Suddenly there was a knock at their door. They both jumped. Lucky moved behind the door and motioned for Elizabeth to answer it. From outside Taggert called, “Elizabeth, it’s me.” Elizabeth opened the door as Lucky walked around just in time to see Mac walk in.
“Just great Taggert! I told you to keep this to yourself! Is it going to be on the front page of the paper tomorrow? Why don’t we just hang a sign out the window so Faison will know just where to find Elizabeth?” Lucky was furious.
“Wait a minute, Lucky. My knowing is not Taggert’s fault,” Mac jumped to the defense of his employee. “Besides if this guy who kidnapped you really is Faison, then I have a vested interest in this case.”
“How’s that?” Lucky growled.
“Because Caesar Faison killed my brother and sister-in-law. So I’m here more in that capacity than as Police Commissioner.”
“What do you mean IF this guy is really Faison?”
“Well when Robert and Anna died, there was this terrible explosion. Faison was on the same boat with them. No bodies were ever found, but it was assumed that all on board died. Including Faison. Can you describe what this guy looks like?” Mac wanted to get down to business.
Lucky described Faison. Mac was amazed at the description. It was him! Taggert pulled out the picture of Faison. “Would you say that your kidnapper looked like this?”
“That’s him. That’s Faison,” Lucky answered.
“Can you describe his voice?” Mac asked. Lucky complied. Mac played the Interpol tape.
“That’s his voice,” Lucky was sure of it.
“So that means Faison is alive,” whispered Mac. His mind was bouncing all over the place. Could that also mean Robert and Anna were alive? “Now, he held you outside of town?”
“Yeah. About 10 miles.”
“Tell me about the place.”
Lucky tried, but really he knew very few details. “I really can’t tell you that much. I was knocked out or something when they brought me there, so all I really saw was the room he kept me in. I didn’t stop and take notes on my way out, I was kind of in a hurry.”
“Were there any other rooms? Any other people being held there?” Mac was hoping against hope that Robert and Anna were there.
“I never saw or heard anyone else. Just Faison or the guard. I know my room was monitored all the time. Everything seemed very high tech.”
“Can you get us back there?” Mac was trying to formulate a plan.
“Yeah. When do we go?”
“Let’s don’t get ahead of ourselves. If it’s as high tech as you said, then we’ll have to be careful. How many guards did you see?” Mac wanted as much information as possible so he could devise a strategy. Lucky did his best to tell him everything he could. They quickly sketched out a rough plan for taking over the compound. Finally Mac looked at his watch. It was after 2 in the morning.
“OK. We all need to get some sleep,” Mac turned to Taggert. “Why don’t we meet at the station in the morning to set this thing in motion.”
“I’ll be there,” said Lucky.
“No Lucky, I think you’ve given us all the information we need,” Mac did not want to be responsible for a teenage civilian. This could get dangerous fast.
“Wait a minute,” Lucky jumped up. “I’m going with you. After what I’ve been through, you can’t treat me like a kid. Besides I’m the only source of information you’ve got.”
“Lucky, I think Commissioner Scorpio is right,” Elizabeth panicked at the thought of Lucky in danger again.
“NO!” Lucky’s eyes flashed in anger. “I’m going.”
Mac was exhausted and didn’t have the strength to fight. “You’ve got a point. But you won’t be the hero here, Lucky. You will do exactly what I say, exactly when I say it.”
“I’ll see you in the morning,” answered Lucky.