Days of Destiny

by Aiden Vaughan

Friday at Merriam High School, there was an assembly for all students regarding the issues of cyber-bullying, sexting, and the terrible consequences for the victims and the perpetrators of these crimes. The principal had invited an assistant district attorney who specialized in prosecuting these crimes.

  Like all assemblies, the students started out in a cheerful mode. As the district attorney began giving his presentation which showed examples of cyber-bulling incidents and talked about the implications of sexting, and what was legally considered to be pornography, the mood in the assembly visibly changed to a very somber one.

  As the assistant district attorney was wrapping up his presentation, he told the students, “The last thing I want to see is another one of you involved in one of these cases. Don’t ruin your lives this way. Once you put something on the Internet, it is very difficult to take it back. If you have a problem with someone, work it out face to face, or with a counselor or mediator.”

  Chapter 31

  The Rescue

  (Saturday, March 26)

  It was around 10:30 on Saturday morning. Daniel and Jason had decided to get together and spend the day brainstorming and working on Jian-heng’s case again. With all of the excitement of the past month, the search for the human traffickers had gotten placed on the back burner. But Jason was still determined to try and do something about it. He quickly completed his weekend chores at home while Daniel and Eric went very early to do their usual Saturday morning workout at the Y.

  Before they began their work session, they had a couple of errands to run. First on the list was to pick up some promotional photos of Daniel’s band. The pictures were going to be used on the band’s website which Jason worked on when he had a chance, and for publicity packages sent out to agents who had expressed an interest in the band. The pictures had come out great and both boys were pleased with the outcome. “Wait until the other band members see these photos!” Daniel said enthusiastically.

  The two decided to celebrate by going out to lunch. Jason drove them to their favorite sandwich shop on Santa Clarita Street. As they were standing in line to place their orders, Jason was distracted by a news story on a television over in the corner of the shop. The announcer was reporting a story about a young boy, Brandon Jacobs, living in the Tracy area, who had gone missing. “The last time the boy was heard from, he was doing some yard work for Gino Montecito, an elderly neighbor down the street. Police later determined that Montecito wasn’t involved in the boy’s disappearance. His house was searched just to be sure. But Mr. Montecito did remember the boy talking to someone in a van just briefly while he was working outside in front of the house.”

  “Look, Daniel!” Jason said excitedly. “Isn’t this is the same MO as what happened to Robbie Nelson?”

  “It sure sounds like it!” Daniel replied.

  “Let’s get these sandwiches ‘to go’ and check it out!” Jason said.

  When their sandwiches were made, the boys took their food and drinks and hurried back to Jason’s Explorer.

  “I say that we drive over to Tracy and see what we can find out,” Jason said impulsively. “I’ve got a full tank of gas and desire to do something other than talk about it!”

  “But where are we going to go when we get there?” Daniel replied. “I don’t think driving around the town looking for suspicious vans will get us anywhere. Most likely the authorities already have been doing things like that.”

  “Think about everything that Jian-heng told us about those men.” Jason went on. “Do you remember anything he said that might tie them to the town of Tracy?”

  “I can’t think of anything he said, but what about that paper he had where he was trying to write down English and Chinese characters? The Milpitas stuff was at the top of the page. There was a lot more at the bottom. Maybe we should check it out again. But that means going over to the Liu’s house.”

  “Not necessary, Daniel!” Jason said. “I made a scan of it and saved it on my laptop computer. And my laptop is in the back seat.”

  Jason fired up his laptop and opened the jpeg file he had saved after scanning Jian-heng’s paper. He then handed the laptop to Daniel, who studied the screen for a while.

  “There is a real jumble of letters and characters at the bottom, but I think I can make out the letters T, R, C and Y,” Daniel said. “In another place, I see what could possibly be the word ‘farm’.”

  “Tracy and farm? Jason asked. “When two of Captain Garcia’s detectives questioned that guy who went to the Milpitas house later that day after we rescued Robbie, didn’t the guy say he was there to pick up some produce from a farm?”

  “Yeah, you are right!” Daniel replied excitedly. “Let me study this some more and see if I can make out anything else.”

  “While you do that, I am going to start driving,” Jason said. “It’s at least a forty-five minute drive to get over the Altamont Pass and down to Tracy.” Jason started the engine of the Explorer and headed toward the freeway. Daniel continued to study the page for more letters.

  About twenty minutes later, Daniel reported, “I think I have figured out another possible word. It looks like Jian-heng wrote some of the letters backwards, but taking that into account, I can make out the letters S, C, H, U, L, T, E. It’s either that or maybe he was trying to write the word ‘school’. But would you associate the word school with a farm?”

  “If those letters are correct, the word is Schulte. It sounds like a German name to me,” Jason responded. “When we get to Tracy, let’s stop at a coffee shop. They should have Internet access, and we can web search for possible locations in Tracy.”

  Thirty minutes later, Jason exited the freeway and took the business route into town. Soon they spotted a coffee shop and parked the Explorer. Inside, Jason went up to the counter to order a couple of hot chocolates while Daniel set up the laptop on a table for two. A few minutes later, he hit the jackpot.

  “Look, Jason!” Daniel said in a low excited voice so that he wouldn’t bring attention to himself. “There is a Schulte Farms a couple of miles south of here. I am getting directions to get there right now.”

  “Awesome, my friend!” Jason replied. “Let’s get out of here and buy some produce!”

  The two boys grabbed their drinks and the laptop and headed back to the Explorer. In just over six minutes, they found Schulte Farms. The farm was located just past several housing developments, where the old rural Tracy met the new bedroom community. There were several buildings on the property, including a produce stand in the front (which was closed), a large house, and a barn farther back. Jason drove slowly past Schulte Farms trying to decide on a strategy.

  Next to the farm was a dirt road, the start of a new housing development that had been abandoned, probably due to the recession. Jason turned left and drove up the dirt road. When he was parallel to the location of the barn, he stopped and parked the Explorer. “I think we should start by checking out the barn,” he told Daniel. “By parking the Explorer here, it won’t be noticed on the road.”

  “Don’t you think we should call the authorities?” Daniel asked.

  “We need some visual confirmation first. Be sure to bring your cell phone in case we do find something, or need help!”

  “Count on it, Jason!” Daniel said with some resolve in his voice.

  The two boys got out of the Explorer, walked over to the edge of the Schulte Farms property and climbed through the post and rail wooden fence that bordered the property. The barn was about twenty-five yards away, and once they were through the fence, Jason and Daniel quickly ran to the back of the barn.

  There was a back door, but it was locked. Luckily there were two windows along the back, and one of them was unlocked. Jason pushed up the window sash and climbed through. Daniel followed behind him.

  Inside the barn, there was nothing unusual. Mostly it appeared to be a storage area for tools, and the corrals inside the barn were used to store hay and food, not animals. “There doesn’t seem to be anyth
ing down here,” Jason said in a low voice. “Let’s check out the loft.”

  The two boys climbed up the open wooden stairs to the loft. Mostly the loft was empty but there was a closed room with the door shut. Daniel tested the door, but it was locked. Impulsively Jason called out, “Brandon, are you in there?”

  It seemed like a faint cry came from inside the room, but the boys weren’t sure.

  “Brandon, are you inside this room?” Jason repeated in a louder voice.

  This time the sound in response was a little louder.

  “Help me break down this door!” Jason ordered Daniel. Daniel felt up on the ledge of the door but this time there was no key.

  “All right, Jason. On the count of three! One, two…”

  When Daniel said three, both boys hit the door with everything they had, and it broke open.

  “Oh my God!” exclaimed Daniel as they went inside.

  “Can you believe the resemblance to Robbie Nelson?” Jason said.

  Inside the room they found a young teenager, with long brown hair and brown eyes, tied in a spread eagle on a cot and gagged with a bandana. He was partially covered by a blanket. The boy had some bruises on his face and body, and only had on some underwear briefs. Jason and Daniel rushed over to the boy and began to release him from his restraints.

  After Jason pulled the boy’s gag off, he asked, “Are you Brandon Jacobs?”

  “Yes!” Brandon replied. “Who are you?”

  “My name is Jason, and this is my friend Daniel! Are you injured at all?”

  “I’ve been tied up, beaten up, and abused,” Brandon replied, “but I don’t think my injuries are serious.”

  “We need to get you up, dressed and out of here!” Jason answered. “I think that your kidnappers are probably planning to sell you to some pervert!”

  “How did you know that?” Brandon asked as he was helped off of the cot by Daniel and Jason.

  “Your kidnapping is very similar to one that occurred about a month ago in the Bay Area. The men who grabbed you are human traffickers of the worst kind! We will fill you in later. Right now we need to get out of here fast!”

  Daniel, who had been looking around the room, spotted a stack of clothing piled by one of the walls. “Are these your clothes?” he asked Brandon. When Brandon replied ‘yes’, Daniel handed him the clothing, which consisted of a blue Van’s tee shirt, a gray sweatshirt, blue jeans, white socks, and a pair of maroon and black Van’s canvas sneakers.

  While Brandon was getting dressed, Jason got on his cell phone to Captain Garcia. Luckily Captain Garcia answered right away. Jason told him that he and Daniel had found Brandon Jacobs and that he believed they had located the slavers’ new location at Schulte Farms in Tracy. “Can you get us some help right away?”

  “How on earth do you two keep stumbling onto crime scenes?” Garcia said somewhat incredulously. “Unfortunately, where you are is out of my jurisdiction, but I am sure that an FBI Child Abduction Recovery Team is on the case, and in that area. I will call them right now to put them in immediate contact with you. Now get out of there pronto for your own safety!”

  “I’m not leaving Brandon alone! He is already traumatized and my Explorer is only about twenty-five yards away. We are going to make a run for it as soon as he is dressed!”

  “Whatever you do, Jason, be super careful!” Captain Garcia rang off.

  About three minutes later, Jason was contacted on his cell phone by Agent Evan Hall from the Child Abduction Recovery Team. “Get here as fast as you can!” Jason told them after describing their location. “Not only do we have Brandon, but we are pretty sure that these traffickers have domestic slaves held in the house! Now we are getting out of here before those men discover that we have found Brandon. If we stay here we are sitting ducks! We will take him to his home. Is one of your agents there?” When Agent Hall said ‘yes’, Jason told him that they would be leaving the barn immediately.

  After ending his call, Jason turned to Brandon, who was just tying his shoes. “Are you ready to go, Brandon? Are you capable of running fast?”

  “I will do whatever it takes to get out of this hell hole!” Brandon said with determination. “Lead the way!”

  The three boys quickly ran down the stairs. “Daniel, help Brandon through the back window while I check to see if anyone is nearby outside!” Jason ordered. “Hide by the back side of the barn until I signal you that it is safe to run.” Jason hurried over to the main barn doors at the front of the barn. The doors weren’t locked, so he slightly opened one and peeked outside.

  As he surveyed the scene, Jason saw one of the human traffickers coming toward the barn. Running to the back window where Daniel and Brandon had already gone outside, he told them in an excited whisper, “One of the men is coming here. It’s not safe to run until he actually comes inside the barn door. No more talking until we are at the Explorer! Run like crazy when I give you the signal. Now help me through the window!”

  Daniel held out his hands and assisted Jason who quickly climbed through the window. Once outside, Jason pulled down the window sash. Jason stood at the edge of the window and continued to look inside. A few minutes later he saw the barn door start to open. Jason pointed his arm and index finger toward the Explorer on the dirt road. The three boys began to run toward it. Within three minutes they were at the fence.

  They climbed through the post and rail fence and hurried to the Explorer. Just as they were opening the doors they heard bullets being fired. “Get inside and duck down!” Jason said in a low urgent tone as he started up the engine. Jason put the Explorer into drive and raced down the road as they heard more bullets. A couple even hit the side of the Explorer, but by the time they reached the end of the dirt road, they were out of range. Jason turned left, and sped down the road, driving away from the farm as fast as he could. “Boy was that close!” he exclaimed after turning on the road. “I think we are safe for the moment!”

  Daniel and Brandon then sat upright in their seats. “Where do you live?” Jason asked Brandon. “Direct us out of here! Do you know any back ways we could take?”

  “Yeah, turn right up ahead at the next road!” Brandon said. Brandon directed Jason through a series of residential streets to his house. Daniel handed Brandon his cell phone. “Call your parents and tell them we are on the way!”

  After Brandon excitedly talked to his dad, who answered the telephone, another adult came on the line and asked to speak with Daniel. The adult was Agent Carla Moore from the FBI Child Abduction Recovery Team who had been staying with the Jacobs family in case there was a ransom demand or other contact from the kidnappers. Daniel told Agent Moore that they had come from Schulte Farms and had already been in contact with the agent in charge of the recovery team. He went on to explain: “Those men who grabbed Brandon are human traffickers! We have been tracking a group of young Chinese women who they smuggled into this country to become domestic slaves! I believe that they are probably being held in the Schulte Farms house. Now that Brandon is safe, tell your team to get there pronto to capture those men and rescue their prisoners! One of the men saw us getting away and fired bullets at us! Now that we have escaped I am sure he will try to get out of there as fast as he can!”

  Agent Moore replied that she had been in contact with the other members of her team who were on their way to do just that.

  When they arrived at Brandon’s driveway, Jason pulled in and parked the Explorer. Immediately three adults came running outside. Two of them were Brandon’s parents, Gordon and Mary Jacobs. Brandon got out of the Explorer, and hurried up to them. There were tears and long hugs as the reunited Jacobs family rejoiced in their good fortune. The third adult was FBI agent Carla Moore. She introduced herself to Daniel and Jason.

  “Who are you boys and how were you able to find Brandon?” Agent Moore asked. “We have been looking for Brandon since last evening.”

  “My name is Daniel Holmes, and this is my best friend, Jason Hunter,” Daniel began.
“We were able to find Brandon because the manner in which he was kidnapped exactly matched another crime committed last month!”

  Mrs. Jacobs came over to Jason and Daniel and gave them each a hug. “We are so grateful for what you did!” she said with heartfelt thanks.

  “We will tell you all about it in a few minutes,” Jason replied, “but first let’s deal with Brandon’s needs. He has been through a horrible experience, and I am sure could use some food, water, and medical attention.”

  “You’re right,” Mrs. Jacobs replied. “Brandon, I am so sorry. You must be starving and we need to get you to a doctor to treat those bruises and what I guess are rope burns on your wrists and ankles. Are you in any pain? What can I get for you first”

  “Some food and something to drink,” Brandon said. “You are right, I am starving!”

  “Let’s all go inside to the kitchen,” Mrs. Jacobs suggested. “Jason and Daniel, can I get you something also?”

  “We had lunch an hour or so ago, but something to drink would be nice,” Daniel said.

  They began walking toward the kitchen. Mr. Jacobs walked over and shook Jason and Daniel’s hands with a strong grip. “Thank you again for what you did. I don’t know how you were able to find my son, but I am forever in your debt!”

  Agent Moore introduced herself to Brandon and said, “Brandon, I am very happy that you have been found and are now reunited with your family.”

  Soon they were seated around the kitchen table. Mrs. Jacobs prepared a bowl of soup and a sandwich for Brandon and served glasses of iced tea to everyone else. Brandon eagerly began eating his food after his mom served it to him.

  “Where are you boys from?” Mr. Jacobs asked Jason and Daniel.

  “We are from the Silicon Valley,” Jason answered describing where they lived and where they went to high school.

  “That is a long way from Tracy.” Mr. Jacobs followed up. “What made you decide to come here today?”

  “It’s a long story, but it all stems from an investigation we have been doing for the last couple of months in our spare time,” Jason continued.