Disappeared

"The flunitrazepam binds at an allosteric site at the gamma-aminobutyric acid A receptors GABA_A. Like most benzodiazepams, flunitrazepam or Rohypnol as it’s commonly known binds at the benzodiazepam allosteric site on the GABA_A inotrophic receptors, causing an influx of negatively charged chloride ions or an efflux of potassium ions out of the cell. This results in an increased negativity or hyperpolarization of the cell. The influence of GABA and GABA agonist is to act at inhibitory synapses and prevent the cell from firing.

Twenty minutes later this inhibitory effect of flunitrazepam leads to a relaxation of the muscles, a feeling of euphoria, disorientation, disinhibition, impaired judgment, and reduced levels of consciousness and intoxication.

As one of the most powerful benzodiazepams, Rohypnol also causes anterograde amnesia which is an inability to recall a recent event. This is as a result of an inability to consolidate or store this memory into long-term memories."

_{By Ben Mills [Public domain], from Wikimedia Commons}

flunitrazepam or Rohypnol

Rick blew out an exasperated breath. “Tell me what I need to know, what I can understand.”

The chemist shrugged off his lab coat and threw it over the desk in a fluid motion. He removed his glasses and rubbed his eyes. “She was drugged with Rohypnol.”

"Is there no way this drug can be identified?"

The Chemist grabbed the end of his shirt and began cleaning his glasses with it. "Sometimes they call it blue on the street for the color and it can be identified that way. But for a colored drink..." He shrugged.

Rick stared at their analysis board. The scribbles and tracings of the investigation blurred before his eyes. None of this made sense. So far, twelve women had disappeared in the three counties in a month. But this woman had somehow gotten away. She was found by the roadside on the outskirts of town.

Rick dragged a frustrated hand down his face. His eyes were gritty from lack of sleep, yet the last thing on his mind was sleep. They had to catch this son of bitches somehow. “If the drug does all these, how did she slip away?”

“If the dose given to her was low,” the chemist shrugged, “then there’s her size.” He sighed. “Do you really care? This is the break we need.”

Rick pushed away from the desk, grabbed a marker and circled the spot the woman was found. “They’ve never made a mistake--”

“Until now.”

Rick shook his head. “That is not the point. What if this ‘break’ is just to throw us off?”

The chemist groaned. “Of what? We never had a lead. I still the samples to study--”

Rick didn’t hear him. “She said the last thing she recalls was flirting with a Mark.”

“What do you want to do?”

Rick shook his head. “I have no idea. Our four tea police force is too small to deal with this. But I will go over to take a look at the spot where she was dropped.”

Pacing to their analysis board, Rick tipped his head back and studied it. “Where do you think they got the drug and for how much?”

“A tablet costs as little as $1,” the chemist said in a wry tone.

Rick’s eyebrow jumped to his hairline. “That cheap? But I don’t think our little pharmacy has--”

The chemist was already shaking his head in denial. “It has to be from the other bigger towns.”

Rick’s head dropped in frustration. “To think my biggest case before this was finding the thief who stole Doc’s horse.”

"Perhaps we should inform the other towns of our 'break'. I hear five women were taken two days ago."

Rick nodded.

The chemist frowned. “Where’s Mitch?”

“I hear his daughter is sick,” Rick said in an absent tone.

The bus rolled to a stop. A man jumped from the passenger side. He gripped the door handle, the muscles of his arms bunching with the movement and pulled. The heavy door groaned in complaint but yielded to the man’s will and opened.

Two men approached the vehicle. The first was short and wiry. The second was tall and thin. He moved with an unmistakable air of command. Jerking his head with a lift of his chin, he beckoned the driver forward.

“What the hell happened out there?”

The driver gave his passenger a nervous look and thrust his hands into the pocket of his trousers. “W-we brought the merchandise as requested.”

“Fool,” the short wiry man spat, “he didn’t ask if you brought it. Of course, you would. We have your daughter remember?” He shot his hand out and gripped the man by the front of his shirt. “How did you lose one of the merchandise?”

The driver turned to his passenger. “Mac, can you--”

The tall man whipped him across the face with the butt of his pistol. He fell to his knees before the two men. The tall man handed the gun to his short and wiry companion. “Get the deputy out of here.”

The driver lurched to his feet, one hand cupped over his bleeding face. “You promised to give me back my daughter after the trip!”

“Not when you’ve compromised the merchandise, deputy. Your daughter will remain in the storeroom where she belongs until you do as you're told.” The short man threw up his hands. “No wonder drugs and crime have taken over this shit town. A deputy who can’t follow simple instructions. Get out!”

The driver dropped to his knees. “I promise I won’t call this in. Please, I beg you, just give me my girl and you will never--”

The short man burst into laughter. “Mac,” he called in a voice dripping with mirth, “silence your friend. He’s getting out of control.”

He turned away, but the driver moved and caught him by the knees, nearly unseating him. “Please, give me my girl and I will disappear for good.”

“Get the fuck off,” the short man snarled, he kicked out, the side of his boot catching the driver by his battered face, “what the hell, Mac?”

Mac strode forward and grabbed the sobbing driver by the arm. “Come on.”

“And you have a lot of explaining to do, damn it,” the short man said as he strolled away.

_{By Aitoff}

Five minutes later, Mac strolled into the room to find the Boss pacing and muttering under his breath. As soon as he pushed the door closed behind him, the two men rounded on him.

“What the hell happened out there?” the Boss asked.

Mac shrugged. “We ran out of blue.”

The short man shot forward. “All you had to do was call for more, not put our operation under suspicion.”

Mac raised an eyebrow, eyes snapping in ire. “You are just the Boss’ cousin, Dan, don’t act like you know anything about anything.”

Dan burst into laughter. “You fool. This is no longer a pointless fight for supremacy between me and you.” He turned to the Boss. “We made a mistake,” he eyed Mac pointedly, “he made a bringing the deputy into this.”

Mac stiffened. “We needed someone who wouldn’t raise questions as a driver and we already had his daughter.”

Dan shook his head pityingly. “We needed no such thing. With our passengers doped on blue, they can’t move,” his voice rose, “they can’t fucking talk. They are no threat.”

The Boss stopped in the middle of the room. “Dan’s right, we shouldn’t have involved the deputy. Now the police are looking for one of their own and six women.”

Dan gave him an arch look. “You forget, they have one woman now. They are only looking for five.”

The Boss ran a frustrated hand down the side of his face. “How the hell did you manage to lose one of the merchandise in the smallest town of all?”

For the first time, Mac looked unsure. “We had a problem so I let the deputy administer the blue--”

“You what?” the Boss asked in disbelief.

Dan burst into laughter. “There was no problem. You wanted a smoke and left the damn deputy to administer Rohypnol.”

The Boss let out a breath. “Go get the deputy.” He turned to Dan. “How did we come to have the deputy?”

Dan blew out a breath. “His daughter was one of the women Mac picked. Somehow, he saw Mac pushing his daughter into the bus and followed. Mac had to kill or bring him along.”

The Boss ran a finger over his lips. “Who’s he? Will he be missed?”

Dan raised an eyebrow. “He’s the deputy police, Chief Mitchell.”

The Boss eyed him in disbelief. “How the hell is everything going wrong in the smallest town? We’ve had a smooth operation before now!”

Dan shoved his hands into his pockets and rested his back against the wall. “All’s not lost. Perhaps Chief of Police is an exaggeration.”

The Boss frowned. “What do you mean?”

“It’s a four-man police force.”

The Boss burst into laughter. “F-four man? That’s not a police force. It’s not even a team,” he finished dismissively.

Dan grinned. “Forget the woman who slipped out, she can’t remember anything remember? That’s we use Rohypnol for mistakes like these. We can still deliver these women to Harry, get our money, disappear and hit another town.”

“What about the Deputy Mitchell?”

Dan raised an eyebrow, his dark eyes glittering with menace. “What about him?”

The Boss stared at him for a moment without saying a word. Then he nodded. “Alright. See what’s keeping Mac.”

Dan turned but stopped shot when Mac appeared in the doorway. His eyes were desperate and wide. His chest rose and fell as he panted.

“What happened?” Dan asked.

“I-I can’t find him.”

The Boss lurched forward. “What do you mean you can’t find him?”

Mac spread his hands. “I-I left--”

Dan gripped his front shirt and shook him violently. “You fool--”

The Boss caught his shoulders. “Wait, what of the daughter?"

Mac swallowed. "She's gone."

Dan charged forward. "You've ruined everyhting."

The Boss shook his head, looking resigned. "Let him be. We have to go now before he returns with the police.”

Dan released him with a sound of disgust. “At least we haven’t unpacked, we can just roll out.”

Five minutes later, Mac got into the driver’s seat and they moved out.

Dan pushed his head over the driver’s seat to see Mac better. “You had the simplest job, grab the women which is easy with the help of the Rohypnol--”

The Boss seated on the passenger’s seat turned to glare at Mac. “Hell, with the blue, you had them eating out of your hand.”

“But you let one of the women slip away and got the deputy police involved and he escaped in one fucking day.”

Mac gripped the wheel tighter and gritted his teeth. “How was I to know--”

“Shut up and fucking drive,” the Boss said harshly.

Mac braked the car hard, his pale skin going chalky.

“Now why did you stop?” Dan gripped.

Mac nodded towards the windshield. “There’s a roadblock.”

The Boss groaned. “How did they get here so fast?”

Lights washed over the car, blinding them. Dan cursed and groped for the door handle.

“Put your hands in the air and step out of the vehicle slowly,” a voice ordered over the loudspeakers.

The Boss stared out and shook his head. “Jesus, it seems all the police from the three towns are here.”

“What do we do now?” Mac asked.

“Put your hands in the air and step out of the vehicle slowly,” the voice over the loudspeakers repeated.

Dan bared his teeth at Mac. “You fucking heard them.”

_{References
Flunitrazepam
GABA
GABAA receptors
Anterograde amnesia}