Forever - The Final Book in the 'Missing' Trilogy.

10

Riker

Riker's heart hammered against his chest as he stepped through the shattered mirror. The room in front of him was identical to the one he had just left. The only difference was the girl waiting for him somewhere behind the door.
As he ventured down the labyrinth of hallways, Riker began to feel a strange sense of familiarity, almost like he knew this place. He shook it off, it wasn't possible. He needed to focus. He had to find Vanni before it was too late. He knew it wouldn't be long before his captor would come after him.
After a while, he turned onto a corridor that was different to all the others. It seemed older than the rest of the building. As he walked towards the large wooden door at the end of the corridor an eery sense of familiarity washed over Riker again and again, He shook it off.
He reached the door and tried the handle. Un Surprisingly, it was locked. He didn't care. He backed up a bit, took a deep breath and kicked the door down, revealing a spiral staircase. Without thinking, Riker ran straight up the stairs, only to be met by another locked door. He could just about hear the sound of someone sobbing behind the door. "Vanni!" He muttered under his breath, tears stinging his eyes. He was about to kick this door down when he noticed something on the door. Scratchings of a symbol or name that he couldn't make out. He vaguely remembered a similar image in the back of his mind and the nagging feeling that he recognised this place returned. Savannah's sobbing pulled him out of his thoughts and he kicked down the door in front of him. When he ran into the room Vanni screamed and backed away from him. "No! Please..... just leave me alone..... leave me in peace...." she said, sobbing harder. Riker approached her cautiously, "it's ok!" He told her "you're ok, we're gonna get out of here!". She glanced up at him and he smiled "it's me, its Riker.." He said. She was silent for a moment before muttering, "Riker?". He smile again and bent down, wrapping his arms around his girlfriend for the first time in months.
"Let's go home," he whispered to her and she nodded into his chest. Riker stood up and held out his hand for Savannah, who took it. They turned to face the door and stopped dead in their tracks. Suddenly the hair on the back of Rikers neck stood up and a cold feeling washed down his spine. In a split second dozen of images flashed through his mind and he began to piece everything together. The events of the last few months combined with news reports he had heard over the last five years came together in his mind and he began to finally recognise the man standing in front of him now.