Chapter 3

The next morning Sally again, slowly woke up. She let out a little groan. Why do mornings need to be so early? she asked herself, not for the first time.

Through her bedroom door, she could faintly hear, her father's voice coming from the kitchen. Her clock said it was already 10:00 am, she decided to get up and see if there was any more news about Jessie.

Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, Sally shuffled into the bathroom. She picked up her electric toothbrush and brushed her teeth. Sally was feeling much more awake, by the time she rinsed out her mouth and went back to her room to dress.

When she went down stairs her parents were sitting at the kitchen table, each was holding a cup of coffee. Frank looked up when Sally walked in and said, "Good morning."

"Morning, parents of mine."

Frank rolled his eyes. Sally knew he did not understand why his daughter had to find complex ways, to say simple things, but he didn't say anything. "Did you have a good sleep?"

"Yes dad." Sally answered, thinking of what she had been doing to tire herself out.

Sally prepared herself a bowl of cereal. Sitting down at the table with her parents, Sally saw Frank was about to say something, when his cell phone rang.

"Frank Turner," he answered. Listening for a few moments, he grinned. "That's great. Keep me advised."

Frank closed the phone. "That was Phil, one of our tech guys. He thinks he has found a match on the description we got of the kidnapper. We are getting a warrant, to check his credit and bank card usage for the last couple days. See if we can get, a location on him."

Sally finished eating. She rinsed off the bowl and spoon before putting them into the dishwasher. "Dad, I have an idea how I may be able to help you with that also. I will be in my room, with the picture."

"Just be careful." Frank reminded her.

"I know."

Sally went back up to her room. She quickly re-entered the picture and returned to the moment she last left Jessie. "It's getting light outside. Let's see, if we can figure out where you are," Sally said.

Sally and Jessie walked outside, the birds were starting to chirp with the increasing light. Realizing it was still cold outside, Sally created a warm coat for Jessie and herself. Both girls started to walk down the path. They had both been moving along for about 20 minutes, when they turned a corner and saw a man standing in front of them with several grocery bags in his hands.

"Who the fuck..."

Sally pushed Jessie back up the hill. "Run!"

Sally followed behind Jessie, but she could hear the man catching up with then. Without stopping, Sally concentrated and was holding a baseball bat in her hands. She ducked behind a tree, just out of her pursuer's site and waited until he appeared. When he was close enough, Sally stepped out in front of him; swinging the bat as hard as she could, Sally smashed it into his face.

The man flew back, a spirt of blood coming from his shattered teeth. The man lay groaning on the ground. Sally yelled, "Jessie! I got him. Come help me tie him up."

A few moments later, Jessie walked slowly back down the path. Her pace picked up again, when she saw Sally was safe. She was guarding the man, with the bat still in her hands. Both girls working together, managed to drag the barely conscious man to a large tree close to the edge of the path. Sally produced chains and cuffs similar to those that had been used to hold Jessie. Wrapping the chains around the base of the tree and the man's chest, they finally attached the ends to cuffs, which they placed around both his wrists and ankles.

Feeling safer, now that he could not stop them Sally and Jessie continued down the path. They soon came across a small clearing and saw a black SUV parked there. Sally stopped, to make note of the license plate number. The path was wider after that, but still continued down hill. The girls continued walking down for another half hour before they finally reached pavement.

Sally and Jessie looked both directions, but there were no obvious landmarks to be seen. Sally picked a direction away from the rising sun and started walking along the side of the road. Because it was so early she was not surprised there was no traffic.

The two girls, continued walking for another 15 minutes. Sally finally stopped. "Jessie, we have no idea where you are. I need, to let my father know about the kidnapper's licence plate number. I will be back in a bit and we can continue looking if necessary."

"OK, please hurry."

"You won't even know I'm gone."

Sally put her arms around Jessie. The two girls hugged briefly. Sally release the picture and sat up on her bed. She stood up and ran down stairs. Her father was in the living room with her mother. Frank turned, when he heard Sally run down the stairs. "More good news," he said before Sally could speak, "we have got hits on both his credit card and bank card in a small town called Sethville, in BC."

"I know his licence plate number. Do you have a picture? I know what he looks like and can confirm if it is the same person."

Frank wrote down the licence plate number and dialed his cell phone. "Phil it's Frank, check this BC licence number and let me know if it matches our suspect." He read off the number. He listened for a few more moments. "Can you e-mail me his DMV photo, to my phone? OK, thanks Phil."

"Well, I don't know how you are starting to get this new information and frankly at this point, I don't care. You are right, the licence plate is his." Frank's phone beeped. He looked at the display. He pressed some buttons, then held the display towards Sally. "Is this him?"

Sally looked at the picture. "Yes, that's him."

"I need to call Jane and bring her up to speed on this."

Frank called his partner and talked with her for a few minutes. "I am meeting Jane at the airport. The Mounties are letting us come along for the arrest, seeing we will be bringing him back here anyway. If all goes well, we should be back in a few days at the most. Sally, you can help us. When we are getting ready to go in, I am going to call you. You can use my picture to view where I will be and check ahead to let me know, what we will be dealing with. You may save some lives, if things go bad."

"Sure dad, no problem."

Frank went upstairs, he came back a few minutes later with a backpack over one shoulder. He quickly kissed his wife on the lips and before Sally could say anything, gave her a quick peck on the cheek.

"Be careful Frank."

"I will, love you both." Frank gave a quick final wave before stepping quickly outside. Sally watched out the window, as he got into his car and drove off.

It was getting close to lunch time. Sally went to the kitchen and made herself a couple of peanut butter sandwiches. Sally sat at the kitchen table. She looked through the kitchen entrance into the living room and saw her mother still looking out the window, with a worried frown on her face.

"Mom, do you want a sandwich? I can make you something else, if you don't want peanut butter."

Clair jumped at bit when Sally spoke. Taking a deep breath, she turned away from the window to face her daughter. Sally was shocked to see tears, in her mothers eyes. Clair gave a little smile to Sally. "No thank-you I can make my own lunch. Sorry to be such a worry-wart."

"That's alright."

Despite what Clair had said to her, Sally handed her mother the uneaten sandwich. Clair wordlessly took it from her and started to eat it. Sally got up from the table, she grabbed a couple glasses from the cupboard, she poured them each a glass of milk. Sally handed one to her mother, she then drank half of her own before stopping. Sally was still hungry so she made herself another sandwich to eat.

A few hours later Sally was pacing back and forth in her room. Unable to stand not knowing what was going on anymore, she picked up a picture of her father. It was one she had taken herself, a couple months ago. Taken, during an early spring camping trip, she and her parents had gone on around Jasper. Sally had snapped the picture, just as her father was getting out of the tent, he was sharing with her mother. Sally smiled at the look on his face, captured at the moment her mother was dumping a handful snow, that had fall the night before, down the back of his shirt.

Sally concentrated on the picture and quickly entered it. Not wasting more time, she let the world around her fast-forward to the present. Sally blushed furiously, when she realized that she was standing in the men's room next to her father, while he was peeing into a urinal. She quickly left the room and saw that she was in an airport.

A couple minutes later Frank left the bathroom. Sally followed him, as he walked towards a couple people in RCMP uniforms. Jane was already standing there talking with them. "Frank let me introduce, Constables Susan Right and Peter Helms." Frank shook both extended hands.

"Good to meet you. Any new information?"

"We are moving surveillance teams in, where we think he is staying." Peter answered. "Can this person you have helping you, do anything for us here?"

"I think so." Frank answered. "We will need to wait until we are closer, she will be using me or Jane as a focal point."

"I don't suppose, you would be willing to tell us anything about this mystery psychic working with you?" Susan asked. "I have always been interested in the paranormal. I would love to meet the real deal some time."

"Sorry not my place to share. If and when she is ready, it will be up to her to tell others about her abilities."

Sally could see what looked like honest disappointment on Susan's face. For now she was just as glad, that her father was being his normal over-protective self. Frank and Jane were following the two RCMP officers outside. They all climbed into the marked cruiser, Susan got behind the wheel and pulled out of the airport's parking lot.

Sally let go of the picture, of her father. She then picked up the picture of Jessie and quickly entered that one. Jessie was still alone, she was sleeping on the bed. Sally moved closer and saw evidence that Jessie had cried herself to sleep. She reached out with her hand and without thinking about it tried to stroke Jessie's hair in a comforting manner, but was frustrated when her hand simply passed, insubstantially through Jessie's head.

Sally with a sigh released Jessie's picture knowing that there was nothing more she could do for Jessie, until her father was able to get somebody there to free her. Sally realized that she was hungry again.

She went downstairs. Her mother was cleaning the house. This was her normal way to deal with the stress when she was worried about something. "Mom, would you like me to make supper?"

Clair jumped when Sally spoke. Clair turned to look at her daughter. "That would be nice Sally."

"Do you want anything in particular?" Sally asked.

"No make what ever you want. I didn't realize until now, but I am hungry also."

"Can I invite Emily over?" Sally asked.

"Sure."

Sally first went to the basement. She opened the freezer and took out a package of ground beef. She went back upstairs. She grabbed a plate and put the package on it and put it into the microwave on defrost. When she had the meat going she picked up the phone.

It rang a couple times, "Jennifer's. This is Jennifer. How may I help you?"

"Hi Mrs. Hatch. It's Sally, is Emily still there?"

"She is with a customer at the moment. If you can hold, she can speak with you when she is done."

"Thanks. That will be fine."

Sally heard the phone being put down. She listened to the noises from the restaurant for a few minutes, before Emily picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Hey Em. Are you going to be off work soon?"

"Yep. Just need to clean up my table then I am off."

"I am making beef casserole, mom said you could come over for supper if you want."

"That would be great. Be nice to have someone else serve me for a change. I should be there in about a half-hour, unless I miss my bus."

"OK, that should be fine. I haven't started yet and it will keep until you get here. See you soon." Sally made sure her mother was not in ear shot before making a kissing noise into the phone receiver and hung up.

Sally was just taking the casserole dish out of the oven, when the door bell rang. Clair answered the door. Sally looked up, when Emily walked into the kitchen. She was still in her work uniform, she had her back-pack that Sally knew she kept her regular clothes in.

"Just let me get changed and I will be right back." Emily said.

Going upstairs, Sally heard Emily open and close her bedroom door.

"Mom, supper is ready."

Sally put a hot plate onto the kitchen table. She put the dish onto the plate and then grabbed a serving spoon and stuck it into the still bubbling, wonderful smelling meal she had prepared. Sally returned to the cupboard for some plates and cutlery, when Clair walked into the kitchen.

"Mmm. Smells good." She took the plates and cutlery from Sally and set them on the table. Sally opened the fridge and took out a bowl of fresh carrot and celery sticks, with cauliflower and broccoli, while Clair sat down.

Sally put the bowl of vegetables on the table, before she sat in her own chair. She looked up at the sound of Emily walking back down the stairs. Sally and her mother waited until Emily had sat and scooped some casserole onto her dish, Sally then grabbed some of the veggies, for herself.

While waiting for her mother to serve herself, Sally saw that Emily had not put on her make-up, she was, however, wearing one of her signature black t-shirts and black jeans. Today her shirt had a giant skull and cross-bones on the front.

"So, where's your dad?" Emily asked.

"We got some leads on where Jessie is being kept," Sally answered, "Dad and Jane have flown out to Thomasburg. Last I checked with them, dad was just driving to Sethvill where they think the kidnapper may be staying."

"That's great!" Emily said.

Sally just nodded her mouth was full of food. Emily got up. She helped herself to a glass of orange juice. She took a sip before asking, "does anyone else want some?"

Sally and her mother both answered no. Emily put the juice back in the fridge and took her glass back to the table and continued eating. After everyone was finished Emily said, "That was great, thanks for supper."

With out asking, Emily stood up and started gathering up dishes and took them all to the sink. Sally put a lid on the leftover casserole, she then put it and the remaining vegetables back into the fridge.

"Me and Emily will clean up, mom."

Emily rinsed off all the dishes and Sally put them into the dishwasher. "Did you finish your homework?" Emily asked as the two girls worked.

Sally was wiping off the table when she answered. "Yep, all done. Don't let me forget to give you back your text-book before you leave."

Sally jumped slightly when the phone rang. Clair answered it, "Sally, it's your father. He would like to talk with you."

Sally trotted over to her mother and took the cordless phone from her. "Hello?"

"Hey. We are here and getting ready to move in. If you feel up to it, I would like you to scout inside the house and let us know what we should expect," Frank said not wasting any time.

"OK dad." Sally was just about to ask him to wait while she got his picture, but her mother handed her one. Sally quickly glanced at it and saw it was another picture from the same family vacation, she had used earlier. This time it was a picture, of her mother and father standing next to each other, in front of a water fall.

Sally concentrated on the picture. She was quickly standing in front of her mother and father. Not wasting any time, she focused her mind on her father and let the world around her fast-forward to the present.

Frank was just putting one his kevlar vest. Sally watched her father pick up his cell phone again and hold it against his ear. Likely her mother was still talking with him, letting him know what she was doing. Frank waited a few more moments, Sally assumed he was giving her enough time to arrive.

Frank then started talking into the phone, pretending she was listening on the other side. "We are staged a block away from the suspects house. We have people in closer, keeping an eye on the house, to make sure he does not leave."

"He should be in house 342. We need to know if he is actually in there and alone. We also need to know what is the inside layout of the house is and what room is he in?"

Sally moved in the direction her father and the other police were all looking in. She could see officers dressed in camouflage moving to all the neighboring houses ordering people to stay inside. Sally saw her destination, she moved inside.

In the house, Sally could hear noises coming from the basement. Looking around a bit, Sally finally found the stairs leading down. When she got down the stairs she could make out the sound of feminine moaning. Sally moved into the room, where the sounds could be heard and saw the kidnapper sitting in front of a TV. He had his pants down around his knees, masturbating as he watched a lesbian porno on the screen.

Eww! Sally thought to herself. She looked around and made sure he was alone in the room before moving on. She searched the rest of the house and confirmed that he was alone, before she released the picture from her mind.

Clair, seeing Sally, move handed her the phone. "Dad..." Sally told her father everything that she had seen in the house.

After Sally was finished making her report her father said, "OK, you did great. I need to go now."

Emily had been watching and listening to everything, without saying a word. As soon as her father hung up the phone Sally said, "Come on Em. Let's go up to my room."

Both girls went upstairs. Sally closed the door, before she picked up the picture of her father she had used earlier. "I'm a bit worried about what is going on. Would it bother you, if I go back and watch my father?"

"No, I understand."

Sally laid down on her stomach, on her bed. Emily laid down next to her. Just as Sally started to concentrate on the picture, Emily unexpectedly reached over and touched the picture. Things felt a bit strange to Sally, when she entered the picture. She was standing in front of her frozen father, with snow down his back. Sally jumped when she heard suddenly from behind her, "What the fuck?"

Sally quickly turned and was shocked to see Emily standing there, next to Sally's own frozen self. "Em? How did you get here?"

"I don't know. Must have been, from touching the picture."

"I have entered pictures before with someone touching it. This has never happened before. Must be another, new ability."

"New ability?"

"I'll explain later. For now let's go see what is happening."

Sally was not sure, exactly what would happen with an extra person along for the ride. She was relieved when she was able to take Emily by the hand. Sally concentrated again for a moment and the world started to race ahead in time. Emily just had time to yell, "Whoa!" and throw her arms around Sally, before things settled back down.

"Warn a girl, next time something like that is going to happen." Emily said.

"Sorry. I have got so used to that, I don't think about it anymore."

Both girls looked around, they saw Frank busy talking with several men and women wearing kevlar vests, checking over rifles and pistols. The girls moved closer, to hear what was being said.

"... we know the suspect is in the house alone, we believe he is currently in the basement, but we need to check the whole house incase he has moved. We have no idea if he is armed, we should assume he is and go in using flash-bangs and tear gas. Are there any questions?"

Frank waited a few moments. When no one spoke, Frank clapped his hands together and said, "OK. Let's go!"

Everyone pulled gas masks over their faces and started to move towards the house. In front, were two large men, carrying a steel battering ram. Sally and Emily followed along, watching with interest what was happening. When everyone was close to the house, everyone fanned out, pointing their weapons towards the windows.

The two with the ram moved up to the front steps, with one good swing they smashed in the front door. A woman came up behind them and tossed a gas canister through the door way. Everyone waited a moment for the gas to disperse, before moving in.

Sally and Emily went in behind. They were unaffected by the gas, but they found it hard to see through the thick, white smoke. The girls could hear the sound of someone coughing, coming from the basement. Following behind Sally's father and his partner, both barely recognizable behind their gas masks, Sally and Emily watched as Frank and Jane, carefully navigated their way, toward the stairs.

A woman, wearing full body armor went down first. She had her rifle held ready to fire before her. Sally took Emily by the hand. She concentrated for a moment, slowly both girls began to sink down through the floor.