"He went out to check on Brett though," Jessica was on the phone and frantic. It had been hours since Brad had left in such a rush, and she nor anyone else had heard from the man. 

She had called his station, and had been informed by some of the officers that, while they couldn't give any details, that Brad was working and was with one of his partners," I just need to know he's okay."

"I'm sorry," came the tired voice straining from irritation barely held back on the other line," But I cannot tell you the status of Officer Harrison. I will inform him, when he returns that your worried. But there is nothing else I can do."

"Okay," she said blandly," Thank you."

The line went dead and she set the phone down on the receiver in frustration.

"Do you think something happened to him? He could just be working," May tried.

Manny came over with a shot of tequila that she did not partake in, but May had no hesitation in taking.

Alex pushed away from where he had been gazing out the inky sky and frowned," I don't know. How long from here to that nightclub would you say it is?"

Manny hummed before rocking back on his heels," maybe close to an hour, maybe a little more if traffic is bad on the highway. But getting in is another thing."

"You think they wouldn't allow a cop access?" Jessica asked.

"You think he has jurisdiction there?" jimmy countered raising his brow and Jessica recalled how only that morning Brad had voiced concerns that the FBI would be involved. She could see how that would be a benefit to the case, now, as for the FBI didn't concern themselves with state lines and local officials.

"I cant stand this waiting around," My bit her lip eyeing the tequila on the other side of the counter thoughtfully.

Alex swiped at in frowning at her," What else can we do though? It's not as if we can just run on over and check on him."

There was silence as the group eyed one another and seemed to come up with the same crazy thought at once.

"I'll grab the jeep," Alex said.

"Wait- what?!!?" May said as both Manny and Jessica moved to grab their coats and boots," we can't just go storming into the city next to us and demand into some ritzy night club in search of a police officer we don't even know is missing!"

"We're not," Jessica said firmly," we are. You are going to stay here."

May's mouth slacked open even more at that," wait- what?!?"

"I need you here," Jessica cut her off before she could work up," to be at the phones. In case we are out of cell service, or something happens, to communicate with Brad if he calls. Or Petunia- she has my number and she's watching the boys for Brad." It had been the last thing he had texted her- he had assured safety for the boys, and then was off to work. It had been hours and now she as worried.

May seemed strained as to how to answer that, and chewed her lip. Alex approached," Mayflower listen," he soothed in deep tones brushing hair from her face," I won't be able to think of anything else if your coming' and are endangered at all. And I need someone I can call if things go south, so you can let the police know something is going down. Please?"

"but all of you must go?" She asked.

"They won't expect it if there is something fishy, " Manny shrugged," and they can't just take several people out who have someone looking out for them back home. We won't do anything crazy," he grinned," were just there to play in the casino and maybe hook up for the night. We'll see. Do your make up on the way, and throw on something of May's Jess," at her shocked look he rolled his eyes," We can wear our nice jeans and dressy cowboy boots and be fine. You need to show some skin and make an effort."

It didn't take long for May to quickly throw her in a skimpy simple black dress with diamond belt and high heels before they were headed out the door. She wished she had a heavier coat than the half sweater the girl gave her, and even that didn't close enough to hide her cleavage. It felt indecent. How did may, such a big girl, fit into something this size?

The drive to the city was tense. She kept checking her phone in a hope that she would receive a call or text from Brad. Her signal was lost only for a part of the trip, but by the time they were pulling into the nightclubs parking lot, she had heard nothing.

The building was large and lit brightly with neon signs and windows on upper floors lit red or similar flashing lights as the front. Jessica tore her eyes away from the too large building swearing she could hear the music from where they were on the far end of the parking lot. She texted May to notify her of their arrival.

They rounded the parking lot, which was full, several times, and Jessica jumped as Alex exclaimed," I think that's his cruiser!"

They made another round of the parking lot and, across the street dark and empty was Brads cruiser.

"He has to be inside," she worried her bottom lip, forgetting completely the skimpy dress and heavy make up in favor of wondering if Brad was truly in peril.

"Just follow my lead," Manny said as they parked and, as told, followed his lead.

As they walked to the building Alex whistled," Just what is this place Manny?"

"I told you. A club. And a high end casino on the front end. The top floors are all pretty much hotel rooms I think. Its pretty smart if you think of it," Manny weaved past a few groups of people as they struggled to keep up with his fast pace," Casino on the front, club in the back, with a hotel that can allow anyone who meets up in either a place to hook up. Plus, it isn't too far from the airport. A lot of traffic through here."

"And you come here often?" Jessica was shocked as they approached a line of people that were dressed in various forms of flashy and skimpy clothes.

Manny raised an eyebrow at her," Darling, I may appreciate the farm life, but it doesn't mean I am a prude."

They bypassed the crowded line, people eyeballing them, quirking brows and giving shouts. The bouncers at the door were steely and unmoving for a couple of friends that were peeking around them, anxious to enter the club.

"Hey, Tonie, baby!" Manny waved at a bouncer as he approached, hips swaying. The other bouncer looked to his companion, Tonie, who gave a slight nod to Manny," I'm here to see Adam, he been missing me."

The other bouncer shifted uncomfortably but Tonie only rose a brow and glanced over Mannys shoulder at Jessica and Alex," Oh. These are my friends. Erin, and Jay. I must say, they want to paaaarty and meet some of my Adams friends. If you know what I mean," he winked, stroking the large mans arm just a bit.

Jessica was horrified at the lies, and the behavior, but Tonie didn't seem put off. In fact, wordlessly, he stepped aside and opened the gate to allow them past.

They went through the door, Manny standing on tip toes to bestow a peck on Tonie's cheek before sashaying into the club, allowing them to follow.

"I take it. . . you frequent here?"Alex finally said after following Manny through various rooms halls and past crowds of people. Jessica felt dizzy with the twists and turns, and was glad when they had bypassed the mind numbing thrum of music coming from a deeper part of the building, the bass making her teeth rattle.

Manny sighed and shrugged," Jesus needed help getting a job after he left Raina. I feel bad for her, I do. Honestly. But I also feel bad for him. He married her when they were kids, cuz he was told it was what he was suppose to want and do. So. Yeah. I come here often."

"And see an Adam?"Jessica questioned.

"Yes, him and Jesus," his voice was clipped," Adam is the owner. I met him when he was on a business trip back home. He does a lot of real-estate or something."

"Ah." Was all both of them could say, and soon they were heading round to a back set of stairs neither had noticed.

"Manny what yo gay ass doin' here!??" came a booming voice and they turned to see a woman in a dark suit with an ear piece in her ear approaching from the bottom of the stairs," Without even calling me! We could have gotten drinks and picked up bitches together!"

"I was actually here to see Jesus," he said after exchanging far too exaggerated hugs," Where he at love?"

"Ah. Control room, as always. Was told to do an extra shift- Mr. Westfall didn't want anyone switching shifts-we are all on overtime. Something big going down."

Jessica felt ice shoot down her spine. Westfall. The name sounded familiar.

"Oh?" Manny's surprised demeanor could have won him an Oscar," Why is that love? I wanted to have a night with Jesus."

The girl shifted and shrugged," I donno, can't really say. . ."

"Come on," Manny leaned in conspiratorially," You never hide anything from me! Why is my lovely boy held up so long after work?"

She glanced from him to Jessica and Alex before returning to Manny," I heard," she murmured leaning in and they had to strain to hear her above the noise," that a few police officers were here. Not sure what's going on, but word on the street is there isn't even a warrent, so I'm not sure why they are even here."

Manny nodded emphatically," I'm sure it's nothing. Look, love, since my boy is forced to stay so late- let me bring my little friends up with me to see him? Please?"

She looked ready to say no so he quickly added, "You owe me."

The honey was out of the words in the last statement, and she stiffened looking them both over before returning her gaze to him," Okay Manny, but after this we're even. Got it?"

"Of course, dear, even."

They were ushered up the stairs she had been standing at and Manny lead them quickly to an unmarked door down a random hallway. 

Jessica hoped nothing went south as for she was not certain if she would be able to find her way back. She was just silently glad that this building was nothing like anything she would have imagined, having only seen gangsters and clubs on tv she always imagined dim hallways and dirty bathrooms with drugs and alcohol bottles everywhere. She had no chance to see a bathroom, but she was fairly certain they were as pristine as the rest of the building, which was so large she wasn't sure if she was going to be able to find her way out without Manny.

He knocked on the door, and shortly after Jesus, his hair now long with its curles and up in a bun, and a little more weight on his bones than before, answered. He saw the three of them and quickly pulled them in.

"You sent the cops?!?!" he hissed as soon as the door closed.

"Hello love," Manny rolled his eyes," And. No. But we need to know where one cop is in particular. Blond, good looking, not from the city. Are they in any trouble?"

Jessica's heart dropped when Jesus paused and looked uncomfortable.

"What is happening," she pressed forward," Where is Brad? "

Jesus blinked and took a step back. They hadn't been on the best of terms since she had found out he had cheated on his wife. After his divorce she hadn't seen him again, though where he currently worked made sense as to that reason now.

"Look, Manny, Jess, I can't go telling you –"

"Blondie is Jessica's boyfriend," Manny cut in," and not to mention has two little boys looking for him back at home."

Jesus looked from Manny to Jessica seeming to be torn between shock and discomfort, mouth twisting into a frown.

"I would love to help, but I can't," he insisted taking another step back but drawing himself up, looking as if he were ready to take on a charging bull.

"Listen friend," Alex stepped forward and Jesus eyed him suspiciously, having never met him," I'm going to be honest. Where I come from, I get it; fun club, good perks, but when you're in working for them you can't get out easily, and its worse if your caught breaking rules. Am I right?"

The look on the security guards face said it all so he continued," It took me 5 states and several years to get away from my mistake. But I did. And I am happier every day that I left- for all the times I turned my head on others hurt."

Jesus's face twisted and he jerked turning his face away in shame.

"I'm not saying it is your fault," continued Alex slowly as Jessica watched him, eyes wide and seeing Alex in a new light, the revelation about his unspoken past filling holes that had been long left empty," but I am saying, the more you turn your head, the more you kill yourself until your soul is left empty and your nothing but a shell serving an equally empty mast that attempts to fill itself by only worrying for itself. And you will buy things, party, whatever it is to try and find a filling for the emptiness but none of it will ever work."

"Fine," Jesus snapped walking briskly over to the monitor," fine! I get it no need to keep on with the overbearing mantra of well meaning."

They silently followed to the line of screens and watched as Jesus clicked some windows on the computer and opened up different views.

"This here is where one of those police cruisers is parked. And here," he showed a few views from the parking lot. The one, Brad's, cruiser out front they had seen, but another they had not being from a local department," They went down here, Manny you know the area. The door far left."

At showing the hall and the direction Manny slowly nodded," yes. . . and being told its off limits."

"Precisely. I don't know what is past it- I just man the cameras you know. I rarely leave this room, and only report to Lenny or Abigail. I can't be too much help."

They stood silently for a few moments.

"That officer and his friend went down there maybe 30 minutes ago, I have yet to see them return. That is where the man the officer was looking for had been taken-his brother I think it was. I know nothing more- it's not like they tell me details to anything."

"Thank you Jesus," Alex said firmly and Manny touched his arm lightly with a soft words Jessica couldn't quite make out.

"What should we do then?" Jessica felt torn. If Brad was in trouble, she certainly wanted to be able to help. But she also didn't want to make more of a problem by increasing any dangers.

"Show us the way well enough that we can make it ourselves, then come back, "Alex said while he looked to Manny," you stay here. Watch. Jessica will stay at the door while I go in first. If there are any signs of danger Jessica will flag you to call the police. If not, we both will go in, but if we don't come out in 15 minutes, call the cops. Jess, you have your phone? Good. Just make sure its on silent, lag behind and be ready to text Manny. Best he stay on the phone with the police giving them good incentive to come here when they most likely have some dirty cops that would protect the place."

They turned to leave, Jessica a bit taken away at the stern demeanor Alex had transformed into so well, but she paused at Jesus's voice.

"I would have stayed, you know," she turned slightly to see his turned head, thin lips," But everyone in town was against me. Everyone hated me. I had cheated on Raina. Yes. We had marital issues for years. We were young. But she didn't want to divorce and we were trying therapy. I love her, but I can't love her like that," he sniffed and shrugged," I wasn't supposed to be like this, but I can't help it. I'm sorry, but I wasn't trying to hurt anyone ever."

Jessica didn't know what to say as Manny walked over to him, linking their fingers lightly and watching the turned back of the other man.

"You should come back home Jesus," was all she could say, because she remembered all the pain Raina had went through with the divorce and the discovered affair, though remembered nothing malicious from the man in question.

She followed Alex, who had waited for Manny to take the lead, and they silently followed the sullen farmer the only sound the rhythmic thrum of the music from the festivities down below. Several hallways later, and a surprisingly sparce number of people, Manny paused pointing out the familiar door.

"Be careful," he said firmly," I'm going to head over to Jesus. I don't know what is going on, but get your blondie and get out of there. Brother or no."

Jessica nodded, pressing forward with Alex heart hammering. Her thoughts raced, with the whirlwind of emotions that had been the past couple of months to all that had happened. She thought of Brad, becoming a more constant source of support and need in her everyday life, and of how he had helped on the farm only that morning. It had been nice, the two of them working together. 

The thought of losing that after having just found it hurt and she trembled with fear.

"Get it together Jess," Alex murmured, resting a reassuring hand on her shoulder as they stood outside the silent door, unsure of what they would find," Brad needs you to keep your head on straight, for his sake, and I am counting on you being able to signal for help if it comes to it."

"Alright," she sniffed and wiped eyes she hadn't realized were wet," okay. I got this, really I do."

"Good," he nodded, squeezing her shoulder before letting go.

He advanced to the door, and cautiously opened it after listening to the other side. Beyond the door was a long stairwell that lead up several flights.

Alex peered as far up as he could before coming back to Jessica," It looks like it goes up the whole of the building," he said slowly," who knows where they would go."

She frowned, and texted Manny to see if Jesus would be of any help with his cameras.

They waited breathless minutes, and then Manny texted," The only places that Jesus said he doesn't have eyes are the 5th floor, where the management keeps their business dealings, and the roof."

Jessica's stomach twisted and she gripped her phone as Alex read over her shoulder.

"We need to split up," she said finally.

"What? No, that's-"

"Dangerous, but I don't know what you would call this," she said glaring," safe? No. We split up or it is all for not."

He frowned and paused before saying," I'll go to the 5th floor. The roof should be a less guarded area. Don't get yourself into trouble. Head back to Manny the minute you can. Let him know what your doing."

She sent the text frowning," I'm going to make you buy a phone when we are through with this."

Alex chuckled," You sound like May."

The first few flights of stairs were not hard to ascend, but after the third, Jessica found herself out of breath. Farm work occasionally required cardio, but more so it was a series of muscle building tasks that required strength.

"You okay?" Alex said, huffing only slightly in comparison to her breathless steps.

She waved him forward and they managed to make the bottom of the 5th flight of stairs before Alex slowed and put a hand up for a blissful pause. She struggled to control her breathing and then her eyes widened as she heard the commotion.

There were voices muffled and the obvious sound of struggle.

Alex gripped her arm as she started for the sound and pulled her under the stairwell as best as possible, ducking back into an alcove on the 4th level. There would be no where to hide if the people on the 5th level descended down.

A door barely visible from where they stood bust open, and Jessica jumped eyes wide as she saw Brad, looking battered thrashing between two men as another man and woman, both in local officer uniforms, were also pulled out fighting very large looking bouncers.

Behind them, was a familiar face of a man who had approached Jessica only a couple months before with an offer to buy her farm. Mr. Westfall.

"Go, bring them to the roof. They can join his brother." The tone intoned boredom as the man watched with a frown.

"You won't get away with this!" shouted the woman, a deep gash on her forehead bleeding well enough to crust her eye shut with blood.

Mr. Westfall tisked and shook his head," My dear, if you think I haven't done so before you are quite wrong. Cops have accidents all the time," he nodded smiling grimly," And weaving a story about an underground drug ring of cops sells papers and takes the eyes off my business. After all- an officer working off duty out of his jurisdiction meeting old friends in a neighboring city who are also local officers that used to work with him? Perfect setup for me, not so perfect for you."

Alex gripped her and pulled her back underneath the alcove of the stairwell on the floor they stood on below. They heard the company depart with bated breath and, after a closing of the door and the commotion continued further up the stairs, they began to follow, Jessica forgetting all about her earlier exhaustion.

"Tell Manny," Hissed Alex in a whisper, both fully aware of the echoes bouncing off of the walls as they followed the sounds of scuffling above them and the angry shouts of the officers.

She paused after they had only made it up another flight and pulled out her phone, texting Manny a quick 'found him. Think their going to kill him and 2 cops on roof. Following. Call for help now."

They kept their ascent to the 9th floor where they seemed to have finally reached the top, Jessica trying her best to silence her gasps and ignore the painful stitch to her side. The door at the top was left cracked open, a brick holding it so, and Alex held his hand up as they approached.

Jessica advanced to the door, ignoring Alex, and peered through the crack.