Taken

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A couple suggestions smashed together. Have fun!

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A soft buzzing sound stirred Carter from her sleep. Propping herself up on her elbow, she grabbed her phone and squinted at the bright screen. Flopping back onto her pillow, she answered.

"Hello?" she said, one arm flung over her eyes.

"Carter Owens."

The voice was deep and controlled, like a building storm.

"Yes?" Carter felt on the verge of falling back asleep, the sheets warm and inviting.

"We have Donovan Keller."

Carter shot upright, her mind spiked with adrenaline as her heart stopped. In the background, she heard a familiar voice.

"Let go of me."

The protest was followed by an impact and a grunt of pain. Carter's hand flew to her mouth, her emotions a riot in her chest. Her mind was scrambling to come together, the shock of what was happening distorting everything.

"What are you willing to do for your partner, Agent Owens?" the voice on the other line said.

Carter closed her eyes and leaned her head against her hand. She hated how even though they weren't married, Donovan was the thing that could be used against her.

"Anything," she breathed out.

"Good. Then here is what you are going to do for us."

As he explained the impossible, Carter focused on breathing, slowing her pounding heart, stilling the chaos in her mind.

"Do you understand?"

"I do. Can I please speak with him?" she asked.

There was a pause then a low murmur of voices.

"Carter, I'm...fine," Donovan said, the words slurred.

Carter clenched her fists, trying not to imagine what he had been put through to lose the ability to speak clearly.

"I'm going to come get you," she said.

"Don't-"

"Stop, I'm doing this."

Before Donovan could reply the phone was snatched away from him.

"You know what you need to do."

The line went dead. For a moment, Carter felt the panic of what would happen if she didn't do everything asked of her. Her mind raced to the end, imagining the worst possible outcomes. Before she could get trapped in the never-ending cycle, she mentally shouted at herself. Those thoughts were a waste of precious time.

Standing, she made herself turn cold, shutting down her emotions until all that was left was logic and strategy. She dressed and gathered what she needed. It was a small amount, knowing that she could not be weighed down. On her nightstand was her FBI badge. She flipped it open, but then dropped it in the drawer and closed it. What she was about to do could not be tied to the Bureau.

The rest of her plans formed as she completed the next tasks. Before she knew it, she was standing before a familiar door. She knocked twice and waited, her face giving away nothing. Donovan's father frowned as he saw Carter.

"What is it?" he asked.

"They took Donovan," she said, with no inflection. "I would ask my father if he were here-"

Carter was cut off. "Of course."

The man disappeared, only to reappear a few minutes later dressed and carrying a black duffle bag. He eased the door shut and nodded at her. The night was chilly, a whitish blanket of clouds hid the stars and moon from sight. The pair strode towards the sleek, charcoal car and climbed in.

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