CHAPTER 2 WHAT’S HAPPENING NOW

Henry.A disturbing sensation spider-walked down Cole's spine. The sound of the monster's voice reverberated through his head, smashing open doors to his past, releasing the nightmares he'd so carefully locked away. Horror-movie images flashed through his mind, demon tentacles grabbing at him, trying to pull him back to the most terrifying time of his life.

Cole gasped and gripped the restroom sink as his throat constricted and a band of pressure squeezed his chest, steadily tightening until he couldn't breathe.

"So… you'll do anything to keep your little friends alive. Hm?"

Fighting for his breath, Cole managed a weak, "Yes."

"Let's have a drink and talk about things," the monster said with a casual tone. "I haven't seen you in fifteen years. We should really catch up."

Cole clutched the sink as his legs weakened and he sank to his knees. "Wh… What?"

"I'm curious to know what my boy's been up to all these years. You can tell me all about your friends and family." A short pause. "Am I correct to assume you haven't told them about me?"

"I-I… haven't," Cole whispered shakily.

"So, they have no idea what's happening now?"

"No." Cole swallowed with effort. His vision swam and tears rolled down his face.

"But you're planning to tell them. True?"

"Yes," Cole choked. "I-I have to."

The monster sighed. "Not yet. First, we have that drink."

Cole hung his head, sobs building in his tight chest. "I have to… I-I can't not tell them…" Cole choked on a sob.

"If you tell them now… it might upset me. Do you remember what I'm like when I get upset?"

Cole squeezed his eyes shut and sank lower against his heels, horrifying scenes playing through his head. "Y-Yes…"

"Do you want to upset me… when I have your little friends here keeping me company?"

Fuck!Tears poured down his flushed face. "No…"

"No, you don't. That's right. Now, I'm going to tell you where to meet me and you should come alone… or else… well, you know."

Cole listened in numb silence as the monster named the location, gave a time to meet him, and then hung up. The cell slipped from Cole's hand and struck the hard-tiled floor. He curled forward, hugged his gut, and broke down crying.

Devlin checked the time; Cole had been gone a while now. Maybe he should go check on him. Something was wrong—bad wrong—and Cole had information. He paced the private waiting room, fear twisting his guts and paralyzing his mind.

What did Cole mean when he said, ‘This can't be happening?' What the hell was happening?

The man had suffered a panic attack, for fuck's sake—he'd never seen Cole in such a state. The man was fucking terrified. And that terrified Devlin.

I can't wait any longer—not when Abel and the kids could be in danger.

Devlin yanked open the waiting room door and almost collided with Dane. "Shit!"

"Ditto." Dane stepped back and swept an anxious hand through his short black hair. Dane Chambers was the most classically handsome man Devlin had ever seen up close. The epitome of tall, dark, and handsome. "What's going on?" Dane asked with an air of unease. "Is Gabe okay?"

"He's still in surgery," Devlin said. "We won't know until he comes out."

"Who the fuck attacked him?"

"We don't know that either." Devlin shook his head. "At least, I don't. I'm not sure about Cole. He knows something."

"What about the other?" Dane's face strained. "Why did you want Angel to take the twins to Max and Horatio's place? Where is Abel?"

Devlin swallowed and his jaw knotted. "I… I don't know." His eyes stung. "I don't know where they are."

"They?" Dane frowned.

"Abel and Savannah and…" He swallowed again. "… Maddy."

"Maddy?" Dane breathed harder. "Devlin, what the fuck are you talking about? What do you mean, you don't know where they are? What does that fucking mean?"

Devlin trembled. "I'm not sure," he said quietly. "Maddy was walking home after his date with Savannah… and never showed up. Later, Savannah received a text from him. He asked them to come pick him up because he wasn't feeling well. Now… no one can reach Abel or Savannah. They're not answering their phones."

"Angel will find out Maddy is missing," Dane mumbled numbly. "He'll freak out."

"I'm fucking freaking out," Devlin admitted. "My family is missing."

"Where is Cole?" Dane looked past the doctor into the waiting room.

"He went to the restroom a little while ago," Devlin said, then told Dane about Cole's panic attack. "He is on the verge of a breakdown. I've never seen him like this. I was just going to find him now."

Dane nodded. "Let's go."

The two men began searching the restrooms closest to the waiting room. Cole wasn't in any of them.

"Where would he have gone?" Dane asked. "To the cafeteria, maybe? Or a vending machine, to get something cold to drink?" He was grasping at straws.

"I don't think so." Devlin stood in the center of the corridor, looking both ways. Where are you, Cole? "He was barely holding it together. He should've come straight back to the waiting room. He was waiting for you to arrive. He wanted to talk to us together."

Dane looked worried. "Then where the hell is he?" he whispered.

"I don't know." Devlin felt as worried as Dane looked. "Come on." He walked to the nurses' station. "The tall blond man that was here before, asking about his husband," Devlin spoke to the nurse behind the counter. "Did he come back here?"

"No. But I did see him come out of the restroom."

Devlin looked at Dane. "Did you see which direction he went?" he asked the woman.

"Toward the exit," the nurse said. "But I didn't see if he actually left or not."

"Thank you," Devlin mumbled and turned away from the counter.

"Why would he leave without talking to us first?" Dane wondered, his worry deepening. "Where would he go? Gabe is still in surgery. He wouldn't leave until he knew Gabe was okay."

"No, he wouldn't," Devlin whispered anxiously. "It would take a herd of wild horses to drag him away." He swallowed thickly. "Under normal circumstances."

"What do you mean?"

"These aren't normal circumstances," Devlin spoke low. "Something… terrible… is going on and only Cole knows what it is. We have to find him."

"Shouldn't we tell the others about Gabe?" Dane asked. "Max and Horatio? And… Clint? The cowboy views Gabe as his brother. Cochise, too. I think I would feel better if they were brought in on this. Maybe they can figure out who attacked him."

Devlin hesitated; he understood Dane's wish to include the gangsters. The men were accustomed to dangerous situations… and dangerous people. "Let's see if we can find Cole first. Maybe he's still here somewhere. He's probably parked pretty close to the emergency entrance. Go see if his car is out there anywhere. I'll check around this floor. Maybe we just missed him somewhere."

"Maybe," Dane mumbled doubtfully and headed outside. Devlin moved on down the corridor.

Goddammit, Cole—where the fuck are you?!

Dane scoured the parking lot, the outdoor lights illuminating the vehicles. Cole's car wasn't there—unless he had parked further away, which was possible. Dane walked out deeper into the spacious parking area but saw no sign of Cole's vehicle.

"Fuck." He leaned against a concrete pillar and continued to search the lot. He's not here. He left. But gone where? Why would he leave when Gabe was still in surgery? It made no fucking sense—Cole would never leave until he knew Gabe was safe. Dane couldn't imagine anything being able to drag him away if it were Angel in the operating room.

On cue, his cell phone rang. Angel.

Shit.He had nothing to tell him yet.

Maybe Maddy and the others came home.

A tentative spark of hope pricked Dane as he answered the call. "Hey, babe." He tried to hold his worry at bay and not allow it to resonate in his voice. It didn't work.

"Dane," Angel's fear resonated bluntly. "Maddy is missing. And maybe Abel and Savannah, too. Did you know that when you sent me over here?"

"No, I didn't. I didn't know anything until I spoke to Devlin."

"What is happening?" Tears strained Angel's voice. "What did Devlin want to talk to you about? Does he know where Maddy is? Where Abel and Savannah are?"

"No," Dane whispered. "Cole had something to tell us…"

"Cole? Is he at the hospital? What does he know?"

Dane sighed. "I don't know. He… left before he told us anything."

"What're you talking about? What was he doing at the hospital? Is someone hurt?"

Fuck.Dane wasn't used to keeping things from Angel. He was a piss-poor liar when it came to his husband. "Angel… I'm not supposed to say anything yet…"

"About what?" Angel demanded, growing more afraid. "Dane, tell me."

Exhaling slowly, Dane nodded. "Okay. But you need to keep this to yourself for now. Promise?"

"Yeah…" Angel murmured uncertainly.

"It's… Gabe," Dane said. "He's in surgery?"

"Surgery? Why?"

"Someone attacked him. Stabbed him. We don't know yet if he's going to be okay." Dane closed his eyes, his heart squeezing in his chest. Gabe was like his own brother. He was a guardian of their Phoenix family. If they lost him… the foundation of the family would crumble, because they wouldn't only lose Gabe—they would lose Cole, too.

"He is gonna be okay, though… right?" Tears clogged the young man's voice. "Gabe is strong… he'll pull through… he has to."

"He's one of the strongest men I know," Dane murmured. "If anyone can pull through, it's him."

"If… if he's still in surgery…" Angel spoke quietly, confused. "… why would Cole leave the hospital?"

"I don't know that, either," Dane admitted. "I can't imagine him going more than a few steps away from here. Devlin and I are trying to find him, in case he's still here somewhere."

"What is happening, Dane?" Angel whispered fearfully. "Where is Maddy? And Abel and Savannah?"

"I wish I knew, baby." Dane swallowed.

"Max… Max said that when Gabe was here, he got a text from a bartender at that new club downtown, The Asmodeus Club, saying Cole was there and all messed up from doing whiskey shots with speedballs. That's where Gabe went when he left here. When Cole came by, they knew the call was bogus. It was like someone had lured Gabe down there. Is that where he was attacked?"

Dane struggled to process the new information. "I don't know. I… I don't think Cole told Devlin any of that."

"Is someone… coming after our family?" Angel's words shook. "Did someone kidnap Maddy and the others?" Emotions strained his voice. "Dane…?"

"Just sit tight, baby." Dane cleared his throat. "All of you—stay there. We'll try to find Cole and figure out what the hell is going on."

"After the island…" Angel whispered brokenly. "I thought… I thought all the bad shit was over. Maddy was home safe."

"I thought so, too, baby," Dane murmured, wanting desperately to hug his husband right now. "But for now, we don't really know the situation. Maybe it isn't as bad as it feels." No way that would comfort Angel—any more than it comforted Dane. "We need to locate Cole."

"You don't want me to tell Max and Horatio about Gabe?" Angel asked thickly. "They're worried about him, too. And Cole. No one is answering their phones."

"Don't say anything just yet, okay? I'll get back to you as soon as I can, whether or not we find Cole."

"Okay," Angel whispered. "But just… keep answering your phone, okay? If you don't… I'm gonna lose my fucking mind."

"I will, baby," Dane murmured. "I promise. No one's getting my phone unless they pry it out of my cold dead hands." He winced as soon as the words slipped out.

"Don't say that," Angel trembled. "Don't ever say that."

"I'm sorry, babe. I didn't mean to phrase it that way. I'm going to be fine, don't worry about me. I'll keep in touch."

Angel sniffed. "Okay. I love you."

"I love you, too, baby. Stay strong. Everything will be okay."

Would it, though?

Dane ended the call with the ominous question hanging over his head, praying with everything inside him that it would.