Title: Gone Chapter: 6 Author: Evidence

Rating: PG-13

Author's Notes: Thanks again to Sweatergirl, the Preview Master's support, and the gang at Maple Street. 

The darkness had obstructed most of Addison's view.  He only carried with him a small flashlight as to not attract attention.  He saw the flash of headlights before he heard the soft drone of a vehicle approaching.  He whirled around, clutching the flashlight in one hand and the plastic trash bag in the other.

The van spluttered as it came to a stop.  Its gas was used and Samantha had no idea how she would get back to civilization once she found Jack.  She noticed the figure and instinctively put her hand to her gun.  Concentrating, she saw that he was a park ranger and left her hand at her side as she exited the vehicle.  Grabbing her bag, she joined him at the site Richie called the water slide zone.  Indeed it looked like one.  A rushing waterfall was only 50 yards away and  lush green hills surrounded her.

Over the racket of the water she yelled a "Hello" to the ranger.  His head seemed to nod.

Her eyes began scanning the area in front of her.  Two tents stood, undisturbed, the ash of a campfire was present.  This was Jack's campsite.  Her head jerked to Addison.

"Mr…", reading his name tag in the half-light, "Addison, do you know what happened to these people."

Addison chose his words carefully.  "They left, Ma'am.  Decided not to stay."

Sam frowned.  "They left their tents behind?"

"If anyone wanted to borrow them, they thought they would leave them here."

That made no sense.  Rubbing her temple, Sam tried to connect the dots in front of her.  She opened up her bag and retrieved two more pills, swallowing them quickly.

"What are those?" Addison asked, his curiosity peaked.

"Oh, pain pills for my leg, I was shot."

Addison's heart did a tumble.  She must be an agent like the one he had.

Sam's eyes continued to scan the campsite.  The headlights from the van shone on some glittering object.  Moving forward Sam reached over and grabbed a necklace from the ground.  She took a small black flashlight from her bag and clicking it on examined the necklace. Recognition took hold; St. Jude, the patron saint of hopeless causes, was staring back at her.  Jack's chain, the one given to him by Chet Collins after his boy was found.  There was no way that Jack would ever leave this behind.  Her head was swirling, pounding again but it only took her an instant to realize that Addison most likely had a part in Jack's disappearance.

"Find something?" he asked from behind her.

"Oh, no, nothing important." She slipped it into her jean's pocket and turned around slowly.

The sweat was dripping off of Addison.  He had to do something quick or else everything he had worked for would be lost.  Looking past the woman, he narrowed his eyes.  "What the hell is that?"

Sam turned to see although the landscape was had not changed.  Fear gripping her, she grabbed her gun and spun back around.  Her gun was pointed at Addison and his at her.  She swallowed looking at the gun.  Thoughts of Barry entered her head: the gun going off, the pain searing through her leg, Jack trading his life for her.  The wound on her leg felt hot and painful as if she was experiencing getting shot all over again.

Addison's finger pressed against the trigger of the gun.  Who was going to shoot first? Could he survive if she got a shot off? 

Samantha bit her lip.  They were at a standstill.  Neither one was willing to take the first shot.  They were so close that any firing could result in both of their deaths.  There had to be something she could do.  She willed her brain to think of some solution and then like a light from heaven, she knew what to do.

Quickly aiming her gun at the headlights she took both of them out before throwing herself to the ground and turning, missing a volley from Addison.  It was pitch black now.  She could barely make out his figure as he accidentally tripped over the trash bag.  She backed up on her stomach, her gun still pointing in his direction, the bag over her arm.  The sound of a gun going off echoed in the night.  He had missed her entirely.  She backed up until she was past the tents and then sat up behind them.  Another gunshot, far away from her.

Sam wetted her lip and tried to make out his figure between the two tents.  It was like he was invisible.  She heard the van start and then quickly die.  He was trying to make his escape.  She pointed her gun at where she believed she left the van and aimed.  The bullet connected with metal.  She heard his gun and saw the bullet sweep into one of the tents.  She fired again aiming higher.  The windshield broke in a crash. 

"Give it up!" She yelled to him.  "I don't want to kill you I just want to know what happened to the man and his family."

There was no response.  Sam waited, counting to two hundred before slowly starting for the van.  She might have injured or killed him.  She didn't want him dead, he was her link to Jack.

She felt the still warm engine under her outstretched hand.  Rounding about she came to the driver's door.  It was open.  A body looked to be slumped inside of it, feeling with her hand she knew Addison was half hanging out.  He must be dead, she thought, still keeping the gun trained on his body, looking for any signs of life. 

As her hand touched his neck, searching for a pulse, a flash of pain greeted her as his head connected with hers.  She stumbled backward.  He threw his body forward, slamming against her and landing her on the ground.  Her gun fell out of her hand.  Addison pointed the muzzle of his gun at her forehead.

She felt like all breathing had stopped.  He pulled the trigger but no bullet soared through her temple killing her. He tried again.  The gun was jammed.  Gulping in some much needed air, Sam watched him back off of her, accessing the gun. She took the opportunity to throw herself at him, knocking him backwards.  Her sweaty hands fumbled to hold on to the gun as they wrestled back and forth for it.  His knee jabbed at the wound on her leg sending her entire body into a spasm.  Her hands let go of the gun.

He tried to shoot again but failed. Turning the gun over he slammed the but of it into her head.

She saw Jack's face right before darkness took over.

To be continued…