Chapter Text
TK and Carlos have been married for five years and after enjoying their first year of marriage all to themselves, they had decided to adopt two orphaned little brothers; three-year-old Noah and one-year-old Britney, giving them all the love in the world.
Today TK is still a paramedic with the 126, getting better and better and more competent and ready to replace Tommy when the time comes for her to retire and Carlos became a detective, shortly after the death of his father Gabriel, as he had so longed for; under the gentle but firm push of his love, TK, who had encouraged and supported him in this new career path.
After the first months of settling in with Noah and Britney, in which they had gotten to know and manage them, the years had passed peacefully, with a few bumps in the road here and there, but nothing significant.
- "Good morning mi amor"- cheerfully greeted Carlos, addressing TK, capturing his beloved's mouth with a sweet kiss.
-" Hello to you"- TK replies with one of his sweet smiles-" Mm, that smells good coffee and pancakes and are the children still asleep?"-
- "Shall we go wake up the sleeping beauties together?"- proposes Carlos and in the process extends his hands to a still half-asleep TK to help him get out of bed.
Noah is now seven years old, with blond hair and two pairs of green eyes that rival his daddy's, with an exuberant and sweet personality, a concept of order that reminds Carlos so much of someone.....and he already has clear ideas of what he would be when he grows up, a policeman like daddy. And when Carlos comes home from work, he immediately barrages him with questions about the cases he is following, and poor Carlos has a hard time telling him things in a sweetened, child-friendly way. To tell the truth, he always tries to deflect the talk, because he doesn't like to talk about work at home, but so be it.....
Britney, on the other hand, is now five years old, with dark brown eyes and long, curly golden brown hair and long velvet eyelashes that neither daddy can resist, and when she smiles, Carlos melts because she reminds him so much of his sweetheart.
For her age she is very headstrong and stubborn, precise and tidy (and Carlos is relieved for that, already having two for home who are the opposite).
Her greatest joy is when TK takes her to the firehouse, much to the delight of the entire 126 squad, and she enjoys riding in the fire trucks, operating sirens, flashing lights, and wearing her personal firefighter uniform, custom-made for her by Grandpa Owen; imagining being captain of her own squad.
Come on little ones, breakfast, teeth and school"-says TK smiling.
- "Papi made pancakes didn't he? I can smell them from here, how nice! I also want blueberries and raspberries together"- establishes Britney
- "If you don't hurry, no pancakes"- warns Carlos.
- "Honey, remember I'm going to work this afternoon for that shift change? If you have to run go, I'll calmly drive them to school and kindergarten"-TK reassures him.
-" Yes I know, I wanted to take them, so you could take it easy and get some more rest"-Carlos replies, kissing him on the forehead.
- "And daddy, can we please stop by the barracks for a little while before kindergarten!"- Britney asks hopefully and already sporting one of those smiles you can't say no to.
No flea, then it gets late you know. On my or papi's day off we come by and you can stay there as long as you want"- TK replies
-" Phew and whatever, pancakes! And I want orange juice!"-
- "I didn't hear, what did you say?"-
-" Please"-
-" Oh, now here we go"- smiles TK.
- "Then I'm off, see you tomorrow then?"- says hello Carlos
- "Yes for lunch. Take care, I love you"-says TK.
- "I more, cariño"- replies Carlos smiling.
- "Kiss, kiss"-and Britney rushes into her daddy's arms. - "Be careful and I love you very, very much"-
- "Papi, then do we do it again in the squad car?"- Noah asks hopefully, also flying into his daddy's arms and looking him in the eyes with a hopeful look. It was super beautiful last time"-
And Carlos closes the door behind him, leaving behind a cheerful chatter, Tk's soft voice urging the little ones to hurry up, and three pieces of his heart.
After about 15 minutes, an agitated peal makes all three of them gasp.
- "Dad who will it be?"- Noah asks.
At that moment, TK's cell phone rings.
"Dad it's papi, here"-
- "Los, everything okay?" Sorry but they rang the door, I'm going to see who it is"-Tk answers.
-" Yeah I just wanted to say...wait but we didn't order anything and we weren't waiting for anyone right?!"-
- "Yes who is it?!"- Tk asks.
- "Delivery boy, I have to deliver a package"-.
- "Just a moment"-
- "Carlos is really the delivery man, however it's strange, they don't make deliveries this early and we weren't waiting for anything"-
- "Tk don't open then, tell him to come by another time"-
- "But honey, if I'm home there's no point in this"-
- "I have a bad feeling, I don't know. And it's too early for deliveries, you said that too. Please don't open"-
- "Okay, Los wait on the line can you?So you tell me what you wanted to tell me. I'll go and say to come back another time.
Excuse me, but I really can't come and open it now, can you leave everything behind the door, which I'll pick up later? Thank you"-he doesn't have time to resume the conversation with Carlos that he hears loud banging on the door and turns around agitatedly.
- "TK, what are those knocks!"
- "Los, I don't know, it sounds like they're trying to break it down, please no, what's going on, Noah, Britney, come near me."
- "Tk, run to the bathroom.with the kids and lock yourself in, I'm coming"-
- "Open the damn door, we know you are alone with the children, your husband, the cop just left"-
- "TK I heard, please cariño, take the children and lock yourself in the bathroom, everything will be okay"-
- "Daddy I'm scared, why do they want to come in"-whines Britney.
Obviously Tk has other plans, he doesn't want to be trapped in the bathroom.
Noah, Britney, we have to get out of the house, we are going to do it through the back window, the closet window ok? Now listen carefully,you must not talk or cry,they must not hear us,ok! Dad will come and save us, but we have to run away,we can't wait for him"-
Noah and Britney nod, their little faces scared, their big eyes wide and full of tears.
TK also has tears streaming down his face, he didn't even notice, such is the anxiety and fear, not so much for himself but for his babies.
Carlos calls Owen as he is driving, flashing lights and sirens on, a chill gripping his heart, the knuckles of his hands white from how hard he is gripping the steering wheel.
His family, his world, is in danger, and he fears he is too late. In his mind, he begins to imagine worst-case scenarios and lets the tears flow freely, pleading with whatever God will protect those dearest to him.
Carlos?
"Owen, I'm going home, something is going on, I don't know, TK says they are trying to break down the door. Bring the whole team, I...there could be injuries...Tk cut the call off. Now I try to call him back.
Tk lower as gently as he can, first Noah and then Britney to the outside of the house; fortunately the window is on the first floor and low and then he jumps out too. A few steps away, there is a small grove, with a path that goes around it, and on foot in twenty minutes they do it all. So many times they have walked it or accompanied the children on their bicycles, breathing fresh air.
- "Daddy I'm scared, where are we going? Where is papi? Why isn't he coming to get us?" whines Britney.
- "Shh,honey we have to be quiet, we mustn't let those bad people hear us. Now Papi comes Nene, and arrests them all"-
Papa"-whispers Noah-but what if Papi can't find us? What if he comes late? Where are we going?"-
"Honey, we have to go faster, can you manage? Britney come on my lap" - and grabs her on the fly, hoisting her onto his shoulders -
"Noah, give me your hand and never let go, understand?"
Noah nods with tears in his eyes and quivering lips.
Carlos redoes TK's number and waits with hands shaking with tension and chills running down his spine.
- "Come on, answer, love."-
- "Carlos!" replies TK-"Sorry, I took the ringer off. I'm in the grove behind the house, I don't know where I'm going either. Where are you? Wait I can hear them behind, no no no, they figured out we are here. Carlos, the children, please tell me you are already here, please!"-
- "Hey honey, no five minutes and I'm there, but aren't you in the bathroom! Do you know how many they are?"-
- "No, I don't know, I haven't seen them. At least two for sure. And no, if we were.in the bathroom by now they had already kicked down the door. Carlos, I need.you, please hurry up! I am afraid for the children, oh God! What do they want from us?"-
Papa"-whispers Noah-but what if Papi can't find us? What if he comes late? Where are we going?"-
"Honey, we have to go faster, can you manage? Britney come on my lap" - and grabs her on the fly, hoisting her onto his shoulders -
"Noah, give me your hand and never let go, understand?"
Noah nods with tears in his eyes and quivering lips.
Carlos redoes TK's number and waits with hands shaking with tension and chills running down his spine.
- "Come on, answer, love."-
- "Carlos!" replies TK-"Sorry, I took the ringer off. I'm in the grove behind the house, I don't know where I'm going either. Where are you? Wait I can hear them behind, no no no, they figured out we are here. Carlos, the children, please tell me you are already here, please!"-
- "Hey honey, no five minutes and I'm there, but aren't you in the bathroom! Do you know how many they are?"-
- "No, I don't know, I haven't seen them. At least two for sure. And no, if we were.in the bathroom by now they had already kicked down the door. Carlos, I need.you, please hurry up! I am afraid for the children, oh God! What do they want from us?"-
There they are, I saw them, Juan go around!"-
- "Los, they saw us! Did you hear them? I love you,I love you, I have to put down. Sorry."-and TK interrupts the call to focus on the danger.
And lo and behold, a man appears in front of them, one of them, and Tk knows they are trapped. Behind them two more men join them.
- "What do you want from us! We are not rich,but you can take whatever you want. Please let us go. Let the little ones go"- pleads TK now on the verge of an impending panic attack. His chest heaving heavily, air failing to flow properly to his lungs.
- "Sorry, serve all three of you. However, the cop has good taste, a cute husband, two delightful children; if your husband won't do what the boss wants, he'll surely make a lot of money out of the three of you..."-and the man gives a boisterous laugh, which makes TK, who is now so nauseous he is nervous, cringe and, putting Britney down, holds both children tightly in front of him. The green eyes, enchanting her husband every time, wide with fear for them.
And now hurry up and get on top of the SUV"-and so saying he points to the car that came over just then at the edge of the grove.
Tk alone would have tried to escape, but with Noah and Britney he obviously could not and prayed that they could get home safely.
- "Quick I said! Get on! Now!"-shouted one of the two men at their address impatiently. And having TK hand over his cell phone, he throws it to the ground and stomps on it.
After a while Carlos arrives and sees two SUVs with tinted windows speeding away. He wants to follow them, his gut says his loved ones are there, but he is not sure. Maybe they left the children somewhere or TK wounded and full of anguish goes into the grove and starts calling them out loud.
Carlos, hey where are you!"-Owen has arrived and is looking for him, having seen his parked car.
- "Here"-shouts Carlos, in the grove! Come now!
Owen catches up with him, Carlos updates him, and together they start looking for TK and the children or their tracks. Eventually they find TK's broken cell phone and Carlos falls to the ground on his knees, his eyes beginning to water and he lets out a cry of pain, anger and despair that echoes through the trees. His heart leaping in his chest, he can't breathe, his vision blurred by tears. He vomits again and again from all the pent-up anxiety. He feels helpless, doesn't know who kidnapped his family, his whole world and why.
She screams their names loudly. "TK, Noah, Britney! Mis amores, ¿donde estás ? Mis hjios, cariño! No, no,no!!!
And she bursts into inconsolable weeping.
A hand grips his shoulder tightly in solidarity. It is Tommy, who arrived together with Nancy alerted by Owen, and who not far away, leaning against a tree, sheds silent tears for her child, once again in danger, and for her wonderful grandchildren.
When Carlos turns around, he also sees Paul,Judd, Marjan and Mateo, silently standing aside, also distressed over the fate of the three.
- "I wish there was my father now, he would know where to start. I...I don't know...why! Who took them!"-Carlos sighs.
There is also Michelle, Carlos's colleague, who has arrived in the meantime and is guided by his screams, who intervenes.
-" I already know everything, Carlos you have to file a kidnapping report right away, search notices will be issued immediately. In the meantime you have to warn your mom and put her under protection, she can't be alone. Let's start from here. Surely they will be in touch soon"-he concludes.
The hardest thing was to re-enter the house and see Britney's unicorn-shaped backpack, thrown on the floor. The pancakes still intact on the table, along with the fruit. TK's mug with the now-cold coffee in the corner of the table. The jar of chocolate creamer that Noah loves, still open. Carlos would like to put everything back, but at the same time he wants to leave everything like this, to have the feeling that any minute they would be back.
He remains as if petrified in the middle of the room, until Paul shakes him lightly
- "Carlos, you need to go to the station with Michelle and Owen. We'll stay here if the kidnappers show up somehow and see if they've left any trace behind"-
Carlos nods silently and sets off with heavy steps, his shoulders hunched,fearing that he would never see them again alive and perhaps not even dead, and his heart is already in a thousand pieces, a dull ache, perhaps more intense than the one he felt over the death of his father. It is his family, he should have protected them, understood and instead....
No, he hasn't seen the license plates, he doesn't even know if they have anything to do with the kidnapping, and the only thing on his mind is to find his loved ones, hope they are okay and hug them .
No, he has no idea who might have done it. And if he had known, even suspected, then surely he would not have wasted time with complaints and interrogations. And while they ask for pictures of her husband and children and question after question, Carlos with her head is elsewhere. He thinks about that morning when he and TK said goodbye with a sweet kiss and woke up Noah and Britney. Of Sunday lunch at his mom's, with the whole family and.....his mom! Has she been warned yet? God, she lost total control of the situation. He apologizes, asks if they still need him and goes outside, with the call already forwarded.
Carlitos? "¿Todo esta bien?"--Andrea replies.
- "Mamá, do you already know what happened? Did they warn you?"- investigates Carlos
"No, que paso?" asks Andrea alarmed.
"TK y los niños.....Carlos' voice breaks, unable to continue, then resumes sobbing-"They were kidnapped this morning and I wasn't there, I wasn't there to protect them. And I don't know who they are, why. How do I do without them if I can't find them or if....
"Carlitos, Dios mío, mi corazón, you don't have to think the worst okay? Is there anyone there with you?" asks Andrea.
"I'm at the station, I just finished filing the kidnapping report. I'm coming to pick you up."
"I'll be waiting for you"-concludes Andrea.
Now they are all in Carlos and TK's house, waiting for someone to show up, a ransom, something. They hope so, because it would mean having the.hope of getting them back home. Since there is also another possibility, that they were kidnapped for revenge or something else and then....
When Carlos returns home with Andrea, he notices that everything has been put in order and immediately becomes annoyed-he would have liked everything to be left as it was before the kidnapping, but objectively he realizes that it is absurd not to touch anything.
They ask each other if there is any news, but unfortunately nothing.
Carlos sits on the couch, takes his head in his hands and sobs desperately. He feels suffocated, wants to smash everything, scream, but none of this he knows will give him any peace. Just to have them all back in his arms.
Meanwhile.
- "Well well, look who we have here, all so nice"-a man different from the three in the morning, entered the room almost completely bare except for a bucket in the corner, where TK, Noah and Britney were locked up. Sure enough, the leader
- "What do you want from us? Please don't hurt the children"-she pleads with TK, holding them close to her .
- "You know, the idea is that if your husband does what he's ordered, maybe you'll be released alive, healthy or unharmed is another thing.... but the plan could also change. I have a client who would be interested in the three of you together. He has no preference of age, gender or anything else. Just have fun....because you see, I deal in drugs, weapons, prostitution and human trafficking and with your pretty little faces, I could make a lot of money, both selling you and well you understand right? I have several contacts, it would not be difficult to place you in so many ways.....
And I have to say that when I saw your particular picture, I got excited....tanto. I thought I could combine business and pleasure and here you are. So now I'm going to make you a proposal, but I think I already know what you're going to choose.... I will send a message to your dear hubby shortly, where he will have 48 hours to release my brother, otherwise you will all be sold to my client. But....if in the meantime you do not want this client of mine to come here and 'try on' the goods, you will have to give yourself to me without playing games. Your choice, decide now!
A terrible nausea rises up in TK, he begins to shake violently, has chills down his spine, tears flow silently, his gaze desperate.
How can he accept being raped, and worse how can he let this happen to two innocent creatures, to his treasures.
His lips seem glued together, he thinks back to how well the day had started and now he should accept....he can't even think about it. Just the thought of it disgusts him and he can't even fight it, he has to let...God...he can't. But he knows it would probably happen anyway, he knows that lust-filled, greedy look.
He can only nod his head imperceptibly.
- "Dad, why are you shaking, are you not well? Daddy, daddy, don't cry, we are here. We stay together, and Papi comes to free us. Right? He is coming soon right?"-said Noah, who realized that daddy is desperate and now he is even more afraid. He didn't quite understand the talk between his father and the bad man, but he knows it's bad.
- "Perfect, get up and come with me. They will be fine as long as you are good. We'll have some fun first, then I'll send someone to deliver the message to the cop.
TK stands up, his soft legs not holding him up, trembling to the bone, the look of a condemned man on death row. He tries to reassure his children that he'll be right back and be good, in a hushed voice.
He is ushered into a room with a bed and little else and ordered to undress completely. He struggles, his hands are shaking, his brain is reeling. The man approaches and decides to 'help' him. He unties and removes his shoes. He unbuttons his shirt, pulls down the zipper of his jeans. He tells him to stand up and unzips his pants. Then she slips her.hands under the elastic of his boxers and slowly pulls them off. Finally she tells him to lie down on the bed. Now TK is shaking so hard you can hear his teeth chattering, he is cold, so cold, his face is ravaged by silent tears. His mouth is dry. He wants to scream, but it wouldn't do any good and he doesn't want the children to hear him. He feels as if paralyzed. He clutches tightly with his hands the edges of the sheet on which he is lying, his heart beating so fast it seems to burst in his chest.
- "Ti pr..please don't. P..please"-she pleads with TK.
- "Shh, I promise I won't hurt you, you'll see. Well,or maybe a little bit, if you don't relax...." the man concludes. And he begins to undress quickly and finally lies down on top of TK, who closes his eyes, his body stiff and with his mind escapes from that horror, thinking of happy times with his family. And the man starts caressing him all along his body, kissing him, rubbing and then.... When at last, after an interminable hour, she gets off his back, orders him to get dressed and has his children accompany him.
Dad, are you okay? Why don't you say anything, are you hurt? Did the bad man hurt you?"-Noah senses that his father is upset and seeing him like this terrifies him, because he is their support, he is her daddy, her hero,but in that moment she sees him as she has never seen him.
- "I'm fine, it's okay, daddy will come soon to save us"-TK braces himself, and though his legs are shaky, aching all over his body and a twinge in his voice, printing something resembling a smile on his face, his eyes flushed, he tries to reassure the little ones. But in her mind, she keeps thinking about the violence she has just endured, she knows she has to regain control for the little ones, but she can't do it, and she gently releases herself from her children's embrace, goes to the corner of the room and vomits until she has nothing left to pull out. Then she stands there on her knees and begins to sob loudly. Noah and Britney, they don't understand, have never seen him cry except with joy. Those are tears of sorrow instead, they are frightened but they get up, take hands and reach for their daddy and hug him tightly, sobbing more and more frightened, the evening shadows coming in through the bars of the window, enveloping the three figures on the floor.
In the morning, after a sleepless night full of nightmares, when Carlos opens the door to go to the command post, he notices a folded sheet of paper on the doormat and opens it, his hands shaking, his heart beginning to beat wildly because he has already figured out its contents.
[You have 48 hours to release Francisco Lopez, I don't care how. If this doesn't happen within the allotted time, you'll never see your handsome hubby and darling little children again (PS he and I have become very close and I must say you chose well, a beautiful physique and two spectacular green eyes, too bad I had to do it all....).
When you are done, I will know and release your family, otherwise I won't kill them, don't worry, they will make me quite a lot alive....
Are you still reading? Maybe you should get moving. The clock is ticking....]
When she gets to the part where she talks about TK, she falls to her knees and screams at the top of her lungs, her eyes full of tears, her heart in pieces, and she screams again and again and again. Screams of pain and helplessness.
Andrea, who is entering at that moment with the spare key, drops the bags she is holding and rushes toward her son, hugging him tightly and cradling him, whispering words of consolation; still not knowing what happened.
- "Carlos, hijo mío, ¿qué pasa? Háblame por favor"- pleads Andrea.
- "I have 48 hours to get a multiple murderer and human trafficker out of jail. Otherwise TK and the children will be sold too and I'll never see them again and the end they'll come to...God...when I think about it! - Carlos explains, sobbing.
- "And Tk, mi amor, it's written between the lines, mom has...he...he was raped! And I wasn't there to protect him. And I'm not there to comfort him. He's going to be destroyed! And Noah, Britney...mom, I'm going to lose them and I can't live without them. Read it yourself..."-and sobbing in despair she hands her the letter.
Andrea reads it and slumps down on a chair, pulls out the rosary, kisses it and raising her eyes to heaven, she raises a heartfelt prayer and lets the tears run down the rosary.
Carlos and Owen are already at the precinct to show the letter. There is turmoil. It seems impossible to free Francisco Lopez, after almost a year they were after it to frame him. Carlos has heard of him before, but he has not dealt with him personally and does not understand why they targeted him.
At the 126 barracks, everyone is filled with anger and anguish. Owen had stopped by earlier to report on the letter. He has not read it yet, so he knows about the request but not the rest.....Carlos did not want to show it to him and how could he. How to make a father read that his one, sweet son has been sexually abused and maybe it won't even be the last time....and he wonders if he will ever see his family again, their wonderful smiles, and if TK will be able to recover after that....
And then he shakes off these dark thoughts and decides it's time to act. He will bring his family home, at the cost of his own life, and he knows he will not be alone in this battle.
Carlos consults with his boss and colleagues who are following the case, from which he is obviously kept out. They think the kidnapper is Francisco Lopez's brother, Felipe, who is mixed up in drugs, prostitution and weapons, and apparently, human trafficking as well.
Okay, Carlos, you know we can't tell you more than that, even for your own safety, because I have no doubt that at the slightest clue you would rush to check for yourself, as you have done in the past with your ex-wife....but I can tell you that we are looking for second homes, garages, properties, land in the name of either of you or your parents or grandparents"-explains his boss, Hollyster.
- "Okay, anyway, I don't have an ex-wife anymore. The marriage had been annulled before I married TK.And could I participate in the search or help in finding the most suspicious sites? Forty-eight hours, boss. And then God knows what will happen to my family. I can't just sit idly by and wait.I promise I won't take headshots, I don't want to risk it, I'm aware that alone I couldn't do anything. But please let me join the team. I'm going crazy doing nothing!"-
- "Carlos...."-
-" If it were your family, your wife and children, what would you do? I beg you, I want to, I have to do something!"-Carlos pleads, in a hushed tone and eyes shining with tears.
All right, you will help select the most suitable places to keep someone hidden, but don't make me regret it okay?....You can accompany if there are raids, but you will have to stay in the car. We don't know what we'll find and you know too that sometimes(in the worst case scenario) it's better to remember your loved ones before.....you mean?"-
Carlos nods his head, his eyes wide with anguish at the idea of if and how they might find them.
Meanwhile...Tk, still in shock from the abuse he has suffered, braces himself for his treasures and tries to get Noah and Britney to eat a piece of bread and drink some water from the bottle they have been given. At one point the little ones also needed the bathroom, but not trusting herself to ask someone out there, she prefers to let them use a bucket in the corner, which she had seen on her way in. Getting up and taking those few steps to accompany them makes him wince in pain; he has bruises scattered all over his body and walking is difficult for him. Then they sit back down, Noah and Britney hugging their daddy, with sad but uncomplaining looks, because they understand, Noah more than Britney, that their daddy is not well in so many ways and they don't want him to cry again like he did a few hours ago.
Noah looks around for something to hit whoever would dare to hurt Tk, Britney or him again, but finds nothing and sighs, disappointed and nervous.
- "Carlos in my office"-his boss, Hollyster, calls him.
Carlos busy with reports, he jumps up with his heart in his throat, from the tone of voice, he can't tell if there is good news or bad news, he feels his legs of jelly.
- "Then I have good and bad news at the same time, but sit down, don't stand"-the boss invites him.
Carlos takes two deep breaths preparing for the worst and claws at his thighs with his hands, trying to hide his panic.
Images peep into his mind of TK laughing happily, the same smile that had captured him since the first day he met him, of his kisses, of his messes in the kitchen with their children, all of them covered in flour from head to toe whenever he is not present.
Of the moments of family fun, when they play together with Noah and Britney or just watch them play, TK sitting between Carlos's legs, playing with his soft hair, inhaling the scent of green apple shampoo, which TK used to use.
Or when they push them on the swing, making them laugh like crazy, pushing them hard because they want to touch the sky, and Carlos always has anxiety, fearing they will hurt themselves, mindful of the accidents he has now stopped counting of his better half and hoping they won't take after him...
He is abruptly torn from his memories by his boss.
'" Carlos, did you hear what I said!"-
-" Excuse me, I was....m lost in memories...I don't know where my head is anymore, I can't sleep and..."-
- "Okay, I understand that son, that's why I don't want you fully in the investigation. Anyway, they found who kidnapped them, it's Lopez's brother with his men, who organized the kidnapping"-
Carlos felt his heart beating wildly, he jumped to his feet but a sudden dizziness caught him by surprise and he leaned on the table in front of him.
- "Where are they! Have they made them talk yet? Do they know where my family is?"-Carlos asks ready to go.
- "Calm, calm and please sit down again. They caught them by surprise with a raid and returned fire. They refused to surrender and chaos ensued. Carlos all died and we also have two seriously wounded of our own. I'm sorry"-
Are you sorry that they are dead? Well, less not! Where's the problem!"-
- "Carlos...."-
- "What?...Wait, wait a minute...we know where TK and the kids are right? They found clues, they searched them. Right?"-Carlos' hands begin to shake, his eyes moisten as he begins to grasp what his boss does not have the courage to tell him.
- "Yes and they found nothing and they were the only ones who knew where they are being held. I'm sorry, but right now we have no idea where they are being held. They are working on it right now as well, but with no results so far."-
Carlos' eyes let those tears held back until then flow, absorbing to the full extent of what he was told and biting down on a fist in his mouth to keep from screaming.
TK, Noah and Britney, prisoners somewhere, who knows where, perhaps destined to literally die of hunger and thirst if they had not found them in time....
Owen has also been summoned to the station to be informed of the facts, as a close relative, and when he receives the news, he feels his heart as if breaking into many small pieces, he lets himself fall to his knees on the ground, there in front of everyone, because if they are now no longer in danger of being killed, they are in serious danger of dying, without food and water. Her beloved grandchildren and her sweet TK, her only son, the light of her eyes, whom so many times in the past she has risked losing....only this time she may not be able to say goodbye and have a body to bury.