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Twenty-Nine

SAMMARA

We stayed a few days. Just long enough for Dakota to enjoy his parents, not long enough to wear out our welcome. Or should I say my welcome. He was welcome to stay forever, if it were up to his mother.

I learned a lot about the Bradley family farm, and how it had changed over the years. They’d traded most of their corn crop for cattle back in the 50’s, and then moved on to raising and shearing sheep. I suspected it had something to do with his father’s soft spot for animals. He greeted many of them by name, scratching behind their ears, feeding and caring for them as pets rather than a commodity. That made for bad business when it came time to sell for slaughter, but shearing sheep was a different story.

After our first night, the bed and breakfast had inexplicably moved us to a bigger and better room on the first floor. Dakota claimed it had to do with Iowan hospitality. I almost didn’t want to break it to him, but it probably had more to do with a 220-lb giant ravishing his not-so-quiet fiancé on a small, squeaky bed several times throughout the night.

We even spent a whole day in Sioux City, where I of course dragged Dakota all over the place to look at the different architecture. So much of it was beautiful, especially the old schools and churches that had been spared destruction through city landmark status. They remained untouched by time, as enthralling as they were elaborate. I asked if we could stay the night in town, so I could see the place at night. As usual, Dakota just smiled and gave me exactly what I wanted.

The entire evening was amazing. After a unique ‘fusion’ dinner at a pizza place turned Chinese restaurant, Dakota took me to a huge warehouse bar. Several dozen people milled around, laughing, drinking, playing pool on one of the many tables or throwing darts. We were three drinks in and feeling no pain when Dakota’s phone went off. He checked it… then quickly slipped outside so he could hear better.

I stood alone in the former warehouse, sipping my beer, marveling at how the place must’ve looked when it had been a textile mill. I could almost imagine the huge spinning machines, running side by side with carding and combing equipment. The hundreds of people who put in twelve hour days here, only to go home with sore muscles and bleeding fingers…

“Sammara!”

Dakota hadn’t returned, he was only poking his head inside. I could see his face in the doorway, all drawn with concern as he motioned me out.

“Now.”

My heart sank. Something was terribly, terribly wrong. I rushed out to the street, where everything seemed suddenly silent by comparison to the busy bar.

“What is it?”

Dakota was walking so quickly in the direction of our hotel, it was difficult for me to keep up. I could see he was tense. His hands were balled into fists.

“Dakota, tell me! What—”

“I just heard from Di Spatia,” he said. He stopped at the next intersection and whirled on me. “Kyle and Ryan missed their last two check-ins.”

I gulped… but whatever was in my throat simply wouldn’t go down.

“W—What does that mean?”

“It means I need to go,” he said, walking again. He was moving even faster if possible. “It means I need to go see what happened. Head out to their last known location and—”

“WAIT!”

I grabbed him and pulled with all my might. He stopped, but only because he wanted to.

“You can’t go!” I cried. “This is exactly what Kyle and Ryan did! They left to find Jason at his ‘last known location’. And now they’re missing! Whatever happened to Jason must’ve happened to—”

“You don’t know that,” spat Dakota. His eyes flared dangerously. He was speaking in the harshest, most serious tone of voice I’d ever seen from him.

“I know you’re not going without me,” I growled. “I can’t lose you Dakota! Not now! Not after all this!”

“Are you saying—”

“No,” I countered quickly. “Of course I want them back. And we’ll get them back! But I can’t… I can’t lose all of you!”

Dakota hesitated, but only for a moment. Then he shook his head.

“Sammara, you don’t understand. I have to go. I’m heading to the base now, directly from the hotel. On the way I’ll put you on the next commercial flight home.”

The streetlights blurred as tears filled my eyes. I couldn’t imagine Dakota being gone too. Going back to the house all alone, without any of them there.

“Please don’t worry,” he said, laying a gentle hand on my shoulder. “I’ll be in constant contact with you. I won’t let—”