Tires crunch against the loose gravel as the captain and his men slowly make their way down the rugged dirt road, hoping against all odds that they'll find Rachel alive. They know the chances of that are slimming as seconds continue to tick by.
"Park behind that shrub to your right." Joe orders pointing ahead. As noisy as it is and with it being off the beaten path, the captain would rather walk than give the kidnapper an opportunity to escape. Joe glances behind him to find the remaining crew following his lead. "Good."
Climbing out of the cruiser, Joe peeks around the bush to find the older, two-story farmhouse completely dark. He then notices the rickety screen door swaying in the wind. He glances to his right and sees a rusted pickup parked in the drive. By the looks of it, the vehicle hadn't been moved in years. Leaves are piled mid way up the hubcap and all four tires are flat. Rachel could still be in there, even if he's not, the captain thinks. Turning, he motions to his men.
A gentle breeze adds a crispness to the cool autumn air. Leaves fall all around them as the captain explains his plan. "So this is how I want it to go. Jeff, you and Nate cover the back, Bill, you take the east side, and Jack I want you to take the west side of the house. Kirk, Jerry and I will search inside. Nodding the four officers head towards their designated areas. Joe gives his men a few minutes to get in position before heading across the yard.
The trio carefully makes their way onto the rotting porch. The captain knocks on the door. "Berryville Pd Open up. When no one answered he tried again. Berryville PD, we're coming in. He glances over at Kirk and nods.
The detective uses his battering ram to knock the door ajar. The wood splits into pieces when it lands. Stepping over the pile of rubbish, the three men dart inside Jerry goes left, Joe dashes to the right while Kirk carefully maneuvers his way up the stairs. Clear Joe hears as he reaches the back. He looks over to find Jerry is circling his way around.
"I didn't see anyone. boss." He rakes his finger across the dirt encrusted table, rubs them together and adds, "By the looks of it, I doubt if anyone has been in here for years,"
"Where else would he take her then?" he questions, glancing around the ruins that was once a loving home.
"We'll find her boss, don't worry,."
"Hopefully soon, Joe says, answering his phone "Captain Bower. We'll be over there shortly. Hanging up he looks over and says, "Kevin's car was found at the airport. And according to the manifest, a man and woman took a flight out an hour ago."
"Where were they headed, boss?"
"Cambodia. The one of the few countries that doesn't have an extradition treaty in place. So we need to stop that plane while we still can."
***
They pull into the airport to find the desk sergeant talking to the staff. Springing out of the car, Joe darts across the lot.
"Captain."
"What are you doing, here, sergeant?" he questions, running his hands through his greying hair. Joe claims Rachel's crazy antics is the reason his hair is more silver than it is brown.
"I figured I could get here quicker seeing how you were on the opposite side of the city," Lenny explains.
The captain anxiously shuffles his weight and asks. "Well, what did you find out?"
"It wasn't them, captain."
"Are you sure?"
"Positive sir. "He hands Joe a tablet and says, "The video feed shows it was a Hispanic couple with four little kids." He glances at the manager then to his boss and adds, "The airline reassured me that all their staff are aware of the situation and said they will call the second he comes in."
"What about his car?"
"An airline attendant said it's been there since yesterday."
"Did you check the flights?"
"That's where I'm headed now, sir."
Joe, Jerry and Lenny are crammed into a small office watching hour after hour of useless video feed.
That's all there is, sir," the technician says, turning off the machine.
We went back from the time this began, correct?"
"Yes, sir."
"That means she has to be in the city somewhere," Jerry says, hoping to cheer his friends up.
"We still don't have a clue as to where."
"We'll find her boss, don't worry."
Rachel's sweet face comes to mind. Joe's face grows somber, lowering his head he says, "I'll never forgive myself if we don't find her in time."
"This isn't your fault, boss, she decided to go rogue on her own knowing she's in danger, and after you specifically ordered her not to be out there on her own."
"I shouldn't have let her go at all."
Jerry thinks back to how stubborn she can be and says, "Like you could've stopped her." He glances around and adds, "I doubt if the whole team can stop her once she gets something in her head."
True, Joe thinks. "I want everyone we can spare, out looking for her. Call in people if you have to, including the Eureka Springs PD, the Green Forest PD, and the Highway Patrol."
"It might put everyone into overtime, boss."
"I don't care. I want Rachel found today."
****
Rachel is frantically clearing away the remaining glass when she hears her abductor say;
"I bought you something." Stepping further into the room, he closes the door behind him. He figures kind gestures will go a long way in their relationship. It's also a way to establish trust, something he'll need before they relocate. He steps into the front room to find Rachel leaping through the shattered window. He then see various appliances plugged in all around the room. What the hell? Dropping his packages, he darts towards the opening. "Get back here," he yells, diving through.
Landing with a thud, Rachel turns over to find her attacker half way through the window. Springing to her feet, she darts towards the woods. I can't let him find me, she thinks, continuing on. Her chest burns and her legs ache as she pushes her way through the trees. Realizing she's put some distance between them, she stops to take a much needed breath. I've got to figure out how to get back to town, she thinks, gasping for air. Rachel sees Kevin quickly closing the gap. She takes a deep breath and takes off again.
The sun slowly dips below the horizon, she continues to press through the rugged terrain. Distant howls echoes all around her, urging her to continue. Her heart is rapidly thudding in her ears as she gasps for air. I need to catch my breath, she thinks, leaning against a tree. Once her breathing steadies, she takes a quick look around. I wish I knew where I was.
She then recalls a couple of hikers getting lost in the woods a few years back. The team searched for well over a week, but couldn't find them anywhere. She then remembers how pieces of their bodies were found scattered across the forest floor. An animal attack, the ME claimed. Rachel hears howling in the distance and shivers. I could be next.
She then recalls the time she and Emma got lost in the woods trying to take a shortcut into town. I knew where I was and still managed to get turned around. She looks around again. But now I have no clue as to where I'm at or which direction I should run. Maybe I should circle around and follow the road back into town. If I'm lucky I might even be able to get a ride. She's heading back the way she came when she hears the bushes rattle in the near distance. Ducking behind a tree, she peaks around to find Kevin a few feet away.