Chapter 1

"Evangeline!" John yells.

Evangeline, startled, looks back at John.

"I have to tell you the truth about Cristian."

Van replies, "And what would that be, John?"

"Cris thinks he remembered who programmed him."

"Was it someone associated with the Santi organization" asked Van.

"Not quite, try one of our local officials--the governor."

"Why would the governor want to brainwash Cristian?" asked Van.

"That's what I'm trying to figure out, Cris wouldn't say why; only that Daniel Colson was involved as well."

"Have you told Nora about this, maybe she knows something," said Van.

"As a matter of fact, I'm supposed to meet Nora at Rhodi's in an hour."

"I have a meeting with a client so I will meet you there,"
said Van.

"And I'll call Bo since he's good at getting her to spill."


John, on the phone, says, "No...It's been an hour and fifteen minutes and she still hasn't showed up." John hangs up the phone when he sees Nora.

Nora rushing into Rhodi's toward John, "John, I don't know how to tell you this, but...they've got Evangeline now."

"Slow down, slow down. Who's got Evangeline?" John asks trying to stay calm.
Handing John the email that was sent to her, a shaken Nora replied, "My God, John, it's the same people who kidnapped Cristain."

"No! I want you to search her office, her house, and her car," shouted John angrily in to his phone.

"I-I can't believe--no, no, this is not happening, John, this is not happening!" shouted Nora to John, who didn't know what to do with himself at this point.

Natalie, not knowing what's going on, walks over and says, "Hey John! Hey Nora! John, can I talk to you for a second?"

"Not now, Natalie, Evangeline's missing."

"John, I understand that, but this is really important. Besides you're always saying Evangeline is a big girl, she's probably fine." asserts Natalie.

John, places his hands on his hips, "Now what, Natalie, everything isn't about you! Sure, we're friends, but I just told you that Evangeline is missing and all you can think about is you...well, not now, Natalie!"

"John, why her, why not me?" cried, Natalie.

Nora approaches, "John, listen, we don't have time for this right now, we need to get to the station, Bo's got some news for us."

John nodded at Nora while thinking, If I lose her now, she'll never know how I really feel.
Natalie follows them to the station, figuring if she stands with her arms folded long enough she will finally get John's attention.

"Yeah, a witness says they saw a two men escorting Evangeline into a black car. The witness got a partial on the plates and we're running them right now." said Bo.

"But if Tico is dead, Cris is in jail, and Antonio gave up his Santi rights, why do you think the Governor is in this? The Santi's were trying to get rid of him, right?" said John.

"But Evangeline was Antonio's lawyer as well as Arthur Loomis', maybe they think she found out something and are trying to keep her quiet." said Nora.

"John, I need you! I need you!" Natalie quietly pleads. "John, I REALLY need to talk to you," Natalie whines insistently as she rolls her eyes and nearly stomps her feet.

"Natalie, NOT NOW!!!! Don’t you GET IT???!!!??? Evangeline, the love of my life, the only woman I could ever love again is missing and probably in danger!!! I promised her that no one would ever hurt again, so I’ve got to find her and bring her home safe and sound. I’ve got to keep my promise!! THAT'S THE ONLY THING THAT MATTERS NOW!!!," says Johnny with a tear rolling down his cheek.

"But, john!"

"GO HOME NOW!!! I’m done rescuing you! As a matter of fact, don't call me any more! Call one of your 5,000 relatives when you need help and stop using me! You’re not my friend, you're a parasite!!! Right now, Evangeline needs my help and I can't live without her!!!"


Natalie quickly turns, her mid-back length, rust-colored hair swinging as she leaves with the heels of her brown suede pumps clicking in anger.

"John, there's no need to take your anger out on Natalie she has nothing to do with this,"
say Bo.

"Look Bo I don't have time for this. If you care so much about Natalie then do me a favor...be her go to guy. Whenever you and Paige want to have an intimate moment stop and wait for Natalie to interrupt you. If you need to get work done leave your office door open so she won't have to knock when she comes to bother you."
That's enough John, calm down!" yells Bo.

"You're right why don't I just drop everything to wipe her tears, oh wait, EVANGELINE HAS BEEN KIDNAPPED!!! I'm sorry if I don't have time for your niece but don't you dare tell me to calm down. We need to find Evangeline right now...and that's exactly what I'm going to do."

John storms out of Bo's office and runs into Daniel Colson...

"John, I understand Evangeline is missing. Have you heard anything," Daniel inquired gently stroking his newly-grown goatee to stop the itching.

"Funny, I was just getting ready to ask what you knew." Johnny looked at Daniel as if his eyes had just been opened after a long, unwanted sleep.

"Me?" asked Daniel, trying to hide being flustered. "Why would I know anything? You’re her fianc*, aren't you?"

"Daniel," Nora said quietly while touching his arm in the way she always did when Daniel went too far. She had followed Johnny out of Bo's office to comfort him and then found herself as the only barrier between her fianc*, her best friend's fianc* and their mutual dislike.

Johnny stared at Daniel with eyes cold as ice and finally whispered to him intensely. "I know you know something. I haven't put the pieces together yet, but I know. I KNOW."

Just then, Daniel’s cell phone rings. He looks at the number, suddenly turns, and walks secretively away.

John runs his hand through his hair and mumbles under his breath "If Colson has something to do with this I'll pull his goatee out one hair at a time with pliers."

"Bo!" John shouts "Anything on those plates yet?"
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Meanwhile Natalie is outside talking to Rex telling him about a black car with N.J. plates that almost ran her down. "All I wanted John to do was try to find the car. I even got the last 3 numbers on the plate. But, NOOOOO Evangeline has him running around after her. She didn't show up for one little date and he is all strung out."

"Natalie are you sure that is all that is going on?"

"Well I wasn't listening to the whole thing; they kept moving away from me. I just know John yelled at me she was missing or something. Yeah, right."

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"I know that bastard know something about Evangeline, and when I find out..." John was saying before he was interrupted by a uniform.

"Lieutenant, we just got word...they found Ms. Williamson..." he voice began to trail off.

"Where is she!?" John and Nora yelled.

"Dr. Miller called she's in the hospital. Things aren't looking so good for her; she said you should get over there ASAP."

"Paige?" asked Nora, Bo must have told her she thought to herself. "John I'll drive I don't want us to get into an accident."

"Fine," he said as the both rushed to the hospital.

On their way into the hospital John and Nora run into Michael.

"Mikey, where is she? Where's Evangeline?" John said.

"What are you talking about Evangeline's not here?" said a confused Michael.

"We were just informed that Evangeline was here, Paige told us." Nora said also confused.

"Okay, we don't have time for this. Michael, can you have Dr. Miller paged for us?" John said.

John was confused just as much as everyone else; why would Dr. Miller lie. The harder he thought the more confusing everything was getting. What connection did Governor Brooks, Daniel Colson, and Paige Miller have, and what did it have to do with Evangeline?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Rex gave his Natalie, for she would always be his sister to him, a gentle nudge. She was the one person who he really did care about outside of himself. With pity and sympathy surrounding his eyes, he said, "Nat, I'm about to give you some advice and I want you to listen to what I'm saying okay? Don't say anything, just listen."

Natalie nodded warily at Rex. She wasn't sure she was going to like what she was about to hear.

"It's time for you to grow up and put away childish things. You've married, experienced loss, played with wrong side of the law. You're supposed to be mature now. But running after John like a two year old toddler who's begging for the last Teddy Graham is not going to get you closer to him or to anyone else for that matter. Buck up! Be a woman. Cut your losses. You're starting to look pathetic and just a tad desperate. I'm telling you this because I love you."

Natalie's eyes filled with tears. How could her own brother be so mean to her? Didn't he understand her pain and anguish? Didn't anyone care? "But I love him Rex. I really, really, really, really, do."

"I know, but this isn't about you Nat. This is about the fact that John has made his choice and you're on the other side of that choice. Now if you want to maintain even a mere friendship with him, I suggest you either leave him and Evangeline alone, or just offer to be there for him as a friend if he needs to talk."

With that done, Rex kissed her on the forehead gave her hand a squeeze, and walked away.

Natalie stood there motionless for a moment, letting the words seep in.

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After Dr Miller is Paged...

John wasting no time, "Where is, where is she, doc? What happened? Where did you find her? How did she get here? C'mon, doc, I need some answers?!"

"Slow down, John, I can't give you much, only that someone found her in an alley on the south side, near the Jimmy's garage. She's been badly beaten, barely hanging on; they said that she kept saying Colson's name over and over. 'John find Colson' is what she kept saying."

"I need to see her, right now!" John said frantically.

"Yeah, John that sounds like a good idea, I'll call Bo." Nora said before walking off.

"I have to warn you she is really weak and can not handle a lot of visitors or questions. I'm going to have to ask that you keep this visit short." added Dr. Miller.

"Fine..." John said barely acknowledging her before entered Evangeline's room.
John slowly approached Evangeline's bedside. He couldn't believe his eyes, for what was staring back at him was the woman he loved whose facial bruises spoke volumes for the brutality she must have endured, yet he felt hopeless and could do nothing, but take her hand into his and make a solemn promise, "I'm going to find out who did this to you. I swear if it kills me, somebody will pay."

Slowly opening her eyes to the sound of John's voice, Van focused on a distraught John and tried to speak, "Whe-where am—"

"Shhhhhh," interrupted John still stroking her hand ever so gently, "don't try to say anything. Just rest. You're gonna be okay. Just rest, okay. I'm here now. I'm never leaving you."

Dr. Miller entered the room. "John, I think you should let her get some rest now. You can come back later."

After kissing Evangeline on the forehead, John whispered, "I love you," then left and joined Dr. Miller just outside Evangeline's room.

"Listen, I've got to find Colson, but you keep me posted on her, doc, okay. Let me know everything and I'll be back as soon as I can."

"I will, John, you can count of that," she responded.

"Thanks."

"John! John! I'm sorry I didn't even know Evangeline had been brought in...is she okay."

"Well, Mike, she was beaten pretty badly, but Dr. Miller thinks she will be okay. Look I need to ask you a favor."

"Sure anything, bro."

"I know she's your boss and all but I want you to watch Dr. Miller. I'm not sure but I think she may be apart of whatever this is."

"Of course, I'll call if there are any updates."

"I owe you one."

"Oh, hi Michael. John look we have to go now Bo is on his way over to the palace he says that Daniel and the governor are meeting there right now." Nora said.

"Nora, are you sure you're up for this? I mean, Daniel's your fianc*. Maybe you should leave this to me."

"John, it's okay, I have to know. There's no way I can marry a man who'd be behind something so criminal."

"Okay, let's go then."

As John and Nora enter the Palace, Nora turns to John and cautions him to stay calm.

"John don't start spouting accusations at Daniel. First he won't respond the way you want and we will get not the answers we are looking for. Let Bo handle this."

"I will allow Bo to ask some of the questions. However, if I think he is not getting anywhere. All bets are off. I am looking for answers and I intend to get them!"

"Hey John, Nora. I was just asking the Governor and Daniel where they were about the time Evangeline was abducted. You were saying." (Pointing to Daniel)

"Bo what is this all about? Why do you think I would have anything to do with a colleague’s abduction? Well to answer your question. I had just left a committee meeting."

Bo Interrupts, "What time was that? And where was the meeting held?"

"At City Hall. Anymore questions?" he asks sarcastically.

John steps toward Daniel as if he wants to hit him…

"Yeah, I've got a question," asserted John, "You wanna tell me why your name kept coming up just after Evangeline was beaten?"

"Look, John, I don't know what you're talking about. Like I said, I was at a committee meeting."

"Oh, you can be sure I'm gonna check out your story, Colson. And even if it checks out, I'm gonna be watching you."

Nora interrupting, "Alright, John, that's enough. Let's let Bo handle it from here. C'mon, Evangeline needs you right now, besides I'd like to check on her myself."

John turned back to address Colson one last time before heading to the hospital, "You're hiding something, Colson, and I'm going to find out what it is. You can count of that."
After arriving at the hospital, John and Nora run into Michael.

"Hey John, Nora! I'm glad you're back. I think I have some information that might be useful."

"What is it Mikey?" said John.

"I'm going to go check in on Evangeline; John you'll fill me in later, right?"

"Of course, give her my love."

The two brothers watched as Nora made her way down the hallway.

"Okay Michael, what was so important?"

"For a cop you're not very inquisitive!"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Don't you wonder who brought Evangeline here? Where she was found? Why didn't they stick around to ask questions?"

"Look Michael, I'm sorry if I'm not doing things fast enough for you, but yes I did want to know the answers to those questions."

"Well I know who can answer them and she's right over there." Michael said while pointing in Dr. Miller's direction...

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