Chapter VI

"Thank you, Mr. and Mrs. Light for letting us use your house. We really appreciate it." Randi said, a week later. She had already been around and shown Kitty's picture to the border police.

"That's no problem. You saved our daughter; it's the least we can do." Mr. Light said. Randi had helped him and his wife find their daughter, Isabel, when she went missing three years ago; the couple swore they would repay her somehow.

"What kind of case are you on now?" fourteen year old Isabel asked. "I've followed your cases, around the world, as long as they have appeared."

"We're searching for a friend who was kidnapped eight weeks ago. We have evidence that says she is heading here. We hope we find her soon." Scott explained.

"I hope so too." Mrs. Light said.

The group waited nine and a half weeks before any news came in. The Lights and the others relaxed by the pool while Aaron sat inside by the phone as he did everyday now; he was daydreaming when the phone rang.

"Hello," Aaron answered.

"Keep your detective friend away from this case or you'll never see your girlfriend again." a gruff voice said.

"Who is this?" Aaron asked, becoming fully awake; he was answered by a click on the other line. He sat in silence until the phone rang again roughly twenty minutes later. "Hello," Aaron said, once again.

"Aaron, this is Sgt. McDonald, with local police. We think we have found your friend. Would you please come down and identify her?"

"I'll be there in a few minutes." Aaron quickly left for the local police station.

Aaron was sitting in the police station when a truck pulled up. Out of it came a border patrol officer carrying a teen girl. Aaron saw the girl and knew almost instantly who it was; the officer was holding Kitty. When he came in, Aaron went to the officer.

"Is she--dead?" he asked nervously.

"No, just asleep. She fell asleep on the trip over here; she should wake up soon." As if she had been waiting for her cue, Kitty woke up and the guard set her down.

"Kitty! You're alive!" Aaron cried and embraced Kitty. When they looked at each other again, Aaron was crying. When Kitty asked what was wrong, Aaron wiped the tears away and said, "Nothing; I'm just so happy to see you. I've missed you, Kitty; you've been gone for four months."

"Has it really been that long?" Aaron nodded; Kitty was surprised at what he answered. "I thought it has only been a few weeks; why didn't you go on without me?"

"I couldn't do that; I've known you way too long to even think of leaving you behind. Besides, I need someone to save me from my own mistakes now and then; I need someone like you to look after me when I'm not thinking straight." This made Kitty blush deeply. Aaron looked at the officer and asked, "May we go back to our friend's house now?" After they filled out some paperwork, Aaron and Kitty were on their way home.

"Hello?" Aaron called a while later upon entering the Light's house. "Anyone here?"

"We're in the living room, Aaron." Isabel called. Aaron took Kitty's hand and led her down the hall; just before the living room he had her wait, then walked to where the others could see him. "Where did you go?"

"For a walk." Aaron said. "I left alone and returned with a friend." His friends gave him a strange look, but Aaron looked down the hall, stretched out his hand and watched as another took it. A girl entered causing the whole room gasp and gawk at her; they were astounded and frozen in place. Kitty stood by Aaron and he repeated to them, "I returned with a friend."

"Kitty!" yelled Tabby, Scott, Andrea, and Randi. Each hugged the girl in turn and asked hundreds of questions.

"Just wait; I'll explain everything after I have eaten." Kitty was ushered into the kitchen and given anything she wanted to eat. "Thank you." she kept saying between plates. Three plates later, when she could eat no more, Kitty began to tell what had happened since she was kidnapped. When she got to the part about being told she was moving, Randi and Scott gasped.

"That's when we found the room under the house. We didn't come in because we were afraid there were more people than we could hear in there. If we would have known how many were there we would have rescued you then." Randi exclaimed.

"There was only me, and the two men. But the both had guns and knives, though I do wish I had been rescued sooner." They tried to apologize, but Kitty just waved the thought aside. "Don't worry; I'm safe now and wouldn't want to put anyone in danger again." When she said 'again' Kitty looked at Aaron remembering what he had done for her. "Too many people have been but in danger for me; when I'm better, I say we stop getting in danger and complete our original mission! Now if you'll excuse me, I want to sleep." Isabel took Kitty to the room where she slept.

Another month passed before anyone brought up the expedition to Niracia was discussed again. One day the group was laughing around the pool when Tabby brought it up. Everyone went silent at once.

"We set out to rebuild this city and we have forgotten it for several months. I think we should either finish or give up." Scott said looking at his friends gathered about him. "But how are we going to get there? I can't teleport that far."

"You could borrow our private plane. I'm sure John Roberts, our pilot, would take you. He's always wanted to fly to Niracia." Mr. Light said. "He's flown everywhere else. I could call him up real fast and find out."

"We would really appreciate it." Aaron told him.

Mr. Light went into the hall and called John; when he came back, he was smiling big. "John said he'd be glad to do it; but he has other business. In two weeks he'll have all matters cleared up, a flight plan filed and approved, and be ready to go." It was agreed that they would wait two weeks for John and then fly to Niracia.

Aaron said, "We've put this off far too long; it is time we got back on track and back to our mission."