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They walked along the black wall
of the bamboo forest of Hebi-yama to their left
and watched a full moon come up
over tall and distant apartment complex buildings,
the big moon orange and dim through clouds
then bright
then orange and dim again.
"Mom and Dad are missing . . ." said Susan with both wonder and worry.
"It's just impossible. I can't believe it." said Katie.
". . . and on the very same day. . ." continued Susan.
"might not be anything." said Katie.
". . . appears a mysterious neighbor in Hebi-yama . . . ?"
"Maybe we are getting a bit carried away here." said Katie.
". . . and a flautist! That is just too weird . . ." said Susan.
"Life is weird." said Katie.
". . . and apparently a composer of beautiful melody . . . "
"Who appears - well - not intending to appear at all." said Katie.
"Yeah. Maybe you're right. We're almost home." said Susan.
"I'm seeing no candle lights or anything at all in Hebi-yama." said Katie slowly,
"and hearing - wait a sec --" Katie continued....
they stop for several seconds.
"just checking" she said. "no foot steps either."
"And no flute." said Susan.
"And no daijoubu's from the darkness!" Katie added.
And they giggled slightly, nervously.
"Ah, it's probably just a coincidence." Katie said.
"He's probably gone." said Susan.
"Wish we were too." said Katie, "hey, who's car is that?"
"Yeah!" said Susan, "different from last night."
"I hope it's not somebody we don't want to be nice to right now," Katie said.
"Like who?" said Susan.
"Like you," and Katie pushed her shoulder into her sister's.
"I do believe you're stuck with me for a while." said Susan slightly joking.
And Katie nudging Susan's shoulder again said, "Yeah. thank heaven for that."
They saw the front door swing open
and ran the last several steps to hug Oba-chan together.
They walked with arms still around each other to the living room,
and two men in dark blue suits and white shirts,
Kaneko-san and Taya-san,
stood up on the tatami mats in their stocking feet,
and the girls politely exchanged their introductions.
At once and together, the five sat down on the floor
on dark red mats scattered around the small square dining table in the room.
"These are representatives from the Japan Foreign Ministry. Oba-chan said.
"The ones from last night?"
"Different ones, Katie." Taya-san said.
"We'll be your contact with the government as news about your parents progresses...." he added.
"What's the latest." said Susan in almost a whisper.
"Your brother, Jack is also missing." said Oba-chan.
"Huh? What? He's in Arizona. In Sedona. Living at school." the girls said together.
Oba-chan shook her head.
Kaneko began explaining, "The headmaster of the school
reported him missing yesterday from class,
and then missing from meals and homeroom,
and bed check as well."
"Oh come on. This is so dumb." said Katie.
And Susan just shook her head.
Oba-chan talked now, "He might not have been kidnapped...
or taken.... you know your brother, Jack..." she continued.
"friends all over the world."
"even in his own dorm room."
"Jack attends a boarding high school in Arizona." Oba-chan explained to the government officials.
"There are students from over 25 countries attending." she continued.
"He might have heard somehow... caught wind of something."
"and split for Kasmir." said Susan.
"Jack would do that." said Katie.
"Jack would do that." Susan said.
"Crazy brother. Now Jack to worry about too" said Katie.
"Jack once ran away ..." Oba-chan began explaining to the men.
"Oh?" the men said.
"To the north shore of Oahu. Good place to surf, so he claimed." said Katie.
"How could he travel on his..." Taya-san questioned.
"Oh, he's a rather resourceful young man, I'm afraid," Oba-chan said.
"He brings letters, documents, seals, stamps, signatures. Whatever he needs." she continued.
"Jack brings his silver-tongued self is what he does," said Susan.
"We have his photo at every airport immigration office all over the world." Kaneko-san explained.
"No." said Katie. He's probably there already."
"Where?" the men asked.
"Kasmir. Like we said." Katie added.
The men paused a moment. "I guess he's had time to get there." Kaneko-san admitted.
"But there is no record of his passport crossing . . ." Taya-san started to say.
"You don't know Jack" said Oba-chan.
"He's sixteen years old . . . well, seventeen at the end of the month," Oba-chan explained.
"He'd do anything." said Susan.
"And does." Katie said.
[continue reading for Chapter 6 or click here
