Hold The Line -Evan Buckley-

Chapter Ten

"So they could be anywhere by now," Buck says, seeming to share the same sentiment as Mabel. 

"Yeah, and Doug's way ahead of us." Athena hisses, clearly pissed off. 

Buck looks to Mabel, and she slides to his side, placing her hand on the back of his coat. He slips an arm around the back of her and pulls her closer in an attempt to soothe himself. The three are soon back on the road, not knowing having any leads, just seeming to drive aimlessly. 

After what seems like a lifetime, Athena gets a call from Marks. They turn around, and head in the direction of the gas station where Doug dropped the phone in the man's semi.

Once arrived, they are ushered inside to the front counter. The detective turns the screen towards Athena. There is black and white surveillance footage of the gas pumps and the cash register. As the video plays back the detective explains that Maddie tried to escape out of the window in the bathroom, but failed to getaway. The clerk at the gas station sensed that something was wrong and tried to step in and help, only to be shot and killed by Doug. That means that Doug is now in possession of the clerk's gun as far as we know. Mabel swallows, her throat dry at the thought of Maddie being held hostage at gunpoint. 

A young officer emerges out of the women's restroom, carrying a stack of papers that seem to have been left there. He hands them to the detective, walking away soon after.

"It's a rental agreement, or a dark grey, four-door sedan. Look's like she started to write help on the back. Rented near Burbank Airport. I'll put out an APB." The detective thinks out loud, analyzing the sheets. 

Athena glances at the papers, explaining that there may be a tracker on the rental car, as it is from a local rental place that doesn't have a large fleet. Athena and Mabel glance over to see Buck with his eyes glued to the computer screen, and to the image of his sister walking past the counter at the front. The women share a sympathetic look, knowing he must be going through a living hell right now. 

They again pile back into the car, waiting to hear back from the rental company. Athena receives a call from Marks and repeats the information to both Buck and Mae. The rental car seems to have been found abandoned not too far from the station up in the mountains. She starts the engine and races quickly, but safely, to the scene. The car has been dumped next to two large water tanks, near a resort called Big Bear. We pass by the car and the officers investigating it to meet up with Marks at the resort check-in area. 

A round, older woman is speaking with the detective. They soon learn that she is the property manager. Athena and Mae stand off to the side and Buck walks towards them with his hands tucked deeply in his pockets.

"We found the kidnapper's abandoned vehicle nearby, so we're looking for a couple. They, uh, may have come in earlier looking for a last-minute rental." Marks says trying to spark recollection in the woman. 

"No, it's been quiet today. Nobody's come in." She replies.

Athena takes her turn to question, holding up the resort's brochure. "Are these all the properties that you manage?" 

The woman explains that those are just the properties that they highlight, there is a full list of the rentals printed on a magazine inside of the building. 

"Uh, how many do you manage?" Buck asks, trying to seem as polite as possible. 

"300." Buck sighs, and looks over to Athena. She has a stern, determined look. Her brow relaxed, but her lips pursed and squinted eyes that could cut through steel. 

The group ends up in a cabin a few miles from the check-in station. The splintered wood on the frame of the door seems to have been kicked in. The room is in disarray. A table is overturned, and a chair has been slammed against a wall, indicating a struggle.

"Yeah, rental manager says that all the lake cabins have been vacant, but somebody's been here, and they left in a hurry." She says dramatically and walks out the front door of the cabin with everyone following her lead.

"It's gotta be them right?" Buck says hopefully, his fingers running gently over the cracked door frame.

"Question now is, which way did they go?" 

The three adults stand on the porch, gazing out to the treeline. They're desperately looking for any answers that the land has to offer. 

Marks saunters out of the cabin and rejoins the conversation. He has called in search and rescue, helicopters, search dogs, as well as more officers to assist in locating the couple. 

"I got blood out here!" An officer shouts, and in the blink of an eye Buck darts off in the direction of the voice. Both Athena and Marks reach out but fail to grab the man, and he sprints away.

The group follows behind as he runs full speed across a bridge and is gone from sight. All that is heard is him screaming her name, his voice sounding hoarse.

"Buck, Buck wait!" Mabel says, hopelessly calling after him. Athena wears an anguished expression as she watches Mabel take off with the same determination as the man before her.

Mabel has never been a runner, and she can feel the firey tightness in her lungs with every step. This doesn't phase her though. Although in pain her persistence keeps her going. She stumbles over rocks and does her best to stay on her feet, recalling when Buck helped her run after Eddie on her first day. The sneakers tied to her feet are sopping wet from the snow, and that causes immense pain and eventually numbness in her toes. She hisses as she once again hits a rock, the tip of her shoe catching. She falls and ends up covered in powdery snow. Nonetheless, she stands back to her feet and continues her pursuit, now seeming farther from Buck than ever. 

"MADDIE!" She hears Buck scream once again thinking that he is hopelessly yelling out for her.

"BUCK? BUCK!" A woman's voice wails in return. 

Mabel finally catches up, running through the trees into a clearing. Before her, the siblings are collapsed in the snow holding on to each other for dear life. 

Suddenly, Athena walks from an asphalt path holding a walkie-talkie and speaking into it. Assumably announcing that they have found Maddie alive. 

"I didn't give up, I didn't give up." Maddie wails, covered in blood. Mabel notices the marks on her face and glances down to see what seems to be a stab wound in her abdomen.

"You did so good, You did so good," Buck reassures his sister, petting her hair with his large hand. As the two continue to embrace a helicopter whirls overhead and tries to find a place to land safely.

Buck decides to join Maddie in the ambulance to keep her company. Mabel declines to ride along and says she will catch a ride back with Athena. She figures that the pair may need some one on one time with each other. Athena and Marks go into the woods after Doug's body carrying a folded black bag. Mabel watches from the porch of the cabin as they carry the bag back, now unfolded, with him inside of it. While it is terrible that someone has passed, Mabel can't help but feel relieved that it is over. Maddie is done running and hiding from him. Buck is done tearing himself in two with guilt, and the rest are done searching for them.

Once done, Athena gathers her things and the two ladies crawl back into the car. Exhaustion and appeasement seep from their pores as they pull back onto the highway. Mabel glances at her reflection in the side-view mirror. Her previous hairstyle of a bun had turned into a loose ponytail. There are large dark bags under her eyes that make her look several years older than she is. Soon though, the car's heat and movement lull Mabel into a deep, well-deserved sleep. 

What did you think of the POV change? Please let me know!