Hey, this is my first chapter...again. Sorry, my computer at home sucks so
it formatted the story last time really strangely. Hope this one works a
little better! Review and I'll keep going....
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters...let's leave it at that, if I keep talking about not owning Without A Trace I will cry.
One last word: Meg, you have at least four more chapters before it becomes a surprise...see you in Chem and English...unless I cut!
"OK, the only thing we have to go on is the family's suspicions. This kid is 17 so he thinks he's invincible. Rob Sweder has a ton of family in Brooklyn but the parents have already checked there. Now he has been missing for 20 hours--"
"Uh, Jack? How did his family not notice his disappearance for 20 hours?" Sam interrupted.
"Because," Jack began, looking annoyed at Sam's interruption, "he went right from school to a sleepover...or he was supposed to anyway. He never made it to school in the first place and if you had waited a second, I would have told you that before."
Wow, Martin thought. I know Jack gets close to kid cases but this is much, even for him.
"Did the school call his house when he didn't show?" Danni asked quietly, trying not to anger Jack any further.
"No," Jack answered, obviously mad at the school...or so the team hoped. "Well actually, they called the house but when no one answered, they hung up. No message or call back, just moved on down the absentee list."
"You said earlier that all we have to go on are the parent's suspicions. What do they suspect?" Viv asked.
"Family's suspicions, not parents' suspicions. His parents have 'no idea' of anything but Rob has a 16-year-old brother, and a 10-year-old sister—Scott and Logan. Scott said Rob has been hanging out with some known dealers and getting into some, quote unquote, 'deep shit'...but he goes completely blank on the names of the dealers and on the type of 'shit' Rob was getting into."
"And the sister?" Sam inquired.
"She doesn't exactly understand what she knows, but then again she is only 10. Logan said that she has heard Rob on the phone in his room and in the bathroom, late at night, comforting someone and kept saying that he was 'working on it.' Logan also said a few nights ago she was walking by Rob's room and saw he was sleeping. She went in and he was thrashing around in his bed repeating, 'Brian! I swear, if you just stop they'll leave you alone!' and 'I need to save him!'" Jack informed the team. "Is there a Brian anyone knows about?" Martin questioned. "Unfortunately, yes. Let's see...here it is," Jack said, shuffling through a thick stack of papers no one had noticed before. There's Brian Smith, Bryan Smoluch, Brian Edgerly, Fox, Sanders, Kenville, Blaustine, Hallerud, Kiene, Gallagher, Horan, DeMareo, Graham, DeVece, Back, McLaughlin, Gunn, Simone, Wojechi, Haley, Davis, Downs, Wompeirski, and Melone."
"Whoa..." Sam muttered, expressing everyone's shock at the long list. Jack really went all out for this case, Sam thought silently. I wonder why...
"Uh, do we know if any of the Brians were close with Rob, or if any had problems he could help them with?" Martin said, breaking the silence.
"Smoluch, Blaustine, and Melone were all friends with Rob, but none had problems anyone is talking about. Ok, now that that is settled...Sam and Martin go to Rob's school and interview classmates, teachers...whoever will talk. Viv and Danni go and check out the three Brians Rob was friends with and then see if the family has remembered anything. All set? Check in as soon as you have anything," Jack commanded. The team slowly rose and began to wander to their desks to grab their belongings.
"Hey Jack?" Viv asked gently. "I couldn't help but notice, I mean, call it a mother's intuition but...Why are you becoming so obsessed with this case?"
Jack looked away from Viv's gaze and muttered, "I really have no idea what you're talking about. I am handling this case the same as any other."
"Jack, I know you. You always get too involved in kids cases, for good reason. But, this is the worst I have ever seen you. What is so different about this case?—and no lies," Viv challenged.
Jack looked up at Viv. "Logan...she's best friends with my daughter...it just hits too close to home."
"Hey, I get it. I still haven't learned to remove myself from cases, but I have learned to use my dedication to my advantage. Just watch it, OK?" Viv said.
Jack looked thankfully at Viv, "Yeah...you should go to work. We've got a kid to save."
THEME SONG KICKS IN...
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters...let's leave it at that, if I keep talking about not owning Without A Trace I will cry.
One last word: Meg, you have at least four more chapters before it becomes a surprise...see you in Chem and English...unless I cut!
"OK, the only thing we have to go on is the family's suspicions. This kid is 17 so he thinks he's invincible. Rob Sweder has a ton of family in Brooklyn but the parents have already checked there. Now he has been missing for 20 hours--"
"Uh, Jack? How did his family not notice his disappearance for 20 hours?" Sam interrupted.
"Because," Jack began, looking annoyed at Sam's interruption, "he went right from school to a sleepover...or he was supposed to anyway. He never made it to school in the first place and if you had waited a second, I would have told you that before."
Wow, Martin thought. I know Jack gets close to kid cases but this is much, even for him.
"Did the school call his house when he didn't show?" Danni asked quietly, trying not to anger Jack any further.
"No," Jack answered, obviously mad at the school...or so the team hoped. "Well actually, they called the house but when no one answered, they hung up. No message or call back, just moved on down the absentee list."
"You said earlier that all we have to go on are the parent's suspicions. What do they suspect?" Viv asked.
"Family's suspicions, not parents' suspicions. His parents have 'no idea' of anything but Rob has a 16-year-old brother, and a 10-year-old sister—Scott and Logan. Scott said Rob has been hanging out with some known dealers and getting into some, quote unquote, 'deep shit'...but he goes completely blank on the names of the dealers and on the type of 'shit' Rob was getting into."
"And the sister?" Sam inquired.
"She doesn't exactly understand what she knows, but then again she is only 10. Logan said that she has heard Rob on the phone in his room and in the bathroom, late at night, comforting someone and kept saying that he was 'working on it.' Logan also said a few nights ago she was walking by Rob's room and saw he was sleeping. She went in and he was thrashing around in his bed repeating, 'Brian! I swear, if you just stop they'll leave you alone!' and 'I need to save him!'" Jack informed the team. "Is there a Brian anyone knows about?" Martin questioned. "Unfortunately, yes. Let's see...here it is," Jack said, shuffling through a thick stack of papers no one had noticed before. There's Brian Smith, Bryan Smoluch, Brian Edgerly, Fox, Sanders, Kenville, Blaustine, Hallerud, Kiene, Gallagher, Horan, DeMareo, Graham, DeVece, Back, McLaughlin, Gunn, Simone, Wojechi, Haley, Davis, Downs, Wompeirski, and Melone."
"Whoa..." Sam muttered, expressing everyone's shock at the long list. Jack really went all out for this case, Sam thought silently. I wonder why...
"Uh, do we know if any of the Brians were close with Rob, or if any had problems he could help them with?" Martin said, breaking the silence.
"Smoluch, Blaustine, and Melone were all friends with Rob, but none had problems anyone is talking about. Ok, now that that is settled...Sam and Martin go to Rob's school and interview classmates, teachers...whoever will talk. Viv and Danni go and check out the three Brians Rob was friends with and then see if the family has remembered anything. All set? Check in as soon as you have anything," Jack commanded. The team slowly rose and began to wander to their desks to grab their belongings.
"Hey Jack?" Viv asked gently. "I couldn't help but notice, I mean, call it a mother's intuition but...Why are you becoming so obsessed with this case?"
Jack looked away from Viv's gaze and muttered, "I really have no idea what you're talking about. I am handling this case the same as any other."
"Jack, I know you. You always get too involved in kids cases, for good reason. But, this is the worst I have ever seen you. What is so different about this case?—and no lies," Viv challenged.
Jack looked up at Viv. "Logan...she's best friends with my daughter...it just hits too close to home."
"Hey, I get it. I still haven't learned to remove myself from cases, but I have learned to use my dedication to my advantage. Just watch it, OK?" Viv said.
Jack looked thankfully at Viv, "Yeah...you should go to work. We've got a kid to save."
THEME SONG KICKS IN...
