Little Town

Bobby had been teleported away from home and into a place far beyond his understanding. But he left behind his family, friends, and an entire town unaware of what was happening to him.

After nearly an hour of arguing with the military police Joseph and Stryker finally decided to pack up their things and go. They couldn't get into the base and apparently the excuse of 'Police Work' didn't hold up with 'Military work'. So aggravated and annoyed the two turned their car around and headed back into to the Arlen Police Station. Stryker grunted and groaned about being 'jerked around' while Joseph grumbled about not being allowed to participate in the 'action'.

"Joseph." Said Stryker turning to his younger partner and pointing a gloved finger in his face." Talk to your friend later, see if you can figure out what's going on here."

"Kay." Joseph replied. By the time they were turned away from the base and made it back to the police station the sun had gone down, their shift ended. So before returning to his own home that night Joseph made a stop next door to the Hill residence. He rang the doorbell and continued to do so even after Hank had opened the door and stood before him.

"Uh Joseph." Hank finally said." Can I help you?"

"Hey Mr. Hill." Joseph said finally finished with the doorknob." Is Bobby here?"

"I haven't seen him all day. I think he went back to base earlier."

"I know." Joseph said with blink less eyes.

"Then why don't you try him there, or on his cellphone?" Hank suggested. The more Joseph stood there starring the more awkward Hank felt.

"I hadn't thought of that." Joseph said. Yet he still stood there in the doorway.

"Okay then." Said Hank." I'll-I'll see you tomorrow." Then Hank shut the door and went back into his home." That boy ain't right." He muttered shaking his head. He returned to his living room where his wife and dog were sitting as well.

"Who was that honey?" asked Peggy, her eyes on the tv.

"Joseph." Hank sat back down in his seat." Wondering where Bobby is."

"Bobby?!" Peggy suddenly shrieked."Where is Bobby? I haven't seen him all day, do you think he'll be back for dinner?"

"Now, now Peg it's nothing to get worked up about. He's probably just spending the night at the base."

"How can you be so sure?" She jumped out of her seat." Did you see him, did you speak to him? How do you know?!"

"Easy Peg." Hank said calming her down." How bout we call Bill and see if he knows-" Without another word Peggy marched out of the living room and into the kitchen. She quickly dialed Bill's number and waited.

"Come on, Come on pick up!" she hollered at the phone.

"Hello." Bill said into the phone.

"Bill, have you seen Bobby today?"

"Peggy?" he asked surprised." IS this you, calling me?" He sniffled.

"Yes Bill." She sighed." Have you seen Bobby at all today?"

"Uh Yes. I saw him at the base earlier today with his Lieutenant." Peggy was relieved to hear her son was alright however she didn't like hearing he was with Sonya, talking to Bill ontop of all this made it worse." Peggy can I ask you something?"

"Goodbye Bill." She said quickly and went to hand up the phone. Bill was cut off as Peggy hung up the phone and returned to the living room.

"Well did he know?" Hank asked.

"He's at the base." She said with a sigh.

"See I told you he was alright." Hank said, concluding the matter.

Meanwhile Joseph had returned to his own home next door.

"Hey Mom." He said entering the kitchen, undoing his belt and laying it on the table.

"Joseph Gribble get that off the table." Nancy scolded. Joseph sighed and took his belt and hung it on the wall." Dinner's in the fridge." Joseph retrieved it from the fridge and sat down.

"Wherhdnr Djniad?" He asked chewing his food.

"Chew your food honey." Joseph swallowed the whole thing and spoke again.

"Where's Dad?" He asked clearly now.

"Down in his office." His mother told.

And there Dale was in his orange 'Dale's Dead Bug' robe, slippers and trademark hat. He clicked away at the computer with one hand while he held a cigarette in the other. All was silent one second but the sound of the phone ringing broke it.

"For reasons of safety and security this conversation may be recorded." Dale said as quickly as lightning as he clicked a button to record the conversation."Gribble residence, Dale Gribble speaking." He said normal.

"Mr. Gribble." Said a voice on the other end of the phone." I noticed your ad in the yellow pages and was hoping to hire you." Dale was almost ready to jump out of his seat, neither his Exterminator job or his bounty hunter job had much business lately.

"For Dale's Dead Bug say 'One', for Dale's Bounty Hunting service say 'Two'." He smiled as he waited for an answer. The other end of the phone was silent for several seconds.

"One." The answer finally came.

"Now what do you need Dale's Dead Bug to exterminate?" Dale kicked his feet onto the desk he was so happy.

"Oh I have a small infestation. And was wondering if you could handle it for me."

"Hmh, let me check." Said Dale. He turned to a blank calendar and began flipping through the pages." Let's see assassination, kidnapping, assassination, assassination." He muttered as he flipped the pages." I have an opening Thursday afternoon, I-"

"No, tomorrow morning at Eight!" The client commanded.

"Tomorrow morning." Dale said scratching his neck." That's pretty early, I-I"

"Please . This infestation is bad and I would like it gone as soon as possible." Dale puffed at his cigarette nervously by his client's voice, a demanding request." Do we have an agreement?"

"Yes." Dale nearly coughed.

"Good." And with that the client gave Dale the address and hung up the phone. Despite the oddity of the conversation and the client Dale couldn't help but jump up and dance for joy.

"Wingo!" he hollered as he jumped back and forth around the room.

So the next morning Dale was up bright and early, loading his truck with all the essentials he'd need to kill pretty much anything alive. His friends were nearby in the alley.

"Hey there Dale." Greeted Hank." Care for a cup of coffee?"

"Sorry chumps but the big D's on duty now, can't afford any distractions." Then without another word Dale jumped into his van and drove off down the road.

"Huh. Dale seemed pretty chipper just now." Hank said.

"Dang old tell you what man dang ol' Dale only happy man when he zap, shot, trap, dang ol KILL something man." Boomhauer told. His friends nodded their agreement.

At the same time Dale left his home Joseph was leaving as well, heading into work. He entered into the office to find Stryker flipping through his newspaper, jolting towards Joseph when he walked into the room.

"Any word from that friend of yours?" he asked.

"Everyone's said he went back to the base."

"I know that." Stryker grumbled." We were both there remember?!" Joseph blinked silently for a few seconds.

"Yes." He finally answered.

"But nobodies seen him since?" Joseph nodded and Stryker said back with a sigh. It had only been a day so he didn't expect much but he expected more than what Joseph had given him. He decided for now he'd push it out of his mind and focus on other task." C'mon, let's go."

"Where?" Joseph asked as he just sat down.

"Hospital to visit Kabal." Stryker led the way and Joseph followed. Then the two drove off to the hospital but they were in for quite a surprise when they got there.

"What?!" Stryker said to the nurse confused." What do you mean he's gone?!"

"Mr. Kabal checked himself out a few weeks ago." She told." On September 20th."

"The 20th?" Stryker said confused." But he was only hospitalized on the 19th."

"Maybe you've got the wrong person." Joseph jumped in." This is Kabal, spelt C-A-B-L-E"

"No, No." Stryker jumped in." That's not it." He stood between Joseph and the nurse." Miss do you have any idea where he might have gone?"

"He left no records or any indication." Stryker grinded his teeth together but knew there was nothing else he could do." If that'll be all gentlemen." And with that the nurse left them and Stryker turned with a sour look on his face to Joseph.

"You got something in your teeth, dude."Joseph almost poked him.

"How did you not know your superior's name?" Stryker asked.

"I know his name it's Cable."

"Kabal! K-A-B-A-L!" Stryker fumed. Joseph looked at him indifferently." Oh the hell with it, let's get out of here." He led the way to the door once more and Joseph followed him out.

The rest of the day was uneventful for the two officers of the law. On their routine patrol all they encountered were several young boys spray-painting the bridge, and the second they rolled up the perps scattered like flies. What they wrote was interesting, although they didn't get to finish it. Completed it most likely would have said 'Forget the Police', though it less kinder words.

So when their shift ended Joseph returned to his home on Rainy Street. He exited his car and walked through his driveway. Behind him he could hear Hank and the others talking, thought if he looked he'd noticed they were down one member at that moment.

He continued inside to find that all the lights were off and it was completely dark. Joseph however took no notice of this and simply turned off the lights.

"Mom!" he called into the house. No answer." Mom! Dad!" No answer from either. Joseph made his way around the house, looking for either of his parents but he found no sign of either. That was until he went into the kitchen, there he found a note.

In his mother's handwriting it read

"Joseph had to work late at the station. Dinner is in the fridge for you and your father."

That at least explained where his mother was but his father was still missing. The only place he could think his father would be was down in the basement, his office. So Joseph left the kitchen and made his way down there. He found nothing. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, however ordinary it can be with Dale.

So he made his way back upstairs and that's where he found it. On the table in the living room were two sheets of paper. The wind blew in from the window and tossed the two pieces of paper into the air before they landed onto the floor. Joseph went to go pick them up and that's when his eyes bugged open in surprise.

In cut out pieces of paper it read

"We have your father"

And the other piece of paper was a picture of Dale surrounded and with several guns pointed at his head.