M McDonald - March Into Hell

"Is it true that the police believe Taylor was kidnapped? What did you find?"

Jim held up his hands. "You need to direct your questions to the Chicago P.D. I'm not affiliated with the department."

"Is it true that you're with the CIA and why is the CIA involved in this investigation?"

Jim found the reporter who voiced the question and pinned him with a hard look. "No comment."

"Is there a government cover-up going on?"

Jim ignored the question and elbowed his way through the throng and moved towards Lily. The comment about divine powers bothered him. In all the articles he had read, and news stories he'd seen, never once had Taylor claimed anything and he just couldn't let that reporter's question pass as though it was fact.

He turned back and said, "One thing, though. You're wrong to say Taylor ever claimed to have any powers, divine or otherwise. It was all you guys…the media, who made up all that crap. If something has happened to Mr. Taylor because of all your speculation…"

Jim had wanted to end his comment with a bang, but instead, it petered out as what he said hit him. Something bad had happened to Taylor. He'd seen it already. Time was wasting and the reporters were just in the way.

He caught Lily's eye and inclined his head towards his vehicle, "Why don't we go sit in my car and talk? It's a zoo inside and it's not much better out here. Besides, I'm cold."

"…so that's pretty much it. Jessica and I called it in after that." Jim sighed and rubbed his eyes.

Lily brushed away a tear that raced down her face. "All these…lies people have been saying about Mark have really had him down." She repeatedly wrapped and unwrapped her purse strap around her hand.

"Has he had any threats? Did anyone call or approach him? Anything?"

Lily shook her head and dug a tissue out of her bag, dabbing her nose it. "Not really, but I did have to put the business phone straight to voice-mail. I'm not sure Mark knew about it though. He's been kind of busy the last few days."

Jim noticed Lily shiver and so he turned the car on and cranked up the heat.

"Busy doing what?" From what Jim had heard the other day, most of the customers had been media and Taylor had been trying to avoid them.

"You know what he does so take a wild guess." Lily rubbed her forehead as though trying to ease the pain of a headache. "Besides, what does it matter?"

Jim looked out the front window, noting the arrival of even more news vans. He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. "It could matter a lot. We should know all of his movements from the time the story broke. I just have a feeling the story is connected somehow to Taylor's disappearance." He turned to her. "Did he do anything unusual in the last few days?"

Lily let out a snort. "By Mark's standards, no. The only thing he even mentioned was the lunch he had yesterday with a family on the north side. It wasn't anything bad though. At least, that's not the impression that I had."

Jim rummaged in his glove box for a notebook and pen. "Do you have a name?"

"I think the man's name was Scott something…oh, wait, it was Palmer. Scott Palmer. But, like I said, Mark didn't say anything bad about them, just that they were nice people and I think they did ask Mark about the stories in the paper."

"Did you get the impression that Mark was afraid of him?"

"No, not at all. If anything, their questions seemed to make Mark wonder about something in his own life and how to handle it."

"You mean the camera?"

She slanted him a glance. "So you know about that too?"

Jim pulled the camera out from beneath his coat and gestured toward the second floor of the building. "I took it from upstairs. I was hoping it could hold some answers for us."

Lily frowned and looked from the device to him. "How? Without Mark here to dream-"

"I dreamed," he cut in. He set the camera in her hands. "I'm hoping that there's a picture on it that could correspond to what I dreamed." Aw, hell. It sounded as stupid as he feared, but he had to take the chance.

"That's not how it works though. Mark dreams after seeing the photos." She checked the film counter. "He didn't develop this one." Tears filled her eyes again. "I told him not to. Told him he should get some rest instead. What if there's a picture of whatever happened to him on here and he could have stopped it?"

He didn't want to be cruel, but there was no time for guilt and recriminations. "Listen, Lily. We can't do anything about the past, we can only worry about now." He tapped the top of the camera. "I want you to develop this film."

"Right now?"

"Yes."

"But where? The dark room is in there," she pointed to the studio, "and I doubt they'll let me in to process film."

She was right. He thought about going back to his office building. If he recalled, there was a photo lab to process crime scene photos, but he wasn't sure he wanted to use that lab. It would involve red tape that he didn't have time to deal with right now.

There came a sharp knock on his window, and he started. Jessica. He motioned for her to get in the back seat.

Once she was in, he turned around. "Anything new from the police?"

"No. Just that there was no forced entry."

"Oh my god!" Lily nearly dropped the camera as she whirled in her seat to face Jessica.

"What?" Jim and Jessica both asked.

"The keys. I couldn't find the spare keys this afternoon."

"Do you know when you had them last?" Jessica asked before he could get the same question out.

"I never use them, but Mark said he thought he might have left them up in his loft a few weeks ago."

"Why were you looking for them today? I mean, if you never use them."

Jim caught the hint of suspicion in Jessica's voice and wondered if Lily had also heard it.

If she did, she didn't let on. "I was afraid a reporter might get a hold of them and bug the place."

"Are you serious?" Jessica shook her head and rested her brow on top of the front seat.

Lily's eyes narrowed. "You were here yesterday morning. You saw the chaos outside the studio. Besides, it looks like I had the right idea. Someone found the keys and used them, only for something much worse than bugging the place."

Jessica took a deep breath and nodded. "You're right. I'm sorry. It's no excuse, but when I'm scared, I get angry. Usually at the wrong people and at-"

Jim cut the apology short. "Right now, we need to find Mark, and our best lead could be sitting on that film right now. We have to find somewhere to develop it ASAP."

The three were silent for a moment. Finally Jessica said, "Why don't we take them to that lab we used before?" She looked at Jim. Lily focused on him as well, her face full of confusion.

It took him a second to understand what Jessica meant. "The one we used when Mark was locked up still?"

The fact that the photos Jim had taken that day with Jessica had caused Mark to dream his own water-boarding still caused Jim to shudder when he remembered it. At the time, he thought it had been a leak on his team, not evidence of a magical camera. Now he knew better.

A plus was that Mark had ended up working there after he'd been released. It was the perfect solution.

He glanced at the dashboard clock. It was close to five-thirty. "They won't open for hours."

Jessica shrugged. "So we call Gary and tell him to open up. He doesn't know about Mark's camera, but he's afraid of you, Jim. He'll do whatever you want." A trace of smile turned up the corners of her lips.

Gary wouldn't be the first person to fear him, but for once, maybe that fear would work for him. "Good. Call the guy."

"I hope I still have his number." Jessica pulled out her cell and it cast a glow on her face as she scrolled through it. "I had to call a few times when Mark had problems that caused him to be late to work."