NOTE TO sa61154: Thank you. And I do too! I just feel like I have to let go, Like I'm holding onto a rope, looking down a dark hole. The hole is filled with unknowns, but you'll only know what those unknowns are if you let go! This is me letting go. Sometimes a person lets go because it's the end of an era, but sometimes you need to let go to see something flourish. In a small way, this has happened with the petition I started a couple years ago. I was steadily at 20-30 signatures no matter how hard I tried to get the word out. Then, I kinda gave up on it. What happened? Out of nowhere, 20 people signed it within a month or two! I was shocked. And a couple months ago, someone paid for it to be promoted (meaning more people will see it)! It still doesn't have a large number of signatures, but slowly, it's getting there! All I needed to let go. I don't know what or why I need to let go of writing too, but I am doing it. Hopefully that means some amazingness is coming my (and our!) way soon!

NOTE TO Guest: Lol, yes! I guess we will have to figure out another way of telling the day!

NOTE TO roban05: Nope, she always worked at the FBI :)

?-?

Mr. and Mrs. Melton, thank you very much for being so patient with us as we set ourselves up." Jack said as a whole slew of agents and assistants bombarded the couple's home with technology and makeshift offices, all in the efforts to find the missing child.

A tearful Moria Melton nodded. "We understand. It's your job. I just wish I knew where my little girl was!"

He sadly smiled at her. "I completely understand, and I promise you, we will do everything we possibly can to bring your daughter home safe and sound as soon as possible." He assured.

"Thank you." Melvin Melton replied, holding on to his wife.

"We're ready in the dining room." Mya said, popping into the kitchen, where the Meltons and Jack were standing.

Jack nodded at her, then turned towards the couple. "Come with me, please?"

Somberly nodded, they followed Jack to the quiet dining room, despite the bustling house.

"This is Mya, our technical guru. She's going to look into anything technical we might come across." Jack Introduced. "And this is Bobby. If you have any questions or concerns, don't hesitate to ask one of us, or anyone else that is here, for that matter. We will be here every step of the way."

"Thank you." Moria hoarsely replied, trying her best to smile.

"Do you think you could walk us through what happened this morning?" Mya asked, waving for them to sit at the dining room table across from her.

"Well," Moria started, intently staring at the table. "Mallory woke up at 7:15, just like any other day, came down for breakfast, then got ready for school. It was just like any other day!"

"What happened after she got ready for school?" Bobby asked.

Melvin shrugged. "She walked off to the school bus. That's the last we saw or heard from her."

"Until the school called and asked if she wasn't coming to school today." She said, bursting into tears.

"We called the police immediately after." Melvin replied, trying to hold onto his wife for moral support.

"We thank you for that." Mya said. "Can I ask, did she use social media? Chat rooms, any online socialization?"

"What?" Moria asked, frowning at her. "No! She's only 12!"

"Do you mind if I check out her computer and any other devices she has, or has access to? Maybe it will give us some sort of clue."

"I-I suppose." She hesitantly replied, looking at her husband.

"Could you show me where it is?" She asked, looking at Melvin, the more stable of the two.

"Sure." He replied, walking out of the dining room, Mya following closely behind.

"Now," Jack started once the two were out of the room. "Do you know if any of Mallory's friends are on the same bus as her, and if they get on before her?"

Moria stared off out the window to think. "I think so. Ella. Maybe you can talk to her?" She hopefully asked.

"Of course." He replied, nodding at Bobby, who got up from the table. "Bobby'll go talk to her now."

"Got the stuff you forgot." Sarah announced, carrying a box of various things and setting it down on the dining room table.

"Sarah will go with him." Jack said, looking at her.

"Huh? What?" She asked, totally confused.

"C'mon. I'll tell you on the way." Bobby replied, guiding her out of the room and out the door.

"On the way to where?" She asked, looking fearful as she followed him out of the house.

"We're going to talk to what might be the last person to see the girl." He calmly replied, walking up to the car.

"What? Me? No way!" She exclaimed, shaking her head as she stood in front of the passenger door.

"Why not?" He asked, halfway in the driver's door.

"Because, because, I don't know what to say!" She complained, getting in the car.

"Just follow my lead." Bobby replied, starting the car. "This is a young tween girl who doesn't know her friend is missing. I think Jack wants to make sure she has support when she crashes."

"Oh, so that means he doesn't trust you?" She countered, slightly smiling.

"Ha, ha. Very funny." He monotonously replied, pulling out of the driveway and onto the street. With nothing else to say, the two silently drove to the school to interview Ella.

?-?

"Hrm." Mya said, twisting her mouth as she looked at Mallory's devices.

"Anything?" Jack asked as he walked into the missing girl's room.

"Not exactly." She replied, wheeling the desk chair towards him.

"Which means?"

"I'm not finding much of any digital footprint. Really the only things I'm finding are school related."

"I told you, she's not that kind of girl!" Moria replied, barging her way into the room.

"We know, but sometimes just the littlest thing may be a clue." Jack calmly replied.

"If it's not an online predator, what else can it be?" Melvin asked.

"Well, it could have something to do with someone from your work, or maybe it's completely random." Mya mused.

"Oh my gosh! How could they just randomly take my little girl!" Moria exclaimed, lightly fainting into Jack's arms. Startled from the movement, Jack held her for a few seconds, then guided her to Mallory's bed, setting her on the edge so she could fully regain consciousness.

"It's just a possibility. A remote possibility." Mya recanted. "She could've just decided to play hooky and is at the mall right now."

"She would never do that, not without one of us, or one of her friend's parents." Moria quietly said, holding her head in her hands.

"We do have to consider all the possibilities until we get a clearer picture of what happened." She replied.

"What do we do next?" Melvin asked.

The two agents looked at each other, hoping the other had an adequate reply. Thankfully, before anyone could get an answer out, the landline phone downstairs rang.

"I'll go get it." Moria said, standing up, still a bit woozy, but able to stagger to the doorway and down the stairs. Everyone else silently stayed in Mallory's bedroom. No one moved or said a peep until they hear shrieking coming from downstairs.