Chapter two

"Yes sir, we've just received a call from the control tower. Genovia One had to be rerouted due to severe storms over the mountains. It will only delay them by an hour." Joseph exhaled loudly. He wasn't sure if it was from relief of knowing she was safe or from frustration of having to wait another hour for her arrival back home.

"Thank you. Keep me informed, let me know when they are 15 minutes from touchdown, I want to be there waiting." Joseph instructed the tall man behind the desk and awaited for his affirmation before turning to leave.

He slowly made his way up the stairs, thinking he had time for a quick shower and change before picking her up. Joseph could feel his heart flutter as thoughts of her crossed his mind. It would be good to see her again. Yet, he knew it would also be torture to be so close once more...and yet so far away. Too far away for his liking. Even when she was here in the palace, Clarisse was too far away from him. He wanted her, needed to feel her close, to confess his love for her in the deepest of ways. The only good part of having her home was knowing she was safe and as close to him as she could allow herself to be. It would have to be enough, regardless of how he yearned for more.

It wasn't cold, but the rain stung as it hit him. Joseph pulled his black leather coat closer around him, shielding him. He cursed the damn weather as he headed for the only control tower at the simple airport only minutes from the palace.

He pushed open the heavy door clearly labeled for personnel use only. He didn't give a damn now. Her plane should have landed several minutes ago, and that several minutes had drove him over the edge of reason. He took the stairs two at a time, heading to the top of the tower, ready to physically get some answers.

Bursting through the door, Joseph grabbed the closest man to him. Taking him by the shirt collar, he pushed him up against the blinking screen before him. "Where is she?" His voice was pure anger and worry, much worse than any the poor fellow had ever encountered before. He knew of Joseph, and of his reputation, and was scared senseless to the point of not being able to speak at all. He only stuttered some nonsense Joseph could not make out at all.

"Joseph...please let him go..." A rather husky man pulled on his sleeve, trying to separate Joseph from his victim. "This won't do any good, Joe." Joseph let go and turned to address the man who he recognized instantly.

"Where is she?" He asked once more, still showing his worry quite clearly.

"We don't know Joe." The man answered softly, almost afraid to tell him the truth.

"You don't know?" Joseph's tone fell from anger and worry to pure worry. "What do you mean you don't know? It's your job to know...Genovia One was rerouted, was it not?"

"Yeah, due to a severe storm...everything was fine until twenty minutes ago. It just disappeared off the screen. We called the palace...they've been trying to reach you, but the storm has messed up cell reception, I guess."

Joseph looked at the dark screen streaming with bright green lines and red dots. She had to be there...one of them had to be her. "Here Joseph," he pointed. We lost contact with the plane about here. The exact coordinates we could not pinpoint, but it will be close." As he took the small note from him, Joseph momentarily lost himself. 'She is missing? Is that what he is saying?'

"Have you notified any other authorities?" Joseph asked, coming back to his serious mode.

"No. No, I thought I'd let you decide on that."

"Good, good. Keep this under wraps, the last thing we need is the media. I need someone to take me here," Joseph held up the paper.

"But the storm..."

"NOW!" Joseph let out all he had been holding in. He had to find her, he would find her. She was someplace waiting for him. He couldn't make her wait long.

The chopper swayed more than Joseph liked. It had taken over half an hour to actually get prepared and to lift off. Now it would take another half hour by helicopter, maybe longer in this weather. Joseph had chosen a small crew of four men, himself included, to search for now. He tried to remain confident that she was well, and on the ground at another airport where the communication had been completely knocked out. Looking at the map the pilot had scanned before take-off, he also knew there were no airports up in those hills. It was the first time his heart skipped a beat in pain.

The closer the chopper flew to the designated area, the more torrential the rain. Visibility was zero, except for the constant flashes of lightning all around them. The chopper flew low, as low as the pilot was comfortable with with no visibility. The thunder echoed as Joseph squinted hard to try and catch a glimpse of the ground.

"On foot," a voice came loud and clear through his headphones. Joseph turned his head to the crew sitting behind him. He nodded for the young man to continue. "We'll have to scour the ground on foot. It's the only way..."

"Do you know the area?" Joseph prayed for a positive answer.

"A little. I've been here before only twice." Joseph nodded, understanding he would have to accept what little knowledge of the area they carried together.

The darkness ahead of them looked eerie. Joseph strapped himself tightly, readying to jump into the unknown below. He would risk it for her. He would risk anything for her. He had to find her, and soon. Time was not a friend today.

"Damn!" He yelled as the branches slapped his face as he fell into their clutches. When his feet finally hit the ground, he unclasped the cable and shook off the pain that was beginning to throb on his face and shoulder. Looking around, he saw two others, then the last fall from the sky like the rain. All four accounted for, and together on foot, they set out.

Genovia One was carrying not only his Queen, but his best friend, the Queen's trusted aide, and two pilots. More was at stake than he could bear now, but he had to. Somehow he had to find the strength to move. They depended on him. If they were out here, he would find them. God help them if they were.

The mud was thick on their boots as they hiked the hills, following only intuition. Together they agreed on the direction, and headed out through the dense forest of trees covering the high hills. Joseph daydreamed of her being safe, warm, and dry as tears of rain ran down his face. He was scared. He was really scared for the first time in his life.