Page 41 of Forever

Morgan paced the floor of the FBI headquarters, her brow furrowed in concentration as she clutched her phone to her ear. The hum of activity around her barely registered; all she could hear was the pounding of her own heart. Her eyes flickered between the monitors on the wall and the photographs of Jessica Smith and Sarah Johnston, two ordinary girls who were now at the mercy of a cunning killer. Time was running out.

"Nothing," Derik said, his voice strained as he hung up another call. "No one's seen them. No one knows anything."

Morgan clenched her jaw, frustration gnawing at her. She had fought hard to rebuild her life after being framed for murder ten years ago, but the ghosts of her past still haunted her. Now, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was somehow responsible for these girls' fate. If only she had pieced together the puzzle sooner...

"Keep trying," Morgan urged her partner, hanging up her own fruitless call. "We have to find them."

Derik nodded, his expression grim. They both knew their chances of saving Jessica and Sarah diminished with every second that passed. But they refused to give up. They couldn't let another life be lost on their watch.

As Morgan dialed another number, she allowed herself a moment of silent introspection. She thought about the bars of her prison cell, the cold metal against her skin, the slow passage of time. She had survived that hell, but it had hardened her, made her more determined than ever to bring justice to those who had none.

"Hello?" a voice answered on the other end of the line, snapping Morgan back to the present.

"Hi, this is Special Agent Cross with the FBI," she said, her voice steady despite the turmoil within her. "We're looking for any information on two missing women: Jessica Smith and Sarah Johnston. Have you seen or heard anything?"

"Uh, no," the voice replied hesitantly. "I don't think so. I'm sorry."

"Thank you for your time," Morgan said, her voice flat as she hung up. Another dead end. They were running out of options, and hope was fading fast.

"Derik," Morgan said, her voice strained with urgency. "We need to do something. We can't just sit here waiting for a lead that might never come."

"I know," Derik agreed, his eyes mirroring her own desperation. "But what else can we do?"

Morgan didn't have an answer, but she knew one thing: she wouldn't stop fighting until Jessica and Sarah were found. She owed it to them and to herself to see this through to the bitter end.

Morgan stared at the photographs of Jessica and Sarah, pinned to the bulletin board. The brunette and blonde girls smiled back at her, their eyes filled with innocence and life. They were just average girls, faces you'd see in any crowd - which only made it harder to find them.

"Damn it," Morgan muttered under her breath. Her hands clenched into fists, nails digging into her palms. She could feel the weight of every second that slipped away, each one taking a part of Jessica and Sarah with it. Their chances of survival were dwindling, and she couldn't bear the thought of failing them.

"Derik," she said, forcing herself to look away from the pictures, "I need to get out there. I can't sit here anymore."

"Where are you going?" Derik asked, concern etched on his face.

"Every lake, pool, and dock in the city," Morgan replied, determination setting her jaw. "It's a fool's mission, but I have to try."

"Are you sure about this?" Derik hesitated. "It's a big city, and we have nothing to go on."

"Ten years ago, while I rotted in that cell, all I wanted was someone to fight for me," Morgan said, her voice laden with emotion. "These girls don't have anyone else. So if I have to search every damn body of water in this city, then that's what I'll do."

"Alright," Derik relented, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Just be careful out there, Morgan."

"Always am," she replied, flashing him a thin smile before grabbing her jacket and heading out the door.

***

Morgan's fingers tightened around the steering wheel, her knuckles turning white as she prepared to embark on her impossible mission. Her heart raced in anticipation, the adrenaline fueling her resolve. Just as she was about to pull out of the parking lot, Derik appeared at the passenger window, rapping his knuckles on the glass.

"Wait!" he shouted, his face a mix of urgency and relief. "We've got something you need to see."

Morgan hesitated for a moment before rolling down the window. "What is it?" she asked, her breath catching in her throat.

"Let me inside," Derik said, motioning towards the car door. "I'll explain on the way. We need to get down to the east precinct."

Morgan let Derik in, and he slammed the door behind her. She began driving toward the east precinct. "Well, what is it?"

"A woman came in," Derik said. "I just got a call from an officer. The girl claims she and her friend were kidnapped by a man and that he was going to drown them."

Morgan's heart pounded in her chest. "Could it be one of the girls Belinda warned me about?"

---