Alex walks through the briefing room and towards the weapons room as she hears the loud noise of someone dumping a box of bullets. She then walks in she spots Sam sitting back in a chair while Eddie mops the floor and the rest of the team organizes and sorts the the weapons. "Comfy there, Samo?" Alex laughs as she pats Sam on the back. "I'm very comfortable, Alex" Sam states as he holds up his coffee cup.
Alex turns around and notices Eddie staring at them. "Get you some more coffee?" he asks sarcastically. "All good, sir, but thank you for asking" Sam smiles as he looks back down at the paper in his hand. "What are you doing here, anyway?" Jules questions as she cleans one of the guns. "Cause you just had to bring it up?" Wordy asks sarcastically.
Alex looks back up at Wordy and smiles. "Play nice, Mr. Wordsworth" she states cheerfully. "Well, Constable Callaghan, that would be because yesterday, I got..." Sam begins as he looks back towards Team One. "Tightest grouping at both long range and short range firearm practice" he says and everyone mumbles as they continue to do their jobs. "Meaning you get to do monthly cleanup, and I get to do this...Missed a spot there, Ed" Sam explains. "Yeah, whatever" Eddie whispers.
Alex leans against the lockers and laughs. "Actually, what I meant is, why are you down here? Why aren't you upstairs training, you know, at something dangerous and exciting?" Jules questions as Sam flips the page in the paper. Suddenly, he has a look of worry and upset in his eyes as he leans forward shocked about what he sees. "Sam, everything okay?" Alex asks as Sam stands up and places the paper on his seat. "Yeah, I-I just gotta...go do something" Sam sighs as he walks away quickly out of the weapons room.
Alex walks over and picks up the paper as Eddie leans over her shoulder curious. 'Final Homecoming for Three Heros' caught Alex's eyes immediately. She looks up at Eddie concerned.
Sam takes out his phone once he's away from the team, dials a number and holds it up to his ear. "Hello?" a voice questions. "Jay, it's Braddock" Sam says as he begins to pace back and forth in the the empty briefing room. "Sam, the hell time is it?" Jay asks, sounding tired. "0600, soldier. You out of special forces now or what?" Sam questions. "No, no, uh In-between tours. Back to the sand in a week. You?" Jay advises. "Police Force" Sam admits. "Got tired of working for a living, huh?" Jay chuckles. "Yeah I guess" Sam smiles.
Sam takes a deep breath and looks down to the ground. "So, Dave Haverlik You hear? Anyways, figure I'll go up on the highway tonight" Sam sighs. "You will?" Jay questions confused. "Died in the field, didn't he?" Sam asks quickly. "He wasn't in the field; he was at camp" Jay states. "They hit the camp?" Sam questions shocked. "Come on, man. You gonna make me say it?" Jay asks and Sam stays quiet. "Alright, Chris Geordie found him. Own sidearm and everything. I just know I ain't going up there. Just like we said, right?" Jay continues. "Right" Sam whispers.
***
Alex sits on the roof of headquarters and watches as the sky slowly begins to get brighter as the sun starts to rise. "I knew you would be up here" Spike's cheerful voice admits. Alex turns around and smiles as he walk over and sits next to her. "I just love watching both sunrise and sunset when I can. It so beautiful, and relaxing" Alex explains. "It is beautiful" Spike agrees as he turns and looks at Alex. "Just like you." Alex snickers and leans her head down on Spike's shoulder.
After watching the sunrise with Spike, Alex walks into the lobby and notices Sam walk past her. "So, I saw the paper. Is that guy from your team? Brave guys" Alex starts, but Sam ignores her. Alex takes Sam's arm and stops him from walking. "Sam. Did I miss something?" she questions. Sam sighs and looks down to the ground. "He wasn't brave. He did it himself" Sam admits. Alex lets go of his arm slowly and takes a breath. "I'm sorry...Were you two close?" Alex asks. "Spend enough time, think you know someone And you had no idea, huh?" Sam argues as he looks up at Alex with a serious look in his eyes. "I'm just trying to help, Sam" Alex admits.
Sam shakes his head and continues to walk through the lobby as Alex walks beside him. "So, you gonna go to the highway and watch the procession?" she asks. "No" he quickly states. "No? Don't you usually go?" Alex questions confused. "On our team, the only thing protecting you is each other, so we made a deal. You give up like that, you don't mean anything to us anymore" Sam explains as the loud alarm burst through the building.
"Team One, Team One, hot call, gear up!" Sally yells through the intercom. Alex and Sam run towards the garage and notice not three but now four SUVs lined up. "Alex!" Greg calls quickly. She looks over and he throws her a set of keys. "Congratulations" Greg smiles as he climbs into the first SUV. Alex looks back at Sam. "Sam, if you want to talk after-" Alex begins to say but Sam walks around to the passenger side of her SUV. "Take your truck?" Sam questions as he climbs in. "Absolutely" Alex smiles as she them climbs in the driver's seat and starts the truck, following behind the others.
Sam quickly reaches over and pushes the button on Alex's headset, turning it on. "Thank you" Alex says. "No problem" Sam states, as Alex speeds behind Lou and Spikes truck carefully. "Team leader, talk back" Greg's voice demands through the headset. "Go ahead boss" Eddie states. "Stealth approach, low profile. Absolutely no noise, you copy?" Greg asks. "We copy, boss" Eddie says.
Alex reaches up and turns off the sirens. "Are you going to talk? Or look out the window and sulk?" Alex asks as she looks over at Sam and then back. "I just don't want to talk about it right now" Sam states. "Do you have a clear enough head for this Sam?" Alex asks as she quickly turns and then stops the car beside Spike and Lou's. "Yeah. I can do this" Sam explains quickly as he jumps out of the car and slams the door.
Alex gets out and closes her door as Spike gets out beside her. "He okay?" Spike asks. "He's stubborn. But I think he's okay" Alex explains quietly as she walks towards the back of the SUVs. Quickly a police car comes speeding towards her and stops a few feet away with it's sirens blasting. Alex jumps back quickly as Greg and Eddie come running towards her. "So much for the stealth approach" Alex states as the cop steps out of the car.
"SRU on the scene" the officer says into his radio. Alex walk over towards him and lifts up her sunglasses. "Speak to you for a second?" Alex asks. "Yes, ma'am, there's an armed teenager-" the cop begins to say. "I assume you're new on the job" Alex questions seriously as the cop look down to the ground. "Yes, ma'am" the officer nods. "Here's today's lesson: armed and barricaded subjects tend to get freaked out by sirens and flashing lights. You get me?" Alex explains.
The cop looks at his car and nods. "I'll turn the lights off" he advises. "Alright, move your car" Alex then demands. "I'll move my car" the cop says quickly and jumps back into his car. Alex then walk back towards the team and notices smiles on all of their faces. "Some people just don't know how to do simple things" Alex sighs sarcastically as she walk right through the huddle and looks towards the scene.
"Sam, take the back entrance" Eddie demands as Greg and him walk away from the huddle with Alex following behind them. "Rolland Strachan. Recognize the name?" Greg asks. Alex and Eddie both shake their heads confused. "Crown vs. Porter, trial of the century?" Greg admits. "Right, right. The defense attorney" Alex quickly agrees. "Right, hence the mansion" Eddie agrees as he looks up at the big house. "Well, the family was loaded from way back. Gold mines" Alex smiles. "Anything you don't know?" Eddie smirks. Alex shrugs her shoulders and looks at Eddie with a grin. "I am gifted. I find that's something that will always stay a question" Alex laughs.
Alex turns around and walks towards the huddle again. Instantly she hears a loud gunshot come from inside. "Shots fired. Sam, you cover that back entrance. Alex, stand out of sight and be ready if anything happens" Eddie says as he runs up leans against an SUV. "Copy" Alex says quickly as she runs around the house and stands behind a tree with her gun in her hands. "Team we'll attempt phone contact, but be ready for immediate entry" Greg's voice announces.
"Team, you have eyes on subject?" Greg questions. "Negative" Alex states as she points her gun towards the house. "Alright, prepare for entry. Alex you stay where you are" Eddie demands. Alex stands against the tree, still holding her gun as she listens to Team One.
"This is the Police Strategic Response Unit. Everybody in the Strachan house needs to stay where they are!" Eddie's voice echoes through the yard as he uses the small megaphone. "Clear on your count" Greg says. "Three...two...one" Wordy's voice says.
Alex listens and suddenly notices something fly out of the upstairs window and cover the yard in thick white smoke. Then three more fly out the window and one lands right next to her. Alex kicks it away and steps back, lowering her gun. "I've got action here, smoke bombs! I need backup here. I'm blind. I repeat. I need backup. I'm completely smoked out" Alex shouts. Then she hears a twig snap behind her and she quickly holds her gun back up. She runs towards the sound quickly and watches where she steps.
She looks back up once the thick smoke clears out of her line of view and notices a teenage boy jumping over the fence. "Team, subject's in the ravine. I'm going after him" Alex states quickly as she climbs over the gate and jumps down. "Alex! Wait for backup!" Spike yells through the headset, but Alex jumps down from the fence and runs towards the teen in the red sweater. "Alex!" Eddie yells from the fense. "Stop! Police!" Alex shouts as she holds her gun up and continues to run.
"Wordy, containment?" Eddie questions as Team One arrives in an open field of the ravine. "Can't really block off a ravine, but we've got all the bordering roads contained, checkpoints at every exit, uniforms are already out beating the bush" Wordy explains. "Alright, good. We've got a few dozen hikers, bikers and family strollers. Let's clear them out, keep them safe in case our subject decides to do something stupid. Spike...How's the new toy?" Eddie asks as he stops in front of Spike and Lou. "Acoustic detector's good to go. He fires anywhere within earshot, we've got him" Spike explains. "Excellent" Eddie says.
Eddie turns around and looks at Wordy. "Wordy, I want you in the hummer. The rest of us, we will be heading into the bush, diamond formation. One dog per unit. Let's keep to the grid. Let's clear it quad by quad. Keep in touch with the cp and the other uniforms" Eddie explains. "How's the infrared coming? Chopper arrive?" Greg asks. "Yeah. It's messing up my hair" Eddie admits. "Better you then me. Also, once you find Alex, tell her to come back to Command Post. Don't need her putting herself into anymore trouble. You know how she is in wanting to fight the battles alone. We can't be mad at her for this Eddie. She was doing what she thought was right" Greg explains. "Copy that" Eddie states.
"Let's not forget our subject's eighteen years old, emotionally distraught and afraid. He may be armed, but he isn't rambo. Let's see if we can bring him back to his family in one piece, okay?" Greg questions. "I'll try, boss. But those smoke bombs were pretty clever. This guy's from around here. He knows the area" Eddie says. "Alright, infrared coming at you" Greg announces through the headset.
Eddie walks back towards the parked SUV in the open field and reaches in and grabs the tablet. "Gentlemen and lady...This is our forward looking infrared. Every dot is a heat signature, every heat signature could be our subject or even Alex" Eddie explains as he shows the Team the tablet with over a hundred dots on it. "Don't suppose they have an armed eighteen year old filter for that thing?" Wordy questions. "Afraid not. Quad by quad" Eddie then demands.
***
Back at the house, Greg sits with the mother and son as the father leaves for the hospital with a gunshot in his arm. The phone rings and Greg patches it through the headsets. "Hey, doc. What do you know about the Baden-Highsmith academy for young men?" Greg asks. "The military school? Not much. Your shooter from there?" Lori questions. "Yeah, he was expelled recently. A fight with another kid, the mother's saying" Greg whispers. "Expelled just for a fight?" Lori asks confused. "You know, I was wondering the same thing, too. The parents aren't talking a lot" Greg admits. "Alex there? She is usually best at these sorts of things. Also, he is just a year older than your subject, right?" Lori states. "Yeah, but she's not here. She ran after the subject into the ravine and now we can't get through to her" Greg sighs. "Her and solving big problems by herself" Lori snickers. "Tell me about it" Greg says as a smiles appears on his face.
"Preliminary profile?" Lori asks. "Pretty textbook: well-to-do family, successful parents One sibling. He's got a history of antisocial acts beginning in adolescence: fights, petty theft, and, uh, last year he was accused of starting a fire at his private school" Greg explains. "Steady escalation. You want to know, is this kid just a danger to himself, his family, or everybody else, too?" Lori states. "I love it when you read my mind. Just call when you know" Greg smiles. "Okay" Lori says and then hangs up the phone.
"Infrared's up and running. I'm headed east along the main road by the ravine" Wordy says through the headset. Eddie and Jules walk in front and Spike and Lou walk behind. "What's your problem?" Lou questions as Spike looks around frantically. "Woods. My people don't like them" Spike admits. "Your people? From Woodbridge?" Lou asks confused. "No, romans. Few times we fought in the forest against the huns didn't go so good, okay?" Spike panics. "Team One, I've got two sigs Northeast of your position" Wordy says.
Team One quickly raise their guns and walk Northeast. "Heads up, twenty-five meters and closing. Twenty, eighteen, seventeen, sixteen. They're right on you" Wordy continues. Team One holds their guns up and spots two young girls look out from behind a tree and raise their hands, making them quickly lower their guns. Spike instantly starts to feel annoyed. "Wordy, we've got two more negatives" Eddie states as he looks over at Jules and nods. "Alright, girls. Come on, time to go home" Jules says as she walk closer towards the girls and gently helps they around the big bush.
The older one stops and looks up at Eddie. "Your uniform. I saw a pretty woman running with the same uniform on. But, it looked like she was in trouble. She was bleeding, really bad" the girl explains as Team One looks at each other worried. "Do you know which way she went?" Spike asks quickly and the little girl shakes her head.
"Boss. Did you hear that?" Edde questions through the headset. "Copy. Dozen more hot spots out there. Keep at it, guys" Greg explains as he tries his best to stay calm. He turns around and walks towards the mother and son as they sit at the dining room table. "Mrs.Strachan" Sam asks slowly as he walk up behind Greg. "My mom's exhausted. I can tell you everything. My dad was sitting right there. He was showing us our great-grandfather's old gun It's a family heirloom. I know you're supposed to check if it's loaded. I guess they didn't, and my brother took it, it just went off. I mean, thank god it only hit my dad in the arm. It was really just an accident" the son explains.
Sam sighs and looks at the boy seriously. "Alright, well, if it was just an accident, how come your brother took off?" he asks. The son looks back at his mother and then down at the table. "Uh, well my brother's had a rough year. I guess When he saw my dad hurt, he just panicked. But...but he honestly didn't mean it. I know my brother" he explains. "Okay, one more thing. You're saying your father and brother were sitting here when the gun went off?" Sam asks as he walk behind the chair at the end of the table.
The son follows him with his eyes and nods. "Yeah" he says. "Okay, well, if he was hit here, and your brother was sitting there, then the bullet would be somewhere around here" Sam starts to explain as he walks towards the wall and points. "But, if they were standing, and your brother was pointing the gun then the bullet would be about...here" he continues as he points at the bullet hole in the frame of a large picture. "So, you want to try this again?"
The son looks up confidently and takes a deep breath. "Yeah, yeah, fine. Just, do you mind if I check something?" the son asks quickly, and Sam nods his head before the boy runs upstairs to his room. He picks up his phone and dials a number, placing it up to his ear. "Where the hell are you?" the son asks. "Man, you will never believe this. The SWAT Team...that came to the house. She's on their team. She was running after me, but now I'm trying to find her" the subject explains as he walks through the ravine. "Are you crazy! Wait Who?" the son then yells quietly. "Alex. Remember, the girl I dated in college?" the subject asks. "RJ, you never went to college" the son admits. "But she did, and she never found out. i'll take her up north with me. But I need your help, Simon" Rj states.
Simon sits down on his bed and places his head on his hand. "What am I supposed to do, huh? I mean, the cops are here and they've got, like, an entire army out looking for you, and probably their cop. Just leave her and come home. Mom's freaking out, dad's in the hospital" Simon panics. "Is he going to be okay?" RJ asks. "Yeah, I think so" Simon admits. "That's too bad" RJ sighs as he continues to walk carefully.
"RJ, What's going on with you?" Simon sighs as he stands back up and leans against his wall. "Hey, don't worry about me. I'm fine, okay? We just got to get up north and we'll be okay" RJ explains. "What up north? I don't even know what you mean" Simon states. "Come on, you remember those stories that dad told about the Chilkoot Pass? And his grandfather being up there, and how he made his name up there? - Remember?" RJ questions. "Yeah" Simon admits. "That's what we're gonna do; we're gonna go up there, we're gonna make our name" RJ says excitedly. "Making our names? What are you talking about?" Simon snaps.
***
Back in the ravine, Team One stops as the K9 dog stops and sniffs around. "What's going on?" Spike asks confused. "It is, right?" Eddie asks as he looks up at the officer. "We lose the trail?" Spike questions. "There's ammonia splashed all over the place. Throws off the dogs. I mean, what? This kid's holding ammonia in case of a manhunt?" Eddie asks. Spike shrugs his shoulders and looks at Eddie seriously. "Ammonia's good for a lot of stuff: fertilizing, cleaning...bombs" Spike explains with a worried look. "You getting this, boss?" Eddie questions. "Yeah, copy that" Greg sighs.
***
Simon continues to lean against his wall as RJ speaks quickly into the phone. "I mean, we can be whatever we want to be up there. Nobody will know us. Okay, you'll be safe. I've just got to get you away from them" he states. "Yeah, but I am getting away. I'm going to school, remember?" Simon asks. RJ looks around at his surrounding and stays quiet. "RJ?" Simon questions loudly. "You're right, um What about me?" RJ whispers.
Simon looks down to the ground and holds his breath for a quick second, not knowing what to say. "You know what? It's fine. Don't worry about it. Do what you want, um...The least you can do is help me out, though" RJ admits. "I am trying to help!" Simon snaps quickly. "No, I need money to get up there. You know what? Meet me at the place. You know where, by noon, okay? Do it or else I gotta do something else, you know?" RJ advises as he hangs up the phone and runs towards an empty trailer.
Simon walks back down stairs quietly and quickly grabs the car keys off of the shelf by the front door. "Where are you going, Simon?" Sam quickly asks as him and Greg walk around the corner into the front lobby. Simon quickly turns around and hides the car keys behind his back. "Uh, I don't know. I have to go out" Simon stutters. "Yeah? Where? Mind if we tag along?" Sam quickly questions. "No, it's ah...it's not that important" Simon states, as his phone starts to go off in his pocket.
Simon quickly looks up at Sam. "Your phone's buzzing" Sam smiles. "Is that your brother, Simon?" Greg questions. "No. I don't know" Simon says. "You didn't even check it" Sam states. "Let's get a listing of all the Strachan family phones, including RJ's cell" Greg demands. Simon quickly looks over at him. "You know I'm not going to tell you anything" Simon admits. "You might not mean to...but you are" Greg smiles back sarcastically. "We're just trying to help your brother. You can help, too" Sam says as he turns and walks away and Greg sits down in front of the laptop. "What about your cop. Aren't you trying to help her too?" Simon quickly asks, not even meaning to say it. He quickly covers his mouth as Sam turns back around slowly and Greg looks up at him. "What did you just say?" Sam questions. Simon shakes his head. "Nothing" he states.
Team One walks through a muddy path through the ravine. "We're heading North on those coordinates" Eddie states. "Triangulated signal from the kid's cell phone's up ahead" Greg advises. "Only you guys showing up on infrared, sorry" Wordy says through the headset. Eddie then quickly holds a fist in the air making the team stop quickly behind him. "Got a visual on a domicile, fifty meters from our position" Eddie explains. "Still no infrared, guys" Wordy states. "The kid's got survival training, knows about camouflage. He gets enough cover on top of him, he can hide his heat signature, so be careful" Greg advises.
Eddie walks slowly behind a couple of tall bushes and the team follows behind him. He then signals Spike and Lou to run to the back and make sure he can't escape. "This is the Strategic Response Unit. RJ, come on out, we don't want to hurt you. We can help" Eddie yells as Jules loads a gun with CS gas. After a couple seconds, Eddie looks over at her and nods. "Give him a blast of CS gas" he says quietly.
Jules stands up and aims the gun towards the open window and shoots. The small trailer quickly fills with gas sending large clouds out the window. "Boss, you sure about that reading?" Eddie asks. "He hasn't moved. Kid's playing possum" Greg advises. Eddie looks over and notices Jules, Spike, and Lou watching him for his signal. He nod his head and they quickly put on their gas masks, slowly making their way towards the trailer. Lou kicks open the door and Eddie and Spike quickly run with their guns up. They all look around quickly before Eddie notices something laying on top of a pile of clothes. "Clear. It's just his cellphone" Eddie states feeling frustrated.
***
Back at the house, Greg and Sam walk into the living room and look at Simon and his mom sitting in two chairs by the window. "We've got some news about RJ" Greg says slowly. "Is he okay?" Simon quickly asks. "Did you know he's been using Crystal Methamphetamine?" Greg questions. Simon snickers and his mom closes her eyes and sighs. "No, there's no way!" Simon argues. "Right now he's in an unstable state; Euphoria, paranoia, mania. The fact that he's been using in the middle of all this, that tells us that he's bingeing, and he's headed for a major crash, okay? So, we need to bring him back before he hurts himself anymore. Or anyone else" Greg explains. "Like, Alex" Sam mentions quickly as he looks down at Simon.
Simon's mother looks up and shakes her head. "I can't deal with this right now" she states as she finishes up her glass of wine. Simon looks over at her and sighs. "Mom, please, what am I supposed to do?" Simon questions. "You should leave. While you can. Before your father comes back" his mother explains as Greg and Sam look at eachother confused. "All I can do is say I'm sorry. What else have I ever done?" she continues. She places her empty glass on the table and walks out of the living room.
Greg and Sam go to leave behind her and Simon quickly looks up at them. "Hold it, I can help you with this" he states. Greg turns around and walks back into the room and looks down at Simon. "Okay. How?" Sam asks. "I can show you where my brother's hiding, and tell you what his plan is with Alex" Simon answers quietly. "His plan?" Greg questions. "RJ told me something about him and Alex, and how they dated in college. The only thing that confused me was that RJ never went to college. But then he told me that she did, and that's all that mattered. She broke up with him a couple days before he set the fire. He sounded pretty pissed off" Simon explains.
Greg looks at Sam quickly and walks back out of the living room. "Take him and find his brother Sam, before he hurts my daughter!" Greg yells.
Sam and Simon follow the trail in one of the police hummers. "Just around that bend" Simon explains as he points at the computer screen and Sam stops the truck. "No trail here" Eddie's voice says through the headset. "He's saying go through the thicket" Sam explains. "Alright, it's pretty heavy brush. Extended line formation, ten to 15 meters apart. Let's go" Eddie demands as Sam listens through the headset as he stops the truck.
As Sam sits in the truck beside Simon, he watches the dots that represent the team walk off the path. "Sam. Walk away from the kid" Greg's voice demands calmly through the headset. Sam reaches for the door handle and opens the door, climbing out. "Jules told me about your buddy. My condolences" Greg begins to say and Sam sighs. "Anyway, you and the kid seem to have a good connection going. He may open up more to you, and if he does I just need you to listen for some things" Greg states.
"I don't...That's really not my thing yet, boss" Sam panics. "No, no, you're doing fine. You're doing fine. Just trust your instincts. This secret trail, hiding place from when they were kids, you buy it?" Greg questions. "Yeah. He knows his brother. Where he's going" Sam states confidently. "Okay then. I think you need to ask him something. Whether he answers or not, we need to know why RJ hates their dad so much. Why his mother is afraid for him to be in the house" Greg explains. "Copy" Sam agrees.
Team One walks through the ravine following the path Simon told them to take. "I've got his shoes again" Jules says as she beds down and looks at the shoe prints in the ground. "You're not at the trail yet" Sam explains through the headset as he continues to drive quickly down the dirt road. "I know. And they're heading that way, but Sam, lines of force are supposed to go in the opposite direction of the track, correct?" Jules questions. "Yeah" Sam says slowly. "Well, these are going the same way. Doesn't make any sense. Unless he's wearing his shoes backwards, and bringing us on a goose chase" Jules continues as she stands back up and looks at Eddie.
"Ed, you want to follow the footprints back?" Sam questions. "Good plan, Sam. Let's go back five-hundred meters, if nothing we turn back. Sam, bring the hummer around and meet us" Eddie explains. "Good...Deeper woods" Spike sighs unimpressed as Lou walks beside him and snickers. "Come on" Lou smiles as he pushes Spike gently forward.
"Why are they going that way? The trails the other way" Simon complains as he looks at the computer screen. "My boss. He's a really smart guy. He can tell things about people. He wanted me to ask you... Your old man, he hit you and RJ?" Sam asks slowly as he looks over at Simon, but he doesn't answer. Simon just looks down at his hands in his lap. "So, you grew up around here, huh? Running around, hide-and-go- Seek, that kind of thing?" Sam questions again, but still no answer.
"Okay, team, heads up, eyes sharp. This kid's headed for a crash. When he does, it's gonna be fast and ugly, and Alex is out there somewhere" Greg explains. "I never had a brother. Must be nice" Sam admits. "It kind of depends. When he shoots your dad and gets the cops coming after him, not so much" Simon explains causing Sam to chuckle. "A lot of guys I know, same thing...Out of control. They just need a little guidance. They turned out okay" Sam explains with a smile. "Yeah?" Simon asks as he looks over at Sam. "Yeah" Sam nods. "Yeah. Sure. This one guy I knew, basic training. Loud, dumb, fat. Everybody says, this is the guy who ditches out in a week. We took bets and everything. Six months later, he was at the head of the grad parade. Wasn't a guy there who wouldn't follow him anywhere" Sam starts to explains as he continues to drive down the trail. "I spent a week on a mountainside with him. He told me about his family. Believe me. I figured...man, if you can get through that, - you can get through anything" Sam finishes.
"So he turned out okay?" Simon asks curiously. "Yeah, sure he did" Sam explains as Simon looks down at his phone. "Somewhere you need to be Simon?" Sam asks curiously, making Simon quickly look away from his phone.
Team One continues to walk the opposite way and suddenly hear Alex's scream. "Alex!" Spike yells. Then a loud loud gunshot echoes through the trees and the team quickly gets down. "Shot fired. You guys see the flash?" Eddie questions quickly. "Negative" Jules answers. "Sam!" Spike yells. "Got it! Okay, team, shot signature's coming from quadrant 4-C, that's 100 meters due East. We're gonna do a pincer formation. Ed, Jules, Wordy, you're Alpha, head Northeast around twenty-five degrees, a hundred meters. You'll be in quadrant 4-B. Spike, Louis. Bravo, Southeast a hundred and twenty degrees, hit him from below" Sam explains quickly as Team One breaks away and runs towards their spots.
"Alpha, we got a sig coming right at you" Sam yells as Eddie and Jules stand behind trees and point their guns. Instantly a female comes running towards them scared and quickly stops when she sees the guns. "Jules" Eddie whispers and Jules walk out and takes the woman's arm. "You're okay" she states. "I was running, and-and...And he had a gun. But then a cop came running up to me with blood on her head and clothes. She looked scared. She told me to run, and I did. That's when I heard the shot" The woman panics.
"Bravo team, you're almost on two more sigs. Be careful" Sam states as Spike and Wordy slow down and start to walk slowly with their guns up. Spike looks down and notices Alex's headset, gun, and vest on the ground. "Boss, he has her. Her stuff is lying here on the ground" Spike explains. "Hold up. Hold up" Spike then says quickly as Lou turns around confused and looks at him. "What? You hear something?" he asks as he turns back around and looks away from him.
Alex squirms to get away from RJ's grip as he covers her mouth and slowly stands back up with a bomb in his hand. Her eyes go wide as she notices him looking at Spike from behind. He quickly throws it and Spikes vest catches on fire. "Lou, I'm on fire! I'm on fire!" Spike panics as he drops to the ground and rolls around quickly. "Spike!" Alex screams as she watches Lou run towards him quickly. "Spike!" she yells again worried. RJ pulls Alex away as she continues to kick and scream.
"Spike! Officer down! Officer down! Quad 4-c! We need assistance! Officer down! Officer down!" Lou panics as he tries everything he can to take out the fire.
***
Back at the open field where Team One started, Spike gets treated as Lou talks to an officer. Spike quickly grabs his shirt and runs towards Greg. "She's out there. He's got her" Spike panics. Greg places his hand on Spike's shoulder and look him in the eye. "I know...I know. Supposedly RJ is an ex-boyfriend from college" Greg explains as Wordy walks over and joins in. "Sarge?" Wordy asks causing Greg and Spike to look at him. "Remember the Pete incident?" Wordy questions. "Yeah. Wordy. I remember" Greg sighs as the rest of the team come walking over. "Well, didn't Alex talk to Sadie about her only ex-boyfriend from college?" Wordy asks as everyone looks around and tries to remember.
Eddie then looks up and his eyes go wide. "RJ is Alex's abuser. She broke up with him for that reason and he got pissed and started the fire. He's going to be blaming all of this on her" Eddie states quickly. "Okay. Team One, new deal" Greg loudly states through his headset, casing everyone to run to where they should be.
Spike and Eddie walk towards the Hummer that was waiting for them and climb in. "Ammonium triiodide. Homemade explosive of every anarchist jackass and troublemaker. Kid hits me with ammonium triiodide. Unbelievable" Spike snaps. "I'm sorry, man. I should have seen him. Then Alex could be here, right now, instead of out there" Lou states seriously as the hummer begins to drive away. "Then you could have your girlfriend with you during this hard time" Lou teases. Spike looks over at Lou with a serious look. "Dude. Shut up! But I will say, this one last time...Romans and Woods. All I'm saying." Spike laughs.
Eddie walks towards Sam as Greg arrives back at the house. "Okay. I'm here" Eddie states. "According to the doc, the kid didn't just attack the cadet leader. He attacked the cadet leader after he saw him grab another kid. Abused kids lash out. But this looks like a kid who got used to lashing out to protect someone else...like a baby brother" Greg explains. "What about Alex. I don't think she would ever abuse a child or someone RJ would want to protect" Sam says. "No. But he would need a punching bag. Someone to take all his anger out on" Eddie admits quietly. "The path Simon marked for us was the exact opposite of where RJ was heading. Kid lied to us. I guess I was wrong" Sam sighs.
Eddie looks at Sam with a serious look in his eye. "I got a man down, and a niece I would love to save. I could care less about about this kid's psychodrama. This game is over now" Eddie hisses as he starts to take his anger out on Sam. "As much as I'm angry and upset, I don't want you rushing back in angry, Ed" Greg advises through the headset. "It's a little late for that, boss" Eddie states as he walks around Sam and towards Simon.
"Let me talk to the kid" Sam shouts. "You know what? I appreciate the effort, Sam, but This is their bond. You're never gonna get brother to turn on brother. The kid's a lost lead" Greg says slowly. "No! I just didn't get it before. Let me try one more time" Sam demands as Eddie stops and Sam follows Simon away from the field.
He walks down towards the river and notices Simon sitting on a log. "You just gonna let him hang, like everybody else has?" Sam protests calmly. "You don't know anything about us" Simon argues. "I know this: Your brother has shot your father, almost killed a Police Officer by burning him to death, and now he has kidnapped his ex-girlfriend that he used to abuse when she was in college" Sam begins. "Right now Simon, your brother is going to get killed" Sam explains. "Maybe that's what he wants. Is that what you want?" Sam continues as he looks down at Simon.
Simon looks towards the river and takes a deep breath. "Whether it was a belt, or a cane, or sometimes just a fist, RJ was always there, standing right in front of me, taking the worst of it every time" He starts to explain. "He'd say, "what are you so scared of, huh? I'm still here, aren't I?" how am I supposed to turn on him after that, huh? I can't tur-" he chokes.
Sam moves closer and sits down next to Simon slowly. "You'll be saving him by bringing him in. Or you're going to spend the rest of your life wondering what might have happened if you just tried" Sam explains and Simon looks down at the ground with tears falling from his eyes. "Look, I...I promise you this: together, we can bring your brother back alive. Because so long as he's alive, there-there's hope, right?" he continues. Simon looks up at him and slowly nods his head. "Thank you, Simon" Sam breaths.
***
"Let go of me!" Alex screams as RJ pulls her deeper into the woods. He quickly throws her to the ground. "Shut up! God, I'm starting to remember why I left you in the first place!" RJ snaps. Alex looks up at him confused and pissed off. "You left me! Ha. No way. I left your crazy ass. Actually I regret everything we once had, if there was even anything at all" Alex shouts. RJ looks at her with anger in his eyes and he raises his hand before quickly pulling it down and slaps Alex in the face, causing her head to turn.
Alex sits there holding her cheek as tears begin to fall from her eyes and RJ takes off his backpack and places it on the ground. He opens it up and digs through it, pulling out a roll of duct tape. He grabs Alex's wrists and wraps them tightly together. Then he does the same with her ankles. "RJ, Stop!" Alex cries, frightened by what RJ is capable of doing. "One last piece" he smiles as he rips of a piece of tape and pushes it against her mouth aggressively. "Now, let's go. We have to go meet Simon" RJ explains cheerfully as he puts his backpack back on. He bends down and throws Alex over his shoulder as she tries to scream.
After a few minutes of walking. RJ places Alex down behind a large thick group of bushes. "Wait here" RJ snickers as he runs out and sees Simon. "Hey, I knew you'd come. Remember this place? Remember the summers we used to have here? Remember that?" RJ laughs. "Yeah" Simon nods as RJ moves back towards the trees.
"You burned up that cop pretty bad, RJ" Simon admits. "Okay, well he shouldn't have come after me then. You know, that's what you get...It's okay, man. It's me, buddy. What are you so scared of?" RJ explains as he quickly walks towards Simon and puts his hands on his cheeks. "Meth? Blowing up cops in the woods? Kidnapping ex-girlfirends? I mean, who does this? Who are you now?" Simon snaps. "The same guy who was there for you every night...Every time. Do you remember him?" RJ questions calmly. "Yeah. It's just that guy never scared me before" Simon admits slowly. "I'm just tired, Simon. You know?" RJ admits as he backs away slowly.
"I was up there, and, uh...Well, I was doing good. I was. I started getting these nightmares, and I just figured if I stayed up, you know, i'd just, I'd be okay. You know, I'd just get through the year. Come back to you. We'd get out of here. We'd be safe, you know?" RJ slowly explains as he looks over at Simon. "RJ, no matter where we go, it'll still be us" Simon admits calmly. "Okay. Good. Okay, well, let's go then." RJ says excitedly as he starts to walk away.
Simon reaches out and quickly grabs his arm. "No, RJ, just listen. Remember that time dad lost his watch and he blamed me?" Simon asks and RJ immediately nods his head. "And he came at me at dinner, and he had that old belt. You jumped in and you grabbed it, remember that?" Simon then questions. "Yeah, sure. Of course. It hurt like hell" RJ states quickly. "And you grabbed it even though it almost ripped off your hand. You wouldn't let go. He was pulling on it, and he was going crazy, and mom was crying and I was crying, but you wouldn't let go...I just want you to know, i'll never forget that" Simon explains.
RJ nods his head and breaths quickly. "Yeah okay" RJ agrees. "I'm never going to let you go either, RJ. No matter what happens" Simon nods his head and looks into his brother's eyes. "Okay. Sure. I don't know what you're talking about, man, but, uh, we should really get out of here" RJ quickly explains as he looks around. "No matter what happens" Simon repeats.
RJ then looks at Simon confused and then looks around him frantically as he begins to back away. "No way" he whispers. "RJ!" Simon yells as he grabs hold of the back of his shirt. RJ then quickly turns around and punches Simon in the face before he turns to walk away again and Simon grabs him quickly. "RJ!" Simon repeats as RJ throws him to the ground and starts screaming.
Wordy, Eddie, and Sam quickly run towards them and Eddie tackles RJ to the ground while Sam helps Simon up and walks away with him. "Where is she!" Eddie yells. "Where is who?" RJ asks confused with a smirk on his face. "You know who. Where's Alex!" Eddie yells again. "She's safe. For now" RJ snickers.
Eddie quickly pulls RJ to his feet after he handcuffed him and pushes him towards Wordy. "Take him. Knowing how important she is to him. She can't be far. He wouldn't let that happen" Eddie demands. Wordy takes RJ's arm and pushes him to start walking.
Eddie walks into the woods and looks around every which way. "Alex!" Eddie yells slowly walking before he hears something and stops. "Ed there is a sig right beside you" Jules's voice says loudly through the headset. Eddie looks beside him and spots a thick patch of bushes. He slowly walks around them and instantly see Alex moving around quickly, trying to set herself free. "I've got her! She's covered in blood and dirt. I don't see any bullet wounds" Eddie states causing Alex to look at him shocked.
She starts to scream and cry as Eddie runs towards her pulling out his knife. "You're going to be okay, Alex. RJ's caught" Eddie explains as he unties her ankles and wrists, letting her take the tape of her mouth quickly. "Eddie" Alex whispers as tears continue to fall from her eyes. She quickly throws her arms around the back of his neck and pulls herself closer towards him, letting her head rest on his shoulder. "You okay" he whispers as he slowly gets up and picks her up bridal style.
***
Back at the house, Eddie places Alex down on a gerni and lets the medics check over her. He then walk to the door as a car arrives in front of the house. Eddie stands there and crosses his arms as the father steps out of the back seat and walks towards him. "Excuse me" the father says. Eddie shakes his head and steps into the father's way. "That's just, uh...That's not gonna happen" Eddie explains. "And why is that exactly?" the father asks confused. "That's a good question. Here's a better question, sir. Who does the big-time lawyer call when he needs a big-time lawyer?" Eddie asks. "I've had just about enough of this" the father argues as he goes to step around Eddie, but he quickly moves over. "Haven't we all" Eddie smiles. The father looks at Eddie with anger in his eyes and turns to walk away, getting back in his car.
Eddie watches as the car drives away. "Hey" Jules says from behind him. "Spike and Lou are out of the hospital. You seen Sarge?" Jules questions. "Yeah, he met up with the doctor. They're gonna get that kid a psych evaluation. They don't think he belongs in jail. I'm going to take Alex with me back to my place. She probably would love some motherly love right now" Eddie explains. "How is she?" Jules asks. "She's has had a rough start. But I think for her, it makes her stronger" Eddie smiles as him and Jules turn towards the ambulance and see Alex sitting there.
Eddie and Alex walk through the front door of his house about a half hour later and Sophie walks quickly out of the kitchen. "Eddie. I'm so glad your-" she begins to say but she quickly stops and looks at Alex shocked. "Alex. Sweetheart. What happened" Sophie asks as she runs over towards her. "I think she needs your help right now Sophie" Eddie explains with a small smile. "Of course. Come on. Let's get you cleaned up" Sophie smiles.
***
Later that night, Alex sits in the backyard wearing one of Sophie's beautiful dresses with roses on it and her hair down as she sits carefully on the hammock and looks up at the stars. "Hey, Kiddo" Greg's voice says behind her. Alex gets up and quickly runs towards him. "Dad!" she whispers as he quickly wraps his arms around her. Greg takes a deep breath and places his hand on the back of her head. "I'm so glad you're okay" he whispers holding her close.