Three is Company Four is a Pattern

The room was quiet for a while. Mick just sat behind his desk, staring at the couple facing him. This all felt too familiar to him. They hadn't even opened their mouths but he knew what they were going to say anyways.

"We know you are a very busy man, Mr. St John but please, we need your help," the woman said, clutching a photograph.

"What can I help you with?" he asked.

"Someone kidnapped our son, Michael. He's only five years old," the woman replied. She handed Mick the photograph. A small boy with sandy hair and bright green eyes stared up at him. He flipped it over. Scribbled in the corner was 'Michael Pierce May 8, 2007'. He turned the picture back over and set it on the desk before him.

"Have you filed a police report?' he asked them. It wasn't that he didn't want to help them because he did. But this was bringing back memories; ones he didn't want to think about.

"The police are looking but they haven't found anything yet. He's been missing for almost two days," Mr. Pierce explained.

"And they said…the survival rate as time goes on…gets worse," Mrs. Pierce rasped, fighting back tears.

Mick let out a breath. He felt a strange feeling wash over him as he watched the couple trying to comfort each other. He wanted to tell them that they couldn't give up on their son. That he needed for them to believe he was still alive.

"That may be true but you need to believe he's still alive. Michael needs for you to believe," Mick said and stood up.

"Does this mean you'll help us?" Mrs. Pierce sniffled.

"Yes. I'm going to find your son for you. If it's not too much trouble…I'd like to take a look at where he was taken from," Mick answered. Just then Mick's phone began to ring, vibrating its way towards the edge of his desk. He glanced down at it and scooped it up.

"Excuse me," he said and took a few steps away before answering.

"Hello?" he said.

"Mick. It's Beth…are you….busy?" Beth said from the other end.

"I'm with clients right now," Mick stated.

"Can you call me when you're done? It's really important," Beth said. Mick could hear the urgency in her voice as he assured her he would call her back soon. He ended the call and let out another breath.

"I'm sorry about that," Mick apologized. The Pierces stood up and donned their coats.

"He was taken from the park down the street from our house," Mr. Pierce said, scribbling down the address and their phone number.

"I'll call you if I find anything," Mick assured them as they walked out. Once they had left he ran a hand over his eyes. This felt entirely too familiar for it to be a coincidence. But she couldn't be alive. He'd watched her die twenty-two years ago. He needed to see the abduction site. He grabbed his sunglasses and coat and headed down to his car. As he pulled out of the parking lot he dialed Beth's number, hitting 'send' as he paused at a stop sign. The other end rang once or twice before Beth picked up.

"Hey," she greeted.

"Hi. Can you meet me at the park?" he asked. He gave her the address.

"Sure I'll see you there," Beth answered and hung up. Mick tossed his phone on the passenger seat as he continued to maneuver through the LA streets. It would be sunset soon and he couldn't wait. The sun felt especially strong today. He finally reached the park and pulled into a spot. As he shut the driver side door, Beth's car pulled in next to him. Mick checked his watch.

"I'm surprised you didn't get pulled over for speeding," he teased as they rounded their cars and headed into the park. Mick surveyed the playground equipment as they took a seat on a bench. Thankfully it was in the shade.

"So what did you need to talk about?" Mick asked, watching a couple of children playing on the jungle gym.

"The kidnappings. Four kids have gone missing," Beth answered.

"I'm surprised you're not covering the story," Mick commented.

"Yeah….Josh asked me not to," she muttered, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"But Mo thinks I'm crazy for not following it. She says its one of the biggest stories of the year," she added.

"Is that what you needed to talk about?" Mick asked. He wanted to be there for Beth but he had to try and find this missing boy before it was too late.

"Not exactly. I just…this brings back memories. I don't know if you know but I was kidnapped as a child," Beth began. Mick had to bite his tongue to keep from saying anything. He couldn't let her know he'd been the one to save her that night all those years ago.

"I don't really remember much but I know I was saved and I can't help thinking how scared these kids must be," Beth sighed.

"A fourth child has gone missing," Mick said calmly. Beth's jaw dropped.

"That's four in the last two weeks," Beth choked out.

"The last boy's parents hired me to find him," Mick informed her.

"Do you think they are all connected?" Beth asked. The police hadn't been sure. The age difference between the first three abductees had varied between six years old all the way up to thirteen.

"I don't know. But the last child was taken from this park," Mick answered. He had the distinct feeling they were all connected. After all three wasn't necessarily a pattern but four definitely was. Beth looked at him and gave him that little smirk that meant she wanted in on the action.

"I don't think you should get involved," Mick said immediately after catching the look.

"Oh come on, Mick. We work really well as a team," Beth begged. Mick let out a sigh. He knew she wouldn't give up until he agreed to her request. The sun had begun to sink below the trees and he had to shield his eyes.

"Ok. Come on. I need to look at the scene," he said, standing up. She jumped up and followed after him. The area was still cordoned off with police tape. They ducked under it and looked around. It wasn't very big. But it did provide sufficient cover for the abductor to escape with Michael.

"Do you have a picture of what the boy looks like?" Beth asked. Mick reached into his pocket and pulled out the picture. He handed it to her and bent down close to the ground. He closed his eyes and inhaled as deeply as he could. What he got was faint but it was enough.

Michael had been kicking a ball back and froth with a boy a few years older. They looked like they could be related. The ball rolled into jungle gym and the older boy ran off after it. Michael stood giggling when a figure appeared out of the woods. It moved quickly and quietly. Michael didn't even scream as she grabbed him. She picked him up and moved at lightning quick speed back into the woods. Just as she was almost out of sight, she turned around.

Mick gasped as he saw her face. It was a face he would never forget, no matter how long it had been. It was Coraline. He didn't know how but it had to be her. But it wasn't possible. She was dead, long gone. Beth's voice finally brought him back from his whirring thoughts.

"Mick," she said. He blinked and stood up.

"Yeah?" he asked as she handed the picture back.

"You sort of zoned out. Is that a…vampire thing?" she asked.

"Sort of. Look I need to go…get out of the sun," he muttered. He ducked under the tape and headed for the parking lot. Beth was at his side in minutes.

"Did you…find anything?" she asked. She was still relatively new to all the intricate workings of the vampire mind.

"Something but I need to talk to some people," Mick answered. She opened her mouth to say she'd go with him when he stopped her.

"It's something I need to do alone. I think you should talk to Carl and see what he says. You might try to convince him to look at this as a serial kidnapper," Mick said hastily. Beth's face fell a little but she nodded.

"Ok…I'll keep in touch," she said and went fishing for her keys in her purse. Mick climbed into his car and pulled out without waiting for her to get in her car. He pressed the gas pedal down as he raced through LA traffic. He hated rush hour. He finally pulled off the highway and pulled up to the large penthouse apartment. He cut the engine and walked up to find Josef ending a phone call. He held his hand up to Mick and Mick waited while Josef finished the call.

"What can I do for you?" Josef asked.

"I think…I think Coraline is back," Mick said.