This story picks up where Bella Barbaric left off. I was hooked on her continuation of the story but her profile states she will not be returning. I decided to keep the storyline going.

Disclaimer: Just a fan!

After Anya left the group at the lab, Abby sat with Greg for a bit, thinking things over. Al, Naj and Peter had gone to the trailers Peter had stayed in to forage for supplies.

"Ok, here's what I propose. Greg, you are right, we have precious little food and water and not enough fuel to keep us going. But, none of you gave up on me, on Peter, and because of that, I have my son. I know that Anya left us but we are like a family now and I just can't let this go…she was so upset and I can't bear to lose her too…"

"Look, I don't like the thought of her out there any more than you do," Greg added, "but we haven't got a clue to where she could have gone."

"I know, I was thinking about that. The only things we know are that Tom was at the tower, then he was gone. It's possible he could have gone in the woods, but …"

"We told you, he headed towards the tarmac, towards you…" said Naj, coming in with some supplies.

"Ok, but he never came to us, we never saw him and there was nothing there, no buildings, no place to hide…" Abby thought.

"There were the cars…." Al looked up to the group. "And the plane!", Naj said excitedly.

"What, you think Tom got onto the plane?" Greg looked incredulously at the group, "If he did, we'll be lucky if any one of them on the plane is left alive then." Abby gave him a look.

Greg looked exasperated, "Yes, but even if he did, for some reason, get on the plane, we still haven't got clue as to where they have gone."

The group was looking at each other, feeling closer yet just as far as they were a few minutes ago.

Al stood up and walked in a circle, scratching his head as if to make a thought appear. He stopped suddenly, "Wait, we are missing something here."

"Yeah" Naj jumped up, "Anya, and Tom!"

"No Naj, I mean something else. Anya didn't have any more information than we did. I mean it was just as much of a surprise to her that Tom was gone, so she didn't have any ideas of his plans. Not that he seemed to have one when we last saw him. Not that I ever know what he is planning."

They all exchanged glances. "But she said she thinks she knows how to find Tom. There must be something that connects things together that we are missing, or forgetting…"

After a minute, Greg said, "The postcard. It all connects to the postcard. That was the only clue to connect anyone to this secret place of Landry's. But we know the coordinates are for the airports, not the destination. No, there must be something else to it…"

Abby looked up at Greg, "'Hope Never Dies', that has to mean something."

Peter, quiet within the group as he hadn't yet felt comfortable around them all, said, "Could it be a game, like the scramble words from school, just switch them round and see what it says."

"Yeah, let's try", cried Naj jumping up to get paper and pens.

Abby gave Greg an uncertain look, "Couldn't hurt to try for a bit."

"It's a start, but whether we find something or not, we can't stay here for much longer. We won't make it." Greg looked at Abby and Al and started with his pen.

xxx

"Miss Raczynski, please sit". Landry was at his desk as if he was expecting Anya. He had a sinister yet weary look to him.

"How do you know my name?"

"Oh, well, I do know a lot about you, Miss, excuse me, Dr. Raczynski…and your friends. Please, have a seat" Landry held out his hand gesturing for Anya to sit.

She looked around cautiously and shook her head slightly but did not sit. She knew enough about Landry to know he was not trustworthy, but there was something more than that, it was very unsettling. The gun did not feel right in her hands but she knew its power. She had held up the shotgun to save Tom before but she had really hated it then, she even told him so. But now, she was not as upset. She had resilience in her that would do whatever it took to get to Tom. She was a bit surprised by this.

"I want to know what happed to Tom." As she said this she again realized that even though she made it this far, Tom was badly injured, her confidence in his being alive was wavering.

Landry gazed at Anya, "I am impressed, Miss Raczynski, that you not only found us, but that you made it past my guards. I was under the impression that you were against violence, yet here you sit with a gun. Yes, I think Tom Price has influenced you, perhaps?"

Anya's mind was going wild, how did he know so much about her, about Tom?

"You seem to know about me Landry, and Tom. You have been having discussions with him about us then, have you?" Anya fished for information.

Landry smiled at Anya with that superior, creepy twist of his lips, "Dr. you and I both know Tom is a man of few words...discussions are not really his thing."

Anya could feel her emotions begin to overwhelm her. Landry seemed to know their personalities so well. She felt certain that Tom had been on the plane, she still wasn't sure if he was still alive.

A voice came from the radio on Landry's desk, "Sir we have not found her yet, we are still searching."

Landry sat back, looked confident and as if he was enjoying himself. Even though Anya had the gun, Landry had the upper hand. Anya knew she didn't have much time.

xxx