Lion and Tiger

Chapter 11: Calling for Backup

"Merrick?" Cole asked. Merrick Baliton came out from behind the trees and stood in front of Cole. "Where have you been?" He asked.

"I've been around," Merrick replied.

"Alyssa, she's gone."

"I know. I have been informed about what's been going on during the past year."

"How?"

Merrick grabbed Cole's shoulder. "I'll explain while we go to call some old friends," he replied. Cole nodded and as they got into his car, they went back to his and Alyssa's apartment. "I have returned to Turtle Cove to see you guys again. I had bumped into a guy in a bar babbling to himself. I heard him mention that he was spying on you guys. I had him explain more and he told me everything. This Henderson guy sent this spy after you and Alyssa. He followed you guys everywhere. He took pictures of everything that you guys did. If he couldn't see you, he would record everything. These were his orders. Now that he has finished his job, he regrets taking the pictures and recording the conversations," Merrick explained.

"So, I have been watched since I started dating Alyssa?" Cole asked.

"Yes, now that Roger has her, we have to hurry in order to save her."

"If Roger lays a hand on her, I'll kill him with my bare hands."

Merrick could see the fire in Cole's eyes. "We'll need professionals to help us with this one," Merrick commented. Cole knew who he was suggesting and then he stopped in front of his and Alyssa's apartment.

They got into the apartment and Cole grabbed the phone, dialing a familiar number.

A phone was ringing in an office and the person picked up. "Collins," Wes answered.

"Wes, Alyssa's gone," Cole informed.

"What do you mean she's gone?"
"Someone knocked me unconscious earlier and when I woke up she was gone."

"Calm down, Eric and I will be right there."

Wes hung up and looked up at Eric. "Alyssa's gone," he informed.

"Let's go," Eric insisted.

Wes nodded and grabbed his hat before they left.

(In the Warehouse)

Alyssa woke up with a groan and was about to get up when she felt chains on her arms. She looked around and found herself in a room and she was tied to a bed. She gasped when the door was open and Roger stood there. "Good evening, beautiful," Roger greeted. She glared at him.

"Roger, you better let me go. I have friends in very high places that will hunt you down like a dog," she informed.

She jerked her head away when he tried to touch her. "Go ahead, struggle, I can live with that," he told her. He then left the room and Alyssa looked around the room with fear.

"Oh, Cole, please help me," she whispered.

(Back at the Apartment)

Cole was sitting in the living room with his head in his hands when there was a knock on the door. Merrick patted Cole on the back before going over to answer it. "Wes, Eric," he greeted.

"Merrick, it's good to see you again," Wes greeted back.
"Where's Cole?" Eric asked.

"He's over here and he's a wreck," Merrick replied.

Wes and Eric came in and saw that Merrick was right when he said that he was a wreck. "Cole," Wes called. Cole lifted his head and they saw the fire burning in his eyes.

"What exactly happened?" Eric asked.

"It's like what I told Wes. Alyssa and I were walking through the park and I was knocked unconscious. When I woke up, she was gone," Cole explained.

"Do you have any idea of who took her?" Wes asked.

"Yeah, thanks to the information Merrick gave me. There was this one guy, Roger Henderson. He worked with Alyssa at the school. He even attacked her once in the park. He hired a spy to keep track of during the past year. I guess he just cracked ever since Alyssa and I go engaged," Cole explained.

Wes nodded and then looked over at Eric. Then they both looked back over at Cole. "Don't worry, Cole. We'll find Mr. Henderson and we'll get him to let Alyssa go," Wes assured him.

"Oh, yeah? Hopefully you can. Hopefully that by the time we get to him that Alyssa is still the girl I fell in love with," Cole mumbled.

Merrick and the two Silver Guardians watched as Cole stood up and pushed his hair back from his eyes. "Even if we do find her, how do we know that she'll ever be the same?" Cole asked.

"We don't know, Cole, but we will get Alyssa away from Mr. Henderson," Eric replied.

Cole then turned to look at them. "If he does anything to hurt her. I promise you that I will kill him with my bare hands," he growled. He then looked at Merrick. "Do you know where that spy went?" He asked.

"No, after that night at the bar, he was gone. It's just like he disappeared," Merrick replied.

"Spy, what spy?" Wes asked.

"Roger had hired a spy to keep track of Alyssa and me during the past year. Merrick found him in a bar drunk as a skunk and he told Merrick everything," Cole replied.

"Do you get a good look at him?" Eric asked.

"Yeah," Merrick replied.

"Okay, let's get a description of him and we can send it out over the town asking people if they've seen him," Wes instructed.

They agreed and Cole watched as they got down to business. However, he left.

When Cole didn't come back after an hour, Eric and Wes had a feeling of where he went. "We better get Taylor," Eric stated.

"If you think your wife can get through to him," Wes commented.

"Taylor can get through to Cole," Eric assured him.

"Let's just hope she doesn't have to hit him to get him to see it her way."

He winced when Eric whacked him over the head while he was on the phone. "Taylor. I need you to do something for me," Eric started.