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RORY'S CELL PHONE RANG as they entered the highway heading back to Golden. Donna-Lou was in the back seat with her son Corry and Emma on her left. Chet was sitting in the passenger seat. He was half asleep from the pain killers the paramedics had given him when they patched him up and the smell of antiseptic was still evident. He had refused to spend the night in the hospital, preferring to get away from the area as soon as possible with the others.
Rory hit the answer button on the steering wheel, "Hello? You're on speaker."
"Rory? It's Ryan Bowman of the ATF."
"Yes sir, what can I do for you?"
"I just wanted to thank you and the rest of the folks for cracking this kidnapping ring," Bowman said. "You were fortunate, we found out they had moved nearly two hundred kids from that factory to a new one in Louisiana and were probably about to ramp up more kidnappings. We have FBI agents on the way there now. Hopefully, they didn't get wind of what happened in Leflore County."
Rory glanced into the rearview mirror and saw the look in Donna-Lou's eyes. She was partly happy but also showed the torment at the mere thought they might be still looking for Corry if they had moved him.
Bowman continued, "The other good news is, we were able to find addresses in foreign countries where other kidnapped children are being held. These folks had quite an extensive organization. The government had already opened up talks with several foreign governments right now to send in police and free the other children."
Donna-Lou spoke up loudly from the back, "But what about the rest of it? They were killing people. These people are talking about rising up against the government–"
"Yes, I'm aware of what was alleged along those lines–"
"Alleged! These people are killers," Donna-Lou expressed loudly.
"I can understand your anger," Bowman said. "But all the evidence we've come across so far only pertains to the kidnappings–"
"What about that Old Tuck guy?" she said angrily. "Why aren't you making him talk?"
"There's no sign of him anywhere," Bowman said. "We found an extensive network of underground tunnels and it–"
"You let him get away? I can't believe it–"
"Do you have a lead on him?" Rory asked.
"No," Bowman said. "And no one is talking. We'll work on them but these men are extremely loyal to their cause, no matter how misguided it is. I doubt very much if anyone we have in custody will co-operate in any significant way. I have to go. I'll let you know if we learn anything more. Thanks again."
The call ended.
Donna-Lou crossed her arms in a huff, "I can't believe it. What if this Old Tuck or his men come after us again?"
Chet stirred in his seat, his voice groggy, "If he's on the run, I doubt he's gonna take time to go on a treasure hunt."
"You don't know that," countered Donna-Lou angrily. "The man's a nut case. Kidnapping children, killing people. And all over a treasure that probably doesn't–" She cut herself off and said in a huff, "I don't want to hear any more talk of that stupid treasure, Chet Calhoun. You hear me?"
Opening his mouth, Chet shut it instead of arguing and the next several miles were ridden in silence by everyone.
It was finally Corry who spoke up, his voice quiet, "But...we do have to go find the treasure, mom."
"Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no," Donna-Lou firmly said, wagging a finger at him. "That isn't happening young man. Your treasure hunting days are over."
"But we have to, mom. We have to," Corry insisted.
"I said no," repeated Donna-Lou.
"But they're going to buy an atomic bomb," Corry said.
Shock and silence filled the car.
A moment later, a shocked Donna-Lou sat up straighter, "Where in the world did you get such an idea?"
"Because I overheard them talking about it," Corry said.
"Yep, I overheard them too," Emma confirmed with a nod. "That was when they first took us there."
Rory sat up straighter in his seat, adjusting the rearview mirror so he could glance into the back as he drove, "Are you sure you didn't hear it wrong, kids?"
Emma shook her head firmly, "No. They said they already made a down...a down...?"
"A down payment?"
"Yeah, that's it...a down payment," Emma confirmed with another firm nod. "They used the money from the clothing they sold to make a down payment on an atom bomb. But they need to dig up the treasure to finish paying for it."
"That can't be," Donna-Lou insisted. "Why would they need a bomb–?"
"They're going to attack the White House, mom. We have to stop them," Corry insisted.