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Bel Air, September 1990
Nick Michaels stared down at the watch in his hand. He'd seen this special time piece many times over the years
as he grew up and he held the object reverently. It was an old style stem watch made of gold. He slowly opened the
cover. Inside his grandfather's initials, "NF," and a date were boldly inscribed. Beneath that, "RF - 1962" represented
his mother. But it was the new engraving that made him swell with pride. His initials, and today's date, the day he'd
received word he'd passed the California Bar. Nick looked up from inspecting the gift to see his mother and grandfather
standing before him.
"I don't know what to say."
"What's to say, son?" Nick answered with a smile. "You did a great job and we're both very proud of you. Something your mother would be saying if she could stop crying long enough."
"Oh, Dad," Rose choked out through tears of happiness. "Nicky knows how I feel."
"Yeah, Mom, I do. If it weren't for both of you, I wouldn't be here."
Rose looked over at her father lovingly. "And if it wasn't for your grandfather, none of us would be here."
New York, September 1990
Robert McCall watched as the plane carrying his daughter taxied toward the gate. He was standing a little apart
from the rest of the crowd awaiting arriving passengers. His son, Scott, accompanied by his cousin, Nick Michaels, was
anxiously awaiting the emergence of his sister. Both young men were as close to the entrance as allowed, eager to greet
Yvette as soon as she came into view.
Robert chuckled to himself, well aware that Nicky had managed to be in New York the last two times Yvette was visiting. Ever since the two met in Canada last year, they'd become very good friends. McCall was beginning to wonder just how close the friendship was growing.
McCall expected Yvette would eventually get married... some day, but it hadn't been something he thought would happen so soon. He glanced again at his nephew. He'd known Nicky since the day he'd been born. Not only was Nick his nephew by marriage, but he was also the boy's godfather.
McCall had watched him grow into a fine man, a man any father would be proud of. That thought brought a pang of regret. Nick's father had never gotten the chance to know his son. An intelligence officer in the army, he'd died in Vietnam during a mission McCall himself had been involved with, before Nicky had been born, . In fact, it was McCall himself who had recruited J.J. into the whole bloody Game.
Robert abruptly put a stop to his morbid reflections. It did no good to dwell on the past -- if he'd learned nothing else in his many years, he'd learned that.
His thoughts moved back to the subject he'd originally been pondering, his daughter's possible interest in Nick Michaels. He supposed fathers had a tendency to somewhat distrust any man their daughters might pick to wed, but if Yvette was becoming serious with Nicky, McCall really wouldn't be unhappy.
The passengers had started to trickle though the gate and it wasn't too long before he spied his daughter. Yvette came out carrying a backpack, which Scott immediately snagged off her shoulder and hefted onto his own. McCall watched as Yvette greeted her brother and then Nick. She finally caught sight of Robert in the background and excitedly came over his way
"Hello, sweetheart. Welcome home." McCall enveloped his daughter in a loving hug.
"It's good to be back, Robert."
Yvette hoped her recent decision to spend the last two years of law school in New York would give her the opportunity to get to know her real father better. Once she'd chosen that path, she packed up everything and was now in New York, excited at the prospect of staying with Robert until she found a place of her own.
She knew her father and brother were both delighted, and she knew her godfather, "Control," was pleased at the news. She'd seen so little of him over the years.
The foursome started their long trek to baggage claim. Yvette walked with her father, while Scott and Nick ambled just slightly ahead of them. Yvette had been secretly gratified to see Nick Michaels at the gate. She suspected he'd developed more then a passing interest in her and when she examined her own feelings, Yvette found that idea very appealing.
Scott took the keys from his father, then he and Nick darted out to get the Jag. Yvette found herself standing alone for a moment while Robert went over to snatch her luggage off the carousel.
She glanced around and noticed a man staring at her from near the exit door. She didn't know why, but his gaze unnerved her. There was something about him, as if he was looking right through her. Then his gaze seemed to concentrate on her and for a brief second his eyes blazed with hatred.
"What's wrong, my dear?"
Startled, Yvette looked at McCall in surprise and then back to where she'd seen the man a moment before. He had vanished.
Yvette smiled wanly at her father. "Nothing, Robert, I guess I'm just tired. I must've been daydreaming." Maybe she'd only imagined the man.
Robert looked at her seriously. He had a discerning eye and always appeared to see more than most people. "You're sure?"
"Yes, I'm fine."
McCall saw the Jag pull up at the loading zone outside. "The boys are here, Yvette. Why don't you go and get in. We'll take care of your things."
Nick hopped out and opened the door for Yvette, then went inside to help with the luggage. It didn't take long to check the bags through the security and stow them in the trunk. McCall got into the front seat while Nick joined Yvette in the back, much to his delight.
The ride into the city was uneventful and they reached McCall's apartment without incident. Scott stowed Yvette's things in the spare room, while McCall went into the kitchen to warm up the dinner he'd had sent over from Pete's Place. Nick and Yvette drifted into the living room.
"I know you're probably anxious about tomorrow and the exam," Nick ventured.
Yvette sat down on the couch with a sigh. "Am I ever."
Nick laughed and plopped down beside her. "I can relate. When I took the Bar I was sweating bullets."
"We're all very proud of you, Nicky. I was so happy when Scott called and told me about it."
"My mom gave me something very special in honor of passing. I thought maybe you might want to carry it tomorrow for good luck."
"What is it?"
Nick pulled the new watch out of his jacket pocket. He flicked open the cover and explained its history and the importance of the dates and initials inside.
Yvette took it and held it in her hands. "It's beautiful, Nicky, but I can't take this from you." She started to give it back.
Nick stayed her movements. "Oh yes you can. I want you too."
Yvette looked at her friend for a moment, then smiled warmly. "For luck. But I'll give it back to you right after the test tomorrow, okay?"
"Okay."
Yvette looked at the watch again speculatively. "Since this has been passed down from your grandfather to your mother and now you, I guess it'll go to your first born too."
Nick looked startled by Yvette's statement. "I suppose so. I mean, I actually hadn't thought about that, but I guess it will, huh?"
"Well... that's assuming you ever get married and have any children," she teased.
"Geez, sis, already trying to get poor Nicky fit for a ball and chain? He just barely got out of school?" Scott broke into the conversation as he walked into the living room.
Yvette laughed at her brother slyly. "Yep, little brother and if you're not careful, you're next on my hit list."
Scott pretended fright. "Oh, no! Anything but that!"
"I don't know, Scottie," Nick interrupted. "I'm beginning to think a 'ball and chain' might be an attractive prospect." He looked shyly at Yvette.
McCall walked in at that moment and caught the tail-end of the conversation. So he'd been right about Nick's interest. He tactfully broke up what could fast become an awkward situation.
"Dinner's on the table if anyone's hungry," McCall announced and put an end to further discussion.
Yvette woke early the next day. She was scheduled to meet the registrar at New York University's Law School to set up her classes for the fall semester. She sighed nervously, that is if I pass the entrance exam.
She assumed she would be up before her father, but found him awake and preparing breakfast.
"Coffee's ready."
"You didn't have to cook breakfast, Robert."
"I know, but I wanted to. When's your interview?"
"9:00. Then the entrance test is later in the afternoon."
"Don't forget, we're meeting Control for dinner, at 6:00."
"At Pete's, right? I won't forget."
Over at Scott's apartment, Nick and Scott had gotten up early too. They'd promised Yvette they would take care of finding a suitable storage facility for her things being shipped down from Canada. She had asked them the night before and Nick had eagerly accepted for both of them. It wasn't that Scott didn't want to help his sister, but he had an important concert coming up and he had practice later that day.
Nick knew Yvette still had a lot of work ahead. He didn't envy the two more years she had to go.
"So, where do we start?" Nick asked, as they sat down to the breakfast his cousin had fixed.
"Dad recommended a few places. We'll check those out first," Scott replied around a mouthful of eggs.
Control walked into Pete's Place at five minutes to 6:00. He was chronically tardy for his personal appointments -- a bad habit which would have gotten him killed in his profession. He knew McCall would be surprised he'd made this dinner engagement with time to spare, but Control was eager to spend some time with Yvette. It had been a while since he'd seen his goddaughter and always looked forward to her visits. He'd been glad to hear she was moving to New York. They all worried about her living up in Canada alone.
Control saw McCall sitting at his regular table and headed that way. He waved to Pete as he passed the bar where she was serving and joined his friend. Jeremy, the bartender, immediately brought him his customary drink.
"Well, this is one for the books. You're the first here."
"Where are the kids?"
"Nick and Scott were trying to find a good storage sight for Yvette's things. Scott also had practice this afternoon, and I believe Nick was accompanying him." Robert took a sip before he continued. "Yvette is planning to come right from school."
"They should be here very soon, then."
"I would imagine," McCall acknowledged.
A few minutes later the doors opened and Scott and Nick breezed in. Both young men were in high spirits.
"Hi, Dad, Control," Scott greeted as he took his seat.
"Hello, Scott," Control answered. He turned to the other young man. "Congratulations, Nick! I hear you passed the bar."
"Thank you, sir. It's nice to see you again."
The waitress came up and took their orders for drinks and the men all settled down to a few minutes of mundane conversation.
Robert glanced up as the wall clock chimed the half hour. He peered expectantly as the front door opened.
"She probably got delayed at the University, Dad."
Control seemed just as concerned as McCall. "Yes, but something you'll learn about your sister, Scott. She's always on time."
"Unlike some people we know." Nick directed a sly grin his cousin's way.
"She would have called," Robert fretted. "She knew when we were meeting."
"Law school entrance exams usually take longer than expected," Nick volunteered, trying to calm fears. "Especially if they don't get started on time."
Yvette had indeed been held up by her exam. There were ten other students also taking the test, but the monitor assigned to the class had been late.
When she finally finished, she had tried to call Pete's and let her father know she'd been delayed. Unfortunately, she hadn't been able to find a working phone. She'd tried four different banks and they had either not worked or been torn off the lines. Nobody did that sort of thing in Canada.
Yvette realized she was going to be late -- very late. Instead of spending more time looking for a another phone, she decided it wasn't worth it and hailed a cab instead. She would reach her destination much faster if she just got on her way.
They drove in silence for a time, then at last the driver stopped at their destination. Yvette pulled out Nick's watch and checked the time as she stepped from the cab and paid the man. He'd dropped her off across the street and little way down from Pete's. "6:45. Could be worse," she muttered to herself as she waited at the crosswalk.
Her attention focused on the oncoming traffic, she clutched the watch in her hand and crossed the street, unaware of the man waiting in the shadows. As she reached the other side and passed the basement stairs of the brownstone that abutted Pete's, someone grabbed her from behind. Before she could call out, he dragged her down the steps into the bowels of the building.
Terrified, Yvette tried to escape from the man's grasp, or at least get his hand away from her mouth so she could scream.
"Don't fight and I won't hurt you... understand?" her captor growled menacingly in her ear.
Yvette prayed her first feeble cries had been heard, knowing it would bring her father and Control to her rescue.
Her captor pulled her arm savagely behind her back and again warned her to stop struggling and be silent. Yvette felt the pain of his grip shoot up her arm. Before she could do anything else, the man dragged her away from the door that led outside and to the restaurant... away from any help that might come from her family inside.
When 7:30 had come and gone, the men knew something must have happened. McCall tried to think calmly and logically, knowing the first order of business was to check all the places Yvette had been or might have stopped. It was always very hard for McCall to compartmentalize anything that concerned his children. If he'd been working on someone else's behalf, he would have found it much easier to proceed with finding a missing person. That the missing person was a daughter he loved, made it difficult to keep his emotions in check and think straight. He knew he wasn't the only one; Control had lost some of his usual insouciance.
They agreed to split up to cover more ground and check all the possibilities. Scott and Nick were to head for the apartments, on the slim chance she might have gone to either place.
McCall and Control opted for the University -- the most logical choice. If Yvette wasn't there, they would decide what needed to be done after that. McCall was aware an adult had to be missing twenty-four hours before the police would even take a report, but he knew Sergeant Alice Shepherd wouldn't make him wait the required time. Besides Control, with the vast resources available to him, would use them all to help find his goddaughter.
The trip to NYU was mostly done in silence. Both men were too caught up in their own thoughts to carry on any semblance of a conversation. It wasn't necessary between them. When they reached the campus, it didn't take long to establish that Yvette had been there, taken her exam, which had started late, and had finished sometime around 6:15. Unfortunately, they were unable to confirm that anyone had actually seen Yvette leave school. The two friends agreed that they would need a complete search of the grounds to ensure Yvette wasn't still there somewhere, hurt or in trouble.
Control called in Stock, Alex and Ginger, plus a number of others McCall was unfamiliar with. He wished Mickey Kostmayer was here to help, but his young friend was out of the country on assignment.
While McCall waited for Control's agents, he put through his call to Sergeant Shepherd. He explained the situation and she promised to put out an APB on Yvette. Alice was well aware that if Robert McCall believed something had happened to his daughter, something had.
Scott and Nick tried Scott's apartment first, since it was closer to Pete's. With no sign that Yvette had been there, they headed over to McCall's. Again, they had no luck.
Nick managed to convince his cousin he should return to the restaurant, on the slim chance Yvette might actually show up. Scott decided he would hold vigil at his father's. They tried contacting McCall and Control to tell them they'd struck out, but received no answer from the car phone.
Nick caught a cab and headed back to Pete's Place. He still couldn't believe Yvette was missing. He was well aware everyone had figured out why he'd been spending as much time as possible in New York lately. He'd taken all the teasing from his aunts and then from his cousins in his usual pleasant humor. His family loved him; they were just voicing their approval of his good taste.
He'd known from the first time he'd set eyes on Scott's sister in Canada that she was the only woman for him. Now, he just had to convince Yvette of that. Nick was sure she was pretty much attracted to him as well, so he planned to bide his time. He hoped to God nothing had happened to her. He wanted so much to be able to see her again... to tell her how he felt about her... to hear from her own lips how she felt about him.
The cab pulled up in front of the tavern and Nick got out. He looked around to see if anything had changed, but everything seemed to be the same as was when they'd left two hours ago. He went inside and stopped at the bar. Jeremy soon approached.
"Has McCall's daughter shown up yet?" the bartender inquired.
"No. She hasn't come here then, huh?"
"Sorry, Nick. Haven't seen her. I hope nothing's happened to her. She's a nice kid."
"Yeah, she really is."
"Do you want a drink?"
"No, thanks. Can I use the phone?"
"Sure." Jeremy reached behind the counter and pulled one out.
Nick dialed his uncle's number and reached his cousin. Scott had nothing to report except that McCall and Control were still at the University trying to trace Yvette's last known moments.
Disappointed, he hung up. Looking around the bar, it suddenly seemed crowded and oppressive. He needed air to still the panic and fear that had been building inside. He was frustrated. He knew he just couldn't just sit around and wait. He needed to do something.
He wandered aimlessly out onto the sidewalk and headed down the street. He wasn't sure what he was hoping to find, but anything would be helpful. After about a block, he noticed a homeless man trying to hawk some item he had in his hands. He was standing at the entrance to an alley.
Nick sauntered over, realizing he'd seen the same man earlier in the evening. Nick decided go with the chance the man had seen something out of the ordinary. They'd all assumed Yvette never made it anywhere near Pete's Place, but if she had, maybe this man had seen her.
As he approached, he suddenly recognized what the man was trying to sell. It was his watch -- the one he had given to Yvette only yesterday for luck.
If this man had it, then he knew where Yvette was... maybe he was even responsible for her disappearance.
Nick rushed the last few steps. He reached out and grabbed the watch out of the man's hands.
"Hey, whaddya think you're doing mister."
"Where did you get this?" Nick demanded.
"It's mine," the man whined back.
"I doubt that, since it belongs to me. I gave it to a friend of mine and now she's missing. What do you know about that."
"I told ya, it's mine."
Nick grabbed the man by his shirt front and shoved him against the wall. "No, it's mine and I can prove it," Nick growled, "and I'm sure the cops will be interested to know you stole this from my friend and then did something to her."
"Okay, okay, I didn't it steal. I found it."
"Where?" Nick demanded angrily.
"Over near the old warehouses, a coupla streets over."
Nick pushed the man in the direction he indicated. "Show me."
McCall and Control finally came up with a lead. Yvette had taken a taxi, sometime around 6:30, away from the University. Control immediately sent Stock to find out which cab company she used and which driver had picked her up.
The area the man showed Nick was probably not more then a mile from Pete's. Nick was amazed that an area like this could be so close to an upscale neighborhood. This section of the city had seen better times. There were old warehouses scattered among derelict houses which were boarded up and littered with all types of trash. It was hard to tell whether this district had been converting from residential to industrial or the other way around. The recession had obviously hit hard. Now it just looked decayed and abandoned.
The spot where the man had found the watch was near one of the vacated houses. Nick was hesitant for a moment, wondering if he should try and find Yvette on his own or contact his uncle who was obviously more familiar with this type of work. It only took a few seconds to make the decision.
He looked around and realized his guide had vanished. Not surprising, since he was probably afraid he was going to be arrested. Nick dismissed him, convinced he knew nothing about who had taken Yvette. He more than likely slept in one of these abandoned buildings and had found the watch while scavenging. He might have slipped away, but Nick was grateful to him anyway. This was the best lead they had.
The lighting on this block was intermittent. City maintenance crews were none too eager to come out here for repairs. Nick knew his wisest course was to find a phone and call his uncle. He couldn't do much by himself and it would be smarter to bring in the big guns. If nothing else, he would need a flashlight before he could even look through any of the buildings.
Nicky gripped his recovered watch, feeling at least a fleeting contact with Yvette. He started to retrace his steps. At a sound close by, he turned to look behind him, but was too late to stop the blow from the man who had suddenly appeared.
Justin Kirk hefted the unconscious young man effortlessly. As he did, he heard something drop onto the pavement. He shined his flashlight around and spied the watch Nick had been holding. He stooped down, awkward under the additional weight, and picked it up, shoving it into his pocket. He glanced around furtively to be sure his actions had been unobserved. He knew the chances of anyone seeing him this late and in this area were very slim. That was why Eddie had chosen it.
After snatching the girl, Kirk had been keeping an eye out for anyone out of place. He'd spotted Nick and waited unseen as the young man had scouted around the area. Kirk had been in the shadows, hidden from sight.
At one point, as Nick passed within a few feet of Kirk's hiding spot, he'd recognized the young man. He'd been with the girl at the airport yesterday. Of that, he was sure.
He'd followed Yvette Marcel from Canada -- had even been on the same plane. He'd already set plans in motion for taking her once she got to New York. He'd hired Eddie Bascom, a small timer who owed him, to find a good place where he could hide the girl. And then he'd lost her when she left in that fancy black Jag.
It had been pure luck he happened to see Yvette Marcel get out of the cab earlier only a few blocks from here. He'd been buying some booze at a corner store and had spied his quarry. Acting fast, he grabbed her, elated at his good fortune. It had saved him the trouble of trying to track her down.
It had been easy enough to bring the girl to the old warehouse. Kirk was actually quite pleased by the shelter Eddie had secured. It was a place where you could hide someone without fear of detection. The homeless and drug dealers were the only ones who wandered through this neighborhood. The cops stayed as far away as possible. So Kirk had been surprised when he saw the boy who'd been with the Marcel girl yesterday. He had to find out what the kid knew.
Kirk had watched the young man pause... seen his indecisiveness as he looked around... then finally head back the way he'd come. By the young man's hesitant attitude, Kirk suspected he'd been merely lucky in finding them at all, but he couldn't be sure and chose to grab him too. Besides, he might be worth something as a hostage along with the girl. You never knew when extra insurance could come in handy.
When Yvette awoke, she found herself in a small room. There were no windows, but a small cot and rickety table and chair were crammed off to the side. The one light came from a single hanging bulb in the middle of the ceiling. Her head felt heavy and a painful ache pounded a staccato rhythm behind her eyes. She was frightened, but also oddly curious, wondering why this man had seized her off the street. It took a moment, but she suddenly realized she'd lost Nicky's watch somewhere and that saddened her.
She wondered what was happening at home. Clearly her family would have missed her by now. She knew her father and godfather would be using all their resources, which were considerable, to find her.
She'd been kidnapped once before, by a man who had belonged to a crime family. It was a case her stepfather had been working on and the first time she met Robert McCall. At that time, she hadn't known Robert was her real father. She had actually thought for a while that he was on the side of the criminals. Yvette had felt awful when she learned how wrong she'd been about Robert. When her stepfather had at last revealed her connection to Robert McCall, she finally understood his intensity when it came to helping her.
Yvette slowly got up. She felt a little dizzy at first, but her equilibrium gradually settled down and she was able to walk around her prison. She wanted to see if there was any way out of her predicament.
The door was quite solid and didn't look like it could be easily broken down. The only thing in the room besides the furniture was her briefcase. Opening it, she found nothing missing except her address book. Her cash and credit cards were still in their proper places.
Yvette pondered that as she walked over to the rickety old chair and sat down. It must have been her headache, because it took five more minutes before she figured out the man who'd taken her needed numbers to contact her family for the ransom. She just didn't know why he had chosen her or how he'd found her.
At least several hours passed in this manner before Yvette finally met her kidnapper face to face. With a start, she recognized the man she'd seen at the airport. So it was no random kidnapping. He'd been after her specifically.
The man was of medium height, standing a bit under six foot. His black hair was peppered with gray streaks. She didn't know him and she was a little leery that he'd allowed her to see and identify him. His eyes were brown, but the most striking part of the man was his build. He looked like he'd spent many hours pumping iron.
"What do you want from me?" she demanded bravely.
"You'll know soon enough, little girl." His voice was a deep growl, hard and menacing. "But I brought you some company, at least for awhile."
Yvette didn't understand what he meant until she saw him reach down and pick something up. She could tell it was a body and watched as he heaved the hapless person into the room. She was amazed at the man's strength. He never even crossed the threshold, but just stood there and pitched the unconscious person in. It was then that she saw her fellow prisoner's face.
"Nicky?" she gasped in shock. She moved over to be sure he was breathing. His strong, steady pulse reassured her somewhat.
"He your brother?"
Yvette glanced up at the man curiously. That was an odd question. Why would he think Nick was her brother and why would he want Scott as a captive too? Unless he was after Robert. Without knowing everything that was happening, she realized it would probably protect Nicky if this man thought they were related. Yvette acted instinctively.
"Yes, he's my brother."
"Thought so. I heard ya had one. That's good, real good."
Yvette reached down to touch Nick's face. His skin was cool, if a little clammy. "Nicky?"
"He dropped this when I hit him." The man opened his hand and Yvette could see Nick's timepiece lying there. "It's yours, ain't it? I saw you looking at it when you got out of the cab last night."
The watch. She thought she'd lost it. Nick must've found it while out looking for her.
"Well?"
She hesitated. She knew it wouldn't do any good to deny ownership -- he'd seen her with it -- but she wasn't going to explain to him that it wasn't hers.
"Yes, it's mine."
"Good." With that statement, he slammed the door and left them alone.
Kirk walked back into the main section of the warehouse. Eddie had set it up with a few chairs, a couch, a small refrigerator and a television, which he never seemed to turn off. Kirk had realized after spending a few days with him, that the TV was the only thing Eddie had any interest in.
Kirk walked over and switched off the set.
"Hey, I was watchin' that," Eddie whined.
"Not anymore. I thought I told ya to check the girl's book for her old man's telephone number and address?"
"I did. It ain't there, Jus. So now whadda we do?"
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, I'm sure. Ya think I'd miss his name?"
"Okay, okay. We'll just hafta send our little letter to the cops."
"The cops?" Eddie yelped.
"The cops," Kirk said with finality, to stall further arguments. "And you can take it to 'em tomorrow... along with this."
Kirk tossed Nick's watch to his cohort. "Let's see how long it takes dear daddy to respond."
McCall contacted Scott at the apartment and filled him in on what they'd found. His son updated him on Nick's whereabouts and then arranged to meet back at Pete's. McCall hung up with Scott, then punched in the numbers for Sergeant Shepherd. She too agreed to rendezvous at the pub. McCall glanced at his watch and sighed in frustration. It was now almost 1:00 a.m. and they were still no closer to locating his daughter.
"We'll find her, Robert," Control said quietly from the passenger seat, but when McCall glanced over at his friend, he could see the lack of conviction there. It didn't help his flagging spirits much.
In a few moments they pulled up at the curb in front of the restaurant and got out of the car. Scott was waiting impatiently outside. Beside him were Alice Shepherd and another officer she introduced as Detective Joe Carlino.
"Dad, Nick's not here," Scott blurted out.
"What do you mean?"
"I checked inside before you came. Jeremy told me he hasn't seen him since before eleven."
"That doesn't sound good," Control added as he came around from the other side of the Jag.
Alice acknowledged Control's presence with a brief nod. She'd met him a few times before with Robert and had a vague idea of who he might be. She also figured that was all she really wanted to know.
"No, it doesn't," McCall agreed grimly. "Nicky wouldn't go off on his own unless..."
"Unless, he found something," Control finished for him.
"Possibly."
"But, he would have called us," Scott insisted, positive his cousin wouldn't have acted so impulsively.
"I agree, Scotty. Maybe what he found is why he isn't here now."
"You think he found Yvette?"
"I don't know, Alice, but it appears he found something... or something found him."
Control rubbed at the bridge of his nose wearily. "So what we do know is this was the last place Yvette was seen before she disappeared... Nick too, apparently." He glanced over at Sergeant Shepherd. "If it's all right with you, Sergeant, I'd like to utilize some of my people to help canvas the area."
"That's fine with me. We can use all the help we can get. Detective Carlino and I'll bring in some of our officers. Maybe together we'll find something."
McCall listened to the exchange distractedly. At the moment he didn't feel very hopeful that they would find anything. Tonight he empathized with all the people he'd tried to help over the last few years. He was an ex-C.I.A. agent, considered to be one of the best in the world, and he was unable to keep members of his own family away from this type of danger. He looked over at his son, talking with Control. Dismayed that his daughter and now his nephew were both missing in action, he resolved to make sure Scott stayed close during this search. He wasn't going to lose another of his children tonight.
When the weary trio finally dragged themselves into McCall's apartment later that morning, they all felt totally drained. After an exhausting, all night search, there'd been no sign of either Yvette or Nick.
McCall noticed the tell-tale blinking of his answering machine and went over to it quickly, anxious for any possible news. He pushed the replay button and a familiar feminine voice filled the room.
Robert, it's Rose. How are you getting along having all the kids in town at once? He heard a soft laugh. Hope you're enjoying it.
McCall's heart sank with despair. Rose was still unaware of the past evening's events. He knew he would have to tell her what was going on.
The message continued mercilessly.
The reason I called is, I was wondering if you'd talked to the boys recently? I've left messages at Scott's most of the day, but neither one of them has returned my call. If you hear from them, can you let them know I'm looking for them? Thanks, Robert. Bye.
"You're going to have to tell her, Robert."
"I'm very much aware of that," McCall answered back acidly.
"What time is it in L.A.?" Scott asked rhetorically. He slumped dejectedly onto the couch. He knew it really didn't matter what time it was. Aunt Rose would have to be called now. She had a right to know what was happening with her son.
Robert picked up the phone reluctantly. Rose was one of his dearest friends. He owed it to her to call her right away.
Rose heard the sound of a phone ringing and it took her a few seconds to realize it wasn't just part of her dream. She was used to calls in the middle of the night, but it wasn't her rotation this month for night duty in the ER. She glanced over at the clock and saw it was 4:00 a.m. A call this time of the morning was never a good sign.
Rose picked up the receiver, fully expecting it to be the hospital. "Dr. Michaels."
"Rose, it's Robert. I'm sorry to wake you but... I'm afraid I've got some bad news."
Rose hung up with Robert and sat unmoving for a moment, gathering her thoughts. After a time, she pulled out the phone book and dialed United Airlines and made a reservation on the first flight out. That would be in two hours and she had some calls to make.
Her father had left two days ago for his fishing cabin in the Sierras and there was no way to contact him. Making a decision, Rose picked up the receiver again and dialed. A sleepy male voice answered.
"H'lo"
"Nick? I'm sorry to wake you, but I need to talk to Patty."
"Rose?" Her brother-in-law came fully awake. "What's wrong? Is it your Dad?"
"No... no, it's Nicky."
"What's happened to Nicky?" Patty's worried voice came over the extension.
Rose quickly explained the situation. Nick volunteered to head up to the Sierras and let big Nick know what was going on with his oldest grandson.
"When are you leaving?" Patty asked anxiously.
"In a couple of hours," Rose told her.
"The corporate jet would be faster."
"Marva took it out yesterday. She had that meeting in Boston."
"Oh, right. I forgot."
"You can reach me at Robert's. I'll contact you as soon as I know anything."
"Okay. Rose... try not to worry," her brother-in law said encouragingly. "McCall won't let anything happen to Yvette or Nicky, you know that."
"I know. I love you guys."
Yvette used some of the water their captor had left them and a handkerchief she found in her purse to bathe Nick's face. She found a huge bump on the back of his head and she was careful not to put too much pressure there as she cleaned it gingerly.
He was too heavy to move, so she sat down on the floor, leaned against the wall and took Nicky's head into her lap. With everything done that she could for him, Yvette fell into a restless sleep.
She awoke abruptly, not sure what had disturbed her or how long she'd slept. She was disoriented at first, but her head soon cleared. Nick was stirring, his low moans growing more coherent. Yvette felt a thrill of elation. She'd been praying fervently he would wake up. Not just for his sake, but for hers too. She hated to admit it, but she was scared.
"I've dreamed of being in this position since the first time I saw you," Nick murmured hoarsely, interrupting her thoughts.
"Oh, you have, have you?" Yvette smiled down at him happily. "I'm glad to see you're awake," she told him sincerely. "But don't get comfortable. This is only a temporary situation, my friend."
"Too bad." Nick tried to raise himself from his position, but groaned in pain and fell back
"Don't try to move, Nicky," she advised in concern. "You've got a good sized lump on the back of your head."
Nick settled back and looked about him. "Where are we?"
"I was hoping you could tell me."
"It's probably a warehouse... 'bout a mile from Pete's. Not a very pretty part of town."
"How'd you find me?"
"Somebody was trying to hawk my watch."
"You came by yourself?"
"We were all looking for you. Your dad and Control called in the troops. They started on campus. Scott and I were checking the apartments."
"So how'd you end up here?"
Nick gave Yvette a wry smile. "I went back to the pub in case you might have showed up."
"I did. That's when I got grabbed."
"Do you know who this guy is... what he wants?" Nick's voice had grown softer. Obviously the conversation was tiring him.
Yvette shook her head ruefully. "No. But I suspect it has something to do with my father."
"Uncle Robert?"
"Yes, and I told the guy you were my brother, okay?"
"Yeah, sure." Nick answered, his words slightly slurred. Yvette watched his eyes flutter closed again and had to lean forward to hear him mutter, "But I don't wanna be your brother."
Yvette wasn't quite sure how to react to those words, but she was spared the need. She saw him slide back into unconsciousness, leaving her alone again. Feeling tears well up in her eyes, she reached down to tenderly brush the hair back from Nicky's eyes."
The call came from Alice Shepherd at about 1:00 a.m. A letter had been sent to the 23rd Precinct from Yvette's kidnapper. McCall was elated to finally hear something. His and Control's sources had turned up nothing. He was confused though, as to why the kidnapper would contact the police instead of him directly. He and Scott immediately headed for the police station.
The precinct was its usual bustling upheaval. Cops, perps and ordinary people all blended together to create a barely controlled chaos. Father and son easily located Sergeant Shepherd standing next to the tall, young Italian detective they'd met last night.
"What have you got for me, Alice?" McCall asked briskly.
The sergeant handed him a note already in a baggie, and held on to the another object that was also encased protectively -- a gold watch.
McCall read the missive quickly. Scott leaned over his shoulder.
I have Yvette Marcel and her brother. If you want to see them again, their father needs to meet me. I will contact you soon. I have sent along the watch as proof that I have them both.
"Is this your watch, Robert?"
"No. It's Nick's," Scott spoke up. He turned to his father. "I don't understand, Dad. They think Nick's your son?"
"Isn't he?" Carlino asked, confused.
"No." McCall gestured to Scott. "This is my son. Nick Michaels is my nephew." He reached for the watch. "Sergeant, may I take a look at that?"
As he examined it, he realized it was Rose Michaels' gold pocket watch. "Have you already dusted for prints?"
"Yeah. You can take it out, if you want," Carlino answered McCall's query.
McCall removed the watch from the bag and opened it, noting the new engraving. He saw Scott looking at him.
"I didn't know Rose had handed this down to Nick."
Scott eyes were saddened. "She gave it to him just last week when he passed the bar. He was so excited." Scott paused. "He loaned it to Yvette... for luck on her exam."
Robert ran his thumb over the cold metal and wondered if his daughter and nephew were even still alive.
"Dad?'
McCall lifted his head to see his son's stricken face. "Scott? What is it, son?" he asked in alarm.
"It was supposed to be me, wasn't it?"
"What do you mean?"
"That creep thinks Nick is me? He took Nicky instead of me."
Robert reached out and squeezed his son's shoulder consolingly, knowing there was no way to really comfort him.
"So it would seem, Scotty," he admitted softly. The pain and guilt in his son's eyes as he turned away was just one more reason McCall would never forgive this man.
Yvette awoke to the sound of the door opening, surprised she'd fallen asleep again. She looked up to see her captor standing in the doorway. This time though, he came all the way into the room. The grin on his face made Yvette very nervous. Nick was still out of it and though she didn't know if he was still unconscious or merely asleep, she suspected he had a concussion.
"Isn't your brother awake yet?"
"He needs a doctor."
"Soon."
"I don't understand. Why are you doing this? I don't even know you."
"No, you don't know me. But I know your father."
So that was it. Someone was after Robert for whatever reason and had chosen her as the means to get to him.
"My father?" Yvette asked, playing dumb for all it was worth.
"Yeah. I've waited a long time to pay him back."
"Why?" Robert had told her once that it was wise to have a long memory in the espionage business, because you never knew who might resurface, wanting revenge years later.
"For sending me to prison."
Now Yvette was confused. Here was a twist. Robert putting someone away. As a police officer, her stepfather used to do that sort of thing, but she didn't know spies made a habit of it.
"My father... when?"
"Over twenty years ago. For armed robbery and murder."
Yvette was definitely uneasy now. It didn't sound like this man was after Robert McCall. It sounded more like he might be after...
"I've waited a long time to repay Phillipe Marcel. Now I'm gonna get my chance."
...my stepfather! What will he do to us when he finds out Papa's already dead.
Control stood at the debarkation area of the plane, waiting for Rose Michaels to appear. He had decided to meet her himself, even though he could have sent one of his agents instead. He'd known Rose for over twenty years and felt he owed her this courtesy. Robert would have been here himself, but he needed to wait at home for the ransom demand they were all expecting.
Control watched as Rose came through the gate. She was as beautiful as ever; her Eurasian ancestry lent her an eternal youthfulness that, even now, made her much younger looking than her actual age.
"Hello, Peter. It's good to see you." Rose was probably the only person who still called him by his given name, Peter Murphy.
"Rose. I'm so sorry we have to meet again under these circumstances."
They didn't say much as they walked out to the car together. In a few moments, they were on their way to Robert's apartment.
Rose studied Peter as he maneuvered through the traffic. She knew the man well enough to know that he was as upset about the kidnapping as she and Robert were. Yvette Marcel was the closest thing to a daughter he had.
The phone buzzed and Peter picked it up. He listened for a moment, then spoke crisply. "Yes, okay. We'll be there." He hung up and looked over at Rose. "The police were sent a ransom note."
"The police? I don't understand?"
"Neither does Robert. He asked us to meet him at headquarters."
Yvette peered around the dim, cramped basement. Kirk had left over two hours ago, ostensibly to meet with Phillipe Marcel. She tried to remember how long she'd been a captive. One day? Two?
A groan from Nick turned her attention to him. She was very worried about him. He'd been drifting in and out of consciousness and she was afraid he was seriously injured. It wasn't fair. He'd been hurt and this wasn't even his fight. It seemed ages had passed since they'd all come to meet her at the airport. She'd been so pleasantly surprised to see Nick there, along with her father and brother. Ironic, that her real father and his family would end up getting caught in the revenge of a man who was after her stepfather.
She ran the back of her hand down Nicky's cheek anxiously. She really did like Scott's cousin -- more than she'd let herself admit. He had an ingratiating charm that was hard to resist. She would never forget the first time they'd met. Scott had come up to Canada to do some camping and brought along several other relatives. He'd manage to talk Yvette into joining them so that Jeffers' wife, Mickey, wouldn't be the only woman on the trip. It had been a wonderful experience, one she would always treasure. Most of that had to do with Nick Michaels.
They'd hit it off immediately and Yvette had soon forgiven her brother for his obvious attempts at matchmaking. They were both in law school. Though she was older, Nick was ahead of her in school and they spent many enjoyable evenings over the campfire, debating the pros and cons of the differing aspects of the law. They also had driven everyone else mad with their constant good-natured arguing. It had been a wonderful trip. Now Yvette wondered if they would ever get the chance to do that again.
Rose sat on the couch in Robert's apartment, gazing down on the gold watch in her hand. Robert had persuaded Sergeant Shepherd to let Rose have it, even though it was considered evidence in an ongoing crime.
She'd come back to McCall's with Robert and Scott to wait for further instructions from the person who'd taken their children. Peter had gone to his office in hopes of finding anything new. They'd finally managed to coerce a very weary Scott into lying down for awhile.
At the moment, Robert was on the phone with Control. Rose knew the two of them were setting up their own special surveillance above and beyond the police. After a few minutes, he hung up and joined her on the couch.
"I'm sorry, Rose."
"For what?"
"For not protecting our children."
She reached over and laid her hand on Robert's shoulder in a comforting gesture. He covered her hand with one of his. "It isn't always easy to protect them is it?"
McCall sighed in agreement. "No."
"I remember in '62... a crook tried to take control Dad's company. The man threatened all of us and Nick tried to keep us safe by working with the F.B.I."
"What happened?"
"They caught him but we unknowingly put ourselves in the line of fire, you might say." Rose gazed at McCall earnestly. "What I'm trying to say is, no matter how hard you try, you can't always keep them from harm... no matter how good you are at your job."
McCall gave her a sad smile. "Thanks for trying to cheer me up, Rose. But part of the problem was my job. It left me and the people I care about wide open to assault."
Rose laughed. "No matter what I say, you're going to take the blame for this, aren't you?"
He gave her a lop-sided grin.
Attempting to distract him from his guilt, Rose tried another tack. "What I don't understand, Robert, is why this person took Yvette to get back at you and not Scotty. Very few people are even aware she's your daughter."
McCall sighed heavily. "I don't know, Rose. That's the main reason why I kept her relationship to me a secret... so something like this wouldn't occur. I already have too many people trying to get to me through my son. I didn't want that to happen with Yvette. And now Nicky too..." He let his words trail off and fell into a brooding silence.
Rose was at a loss about what to say to him. She settled instead for leaning into the arm he put around her, letting him hold her close. For the moment, they would have to draw strength from each other.
McCall knew he was being followed. That was the plan he and Control had set up. They wanted the kidnapper to grab him so they could find the kids and arrest whomever was responsible. McCall felt the barely restrained anger and remorse that one of his children and his nephew had to suffer because of his past. Scott had been taken before, now this time it was Yvette.
He finally reached the abandoned building where he was supposed to meet the kidnapper. Only a few minutes later, a lone taxicab drove up and the door was opened. McCall took that as his invitation and got in. The car sped off as soon as he closed the door. McCall checked to be sure the homing device was still transmitting. It was in his watch; one of Stock's new play toys. He hoped it was as good as Alex said it was. Stock and Ginger had the homing beacon in their car and would alert Control. The police would take their cue from him.
McCall didn't expect to be escorted to Yvette and Nick immediately. Sure enough, they drove around for a half hour, just as McCall thought, hoping to dislodge any possible tails.
The kidnapper must know the police would be following. He had involved them himself by sending the ransom notes to headquarters. What McCall didn't understand was why? Any old enemy of his would know how to contact him through other, less conspicuous, channels. Using the police was not exactly subtle.
The cab finally stopped; apparently they'd reached their destination -- a secluded road leading to the docks. The driver gestured for McCall to get out. He did as he was bid, and the taxi drove off into the night. Suddenly, McCall was blinded by the headlights that struck him from the opposite side of the road. The car hesitated for a moment, then the driver pulled up closer. McCall could see it was an old beat up Buick. It stopped about a hundred feet from him, the headlights still pinning him in their glare.
A nervous voice addressed him from the vehicle. "Who are you? Where's Phillipe Marcel?"
McCall was stunned for a moment by the man's question. "My name is Robert McCall," he answered evenly, waiting to see what exactly the man was after.
"I wanted Marcel." The man's tone was definitely agitated. "Why did he send you?"
It all became clear to McCall at once and he knew he had to convince this man that Phillipe Marcel had not shown up for a legitimate reason. Yvette's stepfather was dead. Obviously, this man was unaware of that fact. That explained why Yvette was taken -- one worry he could put out of his mind. This person didn't know Yvette Marcel was really Robert McCall's daughter.
"You haven't answered me, McCall."
"Marcel was delayed in Canada. He asked me to come in his place and check on his children. I'm Yvette's godfather. He'll be here as soon as he can." He hesitated for the barest moment. "Are they all right?"
"The kids are okay."
"May I see them?"
"I don't know," the man hedged. "You're not who I was expecting."
His hesitancy convinced McCall that he wasn't the person who'd engineered the kidnapping, but some underling sent along to pick up Marcel. McCall had to persuade this man to let him see Yvette and Nick. If not, they would have to try and follow him... let him lead them to the man in charge.
"I must see Marcel's children or he won't come. He won't believe they're still alive."
"I'm tellin' ya, they are."
"I need proof."
Eddie was totally flustered. Kirk had told him to bring back Marcel; this man wasn't Phillipe Marcel. But Marcel might not come if he didn't take this McCall with him.
"Get into the car." Eddie gestured with the gun he'd pulled out of his jacket. "And don't try nothin'."
"I have no plans to try anything," McCall assured him and he got inside the vehicle. "I only want to see Marcel's children."
Yvette tensed as she heard the sound of the key scraping the lock. But instead of Kirk coming in, another person stumbled through the door as if pushed from behind. It slammed shut again.
"Yvette?"
She couldn't believe her eyes. It was her father. She gently shifted Nick's head from her lap onto the floor, then scrambled up happily to be enveloped in a fierce hug. "Dad!"
Even though they were in a precarious position at the moment, McCall couldn't deny the pleasure he felt at hearing that one word. "That's the first time you ever called me that."
Yvette smiled shyly. "I think the situation qualifies, don't you?"
"I think you're right." McCall hugged her tightly once more, then let her go and knelt by his nephew. He reached down to feel for a pulse. "What happened to Nicky?"
Yvette bent down next to him. "He was blind-sided after he found this place."
"How long has he been out?" Robert asked worriedly.
"Not the whole time," Yvette told him. "He's been in and out a lot."
"Probably a concussion," Robert concluded. "We need to get you two out of here." He looked at his daughter carefully. "He didn't hurt you, did he?"
"No, I'm fine... really." Yvette looked at McCall oddly. "You know he doesn't want you?"
"Yes, I found that out from one of your kidnappers."
"There are two of them?"
"Yes."
"I've only seen one, a big man with a gravelly voice."
"That's probably the leader. He didn't by any chance tell you his name, did he?"
Yvette shook her head. "All he ever said was that my father put him away over twenty years ago." She paused a moment and then asked hesitantly, "When do we go home?"
McCall reached a hand up to her cheek in a comforting gesture. "Soon, very soon." He turned his attention back to Nicky. "I told him I was here to check on you so I could report back to your father that you're all right."
"Is that what he thinks?"
McCall turned from examining his nephew to look at his daughter. "I had to tell him something, sweetheart. I assumed he wanted me. Truth is, he never asked for anyone by name in either ransom note, so..."
"...so with your history, you assumed he wanted you?"
"Didn't you?"
"Well... yes," Yvette ruefully admitted.
A groan from Nicky turned them both to young man. His eyes were open and he held his hand to his head.
"Easy, son," McCall advised as Nicky tried to sit up. "Nice to see you've decided to join us."
Nicky frowned in obvious confusion, as he let McCall help him up. "Uncle Robert, what..." He didn't finished his sentence. Instead, he grimaced. "Oh, my achin' head."
"Hurts, does it?" McCall asked with a sympathetic smile.
"Oooh, yeah," Nick concurred painfully. He tried to chuckle. "I've felt better than this after a night bar crawling."
"Do that often, do you?"
Nick glanced up quickly, but saw his uncle was tying to keep things light. He smiled wryly. "Not really, no, but it sure sounds like more fun than bein' here... except for the company, of course."
Yvette saw the sincerity in the look he gave her. It spoke louder than any of the banter going on. She smiled softly, knowing her father hadn't missed the exchange either.
Kirk was livid. "How could you be so stupid, Eddie? Bringing that guy here?"
"He said Marcel sent him. What was I supposed to do?"
"You moron, he's probably got a bug on him. Right now the cops are probably headed right to us.
"You're the one who involved the cops, Jus."
"Yeah, but if I'd got Marcel, I wouldn't have cared."
"So, what are ya gonna do?"
Kirk thought furiously, then made a decision. "I only need one kid. Get rid of the brother and the other guy. I'll take the girl with us. That was the original plan anyhow."
Rose sat with Peter in McCall's Jag. Scott was in the back. She'd insisted on coming along and both Robert and Peter knew there would be no way to dissuade her. So Peter had put her to work, letting her man communications and keep in contact with the various groups in position on the street. At the moment they were all stopped at an intersection without direction.
Stock had just reported he'd lost McCall's signal. Some type of interference was all he'd said. Peter grabbed the phone quickly and made a few heated remarks to his agent, then handed the instrument back to Rose.
"We won't have long to wait," he promised. "If Stock knows what's good for him," he finished in a lower tone of voice Rose wasn't sure if she was meant to hear.
Scott made a noise of impatience and finally took a good look at where they were. "Control, we're only a few blocks from Pete's?"
Control looked out the window. "You're right, Scott."
"That might explain how Nicky got caught."
Rose was only half listening to the men while she carried on a conversation with Stock. "Okay, thanks. Peter we've got Robert's trail again."
"Good," Control growled. "You can tell Stock his job is safe for tonight."
Nick and McCall had reached an impasse. "Look, Uncle Robert... I'll just slow you down. Take Yvette and get out of here when you get the chance."
McCall smiled at the noble gesture. "My boy, I would never be able to face your mother again if I left you behind. Besides, we'll be fine. Our people can't be far behind us."
Before he could continue, Kirk opened the door. He walked in, followed by Eddie brandishing a gun.
"Plans have changed." He indicated the two male hostages. "You're staying. The girl goes with me."
McCall had been prepared for something like this and edged away from Yvette and Nicky.
"Don't move, McCall, or I'll have Eddie shoot you right now."
Eddie shifted in front of Kirk, providing the opening McCall needed. They had checked him for weapons, but missed the small derringer in his sleeve holster. A movement of his arm and the gun dropped quickly into his hand. McCall palmed it, pulled it up and shot Eddie, all in one motion.
Kirk, seeing the tide turning against him and knowing brute strength was no match for a gun, bolted out the door.
McCall scooped up Bascom's gun. The man was now writhing on the floor in pain and could offer no resistance. Robert handed Eddie's weapon to his daughter. "You two watch him and wait for the authorities. I'm going after the other one."
"Be careful, Dad."
McCall turned and smiled briefly at his daughter, assuring himself that she and Nicky were going to be all right. Then he raced out the door into the main warehouse.
He knew his quarry would head in the opposite direction of where the police were likely to arrive. McCall picked the most logical course and went that way. He still had his weapon out as he cautiously dogged Kirk. He could hear the sounds of someone in the distance, not too far away. The noise guided him towards his prey. As he followed, he could now hear sirens. Control and the police were finally arriving. He'd expected them at least ten minutes ago and he wondered at the delay.
McCall halted abruptly as a figure appeared in front of him. He felt a sting as a knife stabbed into his gun hand, causing him to drop the derringer. Careless of him, he had been concentrating on the other noises and not the job at hand. Kirk lashed out with the knife, catching McCall off balance, but instincts were hard to deny. McCall automatically ducked, sending Kirk stumbling past him. It only took two rapid jabs to Kirk's side as he turned, to bring the man to his knees. A quick chop to the neck and he was down, the blade clattering as it hit the floor. McCall quickly recovered his gun and pointed it at the ex-con. Control jogged up just then with reinforcement.
"Robert, you okay?" Control looked closer and noticed the blood on the arm of McCall's jacket. "Maybe you should have Rose look at that."
With the danger past, McCall relaxed and gave his friend a hard look. "I'm fine, Control. Where have you been?"
"Well, I'll tell you, old son. There was this problem we ran into..."
"There always is with you," McCall reminded as they headed back to join the others.
They found Rose arguing with Nick about his injuries. Yvette, Scott and Alice Shepherd looked on in varying degrees of concern and amusement.
"I'm okay, Mom. It's just a bump on the head."
"You were unconscious for quite a while," Yvette reminded him.
"Nicky, dear... it may be more serious than it looks. I just want to have you checked out."
"I would listen to your mother, my boy," McCall advised as he and Control joined the little group. "Best not to argue with a doctor."
"Thank you, Robert." Rose smiled sweetly. "I'm sure you'll be just as conciliatory when I take you with us to dress your wound." Rose pointed to McCall's arm.
"Dad!"
"Are you all right?" Yvette asked.
"It's just a scratch, really."
"I'll be the judge of that," Rose told him firmly.
"I'll drive you guys to the hospital," Scott volunteered.
"We'll all go," Control added. "I'm sure Sergeant Shepherd doesn't need us anymore tonight."
"No, I don't think so."
"Thank you for all your help, Alice." McCall saluted before he went out the door.
They were gathered at Pete's Place for their postponed dinner. All the original participants were present, as well as Rose. Control had arrived a little late, slipping back into his old patterns.
"So, Kirk was unaware Phillipe had died over four years ago?" Rose asked Peter.
Control nodded. He looked over at Yvette. "He was able to trace you, honey, and assumed your stepfather had retired here in the States."
"Why?"
"Probably because you were coming regularly to visit your father," McCall conjectured. "Just not the same one."
"That's my guess," Control confirmed.
"Well, it's over and done with now, let's put it behind us," Scott suggested.
"All of it," Rose added, shooting a meaningful glance at Robert sitting next to her.
"How 'bout a toast?" Nick proposed, as Jeremy brought champagne and glasses."
"Champagne? Where did you get the big bucks, Cousin?"
"Oh, I have rich relatives," Nick shot back with a grin.
He opened the bottle and began pouring the drinks.
Yvette looked around the table joyously. Her father was across from her sitting next to Rose. They were talking quietly... almost intimately, Yvette thought. Control, on the other side of Rose, was at the moment watching the antics of the two young men. Yvette was seated between Nick and Scott.
She felt content. It was going to be nice to live close to her father and brother. She glanced to her right. Scott was trying to help Nick with the drinks, but was being more a hindrance than a help. She smiled as she watched Nick laughing. She knew she wanted to get to know him even better, but she also needed time to finish school.
Yvette felt eyes on her and turned to see Scott watching her with an amused expression. He and Nick had finished pouring the drinks and he was trying to hand her a glass.
"Glad you came to New York?" he asked, his eyes twinkling.
"Oh, yes. Thanks for convincing me."
"My pleasure, Sis."
Yvette looked around the table again, basking in the warm glow of her family. "If Nick doesn't mind, I'd like to propose the first toast."
"Go for it," Nick beamed.
Yvette raised her glass. "A toast... to us... to all of us together."
EPILOGUE
Bel Air, September 1997
McCall had eagerly agreed to babysit for his grandson, Cassidy while Yvette and Nick attended a party. Cassidy was playing in the middle of the living room floor, his toys happily scattered around him. Cass had golden hair and blue eyes like his mother; only his nose seemed to stamp him with his father's genes. Ah, that Michaels nose always seemed to be dominant. He was a very sunny child, another trait inherited from his father.
McCall watched as the boy struggled to walk over to the couch where he was sitting. That feat accomplished, the child stood close to his grandfather's knees. Cass spread his hands, asking to be picked up. McCall did so and sat him on his lap, noticing his grandson was clutching something in his left hand.
"What have you got there, my boy?"
Cass smiled and held open his hand to his grandfather to show him his prize. McCall recognized the gold stem watch immediately.
"Ah, Daddy's watch." He put out his own hand and Cass dropped the object in his outstretched palm. "I think, old son, you need to wait a few years before you can claim this."
"Claim what?"
McCall looked up at the sound of the feminine voice. "Rose. I wondered when you'd get here."
"Sorry, I'm late. Got held up."
"A doctor's work is never done." McCall smiled lovingly at her. "But we're glad you're here. Aren't we, Cass?"
Cass noticed his grandmother had come and held out his arms for her. Rose joined the two on the couch. "Hi, sweetie." Cass crawled over into her lap. "You didn't answer my question, Robert."
"I was just telling our grandson here that he would have to wait a while before he can claim this." McCall held out the watch he'd taken from the toddler.
Looking down at her grandson, Rose assured him, "Don't worry, Cassidy, my boy. If you're anything like your parents, you won't have any problem claiming your great-grandfather's watch. Don't you think so, Robert?"
"No, no problem at all."