Margaret walked over to see if she could offer any help. But she resorted to silence as she found her coworkers muted with dread, motionless. Try as she might, she had no words. Thankfully, Jeremy cleared his throat and broke the silence, "So, let's not worry too much. Let's not assume the worst. Maybe the battery died, or she accidentally hung up..." He trailed off. The possibilities were endless, but none afforded them any hope. He turned to Morris, "What were they saying before the line died?" But Morris just continued to stare.
Margaret pursed her lips. They cannot go on like this...time for some tough love. "Morris, Jeremy," they turned their heads, ever so slightly, toward her. "You know I took a risk by allowing you to focus on finding this girl. I took a risk based on nothing but your optimism. Nothing. But now that you have something to work with, you give up?" She shook her head emphatically. "I'm not going to let you off that easily. Go wash your face, do jumping jacks, whatever...but I want 110% from you in five minutes. I didn't hire you to sulk." And with that, she walked off.
Morris' eyes began to focus again as Margaret's pep talk sank in. Jeremy, who had a look of apprehension throughout her talk, also began to nod his head in agreement, repeating to himself the technical crux of her message that spoke to him: "110%, 110%, 110%." With a deep breath, both men came to the same conclusion – this was no time to sulk.
"So," began Jeremy, gathering his thoughts as his voice regained its vigor, "Range of limestone hills, KFC, Yaowarat road, Central Plaza. You look online for KFC branch locations and CentralPlaza locations – mark down the ones that are close together. I'll mark down the limestone hills and find Yaowarat road, figure out which side of the mountains they are on...dangit!" Morris jumped with his sudden outburst. "Can't believe we forgot to ask her that!" He angrily opened Google Maps on his laptop and began his self-assigned tasks, venting his annoyance through action. Morris could not have asked for a better companion, whose presence and pragmatism anchored their morale.
He couldn't help but express his gratitude: "Hey, Jeremy...thank you."
Jeremy could only give a rueful smile in return.
YOU ARE READING
When Hope Calls: A Human Trafficking Story
Short StoryOne phone call. One kidnapped girl. One impossible rescue mission. When the staff of a human rights NGO receive a call from a distraught girl, Mya, claiming she had been kidnapped, they are thrown on a gut-wrenching quest. They don't know who...
