Over at the farm, Thelma is pacing back and forth in the den. "What's taking them so long?" she asks herself. She glances down at her wrist watch. It is nearly mid-night.
"Aren't you coming to bed?" Jess interrupts her thoughts.
"I wouldn't be able to sleep" is the reply.
"There is really no need to worry," Jess assures his wife, "I'm sure Velma and her friends can take care of themselves."
"I know" sighs Thelma, "but, in the past, whenever they stayed out late, something always happens."
"You just go to bed," offers Jess, "if they call, I'll let you know."
Thelma relents and walks off to bed. Jess sits down on the couch and reaches for a magazine.
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"I really don't feel right doing this" Sarah says staring at the computer screen in Jill's room.
"It's not as if we are doing anything wrong" Jill comforts her cousin.
"Kidnapping is not 'doing anything wrong'?" asks the other.
"Jill!" Jack's voice comes from the other end of the room, "Come here! Quick!"
"What is it?" Jill asks.
"They're gone!" the boy exclaims.
"What are you talking about?" his sister asks.
"They are just gone. They are not giving a signal."
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Morning comes to the farmhouse as Thelma comes down to find her husband sleeping on the couch with the magazine over his face. Waking him, she asks eagerly, "Did they call? Or come home?"
Jess shakes his head, "No."
"Something must have happened" Thelma shutters. She goes over to the phone and dials a number.
"Who are you calling?"asks Jess.
"Velma's cell" is the reply. She waits for a while, then hangs up. "No answer."
"Try another phone," Jess suggests, "maybe hers is dead."
Thelma quickly dials another phone number. "Still no answer" she says replacing the receiver.
"That doesn't sound like the gang" Jess says trying to hid the concern in his voice—for his wife's sake.
"Oh, Jess!" Thelma holds her husband, "I'm worried that something has happened to them."
"Listen," he comforts her, "Maybe I can contact Chan Jeong at the police station. Maybe, he can pull some strings to have a search for them." He goes to the phone and dials the number for the local police station. Chief Inspector Jeong answers the phone and Jess gives him a full account of the situation.
"I'll do what I can, Jess" Chan replies.
"Thanks Chan" Jess ends his call. "We can just wait now" he says embracing Thelma.
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"I can't believe it!" Jill says in frustration, "How can they just vanish off the face of he earth?!"
"Maybe something has blocked their signal" offers Sarah.
"We are talking about a machine that emits signals more advanced than those used by NASA!"
"It's true" Jack explains to Sarah, "We could send them to Jupiter and get a strong signal without delay."
"Maybe they went further that Jupiter" Sarah tries to joke.
"It could have gotten damaged" Jack suggests, "We are dealing with some very delicate equipment."
"What would they have been doing?" Jill shoots back, "All they had to do was go to the party and hang around with a few friends and talk; nothing physical whatsoever."
"What if they were dancing?" asks Sarah.
"Still, it would not have effected their transmitters" Jack shakes his head.
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It is nearly lunch time when Chief Inspector Jeong comes to call.
"Come in, Chan" Jess greets his friend.
"Thanks, Jess" Chan says taking off his hat.
"Any news?"
"Well," replies Chan, "I have done some preliminary investigating and some people say that they were seen at a party last night."
"A party?" Thelma repeats, puzzled, "But they told us that they were going to a bar down the road."
"What time was this?" Chan asks, pulling out his notebook and pencil.
"I dropped them off there alround ten myself" replies Jess.
"—and they arrived at this party at about the same time."
"That's impossible" Thelma burst out, "are you sure we are talking about the same people?"
"They were especially invited" the inspector explains, "The host was a good friend of your cousin and her friends. Well," he says grabbing his hat, "I better be getting back to work. I'll have someone check about your cousin being in two places at once." He then takes his leave.
"See ya, Chan" Jess waves good-bye.
"What do you make of it?" Thelma asks her husband.
Jess turns his eyes to the distance and replies, "I'd say something is rotten in the state of Australia."
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"Is there any way of reconecting the signal?" asks Jill fustratedly.
Sarah says wearily, "Jill, we have been doing this all night and morning. I'm tired."
"Can we at least get some rest first?" moans Jack.
Jill colapses onto her bed, "You're right," she says, wiping her eyes, "we can try again later."
The rest of the day, seems to go by pretty quickly. The children woke up in mid afternoon to get some thing to eat just in time for Thelma to get all her whits together. Afterwards, they return to the bedroom and decide to wait until the following morning to continue their search.
Thelma and Jess, still wait patienlty for more news from Chan. After receiving a call from him that there were no further developments arround midnight, they decide to take shifts so one of them could answer further phone calls.
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As the morning sun creaps over the horizon, Sarah awakes to a beeping sound coming from the computers. She instantly awakes her cousins who quickly investigate. They suddenly jumps back in joyous repouse.
"What is it?" Sarah asks her cousins.
"The transmitters are somehow reactivated!" smiles Jill.
"I wouldn't celebrate just yet," Jack dampens his sister's spirits, "something is still not right here."
"Huh?"
Jack explains, "If these status reports are correct, I'd say they're dead."
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Meanwhile, the front doorbell rings. Jess answers it. "Morning, Chan" he greets the caller, "Anything new?"
Inspector Jeong walks in and removes his hat. "Yes," he replies solomly, "there have been some developments."
"Do tell us" pleas Thelma.
"You better sit down" Chan offers.
The couple puzzledly do so.
"What is it?" asks Jess.
"Have you found Velma?" Thelma asks.
"Yes" is the reply.
"Well? Where is she? How is she?" she bombards the poor inspector with questions, "How about the rest of the gang?"
"I'm sorry to be the bearer of such news," Chan begins his statement, "but as for your cousin and her friends well..." he pauses for a moment to clear his throat trying of how to put is sofly and gently, "...well, they're dead."
A/N: Well, that didn't take as long as I thought it would. Hope you enjoyed it and the next chapter will be as quick as this one was.