Pentatonix and the Search

Third Person Part 2 {Chapter 8}

Tears and grief made it hard for him to speak. He walked back over to Kirstin and Mitch and wrapped his arms around both his friends. Kirstin gently pushed Mitch away then lifted her head. Jasper had suddenly started barking, his tail wagging as he barked. Kirstin walked over to him and Jacob let the leash go.

Kirstin: You scent something boy?

Jasper nudged her towards the building as if he was asking her to convince Jacob to search the building. Kirstin's brown eyes blazed with determination and was desperate as she turned to Jacob.

Kirstin: Officer Stevens, I understand that it might be dangerous to search the building, but could we please give it a shot? Please?

Scott: Please, Jacob. For Kailyn at least.

Jacob was quiet then he turned to the group after glancing at his dog. Jasper whimpered trying to get away from Jacob and to get into the building.

Mitch: What is going on with Jasper?

Scott: I think he knows something that we don't.

The two boys grabbed onto each other as they awaited an answer from Jacob, who was still quiet. When Jacob lifted his gaze, his blue eyes blazing with determination.

Jacob: Jasper's never wrong. We will search the building, but I am sending in Jasper first. Scott, Mitch, Kirstin, Kevin, Matt, Avi, and Rachal are coming with me and two more officers. The rest of you be on standby in case something goes wrong. If we don't come out, call 911 and tell them where we are. They will know what to do from there. Any questions?

No one said a word and Scott went to stand beside Kirstin. She moved in between Scott and Mitch and linked her arms with theirs.

Kirstin: We are in this together.

Kevin and Matt took up potistions on either side of Scott and Mitch as if they were posing for a picture. Determination blazed in their eyes as they held onto each other with a bond that could never be broken.

Mitch: We're ready, officer.

Jacob: Alright. I found a door that we will have to break down in order to get inside, but other than that we will rely on Jasper.

After the door was broken down, Jacob crouched down beside Jasper, who was ready to go. His ears were forward and his mouth was moving as he barked. He tugged against his master's hold as he awaited the command. Jacob stared into the building as he ran his hand down his dog's side.

Jacob: Okay, boy. This is it. Search.

At the command, Jasper shot forward and instantly started to search for a scent. It wasn't long after Kirstin stepped foot into the building that Jasper started barking as if he had picked up a scent.

Jacob: Hold up, what? How did he do that so fast?

Kirstin: Does that mean that he picked up a scent?

Jacob: That certainly does, ma'am.

Kirstin broke free of her friend's grasp and followed Jasper as he followed a scent that they believed to be the one they were searching for. Tears of relief blurred Kirstin's vision as she followed the police dog that had waited for her to catch up. He was leading her towards Kailyn! He paused to allow Kirstin to catch her breath. She wiped the tears from her eyes so she could see. When he took off again, his barking turned into a joy-filled whimper. Kirstin's legs carried her towards the sounds of claws scraping against a hard surface at a rapid pace. Jasper must have sped up because his whimpers were fading, but Kirstin kept pace. She didn't break her stride as she followed the police dog. Tears made her vision blurry again, but she wiped them away again as she burst through a doorway. She tripped in fright when a gunshot exploded somewhere behind her. Kirstin looked behind her and listened in horror when she realized that the cry of pain that had rose into the air after the gunshot was Mitch. She stumbled to her feet, but collasped due to her shaking. Kirstin pushed herself to her feet and pressed on towards Jasper. Her body was shaking and then she stopped running. There wasn't just a cry of pain from Mitch, but another cry. A cry of death. Her mind raced as she tried to reconize who it had came from. She didn't believe that it was Mitch because it wasn't high pitched like the cry of pain that she had heard. The only other person that she might of thought it could be would be Avi. Pushing him out of her head, she pressed on towards the whimpering of Jasper. The police dog stood alert and waited for Kirstin to catch up. Jasper wasn't whimpering or barking, but his tail was wagging slightly. When Kirstin looked into the doorway that Jasper was standing in, she saw a shape in the open room beyond the police dog. Jasper turned his head and barked once before rushing into the room. The bark signified to follow him and somehow Kirstin understood all too well what that meant. She had been waiting for this moment since her best friend that she loved as a daughter had gone missing. Her vision adjusted to the dim light and she gasped when she saw what the shape was, it was Kailyn.