"Mertons, you're assigned to the case."
"But, I'm too close to it. And I was just about to--"
"Mertons, did you or did you not want this case?"
"I wanted it..."
"So go out there and find the kid."
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"Jeremy, I'm going to have to stay here." Fionna said firmly as he carried another box out.
He set it down, then looked at her warily. "Why? Because Abadeer wants to use you like a cheap--"
"Because Jazz is missing and I'm assigned to her case." Fionna cut him off, burying her hands in her coat.
He chewed on the inside of his cheek. "I thought you quit the force?"
"I was on my way there when I was assigned the case." Fionna pointed out.
"Then I guess we'll all stay. I had some... business... come up here as well."
She shook her head and was about to move past him when he asked, "Does he know?"
"Does who know what?" She asked, surprised.
"Does Abadeer know about his bastard?" Jeremy rolled his eyes.
"I never said--"
"I inferred. Unless it's some nameless man at a bar's bastard?" Jeremy leaned in close enough for her to smell his breath, and her hands curled into fists at her side. "That's what I thought, Fionna."
"You're not going to tell him, are you?"
"Why would I? He might try and do something noble, like marry you, and then where would I be?" A thought occurred to Jeremy, and he narrowed his eyes at her. "Whose child does he think that it is?"
"Yours." She replied quietly.
He grinned. "Good girl. And who knows... it gets cold up there in the North, and--"
"We're not having another child." She said firmly. "But that was part of your plan, wasn't it? To get me pregnant on purpose with Dessie?"
"My parents sending me away was a slight setback." He shrugged. "But really, are you surprised at all that I lied to you? That I was trying to control you from the inside?"
He reached out to touch her abdomen, and she jerked back.
"No? Some other time then." He smirked. He picked up his box and continued on, meeting Desdemona at the foot of the stairs. "Bring her back."
"Bring who back?"
"Jazz. I know you took her. If I tell Mommy, we won't have to go to Greenland."
"Then why haven't you told her?" He quirked an eyebrow.
"Because you might hurt Jazz." Dessie whispered.
Jeremy smirked. "Good girl. Now, run along, and--"
"But you're going to hurt her now anyway, right? So, if I go tell Mommy--"
His hand shot out and enclosed her ankle as she tried to run upstairs.
"Now, that just wouldn't do." He clucked, covering her mouth with his arm. "Let's go see your friend, hmm? Isn't that what you both want?"
Dessie struggled, but he quickly carried her away.
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No one knew anything. Olivia had been at a rally, Hedgeford was as senile as ever and his nurse hadn't been looking at the street. The houses across the way were abandoned.
No one had seen her.
"We're doing all we can." Fionna said softly, sitting down on Marshall's couch next to him. "Everyone's out looking for her."
Marshall stayed silent, his hands gripping each other until his knuckles turned white. "Is it going to be enough?"
"Well--"
"Is. It. Going. To. Be. Enough?" He spat. "Is she going to come home? Alive? Or just a finger at a time?"
"It's not going to be for money."
Marshall's head fell into his hands. "Then she's not coming home so easily, is she? This-this isn't like Dessie. This is worse. So much worse."
Fionna held him. "I'm sorry, Marshall."
"Stop being sorry and find her! She's-she's... she's the only family I have, okay?! You made me talk to my mother, but she doesn't count! You know that Jade took off long ago, and now you...! Just bring her back, okay? Please? Whatever it takes."
"I'll try." Fionna answered.
"Promise." He demanded.
"I promise." She replied quickly.
He leaned against her. "Thank you. I know you've got your own stuff with stupid Jeremy, but... thanks."
"I'm happy to help. I'm just worried that you'll blame me if the worst happens, since you can put a face to it."
"Not you. Never you." He rose from the couch. "I blame, and will always blame, that sick, twisted, inhuman demon who took my kid, and I'm never going to forgive them. And when all of this is said and done, they better not have laid a finger on my kid, or else..."
He trailed off, his hands balling into fists.
"Hell yeah. We're going to get them." Fionna said enthusiastically, rising to stand next to him.
He smiled gently at her, before hugging her. "If only you never had to go."
"Let's not talk about that. It's going to bring us down. Now, I'm going to go get Dessie and the footage from the security cameras around here. Do you want to come with me?"
"Why?"
"So you're not alone."
He smiled. "Thanks, but I'd rather not be around stupid Jeremy."
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"What?! This is--this is insane." Fionna stared at Jeremy, who shrugged. "Is it really?"
"Yes! It's not just the neighborhood, it's the apartment building!" Fionna turned to look at him. "Why aren't you worried?"
"Me? Why would I be worried?" Jeremy asked airily. "Are you planning to run off with Abadeer?"
"No, but from your cold, heartless point of view, your daughter isn't missing. But your leverage is. And I'm guessing you know where Jazz is as well, don't you?"
"You can't prove anything." He spat.
She slammed him up against the wall. "Where are they?!"
"Where do you think? I can't take them too far, now can I? So you know they're still in the city. I've been in your company pretty much all day, except when you went in to work and even then Abadeer was watching me. So you know that they're still in my hands, correct?"