Summer of Jonnor

Down Along the Waterfront

Late in the afternoon, Connor and Jude rode their bikes down to the warehouse area on the waterfront. In summer evenings it was a great place to skateboard, lots of mostly empty streets and ramps to practice tricks. Connor watched as Jude shot down the street on Jesus's board, used his right foot to pivot a turn, and came back towards him. Jude stopped, breathless and smiling.

Connor hugged him from behind. "You're getting a lot better, babe." Jude laughed as Connor sucked on his neck.

"No hickies," Jude protested, pushing him away. "You're a really good teacher."

"Hey I got something for you. Come here," Connor took his hand and led him over to where their bikes and backpacks were. He opened the pocket on the back and Jude saw something small and silvery. Connor took his hand and slipped the band on Jude's pinky.

"Pinky rings? Really?" he gave Connor a play-smack.

Connor winked at him and gave him the other one. "Here, put mine on." He watched as Jude slipped it on his finger, then he hooked his pinky to Jude's. "Just like the movie theater."

Jude chuckled and shook his head. "You're in a real mood."

"Yeah, well, we gotta sleep alone again tonight, so I gotta get as much Jude time as I can. Oh, there's something else." He rummaged through his pack and pulled out a shirt. "I wore this one working out this morning."

Jude took it. "Wow, pheromone overload. I don't even need to stuff it in my face."

"I'd've thought you'd be tired of my stinky carcass by now."

"Oh, is that why you're putting a ring on it? So I'll stick around?" He rubbed his chin on Connor's shoulder. He looked at his watch and sighed. "I better get back home, Stef and Lena won't be happy if I miss dinner. FaceTime later?"

Connor nodded, pulled Jude into a long series of kisses.

"I was trying to leave," Jude protested. "Love you babe, have fun boarding."

"Love you more," Connor said. He watched as Jude slung his backpack on and rode away on his bike.

Feeling elated, Connor walked around for a moment with his hands locked behind his head, enjoying the feeling of the wind on his face and smell of sea salt in the air. He jumped on his board and rode down the street, going fast. He tucked into a corner and popped an ollie. He skated to the end of the block and stopped as he heard what sound like angry voices. He picked up his board and peered around the corner. There was a truck parked in front of a warehouse and two Hispanic men were behind it, yelling in Spanish at someone Connor couldn't see.

One of the men was pointing repeatedly at the ground, continuing his verbal assault. Connor didn't understand the words but the meaning was obvious. The man reached out behind the truck and grabbed something, pulling it out where Connor could see.

Connor's mouth fell open and he felt horror rise up inside him like bile. It was Miguel! "Uh!" he exclaimed, as the angry man belted Miguel in the face. Connor wanted to run out and stop this but his legs felt like jelly. The man pointed at Miguel's face and yelled what was undoubtedly a string of obscenities in Spanish. Connor got out his phone and sent a text message. He watched as the two men walked into a loading door, leaving Miguel there, crying and shaking. Connor waited until the men were out of sight, then sprinted around the corner. "Miguel!"

Miguel looked up in surprise as Connor ran up to him. His brown eyes full of fear, he shook his head at Connor, then turned and ran down the block.

"Miguel! Miguel!" Connor chased after him. He was surprised at how fast the smaller boy could run. Miguel reached a door on the opposite side of the warehouse and went inside. Connor ran up to the door. He got his phone out and checked it, shook his head, and looked around. There was a stack of buckets next to the door and the top one was full of spray paint cans. Connor tested them and when he found that one still had paint, he shook it up and sprayed a symbol by the side of the door. He threw the door open and went inside, squinting as his eyes struggled to adapt to darkness.

Miguel was standing there whimpering, his eyes wet with tears and the gash on his cheek swollen and red with fresh blood. He shook his head again.

"Miguel! What's going on?" Connor said. He felt a sudden, sharp pain in the back of his head and fell to the floor.

***

"Mom! MOM!" Jude piled down the stairs like an avalanche. He ran into the kitchen.

"What's wrong?" Lena asked. "Breathe honey, breathe!"

Jude hyperventilated. "I was trying to FaceTime Connor but he didn't answer. So I called his dad, and Connor never came home. His dad thought he was over here. We were down by the warehouses skateboarding. We have to go look for him, he might have wiped out or something. He could be hurt!"

"Calm down, honey. What did Adam say?"

"He's coming over here now."

She nodded. "Go put your shoes on. I'll try to get Stef." He picked up her phone and dialed, waited, frowned at the voicemail message. "Stef, it's Lena. Call me as soon as you get this message." She frowned and grabbed her purse.

A moment later Jude came back down, followed by Callie and Mariana.

"What's going on?" Callie said.

"We're not sure, honey. Connor is missing."

Callie looked at Jude. "That's usually my move." She rubbed Jude's back. There was a knock at the door, and squeezing Jude's shoulder, she went to open it.

Mariana stood behind Jude, squeezed his arm.

Adam came in. "Hi Lena."

"Hi, Adam. I tried getting Stef but she's not answering." She looked at Jude. "When was the last time you saw him?"

"About six o'clock. I left so I could get here for dinner."

She looked at the clock. "Nine-twenty now." She looked at Adam. "He should have checked in with someone. I think we should call 911."

She was about to dial when she heard a siren approaching, getting louder and stopping right in front of the house. It cut out and she looked outside the window and saw Stef get out of her police SUV with Mike, its lights still flashing blue and red in the growing darkness.

Callie opened the door for Stef and Mike. "Connor's in trouble," Stef said. "He sent me a text message, but I didn't see it right away because I was on a call." She looked at Adam and Jude. "Either of you know where he is?"

Adam looked at Jude and was about to say something when his phone rang. He answered it. "Hello." He listened to the other party. His face twisted in concern. He lowered the phone and put it on mute. "It's a ransom demand. For Connor."

***

"Who are those guys?" Jude asked Mariana. 

"The FBI, I think. They've been talking to moms and Adam for like an hour now. You still been trying to raise Connor?"

Jude nodded. "Either he can't answer or they took his phone away from him." His eyes filled with tears and he started silently crying.

"Oh Judicorn," Mariana said, hugging him.

The men in the living room stood and shook Adam's hand, and Lena saw them out the door. Stef came over to Jude. "Jude honey, we're taking care of this. Okay?"

"What's gonna happen?" he said, tears streaming down his face. "Shouldn't we be out looking for him?"

She shook her head. "The FBI just wants us to sit tight until we get the ransom instructions, which won't be until tomorrow morning. We're getting an emergency wiretap on Adam's phones, Mike's going over to the judge's house right now to get a signature on the warrant."

"So we....we...just leave him out there?" Jude gaped at her unbelieving horror.

"The feds think, that if we try to do anything now, it will just put Connor in more danger than he's already in. The best thing right now is for us to run the investigation through the night, find out what we can, and get ready for what's coming next. We're gonna do everything we can to bring him back safe, okay?"

Jude felt like he couldn't breathe. Crying, he dashed up the stairs to his room. The shirt Connor had given him was spread out on his bed. He sat on the edge of the bed, his whole body shaking with debilitating sobs. He picked the shirt up and buried his face in it and howled.