The Outsider War: Kat and Mack's Return

Chapter 17

Mack's POV.

We jumped in the car and drove down the road, me being as worried as can be. I figured she would be alright because our house isn't too far away from Two-Bit's, but still it was nighttime and she was alone. If something happened to her, it would be my fault, and I just couldn't live with that. So, we raced down the road to our apartment on the West side of town. Mind you, it wasn't that far because the apartment was right near the line between West and East side, so we passed many whistling greasers on the way there. When we rolled up to our house, Sodapop ran out of the car first, slamming the car door behind him. He ran up the stairs and found that our door was locked. I told him about the key that was hiding in the flower pot beside our door. He quickly found it in a sort of panic. I heard the familiar slamming of our door as he ran inside to find Kat. We waited for what seemed like ETERNITY for Sodapop to come out with Kat and say that she was okay. The only problem was that he didn't. He walked outside of the apartment door without Kat and I saw tears rolling down his face. He came back down the stairs and got back in the car. "She's not in there is she?" Two-Bit said sadly. "No," Sodapop uttered. I began to sob right then and there. Kat was gone, maybe even kidnapped, and it was all my fault. I couldn't handle it. I had to find her in that apartment. She had to be in there, and Sodapop had to have not looked in the right room. It had to be, or just all of this was a dream. I ran out of the car, my tears whipping in the wind. I ran inside searching everywhere to find her. I was in a sort of panic and began to get afraid that my looking was doing no good. Ponyboy ran in behind me, trying to talk to me. He followed me around the house as I searched pitifully for my sister. "Mack!" Pony exclaimed. "This is only making it worse!" "No, I have to find her!" Pony grabbed me and pulled me in his arms. I had no idea that he was so strong. He pulled me in for a hug and I began to calm down, with my head on his chest. "I'm sorry," I said. "Don't be," he replied. "But, the more time we waste looking for someone who isn't here, the less time we have to actually find her. Now, let's get going." Pony and I walked back to the Stingray and jumped in. "I told you she wasn't there," Soda said. "Just shut up and drive," I said back. Soda shot me a smile and revved up the car. Unimpressed, I crossed my arms and sat back in the seat.

We realized after moments of driving, that we had no clue where to go. "Who would want to take her?" Two-Bit asked. "Any kind of guy who likes good looking girls," Soda replied. At that moment, I realized how sad he must have been. His true love was gone and he didn't know where. He had loved her almost as much as I did. I began to get angry with whoever had taken her at that moment too. It was one thing to take someone's sister, but it was another to take someone's girlfriend. "Lets go to the Dingo," Two-Bit suggested. "Now is NOT the time to get some fries and a shake Two-Bit!" Sodapop yelled. "Not for that you dumb butt, but to see if Kat went there and if anyone saw her." Soda nodded and we took a turn towards the Dingo.

When we rolled up, I burst in through the doors, looking for someone who would have been here earlier when Kat was here. I finally spotted a nice looking bartender who would have surely talked to Kat at some point or another. I walked up to him and heard Two-Bit mumble behind me, "We're not here to flirt Kat." I ignored his comment and smiled at the bartender. "Excuse me?" I said. "But have you seen a girl a little shorter than me but with the same kind of brown hair. She's really pretty and is skinny. Her eyes are hazel." "The name?" the boy asked. "Kat McHolden," I replied. The bartender looked out into space as if he was trying to remember something from ages ago. "Oh yeah!" the bartender said. "Katlyn. She IS really pretty." "You shut your trap!" Sodapop yelled. "That's my girl you're talking about!" "Where did she go?" I asked. "I don't know," the boy replied. "But I do know who she was with. Randy Anderson." I gasped as Two-Bit got rowled up. "That son of a b-" "Language!" I interupted. "Which way did they leave?" I interrogated. "Towards the vacant lot," he replied. I smiled and started to walk away. "Alright thanks!" I said. "You don't need any more information?" he asked. I shook my head and smiled. "I'm afraid that's all we'll be needing."