Chapter 53: Flying to the Rescue

Erin struggled. She fought with and yelled at Mike. She knew it was him but she hadn't seen his face. She spat curses and screamed for help as he carried her to his car and put her in. However, for some reason no one came, no one noticed her. Mike pushed her in and across, not allowing her alone in the car for too long. She watched the scenery go by, buildings, cars, people. She yelled and called, screamed and slammed herself into the door, but nothing stopped what was happening. She was being taken away; away from Ral, from Renée, from her family.

Mike had used Master PC; it was the only way to explain it. Jeri had been in the shower when he just opened the door and carried Erin to his car. She called out to Jeri, struggling against Mike's incredible strength. It was like wrestling against solid steel bars that could move. He never hit her, never did anything to hurt her. Mike had only restrained her from escaping until he got the car moving.

Even as he drove, heading for the highway, he would place his arm across her chest to keep her from leaving when he came to a stop. Truly, his arm was better than a seat belt. He drove them to the highway and still further. He remained calm during Erin's rant, showing the kind of patience a parent does for a child learning a difficult lesson. He drove calmly, not perturbed or concerned with anything.

The police passed by but didn't see Erin waving at them, trying to get their attention. They got on the highway and though it was reckless, Erin tried the door. She pulled on the lock, trying desperately to get out, but it wouldn't open. Mike just drove, like a crazy woman wasn't trying to jump out of the car while they were going seventy down the highway.

They passed through the Mix-Master, a cluster point where several highways converged and if you didn't know them well, you could end up going almost the opposite way you wanted, and on he drove. Where were they going? Where was he taking her? Why was he so determined to make her his?

Erin gave up the struggle. She didn't bother with the steering wheel. Mike had presented a strength when he grabbed her that suggested he could wrench a hand out of its socket. She wanted away from him, not to wrestle with him. Mike had never been that strong and he had never been so patient with her. Erin thought of two very distinct possibilities: one, Mike had to have been using Master PC and making everyone else ignore anything going on in his car and two, Ral and the others probably didn't know that she was missing.

Erin knew that Mike couldn't use Master PC to make changes to her directly. Ral had been smart enough to safeguard against that possibility, but Mike had already figured out how to get others to ignore them en mass. That didn't bode well.

She thought about Ral. Those loving brown eyes, his gentle hands, his soft kisses; she was already beginning to miss him. She wanted to see him again, to feel him holding her. They had shared some tender moments and he even proved how much he cared for her by trying to cut her loose. To let her go so she could be free of the power that bound them together. It didn't hurt her physically but it started to break her heart to know she wouldn't be with him anymore. She could handle a bit of binding if she could always be with him. He didn't try to control her at all and she loved him for that more than anything else.

It was true, she realized. She loved him. She knew it, felt it, and it wasn't his power telling her. She was truly in love with Ral and wouldn't leave him regardless of the rest of the family. That sensation calmed her more than just the futility of fighting Mike.

So Erin sat back and relaxed. Ral had agreed to protect her. He would find her and take her back from Mike. He would rescue her. She knew it. It wasn't just hope, but fact, just as real as the sun rising in the morning. It might take time, but Ral would rescue her. All she had to do was keep him in mind and he would be there.

I sat up with Renée, Alexandria, Jeri and Mandy all sitting around me.

"Are you all right?" Alexandria asked.

"What happened?" Renée asked.

I looked at each of them and stopped with Jeri. "Have you seen Erin?"

She shook her head. "No. When I got out of the shower she was gone."

"That's because Mike has her," I said simply. "I don't know how, but her panic reached me like an alarm. He's driving her to some unknown location as we speak. They've already passed through the... Mix Master?" I looked around to the girls. They knew the cities better than I did.

Renée answered, "That's in Dallas. How... ?"

"I can't explain. Suffice it to say I know they're heading east; probably to get out of range of Master PC. Maybe even far enough from me to lose the connection I have with Erin."

Jeri got up and stood by the door. "I'm going to call the police."

"It won't matter. He's passed police with Erin all but jumping in her seat to get their attention. Somehow he's figured out how to get others to ignore anything going on in his car."

"Do you know if he's hurt her?" Mandy asked. I was kind of surprised that she was worried, but it wasn't important enough to dwell on at the moment.

I shook my head. "No. He's just taken her for now. I also know however that he could hurt her badly if he got angry. He's bumped up his strength a lot."

Renée had been thinking. "It sounds like Erin's panic opened up your link with her, allowing you to hear some of her thoughts and the things she's noticed." She looked up. "I doubt Mike's expecting you to even find them."

I nodded at that. "True, but he's taken some basic precautions. I might not even notice them while their still in that car."

"Then you need to see if you can reach her like she's reached you," Renée suggested.

"I don't know how half of my abilities work, how am I supposed to do that?"

"First calm down. You're panicking and that won't help. You're her protector and you need a level head. You know how to do this. You've felt our emotions when we get close, to share the sensation. All you really have to do is open up to her specifically. Just think of her in whatever way you need to," she said. She didn't have my abilities but she had been using hers for a couple of years, especially the empathy she had.

I nodded and lay back on the floor. Closing my eyes I thought about Erin, her green eyes, her red hair, holding her when we had been intimate, our dinner at Olive Garden, and so many other little things that were just her, just Erin. I felt her fear. She had calmed herself but she was still scared of what Mike might do to her. I felt her endearment for me and it was deep, rooted somewhere in her that I didn't dare go. I didn't need to though, I just needed to know she was okay and she was, for the moment. Down that line that tied us together, I let her know that I was there and that I knew of her predicament. That endearment for me flared. It wasn't a fire like her lust, but a warm comfortable sensation. I wasn't sure what it was but she had a word for it, Love.

A single tear slid over the side of my face and fell into my ear. I felt a hand wipe it away but no one said anything, no one wanted to disturb me. My connection with my girls had never been able to convey much more than emotions or physical sensations. From what I could tell, Erin was fine short of the fear, but I needed to know where she was. That was when I got a glimpse. Like a snapshot or short framed movie. She was passing a lake and a sign, Ray Hubbard Reservoir.

"What is Ray Hubbard Reservoir?" I asked the girls around me.

"Lake Ray Hubbard is on the east side of Dallas, heading to Rockwall," Renée answered.

Again and again I got glimpses, "Horizon", "Texas Lane", and "Bass street". Finally, I caught a glimpse of the front of a house. Erin's fear geared up as the car stopped and turned off.

I let Erin know that I was on my way and would be there as soon as possible. Her reply was simple, I know.~

I had to leave immediately for Erin, but I couldn't leave Alexandria after the promises I had made her. I told her as much while I got dressed: tennis shoes, shorts, and a simple t-shirt.

"Ral, I've waited two years. This can't wait. If you can rescue her before that man does anything to her, then you've already done my memories a service. I'll be fine for another day." She held my hands while telling me.

I was still torn. "How about a compromise? I'll call Tabitha and she can take you to the police station for the report at least."

She nodded and gave me a kiss on the cheek. "Okay, if it will help you to stay focused. If your concern for me distracts you and he does something..."

I nodded. She had suffered too much loss already. "Yes, agreed." I turned to Renée. "Feel up to a road trip?"

She nodded. "Are you sure about not calling the police?"

"We'll call the locals once we arrive."

"How will you explain finding Erin there?" Mandy asked.

"It's pretty simple. Erin disappeared and we all know Mike has been trying to get back with her. So we checked his hangouts and got lucky."

"That is simple," Mandy replied. "But what should I do?"

"Stay here and be our hub of information. Anyone who calls or comes by will be looking for me. You can let them know what's going on." I gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Ral, you don't have a phone. How's anyone supposed to call?" Jeri asked.

Renée flipped open her phone and started dialing a number. "I'm calling the phone company to get things started. I'll get you a phone on my plan."

While she made the call I asked Jeri, "How about we take your phone and Renée leaves hers with Mandy. Everyone knows to call her if they need to get in touch with me. Mandy can field those calls and any really important ones, she can pass on to us." Jeri nodded and handed me her phone.

"I've got to get home and change and then on to work. I'll call later to find out how things are going." A quick kiss and she was heading out the door.

Renée hung up. "They said they'll have a phone waiting for us at the store, but we have to activate it."

I nodded. "Cool, but it'll wait. You have Jeri's number, right?" I held up the phone. She nodded. "Good, make it number one so Mandy can dial it if need be."

While she set he phone I asked for Tabitha's number. She answered on the third ring, "Hello."

"Tabitha, it's Ral. I've got a favor to ask only because an emergency has come up. Could you take Alexandria down to the police station?"

"Why did she do something?"

"No, the emergency's not with her. She has to file a report of an attack from two years ago. I've got to go find Erin. It looks like Mike grabbed her."

There was no hesitation. "Okay, I will. Find her and give that asshole what he deserves."

"Thank you and I will. Alexandria will be here at my place waiting for you."

"Let her know I'll be there soon."