you really did do an excellent job with this chapter, despite the tough feedback.  ever heard that saying, "what doesn't kill you, makes you stronger?" (brigette would say something like that. then parker groans and rolls her eyes.) 

You have a real knack for knowing when to end with a cliffhanger and what type as opposed to finding closure for one (or more) story line like in ch. 18.  It's not just talent, it's intuition too.  that's a gift, no one can teach you.  love the flashbacks, as you know.  and the characterizations - just one word describes them; superb!

mp's right - you do just keep getting better and better. 

remember, van gogh didn't get any good reviews while he was alive; that's not the sole measure of how gifted you are as a writer!  so don't go cutting off your ear.  babies love to grab and twist (painfully, i might add) TWO ears as they grow and develop their grip.

My jaw is hanging through the floor right now.

Every time I tell myself there's no way you could *possibly* top your last chapter, you go and write something like this and I have to reset my whole scale.  Seriously, this may be the best chapter I've ever read on Missing Pieces.  Of course, I'm biased towards action sequences, but this still stands out.  The pacing, the dialogue, the characterizations, the imagery--it's hard to find fault with anything.  I especially loved the surreal quality at the end.

Updates soon?  You're killing me here!