Breaking the Lock

Three

"You gave your reservations to TJ?" Dante echoed with a shake of his head. "And Maxie didn't let you have it? You are one lucky s.o.b."

Nathan grinned. It had been a hectic morning and this was the first opportunity he and Dante had to have a conversation. "You might think so," Nathan remarked pouring himself a cup of coffee. "But now I've got to figure something else out. Any ideas?"

"If you think I'm giving you our reservations, you're out of your mind, West." Dante leaned back in his chair. "You are on your own."

"Thanks for the help," Nathan returned taking a seat at his desk.

Dante grinned. "Hey, man. You dug your own grave. At least tell me you got her a present."

"As a matter of fact, I did." He reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a small box. He slid the box across the desk to Dante to who glanced from the box to Nathan.

"Jewelry? Man, I hope you know what you're doing," Dante muttered. He picked up the box and opened it, inspecting the gift Nathan intended to give to Maxie. It was a simple silver chain holding a small key. Dante frowned. "Dude, this is a handcuff key."

"That's not just any handcuff key," Nathan pointed out. "It belongs to the cuffs that Maxie and I were stuck in last Fourth of July." He didn't add that the other key to the cuffs currently hung from a smaller chain looped around the neck of his desk lamp.

Dante snapped the box closed and slid it back to Nathan. "Okay, first of all. That is cheesy as hell. Second of all, I hate you. Now I'm going to have to do something really sentimental or Lulu will have a fit."

Nathan's phone beeped a text message alert at him. He picked it up and looked at the number. "That's strange," he muttered.

"What?"

He looked up at Dante. "I just got a text from Britt."

"I thought she was out of the country."

"So did I." The last time he had heard from Britt had been a brief get well note while he was in the hospital before Christmas. She had left the country with her father thanks to a bad decision she had made concerning Nikolas Cassidine and his son. Unfortunately, Britt's father was an escaped terrorist. Nathan had mentioned most of this to Dante, leaving the part out about Faison. That had been off the record information anyway. Nathan couldn't do anything to help her but he could still protect her.

He opened the text, staring in horror at the picture that awaited him. It was Britt, battered and bruised, laying on a bed of some sort with her hands tied to a post. He looked up at Dante without words. Was it even real?

"What is it?" Dante asked. Nathan couldn't find his voice. He shook his head in disbelief. It was just a sick joke. Had to be. Dante was on his feet and at Nathan's desk without another word. He took the phone from Nathan and looked from the picture to Nathan. "I think you should call your mother. I'm taking this to forensics to see if they can authenticate it."

With a heavy heart, he lifted the receiver of the PCPD phone and called Liesl. She didn't answer her phone but he left her a message asking her to come to the station. After, he dialed Maxie's cell phone. She didn't answer but he left her a message telling her he wouldn't have his phone for a bit and to call the station if she needed him. Dante returned without the phone and pulled up a chair next to him.

"They're working on it, Nathan."

"Thanks. She's in trouble Dante. I know she caused you and Lulu a lot of grief but she's my sister. I have to help her."

Dante nodded in agreement. "I know. I'll do what I can to help you," he said.

"Thanks, I appreciate it." His eyes fell on Maxie's gift. Plans for Valentine's Day would have to wait, he thought sadly hoping Maxie would understand. He slid the box into the drawer and grabbed his keys. "I can't sit here and wait for Liesl. I'm going to go find her. Will you let Maxie know what's going on if she calls?" Dante nodded in agreement. "Tell her I'm sorry," Nathan added grabbing his coat before leaving to look for his mother.

Nathan found his mother coming out of a board meeting at General Hospital. She gave him an ingratiating smile when she saw him but the smile faltered when she took in the seriousness of his expression.

"Nathan, what is it? Has something happened?"

He motioned to an alcove bench. "Let's sit," he said taking her hand. Puzzled, she followed, sitting on the bench next to him. He continued to hold her hand to reassure her but truthfully, he needed some reassurance as well. "It's Britt."

"Is she all right?" The calm façade Liesl Obrecht always displayed remained intact except for the slight note of alarm in her voice.

"I don't think so. Someone sent me a picture of her bound and gagged, definitely beaten." He paused, trying to gage her reaction but her face remained impassive. "Someone has her and is hurting her. I need to know if you've heard from her recently. Or Faison."

"No, neither. But as I've told you I have no idea where Britta went with her father."

Nathan sighed, running a hand over forehead. "I know. I just hoped-"

"That I could help find your sister? I still have contacts overseas who might know how to get in touch with Faison. Would you like me to try to contact them?"

"Yes. I'm worried about her. If you had seen these pictures," he muttered.

Liesl nodded in understanding. "It is good that I have not then. Go back to the police station and do what you can there. I will call you when I have word from Britta's father. He will know if anything has happened to her and if it has, he will make sure she is found and returned to us safely." She patted his hand comfortingly. "She will be all right. Britta is resourceful. You wait and see."

Liesl got to her feet and disappeared into an office, presumably to make some calls for him. Britt was resourceful, he knew that. He did not, however, trust Cesar Faison to help find her. He got to his feet and threaded his way back to the elevator. He would head back to the station and find his sister without the aid of an international terrorist.