Four-wheeler

Scott nods a little, not minding if Hope stopped by again before she took off. Waking up just to realize he was still here had made him feel lethargic again, wishing he were somewhere else. "Okay. Tell Jenny not to bring up too much... it mostly just goes to waste."


"Hmm... no, I didn't check there." Mick shakes his head. "I thought he was going to come help me with chores but when he didn't show up, I figured he was still hunting frogs."

He shrugs and turns for the door. "I'll go check out back of the house. Oh, and if you see Dylan... let me know. Apparently he didn't stick around today." Sighing, Mick continues his route outside. What next?

"...BJ?!" Mick stands with his hands on his hips behind the house, scanning the area. The sun was sinking lower, providing little light. There was no sign of BJ.

"Dad?"

Mick whirls around to see Jade. "Hey."

"What's wrong? Can't find BJ?"

"No..." Mick was a little more worried now. This was unusual. He'd been gone part of the day to town, then had been engrossed in the office most of the day, not even being in the barn since this morning until chore time tonight. It wasn't odd that he didn't notice Dylan gone or even had lost track of BJ, but he should have been more careful. "Haven't seen him, have you?"

"Not for quite a while, no."

"What about Dylan?"

"Not since right after lunch. All he'd do was glare at me. Why, is he gone too?"

Mick frowns. "Looks that way."

Jade's eyes widen just a little. "Do you think... these two things are connected?"

"Don't know. Hope not. But if Dylan stormed off and said anything mean to BJ in the process, BJ might be hiding out somewhere."

"And Dylan?"

"Your guess is as good as mine."

Jade bites her lip. "Do you... think he's really run off?"

"Don't know. But I'm gonna go check his bunk. Start looking for BJ, will you?"

An hour passes. By now, half the ranch had been looking for both boys. The sky was growing darker and hearts were growing genuinely concerned. Nothing had been found in Dylan's bunk to indicate he'd taken off for good. And BJ was nowhere to be seen. Jade had scoured the bunkhouses, recruiting Dan's help, while others had checked outbuildings and pastures.

Now a group stood outside the barn, wondering what they should do. Mick looks to Rosetta, a deepening worry in his eye. Supper had been postponed - no one wanted to eat until they found out what had happened. In this bunch, the question of the Agency always came up as a very real threat, but no one wanted to voice that possibility.

A figure coming out of the shadows catches Mick's attention and he spins around. "Dylan!"

Dylan stops in his tracks and blinks at the group. What was going on? Surely this wasn't about him - no one cared enough to worry. "Yeah...?"

Mick's eyes narrow. "Where have you been?"

"Out."

"Don't give me that," Mick hisses. Now was no time for games.

Dylan sees an almost-scary look in his father's eye. "I just went for a walk," he defends. "What's the big deal? Sorry I didn't clean all the stalls."

Mick rolls his eyes. Dylan had simply gone for an afternoon to evening walk. Great. Here they were, considering the Agency and all he'd done was go for a walk. Mick throws Dan a sidelong glance of irritation for not keeping an eye on things before he turns back around. "Forget about the stalls. Do you know where BJ is?"

Dylan quirks an eyebrow and looks around at all the other faces. "He... didn't come back?"

"What do you mean?" Mick takes a step closer to his son.

Dylan looks up at him hesitantly. This was no time to mess around and he could feel it. "I took off after lunch. BJ caught up to me with a stupid frog to show me and I told him to go home."

Mick bristles. "And where was this?"

"I don't know." Dylan points off to the back trail. "Somewhere there, close to the pine grove. I didn't come back that way though."

Mick can feel his temper rising. "You were halfway to the ridge and you sent a little kid back on his own? Are you insane?!"

"It's not my fault he followed me! I didn't wanna see his stupid frog anyway! He should know better than to come after me like that, especially when you told him to leave me alone!"

Mick couldn't believe it. Oh, how he wished he would have checked on Dylan earlier. This sixteen-year-old punk kid couldn't care less about anybody but himself. He'd let BJ walk back on his own without even blinking. Mick's fist starts to tighten at his side but Jim steps in.

"Easy." He knew if Mick struck Dylan that it would be a wound that might never heal. "Let's head down the trail. I'll get the flashlights."

Mick relents and points a finger at his son. "You get to your bunkhouse and you do not move until I tell you to, is that clear?"

"I-"

"Luke." Mick gestures to him. "Go with him and make sure he doesn't leave."

Luke nods. He'd had a rough day getting around and wouldn't do any good trying to find BJ. But he could sit on Dylan if he had to. Walking off with the teenager, the group is left alone again.

"Jim, you and Trent and Dan get on horses. Becky, go get the flashlights." Mick had no hesitation, giving everyone orders. "Jade, you stay here and keep an eye out, here by the barns in case BJ comes back. Clint, take a truck around the block and see if you spot anything. Angel, stay here and be ready for anything. Rosetta..." He looks to his wife, tense with worry but trying to hold himself together. "I'm taking the four-wheeler. You can come with me or grab a horse."