Fear in the Unknown

II

Dr. Roland slugged into the lab. "Good morning, Dr. Charles." his assistant, Elaine, said cheerily before she got a good look at him. She noticed dark bags beneath his eyes, he seemed to drag his feet as he shuffled along, he looked like shit, to put it bluntly. "Morning, El." Roland murmured tiredly in return as he set down his briefcase and lunchbox. "Looks like you had a rough night." Elaine said cautiously, Roland giving a small chuckle, "Yeah, you could say that. Some kind of mutated raccoon attacked me and the wife on our way home last night, bastard was huge and something was..clearly wrong with it." Roland said, before continuing, "But, it's nothing, really. Just threw our adrenaline for a loop." Before Elaine could question any further, Roland's cell rang. He grabbed it from his pocket and answered the incoming call.
R/R/R
"Hello-" Roland started, before the frantic voice of his colleague, one Dr. Nobles, interrupted, "Not another word, I need you to listen for a moment..it's..it's Jacob. My son..my son has gone missing. His friends came by, told us he was there one moment and...and just gone the next. None of them know where he could've went and..of course, neither do we. I'm looking into it as best I can, but...we need all hands on deck here, Rol. Please..can you and Stephanie help us?" Nobles finished. Roland was speechless, shocked, surprised. He and Steph knew the Nobles's son well, he was obedient, kind, loving, but most of all respectful to those around him. Something was, certainly, wrong. "Yes, Jack. We'll..we'll help." Roland said, after his long silence. "Bless your heart, Rol, you and Steph have always been such kind souls. Meet me at our house, and we'll go from there, alright?" "Okay, we'll see you soon." Roland said, but didn't get another response, just the click of a hang up. "What was that about?" Elaine asked, expecting a menial answer. "That was Nobles. His son..he's gone missing." Roland said, his gaze gravitating towards the white marble floor of the lab. "Oh my god.." Elaine said, now also speechless. After a few moments of silence, Roland grabbed his things, turned to Elaine and said, "I should be back soon enough, if not tomorrow, then sometime next week." "Take your time, Doctor, your friend's son needs you more than this place does, so take it one day at a time." Elaine responded. Roland nodded, box and case in hand, and rushed out the door.
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After a half hour drive that felt more like 2 hours, and after picking up Steph from her workplace, Rol pulled into the Nobles's driveway. Jack Nobles was on the porch, whiter than a spectre. Seeing Roland and Steph pulling up, he raced down the porch's steps to greet them. "Thank God, you made it. Trisha is I'm no place to help set up this search right now, she's...a wreck to say the least." Jack said, hugging both Rol and Steph as he spoke. "We'll do anything we can to get Jacob home, Jack. He's a bright kid with a bright future." Rol responded. "Thank you, Roland, that means everything to us." Jack said, giving a slight smile. "So what's the plan? I'm guessing we're getting search parties together to start?" Roland asked, Jack nodding in agreement, before saying, "That's what the police suggested we do while they get their investigation started. They've already got their eyes on a couple of suspects, but even them, it all hangs by a thread that may lead to jack shit. But, if interrogations help find our Jacob, then that's all that matters." he said. "I'll probably put you guys and his group of buddies together, they seem to know him better than we do." Jack finished, Roland listening intently. Jack kept on, "They'll take you to all the places you'll need to search. Wasn't a day he wasn't with those boys." He began to tear up, and Rol hugged him to try and console him and keep him calm. "Well, you just get his friends over when it's time and we'll start the search." Roland said. "I will. Thank you again, you two. Bless you. Rol, I'll give ya a call when we're ready to go." Jack said. "Alright. You guys stay safe." Roland said, giving Jack a gentle backpat, before he and Steph went back to the car. Once in, Steph spoke up, "Jacob's far too smart and loving to have just run off, he had to have been kidnapped." she said, before Rol said, "We'll leave the speculations to the police, let's just...focus on doing what we can." He said, almost irritatedly. But, Steph understood, he was simply worried for Jacob. And they were going to do everything in their power to bring him home.