Chapter 7
Vicki got to her feet immediately and ran to check it out. From what she could tell, it had come from the kitchen. Joe was right behind her the whole time. Vicki stepped inside the kitchen area cautiously and looked around. Sure enough, one of the windows had been broken and a large object was in the middle of the tile floor.
Joe turned around as footsteps were heard behind them. It was Frank. "What's going on," Frank asked, "I heard a crash down here."
"We had a visitor," Vicki replied, "Someone threw this through the window. I suppose it is some kind of warning to stay off the case." She picked up the large rock and detached the note on it, "It says 'There's something waiting for you at the base. I dare you to come and get it while there's still time left. The clock is ticking.' This isn't the first time I've gotten messages like this, but I always get into trouble when checking them out."
"Has that ever stopped you before," Frank asked, with a knowing glance at his brother. It had never stopped them since they had started their own cases. Why would it be any different for her?
"No," Vicki admitted, "but C. J. has attempted to do that. Let's go." She headed for the door and out to her car. Since, they were dressed already, Vicki was ready to go, "I'm driving. Don't worry, my parents will know that I'm on a case. I've done this so many times. I'd be surprised if they didn't remember."
"What about C. J," Frank asked, "Shouldn't we tell her about this situation?"
"If you want to," Vicki answered, "but I'm leaving now, so you better drive her over yourself. I really don't want to bother her now."
"I'm going with her," Joe said, motioning to Vicki, "You can do what you want Frank."
"I'm telling her," Frank said, "She needs to know. Besides, she might notice something important when we get there. Should I call her?"
"That would be best," Vicki agreed, "She has her own line. It's on the memory on my phone, memory one. You can just push the button and it'll automatically connect you to her house." Vicki and Joe headed to Vicki's car and took off while Frank turned around and walked back into the house. He hurriedly punched the button and contacted C. J, explaining the whole thing. C. J. promised to be down in a minute and hung up the phone.
Meanwhile, Vicki and Joe had almost arrived. The darkness seemed to close in around them, even though it should have been peaceful. The building made everything seem even darker than when they had started out. The moon shone above it with an unusual eerie glow. The world around them was perfectly still, except for a few trees swaying with the slightest wind.
"I don't see anything," Vicki said, turning to Joe, "Is it just me, or does this seem like a trap to you? I mean, there's obviously nobody here right now and I don't see anything suspicious."
"You're right," Joe replied, "but we should look around anyway. Maybe it wasn't supposed to be left out in the open. Let's check around back."
"Alright," Vicki agreed, "Let's go and hope that Frank and C. J. notice my car out front." Vicki followed Joe to the back of the building. They split up and started looking around.
Shortly afterwards, they both heard a car drive up, probably Frank and C. J. Two car doors slammed in the stillness of the night, "Joe," Vicki called out suddenly, "I think I found the surprise. Come here. Quick!"
Joe followed Vicki's voice to a large shack in the back. The door to it was wide open, revealing Vicki inside, "Vicki," he asked, "What did you find?"
"More than I wished to find," Vicki answered quietly, "I never expected to find this." She stepped aside and allowed Joe to stand beside her.
Joe looked at the still figure in front of him. It was too dark for him to see who it was, so he pulled put his miniature flashlight. He shone it on the person on the floor.
It was a girl with shoulder length blonde hair. Her wrists were tied behind her back, as were her feet. She was also gagged. Joe bent down beside the girl and gently rolled her over onto her back.
"Oh no," Joe said, "This isn't good. I have to get Frank. Untie her, will you?" Then he turned and ran out of the shack. Vicki knelt down and undid the ropes around the girl's wrists and ankles. She then gently took the gag off, trying not to do anything wrong.
The girl opened her eyes slowly and looked around, "Who are you," she asked, looking at Vicki, "What am I doing here?" Vicki could now tell that her eyes were brown.
"Long story," Vicki answered, "I'm Vicki Silver, though. I don't know what's going on, but I plan to find out. Who are you?" Joe ran in just then with Frank right behind him. Frank stopped short when he saw who it was.
"How did she get here," Frank asked, "Oh man, I forgot to tell mom and dad not to give away where we went. I bet that's how she found out."
"What are you talking about," Vicki asked, "Who is this?"
"Vicki," Frank said, "This is Callie Shaw, my girlfriend back home."
Vicki got to her feet immediately and ran to check it out. From what she could tell, it had come from the kitchen. Joe was right behind her the whole time. Vicki stepped inside the kitchen area cautiously and looked around. Sure enough, one of the windows had been broken and a large object was in the middle of the tile floor.
Joe turned around as footsteps were heard behind them. It was Frank. "What's going on," Frank asked, "I heard a crash down here."
"We had a visitor," Vicki replied, "Someone threw this through the window. I suppose it is some kind of warning to stay off the case." She picked up the large rock and detached the note on it, "It says 'There's something waiting for you at the base. I dare you to come and get it while there's still time left. The clock is ticking.' This isn't the first time I've gotten messages like this, but I always get into trouble when checking them out."
"Has that ever stopped you before," Frank asked, with a knowing glance at his brother. It had never stopped them since they had started their own cases. Why would it be any different for her?
"No," Vicki admitted, "but C. J. has attempted to do that. Let's go." She headed for the door and out to her car. Since, they were dressed already, Vicki was ready to go, "I'm driving. Don't worry, my parents will know that I'm on a case. I've done this so many times. I'd be surprised if they didn't remember."
"What about C. J," Frank asked, "Shouldn't we tell her about this situation?"
"If you want to," Vicki answered, "but I'm leaving now, so you better drive her over yourself. I really don't want to bother her now."
"I'm going with her," Joe said, motioning to Vicki, "You can do what you want Frank."
"I'm telling her," Frank said, "She needs to know. Besides, she might notice something important when we get there. Should I call her?"
"That would be best," Vicki agreed, "She has her own line. It's on the memory on my phone, memory one. You can just push the button and it'll automatically connect you to her house." Vicki and Joe headed to Vicki's car and took off while Frank turned around and walked back into the house. He hurriedly punched the button and contacted C. J, explaining the whole thing. C. J. promised to be down in a minute and hung up the phone.
Meanwhile, Vicki and Joe had almost arrived. The darkness seemed to close in around them, even though it should have been peaceful. The building made everything seem even darker than when they had started out. The moon shone above it with an unusual eerie glow. The world around them was perfectly still, except for a few trees swaying with the slightest wind.
"I don't see anything," Vicki said, turning to Joe, "Is it just me, or does this seem like a trap to you? I mean, there's obviously nobody here right now and I don't see anything suspicious."
"You're right," Joe replied, "but we should look around anyway. Maybe it wasn't supposed to be left out in the open. Let's check around back."
"Alright," Vicki agreed, "Let's go and hope that Frank and C. J. notice my car out front." Vicki followed Joe to the back of the building. They split up and started looking around.
Shortly afterwards, they both heard a car drive up, probably Frank and C. J. Two car doors slammed in the stillness of the night, "Joe," Vicki called out suddenly, "I think I found the surprise. Come here. Quick!"
Joe followed Vicki's voice to a large shack in the back. The door to it was wide open, revealing Vicki inside, "Vicki," he asked, "What did you find?"
"More than I wished to find," Vicki answered quietly, "I never expected to find this." She stepped aside and allowed Joe to stand beside her.
Joe looked at the still figure in front of him. It was too dark for him to see who it was, so he pulled put his miniature flashlight. He shone it on the person on the floor.
It was a girl with shoulder length blonde hair. Her wrists were tied behind her back, as were her feet. She was also gagged. Joe bent down beside the girl and gently rolled her over onto her back.
"Oh no," Joe said, "This isn't good. I have to get Frank. Untie her, will you?" Then he turned and ran out of the shack. Vicki knelt down and undid the ropes around the girl's wrists and ankles. She then gently took the gag off, trying not to do anything wrong.
The girl opened her eyes slowly and looked around, "Who are you," she asked, looking at Vicki, "What am I doing here?" Vicki could now tell that her eyes were brown.
"Long story," Vicki answered, "I'm Vicki Silver, though. I don't know what's going on, but I plan to find out. Who are you?" Joe ran in just then with Frank right behind him. Frank stopped short when he saw who it was.
"How did she get here," Frank asked, "Oh man, I forgot to tell mom and dad not to give away where we went. I bet that's how she found out."
"What are you talking about," Vicki asked, "Who is this?"
"Vicki," Frank said, "This is Callie Shaw, my girlfriend back home."