Book V - Chapter II - Christian and Anastasia FanFiction

CHAPTER II

IRREPRABLY BROKEN

Invincibility lies in the defense; the possibility of victory in the Attack.

Sun Tzu

He gets that ominous feeling that something is going to go terribly wrong.

“Anthony!”

“Sir?”

“There’s something fucked up with this picture, with this hospital…”

“Why would you say that Mr. Pella?”

“They have a VIP wing here, don’t they? They possibly have procedures in a hospital this size for a Grey-scale man. Welch told me that they made the agreement with the hospital for proper accommodations a month ago. Why would the said hospital send a two-bit man like Bradley Williams to talk to Grey? Second richest man - and that’s only by the virtue that Gates is only the wealthiest man in the world – chooses your hospital to have his child which in itself is a priceless promotion for the said hospital decide that it’s to their best interest to have his security detail reduced?”

“Welch’s been told that there has been a larger number maternity patients are admitted today.”

“No, that’s not it and Welch is not a man who accepts every explanation at face value and neither should he care that they’re at capacity. Welch’s primary job, his only job is to look after the Greys’ safety at all cost. He knows that every hospital has a capacity. If they’re at capacity, they send the patients to nearby hospitals. This smells shit to high heaven. I’m gonna check with the maternity desk to get a progress report. Meanwhile, I want you to confer with Taylor. I can't reach him through his earpiece.”

“I’m on it!” responds Anthony Decimus. As he reaches the door, he stops getting his phone out to check an incoming alert. He peruses the content for ten seconds and turns back.

“Sir, the information you’ve requested on the man who picked a fight with Sawyer at the entrance to the maternity ward is back.”

Alex extends his hand wordlessly. Within thirty seconds, he has gathers the information he needs from the report.

“Anger management issues, large debt courtesy of a big home and two sets of student loans, a job that hasn’t seen a raise for the last four years and one income down with his wife taking an unpaid yearlong leave…”

“What’s that mean?”

“Only circumstantial of course but it’s an incentive to create a scene to find a cause to sue someone like Grey or the hospital. I don’t think anyone has missed the hoard of paparazzi outside, not to mention those who had inside connections. Some of them even tried to bribe some new fathers or close family members of other new parents to take a picture of the Baby Grey at the nursery if they could. Citoli and Sawyer had effectively nipped those efforts in the bud. That means, it’s very plausible for him to make a public spectacle to better his chances to make a few bucks at the court. He’s already called Channel 3 and 12. They’ve interviewed the ‘aggrieving parents’,” he says the words like an expletive.

“Sawyer didn’t create the altercation. The hospital’s own security had roughed him and gave him a hard time.”

“Hospital security is trained to handle minor security issues. This should have been a non-issue.” Alex’s gaze is fixed on Anthony, but his mind is constructing the scenario a hundred miles a minute.

“Here’s a man who sees an opportunity to make some fast bucks coupled with $31,000 a year hospital securities to receive a few thousand bucks to help create a scene for a story. That may be why the expecting father created an altercation with Sawyer. It only caused hospital to fear a lawsuit given Grey’s profile and our large presence… With an unidentified enemy, we can’t take the chance. If there are this many coincidences, it’s not a coincidence. It’s a diversion tactic. Diversion from a real incident that hasn’t occurred yet,” Alex pauses a moment. Then having reached a conclusion he continues. “No one is off limits. We need to find the connection and the actual event that these different diversions are created for, immediately. I want you to do be done within ten minutes, and come to the nurse’s station at the maternity. I will draw the security, and you will take over. It’s time to do some search and seizure.” Anthony smiles knowingly.

“It’d be my pleasure, sir.”

*****  ❦   ♡   ❧  *****

Eighteenth hour at the hospital’s maternity wing with no rest and virtually no breaks approach for the security detail. Alex rotates them periodically, but the attention to detail has a way of drastically dropping even for these military seasoned men. Mrs. Grey had been in the OR for over thirty minutes, no information came out about Mrs. Grey or the baby’s well-being from any of the medical staff or even Miss Tiber who was asked to leave the OR due to overwhelming number of medical staff filling the room. Alex approaches the nurse’s station in the maternity wing to the overly made up nurse manning the station with her red hair glowing brighter than the Chinese flag with her name tag that reads, Nancy. She’s going over something on her computer and entering information.

“Good evening Nancy,” Pella speaks in a low but unmistakably commanding voice which calls her to attention and demands a response. Being on her last hour of a long shift of a particularly tiring and an unusually busy day, especially after having dealt with a demanding VIP patient with a herd of bodyguards swarming the hospital, she's unwilling to deal with whoever it is standing before her desk. A demanding hot as hell VIP patient... The whisper among the maternity nurses was: ‘even the bodyguards are so fucking hot but their boss Welch is like an ornery bull with a stick in his ass. Avoid him!’ With that thought, she is about to snap at the person even if he sounded like a sexy modern day Cary Grant of her favorite classic movies. She lifts her head up to let him know just how a good evening it had been, but no words come out of her newly painted matte red lips except for a simpleton sound of “huh?”

The man standing before her station is impeccably dressed with not a single stitch out of order, a well chiseled face with a day old stubble, so handsome it would make Michelangelo weep, and looking at her with enough assurance as if he owns the whole damn place. They say that the clothes make the man, but in his case, - and she does look at him from the lush waves of the dark blonde hair on his head to the toes of the expensive shoes on his feet, as much as she can conceal her perusing - this man made the clothes and the expensive packaging still didn’t do him enough justice. He looks at her with a formidable stare.

“I need to get an update on a patient here. I’m currently in charge of all the security for Christian Grey. I’m supposed to be updated on the condition of Mrs. Grey.”

“On Mrs. Who?” she asks still trying to gather her wits about.

“Mrs. Anastasia Grey,” he enunciates each word.

“Mrs. Grey? Oh… and you are?” They said the head of the security looked like an ornery bull. If this is the bull they are talking about, she is ready to ride him. 

“You have all the information you need in your system. I’m Alex Pella,” he says pulling out his ID he had temporarily issued by the GEH. “I need the update on Mrs. Grey right now,” he repeats his order in even a more demanding tone. She taps on some keys on her computer trying to locate some information. Unable to find what she’s looking for, she taps some more wordlessly.

“Uhm…”

“Well?” the god in a suit asks.

“I’m not finding your information here. What did you say your name was?”

“Alex Pella,” he responds hiding the ringing alarm bells in his head like an annoying alarm clock. For his name to disappear from the list requires access to the security computers. As high as hospital administrators who make a lot of money, or someone who has access to the security computers down in the first floor who makes twice the amount of minimum wage.

“Hmmmm… Nope, you’re not here. I can’t provide information for everyone that works in Mr. Grey’s company, even at a security capacity. We can only provide information to the immediate family or those who are authorized, and since you are neither, I can’t give you any information.” 

This was bad. And Alex needs to find out just how bad the situation is. First, the security was barred from being in the vicinity of the maternity ward. He made sure that Melissa made it inside at all cost. Without her, he wouldn’t know that Mrs. Grey was moved to an emergency C-section. But that was the end of the communication because when things went south, only the emergency personnel was allowed in the room and all non-essential personnel were kicked out of the vicinity of the clean room environment. He held his breath inwardly and posed the next name he had in mind.

“Try the name Jason Taylor.” If Taylor’s name is eliminated as well, this is worse than expected.

“But you just said you’re Alex Pella.”

“Jason Taylor is Mr. Grey’s personal bodyguard who is currently under my command,” he replies growing impatient. “The service this hospital provided to a VIP patient not to mention a major benefactor is beyond appalling. By the way, if you had only checked in with the previous nurse, you would have known that I am the main security detail for the Grey family at this time. The mere fact that my name has disappeared tells me that that both you and your hospital are unable, incapable and unwilling to provide the help your hospital has agreed to provide in advance.”

This is the hour before she goes home. If he’s really one of the rumored throw-your-panties-at-him bodyguards of the Greys, she can really be in trouble. But, they have had numerous paparazzi pretending to be some sort of relative, close acquaintance, employee, and bodyguard all day to get the first million dollar baby shot or moments before and after the birth shot. They’ve been trying to talk to the doctors, nurses, orderlies, anyone who has access to the maternity ward outside of the hospital, in the parking lot, or even in the bathroom. Of course none has made to the maternity room desk just yet. She can get in serious trouble if she provides the information to the wrong person. The dean of the hospital himself showed up after Mrs. Grey has been admitted to the maternity and gave them strict instructions as to absolutely no personal electronics of any kind, no picture taking for a tabloid or a gossip magazine or providing any information. The doctors and nurses and the other hospital staff she worked with were all decent people, but there isn’t a single person she knows who couldn’t use an extra hundred thousand dollars for a baby shot and quarter of a million dollars if they could get the entire family clearly, especially several of the images of Mrs. Grey in distress.

She glances at the patient information: Anastasia R. Steele has been taken into an emergency C-section after nearly 17 hours 43 minutes of labor. Most of the labor has been endured without any pain relief. A very long and painful labor, indeed. It appears that the baby nearly died in distress of labor; in fact he wasn’t even breathing for a while after the delivery. She peruses the lengthy information, and her breath gets caught with the acronym NICU. Alex misses nothing in her expressions. His mind runs in ten different directions with different scenarios of emergencies and a course of action for each. His men are on the floor and have already apprehended several paparazzi including the one who has given that seemingly inconspicuous pen to Nancy. That’s why he chose her as a source of information. She would be made to see reason.

The nurse’s mind however runs with an entirely different purpose. It was sad of course to take a picture in the hour of someone’s distress, but it’s just a picture! Especially at this very crucial point... She imagines the distress the parents went through. She almost feels ashamed of herself but thinking of her four years old son who spent most his day with a babysitter away from his mom, she is resolved. What harm would it do? These famous people get those celebrity pictures all the time. Some of them sold their baby pictures to the magazines on their own, making millions. Here she was, working twelve hour shifts, too tired to play with her little boy when she went home. She could really use that money. She was whispered that the magic number was five. Five clear shots. If the nurses did their jobs right, what would they get from the Greys? Maybe five hundred dollars for each nurse on duty during delivery and aftercare bonus from the family, if anything at all. Where else would anyone get such a chance to make that hundred grand? To top that, only certain pre-approved nurses were to be called and worked with the patient. But things must have gotten out of hand, because all off duty nurses for maternity as well as pediatrics were called in and many were still with the mom and the baby. If they’re called in like this, then the emergency must have been bigger than the unupdated medical information stated on the computer. Over 50 nurses! Seeing the number, she can’t unsee it again. Blood drains from Nancy’s face. She doesn’t have to say anything for Alex to know something is up.

“Nancy, what have you discovered?”

“I can’t share that information with you because I don’t see your name in the list, neither the other name you have mentioned. Jason Taylor. Look, sir, I can lose my job over this, I’m sorry. I can’t give you any information until you prove that you are in some sort of an approved list.” She shakes her head vehemently. He hasn’t offered her any money for a picture like the guy before him. Even gave her a pen size camera to be in the vicinity of the parents to be and the baby. She told him, that they had cameras all over the maternity ward and if they were to check the video feed and linked him to her, she’d lose her job.

“This is why I’m meeting you in the bathroom. You don’t tape people peeing or defecating, do you?” he asked.

“No, but they have cameras outside!” she retorted in a hushed voice. But he placed the camera pen right under the name tag that was hanging on her collar next to her other pens.

“If you decide to return it with clear footage, you can make up to a hundred grand! The clearer the images with emotion the better,” What’s a baby picture? She thought to herself. Just a picture… Hell, she’d pose naked if they’d paid that kind of money. The camera has been burning a hole in her pocket and she had just an hour to go. And here was another guy seeking information on the Greys.  Why wasn’t he offering her any money? He couldn’t have been head of his security, could he? They said it was a man named Welch. He’d seen the men roaming around, military cut, Rambo-like but this one is too handsome, too smart, too expensively packaged to be just a bodyguard.

“Nancy, call and confirm with the security,” he presses her. Nancy answers a call that comes in. She holds her finger up. Alex had just about all he can handle. He jumps over the counter, and pushes the nurse aside amid Nancy’s protests.

Warriors - Imagine Dragons

“Hey! I will call the security!” she bellowed.

“About time!” Alex responds as he taps the keyboard bringing Mrs. Grey’s name up. “Have them escort you out for incompetence, and don’t think that I have not noticed the pen camera,” he says turning to a puce faced Nancy.

“You have endangered my client, not to mention possibly committed a crime by taking pictures of private images of a woman having birth without her consent. Don’t assume that this will go unpunished,” he says with an unforgiving gaze. Nancy holds the phone to her ear with her mouth agape, unable to utter a single word.

Alex reaches out, and closed the gaping mouth with his finger tip by lifting her chin up. Nancy swallows.

“Now, tell me, why isn’t this information updated?”

“Oh, please tell me you really are the security guy for the Greys! Otherwise, I’m totally fired!”

“Your job hangs in balance as it is!” Alex says. “At this moment, all I care is the well-being of the Mr. and Mrs. Grey and the Baby Grey. The information had been updated two hours ago and nothing since. No information whether the patient had been moved to her room, or where the baby is.”

“I know, I noticed. It’s odd. I hope there is nothing wrong with the baby or the mom. I can tell you that it was a difficult birth. Don’t print in whatever magazine you’re selling this to that I said that.”

“For the last time, I’m not a reporter!” Realization finally dawns on Nancy and she gets the Oh-Shit! Face.

“Please hold,” she says barely audibly into the phone and just hangs up on whoever is on the other line without even realizing it.

“Then you wouldn’t mind if I had the security come and talk to you.” She changes the lines and dials the security. It's about time! Anthony is already at the corner.

*****  ❦   ♡   ❧  *****

Alex slips into the security office vacated by the security officers who are now dealing with Anthony. He quickly sits in the seat and checks all the monitors. Then rewinds the tapes to the last time he knew his name was on the approved list. He quickly runs over the schedule, trash, and deleted memory. Notes the times and the identification of the individual who had deleted his and Taylor’s name. As he’s recording the information and the video feed into a thumb drive, his peripheral vision captures something on the monitor at the NICU. There is a woman who is holding her head down, and what appears to be a male nurse pushing her out the door in a wheel chair. There’s a baby carriage on her lap, and both individuals appear to be avoiding overhead cameras. Alex jumps up immediately pulling the thumb drive out and rushes out the door. He’s already memorized the hospital map as did the rest of the security details. He starts alerting everyone on his run to the NICU.

“Anthony, leave the fucking security! Baby Grey is being kidnapped! NICU! ASAP!”

“What the fuck?” Anthony’s loud epithet echoes around the earpieces.

Alex runs with inhuman speed to get to NICU to intercept their descent to the exit. But there is more than one exit. He needs to his helicopter pilot on the standby to get ready to take off. But there's more than one fucking emergency at hand.

“Have them send some medical help here! The nurses are drugged!” Alex shouts into his mic. “The fucker’s gone! Why is Taylor not hearing me? Anthony, meet me up front with a vehicle ASAP!” He then takes out his cell phone and presses two numbers while his mic broadcasting his call to the other security detail.

“Mark! Get ready to take off and give me eyes in the sky! Look for a vehicle with a white male nurse, around 6’2” loading a woman with a baby carriage! Possibly the Grey baby!” He doesn’t stop running until he reaches outside where he sees the silver SUV speeding off with burnt skid marks on the hospital driveway. Sawyer and Melissa are already speeding off after the SUV while Anthony screeches to a slow roll in a Conquest Knight XV right before Alex. He jumps into the SUV before Anthony comes to a full stop and they take off.

He dials another number on his speed dial. Without waiting for the person’s greeting, he shoots rapid fire instructions.

“Welch! Baby Grey is kidnapped! We’re in pursuit of the kidnapper. Got eyes in the sky. Wherever the hell you are get your ass to the hospital security office. I’ve copied the video feeds, but…”

“Back up! What?”

“The newborn baby of Christian Grey has just been kidnapped!” he says enunciating.

“How the fuck did that happen? We had fifteen security personnel on the hospital ground!”

“Effective security elimination from the hospital; mainly from the maternity wing and the NICU. Two locations where we should have been and where we have been removed! Whys and hows don’t matter at this point until after we get the baby back safely!”

“Shit! Shit! Fuck the kidnappers both to hell!”

“Listen clearly: Taylor’s earpiece must not be working. He hasn’t responded to anything for the last hour. I’m calling him on the phone to get Grey! We need to get the fucking hospital that has accommodated the kidnapper more than they did the Grey security personnel involved with their full cooperation! This is the most crucial hour. Have Taylor follow my GPS tracker with Grey behind me now! I’ll direct them to the security office. Have them get Grey’s SUV ready now!”

The Chase

*****  ❦   ♡   ❧  *****

A man must do what he can to brace against the shit of a simple day. Death comes to us all. Press me again, and you will find yours.

Spartacus

“Mr. Grey!” urges the hospital dean.

“We are going to get the police involved. Since it just happened on our premises, it is our duty to help unite the baby with his mother as fast as possible,” he says in a condescending tone. I stop in my tracks and as I turn around to look at him, I catch Taylor’s look. He looks like he just met me, gazing at me as if someone else is looking out of my eyes. I must look like mad man. I feel helpless, restless, murderous and unforgiving.

Unforgiven - Metallica

“You might want to shut the fuck up, right about now!” Taylor warns him sensing the escalating rage in me, he's barely controlling his own anger. As I turn to run again ready to ignore his declaration, the hospital size administrator opens his big mouth.

“This is why we had to eliminate the security detail from the maternity and infant floor. Had your men been a little more courteous… You were scaring the patient relatives and the personnel. What are you going to do, hit me?” he says goading Jason. Dumb fuck!

“No, I will!” I say when my fist connects with his chin. “No police involvement right now! If you want to create a media circus benefiting your hospital with the hordes of paparazzi, people trying to make a fast buck with false sightings, it’s going to be your fucking funeral! Because I promise, I will bury you and your hospital so deep in lawsuits; your children’s children will still be paying the debt!”

“I warned you,” Taylor says softly.

“We’d be liable, it’s our legal responsibility, Mr. Grey!” he says behind us as we pick up the pace and run again. 

Welch is in the security office.

“Pella and Anthony, Sawyer and Tiber, and Citoli and Ryan are all in pursuit with eyes in the sky. And Taylor, what’s up with your earpiece? No one was able to reach you through it...”

“Where the fuck is my baby?” I shout cutting him off, fury can’t begin the express what I feel.

“We’ll discuss it on the way, sir. Every clue points to the perp from New York.” Taylor gets his ear peace out, checks it on the way to the exit, when he sees it’s not functioning, shoves it into his pocket furiously, “fuck! It’s been blocked! Not even static anymore!” he mutters under his breath. There are a million things whizzing through my head. How did this happen? I had an army in this hospital. How the fuck did this happen? One fucking man! How did one fucking man outsmart my entire team of security and took my baby?

“Shit! Who is watching Ana’s room?”

“I had six men sent to her door. Mrs. Adams arrived in the GEH jet about an hour ago. She is being taken to the hospital and will watch Mrs. Grey, sir.”

“No word of this to anyone!”

“Yes, sir! Your lawyers are on their way to take over the situation with the hospital administration.”

Taylor opens the door to my SUV and closes it behind. Welch slips next to him, and hands him something.

“This one works,” I hear him say. The ear piece.

“Sync it with the blue tooth!” I command. It takes one button and Pella’s voice echoes around the SUV.

“The silver SUV is driving into a parking structure! The license plate is fake. We will arrive at the scene in two minutes.” Two longest minutes of my life... The very short life of my baby depends on those few minutes! The thought that my son’s life, what my wife nearly died for could be taken away so easily is worse than a thousand deaths. Most people don’t even find one great love in their lives. Today, after meeting my newborn son, I realized I found two. I love them so much! So incredibly much! The fear of being a father looks so fucking petty and at this moment, it's as if I’d been a dad all my life, I’m in the protector mode. I want to hold my son and never let him go. Kiss him over and over again. He needs me! He needs his daddy to protect him and I’m not there to do it! How fast can I fuck this fatherhood up? Is hope an illusion? Is it too much to hope to love someone so profoundly and sustain the happiness found with that person? Will someone always come to rip it away from me? I clear my mind of all the sentiments. I have only one thing in mind right now: getting my son back alive. Then, each and every involved party will severely pay for this.

“Pella! Two minutes’ up! What is the fucking update?” I ask with a herculean control. By the time this is over, the fucker who kidnapped my baby will wish that he would rather attack the Prince of Hell.

Unleash Hell

“Son of a fucking bitch!” the voice is distinctly Pella’s. My heart is at my throat.

“Single gunshots to the head! Both the kidnappers are dead! Pursue a black Hennessey Venom GT with a California license plate number 3LIK278!”

“Blocking the exit!” I hear Ryan. “Ready to shoot!”

“Are you fucking crazy? He’s got my baby!” I shout.

“Mr. Grey, if we miss this chance, then it will be a high speed chase on the streets, and the chances of danger for the baby is exponentially greater!”

I can’t fucking sit in my seat when my baby is in the hands of a maniac!

“Taylor! What’s our ETA?”

“It’s no more than three minutes sir!” he says as he floors the SUV.

“Got your weapon?” I ask. Both Welch and Taylor give me a momentary shocked glance.

“Absolutely!”

“Melissa, Sawyer! Take the second parameter. Assume that the perp is prepared! We do not fire into the vehicle! Repeat! No one fires into the vehicle! Aim the tires. Incapacitate only! We don’t want a deadly crash!” Pella’s voice is methodical and in command mode. Then unexpectedly, Pella switches into a different language that sounds like a very old dialect giving commands.

“What the fuck are you saying?” I shout. The only word I catch in it is “praetorian”. I must have misunderstood him with all the anxiety I’m experiencing. Pella doesn’t respond.

After huffing a thoughtful ‘humph…” Welch turns the mic off and turns to me.

“Mr. Grey, I think Pella is suspecting that the perp may have intercepted our frequency. Considering Taylor’s mic wasn’t working, we have to take in the possibility that the perp may have already cut into our line. If he realized there’s interception, he needs to give the commands without the perp understanding it.”

“Abso-fucking-lutely great!” I need to punch something. “Taylor, where is the second parameter?”

"Within 20 to 30 yards since this is a pursuit," he responds.

“Get us to the second parameter!” I bellow. “Melissa speaks his language and possibly his other men as well. He ordered them something. It puts the rest of us in disadvantage!”

Taylor’s phone rings just as we approach the parking structure.

“Sawyer!” Taylor shouts.

“We need you to hold the southern edge of the second parameter. It’s a one way street. We need to prevent him going further in the street. We’re creating a formation. The perp wants to draw Mr. Grey out. That’s his sole purpose.”

Taylor veers to left to the southern side of the street.

“Authorities are already informed. By the perp himself!” Sawyer continues. “They’re rushing to the scene at the parking structure. Their involvement prevents us doing our job, gives him the time he needs because the authorities will try to prevent us doing the chase. Pella has a plan! South end of the road! The perp is going to be boxed in.”

Distant vail of the sirens are approaching rapidly, contributing to the speed of my heart. Taylor pulls to the side of the road.

“Ryan shot both the rear tires!” Sawyer shouts, his voice echoes around the speakers. “The GT is holding on its own. The bastard's got the RFT tires! The GT's speed has been decreased but he’s still on the move and get ready to intersect with him head on!”

This is the moment of impact. “God, please!” I whisper. It’s my baby in there!

“Head on will stop him but provide the least amount of injury to the passengers,” Taylor says softly. I hear the screeches before I see the car. The is a light flow of traffic already and we are supposed to cut this and cause for a head on collision with a vehicle that’s carrying my newborn son! The street is only two lanes, and both lanes are heading south. Taylor seems to be counting down to something inaudibly. When I can see the shape of his lips recount “four…” he moves the SUV out into the street. “Three… two… one!”

The moment of impact is loud even though my SUV is equipped to handle a small rocket attack. It’s armored. I can’t say the same thing for the other vehicle. The nose of the vehicle is smashed with the impact, I can see the smashed in angle of the driver side of the vehicle. But, considering the crash, the vehicle is pretty much intact. Air curtains are covering the side and back windows. Two other monstrous SUVs box him in on the sides. The traffic comes to a halt. By some miracle, no other vehicle is involved in our crash. Not only can I hear the sirens, but now I can see them. Sawyer, Pella and Anthony exit vehicles with weapons drawn. I jump out.

“Damn it!” I hear Taylor closely behind me.

“Move your vehicles. Otherwise this baby will not see the second day of his life!” shouts someone with his window cracked open just enough to let his voice heard loud and clear.

“Take me!” I shout, heading towards him. “Leave the baby, and take me instead.”

“Oh, tempting…tempting...” he says sarcastically. “But, the baby has more pain value…and you will follow him,” his words, combined with feared cries of my son drives the rusty knife into my heart deeper.

“How long do you think he can handle hunger and thirst? If you want this game over, right here, right now, the first casualty WILL be your infant son! Otherwise, move the fucking vehicles! I will reach out to…” he doesn’t finish his words. A single gunshot echoes all around and the cries of my baby is louder than ever. I fall on my knees. Did he shoot my child?

I hear the door open to one of the SUVs blocking the sports car. Then shouts. Taylor and Welch both run.

“Yeah, fucker! Threaten under my watch again!” shouts a female voice. The slumped body of a man falls to the ground. His mouth agape, his eyes are wide open and a giant dart sticking out of his neck. Melissa reaches in the vehicle unbuckling my son out of his down-turned car seat carriage and protectively holding him in her arms.

“I’d have killed the fucker. What’s one less murderer to me? But, Mr. Pella insisted that we have to capture him alive for interrogation,” she says kicking the man in the family jewels. She answers the question written all over my shocked, deranged, maddened face.

“Oh, he’ll feel it, just can’t do anything about it because I cut his mobility. Those darts are used for lions by the rangers in Africa. I just added adrenaline to keep him alert. I really want to give him a lesson in kidnapping helpless babies!” she says as she kicks him again and again.

I grab the miserable creature off the asphalt, and yank the dart off his neck forcefully drawing blood. I look at this animal within my grasp, and ingrain his face and features to my memory. Then madness takes over me and I start punching him ceaselessly. Police move around shouting in loudspeakers, with lights flashing in the background.

“He doesn’t get to go to jail! He dies here! Now! He stole my baby to kill him!”

Pella and Taylor pulls me.

“Can’t kill him yet!” whispers Pella. “We need the puppet master! Until then, he lives!” I look at him incredulous. Does he actually think that the cops are going to interrogate him properly, not get worried about his civil rights while he gave none of that consideration to my baby just to punish me?  Alex knows the look.

“I’ll do it myself! Cops can’t get anything out of him. We know he won’t talk. This man is a seasoned spy. They’re trained to endure torture and that's something he'll get none from the cops. This may not be the end of his game. We need the puppet master!”

“They’ll take him where we can’t to him!”

“I can get anywhere, remember?” he whispers raising his eyebrows significantly, possibly referring to his kidnapping of another spy from deep in Siberia. I shake my arms off from both Taylor and Pella. I go to Melissa and extend my arms for my crying baby and wrap my arms around him protectively. I kiss his little cheeks and whisper to his ear.

“Daddy’s here, baby. Daddy’s here. I’ll protect you.” Teddy clutches my little index finger and start sucking it. For the first time since child was taken, I manage to take a look around. There are police cars surrounding, with roads blocked. People with their cellular phones pointed in our direction trying to capture the scene. Couple of non-uniformed officers coming in my direction with what appears to be cuffs in their hands.

“Mr. Grey,” says the tall, middle aged detective. The security detail creates an impenetrable perimeter around me.

“I’m sorry that you’ve experienced this terrible kidnapping, sir. But we do have to take suspect into custody. Order your men to stand down. That way, we can get the suspect some medical help; however none he deserves it, then question him and put him before the law to answer for his crimes.”

Another voice from a different direction interrupts.

“That won’t be necessary Detective Brunnen. We’ve got it from here. He falls under federal jurisdiction. We will take him into our custody,” the tall guy in a dark suit with dark shades with a deep gash on his left cheek says flashing his identification.

“I received no orders for federal involvement. This is the city’s jurisdiction. Who might you be?” Brunnen responds frowning. 

“Call your supervisor, and he will verify. Your hands are tied.”

I see Pella making a slight gesture with his eyes, and Anthony disappears.

“Is this when the kidnapper disappears with no hide or hair never to be seen again by any of the authorities that we can actually count on, leaving the family without answers? What federal agency are you serving? I know quite a few of them, and you’ve mentioned none that is known.” Pella rapid fires.

“We’re not discussing this with the family lawyers. We know Mr. Grey is high profile. I’m sorry for the inconvenience, but we must insist on your cooperation.”

“Uhm, no!” says Pella, leaving the police officer’s jaw agape. “I think we’ll stand our ground.”

“Stand your ground... against federal officers? Are you trying to obstruct justice? Did you perceive a threat from us?”

“Indeed, we did. You are protecting someone who has threatened the life and limb of a newborn baby. We have multiple witnesses that the perp had every intention of killing the child to inflict pain on the father and the mother. Should this man is not delivered to the proper authorities, i.e., not you; there is a greater chance that he will find his way to finish his mission. I think we both know what he is, what he does.”

“What are you gonna do?” he says leaning in, his voice is threatening.

“Look around you... Within minutes, multiple witnesses will upload this encounter to YouTube, not to mention the overhead news helicopters are already broadcasting this standoff live. You have no idea what doors the second richest man in the state can open! Of course, my vehicles record everything. I will have no compunctions at all to leak all that information to the news media!”

“Your wealth Mr. Grey cannot match the power and prowess of the United States Federal government,” the man who hasn’t said his name.

“Do you mean to tell me that the United States Federal government ordered the kidnapping of my newborn child?” I shout.

“Nooo! Of course not!” he says. “This man is an asset!” he whispers pointing to the floor where the perp is lying. Was lying.

“Fucking bastard is gone!” he shouts.

The two detectives, two supposed federal officers, and I all look dumbfounded. Pella looks relieved for a fraction of a second. If I didn’t know how to read people’s micro expressions, I’d be losing my shit right now.

“Should we thank you for giving the fucking asset a chance to escape?” Pella shouts. The man slams his hand angrily on the hood of Pella’s SUV. Pella leans in.

“You’re not a good handler, are you? Got him off the leash and now trying to cover your own ass... If this fucker doesn’t turn up, my foot will be so far up in your ass, you’re going to be shitting leather for two months!” Then he raises his voice.

“Detective Brunnen, why don’t you help our federal friends be our guests for a little while? I’ll have their ride come and pick them up.” 

Brunnen looks a little confused, but after gaining his faculties again, he starts shooting orders and nodding at his partner, he turns around. “We absolutely looove cooperating with the federal officials. Why don’t we have seat gentlemen?” he says with a grin. I’m absently rocking my son in my arm. Melissa appears beside me with a small bottle in her hand.

“There’s a pharmacy at the corner,” she says as an explanation as she hands me the bottle. Anthony is still nowhere to be seen. Radios are buzzing, lights are flashing, and people are talking over each other. An unmarked vehicle approaches the police barricade and after flashing their ID cards, they pass through. They only glance at Pella briefly, and escort their two friends out wordlessly. I look at Pella, questioning. He gives me a look that says all is well.

“Mr. Grey?” the second detective calls to me. “We know that you had a rough day. Is there any way that you can come down to the station and give a statement? We’re still looking for the disappeared perp. We are going to assign you some police presence for protection.”

“I don’t need it. I have my own," I say looking around. "As for the statement, it won’t happen today. I’m taking my son to my wife. My lawyers will contact you with the time and place for the statement,” I say, then turn to Taylor.

"Let's go!"

“Yes, sir,” he says. “Looks at Sawyer and Melissa and they already turn towards the other SUV. I turn to Pella. No words are said but there is question, anger, gratitude, and still the unfinished business of the perp.

“Tomorrow.” I say, and he understands.

*****  ❦   ♡   ❧  *****

“Hi baby!” I whisper to my groggy wife. Her mom Carla rises from the sofa at the back of the room as she wipes the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand.

“Hi Christian! I’m so tired."

“I know baby. You were magnificent! You worked so hard,” I lean in closer. When Carla comes to her bed, Ana blinks twice. A big smile spreads through her lips.

“Mom!” she murmurs. “You came…”

“Of course I did darling! He’s my first grandchild and so beautiful! Where else would I be?” she says softly.

“Where is my baby?” Ana asks. My heart twists in my chest. What if I was unable to answer that question? I hold Teddy up from his, now tired slumber as he yawns.  I bring him to her chest and put him there wrapping my wife’s arms around him.

“Oh! He’s so gorgeous! That’s my son!” she says proudly.

“Our son,” I correct her. The smile she gives back to me is priceless.

“Our son,” she acquiesces.

“Can’t wait to show you your room Teddy and read to you.”

“I already read him his favorite book,” I say proudly.

“Goodnight Moon?” she asks.

“Yes, Goodnight Moon.”

There’s a knock at the door. It’s Dr. Greene.

“Hi Ana! Nice to see you awake. How do you feel?” she asks.

“Well medicated. I want to nurse him. Do you think this is too much medicine that could go into his system?”

“For the first seventy-two hours, you only get colostrum. You will need some medication for another day or two. The breastfeeding nurse can help you express that milk so your body produces it, but we’ll teach Teddy how to latch on after I switch your pain. I’ll prescribe something that will not interfere with feeding him.”

Then she talks to her about certain functions and when she can expect to be discharged.

“Mr. Grey seems anxious to take you home. I think we can do that if we can keep you another twenty-four hours under observation. You will need help for a while. Emma here," she says, pointing to the nurse, "can provide that help if you both agree for her services.”

Dr. Grey and I had discussed Emma already. She was one of the main nurses that helped save my wife’s and Teddy’s lives.

“Yes, of course. I remember you Emma,” Ana says to her. “You were very comforting.” Emma is a middle age, no-nonsense, capable but a very patient nurse. She’s been showing me how to feed Teddy and taught me how to change him. She teaches you only making you feel inadequate just the right amount.

“Mr. Grey, I’ve delivered hundreds of babies over the years, I can do this in my sleep. You’re a bit clumsy when changing diapers, not a master feeder either, but those are learned abilities. However, you are one of the most natural fathers I’ve ever seen in my entire nursing career. Look at the way he looks at you when you read! You have an amazing ability to connect with your baby! That’s rare for most new fathers,” she said to me earlier. Her sincerity made me feel normal.

Ana and I agree to bring her home until her stitches are healed. Since she was one of the preapproved nurses to look after Ana, we’ve already had her checked. But, in light of the events, I had Welch conduct another quick check and she came out clean as whistle.

All the family members visit one after another since Ana waking up. Even Elliot and Kate delayed their honeymoon. Starting with Kate Kavanagh-Grey, they’re all pre-warned to not to bring up Teddy’s kidnapping at all.

“Why would you not tell her yet?” she tried to reprimand me.

“She had about eighteen hours of labor, tried normal delivery very painfully I might add, and then she had a C-section! She suffered enough! I will not let anyone contribute to her pain!”

“She will see the news on TV, the paper, the magazines, or hear it from a hospital staff. You can’t stop it, Christian! I’m worried about her.”

I turn my brother pointedly. Then to Kate. Elliot squeezes Kate's arm to warn her, but she shakes him off. I've had it with her.

“Do you realize that it’s always you butting in to my wife’s and my life? Funny, it’s never the other way around. I plan to tell her when we get home, on our own time. I can’t freak her out right now. I repeat, I won’t tell her when she’s in the hospital, and not when she’s still suffering with the C-section pain.”

“How are you’re gonna prevent her from seeing the news? Are you going to order the TV stations with your big bucks to withhold the information?" she pushes my buttons further. "I don’t think your money…”

“That’s enough!” the mature voice of a woman echoes around.

“Kate Kavanagh! I’m ashamed of the way you would want my daughter to be put in harm’s way.”

“I would never put Ana in harm’s way Mrs. Adams. I just think that she has a right to know!”

“This is not the Freedom of Information Act! This is my daughter! Do you think of the consequences of sharing such information with a woman who had a surgery to have her child? That’s what a C-section is! She’s going to thrash around her bed, worry herself sick, cry, would want to have Christian around, or worse, she’d want to be out looking for her child… in her condition! After only a couple of hours after giving birth!”

“Ana’s is strong, Mrs. Adams. She should have had the option to know.”

“Strong? In what universe was the woman you were looking at? Mine lies within that room. And what option would that be? Finally, who are you to decide?”

“I’m her best friend!” Kate answers the last question first. 

“A best friend? So, your position as a best friend is more elevated than her husband’s? The father of that kidnapped baby? Or her mother’s? The mother of Ana lying in there? You’re going to your honeymoon to have fun, and God bless you sweetie, I wish you both all the happiness in the world and I loved you as long as I've known you, but if you were to come and inform my child about the kidnapping of her baby resulting my daughter getting hurt, I’d kick your butt till hell won’t have it again!” Elliot is fuming at Kate, and he’s barely holding it in. This finally nearly brims tears in Katherine's eyes.

“Mrs. Adams, Christian… I’m so sorry. I didn’t think that Ana would try… I don’t want Ana to get hurt. I thought, if I had a baby… and this happened, I would want to know…” She burst into tears.

“And she will know. Soon...” she says looking at me. I nod. “But, don’t jump into the position of a bad news bearer. This would have put Christian in danger as well. If he was worried about Ana hurting herself, knowing she would try to join him, he couldn’t focus. He could have gotten hurt. The baby could have gotten hurt! Spreading the news to the people whom you think must hear it, is not always productive. It can be detrimental. Someday, you’re going to make a great journalist, but, at this point, you’d make a terrible hostage negotiator. You couldn’t keep your mouth shut…” she says as a matter of factly. The effects of Karla’s words in her gentle tone are written all over Kate chagrined face.

“I apologize Mrs. Adams. I really do. I just thought…”

“Hold it there again, sweetie. Don’t ruin a good apology with an excuse,” she says gently like a mother reprimanding her child. “Besides,” she adds in a lighter tone, “you’re all family now. Family stands together in these situations. Introducing divisiveness into a family environment is unhealthy for all. This is not a competition, no matter how competitive you are. When one wins, you all lose.” Kate opens her mouth again. Karla holds her hand up effectively shutting Kate up. I see my brother’s gears turning and I can see that he’s taking notes from Karla’s effective way of managing Kate.

“Darling, I’m disappointed that you don’t give my daughter enough credit to handle her own household, her own marriage with her husband. If Christian doesn’t tell Ana about the kidnapping, you can be sure that my daughter will give him hell about it. This sort of news cannot be held secret for long. He’s well aware of that. It’s important that she heals a little. This is a conversation they will have to have have; the husband and wife. Someday, when you have your child, you’ll fully understand what I mean. Now, go on your honeymoon, enjoy one another, and go in peace…” she says soothingly.

Making peace with Katherine isn’t the easiest task. I have not had to accommodate other people before. In fact, I’ve never accommodated anyone’s bitch-craft. They’d be just eliminated from my universe. That would be impossible with Kate Kavanagh, now, Grey.

“I’m sorry bro! Really sorry,” his voice is sincere and embarrassed. “Meanwhile, my wife and I have a flight to catch,” says Elliot, his eyes spewing fire at his new bride like Mt. Vesuvius.

“Mr. Grey,” Emma calls out a few feet away. I turn to face her. “Mrs. Grey is asking for you.”

“Is she okay?” I ask concerned, heading to her door.

“Oh yes. She’s learned how to latch the baby on. She wanted to show you,” Emma says proudly. I genuinely smile for the first time in a week. “Oh, Mr. Grey. Little Teddy loves his mamma!” she says bubbly. 

“But, I thought the medication might get in the milk.”

“She doesn’t have milk yet, and Dr. Greene has switched her medication. Baby Ted’s fine.” I walk into my wife’s room leaving the trio behind. Ana’s sitting up with Teddy in her arms, clutching onto her breast and his gaze is completely, and devotedly fixed on Ana. While one of his little hands pushing her breast, the other is squeezing a lock of Ana’s hair. He already owns her! My heart melts with the sight. All the pain, suffering we both went through in the last two days… It was worth it. He is worth it. My heart swells with pride. This is my family. I go to sit next to my wife. My phone buzzes in my pocket. I turn it off without looking at it to savor this moment with two of the most important people in the world for me. Ana’s smile is big.

“Baby, you are absolutely beautiful.”

“I now got a scar, and I'm still swollen,” she says.

“Those are your battle scars. You fought hard to have him. What I see is the most courageous and beautiful woman in the entire world for me. You gave me the most precious gift: Our son. Thank you, baby,” I murmur. Her lips quiver to cry, but there’s joy in her eyes.

“I love you Christian!”

“And I you, Ana… More than words can describe, more than life itself.”

Nothing Else Matters - Metallica