Chapter 4 Trapped and Confused

Ruth continued, “I don’t remember a single thing of how I got here in the first place.” Dr. Jeong pursed his lips,

“You have been in a car accident,” he started to inch away from her room. “Rest, don’t think too much about it. It doesn’t matter, you’re okay now.” When the door closed shut, Ruth slumped down on her bed and explored her room with her eyes. It looked familiar. The walls were a pale milky white color with pink plastic stars hanging from the black ceiling. The bed was a pomegranate color, a queen size set. She moved her hand over its soft surface. There was a small yellow dresser on the side, a tall antique lamp, a small purple hand weaved rug, and a medium sized brown table with a chair by a pentagon-shaped window, covered with a forest green silk curtain, patterned with pointy white flowers. Then she noticed something, a camera and a charger partly concealed by a slightly ajar flap from the ground in a partly opened blue sliding closet.

***

Gabby and Tim marched to the glass elevator in the center of the lobby. After pressing the orange triangle pointing upwards, the door slid opened and the two stepped in. The outside view was a blur because the elevator shaft was going up forty miles an hour. Ten seconds later, a bell rung. Stepping out and turning to their left, Gabby and Tim headed to the door with a falling name sign. The hallway was dimly lit with many green closed doors lining up in straight lines.

Gabby walked up to the door and rapped it three times. Tim cleared his throat a few times. The door opened slowly, creaking every second.

“Come in,” Mack croaked. The door swung opened widely, releasing an old shoe polish smell. Mack walked back to his desk, his shoes squeaking every inch he took.

Gabby straightened her red hair, smoothing out any hair sticking out, and stepped into Mack’s office. Tim held his breath, stepped in after Gabby, and closed the door behind him.

“You two only have fifteen minutes and then I have to attend to some business,” Mack drummed his fingers on his desk, while motioning to Gabby and Tim to sit on two rigid wooden chairs in front of him. Gabby took out a plastic bag from her purse, while Tim took a seat and brought out a black briefcase, opening it and taking papers out.

“Good, that’s all we need,” Gabby went straight to business. “Last month, a transfer student was reported missing after two days of leaving Valley High School’s office. Last week, Tim and I encountered some evidence the police missed.” She pointed to the articles in the plastic bag she placed on the table’s surface. Tim began to clear his throat as Mack examined the plastic bag.

As his fingers went over the wallet and lavender cloth on the outside, Mack’s eyes widened and his hands started to shake. Pull yourself together, Mack  thought to himself and closed his eyes. Then he started sweating.

“Something wrong,” Tim asked as he shuffled the papers in his hands. Mack opened his eyes and looked up; his fingers stopped moving around the plastic bag.

“No, nothing is the matter, nn-nothiing,” Mack stuttered. He wiped the sweat off his forehead with his hands, his nails filled with dirt. He cleared his throat. “Where did you collect these evidences?”

“By the cherry blossom trees at our school,” Gabby replied.

“Hmmm… I happen to know this family,” Mack said.

“Really? Did you know all of her files were missing from the school,” Gabby interrogated.

“Ah, no,” Mack whispered.

“You are really uninformed,” Gabby said sarcastically.

“That’s because we took them,” Mack blurted.

“You? The FBI? Why–,” Gabby started to say.

“Legal reasons, we did not want the school to be involved…”

Suddenly, Gabby grabbed the plastic bag out of Mack’s hands.

“Hey, what are you–,” Mack protested, trying to reach for the bag, but he was stopped by Tim’s long arms.

“Calm down, we’re here on business. You give us Teux’s address and other necessary information that will help us find Sally, and we will hand over the evidence,” Tim said.

“Why, you–.” Mack stood up and thumped the table with his hands. “That’s out of the question. We work for the government, we have the right to what you are holding right there, kids.”

“No compromise? We leave,” Gabby glared into Mack’s eyes. Mack clenched his fists, took a deep breathe, and sat down on his chair, swerving a few times.

“Very well, but on one condition. If I find your evidences to be faux, I will send both of you to the juvenile center,” Mack agreed coldly.

“We have one condition also. You must sign this contract,” Gabby spoke back in the same coldness. Tim placed the papers he was holding down onto the table.

Mack’s eyes bulged when he finished reading and signing the contract. Tim took the contract into his hands and photocopied it in his briefcase, making several for Gabby’s reference and one for Mack, while Mack tucked the evidence into his drawer, locking it with a combination.

***

Ruth walked over to the camera and picked it up. When she turned it on, she browsed through the images. She took out the green device Dr. Jeong gave her and wondered if she should press it.  After a few moments, she looked at the images on the camera again and went cold all over. She pressed the button.  Suddenly, her head started to hurt, closing her eyes as her vision blured. The image of cherry blossoms bloomed in her head before she blacked out.

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~ by jellylver123 on May 4, 2009.