PTSD

Chapter 17 : Lead

Chapter 17

The next day...    

Riker POV

We were back in the car again today. It was raining today, so that kind of made me feel tired. I was already tired from not getting a ton of sleep last night.

Dad made me wear sunglasses and have the hood of my hoodie up. My brown hair was really bothering me. It wasn't a light brown. It was a dark brown. I don't even look like myself anymore.

For all of today so far, we've been driving in the middle of nowhere. I've been napping on and off all day.

To be honest, I feel like I'm a bit calmer than I thought I'd be. I haven't had another panic attack yet. 

I don't know if it's survival instincts and the fact I know that I need to make it through this to get back to Ross. Or maybe it's because I haven't gotten hurt yet. But I'm trying to stay calm and not start spiraling in my mind.

But we've been in the car for hours now. My legs hurt. I'm starving. I need to use the bathroom. I'm just tired of being stuck in the car with nothing to do. I've just been looking out the window for hours.

"Dad?"

"What?"

"Are we almost there?"

"It's going to be another hour."

"Well then could we stop for a second? I need to stretch my legs and go to the bathroom."

"If I pull over on the side of the road, are you going to try to run?"

"No."

"Because if you do, I swear, I'll run you over with this car."

"I won't. I promise."

Dad pulled over. I got out and went to the bathroom. We're literally in the middle of nowhere. There's no other cars. It's just been trees for miles.

I got back in the car when I was done. 

"Can you please tell me where we're going and what you're going to do with me? I've been good all day. I haven't tried to run. Can you please tell me?"

"You're not going to like it."

"Please tell me."

"Tonight, we're camping in the woods."

"Why!?"

"Because that's what I've decided."

"But what if we get eaten by bears!? Or coyotes!?"

"We're not going to."

I curled up in my seat and went back to staring out the window. I just need to stay calm. 

Ross POV

"Ross."

I was laying on the couch with my head in Mark's lap. We'd been on the couch all day, waiting for any information from the police.

"Ross."

"I don't want to talk," I said, softly.

"I know. But it's almost dinner time."

"I can't eat."

"You haven't eaten all day."

"I'm too upset."

"I know. But you need to eat something."

"Why haven't the police told us anything!?"

"I guess they don't have any leads yet."

I sat up and buried my face in Mark's chest and cried.

"Ross, they'll find them just like last time."

"They didn't find them last time! They thought they were in California! We're the ones who found them!"

"Hey, it's going to be ok. Just stay calm."

"I am calm! I'm just upset!"

"I know. It's ok."

He put his arm around me and started rubbing my back. He let me cry for a little while until I calmed down. I just miss Riker so much. And not knowing if he's ok is killing me.

"This isn't fair. Do you know how many times Riker has gotten hurt because he was trying to protect me? Why would dad target him over me?"

"I don't know."

I sighed. I hate that there's nothing I can do. 

"How about I call and order a pizza? Just relax. I'll give the police another call too, ok?"

"Ok..."

Mark got up and went into the kitchen. He called and ordered a pizza and then called the police. I was thinking it would just be a short call because they haven't been able to tell us anything. But he was in the kitchen for so long, that I had to answer the door for the pizza. I ran to the kitchen and Mark gave me $20 for the pizza guy. 

I brought the pizza to the kitchen after I paid and then sat down at the table. I really wanted to know what the police were saying. He's probably been on the phone for a half an hour, which I guess is probably good? I mean, if they had no news or leads, he would be off the phone by now. And they also probably aren't saying they found Riker dead because that would also probably be a shorter phone call too. And Mark doesn't seem upset. So I'm guessing they have a lead.

Finally after what felt like forever, he hung up with the police.

"So!?" I asked.

"So... They have a lead."

"I knew it."

"This guy at a motel a few hours from here saw a news story about Riker and called the police because someone with your dad's name checked into the motel last night and he thought maybe that was Riker's dad and maybe he had Riker. So the police came and investigated. They don't have security cameras and the guy running the motel said he didn't see Riker. It was just his dad who checked in. But that doesn't mean Riker wasn't with him. The description he gave matches the description of your dad, so they're assuming it really was your dad. They searched the room he had. The only thing they found was a box of hair dye in the trash."

"Hair dye?"

"They're thinking maybe he dyed Riker's hair to make him unrecognizable."

"Oh... So where do they think they are now?"

"They don't know. That motel was in the middle of literally nowhere. They're in the mountains. They could be anywhere."

"Well can we go drive near there?"

"I suppose. We really have no way to know where we should be going or looking, but we can head up to the mountains in case they find Riker or have a better lead."

"Great!"

"But I want you to eat some pizza first. Then you can pack a bag, and we'll go."