The news that Ruth, Ericka, and Thalia had also gone missing left Jake scratching his head in frustration.
"How did all three of them disappear at the same time?" he muttered to himself.
He hadn't slept. His mind was still reeling from Jasmin's disappearance—and now this. The weight of responsibility as their teacher pressed heavily on his shoulders. The situation was growing worse. He rubbed his temples, the morning sun already high, but the ache in his head only deepened.
"Sir Jake," a voice called.
He turned to see his colleague, Harold.
"The tracker device picked up something earlier—it kept blinking on and off," Harold whispered.
Jake shot up from his seat without a word and headed straight to the nearest tent where the equipment was being monitored.
"Jake, we detected a tracker," another teacher confirmed.
"Whose tracker is it?" he asked urgently.
"It's Miss Blanco's."
He immediately checked Thalia's current location.
"What did the earlier report say?"
"The signal kept cutting in and out. It's likely they're in a place where the tracker's range is unstable," his colleague explained. "But the good news is—it's still active."
Jake's eyes narrowed. "Where are they now?"
"She's moving—slowly, but still within range. Thalia might be with the others… and with Jasmin, too."
Without another word, Jake nodded. Time was ticking. The students' lives could be at stake.
The team quickly organized a search-and-rescue operation. Their goal: find the missing students and bring them back before the day ended, while still allowing the remaining students to continue their activities.
Jake gripped the tracker in his hand, heart pounding. Others were assigned to sweep different areas of the forest.
Please let them be safe, he silently prayed.
The blinking signal on the screen showed changing directions. Jake furrowed his brows—it was difficult to pinpoint exactly where Thalia was headed.
Maybe they're lost, he thought grimly.
He couldn't wait any longer. He had to follow the signal now. He hurried through the forest, his eyes constantly scanning the tracker's display.
Along the way, he passed a large, abandoned warehouse. He noted its condition—dilapidated, weathered—but didn't linger.
Then something caught his eye.
A ribbon.
He bent down and picked it up, heart quickening.
This looks like the same type we gave the students as trackers. A memory resurfaced—how Jasmin's signal had once vanished too. Could they be near?
His mind raced with possible routes they could have taken. If they tried to find help… they might be heading toward the paved road.
He checked the tracker again—it was still blinking.
Jake broke into a run, alternating between walking and sprinting. He knew this area like the back of his hand. He'd explored it before, and there were shortcuts he could use.
Please, don't let me be too late, he prayed again.
Eventually, the trees thinned out. He emerged from the heart of the forest and found the edge of a paved road.
He slowed down, eyes alert, listening for any sound.
Then he heard it—rustling.
"Sir Jake?" a voice called faintly.
He spun around.
From behind the tall grass, a figure emerged.
"It's Sir Jake!" one of them said.
Relief surged through him. It was Thalia. And behind her—Ruth, Ericka…
And Jasmin.
"Dionson, are you okay?" he asked as he rushed toward her.
They were all alive. His prayers had been answered. His chest loosened, like a thorn pulled from his throat.
Their appearance was a mess—clothes wrinkled, hair tangled, faces pale. They looked like they'd been running for their lives.
Suddenly, Jasmin collapsed. Jake instinctively caught her in his arms.
"For heaven's sake, don't wander off again. Come on, let's get out of here," he said, waving them to follow.
Then he heard footsteps approaching.
"Hm?" He turned.
A man stepped out from the trees.
"Jake," the man said calmly.
Jake's eyes narrowed. "Giovane? What are you doing here?"
The girls looked at each other, sensing the shift in Jake's tone.
"Still the same cold Jake, huh?" Giovane smirked. "Just hanging out. Don't worry, I'm not causing trouble. Are these kids lost?"
Jake stepped in front of the students protectively.
"Thankfully, they're safe. Yes, we've had some disappearances, and we're dealing with it. Didn't expect to run into you here, Giovane."
"Well, I heard about a lot of missing girls in this area. I didn't realize it was your school that was camping here."
Jake kept his tone curt. "Thanks for the concern. We're leaving now. Let's hope our paths don't cross again."
Giovane chuckled. "Still as unfriendly as ever, man."
Jake ignored the comment. He was focused on the children.
"Let's go. They're waiting for us back at camp."
He noticed Ruth looked shaken, on the verge of tears.
"You okay?" he asked gently.
She shook her head. Clearly traumatized.
He didn't want her—or any of them—to carry lasting fear from this experience.
"How did you find us?" Thalia suddenly asked.
As they walked toward the tents, Jake smiled slightly.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a thin ribbon.
"A ribbon?" Ericka asked.
"Yes. We designed it to work as a hidden tracker. In case any of you got lost, we'd be able to trace your location."
Thalia blinked in disbelief. "You mean… this thing?" she asked, pulling hers from her pocket.
Jake nodded. "Exactly."
"Good thing I didn't throw it away," she sighed.
They neared the tent. Jake led them around the back to avoid drawing attention from the other students. He wanted to avoid unnecessary panic.
As they entered, the teachers gasped in relief.
The school nurse rushed to tend to the girls' minor injuries. Jake informed the rest of the staff that the missing students had been found.
He finally sat down, exhaustion hitting him like a wave. His mind wandered back to Giovane.
What was he really doing there? he wondered.
His body ached, and his mind was drained. But finally, he could rest—knowing that his students would return home safe and sound.