As Told by Ginger copyright Viacom

This is the next-to-last chapter. Yay! Only the prologue is left.

Chapter 19: Endgame

It had been three hours since Joann had called 911, but there still was no word about her babies, or those other children. Or about the others. To quote a cliché, it was like they disappeared off the face of the Earth. Which she knew to be quite impossible. Aliens just don't come down and abduct people.

A shiver came down her spine as she imagined the worst. A band of perverts kidnapping them for their twisted pleasures. What are the chances that a band like that would take Dedire, Robert, Macie, Ginger, Darren, that Foutley boy, Darren and Lois. And all at the same time. Joann didn't really believe it, but she couldn't drive the thought fully from her mind.

Realizing that she wasn't about to get any sleep, she got out of bed, being careful not to disturb David. How can he sleep like that with the kids missing? She asked herself. She put on her bathrobe and went downstairs to wait on news about her babies.

When she came downstairs, the doorbell was rung. Who could calling at this hour? She wondered. She went to the door and opened it.

And found a veritable who's who of Protected Pines on her front doorstep. "Can I help?" she asked, trying to keep her calm.

PrescottGripling stepped forward. "Your children kidnapped the two ladies of my life."

"What are you talking about? My children would never do anything so… so barbaric."

"Oh, then where are they, Mrs. Bishop?" a portly blonde woman wearing a yellow pea coat and carrying a small dog in her arms asked. "Do you even know?"

"It seems that they were abducted as well."

"How would you know?" Euphrasia Weinstein asked.

"Well, for one thing Robert Joesph or his guests aren't here like they're supposed to be. And I heard no word from Lois, or anyone else about this nature trip of theirs."

"Likely story," Mr. Gripling said. "You want to know what I think?"

"This ought to be good." Joann rolled her eyes.

"I think you're hiding them in that house of yours."

"That's absurd!" Joann studied him. "Have you listened to yourself even once during the past few weeks?"

"That's no way to talk to-"

"You want to know what I think?" Joann answered herself anyone could respond. "I think you Upper-crust-of-society types get kicks picking on the little people. Well, I won't stand by idlely while you do it to my family. Get off my property before I call the police."

"Fine, Miss Bishop," Prescott Gripling said. "Expect a subpoena in the morning."

-OOO-

"You're crazy, Foutley," Mipsy said. "I'm sure that Pacie is quite all right. In fact, I'll get her now," she finished, slowly backing away.

"She's crazy," Courtney said as Mipsy left. "I told you guys. Nomar isn't that kind of alien."

"Oh, Courtney?" Ginger asked. "Then kind is he? You do realize that he had taken us up in his spacecraft, and he hasn't shown a single sight. Not one."

"God," Courtney asked the ceiling, "is it this me, or is the paranoia spreading?"

"Oh, jeeze, Courtney," Miranda said. "It's not like it's some kind of disease. Actually I think that it's a perfectly natural reaction to the present situation."

So, Notek, we meet again. Nomar had reappeared and was holding a blaster to Macie's head. Give me your star craft and Macie will go free.

"See?"

"Why, Nomar? Why?"

"Do you mind not pointing that gun at Macie's back?" Dodie asked reasonably. "She doesn't look very happy right now."

I'm sorry, dear Dodie, Nomar replied. I would love to. But with your friend's theft of the ship and the fact that Notek has been trying to kill me for years-

True. Notek already had his blaster drawn.

It would seem that I will have to keep your little friend hostage for a little while longer.

Go ahead, Nomar. Keep her hostage. It won't stop me from firing.

Ginger didn't like where this was heading. There wasn't much time before… No, she wasn't going to go there. She raised her hands. "Take me instead of Macie. I don't want to see anymore of my friends hurt."

"No, take me," Darren said.

Why should I trust you? Either of you. I have already have a hostage here. And I don't see any value to trading her for another. If you do, illuminate me.

"She's my best friend, and I don't want to see her get hurt."

Very commendable. But how is that going help me?

Ginger bit her lip. Nomar had a point. Why should he give up the hostage simply on the promise that he would get another? The chance that Ginger was lying, from Nomar's point-of-view, was minuscule, but it was still there. What was Ginger going to do?

Fortunately, Dodie provided the answer. "Why just have one hostage when you can have two."

Hoodsey gasped. Carl merely shrugged.

Does Carl know something? Ginger wondered.

"Or you can have me," Courtney said. She still was looking at Macie with jealousy.

Nomar chuckled. Good try, girls. But I'll keep the one I have. No offense. But I don't really trust you. Especially the one that's attempting creep in on behind me.

"There's nobody back there," Miranda countered.

You aren't able to see her, but trust me. She's back there alright.

"Dammit, and I was hoping that you would take Foutley as your hostage," Mipsy's voice came from who knew where. "Go ahead. Shoot the bitch. I won't stop you."

Ginger gasped, and sensed that others did too. She had known that Mipsy didn't care much for her and her friends. But to be this callous with their lives… It was just too much.

"May I make a suggestion?" Carl asked.

Go ahead, young one, Notek said.

"Why doesn't Mipsy just shoot Nomar?"

What? She's not going to shoot me with Macie in front of me, said Nomar, turning to his right to look behind him, pulling Mipsy with him. But before he could finish turning, a blast went out his left side. Ginger's heart stopped for a second as that blast clipped her sleeve. But she began to relax when she remembered her shirt wasn't that tight. After the blast had hit him, Nomar dropped like dirty laundry.

Once free of Nomar's blaster, Macie ran to meet her friends. "Everything's going to be all right."

Before Ginger's eyes, Courtney ran toward his side, with her tears streaking down her face. "Nomar, speak to me! Say everything is going to be all right!"

"Don't say that, Macie," Ginger whispered to Macie as they hugged. "It's not even true."

-OOO-

When Claire finally reached her daughter with Lois, Courtney was weeping over the prostrate body of Nomar. At least Claire thought it was Nomar. There was a creature that looked just like him standing over them. Along with a few more people that Claire recognized. "What just happened here?"

Their silent glares told her much. So Claire waited in silence for any word about this.