"OKAY, SO ME AND YOU ARE GOING...." DIANA ASKS, LOOKING UP AT A.J. THEY HEAD ACROSS THE PARKING LOT TOGETHER TOWARDS THE CONVERTIBLE THAT J FORTUNATELY HAD RENTED EARLIER THAT DAY FOR THEM TO GET HOME IN WITHOUT DRAWING AS MUCH ATTENTION TO THEM ALL LIKE THE OTHER DAY.

A.J GETS INTO THE DRIVER'S SEAT AND CRAMS THE KEY IN THE IGNITION BEFORE REPLYING. "WE'RE GOING TO CHECK ORLANDO FIRST, TO SEE IF BRI AND ESTHER WENTBACK TO HIS APARTMENT." HE SAYS, STARTING THE ENGINE. HE SHIFTS THE CAR INTO REVERSE AND TURNS TO BACK OUT OF THE LOT. ONCE HE'S TURNED, HE CONTINUES, "IF WE CAN'T FIND HIM THERE, WE'LL STICK AROUND ORLANDO UNTIL SOMETHING COMES UP."

"OR WE RUN OUT OF TIME." SHE SIGHS, LOOKING SADLY OUT THE WINDOW.

"YEAH." A.J. AGREES. HE PAUSES AS THE SECURITY GUARDS STOP HIM AT THE ENTRANCE.

"WHERE YOU HEADED, SON?" ONE OF THE GUARDS ASKS, SHINING HIS FLASHLIGHT INTO THE VEHICLE.

"I WAS TAKING THE CAR BACK TO THE LOT." A.J. REPLIES WITHOUT THE LEAST HESITATION.

THE SECURITY GUARD LOOKS AT HIM SUSPICIOUSLY AND ASKS, "SHOULD WE ARRANGE FOR PROPER TRANSPORTATION BACK TO THE BUS?"

"THAT WON'T BE NECESSARY, SIR." KEVIN CALLS AS HE, LAURA, AND HOWIE PULL UP BEHIND THEM IN LAURA'S RENTED VEHICLE. "WE'RE GOING ALONG TO PROVIDE TRANSPORTATION BACK."

"IN THAT CASE, WHEN SHOULD WE EXPECT YOU BACK?" THE GUARD ASKS, SHINING HIS LIGHT UP AT KEVIN.

"WE SHOULDN'T TAKE MORE THAN A FEW MINUTES OR SO, SIR." HE REPLIES.

"OK, THEN." THE GUARD BELLOWS. "PROCEED." A.J. ROARS OUT OF THE LOT WITH KEVIN RIGHT BEHIND HIM.

A.J.'S CELL PHONE RINGS AND HE PULLS IT FROM HIS BACK POCKET. BRINGING IT UP TO HIS EAR, HE GIVES A RASPY "HELLO?"

"YEAH, A.J?" KEVIN'S VOICE BUZZES OVER THE PHONE. "GO AHEAD AND PULL THE CONVERTIBLE INTO THAT EMPTY LOT OVER THERE ON THAT STREET." HE INSTRUCTS AS THEIR PLAN BEGINS TO UNFOLD.

"FROM THERE, WE'LL GO BACK TO THE BUS, GET OUR THINGS, YOU AND DIANA WILL GO OUT THAT BACK ENTRANCE WE FOUND THE OTHER DAY, ALONG WITH NICK AND BRENDA. NICK AND BRENDA WILL GO DOWN TO THE BUS STOP AND CATCH THE NEXT BUS TO TEXAS AND YOU ALL WILL GO GET THE CAR FROM THE LOT AND HEAD... WELL, YOU KNOW WHERE TO GO." HE PAUSES TO SAY SOMETHING TO LAURA AND CONTINUES. "WE'LL GET THE CAR AND PARK IT AT THE OPPOSITE LOT, AND COME BACK TO THE BUS. THEN, WE'LL GO OUT THE BACK ENTRANCE WITH OUR STUFF AND TAKE THE CAR AND HEAD UP TOWARDS KENTUCKY."

"GOT YA." A.J. REPLIES, TURNING THE CONVERTIBLE ON TO THE NEXT STREET. THEY LOCATE THE LOT, PULL THE CAR IN AND PARK. KEVIN CRUISES IN BEHIND THEM AND THEY ALL PILE IN; KEVIN AND LAURA IN THE FRONT; A.J., HOWIE AND DIANA IN BACK. IT TAKES ONLY A FEW MINUTES TO GET BACK TO THE BUS, THEN DIANA, HOWIE, A.J., AND LAURA GET OUT AND GET THEIR STUFF TOGETHER WHILE KEVIN GOES TO TAKE THE CAR TO THE BACK LOT. WITHIN MINUTES, HE JOINS THE REST OF THE GROUP ON THE BUS.

"OKAY, DO WE HAVE EVERYTHING TOGETHER?" KEVIN ASKS, ZIPPING UP HIS DUFFEL BAG AND SLINGING IT OVER HIS SHOULDER. NICK STUMBLES IN ON BRENDA'S ARM AND GROANS.

HOWIE LISTENS TO HIS RECORDER WITH CONFUSED INTEREST TO SOMEONE MURMURING SOMETHING ABOUT COCKTAIL WEENIES. LAURA FRANTICALLY DIGS THROUGH HER BAG, WHILE BOTH A.J. AND DIANA LOOK ON IN AMUSEMENT AT HOWIE FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON AND TRY TO STIFLE THEIR LAUGHTER.

"QUIET DOWN EVERYBODY!" KEVIN YELLS, GETTING THEIR ATTENTION.

"WHERE DO WE GO?" BRENDA STRAINS, TRYING TO SUPPORT BOTH NICK AND THEIR BAGS.

"YOU GUYS NEED TO HEAD TOWARDS TEXAS. THERE'S A CHANCE THAT BRI AND ESTHER ARE HEADING BACK TO YOU GUYS' HOMETOWN." KEVIN REPLIES, HANDING A CELL PHONE TO HER. HE TURNS AROUND AND ASKS, "DOES EVERYONE HAVE THEIR CELL PHONES?" EVERYONE NODS. "THIS IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO KEEP IN CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER." HE EXPLAINS, HOLDING UP HIS PHONE. "IF ANYTHING COMES UP, CALL. ANY QUESTIONS?"

EVERYONE SHAKES THEIR HEADS. "OKAY GUYS. I'VE ALREADY CALLED BRI'S HOUSE TO SEE IF HE'S BEEN BY THERE, AND THERE'S BEEN NO SIGN OF HIM THERE. THE ONLY OTHER PERSON THAT KNOWS ABOUT ALL THIS IS THE BUS DRIVER. THAT'S ONLY SO NO QUESTIONS WILL ARISE WHEN HE GETS TO CHICAGO WITH AN EMPTY BUS. HE'S IN ON IT ALL, AND AGREED TO COVER FORUS WHILE WE'RE GONE. WE'VE GOT 36 HOURS TO LOCATE BRIAN AND ESTHER OR THERE'S A GOOD CHANCE IT'S OVER FOR ALL OF US." HE LOOKS AT THE GROUP, THEN GLANCES OUT THE WINDOW. "IT'S GETTING LATE SO LET'S MOVE IT OUT."

BRENDA AND NICK PROCEED DOWN THE BUS STAIRS FIRST ALONG WITH HOWIE, WHO HELPS THEM OUT THE BACK ENTRANCE, THEN COMES BACK ON THE BUS. THEY ALL SIT TENSELY AND GIVE NICK AND BRENDA A 15-MINUTE GO AHEAD, BEFORE THE NEXT GROUP LEAVES. A.J. AND DIANA ARE NEXT TO GO, AND KEVIN GIVES THEM FINAL INSTRUCTIONS WHILE HELPING THEM OUT THE BACK ENTRANCE.

"A.J., I ALREADY CALLED TO BRI'S APARTMENT, AND THERE WAS NO ANSWER. THEY MAY BE OUT AROUND ORLANDO, SO JUST KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN AND LOOK AROUND FOR THEM THERE. HOWIE SAID THEY MENTIONED ORLANDO, SO THEY MAY BE THERE, THEY MAY NOT BE. WE'LL KEEP IN TOUCH IF ANYTHING COMES UP, OKAY?" KEVIN SHUTS THE ENTRANCE AND TALKS TO THEM THROUGH THE CHAIN-LINK FENCE NOW SEPARATING THEM.

"YEAH." A.J. REPLIES, PULLING THE CAR KEYS FROM HIS POCKET. HE LOOKS UP AT KEVIN, FEAR IN HIS EYES. "I SURE HOPE WE FIND THEM IN TIME."

"ME TOO." KEVIN MUMBLES, LOOKING DOWN AT THE GROUND. "GOOD LUCK,MAN."

HE WATCHES AS DIANA AND A.J. MAKE THEIR WAY TO THEIR CAR BEFORE TURNING TO GO BACK TO THE BUS.

"OKAY, WE NEED TO GET MOVING." KEVIN SIGHS, LEANING IN THROUGH THE BUS DOOR TALKING TO THE TWO REMAINING OF THE GROUP. THEY GRAB THEIR STUFF AND COME DOWN THE BUS STAIRS AFTER KEVIN. CAREFULLY, THEY SLINK THROUGH THE BACK ENTRANCE TOWARDS THE OPPOSITE LOT WITH THEIR BAGS STRAPPED TO THEIR BACKS. KEVIN SCANS THE TERRAIN AND THEY RUN ACROSS THE LOT TO THE CAR.

"HOWIE, HURRY AND GET IN!" LAURA SAYS IN A LOUD WHISPER AS SHE CLOSES THE DOOR AND BUCKLES HER SEATBELT. HOWIE QUICKLY THROWS HIS SLEEPING BAG INTO THE BACKSEAT THEN THROWS THE OTHERS LUGGAGE ON TOP OF THAT AND JUMPS IN. KEVIN ROARS THE ENGINE TO A START AND THEY EASE OUT OF THE LOT INTO THE DARK OF NIGHT.