Here is the next Chapter. Please read and review. AMBER

Chapter 8

Callie raced to the middle school. She still couldn't drive so she called for a taxi. She went into the office blinded with tears. Mrs. Brennan I need to pick up Claire please."

"Mrs. Hardy of course. Are you alright?"

Callie burst into tears. Mrs. Brennan sat her in a chair in the principal's office. Doctor Yates, a nice man stood up and brought a box of tissues from his desk. "Mrs. Brennan get Mrs. Hardy some water. What's happened?"

Callie wailed. "Brooke's been kidnapped. Please I need to pick up Claire to tell her. I need her with me."

Mrs. Brennan brought the water. "Here honey. I'll get her out of class for you. Did you drive?"

"No. I have a cab. I can't drive yet because of my recent surgery."

The door burst open. Callie saw her brother in law and a new wave of tears broke free. Joe pulled her into a loving hug. "They'll find her. I paid for the taxi. I'm taking you guys home."

Claire came in. "Mommy what's wrong? Uncle Joe what are you doing here?"

Joe sat Callie back down and addressed his niece. "Honey, Brooke was kidnapped."

Claire burst into her own storm of tears. "Can daddy find her?"

"Oh baby he's doing all he can. Let's go home. All we can do is wait and pray for the best." Callie soothed.

Joe put an arm around each of them and took them to his car. Callie elected to sit in the back with Claire. She didn't let go of her daughter. Joe didn't blame her. He pulled up to Callie and Frank's large home. He and Vanessa had panicked when they discovered that Callie wasn't in the house. He was able to locate her on the friend finder app and with Vanessa's encouragement he went to retrieve them, because he saw that she had not taken her car. Vanessa was currently feeding Alex. Her lip trembled when she saw Callie and Claire but to her credit she kept her tears at bay. "Callie when I'm done feeding them, is there anything I can do?"

Callie and Claire sat on the sofa. Claire was still crying. All Callie could do was shake her head. She was numb. She wanted her daughter. She squeezed her eyes shut and prayed. 'Lord in heaven please keep my little girl safe, bring her home to us.'

Brooke heard a rattling sound and moaned. She felt nauseous. She swallowed twice. When she opened her eyes she could see that she was in a cargo hold on an airplane. How did she get here? Her arms were tied behind her. She could feel the rope bite into her skin. She tried freeing herself but it was hopeless. That's when she realized she was in a large dog crate. Fighting hysteria she tried to focus. She had to get her hands in front of her somehow to reach her locket. A rattling sound next to her jolted her. She gasped when she saw three more cages with girls inside them! What was going on? Focus! She couldn't move her arms at all! Frustrated she kicked the cage hard. It clattered but didn't open. Didn't these cages have latches on the top? She went to look and saw the zip ties. Brooke growled. She was stuck! The hatch opened and a very well dressed man came down. He looked at them all. "Let me see." He approached the farthest cage first. He peered inside. "Isaac found her last night yes?"

"That's right Juan."

"He did well. Give him a bonus."

Brooke watched furiously as he looked at the other two girls. "These two were brought by Stanley to me just two days ago. They're a little old but will work."

Then this Juan was standing in front of her. She saw his gold plated gun in a holster. "Isaac found this one just today. They were lucky to have met their quota. This one is spectacular. She looks twelve but was with high schoolers. Isaac needs a double bonus for her. Our clients will pay big money for a piece of her. How old are you?"

Brooke refused to answer. "Fuck you asshole!"

"Feisty too. Keep a close eye on her. Child you need to learn manners. I won't ask again. How old are you?"

Brooke stuck out her tongue. "You already know I'm in high school dummy. Do the math."

"Find out which school was there today and the grade."

The man accessed his IPad. He tapped it several times and answered. "Only one high school today; they're ninth graders."

"So you are fourteen or fifteen. Excellent specimen."

Brooke made a face at him. "I'm not a specimen. I'm a daughter, a granddaughter, a sister. A human fucking being."

"You are flesh and blood. Young flesh and blood. Your services are appreciated."

Brooke was terrified. Where were they going? She hoped it was somewhere in the United States. 'Please God help me! Help me be brave! Help me get home!'

Fenton was driving to Callie's house. Frank was in the passenger seat watching his laptop. He hadn't blinked or spoken a word. They had interviewed the security guard who said that Brooke was his sister that she was a diabetic and just needed her medication. He had opened the door for him without thinking twice. He apologized profusely and offered to work with a sketch artist. They were able to determine that the kidnapper was Isaac Newman. Unfortunately, Isaac, Karla, and Stanley had not been located yet. Fenton was dog tired. It was eight at night and they were nowhere near finding Brooke. She had yet to press her button. Which was why Frank was staring at his laptop. Fenton put a hand on Frank's shoulder and squeezed it. "We're going to find her son. We know who's got her. Sam is flying to McAllen tonight to go visit Juan Garcia in the morning."

Fenton was stopped at a stop light waiting for it to turn green. He gave his son a good look. He could see that Frank was holding onto control by his fingernails. He had to let go and getting him to do so would be tough. He shared a look of worry with Sam from the back. Fenton pulled over at a strip mall. He took a huge risk by taking the laptop from Frank's hands. He handed it off to Sam in the back. Fenton soothed. "It's going to be okay Frank."

That was all it took. The dam broke. The storm of grief and worry that Frank had chained up all day so he could do the job finally overwhelmed him. His body shook with sobs. Fenton held him as the storm passed. He had to make sure that Frank purged his emotions. Callie and Claire were going to be a wreck when they got home and would need Frank's strength. Sam maintained a respectable silence as Frank purged his emotions. His cries slowed and his body stopped shaking to an occasional shudder. Then the rage came next; he slammed the dashboard with both fists. "If I find them dad, they're dead."

"You don't mean it like that." Fenton soothed. "It's alright to be angry, but we need to catch them so that she can receive justice."

"Three other girls in the area this week have also gone missing between the ages of 13 and 16. Last month four girls in that age group went missing from Bethesda Maryland, the month before that Annapolis. For the last six months four girls have gone missing each month. All the girls were petite for their age and less developed. This is bad!"

Sam spoke from the back. "We don't know anything yet. But we will look into those disappearances. Right now you have priorities and that is your girls at home."

Frank took a shuddering deep breath. "God Callie! Claire! How can I tell them that the tracker hasn't come on yet."

Fenton replied sadly. "They're going to know the minute we walk into the door without Brooke son."