Without a Trace

Author's note--Alright, this is the first time I include a "flashback" like they have on WOaT. When they're talking to a witness or a suspect, they'll start out talking and then it'll cut to a flashback of the event (like the person is still describing it, but we get to watch it so we know what "really" happened) and then it goes back to the present time. I hope that makes sense. Anyway, they usually have several "flashbacks" each time, which are slightly harder to do in print because you're still describing everything...but I tried. *grin* Obviously the italics in the middle of the text are the flashback. I also used italics for the emails as well, just to distinguish them. Maybe I shouldn't have, but...these italics signify the flashback.

Also this is the second part, so it's a little shorter. I opted to put the longer section in "Part I". And reviews are responded to at the end :) Thanks for reading and reviewing!
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Without a Trace

SIX HOURS MISSING (continued)

As soon as Harry hung up the phone, looking dazed and relieved and terrified all at once, Jack began barking orders like a maniac.

“Okay, people, let’s get going! Viv, get that kid’s face plastered all over New York. Give press conferences, interviews, you name it. Let the press know that the people who have him are dangerous. I want every fucking person in this city to watch every blonde child like a hawk. Let’s make it difficult for them to get out of town. Make sure you target the airports, train stations, bus stations, and subway. Call the state troopers and have them set up roadblocks at all the major highways leading out of Manhattan. Also, see if there were any children’s plane or bus tickets purchased recently.

“Elena, get that video copied and over to tech. I want to know how long ago it was made, and see if they can pick up anything that might lead us to where they’re going next. Also, have them transcribe the text. There are messages to us in there that we need to analyze. Danny, grab some uniforms and go check out that sick bastard’s house. Martin, get your ass over to that hotel and question everyone on the staff. We’ll need those rooms roped off and a list of all the guests staying there. Samantha…keep doing what you’re doing. Don’t let him out of your sight. The last thing we need is for him to go vigilante on us or try to kill himself or something. We have a very small window of time, but we just might be able to get the kid out of there alive. Potter, you come with me,” Jack turned on his heel and marched out the door. Harry hurried after him, grinding the heels of his hands into his eyes to stop the tears. Everyone else sprang into action, following orders.

Harry didn’t have time to wonder where they were going because Jack headed unerringly for the waiting room that Pansy was in. Jack barged through the door, and Pansy jumped a mile. Her pretty face turned ugly as she was about to make a nasty retort for being left in that room for so long, but the look on Jack’s face shut her up. He stood uncertainly by the door, holding it open, as Jack hauled Pansy up by the elbow and jerked her out of the room roughly and into an interrogation room. She squeaked in protest, falling against the table as Jack shoved her. She rubbed her elbow as she sat, glaring at him. Harry paused by the door, eyes wide. He had seen Jack angry before—and it was not a sight he liked—but the look in Jack’s eyes was positively murderous. Jack leaned on the table, and when he spoke, his voice was hoarse.

“Who is Blaise?” Pansy looked at him in surprise.

“No one,” she snipped, then flinched in shock as Jack slapped his palms on the table.

“Don’t FUCK with me. Who. Is. Blaise.”

“He’s a friend of mine. We went to school together,” Pansy scowled, wondering how this American knew about her secret lover.

“Are you sleeping with him?” Pansy’s eyes grew wide.

“What? NO! How dare you! I’m a married woman!” she sounded indignant. Jack growled, giving the table a mighty shove to the side. Harry jumped as it crashed into the wall, and he briefly wondered if he might have to refrain Jack from killing the woman. Then he wondered why he would want to.

“Liar!” Jack hissed, getting right in Pansy’s face. “You’re sleeping with him under your husband’s nose! Let me tell you what I think. I think you’re unhappy in your marriage, and you wanted out. So you went to Blaise and begged him to take care of the one little problem in your life: your son. So the two of you come up with a plan to break Narcissa out of jail so that she can come to America, kidnap your son, and leave him in the hands of a child rapist! That would leave Narcissa to go down for the kidnapping—if she got caught—while you would leave your husband because he let your child be taken, and then you would be free to marry Blaise and live happily ever after! Did I get it right?” Jack was ready to reach out and strangle this woman who would sacrifice her innocent son’s life for her own selfish reasons. Pansy sat straight up, her face twisting in horror.

“Blaise did this? Narcissa has Parker? OH MY GOD! I didn’t know anything, I swear! Yes, I love Blaise, and yes, we were sleeping together, but I LOVE MY SON! How do you know? How?” Pansy cried. Jack cocked his head, thrown off by the truth ringing in Pansy’s voice.

“Did Blaise say anything to you about his plans? Did he make any cryptic statements about you going on vacation?”

“No! I can’t believe Blaise would be involved in this! He loves me! He just can’t be! I-I’m in love him!” Harry could hear the desperation in Pansy’s voice, but his eyes flashed when she—Draco’s wife and the mother of his child—admitted to being in love with another man. Before he could stop himself, he pushed off from the wall and approached Pansy.

“So why are you married to Draco, then? Are you hoping to get his money?” Pansy hadn’t even noticed the second agent in the room, but when she looked up, her face got very pale.

“You! What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be at the Burrow doing Merlin-knows-what to your family of Weasels?” Even in the face of two very angry FBI agents, Pansy couldn’t resist a dig at the Weasley family. She, like everyone else in the wizarding world, knew that Harry married Ginny. Harry’s face got red, and he started forward, only to be stopped short as Jack’s arm shot out and blocked his way.

“Pansy, listen to me,” Jack sounded reasonable, even as he shot a warning look at Harry. “We just watched a video that was shot only hours ago. It showed Narcissa with Parker, and on camera, she said that she escaped from prison, and that someone named Severus put her in touch with you and Blaise. What do you know about that?”

“Nothing! I swear!” Pansy gasped. “Blaise mentioned that he talked with an old friend a while ago…he said it was one of our fellow Slytherins but that I didn’t know her…and he told me not to worry about it!”

Pansy and Blaise were lying naked in Pansy’s bed, cuddling in the post-orgasmic glow with the sheets pulled up. Blaise was on his back, with one arm around Pansy. She was on her side, her head resting on his shoulder, her hand splayed across his chest, admiring the stark contrast of her white skin on his dark. She rubbed her cheek along his skin, giggling slightly.

“Oh, baby, guess what?” he mumbled happily. “Snape called today. He said he just got in contact with a woman who was in Slytherin at Hogwarts. No one you know, but I’ll be meeting her soon for coffee. You never can have too many allies, right, babe?”

“Was she a Death Eater?” Pansy queried, the glow giving way to sleep, but Pansy struggled to remain conscious.

“Yeah, I think so. Snape didn’t say exactly, but if I had to guess, I’d say he’d sooner tell me if someone WASN’T a Death Eater, since that is the norm with Slytherins, you know?” Blaise looked down, smiling as his lover nodded in her sleep. He tightened his arm around her, sighing. Everything was falling into place.

“They are going to kill your son, Pansy. They won’t hesitate to kill him, but you can help me. I need you to get in touch with Blaise and see if he either knows where Narcissa is heading with Parker or if he can find out. Are you ready for this?” Jack took a risk, telling the already-distraught woman that the kidnappers would kill her son. She took it in stride and nodded bravely. Jack motioned for Pansy to follow him to their tech room, where they had the equipment to call a phone number while making it look like it was coming from any other number. He sent Harry back to the office, telling him to join up with Samantha or, if she didn’t need help, to go to the hotel and assist Martin.

* * * * *

Samantha gently pulled Draco into a sitting position. It seemed like he finally ran out of tears, but he was still unresponsive and shuddering. He looked right through her until she snapped her fingers directly in front of his nose, and he jerked, blinking and glaring at her.

“Mr. Malfoy, I know you’ve had a terrible shock, but we need to talk about what you know that could help us find your son,” she stood and offered her hand to the young man. He grasped her hand and allowed the strong blonde to pull him up, and they sat at the conference table where the team had gathered an hour and a half ago.

“Please, Agent Spade, just call me Draco,” he said quietly. Sam smiled.

“You can call me Samantha,” she replied. “Or Sam. Draco, I just need to confirm a few things very quickly. Narcissa is your mother, is that correct?”

“Yes.”

“I need you to tell me the room number of the hotel. My colleague is already on his way over to start a forensic investigation.”

“Number 430,” he replied dully. “Parker already knows the numbers, and I was just beginning to teach him the months. He recognized the ‘30’ as being part of his birthday. He was born in April.” Draco looked ready to cry again. Samantha quickly text-messaged the room number to Martin.

“What’s Azkaban?”

“It’s the name of a prison for…really bad people. In England.” Even though he was stretched to the breaking point, Draco still had the presence of mind to protect the secrets of the wizarding world.

“You mean, like maximum-security?” Samantha clarified, getting the feeling that he was leaving parts out again.

“Yeah, sure. It’s not a nice place. She…she was a very important person in a bad group of people, same as my father. Only, he died, and she went to prison.” Draco had no idea that Harry had told his co-workers a little more than that.

“Okay. And she just recently escaped?”

“That’s what it looks like. Only a couple of people have ever escaped from there. Ever. I should be flattered that my mother put so much effort into coming back to break me. She never cared so much before…” his lips twisted into a dark and humorless smile.

“Who is Severus?” Draco flinched visibly.

“Severus Snape,” he sighed. “He is my godfather, but he was also a professor—I mean, a teacher at my school. Right bastard, he was.”

“And was he part of this…cult?” Draco looked up at her in surprise.

“Yeah. Well, he was actually more like a spy. He worked both sides. I was supposed to join and didn’t. My mother is pissed at me for that, and because I couldn’t murder someone,” his grey eyes dimmed, and Samantha leaned forward and reached out to him, putting her hand on his arm.

“This is heavy stuff, Draco,” she observed.

“Tell me about it.”

“Is Slytherin the name of the cult?” Draco gave a short bark of laughter.

“Not quite. It was more like a…club…in school. There were four major clubs, and everyone was in one and not the other. But if you were in the ‘Slytherin club’ it pretty much meant you were going to end up joining the Dea-…uh, the cult. Sam, I’m tired.” He gave her a pleading look.

“We only have a couple more to go, Draco,” she informed him gently. “It might help us find your son.” He sighed again, giving his nod of permission to continue. “I need to know about Dumbledore, Lucius, and the Dark Lord.”

“Dumbledore was the head of our school. He was the one I was supposed to kill, but I couldn’t. Snape did it instead,” Draco’s answer was emotionless and flat. “Lucius is—was my father. He’s dead too. And the Dark Lord…” Draco grasped Samantha’s hand, boring holes through her brown eyes with his suddenly-intense grey ones. “I can’t tell you about Him. There are some things, Samantha, that should never be talked about. Ever. And He is one of them. There are things about me that I can’t tell you, Agent Spade, because you wouldn’t understand; please trust that I don’t say this lightly. You are an exceptionally intelligent woman, despite the fact that you are American, but it would jeopardize far too many people.”

As crazy as Draco sounded right then, Samantha believed him. She nodded and indicated that they could take a break. The slim blonde seemed very relieved, and Sam decided that probing him about HJ could wait until next time. She pointed out the way to the restrooms, citing that he should help himself to their coffee, and that she knew a great Chinese take-out if he was hungry for dinner. Sam also thought to warn him that his wife was ‘somewhere around here’, and she noted his wince. He promised to not talk to her, even if he saw her, in exchange that someone would forcibly separate them if SHE saw HIM. Sam nodded, excusing herself. He could guess that Pansy was furious by now, not only with the fact that he let their child be kidnapped, but also that he hadn’t gotten in touch with her himself about it.
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Author's note--I think you guys "get" the story behind Draco's code words, right? (I'm going to assume so...) Also, sorry for all of the "American" digs, but that's just the way I imagine Pansy (and Draco) would react, being British and never having been to America before. (And being an American myself living in Ireland, I get to see how the Europeans react to American stereotypes, so I tried to incorporate that...)

And right now GRRRRR on you, my internet connection! It's being SUCH a pain in the ass right now! I don't know if it's my connection or AFF or what, but this whole "page cannot be loaded" bullshit is REALLY starting to get on my nerves! Okay, sorry, *end rant*

EmeraldGrey--Screen play? haha Actually, "Dragon and Savior" is more or less a screen play (based on the play Equus and Daniel Radcliffe's role in it!) But thank you very much! Don't be ashamed; just go read my other stories now *wink* lol Sorry, shameless plug! Seriously, though, now I'm interested in what you have to say about "Dragon and Savior" (see you over there?)

How am I going to slip into Draco/Harry? Traumatic times pull people together for support...that's all I'm gonna say (for now!) *resisting urge to spill future plot twists*

Danine--Oh wow! I'm sorry? Thanks for sticking with it, even if it freaked you out! Actually, you didn't miss Pansy's reaction to the video because she wasn't there. She stayed (like a good little girl) in the room where Martin put her, but Draco got bored and went looking for Sam because she's the only other agent he knows (besides Harry, and at this point, Draco wasn't about to go looking for Harry voluntarily!) And I know what you mean about Narcissa...but she makes for a great villian!

takahashi--you and me both! lol Thanks for your review!

rafiq--hmmm, good question. It's not exactly a *key* plot point, but I hope this chapter explains a bit more about it...Thanks for reviewing!

xXBrokenDreamsXx--Unimaginable, indeed! And as for Parker being okay...RAFO (Read And Find Out...I hate myself for telling you that, but it's the only way!) Thank you very much for your kind words! (and Parker blowing the kiss wrenched my heart too...it just played out that way in my head, so I wrote it down!)

Night--Aaaah, Night! Now I find out exactly what I've left out! lol (But seriously, I do really look forward to your reviews!) Apologies, first, that I cannot answer all of your questions without giving stuff away, so I will answer what I can. :)

The answer to your favour is...define "permanent". Actually, I'll say this: nothing will happen to Parker that Harry and Draco can't handle. The part of your question that I CAN answer is no, Narcissa has no conscience.

As far as Snape appearing...in person, doubtful. He's in England, remember, and right now, we're in New York. But his part in all of this will be wrapped up nice and neat, just like always! Actually, you just gave me a new idea...*goes off to ponder*

Sorry, got distracted. As far as the team "manhandling" Harry, that was basically Jack and Danny grabbing him by the arms and dragging him to a corner to confirm whether Harry really knew Draco...being rough with him and not giving him the choice or chance to refuse to talk to them. *shrug* Typical Jack and Danny behavior, and HJ isn't made of glass, after all! Thanks for your review!!!!! YAY

Samayel--Woo, double review! lol I agree YAY for Ireland (although I am an American as well...born and raised in the good ol' US of A and living overseas for a year!) Sorry for the pins and needles; thanks for reviewing!

HPDMkawii--if my freakin internet connection will stay stable long enough, yeah, I'll be able to update! Grrr Thanks for reviewing this time, and again, sorry for the endings!

Draca--IT MUST BE FATE!!! lol Thanks for your suggested change! I came across the "grecs" quote on Google, and according to the colloquial dictionary I was using, it means "go to Hell". I figured that the literal translation was more or less "go see the Greeks" but then I thought maybe that's a super-bad insult in France! haha But you're right, they ARE already there, and the fact that Narcissa would rub it in makes it that much more appealing!!! Thank you so much!