Bruce Webb nearly locked up the brakes of his car when by serendipity he spotted Cassandra exiting a building in downtown Tarpon Springs. His hunch had paid off. She was now being sheltered by Milos Argyros.

She looked pretty in a short, teal dress, pretty enough to draw attention to herself. He mumbled, "Cassandra, what are you doing?"

It came together for him when a young man held open her car door. It was Saturday evening, and she was going out on a date.

She shouldn't be taking such a risk, but a teen girl would be hungry for new, exciting experiences. He understood. A free spirit like her wouldn't survive living like a nun in a nunnery. If Tipstaff Security caught her, though, she would wish she did.

Webb pounded the steering wheel. "Damn it." Pulling a U-turn on busy Dodecanese Boulevard he followed the lumbering four door sedan careful to keep a discrete distance.

Cassandra's date turned onto the causeway for Honeymoon Island and pulled into a parking lot for "The Triton" restaurant. They parked and went in.

Webb parked a row behind their car and whistled. "Nice place. That young man is going all out to impress her."

He remained in his car and lost himself in his thoughts. He asked himself for the thousandth time what he was doing. How long was his obsession over keeping the girl safe going to last? The rest of his life? Well, that might not be for very long. His life was going downhill fast. Bonnie was at her wits end with him being gone all the time. She wasn't going to put up with it much longer.

His son, Brandon, might as well not have a father. Webb spent precious little time with him. He read disappointment in Brandon's expression every time he broke a promise to play catch with him or engage in some other father and son activity. How long would it be before disappointment turned into resentment?

Webb was failing his family, and it wasn't fair to them.

He sighed. "Maybe I should see a shrink. I obviously need help to set my priorities." But a shrink wouldn't be able to help him. As soon as he told a medical professional stories of sea creatures, they'd think he was crazy for sure.

Webb pulled his wallet and removed the token Cassie had given him. He wrapped it in the palm of his hand and clenched it. It felt cool against his skin. Cool like a Gulf breeze. Why had he held onto the thing for so long? He knew the answer. It reminded him of his responsibility toward the girl. The token was a talisman binding him to her. For what purpose or to what end, he had no idea.

He waited around for about an hour. The sun was setting, and the sky was turning grey as dusk asserted itself.

Webb suddenly perked up. He had been watching guests coming and going from the parking lot. Was that Tomas "Nico" Nicolaides getting out of a car, one of his old crew? It had been five years, but the man hadn't changed much.

A great weight landed in his chest. He didn't believe in coincidences and needed to figure out how to play the situation, fast.

He exited the car. "Hey, Nico."

The man was headed for the restaurant entrance. He hesitated at the mention of his name but kept walking.

"Nico," Webb called out. He started jogging toward the man. He couldn't let him enter.

When he caught up to his former crew member. Nico spun around, grabbed his collar, and shoved him backward around the side of the building. He backed him against a wall and spoke in a soft, but assertive tone. "Shut up."

"Nico, it's me, Bruce Webb. Let go."

The Greek let go of Webb's collar but continued standing in his personal space, sandwiching Webb between himself and the wall. "I know who you are, boss, but I can't be seen with you. Leave now!"

Webb tried playing stupid. "Is an op about to go down here? My wife and son are in that restaurant. I need to get them out of there." He turned and started toward the entrance.

Nico took Webb's arm and pulled him back. "Stop. Nothing is going down. Everything is cool. I'm undercover and can't be seen talking with you. Just go back inside and join your family. Pretend we don't know each other."

Webb quickly put things together. During his recent breakfast with Danno, his friend had told him Nico was on assignment somewhere under deep cover. During the past five years had he infiltrated Milos's organization? Nico would be the best one to do so given his common Greek heritage. Tipstaff Security would've wanted an inside man to discover what they could about Cassandra. Since the girl had only relocated to Tarpon Springs a few days ago, was it possible Nico wasn't aware she had surfaced? Was he playing a hunch coming here?

"I understand," Webb said. "Sorry if I startled you and sorry if I nearly blew your cover. Let me get inside to my family. Stay here two or three minutes before entering to make sure nobody suspects we we're together." He would find Cassie and her date, break his five-year cover, and get her out of there, out the back way if the place had one. He didn't know if her date would object. If he did, Webb would have to improvise.

Webb backed toward the entrance trying to act normal. "Give me a call sometime when you can. I'll buy you breakfast."

He didn't look back and hoped Nico would give him enough time. Webb walked through the restaurant. The damn place was big. Where were they? It took him way too long as he fooled around searching the first level. He hustled up the stairs to the second level, checked the balcony area. Nothing.

Except...In an alcove stood a recently abandoned table, dishes not yet cleared.

He guessed Cassie and her date were on their way out. He had missed them. They would run right into Nico!

He cursed and ran down the stairs toward the entrance nearly knocking over a waiter balancing a tray of sizzling steaks.

He spotted Nico searching the dining level. Was it possible they had gotten by him? Webb headed for the door while Nico had his back turned. The bathrooms were right by the entrance.

Just then, Cassandra and her date both emerged from their respective bathrooms at the same time. She had no idea how close she had come to being discovered.

"Where are you taking me next?" Cassandra asked her date.

"An evening concert on the lawn at Coachman Park. I have blankets and a bottle of wine in the trunk."

Webb didn't have time to be nice. He grabbed Cassandra's arm and pulled her toward the door. "You've been compromised. I need to get you out of here."

Her eyes became large as silver dollars. Webb hoped she wouldn't draw attention by screaming.

"Let go of her, old man," her date bellowed. He socked Webb in the jaw.

Webb went down and saw stars but didn't blackout. He shook off the punch.

"What the hell is this?" Nico asked having arrived almost instantaneously. Some of the wait staff also burst onto the scene.

A cook holding a meat cleaver asked, "Should I call the police?"

"Yes," Webb said.

"No," Nico shouted. By some miracle, he hadn't yet glanced at Cassandra.

Cassandra gawked at Webb with both hands covering her mouth. He tried to motion with his head that she should go.

Cassandra's date turned to Nico and wore a confused expression. "What are you doing here?"

"Your stepfather sent me. For some reason he wanted me to keep a discrete watch over you tonight, like there might be some sort of danger." He eyed Webb with murderous intent. "So much for being discrete."

"What danger?" The young man asked. "Tell Milos I can damn well take care of myself, and I don't appreciate having a babysitter while I'm out on a date."

While they spoke, Webb slowly got to his feet, holding his jaw. He ran his tongue around his teeth to feel if any of them were broken. Luckily, they all seemed intact.

Nico said, "Don't blame me. I don't know why your stepfather asked me to come. I work for him, so if he tells me to do something, I do it..." He finally noticed Cassandra and stopped talking. Then he muttered, "I don't believe it." He pulled his cell phone.

Webb slapped at Nico's hand knocking the cell phone from his grasp, sending it to the floor. "I can't let you do it, my friend."

"Let him do what?" the young man asked. "Who are you? Do you and Nico know each other? What the hell is going on?"

The girl stood frozen to the spot when she should be moving. Webb spoke to the young man while pointing at Nico. "This man and his associates are going to kidnap Cassandra and probably kill her.  Run!"

Cassandra suddenly seemed to understand the situation. She took her date's hand and began to tug. "Please, Rafe, listen to him."

"Run!" Webb shouted again to get them moving.

It worked. The two kids fled toward their car.

The cook with the meat cleaver said, "I called the cops. I suggest the two of you vacate the premises immediately."

Guests seated near the door were all gawking their way, pointing, and murmuring.

Webb and Nico both eyed the phone resting on the floor. It was closer to Webb. He kicked it skittering across the floor and out of reach.

Nico sneered. "Do you really think you can stop me?"

"No. You're younger and stronger, but I sure as hell can slow you down."

"And what do you think that's going to accomplish, huh? I found her. You can delay me, but she won't get away. It's game over for the girl. I can have an army of operatives here in one hour, and you know it."

Question - Will Webb be able to give Cassie and Rafe enough of a head start?