13 hrs. and 15 min. MISSING

Higaki Residence

7:30 AM

"She never called you after she left the house?" Vivian Johnson asked Mrs. Higaki. "No. But I told her to when she gets to the Garret's Residence." Mrs. Higaki replied as her tears runs down her rosy-white cheeks. On the staircase, Samantha Spade approached a girl in a jumper. "Are you Celene Garret? Friend of Ritauro Higaki?" Sam asked the girl. "Yes. I'm Eunice's best friend and she's like a sister to me coz we're both only child and girls." Celene replied. "I'm Agent Samantha Spade, you can call me Sam. Can I ask you a few questions about her?" Sam asked and Celene nodded. She then sat beside the girl in the staircase holding out a pen and her small notebook.

"Hey Jack, I just got a call from the 911 and it happened that she called to report them that she was kidnapped by a cab driver. She last said that she's in the North heading fro the Times Square then they heard a hard knock from the receiver. Then lost contact." Martin Fritzgerald reported to their Senior Agent Jack Malone. "Seems like she was knocked out of conscious." Jack said. "We're we going to start?" Martin asked. "Hey! Look what I've found? Ritauro's cell phone and a gift package thrown in the street near the Times Square. A route officer saw these this morning around 4 AM as he's doing his daily route-inspection. He brought these to the nearest police station in case the owner would ask it from them." Danny Taylor interrupted the two's conversation and brought with him the gift and Eunice's cell phone.

"Martin, go check all the cab garage's in case we can find a lead. Danny, go to the kid's school and check something there. I'll let Sam handle the friend's family and let Vivian talk to the mother." Jack commanded. "Oh! Does the kid had a father?" Jack asked. "The father died 13 years ago of by-pass heart surgery. Relatives mostly lived in Japan." Vivian interrupted. "What I don't get is, they're not rich to just kidnap the kid and they were never involved in any dirty businesses and the kid was a straight A student…" She added. "Not really a straight A student, I just found out from the best friend that a professor named Mr. Carl Nelly gave her an A Minus for not knowing the exact time of Napoleon Bonaparte's death. How rhetorical could his question be? And how harsh could he get?" Sam interrupted the little group talk. "Okay. Danny, school; Martin, cab; Sam, the Garret's and Viv, the mother. We need more details. I'll go check whether this has got to do with their race. Call me if you find anything okay." Jack ended the group discussion and each went to their designated assignments.

14 hrs. and 45 min. MISSING

Forehill International School

8:00 AM

"Mr. Henry Stocks, my name is Martin Fritzgerald, FBI. I just want to ask a few questions about Ms. Ritauro Higaki. She was reported…" "I know what happened to her. Mr. Garret called me up as soon as he found out about it from Mrs. Higaki. What can I do to help?" Mr. Stocks interrupted Martin's introduction. "Well, we've been told by Ms. Celene Garret that you have lectured Ms. Higaki the morning before she disappeared regarding her punctuality. Is that right?" Martin asked. "Yes, I had. She was late for 5 days straight and all her excuse was that she missed the bus trip. Obviously, she was but I think there is a reason behind missing the trip for school that made her took the subway." Mr. Stocks said. "Do you suspect her of doing something besides going to school?" Martin asked again. "I don't suspect her but I can't help thinking that she might. She's a straight A student Mister…" "Call me Martin…" "Martin. Ever since she studied here. We've got no problems with her and she's been active in all activities here in school and a friend to everybody." Mr. Stocks continued. "Does she had relationships with boys here in school? Or does she even go out with the boys?" Martin questioned. "Well, I saw her with Ralph Marquez having lunch very often these couple of weeks. Maybe, he's courting her or something. Why don't you ask him or maybe Celene, her best friend, about Ralph." Mr. Stocks answered. "Thank you Mr. Stocks, I wouldn't hold you too long. Thanks for these informations. Please contact us immediately if you found or heard something new." "I will. Thanks for dropping by." "Have a nice day, sir." Martin shook hands with Mr. Stocks. He went out of the principal's office and dialed Jack's number to tell him what he found out.

U.S Embassy

8:20 AM

"Okay, Martin. Find out anything from that kid. I'm now in the embassy checking for something about this family. I'll call you when I'm done and meet me at the Quarters. Yeah. Bye." Jack hanged up. "Mr. Malone, this way please." A woman accompanied him to an available clerk agent.

Garret's Residence

9:00 AM

Samantha is sitting in the living room of the Garret's home with Mrs. Garret and Celene. "Celene, does Ritauro have a boyfriend?" Sam asked. "No. She never had any. Guys would come up to her and ask if they could court her, well, she would say yes but tell them not to expect because she doesn't want to have a boyfriend yet." Celene answered. "Who's the latest guy whom she dated or went out with?" Sam asked again. "Ralph. Ralph Marquez. He's a 12th grade cutie. He actually called me this morning as he found out about what happened." Celene replied. "Can you describe him to me?" Sam said. "He's around 5'8 of height then fair complexion. His hair is short and black. Green eyed and to top it all he's cute. Typical cute guys. He's also smart though really poor in Latin. He would ran into us and ask Eunice to teach him or help him over his Latin subject. He's half Russian and a quarter of American-Australian. What a combination huh?…Anyway, he's nice and a gentleman. That's all, I guess." Celene said. "Well, that'll do. Is there anyone whom she had fought with? Enemies, as I describe it." Sam said. "As of I know, no. None. Everybody likes her for she's so friendly and outgoing. I think, nobody would hate her for being that. Although, there's this weird girl in school which she befriended but ended unsuccessfully." Celene said. "What's the girl's name?" Sam asked. "Gladys Hammer. She's in our batch but we've never been classmates. For all I know, she's really new in school and she's been from Latvia but she's not Latvian. That's what everybody says. That's what the rumors in school has." Celene replied. "Okay then. We'll do our best in finding her. Thank you Celene. I'm sure wherever Ritauro is, she knows you really cared for her." Sam said to comfort the girl. "I miss her already." Celene mumbled. "Well, I'll go now. Thanks for the help." Sam shook hands with Mrs. Garret and Celene. "Will you call us if you found anything?" Celene asked. "Sure. I will do that personally." Sam smiled. "I'll accompany you through the door." Mrs. Garret said. She escorted Sam out of their living room and through the door. "Please, do you best to find her. She's such a sweet girl. Mrs. Higaki would be so lonely if something bad might happen to her." Mrs. Garret said. "We'll do." Sam ended then went to her car and drove back to the Quarters.

Higaki Residence

10:00 AM

"She said she wanted to be a teacher, you know. I always wanted her to be a doctor and so does her father. It was our dream for her. We wanted her to live successfully in the future. But on her last birthday, she told me she wanted to be just a teacher. It's not bad, you know. I want her to do what she feels she's comfortable with. I'm happy she has dreams and I can see that she's doing her part as well. I'm working every single day just to save money for her future and I don't care if I get sick but she told me the other day that she's contented of what she has right now. She doesn't need to be that wealthy to be happy. I was actually happy when she said that." Mrs. Higaki said as she stares at the picture frame of Eunice's she was holding. "Every mother wishes her children to have a better life in the future. That's why we're working so hard. You're lucky your daughter understands. Some mothers have kids who're not contented." Vivian said. Mrs. Higaki looked at her and smiled. "Mrs. Higaki…" "Please call me Song or Elen in English." Mrs. Higaki interrupted. "Elen, have you observed Ritauro worried of something or is there something or anything that's bothering her?" Vivian asked. "No. She seems happy. She sings or hums sometimes and it's just a normal thing that she does." Mrs. Higaki answered. "Do you feel if she hides something from you?" Vivian asked again. "No. Well, she asked me maybe a week ago if I would let her have a boyfriend and I said before she answers the guy, let me meet the guy first then I'll let her if I want the guy. She didn't react violently so I thought she was okay with it." Mrs. Higaki replied. "Okay. I'll leave you now to have a moment with yourself. If there's anything you want, just call me in this number or if the kidnappers might call, call us immediately. We'll do our very best to find your daughter." Vivian said as she handed the woman her calling card. "Okay. Thank you." Mrs. Higaki replied. "Okay then." Vivian exited through the door and drove herself back to the Quarters.

FBI Quarters: Bull Pen

11:15 AM

"Well? What have we got?" Jack asked his group. "I've gone through all the cab garages and they've got no clue who might the driver be. They suspect that the guy might have car napped the cab and then kidnapped the girl." Danny reported. "That's possible but is there someone who reported that he's been car napped?" Jack asked. "That I also checked. No. There wasn't any. So I've got the feeling that this guy is really the cab driver of the cab then kidnapped the girl." Danny replied. "That makes us more difficult to find the kid. "Viv, what have you got?" Jack faced Vivian who sat beside him. "The mother said nothing weird or unusual happened to Ritauro. She didn't feel if the kid's hiding something from her so, no clue at all." Vivian said. "Sam?" Jack asked Sam who sat in front of him. "Ritauro's best friend said about this weird girl in their school who just transferred there recently, named Gladys Hammer and a guy who courted Eunice recently as well, named Ralph Marquez." Sam answered. "Who's Eunice?" Danny asked. "Ritauro Higaki, 16 years old, pure Japanese, intelligent girl, very outgoing and one of the populars in school and stunningly gorgeous. Also known as Eunice. That's her name in English. Lives only with her mother named Song Higaki or Elen in English. Father died 13 years ago named Sagare Higaki or Edward in English." Martin answered as he entered the group's conversation. "Sorry I'm late. I've been talking to Ralph Marquez and Mr. Carl Nelly. Man, I tell you that professor is really weird. He even asked me if it was necessary for a detective to ask questions. I don't know if his mind was still in Mars." Martin joked. "Is he really smart or just playing smart?" Danny added. Sam smiled while Vivian giggled. "So, what've you got?" Jack cut them off. "Let's start with Ralph Marquez. He said he's interested in Eunice and he really wants Eunice to be his girlfriend but he wouldn't do such thing to her. Well, I don't suspect him. Anyway, he had not contacted her for a week already because he's been busy with his basketball practices and some projects in Physics and a term paper in History. He hasn't also seen Eunice around campus for a week and obviously, he hasn't talked yet to her. But they were dating for almost 2 months already." Martin reported. "What about that weird professor?" Danny asked. "Well, I asked him why he gave her an A Minus for not knowing the exact time Bonaparte died, well, he reasoned out that she was always the know-it-all in the class so she dared her to know the answer to that question and promised to give her an A Plus in her card and let her skip the exams this semester. Unfortunately, he said she hasn't gotten an answer to the question so he gave her an A Minus. He also said, she was lucky enough and thank him for giving her still an A rather than a B. How tough is that? She's still in the 10th grade but the professor handles the class like they were in some year in college." Martin replied. "Well, can't blame a professor." Sam interrupted then went to check her notebook again if she misses a detail. "Well, we still hasn't gotten any." Jack said. "Why don't you check Gladys Hammer, Martin. Celene said Eunice didn't have her as her friend so maybe she might have not-so-good feelings about her." Sam said to Martin. "Why don't you and Martin do that, Sam?" Jack said. "Okay." Sam replied. "Okay. Danny, come with me. Viv…" Jack paused. "Don't worry, I'll stay here and check." Vivian continued. "Wait. What happened to you in the embassy?" Martin remembered. "Well, nothing. They've got no records of Japanese discrimination or whatsoever." Jack replied. "Oh. Okay. Let's go?" Martin asked Sam. "Yeah." Sam then started walking out of the room as Martin follows her.

Container Van

1:00 PM

Eunice sits in a chair, tied; from her mouth down to her feet. The cab driver then sits in front of her and stares at her then touches her face now drenched with sweat. "Do you want me to take off the handkerchief from your mouth?" The man asked. Eunice nodded in pain. The man did as what he asked then touched her face again. "What do you want from me?" Eunice silently asked. "Well, nothing. Money perhaps." The man replied. "We're not rich. My family's cost of living is through selling of tofu and noodles but it doesn't click anymore." Eunice said. "I know. Everything about you and your mother I know, Eunice." The man said. "How?" Eunice asked looking both startled and scared. "Can't you remember me, Eunice?" The man asked again. Eunice moved her head horizontally saying no. "Well, I was one of your regular customers and then I was the one who sold you those shoes." The man pointed down to her silver flats. "Oh my god. You're a stalker." Eunice said now feeling scared. "No. I'm not a stalker. I'm just your admirer. But you didn't recognize me. Never." The man glared at her. "You, psycho." Eunice mumbled but the man slapped her face and she gave out a loud scream then she got slapped again. "Quiet!" The man barked. He gripped her neck and choked her. "If you wouldn't keep quiet, you'll easily be dead. I want to get what I want. Just hang on there for a couple of hours then I'll bring you back home, safe and sound." The man whispered to her ears. He then let go of her neck then she started coughing and grasping for air then her mouth was covered with a handkerchief again.