Nathan it appears will be absent for a good part of the final seasonbefore reappearing.Why the absense? It would appear that Nathan is kidnapped!check out the preview for season nine that's posted on youtube; if you look closely you will see that Nathan's mouth is taped and His hands appear to be tied as well.If you check outSophia Bush's website you will find a close-up of the scene in which Nathan is clearly gagged! certainly looks like a kidnap victim.