With Linda holding the stacked milk crates steady, Liz was able to gain a good angle to peer in between the iron grating, deterring escape through the window. Linda jerked her head back to see what had caused Liz to gasp. She could only see Liz gesturing at the window. Did she find someone in there? She heard creaking as the window seemed to magically open. The tense staccato whispering really made her curious.

She did not see the frozen terrified youthful face Liz saw through the window. She whispered down to Linda that there were teen girls in there. At the moment Liz had poked her head a little higher a young lady happened to be standing in the bathroom at the sink. She was startled to see anyone at a window but made no sound. There was only a gasp from Liz who motioned for the girl to raise the window the two allowable inches.

After Liz explained why they were there, the teen introduced herself briefly as Spring Blossom, foregoing the formal elaborated list of names and tribes. She then explained how relieved she was and that five of them were being held there and would soon be taken somewhere else later that night.

Liz slowly stepped down, putting her left foot on the edge of the bottom blue crate then her right foot softly to the ground. Linda braced her as she lowered herself so she didn't stumble.

Setting both crates beside each other they could quietly rest and talk. It occurred to them they had not had the luxury of being seated since they left the comfortable soft cushy car seats of the Honda. It seemed like centuries ago and probably only hours had passed.

Liz summarized that when she had gotten her eyes focused, she recognized the room was a small bathroom. She had the good fortune to catch someone in there at the sink and to learn the purpose this house.

It was a holding place for young Native American teens until a van came to transport them to who knows where. Liz shook her head and gritted her teeth as she announced to Linda that they were in the middle of rescuing these young ladies from human trafficking.

Linda looked horrified, chills running down her arms, asked what they could possibly do. Liz told her about the plan. They had to get those bars off the window before anything else could happen. At the same time, one of the ladies from inside the house would work on removing the window-block which she was sure has been screwed tight against the window side frame.

To silently slip out they needed to raise the window much more. They could be helped to step onto the piled crates to reach the ground. The girls would take over the plan of flight after that.

With forced sighs, foregoing the three breaths, each began chipping the wood around the bolts securing the bars in the top and bottom corners. It was quite cumbersome balancing to stand on the edge of the bottom crate to work on the lower bolts while Linda stood solidly on the top red crate to reach the upper positioned bolts.

The bottom crate being a little larger, did give Liz more sturdiness of stance so she could attack the dry rotted wood with brute-force of the same strong arms she used when carrying her 40# pellet bags.

She again used her bandana to gain a tighter grip on her Swiss Army aka MacGyver jackknife, which she'd quickly fetched from her pack. Linda yanked her sleeves to be elongated to cushion against nervous sweaty hands as she used both, to dig frenetically at the stubborn wood with a metal nail file she found as a result of combing to the bottom of her pack.

There was much progress on the other side of the window. It was a tag-team effort by the young women. Only one could be in the bathroom at a time. If a guard were to come into the outer room where everyone was sitting, it had to appear that the missing one was using the facilities. Strong Heart also physically strong, had those window blocks off in no time. Now, it was Liz and Linda who had to get their work done.

As silently as possible, Liz and Linda gripped the ragged rusty metal with both hands still using the bandana and shirt for minimal protection. Flaking shards poked through the cloth causing them to question their sureness of grip. They and Strong Heart would work simultaneously to remove the stubborn obstruction to everyone's freedom.

On the count of three, they yanked and she push-kicked with her bare feet. Pulling on the center of the grill, Liz couldn't help notice how the friction on Strong Heart's already bruised feet was further bloodying them.

She winced as she continued pushing without hesitation, kicking gouges deeper into her flesh. Seeing blood beginning to seep through Linda's shirt sleeves wrapping her hands, caused Liz to glance at her blood-stained bandana. Finally, the rusty iron frame came loose. They slowly edged it to the ground, stepping away, leaning it against the clapboards

Urging everyone to hurry when Spring Blossom saw the coast was clear, she shoved the bathroom door open shouldering by Strong Heart to reach the fully raised window. The tension was growing. From the troubled teen's recitation, they found out just minutes ago, a female guard had burst the door open just as everyone feared might happen.

With great relief, she hadn't appeared to take a headcount; only to announce the thought on her sick sadistic mind. The dreaded van would be coming around midnight. The sun was indicating through the haze it would set within an hour.

The teens were ready. This had to be pulled off in one swift move. They did not want to be discovered this late in the game. They were almost "home-free" so to speak. They could only hope that the guard would not return to find the escape in progress.

With the window raised to capacity, one by one, they stuck their shaking legs through, guided by Linda, as they blindly dropped onto the milk crates. Liz was pleased Linda's feet had found those very valuable crates. What a bonus.

Most stumbled onto the ground from the piled crates. Viscerally experiencing their anguish and exhaustion, Liz had a twinge of regret about those seedy mattresses they'd chosen to leave behind. Those girls' pained bodies with trembling limbs did not need to be slamming into the hard ground. Enough was enough.

Before she could reach the level of self-reproach, the girls were all accounted for, with pack in hand. They stood flush with the siding until the "go" signal was given. No time for creeping or crawling, they'd have to rush across to the shrub, as swiftly as they could.

The only obstacle glaring at them preventing them from success and freedom was the corner light. A life or death imperative, they would outrun the motion-sensor alarm. The all-too-familiar mist morphed into more eerie images around them.

********************
They were readying to spurt to the opposite side when they spotted the van about to turn into the driveway. He went to the further entrance which meant they had minutes to cross the driveway before the vehicle spun around to the back corner of the house. There would be no way to remain unseen. They would be totally exposed. Some wondered if they should crawl back into the house.

Just before Velvet Dove, the first one across, dove behind the bushes, she frantically signaled for everyone to stop. The group stood there frozen, wondering what was going on. The van would soon be sweeping to the back. They had to hurry.

It felt like a game of cat and mouse. This situation brought to mind something Liz had forgotten about. She'd had a dream similar to this where she was in full view of someone attempting to find her. She kept trying to make herself invisible.

That was all she remembered. She didn't know how it turned out. She probably quickly woke up. That was what she did when she was in a difficult threatening dilemma in her dreams. She just stepped out of it. How she longed to open her eyes and know this was one extremely long night terror.

Finally, after what seemed like 30 minutes, the arms behind the shrubbery came up to motion to them to continue crossing. As they skirted across, it occurred to Liz whose heart was beating double her resting rate, that no light had come on and no alarm had been sounded.

Velvet Dove quickly explained that the van had only appeared to be pulling in, to circle the driveway. The driver's real purpose to back around into full-view of the path they were getting ready to cross. He checked all of his locks and shuffled into the house with rifle in hand. It might be only minutes before their escape was discovered.

Continuing in coach-mode, Velvet Dove called the shots for the next move. One of the plays, much internally debated by the others, was she would release from the van, any captives. She expressed her worries there were other abducted girls in the van, possibly some of their missing classmates.

Three had gone missing over the last three days and two had not shown up for classes a week ago. She had a strong feeling about it and said she would not rest until she had made certain there was no one locked in that van. This would be the only chance to save them from disappearing forever. The next question that arose was how would she get into them.

She admitted she knew the doors were locked. To smash any windows would tip off the smugglers. Ah, but this was an old-style van with small side vent windows. She'd push the driver's side open, unlock the door and carefully open it so anyone in there could get out.

She had pulled at everyone's heartstrings. Fearing it was too risky, and not knowing if there was anyone in there, they looked at where they were. They were sitting on the grass, away from the impending fate they had faced. Two brave, caring, heroic women had rescued them. It was then they understood Velvet Dove's commitment to rescue anyone in the van.

She continued the tactics to be used. All but Runs the Field, a cross country star, and Velvet Dove were to run through the cedars across from the house, staying close to the tree line. Once up the hill, everyone else was to hide within the trees to be seen on neither side and to remain as quiet as possible.

Velvet Dove would hide behind the shrubbery across from the van and wait until the two guards and van driver chased after Runs the Field. This would draw all of them to the opposite side of the trees. The others would then cross through to the safe side and run to a cave just a little farther up.

Runs the Field would stand at the edge of the trees and yell something directing their pursuers up the hill. She would instantly duck into the trees to be hidden.

The three predators would cross through the trees in the direction they had seen Runs the Field head. Believing that the others were hiding up the hill behind boulders and bushes, they would disperse in different directions.

Runs the Field would remain hidden in the trees to indicate to Velvet Dove that the three were well up the hill, giving her sufficient time to check out the van and free anyone in there. With plenty of time to run up toward the cave entrance.

Eyes of the Owl interrupted Velvet Dove, complimenting her for the excellent plan; but announced there was only one flaw. Everyone sighed in unison and discouragement. But she added that there was another more dangerous solution. They anxiously listened, aware that time was of the essence. They couldn't dally much longer.