Too well prepared
After searching for Jenny for over six hours, they hadn't been able to find a single defining clue on where she might be. Running into a dead end, time and time again. Though Jason had put one of his best men on the job. Even though he himself was very capable with computers. Going as far as hacking into the surveillance footage of the nearby airports and using recognition software in hopes of finding a trace of Jenny. Despite Stephen putting multiple people on the search for Jenny. Going over every link in her browser history and confirmations for purchases Jason found in her email that he had hacked into. Not even her family knew where she was headed. Receiving only a message telling them that she was fine and she wouldn't be able to come home for the foreseeable future. Proving how serious she was about all of this. Showing all of them, especially Jason, that she had no intention to be found.
Even though they had all put in all their efforts to get her back, Jenny had been too well prepared. She had booked different bus, train and plane tickets. At different stations and airports. All heading to different destinations at different times. What they didn't know yet, was that she had even purchased a few false ID's and had done the same with those. Making a paper trail almost impossible to follow. Only to buy a ticket for the bus that drove by their house with cash and heading towards an airport far away. Using transfer after transfer. Spending all the money she had left from her days at the nursing home. Making both Jason and Stephen regret letting her work in the first place.
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Meanwhile Jenny was already across the border, where she had switched to another false ID to buy a bus ticket to the place she planned to stay for now. She had burned through the last bit of money she had by booking a room at a simple motel in a place she never imagined herself to come to. She had prepaid for a week and had already looked into a few possible jobs before her departure. One of whom had replied to her that she was allowed to come for a trial run. She planned on working there for a short period of time, to save up enough money to continue moving to the next place. Using the cheapest ways of travel possible she planned on making her way back to the Netherlands. Hiding herself in the place she imagined would be the last place Jason would be looking for her after the message she had sent to her family. Though she felt bad for worrying everyone like this, she couldn't risk her or Jason caving during a moment of weakness. In the end this was what was best for him. Best for the both of them. She was sure of it. As Jenny looked at the road from her window seat, she kept telling herself that soon she would forget about Jason and he would forget about her. She kept repeating those words as a mantra to prevent herself from changing her mind and turning back around.
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By now more than 24 hours had passed since Jenny had left and they had exhausted every possible means they had to find her. Leaving them feeling fully defeated. When the friends came to check up on Jason after searching high and low for Jenny, they found him slumped down against the wall of their trashed bed room. Holding the note Jenny had left in one hand and playing with her ring with his other hand, while looking out front with a vacant stare. 'What had made her run away? Was she running away from him, from their relationship or from this life? Who had made her get these thoughts in her head? He would personally make them pay for that crime. But even though at the moment nothing seemed more important than getting Jenny back, he was out of options. As much as he didn't want to admit it, the one time that Jenny had manged to fully outsmart him, was when she had discarded him like an old shoe or an annoying dog she didn't want anymore. How was he supposed to go about his daily life now? How could she do this to him?
They felt bad for their friend and he seemed to be in a very bad state. It seemed like he hadn't slept at all and he looked absolutely crushed, but they had no way to cheer him up or make him feel better in any way. Susan and Stephen felt equally hopeless. Blaming themselves for being the ones who had brought Jenny into their son's life. For not preparing Jenny as much as they should have. For not thinking it through what it would mean for a normal girl to enter their world. Thinking if there was any way they could have prevented this from happening. But no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't fully blame Jenny and felt more hurt than angry. Hurt on behalf of their son and hurt as they felt they had lost someone great in their lives as well. She had brought such happiness into their lives, that the pain they felt now that she was gone was even greater. Not wanting to believe or accept the situation. Convinced they would forgive her the moment she came back, but the hopes of that happening were very slim.