We have to find them." He shrugged and looked at his watch. "We have just under 48 hours to perform a miracle."

Jim knew why they'd been sent for coffee. He also didn't need to hear the conversation to understand what the situation was. He knew there would be no exchange. His mind reeled at the implications, but he refused to give up hope that they would get Jimmy back safely.

Pete drove them back home again after a long day at the station. They stopped for supper, knowing they should eat something, but the three of them simply picked at their food and left the plates more than half full when they were done. Pete didn't think to ask if he could stay and Jim didn't offer; it was taken for granted that he was welcome.

Once again Pete convinced Jim and Jean to get some sleep. Jean went into the bedroom without complaint, but Jim stayed behind in the living room. "Hey, Pete?"

"Yeah?"

"What did Sergeant Miller say after we left for coffee?" The strain was starting to show on Jim's face. He had a decidedly haunted look in his eyes, but his voice was just as determined as ever.

"C'mon, Jim, you don't want to hear that." Pete argued, walking to the other side of the room as if he could avoid the issue.

"You're right," Jim followed him. "I don't want to hear it. I need to hear it."

Pete shook his head and stared out the window at the darkness.

"C'mon, Pete." Jim grabbed his friend's elbow and turned him so he could look at him. Pete couldn't meet his gaze. "Pete?"

"Jim, don't make me do this."

"Pete, I have to know what's going on!" Jim argued. "That's my son out there!"

"Okay, keep your voice down." Pete advised. "Jean doesn't need to hear this." He rubbed a hand across his face and turned back to the window, unable to look at his friend. "You know there won't be a trade. The man's a menace; if he was released there's no telling what he'd do. Besides, even if we went ahead and you took this character out there, they'd probably kill you and Jimmy." He finally turned to face the younger man. "I'm sorry, Jim."

Jim nodded; it was just as he'd suspected. "Thanks, Pete."

Pete watched him walk slowly to the bedroom, shutting the door quietly behind him without another word. Pete sighed and sat down tiredly on the couch and watched the detectives play poker. He occasionally glanced at the bedroom door, knowing Jim was just as awake as he was.

* * * * * * * * *

48 hours after Jimmy's abduction and 24 hours before the stated exchange, they got their miracle. A patrol car on routine patrol spotted the van that had been used to take Jimmy.

The knock at the door startled everyone sitting in the Reeds' living room. Pete was the first one up to answer it. When he came back in, Sergeant MacDonald followed him.

"Mac?" Jim knew something was up.

"Jim, Jean, we think we've found him."

"What?" They exclaimed in disbelief.

"That's great, Mac!" Pete grinned. "How? Where?"

"Woods spotted the van this afternoon. They stopped at the neighbor's house to ask a few questions. The woman doesn't know who lives there. They've only been there about a month she thought. Anyway, she remembers seeing them take a little boy in the house two days ago." He paused. "I showed her Jimmy's picture. She couldn't be sure, but she said she thought that was the boy."

Jean leaned against Jim, completely unaware of the tears streaming down her face.

"Now what?" Jim wondered as he put an arm around his wife.

"The neighbor lady let us put a couple of plainclothes detectives in there to keep an eye on the house. SWAT is on stand-by and just waiting for the word to move in."

"When will they get the word?"

Mac shrugged, "We're hoping that at least one of the men will leave the house and that we can figure out just where they're keeping Jimmy. However, I'm not sure that's going to happen so unless it does, we'll move in some time tonight. We'll wait until it looks like they're asleep and catch them unawares."

Pete and Jim shared a quick glance. They both knew the risks involved, but they were also well aware of the clock they were working against. The longer it took to get Jimmy out, the less likely they would get him out unharmed.

"How many suspects?" Pete wondered.

"The neighbor lady has only seen two men going in and out so we're working on the assumption that there's only two."

Jim nodded. "Let's do it."

"Okay, we'll head over there once it's dark. Pete, you can take them in an unmarked car and wait a block away…"

"Mac," Jim interrupted. "I'd like to be involved."

"No way, partner." Pete leveled a finger at him. "You haven't slept at all in two nights and you are way too close to this situation."

"I agree." Mac nodded.

Pete went on without missing a beat. "Besides, you can't leave Jean alone in the car."

"Alone in the…" Jim smiled and nodded as he realized what was going on.

Mac shook his head as he, too, realized where this was headed. "No, Pete, you're a little close to the situation yourself, you know."

"Think about it, Mac. I'll follow SWAT in and get Jimmy. Someone he knows should be the one to get him out of there. He'll need to see a familiar face." He failed to mention the fact that he hadn't had any sleep in two nights either.

"I think he should, Mac." Jim joined in the argument again. "Jimmy's scared, and after what happened, he'll be reluctant to go with someone he doesn't recognize right away. He'll go with Pete without hesitation."

"I would feel better if Pete were involved." Jean spoke up.

"Then it's all settled." Pete smiled.

Mac muttered. "I don't know why I bother."

* * * * * * * * *

Jim and Jean sat with Woods in an unmarked car a block away from the target house. They anxiously awaited word of the outcome of the daring plan. Just before midnight, SWAT made their move. Pete was close on their heels. He wore his uniform instead of the usual SWAT attire of black pants, black shirt and black cap. They wanted Jimmy to recognize him right away in case they needed to make a quick exit. The SWAT officers carried shotguns as well as handguns, but Pete held only his service revolver.

The SWAT leader motioned with his hand and two officers used the battering ram on the door. Controlled mass confusion followed as the officers stormed the house. The two men sleeping on the floor were completely taken by surprise by the sudden onrush of armed officers. They blinked at the powerful flashlights shining in their faces but offered no resistance.

Once the suspects were handcuffed and under control, Pete began to look around for Jimmy. He kept his gun in his hand. His instincts refused to let him holster it despite the fact that the suspects were in custody. He paused at the steps leading upstairs but moved on. He came to a partially opened door. Through the gloom, he saw steps leading down to the basement. He paused and listened intently. He heard nothing. Ever so slowly, he reached through the doorway and turned on the basement light. Cautiously, he peered around the doorframe. He saw nothing. He gripped his weapon and started down the stairs. As soon as he was all the way down the stairs, he saw what he'd been hoping for – Jimmy.

He didn't have time to savor the sight as he was bowled over from behind. His gun skittered across the floor, well out of reach. Pete turned to face the attacker just in time to deflect a descending knife with his right forearm. It cut through his heavy jacket and bit into his arm, but he managed to knock it away from his assailant.

The man was twice as big as Malloy and a good fighter. Pete got in several good hits but was definitely on the losing end of this particular fight. He took yet another punch that sent him reeling into the wall. The attacker grinned wolfishly as he saw his time to move in for the kill. He would kill this cop and then use the boy as a shield to get out of the house before killing him too. He produced another knife from somewhere and watched as Pete fell to the floor. He was going to enjoy this.

Pete sank to a knee and placed his hands on the floor. Unseen by the burly man above him, he reached his right hand behind a stack of boxes and picked up his fallen weapon. As the man approached, he dove to his right, kicking out with his leg. He connected with the suspect's knee, dropping him to the floor.

The big man fell with a grunt. "Freeze!" The suspect rolled over to find himself staring into the barrel of Pete's gun. "All I need is an excuse!"

The suspect looked at the coldness in Pete's eyes and didn't doubt him at all. He didn't move a muscle.

"Masters!" Pete yelled for the SWAT leader, eyes never leaving the suspect. "A little help down here would be good!"

A few seconds later, two SWAT members had the third suspect in custody. Pete allowed himself a deep, shuddering breath, feeling the bruises already starting to form from the beating he'd just taken. He ignored them and walked over to the boy in the corner. Jimmy was gagged and handcuffed, sitting with his arms and legs wrapped around a pole. He was clutching a small, filthy blanket to him as best he could. He was shivering uncontrollably.

"It's okay, Jimmy." Pete knelt down next to the boy. "You're safe now. We're going to get you out of here." He removed the boy's gag and fished in his pocket for a key to take the cuffs off. He looks awful! Jim and Jean are gonna go nuts!

"Uncle Pete?" Jimmy stuttered through chattering teeth.

"Yeah, Jimmy?" He carefully removed the handcuffs.

"I'm cold."

"I know, champ. Here's my coat. I'm going to get you out of here. Your mom and dad are waiting for you outside." He took his coat off and wrapped it around the boy. "Are you hurt anywhere?"

Jimmy shook his head and stuttered. "I d-don't… I don't think so. I'm sca… scared, Uncle Pete."

Pete looked at the dirty, tear-stained face and smiled at him. "You're safe now, Jimmy. Uncle Pete won't let anything happen to you now." He picked the boy up and wrapped his arms around him. Jimmy threw his arms around Pete's neck and began crying. Pete patted his back trying to soothe him.

Pete hugged the boy tightly as the third suspect was led up the stairs, making sure the child's head was still buried in his shoulder. He shouldn't have to look at him anymore. Pete noticed with immense satisfaction that the suspect was limping heavily. Only after he was sure they were out of the house did he make his way upstairs and outside.

The scene outside of the house had changed dramatically from before the raid had taken place. There was an ambulance, four black and whites, and an unmarked car parked within a block of the house. Jim and Jean stood beside the unmarked car waiting for Pete to bring Jimmy out. They watched as SWAT brought out two suspects and put them in the back of one of the black and whites. They were surprised when a third man was also brought out. Jim tightened his grip on Jean's shoulder as the time passed. It seemed like an eternity before they saw Pete silhouetted in the doorway.

"Jimmy!" Jean cried and started running towards the child in Pete's arms, Jim close on her heels.

Pete, grinning broadly, handed the boy over to Jean. Jim wrapped his arms around both wife and son and wept for joy. Everyone at the scene stopped to watch the reunion. Scenes like this were all too rare in their line of work, and they were happy it had ended well for one of their own.

"Jimmy, are you okay?"

"I'm okay, Mommy." The boy sniffled. "Just a little scared."

"We know, honey, but you're okay now. Everything's fine now." Jim looked at the bruises on his boy's face and was tempted to do the same to the three suspects sitting in the car. He started to turn but was stopped by a hand on his arm.

"He's okay, Jim." Pete spoke softly. "Let it go."

Jim looked like he was about to argue but then nodded and turned back to his family again without a word.

Mac approached the little group quietly. "Jim, Jean, there's an ambulance here to take Jimmy to Central Receiving so they can check him out."

They nodded and began to walk in that direction. "C'mon, Jimmy, we're going to ride in an ambulance."

Mac stopped them before they climbed in the back of the ambulance. "I'm glad he's okay. Pete and I will follow you in my car, okay?"

"Thanks, Mac." Jim turned and followed his wife into the ambulance. Mac rapped on the back doors so the driver knew he was good to go.

Mac turned to find Pete fingering the right sleeve of his uniform shirt. His hand came away with blood on it. "Pete, you okay?"

"I'm fine, Mac." He sounded very tired now that the ordeal was over and the adrenaline was no longer flowing.

"Your arm doesn't look fine." He turned Pete's arm gently to get a better look. "What happened?"

Pete winced at Mac's touch. "There was a third suspect in the basement with Jimmy. He had a knife. He was actually aiming for my head!"

Mac raised an eyebrow. "Well, c'mon, let's get you over to the hospital so you can get stitched up. You should have gone in the ambulance."

"No." He shook his head. "Jim and Jean should concentrate on Jimmy right now. Not on me. Besides, it's not bad."

"Just try not to bleed on the seat, okay?"

"You're all heart, Mac!"

"I can't wait to read your report to see just how you managed to handle that guy." Mac joked as they headed for the car. "He's at least twice your size. He must hit pretty hard."

Pete laughed. "You're a sick man, MacDonald! How about if I let you go in next time?"

"That's why I'm a sergeant, Malloy. I don't have to wrestle with the big guys."

* * * * * * * * *

An hour later, Pete sat next to Mac in the waiting room of the hospital. They were still waiting for news on Jimmy. "So how's the arm?"

Pete shrugged. "It's fine, Mac. I told you it wasn't bad."

Mac smiled. "How many stitches did it take again?"

"Twenty-one."

Mac whistled. "That many, huh? That must've really hurt. Your black eye is gonna be pretty, too."

"Would you stop that?" Pete laughed. He knew Mac was just easing the tension from the past couple days.

"Pete, Mac." Jim walked in to the waiting room.

"How's Jimmy doin?" Pete asked anxiously.

"The doctor says he'll be fine. He had some bruises on his face and arms but nothing bad. He was slightly hypothermic from being kept in the basement, and they didn't give him much to eat." Jim took a deep breath, trying to put his son's pain out of his mind.

"Don't worry, Jim." Pete knew what he was thinking about. "He's tough. He'll get over it."

"Yeah." Jim shifted the coat he was carrying from hand to hand and finally handed it over to Pete. "Here's your coat, Pete."

"Thanks."

"How bad's your arm?"

"Just a scratch."

Jim nodded. Sure it is! I saw the gash in the sleeve. "Yeah, Jimmy told us about the guy with the knife. He was worried but said that 'Uncle Pete was just like Superman' and didn't have any trouble with him!"

Pete shot Mac a dirty look as he snorted. "Something like that, yeah."

"I need to get back to Jean. I just wanted to come and tell you Jimmy's fine. They're gonna keep him till this afternoon some time." Jim paused and looked at his friends. "Thanks for everything, guys. I don't think we could have gotten through this without you."

"Pete nodded. "Hey, why don't you call me later? I'll give you a ride back to your place."

"That'd be great, Pete. I'll let you know what time they're gonna release him."

"Jim, we're gonna head out now. Do you need anything before we go?" Mac wondered.

"No, thanks, Mac. You guys have done so much already."

"Okay, you and Jean get some sleep, okay?"

"We will, Mac."

"Oh, and Jim," Mac smiled. "Consider yourself off duty for the next three days. I've already cleared it with the lieutenant."

"Hey, thanks, Mac." Jim smiled at Pete. "See, I told you he wasn't all bad!"

Pete rolled his eyes and laughed. It was good to hear his partner joking again. He'll be just fine. "I'll see ya later, partner."

"Thanks." Jim headed for the door but paused with it half-open. "Oh, and Superman, nice shiner!"

The door closed before Pete had the chance to respond. Mac laughed.

"C'mon, Pete, I'll drive you home." He clapped him on the back. "The lieutenant said you could have the next three days off, too."

"That's not necessary, Mac." He argued.

"Pete, you've tried to hide it, but you haven't had any more sleep than Reed has the past two nights. Go home and get some sleep. The station will get along without you for a few days."

"Gee, Mac, you're just doing wonders for my self confidence tonight."

* * * * * * * * *

Jim quietly opened the door to Jimmy's hospital room and walked over to Jean. "He still asleep?"

"Yeah." She smiled up at her husband and then stood to give him a hug. "I'm so glad we got him back."

"Me too." He held his wife tightly, gazing at their son. They spent the next few hours in much the same way, simply enjoying the feeling that the family was back together once again.

Okay, folks, that's it for this one. Hope you enjoyed it. Hey, if you did, why not let me know? I appreciate feedback and will even respond to your message personally – you couldn't ask for anything more! Well, okay, so you could, but it won't do you any good in this case! ;)

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