Interesting chain saw story with small associated questions.

I was using a small 16" electric chain saw to trim limbs from a dead
pine tree, and I was wacthing the tongue and the chain and noticed
that the chain was looser than it had been and actually went off an
eighth or quarter inch to the right of the top of the tongue, and
figured I'd better lengthen the tongue.

As soon as the cut was complete, I let go of the trigger, and when I
looked, there was no chain! I didn't see a thing! I didn't hear a
thing other than the normal sound. I can't find it!

I'm doing this over some bushes, along with ground cover. Did the
entire chain get below the ivy? The saw has standard configuration.
Is the chain more likely to have gone forward, backward, to the right,
or straight down.?

I've looked about 6 feet ahead, 3 feet to the side, and 2 feet back.
How far could it go? :-)