Chapter - What happened?

	Chapter - What happened?
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"We got a phone call from a security guard that a van with Ontario plates pulling a boat with expired Manitoba plates is headed toward Niagara Falls. The boat matches the description."

Warren came back to the van from the boat and opened the driver's door.

"Bon voyage!" he called cheerfully. Then he released the parking brake, jumped out, and closed the door.

Fred felt the van begin to roll sluggishly down the ramp, into the river. The van floated. The trailer sank, disconnected from the van and the boat.

With a growl, the boat motor started. Fred struggled upright in time to see Warren back the boat out into the river. The van rocked at his every move. It was still in the boat launch ramp.

Fred's mouth and hands were still taped, but he easily ripped loose the tape on his legs. His heart began to pound as he turned his back on the door and raised the handle. It didn't open. Locked? He turned around to see where the door lock was. He could see the bank of the river approaching inexorably as the van wallowed slowly onward. The door was not locked.

Water pressure! he turned and grabbed the handle again and pushed hard this time. The door started to move then suddenly flew open, letting him fall, twisting, into the oily water of the boat launch.

As the water closed over his head, Fred realized he hadn't taken a deep breath. His head scraped something and green fronds waved around his head. He had hit the side, or was it the bottom? The bottom. The light of the sky was up there, straight in front of him, shining past a large shadow with tires sticking out. He struggled and twisted and pushed up from the bottom.

Pain! A blow to his head exploded the world in a flash of light. He gasped and snorted water through his nose. Confused, he struggled and got his head above water for a tantalizing second that didn't allow him any air through his taped mouth or water-filled nose. The shouts and splashes were weak and distant noises. Only the pain in his head and lungs mattered.

Hands grabbed him roughly by the shoulders, lifted him into air and yanked the tape painfully from his mouth, bringing a sudden and vast relief. He could breath again.

"And then what happened?"

They were at Fred's house, after the inevitable wait at the hospital for Fred to be checked and released by a doctor, and interviewed by police. John and Rodney were panting for more. Miriam just smiled and snuggled closer to Fred on the couch. Fred C and Angie were squashed contentedly into an armchair, while Stan and Sarah snuggled on the other couch. Fred's mom brought a new ice pack to replace the one she gave him 10 minutes before when she and his dad brought him back from the hospital.

"I don't know, really. I remember being thrown on the ground, and hearing some noises. Apparently Warren was shooting at us with a pistol, from the river. He yelled something about 'you kids ruining it all.' Then the police arrived and he sped off.

"Wow!"

"But like I said, I was concentrating on breathing, and then on the pain in my head. Apparently I hit the door of the van from underneath, really hard."

"Did the van go over the falls?"

"No, it sank where it was, with the door open to let water in. The police figured it wasn't even badly damaged, although Constable Robertson tried to tell me the door was badly bent on the bottom."

Everyone laughed, so Fred's mom brought in a new ice pack and asked with a worried frown, "Are they tiring you out too much?"

"No, Mom." Fred smiled back. "I'm glad to be home, safe and sound. It actually feels good to have you fussing over me."

She gave him a brief worried smile, then she turned her frown on Miriam. "It would have been nice if you could have kept him out of trouble, and I know it's not your fault, or even his, but he can't seem to stay out of trouble, you know."

Miriam smiled back, and was rewarded with another brief smile.

After Fred's mom went back to the kitchen to phone her mother, Fred asked, "So how did your parents take it?"

Stan said, "I phoned my parents to let them know I'm OK. They didn't even know about it."

Sarah chipped in, "Mine either."

Angie said, "I'll phone them later.

Fred nodded, "Me, too."

Miriam added. "Mine heard a bulletin on the radio. they called me on my cell phone in the middle of the search. I told them I was at Fred's house waiting with his family. An hour later they called Fred's number and when they didn't get any answer, they called me again and I had to admit we were looking for Fred and Rodney. After we lost radio contact in Toronto, I called to let them know I was all right. Constable Robertson talked to them, so that was OK, but", her voice became concerned and higher pitched, "we were all worried about you, Fred."

Fred smiled back and caressed her arm where it was locked across his chest, and gave her a quick kiss.

"So, how about you guys?" Fred asked John and Rodney.

John coughed, "Umm, Mom fussed over me for a few minutes, then she called Constable Robertson, and talked to him for over half an hour. Apparently he's going to get a commendation. Then he came and picked her up for dinner and they dropped me here on the way."

Rodney looked embarrassed. "Umm, Mom wanted to know why I called her cell phone when they were at a charity garden party. When I told her, she made it absolutely clear that it was perfectly fine to call them any time with this sort of news, and they'd want to hear all about it when they get home. And then she hung up. Dad phoned me back two minutes later, and wanted to know all about it, and said he wanted to come home right away, but I convinced him that I was going to be OK here with you guys."

Miriam carefully looked over Fred's shoulder toward the kitchen, and then said in a low voice. "This has been exciting, and I usually didn't have time to be scared, but I'm glad it's over."

The others responded with solemn nods and mumbles. She checked the kitchen again, and said even more quietly, "But after what that Warren guy shouted at Fred, I'm not sure this is really over."

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