One Final Call

Chapter 6- Call Two.

That evening is a blur. Sheriff Johnson got to our house while he was on the phone with a man named Eric Pemdram, the leader of the BAU. "Thanks so much Eric. We really need this... this boys life is on the line. I'll see you tommorow morning." He shuts his phone, "So, tell me calmly what happened."

"There isn't a calm way to talk about this. The kidnapper... he's sick. He wants to play this game, where I have to find Jacks within the span of sixteen to twentyfour phone calls! And if I don't..." I left that sentence hanging, and he seemed to catch on. I need a distraction. "What's the BAU?"

"The Behavioral Analyasis Unit. They create profiles of criminals that help track them down. And I promise you that we're going to try our very best to find your brother." He says in a reassuring way, but I heard the tiredness in his voice. Has he dealt with the other families that have been broken because of this man?

"Try? No... will find. I'm not going to be okay until Jacks is home," I sigh, then continue. "I'm sorry for bugging you. Please go home and sleep, and come the second they get here. Thanks for coming." And with that, I usher him out the door. My Mom is sitting on the couch, looking at the wall with her eyes glazed over.

"What are you thinking about Mom?" I ask, gently.

"The day your brother was born, how scared I was. I thought I was going to lose him... but I didn't. And now, I might... I- can't breathe." Her voice breaks as she fumbles into a heavy cry. I remember the day Jacks was born. I was always excited to have a little brother, until the day it happened. I was supposed to have a piano recital, the first one of the year. Mom had assured me she'd be there. It was at the church that was about a block away from home. I had gotten dropped off there an hour early by Dad, with a promise to come back as soon as he got Mom.

I remember watching the church fill up with the other students families, while I searched for the blue polka dot dress Mom had been wearing earlier. Ten minutes before it was to start, I swallowed my tears and accepted that they would not be there. Mrs. Graziono, my instructor, found me in the hall, waiting to begin. "Jessica, I need you to come with me, your Mom is having a baby!" That effectively cancelled my portion of the show, and I can recall the swell of anger I felt towards the baby in her stomach. Was this what it was going to be like from now on? Being put after the little boy? It was hardly fair, I knew Mom and Dad way longer than he ever would!

Still, I went with Mrs. Graziono and sat in the waiting room for exactly 6 hours and 42 minutes. I had nothing better to do than count the time. Occasionally a nurse would come out and update us on what was happening inside. I desperately wanted to go in and see Mom. I was Mom's world, I could help her through anything. Slowly I realized that this would not be the case any longer. I would have to share her, the way she made sugar cookies for me whenever I was sad, how she would read her students essays out loud and pretend to let me grade them. No, now I would be the older sibling, the one who would be forgotten in the midst of baby Jacks cooing and stealing the limelight. 

Finally, after waiting almost seven hours, Dad comes out of the room looking broken. "Mr. Rampsi?" My teacher asks. He looks to us, his eyes dead. 

"There's been a complication, Sue... He was born with the spinal cord wrapped around his neck. He was oxygen deprived for three minutes. They don't know the extent of the damage yet... but I know. I can feel it in my gut. How can I manage this?" And then, for the first time in my young life, I saw my father shed a tear. 

Sue Graziono jumped in quickly. "You will love him unconditionally and you will have a beautiful family. I do not want to see you crying unless it's tears of joy! You have the family you want! Congratulations, Dad!" She embraced him and gave him a reassuring pat on the back.

I can only imagine the horror Mom felt after she delievered Jacks and they whisked him away from her. She later told me that she didn't have the chance to hold him until almost an hour after he was born. He was a fighter, he was special. 

When he was diagnosed with Down Syndrome a mere two years after he was born, our family celebrated. He was ours, he was different, and we loved him unconditionally, just as Sue said we should.

---

Early the next morning, the special team from the BAU arrived. Eric introduced himself to us all, along with three others: Andy, a young man who specialized in cases involving special needs victims, Josie, an older blonde who was friendly and welcoming, and finally, Maxwell. He was fresh from school, yet Eric seemed to have a great deal of respect for him. They explained to us- My father, my Mom, and I, what they would be doing and told us to go on with our lives, that's the only way for us to make progress.

So I did, I went to school the next day. All day I was gauked at from afar, whispers swirled around me. I could not focus in any class, my mind kept drifting to a few days ago when Jacks was sure I was calling him a muffin when I jokingly said ragamuffin. The entire eight hours was pure tourture. Ryan tried to talk to me, but I couldn't face him. I was ashamed. I let my feelings for him create this whole mess. My friends all reached out to me, yet I couldn't reach back. I was stuck in a perpetual bubble, looking to feel sorry for myself.

At the end of the day I went straight home. Andy was sitting in the living room with a bunch of computers sitting on the coffee table. He noticed me lingering and said hello.

"How's it going?" I asked quietly.

"Nothin' concrete yet, but don't you worry. We're the best of the best, darlin'." He had a slight southern accent, he dropped his g's from words.

"You know, this is my fault... I left him alone." I felt like I needed to tell him. I wanted someone to be mad at me. How selfish, right? But I did.

He laughed, catching me off guard. "I promise you, this isn't your fault. Whoever did this would have found a way to get to Jacks with or without you. Just let us do our job. When he calls you next- I'm assuming it will be today, try to keep him on the phone for a full minute. We can unscramble his burner phone and get a location on him if you do that."

"I'll do my best."

---

Andy was right, he called a few hours later. I was sitting in my room, working on my psych homework when it came. I jumped from bed and ran downstairs, where the entire team was. "He's calling!!" I screamed.

Eric reminded me to stay calm and try to keep him on the phone for as long as I could. Josie rubbed my back to relieve some nerves. 

"Hello?" I finally answered.

"Hello Jessica. I see you've got company with you."

Startled, I looked to Eric. He motioned me to keep talking. "I don't know what you're talking about!" I squeaked in a high pitched voice.

"Oh, Jessica. Do not lie to me. Do you know what happens when you lie to me?" I heard the sound of skin connecting with skin. Jacks cries out, and I have to stifle a moan. "That is what happens. Tell Eric I said hello, I hope he can catch me this time."

Eric hears his words and stiffens. He whispers "You need to keep him talking for 45 seconds."

I swallow and say "How do I get Jacks back?"

A series of laughs on the other end of the phone turns into a guffaw. "You find him. Would you like a clue? I live in a big box, it's painted a nice blue. The boys like the color blue. I sincerely hope you're not trying to trace my call, sweetheart. I'm smarter than that. You can unscramble and rescramble my signal, but I've played with technology my entire life. It won't be as easy as your friend Andy makes it out to be."

Andy flashes me 10 fingers, telling me he only needs a few more seconds. "Let me speak to Jacks!" I demand.

"Ahh, but just in case you can find me... I believe our time is up. Until next time-" And with that, he hangs up.

Andy is the first to break the deafening silence. "Eric, how does he know us?"

Eric is standing there, loosening his tie. "I believe it's because we've worked this case before. In California, two years ago."

They all look at each other, forlorn. I wave my hands around, confused. "I thought you said you were the best of the best?!" I pointedly look at Andy. He catched my eye and looks away.

"Yes," Eric begins, "This was the only case... we couldn't solve."