Cal called Stu Kroll, his editor at the Star-News.
Its Cal againlisten
Hey, its okay, we caught it. Changed it to fifty. Its all good.
No, Stu, listen. Our sons missing down here at the River Ridge fair.
What do you mean?
Im going to send you his picture and information from the police
The police?
Yeah, its looking serious. We need to get the word out now. Would you guys put it up on the site and tweet it out?
IIm not sure. I mean, youre an employee
Please, Stu! Please! Im sending it now. I gotta go.
Ripkowski and Berg had arranged for a River Ridge patrol car to park at the Hudsons house just in case Gage somehow made his way home. Cal and Faith contacted their nearest neighborsEthans parents, Sam and Rory Clarkwho upon hearing the news immediately agreed to join the police at their house to watch for Gage.
Meanwhile, the fairgrounds chief, Herb Dulka, had trotted to the chutes, phone pressed to his ear, joining Ripkowski and Berg, whod waved in Vaughn King, while more police officers and other security people arrived.
Weve circulated Gages picture force-wide, Ripkowski said. Itll be up on social media any minute now, notifying everyone across Chicago, the state, the entire country. And Ill talk to my supervisor to ensure we cover all our bases and look into possibly issuing an Amber Alert.
Dulka said, Weve given the photo to all our people on the grounds at the gates and in the parking lots and were starting the shutdown process for the announcement.
Good. Berg turned to King. Our people and firefighters are going to search the attraction and were going to take statements from all of your people working it.
Not a problem. Vaughn nodded.
But first Ripkowski nodded to the Chambers what about your cameras in there? You got surveillance footage? It might show us something.
Yes, we have cameras and were working on getting the footage but theres a problem.
Whats the problem?
The playbacks frozen. The Chambers took a lightning strike last week when we were in Milwaukee and the systems been skittish ever since.
We need that footage, Ripkowski said.
Were working on it.
Near them the Polar Express emitted a hydraulic sigh as it slowed. Then the Zipper groaned to a halt as ride cycles ended and riders disembarked. People were kept off and the rides across the midway remained idle while everywhere the blaring rock music at each ride ceased.
Almost ready. Dulka was on his phone, then nodded. Okay, go!
A public address system awoke, screeching feedback, then a womans voice crackled through it with a message that came through loud and clear.
Attention everyone. We have an emergency. Were looking for a little boy, Gage Hudson. Hes nine and he got separated from his folks near the Chambers of Dread a little while ago. Gages picture is up on the big screens. Please take a look now, then look around you. Gage, if youre seeing this, go to any ticket booth, police officer or security person, and theyll find your folks for you. Everyone, please look around your area for Gage and lets get him back to his folks. Please, do it nowitll only take a moment. Thank you.
The chaos had been subdued and a somber air fell across the thousands of people at the River Ridge Fairgrounds. It was soon interrupted by the distant calling of people shouting, Gage! from various corners, as if engaged in a Marco Polo game. But it wasnt long before the murmuring gave way to demands for the party to resume as some calls devolved into Gage, youre in deep shit! and Your mamas gonna whip your ass, Gage!
During the fifteen minutes the midway was halted, no walkie-talkies crackled and no phones rang to end Cal and Faiths agony. No one had spotted Gage. With each terrible, surreal second that passed, Cal and Faith felt their horrible fear increasing and their panic rising.
It was all they could do to keep from falling off the earth.