June 9th, 50XX194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9cCZDnTlDi
Wednesday
Sadie steps out of the shower room, drying her hair off with a towel. "How was it?" Franny speaks up from the floor, Kate with her who is making some butterfly's from a newspaper, Shaniqua dropped off and with some twine, Julian had in his van.
"It was perfect, I haven't had a hot shower in a while." Sadie responds, then eyes a clipping cut out of the newspaper in Franny's hand.
"Guess you ain't letting her play with that."
And Franny holds it up in response to Sadie's smart comment, handing it to her. It has a photo of Franny in her work uniform and the photo that Kate's parents publicized, the headline reads,
'Local Police Officer kidnaps 14-year-old girl who was found after being missing, dramatic rescue took a dramatic twist' and details they fled in a black van, the driver and license plate unable to be identified.
There is a reward for any information and they are looking to return the missing 14-year-old girl to her family and are extending a hand, offering help to the officer as she was undergoing a personal crisis at the time and they have grave concerns for her mental health and safety.
"Great, they're branding you as unstable." Sadie says.
"Do you have no filter, young lady?" Franny snaps.
"Nope." Sadie smiles. "And I still wanna tag shit."
"Sadie, stop having it out for Fran.194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW8s4Rb5e8L
No, you don't. You love art, just your canvases are walls... I've seen your work; you don't just blindly tag stuff." Julian tells her off.
"Don't know if you really deserve this now." Franny says. "Deserve what?" Sadie responds confused and Franny holds something out to her, a small rectangle birthday bar with sprinkles.
"I got it out of the vending machine for you. You said we're alone on on your birthday yesterday."
"And now I feel like shit for taking a dig at you. I'm sorry..." Sadie says, accepting the bar.
"It's no cake, but it's close enough when you look at the situation we're in." Franny adds on.
"Thank you. I'm glad I'm with people now, I feel less alone. Better late than never."
"Indeed. Actually, I have cassettes and CDs in my van, we can party it up in there!"
"We can, but eyes on the road and hands on the wheel." Franny scowls while Sadie scoffs down the bar.
"So good-"
When there is a knock. "Go, go, go." Franny whispers, pushing Kate up and Sadie quickly takes her with her, them ducking into the bathroom and locking the door, leaving Franny and Julian in the main room. He heads to the door, looking through the eye piece.
"It's just Shaniqua. We're good." He says, opening the door and Franny heads to the bathroom door, letting the girls know it's safe.
"Hey, Sadie. I know you don't know me, but I'm the owner. My name's Shaniqua and- Uh, I have some clothes for you and a headscarf.
You've been on the road a while, your clothes are a tad dusty and torn and I just want to see you stay safe because if you are going to travel with Julian and his friends here, you're at a higher risk for getting the book thrown at you.
You're going to stick out like a sore thumb.
One: Your clothes scream runaway. Two, your hair screams rainbow teen, and three, you turned 18.
If you all get caught, you could get in serious trouble even though you didn't do anything and they will probably accuse of being an accessory to kidnapping because Kate here is only 14 years old."
"I know she's 14, I don't need the lecture."
"Sadie." Julian hisses at her. "Sorry, Shaniqua. Thank you, Shaniqua."
"You're welcome." And she hands the clothes and scarf over to Sadie when Shaniqua gets a text and checks her phone.
"Shaniqua, what is it?" Julian asks.
"David upstairs, one of my cleaners. He said a patron here tipped off the authorities. They're on their way here, you four have to go now. He heard them calling."
"Come on!" Franny says, quickly packing her stuff and everyone does the same.
"Shaniqua, you should come with us." Julian says hastily.
"I can't."
"Please?"
"No. I'm not cut out for that kind of life, Julian. Living in the wilderness, I've grown up in civilization all my life and being on the run? Is an added danger.
I'm not like you and Franny here. Even though we're in the same age group, I was never one of the first generations of rain-"
"Don't even say it." Franny hisses.
"Sorry. Wow, you really hate yourself."
"Shaniqua, not now, please." Julian speaks up. "Shaniqua, just co-operate with the authorities. They might not arrest you, but if they do, be compliant.
I was a cop not long ago, I know how these things work, we're corrupt at the best of times. You may not get off Scott-free, but you can avoid being physically harmed as some of my colleagues are trigger happy assholes who have no business being cops." Franny warns her.
"And neither do you." Julian says. "Excuse me?!" Franny says.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I meant to keep that to myself!"
"Oh, we are so talking later, fake husband."
"Of course, my love, my wife." He responds nervously and now that they have everything, piling into Julian's van, Sadie stumbling in the back, trying to change and cover her hair as Julian starts up the engine, Franny beside him and Kate in the back with Sadie who's staring up at Sadie, enamoured with her badass girl image.
They pull away, leaving a distraught Shaniqua in the parking lot, red and blue lights in the distance who are not far out, but not close enough to spot our four that will always remain, leaving.
----
June 9th, 50XX194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0kFIdAPmHa
Wednesday
The group pulls over into a safe place, hidden between trees and rocks near a waterfall. "I'm done, I'm done!" Sadie speaks up, climbing out the van and pulling the headscarf off of her head.
"Are you okay?" Kate whispers.
"Yeah, it's just so hot."
"Well, maybe you should dye over your hair again to hide the rainbow dye." Franny snaps.
"Fran-" Julian begins.
"Oh my god, just let it goddamn go. You ain't a cop anymore and don't think for a second you can tell me what do do, I'm 18!"
"You may be 18, but it doesn't mean you aren't still young and inexperienced!"
"And I've been the leader of the rainbow teens for a while, running the website! I'd say I'm doing just fine!"
And Sadie storms off to stare at the waterfall.
Franny rests her face in her hands, leaning on the dashboard. Julian doesn't say anything and looks back to Kate who's on the verge of tears.
"Are you hungry, Kate?" He whispers.
She nods silently and he tells her to follow him to the back and he will make her a sandwhich and he needs to make a phone call anyway and reach out to some old friends.
While Kate chows down, Julian spends some time on the phone. After he hangs up, everyone looks to him.
"Do you remember, Kyle Bates & Hannah Z?" He enquires.
"How could I forget." Franny scowls.
"Well, they said they will help us out and we'll go meet up with them. They know we also have Kate and Sadie with us."
"So, we're finding a remote community?" Kate speaks up.
"Yeah, baby. We are." Julian answers.
"Can I use your phone? I need to talk to my girlfriend." Sadie states and he hands it over.
"Yeah, of course."
She dials a number and raises it to her ear. If rings for sometime before finally being answered.
"Hello?"
"Andrew! It's me, Sadie! I lost my phone, it's gone! Please tell me Kat is with you! I haven't been able to update the forums or anything!
She is? Thank the lord and I don't usually say that. Can I talk to her?"
And Sadie walks around, talking to Kat for several minutes while Julian takes a seat with Franny and Kate.
"Fran."
"What?"
"Are you okay? You've been really snappy and tense."
"Well, duh. Looked at the fucked up situation we're in!"
And Kate looks at her. "Ah, I shouldn't be swearing around you. I'm sorry, Kate." She appolgizes and Kate is silent.
"But what is really going on underneath the surface layer?" Julian pushes and she starts cry hard, breaking down, another headache forming.
Julian softly rubs her back for several minutes. "It's just my life whole has exploded you know? I got up to go to work after the long, political weekend and my son was still missing, now I know his dead and I've just lost everything.
Believe me when I say this, Kate, saving you wasn't a mistake, I'm just feeling uncomfortable worrying about money as I have no job anymore and not having a steady, secure place to sleep at night."
"Hey, we'll work it, okay? We're a team. You and me. We get to a remote community, you can find and pick up work again and there will he a home, it may be smaller than what you're used too, but you will have somewhere to rest at the end of the day.
I'll make sure of it, I'm not abandoning you. I'm the one responsible, I pushed you into this.
You could have gone about your day and just continued booking and processing Kate and sent her home and gone home yourself too, but now you're a fugitive in the middle of the wilderness with a teenager."
"It's going to work out, isn't it?"
"Absolutely! Well, as long as we don't get caught..."
"That's NOT reassuring."
"I'm sorry. Is their anything else you want to talk about it, Fran?"
"They called me unstable in that newspaper and everything when they don't even know the half of what's going on!"
"Is it true?"
"No! I'm mentally and physically fit, I've been a cop for five years, Julian. I graduated the police academy, while me joining makes me one of the older offices there, but..."
"But...?"
"....."
"It's okay to say your depressed though, that there is some anxiety and anger issues. While there is some stuff going on, it doesn't begin to make you what the government is branding you as, okay?"
"See how shit they are at their jobs. They couldn't even begin to identify you or your van."
"Yeah." He laughs. "But that's also probably a good thing as juvie records don't get wiped when you turn 18. If they knew who was traveling with you, they'd just use my past as an excuse to throw the book at me more than they normally would."
"This country and government sucks."
"Indeed it does, honey."
"Maybe we should just head for the border. Things couldn't get worse now, really."
"That's debatable, but we can discuss the best options with Kyle and Hannah."
When Sadie returns, holding out the phone to Julian. "How'd it go?" He asks.
"I talked to her."
"And?"
"I told her I'll meet her at the lookout that is a few miles before the border. Andrew is with her.
There is a river that runs past the border they don't monitor. It's choppy and wide, but it's the best option."
"You'll need a boat. You can't possibly swim that." Franny warns her.
"I know, we'll make a raft out of logs. I know how to make one and so does she.
I've actually done a lot of of wilderness activities, I was part of a wilderness camp for a while..."
"For?" Franny says, raising an eyebrow.
"Troubled teens, the Troubled Teen Industry. That's how they felt about me, the foster care system. I lied, I'm sorry. I was sent away and ran away, and went to find Kat. We took off together, I never stayed with her parents. They hated me, they're conservative.
Thought I was leading their daughter astray."
"Shit, all the more reason to take off like you did. Those programs are abusive and you aren't really naughty or troubled.
You ran away, you maybe tag some stuff, but you're way short of a rebel like the first generations of rainbow teens we're, us."
"It doesn't mean we don't want to see change though. If there is other countries like us out there, why don't we talk and trade with them, allow us to go visit new places?"
"Good questions. That says alot about our tyrannical government, Sadie."
"You finally admit it." Julian says.
"I always have, I just didn't want to live it at times. Ignorance is easier, it's bliss."
"But also makes you blind."
"I'm tired." Kate cries. "Ah, hey. It's okay, we'll work something out. Julian?" Franny panics, hugging Kate who let's her.
"There is a stop overnight lot up ahead we can shelter at for the night and get some sleep and has a store.
Normally I'd choose sleeping in the woods, but right now, I don't feel confident in that being an option.
It means we'll be heading into major civilization, but if we keep a low profile, we'll be good till Kyle and Hannah meet up with us which will be tomorrow morning."
"Okay, then." And our group climb back in and make it there almost. There is just a checkpoint for a bridge they need to pass.
"Okay, everyone. Best behaviour, keep your mouth shut and let me do the talking." Julian tells them as a toll booth officer approaches them.
"I.D, please."
And Julian hands if over.
"Alex Mars?"
"Yes."
"Where you headed?"
"To a parking rental lot for the night."
"Uh-huh. This your family?"
"Yes, sir."
"Can I see their I.D's?"
And Franny passes Julian the fake ones for her and Kate.
"Tracey Mars and Jen Mars. This your wife and kid?"
"Yes, Sir." Franny answers and the officer looks at the rings on her and Julian's finger.
"You both out here for a holiday?"
"Yes, Sir. We're renewing our wedding vowels and we want our daughter to be involved this time." Julian responds.
The officer looks in the back. "She doesn't look like you both. And who's the 4th occupant? You, you're I.D. Hand it over."
"We adopted, Jen from foster care about two years ago now." Julian tells the officer.
"I see. So, 4th occupant, your name's Sadie Bridge and you're 18?"
"Yes, Sir."
"You've only been an adult for two days. Short time, you a runaway beforehand I think."
"....."
"I see. Well, I can't do anything about it anyway. You're legal. Alex Mars, word of advice for the road, don't make a habit of picking up hitchhikers.
The young female you have in the back only turned 18 two days ago. In the future, if you give a ride to someone under the age of 18 and get pulled over, you would be arrested as picking up minors is against the law."
"Yes, Sir. I'll take that onboard."
"Good." And he hands I.D back to everyone. "And Sadie? Don't forgot to register to vote and don't forgot to file a change of address in wherever you're going, also please, find a job or do further schooling, there is agencies to help with those and maybe, just maybe give your parents a call."
"My Mum is dead."
"Sorry to hear that. Your Dad?"
She shrugs.
"Still give him a call though."
"Yes, Sir."
And he hands her back her I.D and let's them go after Julian hands him a few coins.
"Can I see your I.D?" Kate asks. "Sure." And Sadie hands it to her.
"Your hair is all blonde in it."
"Obviously, not dumb enough to renew my I.D when my hair is rainbow and that it's illegal here to ask someone to remove their head covering here as we're so conservative and religious."
"Okay."
Our group arrive at a parking rent lot sometime later and Julian pays the owner so they can stay for the night.
While they're sitting around, having some dinner, Kate sees a phone booth in the corner.
"Franny."
"Yes, baby?"
"My step-dad would be at work. Can we call my Mum?"
"Uh, Julian?"
"You both could, pay phones do have numbers on the grid system, but triangulating where it is would take a while and we'll be long gone before then.
We're good. Just call with her so she doesn't say anything she shouldn't." And her hands her over some coins.
Franny takes her to it and they dial the number for Kate's house.
"Bennson residence." Says a female voice.
"Elizabeth?" Franny says.
"Yes... Who is this?"
"You know who I am."
"Oh my, you're that officer! You kidnapped my sweet, Kate!"
"Do you really believe that? Let me tell you something, I know what your husband, Kate's step-dad is like and you do too. You just didn't want to admit it.
And the few days I've been on the run with your daughter, I've had to admit stuff I didn't even want to think about how true it was."
"That makes sense, Franny."
"So, let me ask you. Why do you stay with that man? I get that leaving isn't always easy, I'm a cop. I've seen domestic abuse cases before. Well, was. But you also have to do what is right for your daughter. I need your help right now, so help me out here.
Do you know what he was doing to your daughter?"
"Yes. Are you going to call this in?"
"Do you want me too? I can make an anonymous call and allegation still."
"Yes. I'm scared he will kill me, Franny."
"Okay, you need to pack one bag, Elizabeth with anything you can't replace, you want to take and your vital documents and I.D.
An officer will be sent to your address and you make an allegation of abuse against your husband and tell them what they did to your missing daughter and that is why she ran away and they need to take you to a shelter.
They will and don't go back to your husband no matter what even though he will likely aware to you it will never happen again and how much he loves you, file for divorce and leave before he returns from work."
"I will."
"Good."
"Is Kate okay? Can I talk to her? Is she safe, getting enough to eat, warm?"
"I'm making sure she has everything she will ever need."
"Thank you. I'm sorry for accusing you, you we're just doing what was in her best interest. I read... you're in the newspaper-"
"I know what they are calling me. But I did break the law. I was supposed to call child services, not run off with your daughter."
"But still, I'm glad you did."
"Thank you. It will be easier going forward knowing I have your forgiveness because this was tearing me up inside."
"Can I sign guardianship over to you? That would clear your charges. If my husband is arrested, he won't get to have a say in Kate's life."
"It's a bit late for that, but you could. Fill out the form, sign your signature and send out a copy to every post office in the towns in every state and I'll go the one where I am and sign it and photocopy one for me and send it back to the post office in your area and you go collect it.
You leave your husband, I'll check the divorce register and social and you can then come see your daughter... What's your personal mobile number? I'll ring you when I am satisfied, Kate will be safe."
And Franny notes a number down.
"And Elizabeth?"
"Yes?"
"Can I know you're daughters diagnosis so I can better learn as a parent how to help her?"
"In the newspaper, they said you had a son from foster care and that he was a runaway and found dead."
"Yes. Turns out your daughter and my son we're Romeo and Juliet."
"What?!"
"I know, it came as a surprise for me too. I never knew, I didn't even know Kate before."
"At-least my daughter isn't dead!"
"Elizabeth, what's wrong with your daughter? And I'm sorry how blunt that sounds. I'm just really tired and srarting to feel a little sick."
Kate looks up at Franny, worried as she just said she wasn't feeling well, unable to hear anything her biological mum is saying and becoming inpatient.
"Thank you for telling what she has. I'll call the police for you now. You get a bag ready."
And she hands the phone to Kate, telling her to make it quick.
"Mum?"
"Kate?!"
"I love you."
Then she hangs up the phone, not giving her a chance to respond. "You go back to Julian and Sadie, Kate. I have to put an anonymous call in for your Mum about your step-dad.
We're across a boarder so there will be a delay in the authorities finding us.
Slightly different rules."
And Kate does.
"Hello, emergency services. Which department do you need?"
"Police."
"Transferring you now."
"Hello, Police."
"I need a patrol car sent to 144 Pollen Drive, Stagmis-New Heaven in the previous state."
"I see you're calling from a state over, in New Wishell National Forest or New Wishell City, location undetermined which indicates a payphone.
What's your name?"
"Just call me one of the rainbow teens."
"Uh, I see. What's happening at 144 Pollen Drive in Stagmis-New Heaven?"
"There is a wife being abused by her husband and she needs help to leave. She has a bag packed and her husband will be back from work soon.
Her daughter is missing too, the husband is the reason why. He was sexually abusing his step-daughter who ran away days ago.
"I see. I'll send a patrol car out to do a welfare check. What's the resident at homes name?"
"Elizabeth Bennson."
"Got it, thanks for calling, Rainbow Teen... You sound a little old to be a teenager though-"
Then Franny hangs up before the operator can finish and sprints back to everyone at the van to finish her dinner and then hit the hay for the night before they move on in the morning and meet up with Kyle Bates and Hannah Z.194Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMrKJEbD1K0
