Missing Person

Co-written with Red_sword7

7.3.5 SW
Late Afternoon SW-CP-Local Time
Crowning Point

*tzzt* Op's to Wolfhound 6. *tzzt*

Roberts keyed his radio and talk into the mic. ~tzzt~ Op's this is wolfhound 6. ~tzzt~

There was a pause.

*tzzt* Wolfhound 6, we have a missing person report. Mr. Lombard is reporting his son, James, missing. *tzzt*

Roberts paused for a moment, ~tzzt~ Wolfhound 6 Responding Code 1, Wolfhound 6 out. ~tzzt~ He let out a sigh "…and now it begins" he mumbled walking to the Stinger FAV in the Vehicle Bay.

"Officer Gauss! Let's go!" commanded Roberts.

As they were driving, Roberts looked over the information that the report covered, deciding to talk to the father. They parked the Stinger FAV and walked to the Residential Hex, up to the quarters of the Lombard family. Roberts put his shotgun behind him, attaching the quick release of his gear and he knocked on the door.

Jack Lombard opened the door looking a little worried or agitated.
"Hey. Come on in." he sighed.

After Roberts and Officer Gauss entered they stood to one side "Hello, Mr. Lombard, I am Marshal Roberts and this is Officer Gauss."

The Marshal took out his P-DAT, ready to document whatever Mr. Lombard reported.

"I am here to follow up on a report of your son missing? How long has he been missing?" asked Roberts respectfully looking around as he waited for the reply.

“So… uh. Look." he began, rubbing his salt and pepper beard. "James is 18. The only reason I’m reporting him missing is because we can’t contact him and that’s pretty unusual for him. He was here yesterday. We went out to the bar last night for Earth’s New Years. I assumed he went to hang out with a group of friends, and as you know, they all live in this complex. But none of them have seen him since around 8 pm. He’s got my truck. I checked the parking garage and the gym at the rec center. It’s the weekend but there aren’t a whole lot of places I can think that he might go. If he’s anything like his old man he probably went off with some girl somewhere and fell asleep. But it’s afternoon now. Would’ve expected him home by now… or at least a message.”

Jack Lombard went on describing other details such as the description of the clothing he was wearing.

Roberts made notes on the P-DAT. "Yes sir, So he has not come back… Have you talked to the other parents? Do you know where they might go if not in the colony buildings area?" asked Roberts.

"We uh... we checked with the friends we know. They had a little get together last night a few floors down… they say he left early. The one kid's parents were out, just like us. And you know... kids don't tell their parents everything. C'mon, we were kids once. You know how it is. But uh... we have a clear view of the beach, as you can see."

He pointed out the large, glass balcony doors past Mrs Lombard who sat with her worried head in her hands.

"If he left the settlement area, your guess is as good as mine." Jack Lombard stepped closer to the Marshal and whispered. "Look, could you just track the truck? Just to settle my wife down. I'm sure he's fine."

Roberts smiled, "I was about to have that done. Mr. and Mrs. Lombard, we will find your son and I should question the other kids too. I have done this lots of times," he said reassuringly, handing the P-DAT off to Officer Gauss. "See if you can find the GPS tracker on the map," ordered Roberts.

He keyed his radio, ~tzzt~ Wolfhound 6 to Sargent, get a fire team ready to move out for a ground search of the area for a missing person. ~tzzt~

*tzzt* Roger. *tzzt* came the response.

“Marshal, would you be able to locate him by his data pad? Kids are always sending messages on those things.” asked Mr Lombard.

Robert thought about what Lombard suggested. "Sure, I will have Officer Gauss check the message system next," replied Roberts.

Officer Ricardo Gauss pulled out his portable laptop terminal and opened the lid. The device did not have the capabilities of a P-DAT and had to be updated by manually wiring directly into the network but it contained a Long Data Disc that held the entirety of the colonial registry information. He navigated the simplistic interface to open the database for all of the Personal Data Transmitters (PTDs), Data Transmitter Cards (DTCs), and registered devices in Crowning Point. Searching the data for the name 'Lombard', he quickly keyed through the short list and found the number for the truck. Then from his P-DAT, he typed in the corresponding number.

APOLLO gave an alert. - ...Please wait... ...connecting to network... -

Gauss grumbled, "Yeah, of course... why would it work?" He rubbed the back of his head and turned to Jack Lombard. "Mind if we, uh... use your balcony for some better reception, Mr Lombard?" Ricardo asked straightening his CPCS ballcap.

"Be my guest," he motioned toward the balcony doors.

"Would you two like something to drink?" offered Mrs Lombard.

Officer Gauss politely accepted the offer before heading out onto the balcony as Mrs Lombard strode over into the open kitchen to prepare some espresso.

"No I am good thank you, Mrs. Lombard. Can one of you give me a list of his friends that he was out with last night while Officer Gauss looks for the truck?" asked Roberts with a warm smile.

"Yeah. Johnny Zabka, lives downstairs on 2. Bobby Fontaine, not sure where he lives. I don't know who else was there. They said he's been talking with some girl lately. Poppy somethin' or other. I've never met the girl."

"Got the truck! It's out near the beach up by Comms Outpost 1," called Officer Gauss from the balcony.

"Huh..." wondered Mr Lombard aloud.