Set Fire to the Rain

Shannon's POV

Pacing around the police station for hours, things had come to a grinding halt. There had been countless leads, coming in about Eliza's case initially. And now, it was like you couldn't pay people enough to come up with anything. Jack and Detective Brookes, had been working their asses off, and I had been trying my best to stay out of the way and also to help when I could. The Mags and JT were going crazy, Jared had flown out the second I had called to tell him what was happening. He was staying with Zoe, who wasn't handling the situation all too well. She wanted to take off on her own personal manhunt, along with Kym. Personally, I wanted to do the same, truth be told. Jared had offered his assistance, like the supportive and loving brother he is. However, I knew that there were specific rules that had to be followed, in order to make sure that David was prosecuted for this, and we all wanted to make sure that he was put away for as long as possible. Honestly, a permanent fix would be perfectly fine by me, and a few others. The wishing of Davids death, had crossed a select few individuals lips, mine included. I don't think any of us would be all too disappointed at the prospect of that outcome.

Here is what we knew. David had been following El for months, possibly longer. He had found out she was taking the trip to see me; that she was taking the car service, the exact itinerary she had, and he had followed that. He must have slipped a cell phone into one of her bags at some point, we are guessing he had someone do it at Jakes birthday party; and he waited very patiently, to make his move. Then once he had El where he wanted her, scared and basically alone, David gave Eliza an address and used something to lure her there. From what Rick, the car driver said, the second she received that phone call, her entire demeanor changed. She was terrified of something, worried. Sad. Then she turned angry. Eliza had been threatened, and I couldn't do a fucking thing to help her. Rick said she gave him the new address; saying that there was an emergency, and she needed to get there immediately. When we had arrived at El's last known location, it was enough to make the hair on your the back of your neck stand on end. What made it worse was, that all we found was a strip mall. Nothing much to it. Not very populated. Jack and Aaron located a security camera and after reviewing the footage, we found that Eliza had done the same. She had scoped for a security camera, and then she made her way to a small tree in the parking area, taking her bracelet off, and placing it on the limb of that tree. A symbol to me, that she was in trouble. Then within a few minutes, a silver sedan with tinted windows, pulled up beside her. A look of terror passed over her face and she leaned onto the car making a quick symbol with her hand. After watching the footage a couple times, we figured out what she was showing us. She was making a hand signal for a gun. The bastard had a fucking gun on her. There was no way out for her. We sat, unable to do anything, as she slid into the car, and he drove away. Aaron tried to keep up with him via traffic cameras for a while, but we lost them after they made their way onto the freeway. Besides, he could have doubled back and gone in a completely different direction. Who knows at this point. The police had an all points bulletin out for the car, and an alert for Eliza, and anyone matching Eliza's description. I wanted to go online and announce it to the fucking world. Hire my own private detective. The Echelon would be up in arms, and on the lookout everywhere. However, Jack and Aaron both said it would hinder them and the investigation, having thousands of unknown people out there playing detective. I agreed, yet didn't. I mean, when you have the resources, why not put them to use right? God, it was so fucking frustrating.

"Hey bro, how are you holding up? We brought you something to eat. Why don't we go find a room to go sit down and eat, you look like shit." Jared and Zoe walked over to me and wrapped their arms around me in a warm and welcome embrace. I felt some of the tension ease, just barely. "Any word?" Jared asked softly.

"Still no word. It's been too fucking quiet. And thanks for the food, but I'm not very hungry, man. Hey Zoe." I said lowly, while leading them back to Jacks office, where we would have more privacy.

"Shannon, you need to eat something. If you don't keep your strength up for when they do find her, she will kick your ass." Zoe said nudging me with her elbow.

"You are going to force feed me aren't you?" I said, taking the Panera Bread bag from Jared.

"You know me so well." He said as we entered Jacks office, each finding a place to sit down.

"Humph!" I opened the bag and pulled a sandwich out along with a steaming cup of coffee. The smells made my stomach rumble. My thoughts immediately going to El, and hoping that she was at least getting a hot meal. Then again, this was David we were dealing with, so I doubt he was being anywhere near civil, and the thought made me sick. I ate the warm turkey sandwich and sipped on the coffee to keep my brother and his girlfriend happy, but I didn't really enjoy the meal. When I had finished, I threw the wrapper and bag into the metal garbage can at the end of the desk.

"You know, it wouldn't hurt you to get some rest." Jared said.

"Don't push your luck. I am eating your food, I'm not resting until Eliza's back home where she belongs."

Jack and Aaron walked into the room not looking too pleased. "What's wrong?" I asked, anxiety dripping from every pore.

"Everything. We have a whole lot of nothing. The lead from the woman that swore she saw them at a rest area along the Turnpike, was total bullshit. This is so fucking frustrating. David has left us a trail of absolutely nothing. I can't even find him purchasing that fucking car he picked her up in, let alone proving he was driving the fucking thing. That mother fucking son of a bitch!!!!" And with that, Jack sent an empty coffee mug that had been on top of a file cabinet, flying across the room and into the cinder block wall opposite us. We all stood in stunned silence, not saying a word. Especially since we all knew how Jack felt. I had been wanting to put my fist through the wall since the moment I stepped off the plane. But where would that land me? In the fucking hospital, not helping Eliza, and no closer to finding her.

"Is there anything on the cell phone she left in the car?" I asked.

Running his hands through his hair Jack heaved a sigh and went to sit in the chair behind his desk. Aaron leaned back against the front of Jacks desk and looked from Jared to myself taking a deep breath. "This is what we have. The cell had 3 sets of prints on it. Eliza's, a young man that worked at the karaoke bar the night of JTs party, and David's. We are bringing the young man in for questioning, but I think he was just a pawn David used to get the cell into Eliza's possession. Unfortunately for us, the cell is a burner cell. The thing is, if we can at least get a positive ID from this kid on David, then at least we will have a confirmed link between the phone, and Eliza. Then we should have enough for a search warrant. We are banking on the fact that David doesn't think much of the police to begin with and he isn't planning on us being that smart. From there we are praying that he's left us some kind of clue at his house. Cocky assholes tend to get sloppy after a while, so we are counting on the fact that he's slipping. Keep your fingers crossed."

"When will you know about the search warrant?" Jared asked with his arm wrapped securely around Zoe. They both looked exhausted. I know Zoe wasn't handling Eliza's kidnapping very well, and had not been sleeping. None of us were.

"We have already made the call, and should know within the hour. This case is high priority. But once we hear, things will move fast. Shannon, you won't like this, but when we leave for the house, you have to stay behind. If you were there, it could interfere and we don't want anything messing with protocol on this."

"I understand. I'm not happy about it, but I get it. I do have another question for you though. It's about the bracelet El left on the tree. Will I be able to get it back? Because when she comes home, I would love to give it back to her. Besides, it reminds me of her." I said looking at the floor, hooking my thumbs into my jean pockets and rolling up onto the balls of my feet. It may have seemed like a stupid, maybe even juvenile question to ask given the situation. But I was grasping onto anything that was connected to Eliza right now.

"Um, yeah, I will have to look into that Shannon. It's still considered evidence in an open investigation. But I'll see what I can do." Jack said with a sad smile. Somehow, I didn't think I would be seeing it anytime soon.

"Thank you." I said sadly in understanding.

"You should really head home and get some rest. We are waiting on the kid to come in, and on the search warrant to come through. It will all take a while, and El would kick your ass if she knew you weren't taking care of yourself; and you know she will need you strong when she comes home." Jack stood up and walked around the desk to stand in front of me. He was taller then me, and I looked up at him as his voice dropped. "I think you and I both know, that whatever happens, my sister isn't coming home in very good condition." I flinched at that. "You know what extremes that psycho has gone to in the past, and now that he knows the two of you are together, I don't want to think of what he might be doing to her right now. Whatever might happen Shannon, she is going to need you more than she ever has. So do us all a favor, especially my sister, and go back to her place, and rest. I promise I will call you the second anything happens."

"When you have answers from the waiter, and the warrant comes through, you will call right?"

"Shan, listen, Zoe and I will stay here and wait until everything is done, and when there is word we will come by Eliza's and let you know. Alright?" Jared was standing next to me in seconds.

"You would do that for me?"

"Why wouldn't we? You and I are brothers, dumbass. And we love Eliza. You need rest, now get your stuff and move your ass. We will walk you out to make sure you don't just curl up in her car and pass out." I grumbled, but agreed to go for Eliza's sake.

Jack hugged me goodbye and I shook Aaron's hand thanking him for everything, then walked with Jared and Zoe out to Eliza's car, where it was parked in the parking lot. We hugged and said our goodbyes and I climbed in behind the steering wheel. I had driven her new Audi SUV over to the police station, after Jack had brought me to El's place and picked up her car. We decided that it would be better if I drove her car, so that I could come and go as needed. Turned out it was a good idea. Besides, I enjoyed spending time alone in her space. I felt like she was with me, in a strange way. I had pulled out onto the main country road that would take me towards, what I was calling home for now, I listened to the music El had been playing on her sound system the last time she had driven the car. It was a playlist called, 'E <3's S'. The title made me smile immediately. There was a great mix of songs that we had heard together, a few from our first date at the Adele concert, the song we had first danced to in my apartment, songs that were playing when I brought her to the amusement park, the first time we made love, our drives together in the car, songs I had sung to her, the list was beautiful and eclectic. A different mix, just like us. Perfect, in my eyes. I would have to ask her for a copy when I saw her. When I saw her... The thought stabbed through my heart. I felt the first of a few stray tears begin to fall, and I decided to pull off to the side of the road putting the car into park. Anger began to burn from deep within, and I began slamming my fists into the steering wheel, and started screaming out my frustrations as loudly as I could, when I couldn't contain that anger any more. I had spent days holding it together. I needed to vent. It was all too much for me right now. Being surrounded by the scent of her in the car, the story of us through music, the overwhelming sense of needing her; it was all consuming.

I heard Bono singing in the background, and I couldn't help but think, he was speaking to me on some strange level. Saying it was ok to be feeling the way I was. I had never felt so overcome by so many different emotions at once. Fear, anger, passion, love, devotion, and hatred. Pure and absolute hatred, for the man who had taken the one person, I loved more than anything. Sitting in Eliza's car, on the side of the quiet country road, on a hot summer afternoon all alone, I lay my head on top of my hands as they grasp the steering wheel and listened to the end of the song...

'But all the promises we make
From the cradle to the grave
When all I want is you

You say you want your love to work out right
To last with me through the night

You say you want diamonds on a ring of gold
Your story to remain untold
Your love not to grow cold

All the promises we break
From the cradle to the grave
When all I want is you

You
All I want is...you
All I want is...you
All I want is...you

The lyrics drifted off with the song ending and the next song began. I didn't pay much attention to what it was, because all I could really hear, was my own breaking heart. Then, having had enough emotionally, the flood gates opened, that I could no longer contain; and I finally broke down, and cried.