Play@YSDC

"Of course officer, only too happy to help" Pilman then turns to Lubov "I am afraid this is were your tour ends for the moment. You and your family can wait here, the officer will arrange accommodation for the night... I'll be heading back out with them"

The family nod. Too pale and shocked to comment. It can only be hoped that they don't go putting up bad reviews all over Google. That would be all Pilman needed. On the plus side, once the advance payment for the Kamchatka Expedition was received, all of Pilman's financial troubles would be over for quite a while. He just needed to pay the rent for another fortnight.

It takes a little over twenty five minutes for the five local militia officers, two paramedics, and three Emergency Services workers to congregate at the police station. One of the militia officers' wives also comes along and bundles up the family to take back to her home - promising a nice pot of tea to help them. The various assembly of people seem rather disturbed by the whole situation though they try to be professional - after all, they've known that family for decades.

Even Pilman well remembers eating Olga Grubova's tasty stews on cold winter nights while huddled around the immense fireplace with her dog (whom Trip adored), while her husband, Pyotr, came up with dozens of interesting stories about the local area and had more than enough gossipy stories of rural life to keep the tourists enchanted. Their twin children, Ivan and Ivanna, playing board games in the background.

The highest ranked militsiya man, Sergeant Duborov, quickly gathers up everyone's attention: "I hope you've left your equipment in your vehicle because we don't have time to go back. We're going up to the Grubov's place now. Apparently something bad has happened there and one of the children have run off into the woods. While we look over the place, I want the paramedics on standby and the emergency services workers, with Pilman, taking a look at the nearby surrounds. Don't venture too far. If no one's found in the first fifteen minutes, rejoin us and we'll spread out. Now let's be comprehensive about this. We all liked the Grubovs ... we want to get this right the first time."

Everyone nods and heads toward their cars.

Pilman heads over to his 4x4 and finds trip waiting for him in his usual spot in the drivers seat, he gives the dog a brief pat on the head and then fastens his seat belt. Starting the engine, he waits for the last police car to head out and then he follows the convoy out to the Grubova's house.

The convoy of vehicles are stopped at the ravine where it turns out that a large rock and some rubble has blocked part of the road. The other vehicles reverse out of the ravine and onto the shoulder of the road while the Emergency Services vehicle heads forward in order to shift the rubble. It looks like it might take awhile. At least twenty minutes.

Pilman has no choice but to wait with a growing sense of dread

As the Militsiya slowly move the rubble to the side of the road, their flashlights rove over the larger boulder, revealing a pair of four long gouges down one side. Hopefully it just scraped against something sharp on the way down. After all, it couldn't be two pairs of claws gouging it. That would be illogical. After ten minutes that feels like an hour, the boulder is pushed far enough towards the side of the road that the convoy of cars can simply go around it. His dog growls at the boulder as they pass it, hair standing erect, ears perked up. Then he turns his head and regards Pilman over his shoulder with a dull whine.

He pets Trip to help calm him down and himself...nothing good will come of this he thinks to himself.

They follow the long winding road until they reach the homestead. The cars pull up on the road outside the yard, signalled by the leading police car. Then the various emergency services and militsiyamen get out and hover in a loose circle.

"We'll go in first and take a quick look around and secure the crime scene," says one of the milisiyamen. "Then we'll come out and form up for a search party if no one's inside there. We'll be quick about it." Then he nods to the three men and one women that is the entire militsiya force for the area and they start over to the building.

"So, what'd ya see?" drawls one of the emergency services men, turning to Pilman and taking off his ear-muff-cap and wiping some nervous sweat off his forehead.

"I arrived seeking to book a room for a family that hired me as a guide. When I arrived I saw the front door open..no sounds from within..usually you'd hear the kids or the dog at least. I went round back and saw the back porch window smashed open and a child's foot prints leading off in the hills."

Pilman leaves trip in the 4x4 and goes round the back to get his torch...before closing the door, he takes his rifle from out of its case, checks the clip and puts the safety on before shouldering the weapon and heading round towards the front of the house.

"maybe someone should wait round the back?" He says to the officers before they enter the house

One of the officers nods at him and fans around toward the rear of the building. A few sharp, tense minutes pass before one of the officers comes out, looking a little pale and worn. He stands by the car and leans on it for a moment, waving away any and all attempts to converse with him. Another minute passes and the other officer come out of the house, looking equally shaken.

With a cold dead feeling inside his gut Pilman can tell that things have not ended well for the family...He approaches the officers. "Is it bad...? Should I look to see who is missing?"

The officer nods. "We found everyone but the youngest child and the dog. I'll stay here and secure the scene. The rest of you should fan out and see if you can find anyone. Work in pairs, though. This man has some sort of sharp knife and is probably quite tall." He takes a deep, shuddering breath. "Be careful out there. I'd suggest one officer per rescue team. That way you'll be armed."

"Was it the boy or the girl that you found?"

The officer lowers his head for a moment and stares at Trip. The dog whimpers and takes a step back as though feeling the weight of the officer's gaze. "The little girl."

Pilman closes his eyes for a few seconds a deep sadness welling up inside in. When he opens his eyes and attempts to speak he finds himself choking up. He coughs quickly before speaking
"The boys name is Ivan, the little girl was Ivanna...with your permission I want to get underway and look for him"

"Of course, you go with Gretchkin," he says, tilting his chin toward a stout-looking woman still in civilian uniform. "Boris, you're with me." The officer turns and starts pairing everyone else up. "And remember to be cautious. Whoever it was must have gone at them with a machete. He's still armed and at large."

Pilman heads round with trip and tries to find the tracks he remembers from earlier in the evening But the weather has done much to distort them, he decides that in a panic the child may have simply ran head long, so he heads off with Gretchen and trip. His torch on, scanning the ground ahead for any signs.