Chapter 2
Hannibal, Murdock, and BA were on phones calling the numbers given to them by Decker. They belonged to members of his unit who had survived the war. They were hoping to find information on the father and where he lived. They were grasping for any information, no matter how small. They were fighting time to get to their kid before his abuser carried out his threat to use VC tactics to break him.
"Anything?" Hannibal asked when one of his unit got off the phone, only to be met with a head shake.
"Lunch!" Mrs. B said as she walked in. "There's no time to eat, Mama. We got to find Face."
"If you don't eat and get some sleep, you may miss something that will bring our boy home! Now come in and have some food!" she ordered.
Reluctantly, the men did as she requested and stopped for lunch, and they had to admit that they felt more energized afterward. "We will have to take better care of ourselves if we are going to find Face. So just like in 'Nam, we will take shifts of three hours to sleep. Murdoch, you are first, and then BA, and finally me!"
It was during the third day that a glimmer of hope descended on the group.
"Hannibal, Danny talked about a place in the mountains that he and his day would go to. There is a cabin with a brook nearby they would fish at," BA said excitedly.
"What mountains and how fast can we get there?"
"The Rocky Mountains and we can get there as fast as Murdock can fly us there."
"Are you willing to fly, BA?"
"I'll do anything to find and bring Face home."
"Then let's get packed and wake the Captain," ordered Hannibal as he picked up the phone to call the Sheriff. Sheriff Jenkins can pave the way with the local law in Colorado.
After the first day of abuse, Face wasn't going to stay and receive more; however, since he no longer had his lock pit kit, he would have to find something else to pick the locks with. It was during his third day working that he spotted a piece of wire and dropped to his knees with exhaustion to pick it up and hide it in his pants' pocket. He earned a lick with the strap for stopping. So during the night when Watkins had gone to bed sure that Face was too tired to try and escape. Face was able to pick the locks on his chains and free himself. It didn't take him long to pick the lock on the dog pen and walk silently out. He left the chains in the dog house and locked the pen behind him. That would give him more time to escape.
Face knew he didn't have time to spare, and after grabbing the blanket, he slept on, he took off. Maggie followed behind. They headed for the woods to put as much distance between them and Watkins, but due to his exhaustion, Face could not go far and looked for a place to shelter for the night. His eyes fell on a fallen tree and the debris around it. It didn't take him long to fashion a crude shelter and crawl in. He wrapped himself in the blanket and, with Maggie lying next to him, fell to sleep. He slept nearly around the clock and woke to find the sun setting.
He decided to walk during the night, thinking that if his abuser had been looking for him during the day, he would have stopped during the night. Having a full moon helped them make rime, and although the sleep helped to recharge him he was hungry and thirsty. He had to head to the highway and hopefully find people and nourishment. The threats Watkins had made were motivation enough to be careful.
By the fourth day, Face was barely moving. He knew he was dehydrated, plus the hunger and probable fever he was feeling, he knew he had to find help. He almost cried out with joy when they stumbled onto a highway.
He had to sit for a while to catch his breath when an eighteen-wheeler came to a stop next to them. The driver called from the cab, "Hey, kid do you want a lift?"
Face looked up into a caring face, "can I bring my dog?"
"Sureā¦can you get in, or do you need some help?"
Face stood on shakily legs and attempted to climb in before he had to admit it. "I'm going to need some help."
The words were barely out of his mouth before he found himself lifted and placed in the passenger side. A moment later Maggie was next to him.
"Thank you," Face said as he leaned back and closed his eyes.
The truck driver looked at the boy, taking in his appearance and
distress. "Are you hungry? Thirsty?"
Face slowly opened his eyes and nodded.
"There is a truck stop ahead of where I'll get you some food. When was the last time you ate?" he asked with concern.
It took some effort but Face replied, "I had a few mouthfuls of rice two days ago morning. Maggie had a bowl of dog food at the same time."
"Are you running away?"
"I'm trying to get home."
"Where are your folks?"
"I'm trying to get to them. I was kidnapped. I know my family is looking for me!"
The questioning thoroughly exhausted him and he fell into a restless sleep.
"That's okay, buddy, I'll get you home, I promise, and when Hank makes a promise he keeps it!"
