"Roy is here" Nabiki told herself. "OK, girl. Remember. You must breathe in and breath out".
Then, she walked up to him and casually said her greetings.
"Hello, Nabiki. It's been quite some time since with seen each other. After the meeting, would you like to go out for some coffee", Roy asked her.
"Forget about tired, its Roy asking you out", she told herself and then Nabiki said, "Let's make it tea or Pepsi and we have a date".
************
Part Eleven - Sherry
Just about everyone was gathered. The figure hiding in the shadows smiled. Wonderful. And Trace even managed to show up ... and what an entrance she had made!
North had made it was well. Good. It was important to have the leaders of CLHQ here. Seems like just about everyone had arrived.
Rita was still wandering around the room looking for Michael. "Hey North, have you seen Michael? I mean, he called the meeting. The least he could do was show up."
North laughed. "Yes, you're right. No, I haven't seen him. Let's ask Sherry. I'm sure if anyone knows where he is it would be her."
Rita nodded and they turned to where they had last seen Sherry speaking with Roy. She wasn't there. "Hmmm," North exclaimed, "where'd she go?" Rita and North each looked around the room for her. They didn't see her. "I don't know. Let's ask Trace and Curlly and the rest of the gang. Maybe one of them knows."
The girls made the rounds of everyone in the room, then they met again back where they started. "Any luck?" Rita asked. North shook her head. "They all remembered seeing her earlier, but no one knows where she went." Rita nodded. "Yeah, I got the same thing. What do you wanna bet she's with Michael right now and we're just standing around wasting our time?"
North laughed. "Well, it's possible, but I can't think she'd go to all this trouble just to spend time with Michael. It's not like she's ever had to before." Rita nodded.
The figure in black was listening in and totally enjoying this. What fun this was going to be. But, time to get things moving along. Keeping to the shadows to make sure they weren't spotted, the figure approached the conference room. Pulling another envelope out of their pocket, they slipped the envelope under the door. Now it was just a matter of waiting to see what happened next. The figure once again retreated to the shadows to watch and enjoy these machinations.
Just then, the door at the other end of the Conference Room opened and Michael walked in. Admirers as well as those who wanted to know what the meeting was all about and why he had kept them waiting immediately besieged him. Michael moved to the front of the room to try and get some space. He wasn't sure exactly what was going on, but he was going to find out. Since everyone seemed to think he had called this meeting, he decided to use it to his advantage. He moved to the podium at the front of the room and everyone immediately quieted down and headed for a seat.
Trace, ever the impatient one, blurted out, "Okay Michael, we're all here. Now what was so important?"
Michael surveyed the group. It did indeed look like most of CLHQ was here. Even Roy, Gray, Bauer and Petrosian were in attendance. Michael scanned the crowd one last time. She wasn't there. "There seems to be someone missing. Where is Sherry?"
Everyone looked around but, as Michael had said, she wasn't there. "She was just here a little while ago," Roy answered. "We had a nice little chat." Sophie nodded. "Yeah, I said hi to her when she came in. But I don't know what happened to her."
North stood up. "Michael, Rita and I asked everyone here. No one knows where she is."
Just then Petrosian walked over to the door at the back of the conference room. He had noticed something laying on the floor. It was an envelope similar to the one that had brought them all to this meeting. However, this one was addressed to Michael.
"Perhaps this will give you some idea of where she has disappear-ed to." Petrosian handed Michael the envelope. "However, if you weren't so incompetent, you might be able to keep track of your voman." Michael glared at him and the tension in the room quickly heightened. Michael opened the envelope and quickly read it. Michael never showed emotion, but North could have sworn he had just turned pale.
"Michael, what is it? What does it say." Rita asked, her voice laced with concern.
Michael cleared his throat and then read the message. "It was so nice of you all to join in my little game. Now it's time to get started. We are going on a scavenger hunt. Or, I should say you all are. There is only one thing on the list to find. As you may have noticed, one of your numbers is missing. She is safe ... for now. You have exactly 24 hours to locate her or ... well ... who's to say? Michael, I know this will be especially difficult on you, but do try to pull yourself together. You have to muster the troops and get busy. Time's a-wastin .... Remember ... 24 hours. Let the fun begin! P.S. Your first clue: she's not in her room! LOL!"
Everyone was silent, absorbing what they had just heard. Then they looked to Michael for direction. Michael, however, was still staring at the note. So North decided to take charge.
"Okay everyone. You've heard the problem. Someone has Sherry. It's our job to find her. So, let's get busy."
*************
Part Twelve - Rita
"Well, I guess we can start by getting the note tested for any residues or fingerprints. I can't believe she's missing. Sherry's too good of an operative to let something like this happen. Especially here. " Rita wondered outloud.
North looked at her. "True. Let's start with a search of the grounds. Someone go to security to look over the surveillance cameras for around the time Sherry disappeared."
"I'll start with the top floor." Curlly volunteered. Then other members of CLHQ volunteered to take the other floors. People began leaving the room in a flurry of movement and excited chatter.
"That leaves me with the surveillance footage." Sophie said. " I'll get right on it."
Michael was still holding the note. Rita walked over and gently brushed his shoulder. "Michael, I need the note."
Michael awakened from his reverie. "Of course, Rita." He said as he handed the note ot her. "I will follow my own leads. Keep me informed Rita." He said as he walked out.
"Michael, you keep in touch too. I don't feel like having to worry about you too!"
Rita watched Michael's exit. Then she turned to North. "There is going to be trouble with this."
North nodded in agreement. "Well, we had better get moving."
************
Part Thirteen - Black Clad Figure
The darkly clad figure smiled. Things were going well. The figure turned on the monitor sitting on the desk in from of them. There sat Sherry ... waiting. She didn't appear to be afraid. That was disappointing. Well, perhaps something could be done about that. Keeping the monitor on, the figure turned to the bank of monitors along the wall. All areas of CLHQ and Section were at the kidnapper's disposal. Sophie and Roy had just discovered that the security grid was gone. "Poor babies ... you'll have to start all over again ..." Other operatives were roaming around in pairs or groups on the different levels. A few of them had even gone into Sherry's room. Shaking their head in disgust, the figure muttered, "apparently they don't follow clues very well. Didn't I say she wasn't in her room?"
Rita ... she was a smart one ... having the note tested. Not that she would find much... but it was a start.
"Poor Michael ... just look at him ... he looks like he just lost his best friend ..." Then an evil laugh escaped from the mysterious figure.
"Yes this is definitely fun. Now, should I give them another clue or not. Decisions, decisions...."
************
Part Fourteen - Nabiki
Nabiki couldn't believe that Sherry was kidnapped. Her buddy, going through what she had gone through just a couple of days ago. Well, she was sure her friend was resourceful and would some way give out where she was.
The only thing she hoped was that she was safe and alive.
Nabiki went back to her room and picked up her letter. Rita was already analyzing for fingerprints and Sophie was checking up surveillance. Then an idea occurred to her. She went directly to Sherry's room and when she entered, everything was in order.
"Something isn't right. There should be some kind of struggle or at least something that would show she had been there before been kidnapped".
Clues, she needed to look out for clues....
************
Part Fifteen - Rita
Rita made quick tracks to Walter. When she finally arrived she saw Walter was bent over looking at what seemed like another hand held bomb. Walter heard Rita's clicking heels and looked up.
"Hey Girlie! What's shaking?" He said with an easy smile.
"Walter haven't you heard?" She did not wait. Time was of the essence.
"Sherry's been kidnapped."
"What which mission?" He inquired.
"None right from the headquarters. IT seems someone has some intimate knowledge of CLHQ. I only have these two notes I need analyzed for whatever you can find that would give me a clue. Michael isn't taking this well. So you understand my urgency." Rita said everything in a quick succession not taking time to breathe between statements. She pulled the notes from her bad and handed the over to Walter.
Walter took the notes. "I'll get right on this. The tests shouldn't take long."
"I'll wait right here." Rita said as she began to pace with impatience as Walter walked away with the notes. Now all she could do was wait for the results.
************
Part Sixteen - Sherry
The mystery person was getting impatient. They seemed to be bogged down. It was certainly a good thing Sherry had disappeared. It seemed these people needed some training. And what was with Michael anyway? He needed to get involved in this search. It wouldn't be any fun if Michael's every move couldn't be watched and his pain enjoyed.
The figure then turned back to the monitor on Sherry. She was pacing around inside her dungeon, obviously trying to find a way out. Unfortunately, there wasn't one. Not from the inside, anyway. The smile on the figure's face grew, anticipating Sherry's frustration and eventual fear. Once she realized her friends wouldn't be coming to find her anytime soon ... she would begin to panic. Then the fun would really begin.
"Oh my ... I guess I'm going to have to spur them on a bit. I was hoping I wouldn't have to send so many clues, but apparently they need a little push. So, let's see ... what will it be ..."
Pacing back and forth, the figure finally decided on what to send. Sitting down at the desk and pulling out a similar piece of the same stationery they had used before began to pen the next clue.
Slipping the paper into the envelope and addressing it with a simple "M," the figure decided to add something to raise the stakes. Grabbing a wig that was made of human hair, very similar to the color of Sherry's, they cut a strand of hair and placed it inside the envelope before sealing it. "Now, someone should be able to figure that out if they have been paying attention. Oh, I've always enjoyed scavenger hunts!"
Once again donning the completely black attire, the figure crept out of its hiding place and made its way to CLHQ. "Now, where to leave it. Hmmm ... I know. I'll post it on North's door. Someone will be bound to find it quickly there."
Once the note was posted, the figure scurried back before anyone spotted them.