Simpsational

Panic

Jace

Chrissy had been gone for a week now and he still missed her like crazy. Page had been acting really weird, too. He hadn't wanted to reach out to Kayla this badly since he'd arrived three months ago. If he had the means, he would, but what was he going to do, write a letter?

Almost on cue, Page started distributing the mail for the week. He got his usual letter from his mom, which he didn't open immediately. It didn't smell like Kayla. When he finally did, it just made him homesick. That was until he read the last paragraph.

"I sent your winter coat and some cookies with Kayla. You must have been so excited to see her!"

He sat up and reread the line three times. Kayla was coming? Perhaps was already here? He got up and headed for the door.

"What's up, Jace?" Page asked.

He wasn't going to mention Kayla to her. She went ballistic every time he brought her up. "Family emergency. I need to call home."

"What's going on, Jace? Anything we can help with?" asked Hawk.

"No. I don't think so, anyway." Jace left, heading for the Big House. A few seconds later, he was at a full run.

Kayla

Kayla had a fever. She didn't know why she had a fever, but she definitely had one. The survival pack had Tylenol, so she was able to treat it, but she worried about what might be wrong with her. It had been so cold the first night. She was now completely exhausted and was facing her second night with dread. She'd spent the day building a little shelter, using the natural shape of the cliff face and what rocks she could find. It wasn't much, but it would at least block some of the wind.

She'd also made a kind of vest and hat out of the pack itself. It had included a multi-tool with scissors and several blades, so with all the time in the world to work, she'd put something together. She would survive, as long as the fever didn't kill her. She just hoped Emily had meant she would return on the third day, not that she would spend three nights up here.

But the fever was scary. She wasn't going to be getting any medical care up here, and if a delirium got too strong, it could prove deadly.

These survival packs really needed to include Vodka, she thought for about the thirtieth time.

Jace

He hung up the phone with his mother. Kayla should definitely have been there by now. It wasn't time to panic. Maybe her car had broken down somewhere along the way. He dialed her number, but it went directly to voicemail. That could just mean she was close. Everyone's cell went to voicemail out here.

Fortunately, he'd renewed the location service on her car in his own name when she'd let it lapse after the first free year. It was satellite based, so it would work no matter where she was. After a long phone call where he had to wrack his brain to remember his pass code, he had her GPS data. She was close, he could tell that from the numbers, but without his phone it took him several minutes to pinpoint her on the map. He had a sinking feeling when he saw where her car was.

"What the hell?"

He was randomly throwing climbing gear into the back of a one of the trucks when Page and Hawk caught up with him.

"What's going on, Jace? Talk to us. You know we'll do anything for you." Page stepped in close as she spoke, but, for once, he was immune to her charm.

"It's Kayla. She was supposed to be here yesterday, but she never showed up. Now her car is parked up by the Jail. I have to go find her."

"Someone saw her car?" Page asked.

"No, but that's where it is. I have to go find her."

Page seemed a little out of sorts, her usual calm in the face of crisis eluding her. Hawk, noticing her lack of action, stepped in. "Why the climbing gear, Jace? Surely, she wouldn't go climbing all alone."

He was right, Jace knew. But where would she go? It was a long walk to the nearest phone, but she would have made it by now. What if she was hurt? He felt himself freezing in panic.

Fortunately, Page had recovered her wits. "No, lets plan for the worst, but quickly. Hawk, get the autoblock, backer board, sat phone. Jace, we're going to need the flood lights and handsets. Grab them. I'll get trauma gear, meet back here in five."

Jace was glad to have a task for his hands while his mind raced. He was likely worried over nothing. Page would handle it. She always took care of everyone.

Hawk drove, speeding, but not recklessly like Jace would have. Page got on the sat phone with highway patrol and filled them in on the situation. Jace didn't know why he hadn't thought of that first. It didn't turn up any new information, but it was a comfort that no unidentified bodies had turned up.

Kayla's car was right where he'd expected, locked up tight. But when Jace tried the handle, the doors all unlocked. "Her keys are nearby," he said. A quick search found them resting on top of the front tire. "This is so strange."

"There's another set of fresh tracks here," Page said. "Maybe she left with someone else?"

Jace had gotten in the car, turning it on and running a quick check of the systems. It told him the same thing the locater beacon had. Her car was mechanically sound; she had not broken down or run out of gas. He saw her flip-flops on the floorboard. "I don't think so. She changed shoes. Why do that to go on a car ride?"

Jace got out and bellowed, "Kayla!" into the quiet night. They all listened for a response that didn't come.