Found

Chip’s parents refuse to attend the conference, so Chip goes with Jonah’s family. When they get there, everyone has name tags. Jonah recognizes one of the names from the survivors list and is relieved there is at least one other kid there “who’d received the mysterious letters” (231). The kids are broken up into two groups. Daniella’s name is called, but she is not there. Katherine pulls off her name tag and claims to be Daniella. Chip and Jonah end up in the same group as Katherine. Jonah is mad because they will not get to talk to any of the survivors in the other group, but Katherine tells him “there isn’t anyone from the survivors list in the other group” (236). Katherine is sure this is on purpose and notes that their group has 36 people in it—the number of kids from the plane. Katherine is also pretty sure that “except for Daniella McCarthy, they have all the babies from the plane back together” (238).

The words from the second mysterious note come back to Jonah, and he realizes “they” have gotten him, just like the letter promised. His group is led by two men, Mr. Grant Hodge and Gary Payne, and Jonah is pretty sure Gary is the man JB fought in the library. The group goes on a silent hike, and Jonah tries to warn people not to trust Hodge or Gary. Gary catches him talking, and Jonah has to walk with Gary at the back of the group.

After about an hour, Hodge tells the kids they have “received special permission” to show the kids a cave where they can talk about adoption (246). At the cave entrance, Hodge has the kids press their hands to a specific spot on the rock for at least a few seconds, claiming there is a natural phenomenon with the rock’s temperature. Jonah realizes Hodge is “making sure we really are the babies from the plane” and warns Katherine not to touch the rock (248). She manages to slip past while Hodge is distracted.

When all the kids and Hodge are inside, Gary does something with his hand at the cave entrance and then enters. A minute later, Jonah hears “a sort of grinding” sound as the entrance closes (253). Jonah makes a break for it, but Gary tackles him before he can escape. Jonah begs Gary to open the door, claiming he is claustrophobic. Gary refuses but offers to take Jonah out the back way if he cannot handle being closed off. Before Jonah can figure out what to do, JB appears and tackles Gary. Some of the kids try to help JB, but Gary is too strong. What sounds like a gunshot brings the fight to a stand-still.