"Skylar, you're saying with what has happened with the imposter that there must be two handbooks?" Bob asked while taking his seat at the table.
"It's possible, but I'm fully confident on that statement, only because anyone who knows of this supernatural handbook, you can do anything you wish by simply tearing off a piece, as you would with a normal notebook," she took a big bite out of her frozen yogurt, "Yes, that means I'm still zoning in on you, and I'm going to settle things in the end…"
"Anyone? You mean the whole Columbus region now?" the chief asked.
Swallowing the cold treat, she looked him in the eyes and spoke, "No, I specifically mean the people who know of this case and were following every step of the way, whether behind our backs or among the police force. They're the only ones who were with us during our speed chase."
Sam held a glance at Skylar, "What are you implying? That we can't trust anyone with us now?"
"Not at all, I just think that we need some time to recuperate on what just happened, it was indeed tragic. However, our evidence and theories have not been diminished, so don't assume we have to start over, it's actually perfect that this turned out like it did."
"Please explain what you're thinking."
"Marg and I have been backing up everything in the computers and files, thus have gone over what we have and compared it to the unfortunate ending to our plan. I've been dwelling on it for some time now, and I believe that that was not the person who sent us the recordings. All in all, that was some sort of decoy that died."
Bob glared a little at her deductive abilities, but not so much that the others would obviously notice it, "Damn it, she caught right on to the plan, I knew she would. However, now that she knows about the handbook and read the fake instructions, she'll have false accusations on it," he cleared his throat then said his opinion, "You believe that the imposter who posed as another Kidnapper did this? He would be that smart enough?"
"You shouldn't underestimate people like that Bob. For example, you didn't believe who I said I was and yet, here you are now on that task force."
He nodded his head side to side, "Yeah, you've got a point."
Marg paged over to her partner through the giant monitor announcing news, "Skylar! We've just received a report that nine people have vanished!"
"What! That's impossible! Even though if we've apprehended a decoy, then he disappeared, that must confirm your suspicions Skylar. There must be another handbook somewhere, and we only have one. On the other hand, we aren't going to test it, are we?" Josh asked getting a little anxious about the current situation.
"The thought has already crossed my mind, but with some of the rules written on the front flap, it seems almost impossible doing so; basically karma will bite you back and you will also be dead supposedly, or wherever these humans go. With every action, there's a consequence."
Bob folded his fingers and rested his chin on his hands, "What do the rules say?"
Sam grabbed the handbook in front of him and flipped it open, "One of them states that if you do not keep continuing the act that this handbook gives you the power to do, within two weeks of not doing anything, you will share the same fate as the people's names who've been written inside. I feel like it's saying kill or be killed in a sense, except you vanish in this case."
Skylar rubbed the back of her head, "If there is another handbook out there, I'll catch the real person using it, no matter what. Now that we think this, I would like all of you to be aware of other people when you leave this area, if anyone is holding anything out of the ordinary, please question and apprehend them."
Bob was lost in his thoughts again, "In that little note I gave to my accomplice, it stated that if you can make Skylar and Marg vanish within a certain timeline, it will prove to me that you are on my side, and you will not be eliminated. If exactly 15 days past and they're still here, I have enough information to find that man and grant my wish. Just a little bit longer, and I'll taste victory."
"I've got you Bob, you will soon be sentenced to jail for life, and/or possible an execution if it's necessary. Now we just have to test this book somehow…" Skylar turned in her seat to face her microphone, "Marg, please contact the police station in West Virginia and see if they have any inmates there scheduled for execution, we will have them test the handbook."
There was no response to be heard on her assistant's side of the microphone, only static.
"Marg? Can you hear me?" Skylar tried again.
"Why isn't she responding? Is something wrong with the feed?" Bob asked.
She inhaled with a grim look in her eyes, "No, something else is happening…"
Crashes could suddenly be heard on the other end of the monitor, sounding like chairs flying into screens, papers flying everywhere, and something heavy getting thrown into a wall.
"What's happening!?" Sam yelled to the group.
The computer screen in front of Skylar shined brightly and then the screen read a message, 'All Data Has Been Deleted.'
The young detective spoke, "I told Marg that if something were to happen to her, that she would delete all the data and video footage we've uncovered so far so that know one uncovers it, no matter how good your hacking skills may be. This data will never be seen again…"
Josh gasped, "The Kidnapper…has struck?"
Before she could answer his question, the lights dramatically flickered off and on multiple times, a few lights went out completely. When they shined with what little hope they had left, Skylar was nowhere to be found….
She had vanished.
"Skylar! Where are you? Where did you go?!" Bob had a dark look on his face, "I don't know what's going on, I never planned any of this to happen, but maybe my ally has already hacked and found their real identities, this is perfect! With me in their presence, now they don't have a chance suspecting me now that my obstacles are gone out of the blue!"
"Now that the Kidnapper has found out who they truly are, there's no reason to deny that we're next!" Josh gripped his head in turmoil, waiting for the end to happen, hoping it would be painless. The remaining task force members went hysterical momentarily, not knowing what would happen. Skylar and Marg had been eliminated by the Kidnapper.
Sam calmed himself down, "Why is nothing happening to us?"
Bob chimed in his acting skills as best as he could, making his breath shaky in panic, "It only means that the Kidnapper got whom he wanted to get rid of, the people that were in his way…Skylar and Marg. We can't just stand here any longer, we have to go out and avenge them! I'll catch you, you damn Kidnapper; you took away the only hope we had left!" He stood up and looked at the ceiling, "Trap is complete, I knew I could count on this mysterious ally, turns out he does my every wish without having to see him in person, this is too good to be true."