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Chapter Text

Run, Pip.

Don’t stop!

Behind her, she could hear leaves crushing under boots.

Not hers, she thought as she continued sprinting through the woods, it’s his.

He realised she was gone.

He found the torn duct-tape on the warehouse floor.

He saw the smashed window.

He connected the dots and realised that she had escaped.

But that wasn’t how it was supposed to be.

She was meant to still be inside, tied to the shelving unit, waiting for her imminent death.

But that wasn’t how it was going to go today.

She was going to be the one who got away. This was for the girls who should’ve had their chance to live but weren’t able to.

Philippa.

Melissa.

Bethany.

Julia.

Tara.

Barney.

Andie, too.

He won’t catch her. She’ll fucking kill him if he even dares to touch her. She still has the hammer, too. One wrong move by him, and she’ll bash this hammer into his skull without remorse.

And so, she kept running.

Even when her lungs felt like they were going to explode, she kept going.

Not this time, DT.

You’ll never catch me now.

~~~~

“Are you sure she isn’t at your house, Nat?” Ravi chewed anxiously on his nails. Pip was meant to be at his house an hour ago, but never showed. He tried calling her, but it didn’t go through. “Don’t mess with me, Nat. I can’t handle anyone lying to me right now.”

“Ravi, I swear she isn’t here.” Nat sighed. They’d been going back-and-forth for over a while now. “I’m not even home. I’m at Jamie’s. I waited for Pip to show up, but she never did. Jamie then asked me to come over, because his parents are out of town visiting Zoe, so we’d have the house to ourselves.”

“Connor?”

“He’s here, too.” Nat added. “He’s upstairs, talking to Zach on FaceTime. He’s been here all night, Ravi. And Pip hasn’t come round here, either.”

“Are you sure?”

“Ask me that question again, and I’ll show you exactly why I have a criminal record in the first place.”  

“Okay, I’m sorry, Nat.” Ravi said. He knew exactly why Nat had a criminal record, and he wasn’t particularly interested in getting punched in the face by her. “Listen, just call me if she goes over there.”

“Is everything okay, Ravi?” Nat asked. “Why are you even asking about Pip’s whereabouts? Isn’t she meant to be at yours?”

Ravi resisted a scoff. She was meant to be here, but she never showed. And something in Ravi’s gut was telling him something was wrong – the same feeling he got six years ago when he found out about Sal’s friends suddenly lying to the police about his alibi.

He’d already lost Sal. He’ll burn this world to the ground if he lost Pip, too.

“I’m just… worried about her, Nat.” Ravi said. “She’s been on edge lately. I’m worried I might’ve pissed her off earlier.”

“About what?”

“It’s not important.”

“Hm, right.” Nat sighed. “I’ll call you if I know anything.”

“Thanks, Nat.” Ravi responded. “I appreciate it.”

“Any time.”

The call disconnected then. Behind him, a hand – his father’s hand – cupped his shoulder, squeezing it softly.

“Natalie doesn’t know, does she?” His father shook his head and sighed. “It’ll be okay, Ravi. Pip probably got held up somewhere.”

But it’s not okay, Ravi thought, because unlike his father, he knew the truth.

Nobody except him knew about Pip’s stalker.

“I don’t know why she’s not answering, Dad.” Ravi sniffled, holding back tears. “She always answers. I don’t know what happened to her.”

“Nothing happened, Ravi. Don’t get worried.” His father assured, though Ravi couldn’t believe his words. “You’ll get overwhelmed if you keep worrying about her. Come watch TV with me and your mum. It’ll take your mind off her.”

But he couldn’t.

The stalker is still out there.

They’re still watching her every move, waiting until the perfect moment to strike.

Had the stalker finally caught her? That would explain the terrible feeling in his gut. Is that why Pip wasn’t answering his calls? Had they killed her already?

No! He can’t think like that. Pip would hate him for thinking like that. He needed to remain optimistic, though it was hard to.

“I can’t do that, Dad.” Ravi argued. “I need to go find her. What if she’s hurt?”

“Ravi-”

“I can’t lose her, Dad. She’s everything to me!”

“I know, Ravi, and it’ll be okay.” His father was gripping both his shoulders now. “You need to calm down. Do you need water? I’ll go get you some-”

“No!” Ravi shouted, immediately regretting it. His father just trying to help, though he was oblivious to the danger Pip could possibly be in. “Dad… I need to go, okay?”

“Ravi-”

“I can’t leave her alone, Dad.” Ravi broke free from his father’s grasp and grabbed the car keys off the table. “She needs me. I’m not waiting around anymore.”

Any further calls fell on deaf ears as Ravi left the house. Though he felt bad for ignoring his father, he knew it was for the better.

If he just ignored his gut feeling and something bad happens to Pip, he’ll never forgive himself for it.

They were a team. When one member is gone, the other doesn’t keep going without them. When he needed her, she was there, so now he’ll be there for her.

I’ll find you, Sarge.

I’m coming.

~~~~

Keep going, Pip.

You’re almost there.

The sound of footsteps following behind had died out a while ago. Pip knew that he’d stopped chasing her. He’d retreated when he’d realised that Pip was a goner. Unless he somehow managed to increase his speed, he wasn’t going to catch her.

For the first time since his resurgence, DT had lost.

Jason Bell had lost.

Pip was going to get him behind bars. She hadn’t managed to get Max behind bars, but she was certain that Jason wouldn’t get away with it. She was living proof of the murder that he’d tried committing but failed to. She had been just too quick in her escape.

A second later, and she’d be dead.

As she ran, she thought back to the question that Jason had continuously asked her up until this moment: Who would look for you when you’re the one who disappears?

Initially, it seemed like a baseless threat. She’d gotten the occasional death threat online. A poll had been made where she’d ranked fourth in the worst person on her podcast. And she’d dealt with various rape threats after the Hastings trial.

And, strangely enough, none of it had bothered her. Though she couldn’t be fully certain, she knew those people wouldn’t have gone through on their threats. They were nothing but useless incels who had nothing better to do. Pip could handle them on their own.

But this was different.

Jason had been set on killing her. He’d only decided it because he didn’t like how her investigation tore apart his life.

And he’d almost succeeded. If it hadn’t been for the Ravi in her mind, she wouldn’t have pushed through on her escape attempt. She might still be in the warehouse, dead like the ones before.

Who would’ve come to her funeral? Her parents and Josh, obviously. Cara, who was always more like a sister than a friend. Connor, who she’d helped when he’d needed her. Nat, whose strength she admired greatly. Naomi, the big sister she always needed. Jamie, who had been Ravi’s second chance. Zach, too, even if he lived in another town now.

And Ravi. It would’ve killed him going, but he would’ve gone if it meant seeing her one last time.

I’m coming back for you, Chief Inspector.

I’ll be there soon.

She now stood on the border of the woods. The evening sky hung over her, casting an orange glow over her small figure. Across the street, she could see a young woman out in front of her house. A little girl was sitting on the steps, fully focused on her sketchpad.

Her heroes.

“Hey!” Pip shouted as she charged over to them. “Help me! You need to help me!”

The woman looked over, shock overcoming her when she takes in the sight of Pip.

“Oh my…” The words trailed off as the woman approached Pip. Her daughter looked up, but the mother shielded her view of Pip with her body. “What happened, darling? What happened to you?”

“I need help,” Pip panted out, tears stinging in her eyes. “My name is Pippa Fitz-Amobi. You need to call the police. I’ve just escaped my kidnapper. Please help me.”

~~~~

After nearly two hours of searching, he’d ended up at the Reynolds house.

He didn’t want to go here. In fact, Cara had forced him here. She had joined him in searching for Pip, but after nearly two hours of searching the entire town, Cara had called Connor, who suggested for them to go over to his place.

Though both wanted to continue searching for Pip, Cara eventually accepted Connor’s offer and drove them over. She had to force the keys off Ravi just because he was insistent on continuing the search.

So, here they were, sitting in Connor’s living room with Nat and Connor. Jamie was in the kitchen making tea for everyone. Though Nat and Connor were trying to remain calm, Ravi could tell both were panicked just like them.

Connor was biting his nails. Pip had once mentioned that he bit his nails whenever he was nervous. He’d noticed it himself when they had gone to visit Zach at his new house, and Connor kept biting his nails when around him.

Nat’s jaw, on the other hand, was twitching. It was rare, but Ravi noticed it. He’d known Nat through Sal. Though they weren’t close, Ravi had always noticed that her jaw would tick when she was nervous.

“I reckon she’ll be just fine,” Connor remarked, breaking the overwhelming silence in the room. “Pip is always okay, isn’t she?”

Oh, Connor, you have no idea, Ravi thought as Connor rambled on. Yet again, Ravi himself felt like he barely knew the girl he was smitten with. She’d changed drastically since Stanley’s death, though he didn’t blame her for it. Ravi couldn’t imagine what seeing a man die right in front of your eyes does to you.

But Pip knew that he was always there for her, no matter what. Didn’t she know? Ravi couldn’t even imagine abandoning her in a time of need.

“She’s fine, right?” Connor sounded unsure this time. “She has to be… right?”

“She has to be, Con.” Cara chimed in, having been silent until now. “She needs to be.”

“What’s this about?” Jamie asked as he entered the room, setting down a tray with tea-filled mugs on the table.

“Pip,” Connor answered as he grabbed a mug. “We’re hoping that she’s okay.”

“Which she will be, Connor.” Jamie said, sounding certain. “Pip is always okay. She always bounces back, even when facing adversity.”

“But what if she isn’t?” Nat chimed in. “She’s been acting differently since Stanley’s death. I’m worried about her.”

“And I’ve been seeing weird posts on her Twitter page, too.” Cara chimed in. “I’ve been meaning to bring it up to her, but work has kept me busy.”

“Like what?” Connor asked.

Cara shrugged. “Someone keeps asking who will look for her when she’s the one who disappears,” she grimaced. “I thought it was a troll at first, but then the messages kept coming. I’m pretty sure she’s also mentioned dead pigeons appearing on her driveway, too.”

Ravi could feel his entire body tensing up, as though it was being held in an iron-grip.

He knew who was sending the messages.

Though not their actual identity, he knew it was her stalker.

Where is he, though?

Who is he?

A dreadful feeling came over Ravi right then. Before Pip’s sudden disappearance, she’d been certain on her stalker being Daniel da Silva, whom she also believed to be the actual DT Killer.

And here he was, sitting in the exact same room as his sister. She didn’t know that Pip suspected Daniel. How could she? Even though he was a strange man, he was also the only decent family that Nat had. Her parents were awful. Daniel had practically raised Nat growing up. If she were to find out he might possibly be a violent misogynistic serial killer, she might never recover.

But if he were truly the DT Killer, and had finally captured Pip, then he couldn’t be sitting around anymore. He needed to find Daniel before he possibly harmed Pip.

“I need to leave,” Ravi suddenly announced as he stood up abruptly. “I’ll call you guys later.”

“Where are you going?” Cara asked, now standing up, too. “I’ll come with.”

Ravi shook his head. “No, Cara. You should stay here.”

“But why?” Cara’s brows creased together in confusion. “Ravi, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing. You should just stay here and-”

He was interrupted when a phone suddenly started ringing. Ravi checked his, but it wasn’t the one who was ringing.

It was Nat’s.

“Who is it?” Jamie asked, placing a hand on Nat’s shoulder.

“It’s Daniel,” Nat responded. “Huh, that’s weird. He’s usually still working at this hour. Something must be wrong.”

She answered. Five minutes later, Nat fell to her knees, her face buried in her hands.

“What the heck?” Jamie crouched next to her, his arms wrapped around her. Everyone gathered around, both worried and curious. “Nat, baby, what’s wrong?”

Nat didn’t respond. Ravi noticed that the call was now disconnected. All that was displayed on the screen was Daniel’s contact.

“Nat, what happened?” Ravi asked. “Is everything okay?”

Nat looked up at him, tears building in her pale blue eyes.

“It’s Pip, Ravi.” Nat sniffled. “Daniel just received a call about her. She’s in the hospital. Someone apparently kidnapped her, and she escaped.”

Ravi gasped. Unlike everyone else, he knew who that someone was.

Pip’s stalker.

The DT Killer.

But it didn’t make sense.

If Daniel had been the one who received the call about Pip, then how could her stalker be him? Unless he was lying, which Ravi couldn’t bring himself to believe. It seemed too absurd for Daniel to kidnap Pip and then tell Nat about her escape. Him and Pip had found that the original killer had been someone who loved having power over women. If a victim of his were to escape, he wouldn’t be essentially calm about it – let alone tell his own sister about it.

But if it wasn’t Daniel, then who was it?

~~~~

She escaped.

His first victim in six years, and she was gone.

This wasn’t how it was meant to go.

The plan was for her to die. Because of her investigation and how it ruined his life, she was meant to be killed as punishment for her actions. How hard had it been for her to just listen instead of acting out?

Instead, being the little bitch that she was, she had blown up his entire life. Her death was meant to be her punishment. That would’ve taught her a lesson about sticking her nose in places where it didn’t belong.

But it didn’t work out, because she had escaped.

But that didn’t mean he was going to give up on her.

He’ll just have to punish her another way – and he already had an idea on how to do it.

Chapter Text

It took almost two hours for Ravi to be allowed to see Pip. When him and the others had arrived at the hospital, they had been told that only her immediate family were allowed to see her, and that they would have to wait a while.

He was allowed to see her in private, as she had apparently requested it. Her parents had decided to take Josh down to the cafeteria in the meantime. Ravi was grateful for this, as all he wanted was to see her.

But when he saw her, he felt his entire body go frozen.

The girl in the hospital bed was Pip – she had to be her. In their small town, Pip was easily noticeable to Ravi. Besides the attention she received for solving Andie’s case, she had always been easy to spot. Ravi remembered being able to easily spot her while out in public, way before they ever knew each other.

She was one of a kind; an ambitious girl who was determined to clear Sal’s name and find Andie’s real killer. Even before the case, she had always been known for her ambition. He distinctly remembered her for chaining herself to the gym apparatus while dressed as Emmeline Pankhurst. Back then, he thought she was meant to be Florence Nightingale and was confused why Florence Nightingale would chain herself to the gym apparatus.

Clearly, he didn’t pay attention in school. While Sal was an overachiever and the smartest person Ravi knew, Ravi was more laid-back and didn’t work himself up over school.

But that didn’t matter now. The girl who sat in the hospital bed was clearly Pip, but something had changed about her.

Something terrible had happened to her – and Ravi had a clear idea on what it was.

“Ravi?” Pip called out to him, her voice croaky. “Ravi?”

Ravi didn’t hesitate in going towards her bed, sitting on the chair next to it. He wasn’t leaving her now. He left her before, and he wasn’t going to do it again. You’ll have to burn down the world before he ever leaves her side again.

“Sarge, it’s okay now.” He said, his hand gripping hers. “I promise you that you’re safe now. What happened?”

~~~~

Pip knew many things.

She knew that honey couldn’t expire. She knew that eating polar bear liver was fatal for humans. And she knew that the shortest war in history only lasted thirty-eight minutes.

Pip also knew that she had a stalker. She knew that it had been her stalker who abducted her. She knew who her stalker truly was, though Ravi didn’t.

Right before her kidnapping, she had been certain on it being Daniel da Silva – Nat’s older brother who was a police officer in their small town. She was even going to Nat’s house to talk to her about it before her kidnapping. Her stalker had intercepted her while she was walking to Nat’s house.

Her stalker was the DT Killer. Even though Billy Karras was locked up, Pip knew he was innocent the moment she awoke in the boot of her stalker’s car, bound and gagged with duct tape.

Legally, the DT Killer was Billy Karras.

But in truth, it was Jason Bell.

Jason Bell had kidnapped her. He had tied her up in his warehouse and swore to come back to kill her. She had escaped before he was able to. She had freed herself and smashed a nearby window with a hammer. She had kept the hammer with her before a police officer took it from her as evidence.

Pip wasn’t sure if Jason had been caught yet. Hawkins hadn’t visited her yet. Soraya Bouzidi had said that he would visit her soon. Pip was desperate to see him; she had to see him. He had to believe her now. He didn’t believe her when she’d come to him earlier. He had to believe her now, because she was living proof of Jason’s true colours.

She had to believed.

Not just for herself, but for all the others before her.

Phillipa.

Melissa.

Bethany.

Julia.

Tara.

Barney.

Andie.

Becca.

Dawn.

And herself.

But right now, she had Ravi, and that was all she needed.

“He took me, Ravi.” Pip mumbled as she rested her head on his shoulder. “He was going to kill me.”

“Who?” Ravi tucked her hair behind her ears. “Tell me, Sarge. I’m listening to you. I believe you.”

“You do?”

“Of course. Pip, you’d have to be an idiot to believe otherwise.” Ravi smiled at her and sighed. “Unless… are you Pippa Fitz-Amobi? Or are you a clone?”

Pip shrugged, a subtle smirk growing on her face. “Depends. Are you Ravi Singh?”

“The one and only.” Ravi chuckled. “If you are Pippa Fitz-Amobi, then answer this: what do real men wear when trespassing?”

Pip snickered recalling the memory. When they were breaking into the Bell’s house, Pip had given him her mother’s gardening gloves as she hadn’t been able to find a plain set of gloves for him. She figured that he wouldn’t mind wearing them. If Ravi didn’t like them, then she trusted him enough that he would tell her so.

“Floral,” Pip remarked, unable to hold back her smile. “Real men wear floral when trespassing.”

“Correct.” Ravi’s hand cupped the nape of her neck. “That’s my Sarge. I knew it was always you. I was just playing around.”

“Figured.”

“Now, who hurt you?” Ravi asked. “Tell me, please.”

Jason.

It was Jason, Ravi.

But Pip couldn’t say it.

Her lips were parted, but nothing came out. Why?

“Who did this?” Ravi kept persisting, much to Pip’s chagrin. “I know it wasn’t Dan. I thought it was him, but then he called Nat to tell us about you.”

“You were at Nat’s?”

“No, I was at Connor and Jamie’s house.” Ravi corrected. “She was over there, too. She had waited for you, Pip, but you never showed. She went to their house afterwards because Jamie had invited her. Me and Cara went over there after we searched the entire town for you.”

“You searched for me with Cara?”

Ravi nodded. “I wasn’t going to leave you behind, Sarge. We’re a team, you and me. If one of us falls behind, the other will not stop until we find them. I know that if it were me, you would go and find me. Why would I ever think about not finding you?”  

“I never doubted it, Ravi.” Pip responded. “And you’re right, too. I just hope that he believes me like you do.”

“Hawkins?”

Pip nodded. “He must, Ravi. If he doesn’t, then I don’t know what he’ll do to me since I escaped.”

“Who is he, Pip?” Ravi asked once more, sounding desperate this time. “Who kidnapped you?”

She looked up at him. His eyes were begging her for the truth. He wanted to know the truth just as badly as she wanted Hawkins to know. The only difference was that Ravi instantly believed her, while she was praying for Hawkins to have a heart and listen to her for once.

If he wanted a chance at redemption, then this was it.

He had failed so many in the past – including her, but she was willing to give him one last chance.

“It was… Ja-”

The knock that sounded at the door silenced her. Her gut feeling told her it was Hawkins, so it was no surprise when he came inside the room.

His expression was indifferent, making it hard to read. She wasn’t sure if he believed her, or if he was only here as part of his duty. Pip wanted to believe the former, but the latter was also still very real.

“Pippa?” He approached her slowly and stood at the end of her bed. “If you’re ready, we can do an interview now. However, Ravi will need to leave.”

Pip understood. Even though Ravi was her boyfriend, a police interview could only be conducted between the person and the officer, unless the person was under eighteen and needed a support person.

Anyway, Pip knew she’d be fine. If she had managed to escape a serial killer, then she could survive an interview.

“I understand, Hawkins.” Pip glanced at Ravi and softly squeezed his hand. “Come back later, okay?”

Ravi nodded. “I’ll see you later, Sarge.”

He kissed her forehead and then left, leaving her alone with the man who held her future in his hands.

~~~~

Transcript of Interview with Pippa Fitz-Amobi

Date: 18/09/2025

Duration: 20 Minutes

Location: Little Kilton General Hospital

Conducted by Detective Inspector Richard Hawkins

DI Hawkins: This is Detective Inspector Richard Hawkins interviewing Pippa Fitz-Amobi. The time is 8:30pm on Thursday the 18th of September. This is a voluntary interview, and you are free to leave at any time. Understood?

PFA: Understood.

DI Hawkins: State your full name, please.

PFA: Pippa Fitz-Amobi.

DI Hawkins: Good. State your date of birth now, please.

PFA: February 28th, 2007.

DI Hawkins: Perfect. Pippa, can you please run me through the events that happened earlier this evening? Where were you before you had been kidnapped?

PFA: I was going to Ravi’s house. Before then, I had planned to quickly visit Nat at her house.

DI Hawkins: Why?

PFA: I had to ask her something important.

DI Hawkins: What was it?

PFA: Something about her brother. I thought he was my stalker.

DI Hawkins: Are you referring to PC Daniel da Silva?

PFA: Aren’t you a genius? Of course, I’m talking about him. Nat doesn’t have any other siblings besides him.

DI Hawkins: I understand. Please do not act aggressive, Pippa. I understand you’re distressed, but we can’t progress further if you’re acting out.

PFA: Right. Can we just move on? You won’t be able to catch him if you keep stalling.

DI Hawkins: Okay. Pippa, what made you believe that Daniel was your stalker?

PFA: Recently, I came into possession of an unsent email written by Andie Bell. She alleged that she knew who the DT Killer was. From what I read, I believed it to be him.

DI Hawkins: How did you come into possession of this email?

PFA: I spoke to Harriet Hunter recently. She’s the younger sister of Julia Hunter – the fourth victim of the DT Killer. She told me that Andie reached out to her shortly after Julia’s death.

DI Hawkins: Andie reached out to Harriet Hunter?

PFA: She did.

DI Hawkins: That’s not possible. When Andie first disappeared, we had searched her email account for any clues that could help in the investigation. If her and Julia’s younger sister had been emailing each other, then we would’ve known. It would’ve been public knowledge, Pippa.

PFA: She didn’t use her main account, though. She had a burner account that she emailed Harriet from.

DI Hawkins: I see. Pippa, what did this email tell you exactly that made you think it was Daniel stalking you?

PFA: Andie mentioned him being “practically one of them”.

DI Hawkins: One of them?

PFA: As in being someone on the police force. That’s what I thought it meant back then. Clearly, I was wrong. I wasn’t thinking properly.

DI Hawkins: So, who did it?

PFA: It was Jason Bell.

DI Hawkins: Jason Bell?

PFA: Yes, it was Jason Bell.

DI Hawkins: Pippa, are you sure it was him?

PFA: Yes, I’m sure. Jason Bell kidnapped me. He took me while I was walking to Nat’s house. He called me from a private number to distract me. He took me to his warehouse in Knotty Green. He tied me up like the others and left me alone. A part of the DT Killer’s MO was to leave the victims alone for some time before killing them. I’m the only one who successfully got away.

DI Hawkins: And how did you escape?

PFA: I managed to unscrew the shelving unit that Jason had tied me to and was able to free myself. I grabbed a hammer, smashed a window and ran for my life. Officer Bouzidi took the hammer as evidence. You can ask her about it.

DI Hawkins: Okay, Pippa.

PFA: Okay? What do you mean?

DI Hawkins: Pippa, this seems strange.

PFA: Strange? What’s strange about it?

DI Hawkins: Pippa, I know you’ve been through a lot this evening, but I’m struggling to understand why Jason would do this. He would never harm anyone.

PFA: What? No, you’re wrong. He stalked me and tried to kill me. Even before that, he killed five women. He decided to do it again to punish me.

DI Hawkins: Punish you for what, exactly?

PFA: For the investigation! He told me that I ruined his life because of my investigation. Because of me, everyone knows that he abused Andie and Becca. And after this, they’ll know that Billy Karras is sitting behind bars for crimes he didn’t commit.

DI Hawkins: Pippa, don’t do this. You and I both know that Jason Bell is a good man. He’s a grieving father who recently found out that his daughter had been killed by his other daughter. He has nobody except Dawn, Pippa. You need to leave the man alone.

PFA: What? He didn’t leave me alone! He tried to kill me! Andie knew it, too. Andie knew who he was because she saw him with Julia Hunter. She said it in her email, Hawkins. I can show you the email if you want.

DI Hawkins: Pippa, stop it. Jason Bell is a respectable man. He’s been through a lot in the past year. There’s evidence that points to Billy being the DT Killer, Pippa. You’ve seen it, Pippa. He’s not the DT Killer.

PFA: You don’t understand.

DI Hawkins: I very much do, Pippa. Are you still seeing someone, Pippa? This is quite concerning. You’re wasting valuable resources by making up a kidnapping just because you don’t like Jason.

PFA: Are you serious? Why would I purposefully harm myself just because I don’t like him?

DI Hawkins: It’s happened before. Now, unless you can tell me the truth, then this interview is over.

PFA: I am telling you the truth! Jason Bell kidnapped me! You don’t understand what’s going to happen if you don’t arrest him. He’s going to kill me, Hawkins. He’s not going to let me live. You need to arrest him now.

DI Hawkins: Pippa, don’t.

PFA: He killed my dog! He framed Billy Karras for the DT Killer murders! What aren’t you understanding? Do you prefer a dead victim over an alive one? I reckon if I was dead, you would’ve believed me. You just can’t handle the truth, can you?

DI Hawkins: Pippa, settle down.

PFA: You’re supposed to believe me. Why did I even delude myself into thinking that you would? You’re practically one of them, Richard.

Interview ended at 8:50pm due to interviewee becoming distressed.

~~~~

9:00pm

“You know, I think Hawkins is a real cunt for what he did to Pip. How could he not believe her?”

Currently, Connor was standing outside the hospital. He was waiting for Jamie, who was still inside with Nat, talking to Nat’s older brother Dan. Right now, he was talking to Zach over FaceTime, since Zach lived in another town and couldn’t come to Little Kilton to see Pip right now.

“Well, you know how the system works, Con.” Zach responded. On the screen, Zach was lying in his bed. “Often, the system works against the victims it is supposed to help.”

“I know,” Connor quipped. “It didn’t help me when Jamie went missing. We were just told not to worry about my adult brother who tends to disappear.”

“And that wasn’t fair, Connor. You didn’t deserve that.”

“I know, Z. I’m just upset by it because Jamie could’ve been found sooner if the police had intervened.”

The cool September breeze swept over Connor as he stood outside, patiently waiting for Jamie and Nat. Though he usually loved his small town at night, it was different tonight. It was as if the town had sensed something was wrong and because of it, the atmosphere had gone grim.

It was like something – or someone – was watching him.

Was someone watching him?

He glanced around. Though there was nobody around him except him, he still felt as if a pair of eyes were watching him from somewhere.

“Something wrong, Con?” Zach asked, drawing him out of his thoughts. “You seem… distracted.”

“How?” He asked.

Zach shrugged. “Is something wrong?”

“What? No, Zach. Nothing can be wrong when you’re here.” Connor said. “Even when you’re not physically here, hearing your voice makes me know that I’m safe.”

“Really?”

Connor nodded, his cheeks turning light pink. “Yeah, it’s true.”

“Thanks, Con. That makes me so-”

“Are you waiting on someone, Connor?”

Zach couldn’t finish that sentence when a voice appeared behind Connor. Connor glanced up at the figure, recognition dawning in his eyes when he saw who it was.

“Oh, hi, Mr. Bell.” Connor greeted. “What are you doing here?”

Jason smiled and gestured to the bag in his hands. “I’m here to donate some clothes to the hospital. They do it to provide clothing to patients who may need it during their stay here.”

“Oh, I see.” Connor glanced back at his phone. Zach was still there, but he looked confused. “Well, I’ll see you later-”  

“I heard about your friend, by the way.”

Really?

I just want to talk to Zach.

“Oh?” Connor glanced back at him again. “How?”

“It was on the news earlier. Such a shame it happened, right?”

“Hm, right.”

“Ever wondered if it could happen to you?”

Okay, that’s a bit weird to ask, Connor thought, though he didn’t say it aloud. Jason Bell was weird, but Connor couldn’t be rude. All his life, he’d been taught to be polite to his elders. He wasn’t like Cara, who could easily tell someone to fuck off when necessary. He had to be nice, or else he’ll feel bad about it later.

“Um, not really?” Connor instinctively gripped his phone tighter. “I never thought it would happen to Pip. She’s a good girl, Mr. Bell.”

“Really?”

“Yes?” Connor gulped. “Do you have a differing opinion on it?”

Jason shrugged. “No, not at all. I think it’s a shame, too.”

Why did it sound like he was forcing himself to be empathetic? Or was Connor just paranoid?

“I see.” Connor looked at his phone again. Zach was still there. He had heard the entire conversation, though he remained silent. “Well, I’ll see you later, Mr. Bell. Have a nice night.”

But Jason didn’t leave.

Instead, he stayed there, his attention now focused on his phone.

“Who are you talking to?” He asked.

“No one you know, Mr. Bell.”

“I would like to know.”

And I would like for you to go away now, please, Connor thought, but he didn’t say it aloud. He can’t be rude, as much as he wanted to be. He could barely defend himself against Ant during his final weeks of school. What makes him think he can tell off Jason Bell?

“Please leave me alone, Mr. Bell.” Connor ordered, though it sounded like a whimper. “I’m just waiting for my brother.”

“Come on, Connor. Just be a good boy and tell me-”

“He told you to leave, so just go away.”

Hearing the voice took Connor aback. It came from his phone – more specifically, from Zach.

“Excuse me?” Jason sounded frustrated this time. “Who are you talking to? Because that was very rude!”

“I reckon it’s ruder to harass someone who clearly wants to be left alone,” Zach continued. Connor held his phone up now, though he didn’t show his screen to Jason. “Just fuck off, honestly. Connor has a right to be left alone.”

“Excuse you!”

“You’re excused. Now run along.”

Connor saw how infuriated Jason was. Clearly, he didn’t like being told off. Connor remembered Pip mentioning in her podcast how awfully he treated both Andie and Becca. Clearly, he didn’t like it when he wasn’t the one in control of the situation.

“Who are you to tell me where to go in my own town?” Jason hissed. He lunged for Connor’s phone, but Connor quickly stepped back. “I know who you are, Zach Chen. Your voice isn’t unrecognisable. You may not live here anymore, but you need to keep that attitude in check. One wrong word, and you’ll end up regretting it.”

“Highly doubt it.”

As much as Connor loved Zach, he also wished that he would shut up now. All he was doing was angering Jason, who looked like he was about to blow a fuse.

“You need to keep your friend in check, Connor.” Jason remarked as he stepped into his personal space. “People like that will only drag you down.”

And then he went inside the hospital. Connor watched him go before glancing back at his phone. Tears stung at his eyes as he stared at Zach, who seemed to be regretting what he said.

“Connor, I’m sorry-”

“I know you want to help, but you just made him angry, Zach.” Connor sniffled as he fought back the tears forming in his eyes. “I’m going to be in so much trouble when Dad finds out. You must’ve forgot that Dad plays tennis with him, Zach. He’ll tell him what you said, and I’ll be in trouble for it.”

“Connor-”

“I do care about you, Zach; I really do, but you need to let me fight my own battles. I’m perfectly capable of standing up for myself.”

“I know you are, but he was scaring you, Connor. I didn’t want you to be scared.” Zach mumbled, sounding low. “I hate it when you’re scared.”

“I know, Zach.” Connor sniffled. “You’re always looking out for me. You’re a good person who just wanted to stand up for me. I know you care; I really do.”

Even now, he can’t bring himself to be upset with this boy. He loved all his friends, but he especially loved Zach. He loved him in a way that couldn’t be applied to Pip, Cara or Ravi. It was special, just like how Zach was to him.

“Do you forgive me?” He asked. A breath hitched in Connor’s throat just looking at his beautiful brown eyes. Even as the years had gone by, Connor had always loved Zach’s eyes. Just like him, they were beautiful.

“I forgive you, idiot.” Connor sniffled again. “Just don’t do it again, unless I ask you to. Understood?”

“Understood.”

“Anyway, I think I’m going to hang up now.” Connor remarked. “I think I’ll just get the keys off Nat and wait in the car. It’s cold outside tonight and I might catch a cold if I stay out here longer.”

“Seems fair. Call me in the morning, okay?”

“Okay, I will.” Connor waved at the camera. “Night, Zach.”

“Night, Connor.”

And then the call disconnected. Connor stared at the blank screen for a bit before heading back inside the hospital.

~~~~

19/09/2025

12:00AM

After pulling into the driveway of his house, Jason grabbed his phone and opened Instagram. He had a burner account that he used to stalk both Pip’s personal and business accounts.

He clicked onto Pip’s personal account. For a girl who was supposedly smart, she hadn’t made her personal account private. Even after the threats started, the dumb bitch had left her account public.

What a dumb bitch, he thought as he scrolled through her photos, searching for the one that had caught his eye earlier.

About three minutes into his search, he found it.

It was a photo of her and her friends. He recognised all five faces – Pippa Fitz-Amobi, Cara Ward, Connor Reynolds, Zach Chen and Lauren Gibson. Anyone who lived in town would recognise them, especially since the podcast’s release.

But his attention was on one specific person.

That one person had certainly pissed him off earlier. If they had just complied, then they wouldn’t be his first victim to his plan.

Pippa Fitz-Amobi would get what’s coming to her eventually. Just because she had escaped didn’t mean that the original plan was off the table.

But his new plan was different. Call it an improvement from his previous one if you want. It just happened to now involve the ones she had sworn to protect from any harm.

Chapter Text

22/09/25

Three days had passed before Pip was discharged from hospital. They had decided to keep her under observation after her emotional outburst at Hawkins.

She’d been referred to a new therapist by her GP. Her first appointment was next week. Pip wasn’t looking forward to it, honestly. How could she? Everyone thought she was crazy. After what happened with Hawkins, she wouldn’t put it past the therapist thinking she was crazy, too.

“You need to eat, darling.” Her mother said as she pushed a bowl of cereal in her direction. “It’s not going to kill you.”

Pip resisted laughing. A measly bowl of cereal can’t kill her unless she choked on it. Either way, if she had a choice between the cereal killing her, or Jason Bell, then she’d gladly take the cereal. At least it wouldn’t intentionally prolong her suffering like Jason would.

Jason intentionally wanted his victims to suffer. He would leave them alone in his warehouse for some time before killing them. That was why the duct tape on the victims looked worn when they were found.

Pip wondered where Jason would’ve dumped her had he killed her. The last victim was found on the grounds of a manor house that Jason’s company had been contracted to. He always disposed of his victims in public spaces, as if he wanted the world to see his crimes. He was proud of stealing the lives of innocent women all because they were too independent for his own liking. He’d even killed one of his own employees.

Pip may be the sixth victim, but she didn’t feel like it. Apparently, a real victim is meant to be dead. Hawkins had made that clear three days ago during her interview. He would’ve rather her dead because at least he can’t discredit a dead girl’s story.

Or maybe he could. After all, DCI Nolan had managed to fail five dead girls during the initial spree. He went after the wrong man, who was still behind bars to this day. She kept thinking about Maria Karras, who was certain of her son’s innocence and had begged her to investigate his case.

Pip had tried; she really had. She was the survivor of the actual DT Killer, but Hawkins hadn’t believed her.

He never did. She had just been stupid enough to believe that he would believe her this time.

“Pip, sweetie, please eat.” Her mother begged. “You won’t get better if you don’t eat.”

Pip almost snickered. Even if she did eat, it wouldn’t make her go back to how she used to be. The good girl she once was long-gone now. She would probably be ashamed to see who she became.

Her mother was optimistic, and that killed her. Even in the darkest days, her mother remained optimistic. Her stepfather, who was more of a real father to her, was the same, too. And Josh was just blissfully unaware of the whole situation, and Pip would rather he be. Josh was innocent – he didn’t need to find out that his older sister had almost died three days ago.

“Pickle, it won’t kill you to eat it.” Her father said. “Even if anything I make is infinitely better than this processed stuff, you’ll be fine.”

“Victor!” Her mother gasped. “You can’t say that. We’re trying to make her feel better.”

Her father smirked. “I wasn’t telling a lie now, was I?”

“Dad’s right,” Josh chimed in. “Can you cook tomorrow? I want pancakes for breakfast.”

“Of course, Josh.” Her father responded as he patted his back. “You have the day off school tomorrow, anyway.”

“Yes!” Her brother fist-pumped the air. “Can I help tomorrow, too? I want to make chocolate chip pancakes.”

“Sure, Josh. Just make sure you do your homework tonight so that it can happen, or else your mother will not be so eager about it.”

Her brother smiled wide. Pip couldn’t resist smiling herself, because her brother’s joy was truly infectious. Amid the horrors in this town, her brother’s blissful innocence remained a strong force. She hoped it would stay forever, but even she knew that eventually, Josh would grow up and realise the truth.

~~~~

Shortly after Pip’s parents had left for work and Josh had left for school, a knock sounded on Pip’s front door.

A gunshot sounded inside her mind as she approached it, chills running up her spine just thinking about who it could be.

Ravi?

Cara?

Connor?

Nat?

Jamie?

Jason?

Jason knew where she lived. The night before her abduction, he had stood outside her house and had printed a message for her. A minute after, he connected to her Bluetooth speaker and proceeded to blast heavy metal music from it. It woke her entire family, who had not been convinced of her innocence back then.

Because of it, Josh had been promised a trip to Legoland because it had frightened him. Now because of her own kidnapping, he wasn’t going to get to go to Legoland for some time, because her parents were too focused on her.

Don’t be Jason.

Don’t be him.

Please.

“Hey, Miss Sweet FA.” It was Cara who she was faced with after opening the door. “Can we talk?”

~~~~

Three days ago, Cara had been at home with her older sister Naomi. Ever since her grandparents moved back to Great Abington in July, the house only contained her and Naomi. Cara didn’t mind – she honestly preferred for it to be just them instead of the man who once lived here.

The man she had to call father. He was still her father, though she hated it. Her father had been responsible for Sal Singh’s murder. For five years, he’d played the role of the doting father to his two daughters, all while hiding a terrible secret.

Her own best friend had found it out. One would expect for her to hate Pip for breaking up her family, but Cara couldn’t even find it in herself to be mad at Pip.

Pip was not just some random teenager who got bored one day and decided to solve a murder – she was Cara’s best friend, who had only wanted to prove Sal innocent. She was more than a best friend to Cara – she was like a sister. Blood said otherwise, but Cara didn’t care, because Pippa Fitz-Amobi was more like a sister than a friend.

But three days ago, someone had tried to kill her – a man named Jason Bell had planned on killing her. She remembered Ravi turning up at her doorstep three days ago and asking for her help to find Pip. Naomi had offered to come, but Cara had insisted on her staying back in case Pip called their house.

They’d spent almost two hours searching the town for Pip. When all leads were exhausted, they had gone to Connor’s house, because he’d offered for them to come over.

When the call from Dan came, Cara swore her entire world had gone dark. Pip was the light in her life. Even in her darkest days, Pip was right there for her. This girl stayed up watching Stranger Things with her over FaceTime just so she would fall asleep. She hadn’t been getting much sleep since her father’s arrest. Every time she did, she would have a nightmare about it. When Pip helped her sleep, the nightmares wouldn’t haunt her.

But this was way worse than any nightmare she could ever had.

Her honorary sister had almost died. She had been stolen, tied up, and was about to be murdered by a serial killer. It was a miracle that Pip had escaped. Cara wasn’t certain how she’d react if Pip had died. Who is she without Pip?

So now, it was her turn to look after Pip. She’ll kill anyone who even dares to lay a hand on her. And that cunt Jason Bell better be watching his back from now on. He had no idea what she’ll do to him once she finds him.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen now, Cara.” Pip sobbed as she laid her head against Cara’s chest. “Hawkins didn’t believe me. He’s going to run free because of it. He’s going to kill me because I escaped.”

“Shh, it’s okay, Pip.” Cara said as she squeezed her entire body gently. “Nobody is going to hurt you again. You’ll be fine.”

“You don’t understand, Cara.” Pip sniffled. “He’s a monster. He stalked me for months. I didn’t even realise he had been stalking me since Jamie’s disappearance. He’s not going to stop until I’m dead. He’s going to kill me for escaping.”

“He’s not, okay?” Cara choked back a sob. She needed to stay strong for Pip, even when she felt like she was dying. “He’s not going to hurt you again. I’ll fucking kill him if he even thinks about coming back for you – and that’s if Ravi doesn’t get to him first.”

“Hawkins didn’t believe me, Cara.” Pip stated as she looked up at Cara, her big blue eyes puffy from crying. “If I was dead, he would’ve believed me. He would rather a dead victim over an alive one.”

“No, don’t say that, Pip.” Cara tucked her hair behind her ears, as it was sticking to her face. “I wouldn’t want that. Anyone who loves you wouldn’t want that. We want you here, alive and well.”

“Well, he doesn’t.”

“I don’t give a fuck what Hawkins or Jason Bell want. As your best friend since we were four, I want you to be alive. There’s nobody in this world that can replace you, Miss Sweet FA.”

“I think Steph would beg to differ.”

A breath hitched in Cara’s throat at the mention of Steph. For three days, she hasn’t spoken to Steph – her own girlfriend. Granted Steph lived in another town, but Cara knew she should be talking to her about this.

Sometimes, she just struggled communicating with Steph. It wasn’t because Steph was a bad girlfriend; she was far from it. Cara just found it difficult to be fully honest with her. It was like there was a wall in-between their relationship when it came to talking about their feelings. Did Steph feel it, too? Or was she just oblivious?

Either way, she needed to be focusing on Pip right now. Steph can wait for a little longer.

“Hm, maybe, but Steph is not like a sister to me, like you are.” Cara remarked as she squeezed Pip again, this time tighter. “If you really think you are replaceable, then you’re mistaken, Fitz-Amobi. You’d be an idiot if you truly thought I will ever leave your side.”

“Are you sure?” Pip wiped her eyes with her bare hands. Cara offered her a tissue, but Pip declined it. “I might be too messy for you to handle now. You’ve seen just how fucked up I am now.”

“And? You’re my best friend, Pip. Nothing is going to change between us.” Cara wrapped her arms around her once again, tightly squeezing her like a teddy bear. “Seriously, nothing will ever change between you and me. Even when you think you’re too much to handle, I’ll remind you that there’s nothing I can’t handle. I am always here for you, Pip.”

“Promise?”

“I Promise, Miss Sweet FA.” Cara squeezed her again before letting her go. “Now, what should we do? Your choice, Pip.”

~~~~

Around fifteen minutes later, Ravi had showed up at Pip’s house. He was now sitting beside her on the couch, while Cara sat on her other side.

They were watching a movie that Pip had picked. To be specific, it was Stuck in the Suburbs. Apparently, it had been Pip’s favourite movie growing up. She’d even kept the DVD after all this time in the garage.

Ravi had never seen this movie before. Growing up, his favourite movie had been Lilo and Stitch. He remembered always arguing with Sal on their family movie nights because while Ravi wanted to watch Lilo and Stitch, Sal preferred Babe.

At some point, his parents had banned both movies as options on family movie nights. Now Ravi could barely get through either movie without thinking about Sal. If he had known about the future back then, he would’ve just gone along with watching Babe with him, because at least he would still be making good memories with his brother instead of arguing with him.

“I reckon they should remake this movie,” Cara remarked as she popped a crisp into her mouth. “And in the remake, they should have Brittany and Natasha become girlfriends instead. All their problems would’ve been solved had they just kissed.”

“You think so?” Ravi didn’t mind the prospect. While he hadn’t watched this movie growing up, he did see the potential between Brittany and Natasha. “Maybe you should pitch it to Disney.”

“Hm, I could. Maybe I should start writing a script for it during my gap year.”

“Aren’t you going to be travelling with Steph for your gap year?” Pip chimed in. For a lot of the movie, Pip had been silent. Ravi didn’t blame her, though he hated not fully knowing what was going on inside her mind.

“Right, I am.” Cara nodded. “I can still work on it while travelling with her, Pip. I might not even work on it at all. It’s just a silly idea.”

“All ideas should be explored before abandoning them, Cara.” Ravi advised. “The idea of me being a lawyer after Sal’s passing seemed ridiculous, but now I’m working towards becoming one. Sometimes, you just need to step outside your comfort zone and try new things instead of giving up on them.”

“Ravi’s right, Cara.” Pip chimed in. “If you really want to do it, then go ahead. We’ll be proud of you nonetheless.”

Before Cara could reply, a notification sounded.

Ravi checked his phone. No new notifications popped up on his screen. All that was there was an unanswered message from Jamie last night about Pip’s current state. He really must get better at responding to others who aren’t Pip, his parents or Cara.

 “Not mine,” Ravi said as he tucked his phone back into his pocket. “Is it yours, Cara?”

It had to be Cara’s. Pip had dropped her phone after Jason had snatched her off the street. Presumably, he had gone back to destroy it after leaving Pip in the warehouse. Every time he tried calling it, it went straight to voicemail. And as much as he loved hearing her cheeky message, it got a little irritating after a while.

“You’re right,” Cara said as she unlocked her phone. “It is… mine?”

Oh no.

Ravi did not like how her tone changed at the end.

She sounded confused. What was it that made her confused suddenly?

“Cara?” Pip peered over her shoulder. “Cara? What is it?”

Cara glanced over at them, her phone shaking in her grip. “Something’s wrong.”

“What?” Ravi asked. “What is it?”

Cara passed the phone over to Pip. Ravi sat closer to Pip to see what Cara had saw.

And it wasn’t good at all.

> Private Number

PN: You can’t save them all, you dumb bitch.

~~~~

“You can’t save them all?” Cara’s voice was low, practically a whisper. “What does that mean?”

“Obviously, we know it’s Jason.” Ravi stated. “How did he even get your number? And what is he talking about?”  

An eerie feeling stirred in Pip’s gut. She knew it was Jason; it had to be him. Who else would it be? Both Ant and Lauren’s numbers had been blocked since the incident in May, Charlie was in police custody for killing Stanley, and Elliot was currently imprisoned at Woodhill Prison in Milton Keynes.

Pip had many enemies, but most of them were not a direct threat to her now – and only one of them was dead set on killing her for what she’d done.

But who was he talking about?

~~~~

6:00PM

> Connor ❤ ️

Zach: [1 Attachment]

Zach: Reckon I’ll burn the house down if I try cooking this pizza myself?

Connor: OML you are not me, Zach. You’re not the type to burn down a house while cooking.

Zach: What are you implying there?

Connor: Remember when we tried to cook pancakes in my kitchen when we were nine?

Zach: Correction: YOU tried cooking pancakes. I was trying to tell you not to do it.

Connor: I was starving 😔

Zach: YOU ALMOST GOT ME KILLED WHEN I WAS TRYING TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE???

Connor: Correction: I was trying to save YOU because while you were trying to figure out how to use the fire extinguisher, the flames were getting worse.

Zach: And whose fault was it that the fire even happened?

Connor: Well, sue me for wanting pancakes.

Zach: I would, but you’re too lovable. Can’t really hate you.

Connor: Is that so?

Zach felt a smile teasing on his lips as he leaned against the kitchen counter. His parents had taken an unexpected trip to London and weren’t going to be home until next week.

He didn’t mind it too much; he liked being alone. While he loved having company, it sometimes got too exhausting for him. The only person who didn’t tire him out was Connor, which was shocking because anyone who even remotely knew the boy knew that he was a handful.

He was spontaneous, prone to making questionable decisions, a class clown, and emotional.

But Zach didn’t care. He’d known Connor since they were in preschool, when Connor had sat next to him in class and asked him if he liked Octonauts like he did. It had been quite popular in their class, so everyone including himself had watched it.

From then on, they had become inseparable. Even when they joined up with Pip, Cara and Lauren, they remained quite close. If he had to choose between all the boys in this town to be his best friend, he would always choose Connor no matter what.

And it was weird, because they were polar opposites, but it also wasn’t. Despite their differences, they always got along so well. Even when Zach had moved out of Little Kilton, his friendship with Connor didn’t suffer. He didn’t get to see him all the time, but that was okay. He could always catch up with him over FaceTime.

However, beside the platonic love he had for him, a strange fire burned inside his body, which Zach did not like.

The fire that burned inside him was dangerous. If he were to give in to what it wanted, it could ruin his friendship with Connor.

He can’t lose Connor. There’s nobody in this world that could replace that beautiful boy.

Zach: Yep.

Connor: Hm, you’re cute, too.

But God, he really did make it hard to hold off those feelings when he acted like himself.

If he were anyone else, then it wouldn’t be hard to resist the feelings he had for him.

But he wasn’t anyone else – he was the one boy Zach wanted but couldn’t have. He could adore him all he wanted, but he could never be more than a friend to him.

Zach: Thanks, Con.

Zach: But seriously, I could burn down the house if I don’t follow the instructions.

He set his phone down for just a second to check the instructions on the back of the pizza box. Connor could wait a minute, even though Zach didn’t want to stop their conversation just yet.

However, just as he picked up the box, a notification sounded on his phone. Had Connor responded already?

Oh, Con, Zach thought as he grabbed his phone, setting aside the pizza box. Whatever is it now?

 It wasn’t Connor.

It was someone that Zach didn’t recognise.

> Private Number

PN: Nice night, isn’t it?

Huh? Who is that? Zach thought as he reread the message. It was so normal, yet there was something off about it. What was it?

Zach: Who is this?

A minute later, a response came.

PN: That’s none of your business.

Zach: You’re messaging me. I think it is my business.

PN: Cheeky.

PN: The woods are nice, too. Don’t you agree?

A lump settled in Zach’s throat. His new house was surrounded by the woods. When Connor had first visited, he had said that it would be the perfect place to film a horror movie in, because the woods looked especially creepy at night.

At the time, Zach had laughed it off, because the possibility of being in danger again seemed ridiculous. His parents had moved out of Little Kilton because of the fallout of Pip’s investigation. They couldn’t stop him being friends with her, but they clearly didn’t enjoy her presence as much as they used to.

And it saddened Zach, because Pip was a great friend. She might have solved a cold case, but that didn’t mean she was a dangerous threat in his life. There were way worse things that could happen to him, anyway.

Zach: Right.

Zach: What do you want?

PN: To see what your insides look like.

A chill ran up Zach’s spine when he read the message. He glanced around, as if whoever was texting him was going to appear out of thin air.

Zach: That’s not funny. Who are you?

Was this a prank? Zach’s mind ran through a list of people who could possibly pull this off.

Pip and Ravi were immediately off the list. An explanation wasn’t even needed for it.

Connor, who had pranked him in the past, would never go that far. The mention of gore was enough to make him feel ill.

Cara was a possible candidate, but his gut told him otherwise. Cara, who had pulled pranks before in the past like Connor, wouldn’t go this far just like him. And after what happened to Pip, that gave her more of a reason to not be joking about murder.

Ant seemed to be the most realistic candidate. Not only was he a raging cunt, but he had pulled pranks before and would go this far, unlike Connor and Cara. He had no issue in chasing Connor around the school a week before Halloween last year dressed as Ghostface. Using a private number to scare him was the least he could do.

PN: Who do you think I am?

Zach: An arsehole who’s just trying to scare me. I know it’s you, Ant.

Zach: Drop the act and stop talking to me.

Just as he is about to block the number, a response comes through, causing his entire body to freeze.

PN: This isn’t Ant.

PN: [1 Attachment]

PN: Nice house, by the way. 

PN: Reckon it would look nicer painted with your blood.

Zach felt sick. Just as he was typing his response back, a call came through.

A call from the person who was currently threatening to murder him.

He answered it without hesitation. He just wanted for this person to leave him alone. If this was still possibly a joke by Ant, then he wasn’t going to hesitate in strangling the cunt.

“What the fuck do you want?” He snapped. “What’s your problem, arsehole?”

No response. It was just silence on the other end.

“Seriously, who is this?” He shouted. He started pacing the kitchen, his anxiety getting the better of him. “If this is you, Ant, then go to hell. You already turned Lauren against us. What else do you possibly want?”

Still nothing.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw movement outside. He knows the first rule of a horror film: don’t go outside to investigate anything unless you have a death wish. He’s safer inside since the doors and windows are locked.

But he also can’t ignore this.

Could he survive if he had a knife with him? He wasn’t an avid horror fan, but he had seen the classics growing up. Maybe he could somehow overpower the person and stab them.

No, what was he thinking? He couldn’t possibly fight back against a potential killer. He couldn’t even accept Connor’s offer to stay up to watch out the stalker during Cara’s birthday camping trip. There was just no way he could fight back against this person.

“Are you outside?” Zach asked as he shut the curtains. It wouldn’t get rid of the person outside, but it would at least give him some peace of mind.

Again, there was still no response. Zach expected it, but that didn’t mean that he didn’t hate it.

“Listen, you need to go away.” Zach stated as he approached the back door. He twisted the knob, feeling relieved when he saw that it was locked. “I don’t know what you want, but-”

He stopped when a loud knock sounded on the back door. He jumped back, terrified at what he just heard. His heart was racing in his chest, practically about to rip right out of it.

He clutched his chest and tried to control his breathing. He needed to stay calm, or else the stress will kill him before this person does.

“Listen, just leave me alone!” Zach shouted. Tears stung at his eyes as he slowly approached the door again, grabbing a knife out of the knife block. “I don’t know who you are, or what you want, but I don’t have anything! Just go away!”

The silence spoke for itself. Zach wanted to scream. If this person was trying to push him to his limits, then they were doing a great job. He felt like he was losing his mind every second that passed. If this didn’t end soon, then he might just completely lose it.

“Please… stop it-”

A notification sounded right then. Zach saw it was another message from the mysterious caller.

> Private Number

PN: [1 Attachment]

PN: Come outside, or else I’ll gut him like a fish and make you watch me do it.

Zach opened the attachment, loudly gasping when he saw what it was.

It was a picture of Connor.

It was a recent picture of Connor.

As in, it was taken today. Connor had sent him that exact picture this morning before he went to his guitar lesson.

Had this sick fucker been stalking Connor? Why was he even doing this?

Zach: LEAVE HIM ALONE.

PN: Not guaranteed. Come outside and I’ll reconsider.

Fuck.

He was really going to have to do this, wasn’t he? If this were a horror movie, then anyone watching would be judging him.

They just wouldn’t understand the lengths he’d go to for Connor.

This cunt could hurt him all he wanted – he just needed to stay away from Connor.

Zach: Fuck you. I’m coming now.

And then he opened the back door, stepping out into the gloomy night.

~~~~

He regretted his decision almost immediately.

The cold wind blew over him as he walked around his backyard, waving his phone’s flashlight around. He looked like an idiot doing this, but if it meant protecting Connor, then he’ll be the idiot for once.

“Where are you?” He called out, a tremor in his voice. “Show yourself!”

Behind him, a twig snapped. He turned around, pointing his flashlight to where it had come from.

“Stop being a coward and show yourself!” Zach shouted into the abyss. “Come on, I don’t have time for this. Just show your-”

An arm suddenly wrapped around his neck. He had no time to scream as a hand was clasped over his mouth. He dropped both the knife and his phone as he was dragged out of his backyard and into the nearby woodland.

Death had come for him – and he just realised he’d been tricked when it was too late.

Chapter Text

6:45pm

“I think we’re lost, honey.” A voice remarked from afar.

“Lost?” A scoff from another voice followed. “Carlos, please don’t worry about it. Once I jumpstart the battery, then we’ll be back on the road.”

“Well, can you hurry up and jumpstart the battery, Seb? Being this close to the woods is creeping me out.” The voice, whom Zach had identified as Carlos, said. “I feel like a murderer is going to pop out and kill us!”

“Kill us?” The other voice, whose name was Seb, sighed. “You’ve been watching too many horror movies lately. I knew I should’ve stopped Maddox and Ashlyn from hosting that horror movie night. You’re too paranoid now, honey.”

If Zach wasn’t on the verge of death right now, he would’ve laughed. He didn’t want to scare them any more than he was about to, when he emerged from the exact woods that Seb was talking about. 

“Am not!” Carlos stated. “I’ve just seen stories like this before.”

“Like what?”

“Oh, I don’t know. Ever heard about the two American tourists who get brutally murdered after their car breaks down in the middle of nowhere?”

“Hm, never heard of it. Is it recent?”

“It’s going to be us, Seb!” Carlos snapped. “We’re going to get murdered if you don’t hurry up!”

Hm, you won’t be murdered, exactly, Zach thought as he stumbled closer to the couple, his legs struggling to maintain his own weight. You’ll just be traumatised, seeing a person who was almost murdered and left for dead.

“I’m trying, Carlos!” Seb shouted, sounding frustrated. “I’m sorry, but your paranoia isn’t helping, honey. You’re starting to make me worry that someone is hiding in the woods, waiting to kill us.”

Well, Zach didn’t want to kill them. How could he? He didn’t have an evil bone in his body. He just needed them to call for help. He wasn’t sure how much longer he could stay awake. He was practically forcing his body to keep moving, even though it begged for him to just give up.

He wasn’t going to give up. He was going to survive, even if the pain was unbearable.

Just think about Connor.

Connor would want you to stay alive.

~~~~

“Could it potentially be a troll trying to scare you?” Cara suggested. “Obviously, what happened to you is all over the news now. And as you said before, your number was easy to access because it was on Jamie’s missing posters.”

“I know, Cara, but it can’t be that simple.” Pip sighed. They had been discussing the text for hours now. They even had to go to Pip’s bedroom just so her parents didn’t overhear and intervene.

Though Pip loved her parents, she also knew that she had to ensure that they didn’t find out about the text. They were already worried enough about her. She couldn’t imagine telling them about Jason potentially going after them as punishment for her escape.

“What do you mean?” Ravi asked. He was sitting on Pip’s chair, his head resting in his hands. “Sarge, I believe you when you say it’s Jason, but have you ever considered it being a troll?”

“Because it’s not, Ravi!” Pip exclaimed, sounding exhausted. “I know you’re trying to help, but I know it’s not a troll.” Tears stung at her eyes, prompting her to wipe them away. “I know it’s him. I don’t know what he’s planning, but I know it’s not good.”

“And somehow, it might involve us.” Cara shuddered. “Pip, you need to tell your parents.”

“I can’t, Cara.”

“Why not?” Cara stood up from Pip’s bed, as she’d been sitting there. “Pip, you can’t keep this a secret. If you think that he’s going to hurt you by hurting those you love, then you need to tell your parents. They can keep you and Josh safe.”

“No, you don’t understand, Cara.” Pip bit down on her lip, drawing blood. “If I tell them, then they’ll just leave town so that Jason can’t hurt us. And if I do that, then Jason will be free to attack everyone else. I’m the one he wants, so I need to stay here so I can stop him.”

“And what if he hurts your family?” Ravi asked. “Sarge, are you seriously willing to risk it?”

Pip nodded. “I’m going to fucking kill him if he hurts anyone I love. I should’ve killed him back at the warehouse. I don’t know why I didn’t.”

“It’s not your fault, Sarge.” Ravi wrapped an arm around her, squeezing her softly. “You just wanted to escape. You thought that Hawkins would believe you because of the overwhelming evidence against him.”

“I left traces of my own DNA in that car, Ravi.” Pip shuddered as the memory replayed in her mind. “I thought that when Hawkins finally believed me, he would find the DNA I left in there.”

The skin she’d scrapped to draw blood.

The hair she’d left by rubbing her head against the carpet.

The fingerprints she’d left on the roof of the car’s boot.

She’d done everything, just so that even if he did kill her, her killer wouldn’t go unpunished. She wouldn’t be a statistic in an unsolved case – she didn’t want to be a mere statistic.

But even then, it still hadn’t worked out, because Hawkins hadn’t believed her.

“You left DNA in the car?” Cara lightly gasped. Clearly, she was horrified at the mere idea of her leaving behind evidence just so her disappearance didn’t go unnoticed.

“I did,” Pip sniffled again. “He was already driving me to the warehouse by the time I woke up. I had to act quick, so that even if I died, there would’ve been traces of me in that boot.”

She wondered if Jason had gone back to clean the boot, in case Hawkins decided to stop being an arse and talk to him. He’d been sloppy once with the fingerprint left on Melissa Denny, even if the system couldn’t identify it at the time.

She was certain that he would’ve been especially careful with covering up her murder. He would’ve made sure it didn’t link back to him. He might have even framed someone else for her death, just like how he did with Billy.

“So, how are you going to stop him?” Cara asked. “You don’t exactly have an idea on what he’s planning. Unless we get a lead from somewhere, then-”

A knock suddenly sounded on her bedroom door. Pip wiped her eyes before opening it, given that she didn’t want whoever it was to see her upset.

“Mum?” Pip kept her gaze on the laundry basket in her hands, just in case her mother saw her obvious distress and started asking questions. “What’s wrong?”

Her mother sighed. “Your friend Connor is here.”

“Connor?” Why was he here? Pip didn’t see a reason why he would need to be here. “What’s wrong? Is he okay?”

“He’s fine… I think?” Doubt flashed in her mother’s eyes. “Sorry, but he’s asking for you. He seems upset, darling. Maybe go see what he wants.”

Pip didn’t even hesitate.

~~~~

Connor shouldn’t be here.

He didn’t know why he had gone to Pip’s house instead of going to Zach’s when Zach had stopped responding to his messages. Pip may be brilliant, but that didn’t mean she knew everything – including why Zach hadn’t responded to his messages like he always did.

He left him on read. Normally, he’d assume that Zach just got busy and forgot to respond. He may be his best friend, but that didn’t mean he was living in his shoes.

But then when he tried to send a message, it didn’t go through. Panic had set in as he kept texting to no avail. When no messages had sent, he resorted to calling Zach’s phone. That had proven to be useless, too, as it would go straight to voicemail.

And then Connor was reminded of Jamie’s disappearance. When Jamie disappeared, no messages or calls had gone through. He hadn’t known that Stanley Forbes had broken his phone back then, so that nobody would be able to track Jamie.

He didn’t know what had happened to Zach’s phone, but he knew that something had to have happened to him – just like how something had happened to Jamie.

“Con?” Pip came downstairs, accompanied by Ravi and Cara. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

Connor’s lips parted, but nothing came out. Even though the words were so clear in his mind, nothing was coming out. How was he supposed to tell them if he couldn’t even speak? There were so many things he was hiding from them, yet this wasn’t one of them.

Zach might be in danger, and yet he couldn’t say it.

Fucking loser.

“Con?” Pip stepped closer towards him now. “What’s wrong? Is it your brother?”

Connor shook his head. Luckily for everyone here, Jamie was currently at Nat’s house. Zach, on the other hand, was unaccounted for.

“Your parents?”

Again, he shook his head. They were visiting Zoe at university.

“Is it Zach?”

That wasn’t Pip this time. He glanced up at Cara, who was leaning against the staircase banister. Somehow, even when he was silent, she had understood – she always had. And Connor knew that when he was ready, she’d be the first person he’ll tell his biggest secret to.

He slowly nodded. “His phone’s off. I know that seems silly to worry about, but I’m worried about him.”

“How do you know?” Pip asked.

“Like how I knew when Jamie disappeared, Pip.” Connor sighed. “Messages and calls aren’t going through. This isn’t like him at all, Pip. He’d never ignore anyone – especially me.”

“What? You think he’s in danger?” Ravi chimed in, sounding worried. “But who would go after Zach? No offence, Con, but I couldn’t imagine anyone ever hurting him.”

“How would you know? You don’t know him like I do, Ravi!” Connor suddenly snapped. “He was home alone tonight. His parents are out of town until next week. I was going to go spend the night with him, but Jamie took the car. His new house is far away from the closest neighbours. He’s the perfect target to anyone with ill intentions.”

And he failed him.

If he had just set his foot down with Jamie and took the car, then Zach wouldn’t have been alone tonight. If his theory was correct, then a possible predator wouldn’t have targeted him tonight.

He needed to find Zach now. Spending any more time arguing his case to his friends wasn’t doing him any good.

“What are you saying? Do you really think that someone is planning to hurt Zach tonight?” A tremor accompanied Pip’s voice as she spoke. “Do you have an idea on who’d do it?”

“What do you mean?” Connor gulped as realisation dawned upon him. “Are you suggesting… it could be Jason?”

“Shh!” She slapped his arm. “Not so loud, Con. My mum might overhear.”

“Then why are we talking about this here?” Connor gestured to the main hallway. “How about we go upstairs, Pip?”

~~~~

Keep going.

You’re almost there.

The couple had been silent for a while. Zach had been worried that they had left, but then he’d spotted their flashlights as he was stumbling through the woods.

And then, not long after, their voices reappeared.

“I’m sorry, Seb.” Carlos said. “I’m just scared.”

He could see their figures now. He leaned against a tree, taking a quick breather before moving again.

They’re still here.

They’re not going to leave you here.

You’re going to survive.  

“I know, Carlos.” Seb responded. “It’s okay. Remember that we took this trip so we could relax before we go back to college. I’m not going to see you again until December.”

“I know, because you’ll be in Michigan while I’ll be in New York with Ashlyn.” 

A twig snapped under his foot. Zach prayed that they hadn’t heard it. He didn’t need to scare them anymore than he was about to. A twig may be nothing compared to seeing someone on the verge of death, but Zach wasn’t risking his chances of getting help.

“Promise me you’ll visit?” Carlos asked. Clearly, neither had heard the twig. “I will for you.”

“Of course, Los. I’d do anything for you.” Seb responded. “And I appreciate that, too.”

Zach could see them both clearly now. Neither had noticed him yet. They were both standing in front of a rental car, the car’s hood wide open. Beside it, there was a jump starter kit.

A part of Zach felt bad for what he was about to do. This couple, though a few years older than him, seemed so innocent and sweet. They were just two tourists travelling the English countryside, unaware of what they were about to witness.

In some way, this was going to traumatise them, but it would also make their trip memorable.

“Excuse me?” He called out. His voice was low; weak from the pain he was experiencing. “Please… help me.”

And then he collapsed onto the ground.

Instantly, the couple surrounded him. He heard one of them (Carlos?) shouting for the other to call the police.

While the other did so, the one who had shouted the order had turned him onto his back. He was now looking up at the sky, though it was blurry due to both the tears and his own glasses being cracked.

“It’s going to be okay now,” the voice stated as they pressed something down onto his stomach. “Just stay awake, please. Don’t go to sleep.”

But he did.

~~~~

7:30pm

Right as Connor had finished explaining his case to the group, a knock sounded on Pip’s bedroom door.

“It must be my mum again,” Pip sighed as she headed for the bedroom door. “Just a minute, Con.”

Pip opened the door. Much to her surprise, it was her stepfather instead.

“Hi, Dad.” Pip greeted. She noticed the grim expression on his face. “What’s wrong?”

Her stepfather was never grim. Even though he was a lawyer, he was always positive when he was at home. He didn’t let the grim nature of his profession invade their household. Though she was fully aware of how cruel the world could be, she appreciated that her stepfather would never let it impact their household.

“It’s your friend, Pickle.” He said, his voice sounding guttural. “I was helping Josh revise for a test when my phone rang. It was a colleague who lives in the same town as him.”

“Him?” Pip could feel the oxygen being sucked out of her lungs. “Who is it?”

Zach.

It couldn’t have been anyone else.

Connor was in her bedroom. Jamie was at Nat’s house according to Connor. Ant was a traitor who was probably fucking Lauren right now. And Ravi, though her boyfriend, was still a friend; a best friend, even, though not like a sibling like Cara. And like Connor, he was in her bedroom.

So, that left Zach. And as Connor had said, Zach’s phone had been mysteriously shut off. He wasn’t answering anyone. If it were truly not Zach, then she’d be surprised.

“It’s Zach, Pip.” Her father sighed. “Earlier, he was found by two tourists in the woods. He’d been stabbed, Pip.”

Stabbed?

But that didn’t make sense.

Jason’s MO was to strangle his victims with a blue rope. She’d seen the rope he was going to use on her when she’d freed herself. What caused the shift in his MO?

“Is he okay?” Pip could barely hold back her tears. How was she going to tell the others? How was she going to tell Connor? He was already feeling guilty for not being at his house tonight. She couldn’t imagine what this news would do to him.

“I don’t know, Pickle. All I was told was that he was taken to the local hospital in their town.”

The survival rate of stabbing attacks varied depending on the location of the wound, but it was usually less than 10%. Pip only had to pray that Zach was in that 10%.

“Do you want to go see him?” He asked. “I know your friends are over, but they can come, too.”

“What about Josh and Mum?”

“I already told your mum that I was heading out. Josh will be fine, Pickle.” He cupped her shoulder, squeezing it softly. “We need to go now. Hurry up.”

Pip didn’t even hesitate.

~~~~

A helicopter passed over him as he made his way out of Zach’s backyard.

He hadn’t initially intended on going after Zach first. This boy, though a friend of Pip’s, was harmless compared to the rest. He’d even left Little Kilton after the first investigation.

The others, on the other hand, were dangerous. Cara Ward was a loudmouth. Connor Reynolds was an emotional pest. Lauren Gibson did seem harmless like Zach, but Jason didn’t trust her. Nat da Silva was a whore. Jamie Reynolds was a fat cunt. Naomi Ward was a cry-baby. And Ravi Singh was a disappointment. What man lets a woman walk all over him? He’ll put him in his place when the time comes.

But if he’d gone after the others first, then suspicion would arise, because everyone knew them. Most people didn’t even care about Zach except Connor, who seemed to care a bit too much about Zach.

A bit too much, in fact. It didn’t even seem platonic. And even though Jason was disgusted by it, he also knew that he could use it to his advantage when the time comes.

For now, though, he’ll have to wait. Connor wasn’t a priority just yet. He had his sights set on someone else – a pretty redhead with a dumb boyfriend, to be specific.

Nobody could stop him now – not even Pippa Fitz-Amobi. That dumb bitch would soon realise that all of this could’ve been prevented if she had just listened to him.

It was all her fault, and Jason relished in that fact.

Chapter Text

7:50pm

It took twenty minutes to get to the hospital where Zach was at. When they had got there, though, they had been told that Zach was still in surgery, and they wouldn’t be able to see him for a while.

Out of all of them, Connor seemed the most distraught over the news. Pip watched him as he sat across from her. His right leg was constantly shaking. At some point, Cara had placed her hand down on it, just so it would stop.

Pip felt bad for him. Zach had been his best friend for years. Even after Zach had moved away, their friendship hadn’t been drastically altered by it. Pip would react the same if it were Cara in Zach’s position right now.

“Do you reckon Connor will be okay?” Ravi whispered into her ear. His hand was intertwined with hers, squeezing it softly. “He looks like he’s going to pass out any minute now.”

“Ravi, don’t say that.” Pip warned. “He’ll be fine, because Zach will be fine.”

“Are you sure?” Ravi’s hand squeezed hers tightly. “I’m worried for him, Pip. I can still remember the day Sal’s body was found. I had reacted just like he is right now.”

“Like you’re about to pass out?”

Ravi nodded. “I just wanted it to be a dream. I didn’t want to believe that my own brother was dead. I see a lot of my younger self in Connor, you know?”

Pip understood. When Jamie went missing, it had been no secret that Ravi had seen Connor and Jamie in himself and Sal. He’d seen Jamie as a redemption arc, because he hadn’t been able to save Sal. He wasn’t going to allow Connor to experience the same loss that he had. There’s no pain in this world that could compare to losing a parent or sibling, and Ravi was not going to allow Connor to go through it.

“I know you do,” Pip rested her head on Ravi’s shoulder. “I know you want him to be okay. And he will be, because Zach is going to be okay.”

“Besides Cara, Zach was one of your first friends, right?”

Pip shrugged. “He was the first person I’d met when I moved here, because he was my neighbour. I wouldn’t say he was my first friend, because that title is reserved for Cara, but he was a friend in some sense; an acquaintance.”

“An acquaintance?”

“He was just always hanging out with Connor when we were at school. I’d have playdates with him, but we’d never hang out at school. It wasn’t until I became friends with Connor that we hung out more often.”

“And then Lauren came into the picture.”

Pip felt her blood run cold. She didn’t like talking about Lauren; not since she ditched them for Ant. She’d sided with him when an argument had ensued between her and Ant during Jamie’s disappearance. And even though Lauren kept saying that she hadn’t meant it, Pip couldn’t find it in herself to believe her.

What if she was only saying it because she was upset that she lost all her true friends? Ant, Ruby and Dylan were terrible in comparison to them. Stella might only be the decent one in that group. If she truly was sorry for what she’d done, then she would say it in-person, and not over an email.

“I don’t want to talk about Lauren, Ravi.” Pip grimaced just mentioning her name. “She can go get hit by a car for all I care. She chose that self-absorbed cunt over us.”

“But doesn’t she regret it?”

Pip huffed. “I’ll believe it when I see it.”

“Sarge-”

“She chose him, even when he had told Connor that his own brother’s disappearance was faked, so I don’t care about her anymore. She can go choke for all I care.”

Ravi didn’t argue with her. He just wrapped his arm around her neck and nuzzled her into the crook of his neck. He knew that she wasn’t okay; that terrible things had happened to her at the warehouse. And even though he may not fully understand how she’d felt in that moment, he knew that all Pip needed right now was the support and love from everyone around her.

And that’s why Pip loved him – because amid the evil in this town, he was a good person, even after his own brother had been murdered. He could’ve burned down the town after they had shunned him and his parents after Sal’s death, yet he remained kind. This town had treated him like shit, yet he came out as a better person despite it all.

She didn’t deserve him. He deserved someone who wasn’t fucked up like she was. The fact that he was still with her even after everything that had happened was a mystery that Pip couldn’t solve.

~~~~

8:10pm  

Connor couldn’t take it anymore.

After sitting around for twenty minutes to no updates about Zach, he’d needed a breath of fresh air. He felt like he was going to vomit if he sat inside for much longer than he needed to.

Of course, Cara had followed him, because she simply refused to leave his side.

“Con, just talk to me, please.” Cara reached out for his hand, but he jerked away from her. “Come on, Con. I’m not going to judge you.”

“I’m fine, Cara.”

But he wasn’t.

He knew he wasn’t, yet he was lying to Cara’s face.

“Connor, don’t lie to me.” She huffed. Her hands grabbed his shoulders, holding him in place. “I know you’re upset about Zach.”

Connor scoffed. “Aren’t you? He was attacked, Cara! Someone kidnapped him from his house and stabbed him! They left him to die in the woods!”

His Zach was left to die in the woods.

Connor hadn’t been able to save him. Why hadn’t he just gone to Zach’s house as planned? He could’ve saved him from being attacked.

“I am, Connor, but you’re going to harm yourself if you don’t calm down.” Cara advised. “Just breathe, Connor. You’re going to be fine.”

But he wasn’t, because Zach had been harmed and he hadn’t been there to save him.

Zach was everything to him. Besides from his parents and siblings, Zach was the most important person in his life. He loved his other friends dearly, but Zach was more than a best friend to him.

Zach was his entire world. Without him, he didn’t know if he could survive. This world was a dark place, but Zach’s presence made it light up.

“What happens if he dies, Cara?” Connor choked back a sob as he turned around, now facing his friend. “I’m going to be blamed for it. I should have never left him alone at his house.”

“Connor, it’s not your fault.”

“But it is, Cara.” He sobbed. “I was supposed to go to his house, Cara. I was supposed to be there. Because of me, that sick fucker tried killing him. I just know it was him, Cara.”

“Who?” Cara asked, though she clearly knew. Who else would he be talking about?

“Jason, Cara.” He furiously wiped away the tears in his eyes. “This is his doing. There’s no way that this is a coincidence.”

“Hm, fair point.” Cara shuddered as she grabbed his hands, squeezing them tightly. “Do you think I should tell Steph?”

“What? Do you think he’ll go after her?”

Cara shrugged. “I’m not sure. Steph doesn’t live too far away from town. I don’t want her getting hurt because I didn’t tell her.”

“Does she know about Pip?”

Cara nodded. “I told her the day after Pip escaped. I was too worried about Pip that the thought didn’t even cross my mind. I should’ve told her sooner.”

“Hey, it’s not your fault, Cara. She knows that you’re Pip’s best friend and that you were worried about her. If she has a problem with that, then ignore it.”

“Really?” Cara didn’t seem to like his advice, given how she was grimacing. “Con, you can’t just tell me to ignore her.”

“Why not?”

Cara shrugged. “It’s rude. And besides, I don’t think she’ll have a problem with it. She’ll understand.”

“Are you sure?”

“Why don’t you sound convinced?” Cara sounded agitated now. “Connor, you’ve met Steph. Does she seem like the type to get upset at me for caring about my best friend?”

“What? No, Cara. You just sounded doubtful, and I was trying to help you.”

Connor felt like his entire body was being held in an iron grip. He hadn’t meant to make Cara upset; he just wanted to help her, like how a good friend should. Was he not a good friend?

Of course he wasn’t. People can say otherwise, but he knew that he wasn’t. A good friend wouldn’t beg their friend to find their missing brother because the police wouldn’t. He should’ve just left it alone after Pip had rejected his offer, but he just had to start crying right in front of Pip, who then felt sympathetic for him and helped him.

Because of him, Pip was forced to solve Jamie’s case. He was the reason why Pip saw Stanley die, because he just couldn’t control his own emotions that day at her house.

And now, because of his own words, Cara was upset.

If Zach were here, he’d know what to do, but Zach was in surgery because Jason had attacked him. Once again, his own actions had caused it, because if he had been there with Zach, Jason wouldn’t have targeted him.

“Were you? Because to me, it seems like you were trying to make me doubt my relationship with Steph.” Cara stated, sounding frustrated. “Me and Steph are fine, Connor. You don’t need to worry about us.”

Connor believed her. Why wouldn’t he? Cara was a friend. She wasn’t a best friend like Zach was, but she was still a close friend. But he also felt oddly suspicious at Cara being overly defensive over her relationship with Steph. He knew he had sounded weird about it, but now Cara was blowing it out of proportion.

Was she really secure in her relationship with Steph? Or was there something else going on?

Either way, he shouldn’t keep pressing Cara about it. She clearly didn’t want to talk about her and Steph now, especially after tonight’s incident. He’ll talk about it with her another day.

“Okay, Cara.” Connor shivered as the chill September breeze blew over him. “Do you want to go back inside?”

“Are you feeling better now?”

He nodded, though he wasn’t fully certain. A part of himself was still hung up over his own guilt, but it wasn’t eating him alive like before. Being here with Cara helped tone it down, because Cara was a good friend.

“Better than before, I guess.” He motioned for the entrance. “The change in scenery did help. Now, let’s go in-”

“Well, look who it is.”

That voice made Connor’s blood run cold.

He knew that voice. How could he not? The person who owned that voice had tormented him for years. It had gotten worse when a so-called friend of his started dating him a few months ago. That friend hadn’t even cared when his own brother had gone missing.

And when Pip had gotten into an argument with the couple over an article accusing them of faking Jamie’s disappearance, that pig had laughed in their faces, while their so-called friend had just sided with him because she loved him.

But why was he here now? Why had Ant Lowe come to the hospital?

~~~~

Cara swore she could feel the oxygen leave her lungs when she saw Ant and Lauren standing in front of her and Connor.

Neither had changed much since the last time they saw them, which was right before they finished school. The only significant change that Cara could notice was that Lauren had outgrown her bangs.

She was still pretty, though Cara disregarded that fact quickly. Lauren had always been pretty; she was perhaps one of the prettiest girls in their town. She had always gotten attention from everyone growing up.

And even though Cara hadn’t cared too much when they were younger, it started bothering her when they got older. Lauren would always seek out attention – particularly from guys – and would end up neglecting her, Pip, Connor and Zach because of it.

The last boyfriend she had before Ant hadn’t even treated her well, but she put up with it all because he paid minimal attention to her. It hadn’t even been a huge surprise when they found out that he had cheated on her. Her and Pip had consoled her after it, though, because that’s what good friends do. Too bad Lauren hadn’t gotten the memo when it came to Jamie’s disappearance.

“Why are you two here?” Cara asked. Her gaze was completely on Ant, as she couldn’t even spare a glance at Lauren.

“We heard about Zach through my dad, Ward.” Ant stated. “Lauren insisted on coming to see him, though I don’t know why.”

That took Cara aback. Lauren had insisted on visiting him? She didn’t see that one coming at all. She had just assumed that they had come just to spite poor Zach.

“You wanted to visit him, Lauren?” Connor remarked, sounding shocked. “Hm, right.”

“I just wanted to see him because I felt bad for him,” Lauren said, sounding unsure. Cara noticed the faraway look in her eyes, as if she wanted to be anywhere but here. “We used to be friends, you know. Just because we’re not now doesn’t mean I can’t feel bad for him.”

Fair point. Even Cara thought that she sounded genuine. Though she still didn’t forgive her for what she’d done.

“Well, you’re wasting my time, Lauren.” Ant suddenly snapped. “I told you I didn’t want to see Zach if they were going to be here. You should’ve just gone on your own so that my time wasn’t wasted.”

“I don’t have my own car like you do, Ant.”

“Your mother has a car.”

“But she’s using it tonight. She’s at the pub with a few friends. That’s why I was at your house tonight, because I didn’t want to be alone.”

“Not because you love me?” Ant scoffed. “Jesus, I do everything for you, Lauren. You can’t even spend time with me without a reason.”

“What? No, Ant, that’s not true.” Lauren seemed scared now. Cara exchanged a glance with Connor, who seemed ticked off at how Ant was treating her. “I love you, Ant. I just didn’t want to be alone tonight-”

“Spare me your bullshit, Lauren. I don’t want to hear it.” Ant rolled his eyes and loudly sighed. “Let’s just go. Clearly, neither of us is welcomed here.”

“But Ant-”

“Lauren, just shut up and get in the car. We’re better off not being around them.”

But as they turned away, Connor suddenly grabbed onto Ant’s shoulder, holding him in place. Ant swiftly turned around, his expression venomous. If looks could kill, then Cara did not want to be in Connor’s position right now.

“Why are you talking to her like that?” Connor asked, sounding furious. “Didn’t your parents ever teach you to respect women? That’s not how you’re supposed to talk to your girlfriend.”

“Did yours ever teach you to be attracted to them, Connor?” Ant spat as he yanked Connor’s hand off him. “Don’t talk to me about respecting women when you’re not even attracted to them.”

“What is that supposed to mean?” Connor looked horrified, as if he’d seen a ghost just now.

Ant got up close to him right then. Cara swore she could feel the tension bouncing off them. It was so thick that she could cut it with a knife if it were possible to do so.

“It means that we all know which team you play for, Connor.” Ant snickered, his eyes narrowing with satisfaction. “I don’t want to take any advice from you about women, seeing that you don’t even like them.”

“Ant, back off now.” Connor warned. Though he tried to sound tough, Cara could tell he was afraid.

“What’s the point of hiding, Connor? Everyone knows what you are. It’s only a matter of time for when the truth comes out.” Ant stepped away from him, widely smirking. “I might even reveal it myself. I have the evidence to prove it, too.”

“Prove what?” Cara asked as she grabbed Connor’s arm, pulling him towards her.

Ant shrugged, though the smirk remained on his face. “None of your business, Ward. You’ll find out in due time.”

“I would like to know now.”

“Cara, please don’t.” Connor pleaded. “Let’s just go inside now. Pip and Ravi are probably worried about us.”

“But Connor-”

“Please, Cara.”

His eyes were pleading with her now. Cara felt her heart sting seeing them, because those eyes were always so kind. Seeing them hurt broke her heart.

Cara sighed. “Fine, we’ll go in.”

Connor smiled. “Thanks, Cara.”

Ant and Lauren didn’t say anything as they left. She heard a snicker, but that was all. Cara didn’t care about them, though. If they stayed out of her way from now on, then that was fine by her.

But sometimes, a small part of herself missed Lauren. She missed having sleepovers with her and Pip, braiding her hair, late-night texts, and spontaneous movie nights. But she also knew that it was for the better, because true friends always stick by your side, even when it gets tough.

Maybe one day, Lauren will prove that she deserved to be forgiven for her actions. But that day isn’t today; it may not ever come at all. And although Cara was certain that she no longer needed Lauren in her life, the seed of doubt planted in her mind made her wonder otherwise.

~~~~

Jason rolled his eyes as he watched the bickering play out between Ant and Lauren. He hadn’t expected for them to come to the hospital, but he’d been proven wrong.

He’d only come here to see if Pip would be here. His theory had been proven correct when he saw her, along with Ravi, Connor and Cara. Her stepfather had been here as well, but he’d just dropped them off and told Pip to call him when they were ready to leave.

Initially, he considered attacking Connor when he saw him out front by himself, but the idea was dismissed when Cara came out shortly after. He could probably kill them both, but he found it was better to have only one victim at a time.

And besides, he saw something in Connor that he didn’t see in the others. Connor was annoying, but he too had been when he was younger.

He’ll grow out of it when he gets older, just like he did.

He’ll be just like him, when he is forced to listen to the dark seed that everyone has planted in their mind. Jason had tried to ignore it when he was younger, but he was glad that he eventually accepted it.

Because of it, he was now who he was truly meant to be – and he was certain that Connor could embrace it, too.

Chapter Text

23/09/2025

Pip didn’t get much sleep. As the town had slept, she had laid awake, as her mind was battling a war. No solution had been found, and Pip wasn’t certain if she could find one right now.

She had to anticipate Jason’s next move so that she could stop him before he harmed someone else. She had left the hospital last night not knowing if Zach would survive surgery. He was barely hanging on by a thread. She hoped that he would not only for herself, but for his family and Connor. She couldn’t imagine Connor’s reaction if Zach passed away.

“Pip?” A knock sounded on her door then. “Sweetie, you up?”

It was her mother. Pip felt safe hearing her voice. Though she obviously hadn’t expected for it to be Jason, she wouldn’t put it past him breaking into her house. After all, he had literally stood outside her house the night before her abduction to scare her.

“Yeah, I am.” She called back as she rubbed her eyes. “Morning, Mum.”

Her mum entered her room then. The smell of pancakes wafted through the room. It seemed like Victor had kept to his promise for Josh, not that Pip had ever doubted he would.

“Morning, darling.” Her mother smiled at her. “Victor’s making pancakes with Josh downstairs. Do you want any?”

Although Pip loved pancakes, the thought of eating anything sweet repulsed her right now. She wasn’t sure if chocolate chip pancakes were going to cure the agonising dread that hung over her like a cloud right now.

“No, I’m fine.” Pip responded. “I’ll just have cereal.”

“Are you sure, darling?”

“I’m sure.”

She thought her mother would leave right then, but she stayed put.

“Mum? Is everything okay?” She asked.

Her mother sighed. “I’m sorry about Zach, sweetie. I don’t understand why anyone would want to hurt him. He’s always been such a lovely boy.”

Her mother wasn’t aware it wasn’t because of Zach himself – it was clearly because of her. After the mysterious text last night, Jason had lured Zach outside, dragged him into the woods, stabbed him and left him to bleed out. He was doing this to punish her for her defiance. She just didn’t know who he was going to target next.

“Yeah, I know.” Pip sniffed, thinking about her former neighbour. He used to only live four doors down, but now lived twenty minutes from here. “Have his parents been told?”

“Yeah. His parents were in London until next week but came rushing back when they got the news.” Her mother recounted. “His parents are at the hospital now. I might stop by their hotel later to see them since their house is currently a crime scene.”

“How did they react?”

“As how a parent who just found out their child was almost murdered should react, Pip. They’re devastated, darling.” Her mother sighed. “His poor mother was just on the news now. The poor woman was sobbing her heart out.”

“And his father?”

“Wasn’t there, but the man is devastated, too. That’s their son, sweetie. You know how much they love him.” Her mother now sat on the edge of her bed. Her hand was outstretched, brushing back her short messy hair. “I would’ve reacted the same if I had lost you, darling. I could barely keep myself together when we found out what happened to you.”

Pip leaned into her touch. Even when she was battling an internal war, being with her family soothed her. This house was supposed to be her safe space; a place where Jason couldn’t access. Even if he had been outside a few nights ago, that didn’t mean that the house was entirely unsafe.

He could take the entire town, but this house was off-limits. He’ll fucking regret it if he even considers harming her family. He was already screwed for hurting Zach.

When she finally takes the lead in the game he’s forcing her to play, then he’ll be sorry for ever messing with her at all. He said to her that she was a challenge to him after her investigation had destroyed his life, and she might just live up to that name.

“What would I ever do without you, Mum?” Pip held back her tears. She didn’t need her mother to see just how vulnerable she really was. She needed to stay strong just for her, Victor and Josh.

“It’s okay, darling. You’re going to be fine now.” Her mother kissed her forehead and smiled. “And also, I know you lost your phone when Jason… took you, so until we can replace it, you can borrow my old one until then.”

“Really?”

“Well, I’m not using it. It’s better off if you have it.” Her mother pulled the phone out of her pocket and gave it to her. “Everything on it has been wiped, so you won’t need to worry about getting any notifications that aren’t for you.”

“This seems like a lot, Mum. I’m not sure if I can take this-”

“No, it’s yours, darling. We need to be able to stay in contact with you, and I know you need to stay in contact with Ravi and your friends. It will be temporary, anyway.”

Pip wanted to refuse, simply because she didn’t feel like she deserved it. Her mother had no idea just how fucked up she was. If she knew about her buying pills off Luke just so she could sleep, she wouldn’t even see her as her daughter anymore. When asked, she’d simply say that she only had a son called Josh. Her name wouldn’t mean anything to her anymore.

But her mother needed to believe that she was normal; that she didn’t feel like she was being dragged down by a monster called Jason Bell, who was still a threat. Her mother did believe her in that Jason had tried killing her, but she wasn’t aware that he’d done the same to Zach.

“Fine, I’ll take it.” Pip set the phone down on her bedside table. “Thanks, Mum. I really appreciate it.”

Her mother smiled and kissed her forehead once again. “Anything for you, Pip. Now come downstairs and have some breakfast.”

~~~~

“Connor, don’t slouch at the table.”

Connor rolled his eyes as he listened to his brother’s order and straightened up. He hadn’t gotten much sleep last night. Any time he shut his eyes, Zach’s face would appear, and Connor couldn’t handle seeing him right now.

“Connor, why are you acting moody right now?” Jamie asked. “Did you get any sleep last night?”

“I tried to.”

“Tried?” Jamie set aside his coffee mug. “Listen, I know you’re upset about Zach-”

“Aren’t you?”

“Of course, Con. I know how much he means to you.” Jamie sighed and tilted his head to the side. “You just need to stop blaming yourself for what happened. It wasn’t your fault, okay? I know you don’t agree, but it really wasn’t your fault.”

Connor rolled his eyes. Jamie had found out about Zach’s attack from him when he returned home last night. Jamie had been devastated because he’d always liked Zach. But Jamie didn’t know how it could’ve all been prevented if Connor had been there.

If he had been there, Jason wouldn’t have targeted him. He would’ve left him alone. He’d stayed up last night researching the DT Killer murders when he’d realised that he wouldn’t be getting any sleep. It seemed weird, but it was much better than staring at his bedroom ceiling in the dark.

He’d found out that in the weeks leading to their deaths, the victims would find dead pigeons around their property. He remembered Pip mentioning it happening to her once. They would also find stick figures on the pavements near their houses. Pip hadn’t mentioned that, but it had to have happened to her, because serial killers don’t usually change their MO unless their plan drastically changes.

He knew about the DT Killer wrapping duct tape around his victim’s faces before strangling them. Anyone who had ever dipped their toes into true crime knew about that. However, not everyone knew a person who’d been a victim of the DT Killer, because all but one had survived – and that one person had been his friend Pip.

Though it was blatantly obvious that Jason was behind Pip’s abduction, he wasn’t sure why he’d changed his MO. Why did he go from strangulation to stabbing? He knew from Pip that Jason was a misogynist who got off on displaying the women he’d killed in public places. He just didn’t understand why he’d stabbed Zach.

Was it more convenient to stab him than strangle him? The knife that was apparently found in Zach’s backyard was not the one used, so Jason had to have brought his own.

“Seriously, Con, you should get some sleep.” Jamie grabbed his wrist, squeezing it softly. “You look like hell.”

“I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not.” Jamie countered. “You look horrible. Just get some sleep and you’ll be fine. Nothing is going to happen while you’re asleep.”

Jamie was so blissfully unaware of how horrific this was. He couldn’t guarantee that a known murderer wouldn’t go after him next. What if he kills Jamie while he was asleep? What if he kills him? He couldn’t fight back when he was asleep.

“Con, come on.” Jamie was yanking his wrist now. “Just go to bed. Nothing bad will happen to you.”

You don’t know that, Jamie.

You don’t know anything at all.

“I can’t, Jamie.” Connor’s voice trembled. “He’s going to hurt us if we’re not aware.”

“Who? Connor, you’re being ridiculous.”

Okay, now Jamie was getting on his nerves. He was just trying to protect him from Jason. He’ll be sorry for not listening to him when he ends up dead.

“Jason Bell, Jamie!” Connor shouted as he stood up. “He hurt Pip and Zach! He’s going to hurt me next! I just know it!”

“Connor, calm down-”

“If I didn’t worry about you when you went missing, you’d be dead! Charlie Green would’ve killed you!” Connor ripped his wrist out of Jamie’s grasp. “I cared about you, yet you’re not caring about me. It was him, Jamie. He hurt Zach. He tried killing him.”

“Connor, just stop it right now.” Jamie ordered, but Connor didn’t listen.

“He’s going to kill me! I should’ve known something was wrong when he was talking to me on the night of Pip’s escape. He was getting so angry with me and-”

“Hold on, he spoke to you?” Jamie stood up now and grabbed both his shoulders, holding him firmly in place. “What are you talking about?”

Oh no.

It felt like the entire world had closed in on him.

He hadn’t meant to speak about that. He had been hoping that the moment had just been a coincidence; that Jason had just been oddly friendly to him despite barely knowing him. He hadn’t known that Pip had accused him of being her kidnapper back then – all he’d known was that Pip hadn’t been believed by Hawkins.

Ravi told him the next day that it had been Jason who took Pip. He’d felt sick hearing it, because he’d just spoken to him hours ago. He didn’t tell anyone about it because he thought everyone would judge him.

Clearly, his theory had been proven correct, because Jamie now couldn’t even look him in the eye.

~~~~

“Cara, you can’t keep ignoring her.”

Cara sighed as Naomi forced the phone into her hands. Ever since seeing Lauren last night, her mind had been in a funk. She couldn’t think about Steph without thinking about Lauren, who was infecting her mind like a parasite.

She might just explode if Lauren doesn’t leave her mind right now. She didn’t like Lauren, nor will she ever again. Lauren was a traitor who had chosen a shitbag over her and the others. She’d rather die than ever allow her to have a place in her life again.

But then she remembers the good times, and everything gets thrown off-course again. Is it bad to miss Lauren? To wish to relive the good times with her again? Everything had been perfect until Ant. That shitbag had ruined everything and still wasn’t satisfied even after it.

She’d clearly seen how he saw Lauren as nothing but an accessory. He’d shouted at her as though she was just his personal punching bag. And she could only guarantee that he had continued his verbal lashings once they had gone back to the car.

Lauren may have been a traitor, but she didn’t deserve to be stuck in a relationship with Ant. She would have never wished for her to be treated like rubbish from a boy who supposedly loved her. All she had wanted was for Lauren to realise that she didn’t need to sacrifice her friends for a boy, because she could have friends while having a boyfriend. If Pip could do it, then she could’ve, too.

But life wasn’t always fair. Cara had realised it after her father had been arrested for killing Sal Singh. And even though her father had been a murderer, she found that losing Lauren had been her breaking point.

“I know, Nai.” Cara sighed as she read through the messages Steph had sent her. “I just can’t… not after last night.”

“What? Because of Lauren?” Naomi rolled her eyes, clearly disinterested. “Cara, I love you, but you can’t seriously be hung up over her. It’s been months since you last saw her. You even told me yourself that you wanted nothing to do with her after she chose her boyfriend over you guys.”

“I know, but… something felt different when I saw her last night, Nai.” Cara grimaced just thinking about it. “She looked… remorseful.”

“Hm, aren’t they all?”

“Naomi, just listen to me, please.” Cara begged.

Begrudgingly, Naomi did. “What about her boyfriend? Ant, was it?”

“Nope. He’s still a raging cunt – especially towards Connor.” Cara felt nauseous even thinking about him, but she continued. “But Lauren genuinely seemed to be worried about Zach. She really cared about him.”

“What does that prove, though?” Naomi asked, clearly not convinced. “She feels upset that he got attacked. I understand that, Cara, but that doesn’t really prove to me that she’s regretful for her own actions. That’s called being a decent human being.”

“I know, but she apparently insisted on seeing Zach. That must mean something besides her just being upset over his attack, right?”

Naomi’s lips formed into a straight line. Clearly, she was still unconvinced, which annoyed Cara. What else did she have to say so that her sister would believe her?

“Cara, I know you want her to be your friend again, but sometimes it’s okay to let the friendship go.” Naomi stated. “Lauren chose to be with Ant. Nobody was forcing her to be with him. She made her own bed, so now she must lay in it.”

“But Nai-”

“She was a good friend once, but she isn’t anymore. She stopped being a good friend when she chose him over you guys.” Naomi continued, not listening to Cara’s objections. “Cara, you have people who care about you, and yet you’re hung up over Lauren. Why?”

“Because she was my friend once, Naomi.” Cara asserted. “And I saw how much she cared about Zach last night. I know she’s still a good person, Naomi. She’s not evil!”

“And I didn’t say she was, Cara. I’m just saying that you being hung up over her isn’t good for your relationship with Steph.” Naomi countered, her brows knitting together in frustration. “Steph can’t be left in the dark, especially right now. You need her now more than ever.”

Did she? Cara did love Steph, but she hadn’t felt the need to go see her since Pip’s escape. Sure, she had been focused on Pip, but Steph hadn’t crossed her mind once since then.

This wasn’t normal, was it? No wonder why Connor was judging her last night. But she also can’t lose Steph, because Steph was like a release from this cruel town. How will she cope if she doesn’t have Steph?

“You’re right, Nai.” Cara sighed. “I’ll talk to her.”

Naomi smiled, her eyes lighting up. “Good, Cara. It’s for your own good.”

Was it?

~~~~

10:30am

“Thanks for the pancakes, Josh.” Ravi said as he placed his plate in the dishwasher. “I really do appreciate it.”

Josh smiled up at him. “You’re welcome, Ravi. Do you want to play with me now?”

Ravi glanced over at Pip, who was sat at the kitchen table, eyes glued to her new phone. He’d come straight to the Amobi residence when he’d gotten the text from her that said that she needed him to come over. He was already planning on coming around later, but he didn’t mind coming earlier.

“Maybe later, Josh.” Ravi responded. “I’m just going to hang with Pip for a bit.”

“Aw, fine.” Josh pouted as he walked past him, slapping Pip on her back as he left. “You’re always hogging Ravi, Hippo Pippo.”

“He’s my boyfriend!” She called back, not glancing up from her phone.

“I don’t care!”

Ravi chuckled as he sat down next to Pip. Like Jamie and Connor, Josh and Pip’s dynamic reminded him of the bond he once shared with Sal. It sometimes hurt, seeing playful banter between siblings, because it reminded him of Sal. He’d fought with Sal the night before his murder, so the guilt of not making it up with him had been eating him alive until Pip had proved his innocence.

“He’s not going to understand that the only reason I’m even around here is because of you, right?” Ravi remarked as he wrapped his arm around Pip. “No offence, obviously. I do like hanging around Josh.”

“Oh, I know.” Pip didn’t even look up at him. “I know.”

Ravi tilted his head to the side. “Something you want to tell me, Sarge?”

She shrugged. “Maybe.”

“Can I guess?”

Obviously, she wasn’t going to tell him. Since Stanley’s passing, Pip had been secretive. Though Ravi had all the patience in the world when it came to Pip, he also just wished she would communicate with him like how she used to.

“Go ahead, Chief Inspector.”

Ravi pursed his lips together. Though Pip wasn’t like an open book, it wasn’t hard guessing what she was feeling in a particular moment. He’d seen her distress while trying to save Stanley, or how relieved she’d sounded when him and Connor had found Jamie.

But right now, it was different. So much had happened in the past few days, so he couldn’t exactly pinpoint what was specifically bugging her.

“Is it about your abduction?”

She shook her head. “Try again.”

“Zach’s attack?”

“Closer.”

“Is this a game of hot and cold?” Ravi could barely stifle his laughter. “Never took you to be the fun type, Sarge.”

“Just continue guessing, please.”

“Hm, fine.” Ravi nudged her in her side. “It’s about Jason, isn’t it?”

She finally looked up at him. “Bingo.”

“Knew I’d get it eventually.”

“Never doubted it.”

He knew. Pip would never doubt him – just like how he wouldn’t doubt her. If she had asked him to go to war for him, he’d do so without question. He’d even go as far as murdering someone or helping her cover up a murder.

“What’s bugging you in regard to him, Sarge?” Ravi asked. “Besides him being the DT Killer and Zach’s attacker.”

Pip shrugged yet again. “I can’t figure out what he’ll do next.”

“Meaning?”

“Who he’ll attack next, Ravi.” Pip added with a yawn. “My brain has been going through all the potential victims, but I can’t seem to exactly pinpoint who’s next.”

“Is that why you didn’t sleep last night?”

Pip’s eyes widened. “How did you know?”

“You seem a little out of it, Sarge.” Ravi brushed back her hair, which was falling into her face. “You should get some rest. It’ll help clear your mind.”

“No, I’m fine, Ravi.” Pip countered, sounding stubborn. “I can’t sleep. I need to stop him before he hurts someone else.”

“And how do you plan on doing that when you can’t even focus, Pip?” Ravi sighed. He really loved this girl, but she was stubborn. “I’ll try to figure it out for you, Pip. You need to get some sleep, anyway. You deserve it.”

“But Ravi-”

“Sarge, please do this for me.” Ravi lightly pecked her forehead, his hands cusping her face. “You’re my Sarge. I don’t want you to hurt yourself because of that fucker. I know you want to stop him but hurting yourself to do that won’t help.”

A tear streamed down her cheek. Ravi wiped it with his thumb. He hated seeing Pip upset. This girl was everything to him. He’d almost lost her to Jason, and he certainly wasn’t going to allow it again. He’ll be damned to allow it to happen again.

“I won’t leave your side, okay?” Ravi pressed his forehead against hers, taking in her presence. He didn’t know what he’d do with himself if he ever permanently lost her. “Go to sleep, please. I’ll take over the investigation while you’re resting.”

“Promise?”

He smiled and kissed her lips. “Promise. Now go to sleep, Sarge.”

~~~~

She didn’t deserve Ravi.

If he saw just how fucked up she really was, he wouldn’t even consider staying in the same town. He’d be far away, just like how he had wanted to be before Sal’s murder.

Ravi was stuck here now because of her. While life moves on, he’ll be stuck here, still trying to fix something that couldn’t be fixed.

He didn’t deserve this.

He was willing to aid her in solving another case that had started because of her.  

If she had died, none of this would’ve happened.

Zach wouldn’t be in hospital, fighting for his life.

Why didn’t she just die?

Why did she have to be the one who survived? She’d been foolish to think that a survivor could be believed, when they never are. They’re only believed once they’re dead. Even then, their cases are ruthlessly exploited until they are no longer relevant.

She should’ve just let him kill her.

Maybe then, nobody would hate her for releasing this beast out of his cage.

~~~~

“How did you get him to go to sleep?”

Nat was sitting beside him on the couch in his living room. He’d invited her over shortly after Connor fell asleep. He didn’t like being in quiet places after his kidnapping. Stanley’s work hours had been long, so Jamie had been left to his own thoughts during those seven days in Stanley’s downstairs bathroom.

 And he remembered it all.

His father calling him a waste of space shortly before the memorial.

The pure horror in Connor’s face after he had shoved him against a wall when all he’d done was take his phone as a joke.

Pip’s mother firing him after she caught him trying to steal money from her.

Finding out Layla Mead wasn’t real when he’d seen “her” at the calamity. It had just been Stella Chapman – a classmate of Connor’s.

Being chased by Luke Eaton in a meeting that Layla had orchestrated.

And almost killing Stanley in the woods.

He remembered everything. And it had been strange, because reflecting on his past mistakes pushed him to straighten out his life. He was now working towards being a paramedic, was finally dating the girl of his dreams, had mended his relationship with his father, and was becoming more sociable.

He finally felt like he was worth something in this world. He used to envy his past classmates who had left town and became successful. But now, he no longer felt anything besides joy for them.

He was finally on the right track in life, and he wouldn’t trade it for anything in this world.

But now there was a problem – specifically regarding Connor. While he thrived, Connor was now left behind – and it was all because of the incident last night.

“I had to force him to sleep, Nat.” Jamie argued, which was true. “He wasn’t in the right state of mind.”

“How so?”

“He kept rambling on about how it was all his fault that Zach was attacked,” Jamie explained. “He told me that Jason was going to come after him next.”

Nat’s brows knitted together in confusion. “Why?”

Jamie sniffed and shrugged. “He told me that, on the night that Pip escaped, Jason was talking to him while he was waiting on us.”

“What did he say to you, Connor?” Jamie was shouting now, because Connor had gone mute after the revelation. “Connor! Stop it with the silent treatment and tell me!”

“What was he talking to him about?” Nat sounded slightly concerned now. “Why was he talking to him in the first place? He barely knows him.”

“Our dad sometimes plays tennis with him and Hawkins.”

“Okay, but I don’t see why he’d be interested in Connor.” Nat countered. “What does that old prick have in common with Connor?”

“Beats me. Maybe he’s realised he’ll be arrested soon and needs someone to take over his legacy.” Jamie chuckled. Though it wasn’t inherently funny, he was just being sarcastic and tended to laugh in awkward situations. “Seriously, I don’t know. All I managed to get out of Connor was that he wouldn’t leave him alone. He tried ending the conversation, but Jason wouldn’t leave.”

“He was being weird to me, Jamie.” Connor was crying now. His body was visibly shaking as he said, “He’s going to hurt me. He wouldn’t leave me alone. I kept trying to end it, but he wouldn’t leave. He’s going to kill me, Jamie!”

“Connor, no-”

He sank onto his knees, his face buried into his hands. “He wouldn’t leave me alone. He’s going to kill me, Jamie. He’s going to kill me, or…”

“Seriously?” Nat scoffed. “That fucking prick. When I find him, I swear-”

She was cut off by the sound of the doorbell ringing. Jamie was confused, because he had no idea who would be there. Was it potentially just a salesperson trying to sell him some faulty product? Or a realtor trying to convince him to sell his house?

“Do serial killers ring doorbells by chance, honey?” Jamie asked as he got off the couch. “Not saying it’s him, but we can never be too sure.”

“Could be, but I don’t think raging misogynists like him tend to be polite.” Nat countered. “It’s probably some salesperson, Jamie. Tell them to fuck off just because they interrupted us.”

Could be, but Jamie wasn’t the bitchy type. The guilt from physically assaulting Connor was still eating him alive, even though Connor had forgiven him. Merely cursing at someone even seemed extreme to him now.   

But Jamie still answered the door, though he was surprised to see who it was.

“Oh, DI Hawkins.” Jamie stated as he faced the man who, just a few days ago, had dismissed his friend’s story and called her a liar. “What brings you here?”

“Morning, Jamie Reynolds.” He greeted, acting too calmly for someone who takes pleasure in dismissing victims of horrible crimes. “Is your younger brother in?”

“Connor?”

He nodded. “Is he home?”

“Um… yeah?” The hairs on his neck stood up. Something was clearly wrong, though he couldn’t pinpoint what it was. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, Jamie. I just need your brother to come with me to the station.”

“For what?” Jamie was now tightly gripping the doorknob, his knuckle turning white. “What’s the reason?”

What came next caused the world to cease existence to Jamie.

“We have reason to believe that your brother may be involved in the murder attempt of Zach Chen.”  

Chapter Text

Jamie swore he could hear a pin drop from how silent it had gotten.

“What?” Jamie could feel his heart pounding faster than normal in his chest. “Connor didn’t do anything. You must be mistaken.”

“But I’m not, Jamie.” Hawkins persisted. “We have evidence suggesting that he may know more than he is letting on. Might even be possibly involved.”

“But this case isn’t even in your jurisdiction!” Jamie argued. “Zach doesn’t live in Little Kilton anymore.”

“Right, but Connor is a resident here.” Hawkins countered. “You need to step aside so I can find your brother.”

“No! You can’t just take him! He didn’t do anything!” Jamie shouted. “He’s innocent! Connor would never hurt Zach! Whatever evidence you have is forged! Someone is framing him!”

“Jamie-”

“He’s innocent!”

“Jamie, if you don’t bring him to me, you could face serious charges for harbouring a potential fugitive.”

“Over my dead body!”

“Jamie, what’s going on?” Nat now stood beside him, sounding concerned. “What has Connor done?”

“Nothing, Nat. Hawkins is just trying to find someone to pin this on instead of doing his job properly.”

“Jamie, you have one final chance to give him up willingly before I do it by force.”

Jamie sighed. He knew Connor hadn’t hurt Zach. He’d die on that hill because he knew his brother deeply cared for him. They’d been friends for years and nothing had ever suggested that Connor would harm him. He knew his brother like the back of his own hand – especially when it came to Zach.

Whatever “evidence” Hawkins had against Connor had to be fake. Connor couldn’t even harm a fly. He’d never hurt anyone – especially Zach.

“Fine, but I have to be there with him, Hawkins.” Jamie stated. “I don’t care if he’s eighteen, because I’m not leaving his side.”

“Very well. Now go get him, please.”

Fucking prick. If he didn’t have the ability to arrest him, Jamie would murder him right then and there.

~~~~

“Seriously, Jamie, what’s going on?”

Nat hadn’t listened in on the conversation until the last part, where Hawkins had threatened to arrest Jamie if he didn’t bring Connor to him. Even then, Nat was confused, because Connor hadn’t done anything to Zach. He’d been home on the night of Zach’s attack and had been the one to bring up his sudden absence to everyone.

What evidence did Hawkins had that pointed to Connor’s involvement?

“Nat, I don’t know.” Jamie was on the verge of tears as he shut the front door. “I know Connor didn’t do this, but I can’t stop Hawkins from taking him. I can’t protect him if I’m behind bars.”

“What are you going to do?” Nat asked.

“I’m going to let him question Connor at the station. I can’t prevent him from doing that, obviously.”

“That’s it?”

“No, it’s not.” Jamie sighed again. “I need you to go get Pip. She’s the only one who can prove that Connor didn’t do anything.”

“But he didn’t believe her, Jamie!” Nat argued. “What makes you think that he’ll believe her about Connor?”

“Just trust me on this, Nat. Just bring her to the station, please.” Jamie instructed. “I’ll try talking to your brother about it when we’re there, in case he can tell me what the fuck is going on.”

“You think he’ll know?”

“Beats me. He’s your brother and just happens to work as an officer. I’m just testing my luck there.”

“Hm, fair.”

“So, will you do it?”

Did she have a choice? Pip would find out either way. And she knew that Pip would be furious no matter where she heard it from. It was just better to tell her now so that Connor wasn’t unfairly interrogated for hours. She’d heard through the grapevine about the tactics that had been used on Billy Karras to extract a confession out of him, and she wasn’t putting it past Hawkins to do it to Connor as well.

“I will,” Nat said. “I’ll leave after you guys leave, okay?”

Jamie nodded and kissed her. “Thanks, babe.”

~~~~

11:20am

Ravi sighed as he leaned back in Pip’s chair. It had been nearly an hour since he’d taken over Pip’s investigation while she slept, and he had gotten nowhere.

He hadn’t even been able to figure out who Jason would target next, because Zach himself had been random. He lived out of town, never once interfered in any case Pip had solved, and was only a passing mention on the podcast. Why Jason had ever targeted him just didn’t make sense to Ravi.

He glanced over at Pip, who slept peacefully in her bed. Though it had been a struggle to get her to sleep. Her gaze had been fixed on her desk drawer, as if she had needed something from inside it. When Ravi had asked about it, Pip had brushed him off.

Strange, but Ravi didn’t think too much about it. There was a bigger mystery to solve than whatever Pip was hiding in her drawer. He’ll circle back to it once they’ve properly dealt with Jason.

As he reads over the email that Andie had written prior to her death, a knock sounded on Pip’s bedroom door.

“Who is it?” Ravi called out, not taking his eyes off the laptop screen.

“It’s me, Cara.” Cara called back. “Pip’s parents let me in. Is Pip in here?”

“She’s asleep.”

“Oh.”

“You can still come in, though.” Ravi assured as he opened the door for her. “I could actually use your help, Ward.”  

Cara shot him a confused look as she stepped into the room. “With what?”

He pointed to the notes that he had printed out and set onto Pip’s desk. “Mind reading over the notes Pip made prior to her abduction?”

~~~~

“Hm, not a lot to go off on.” Cara remarked once she’d finished reading the interview transcript between Pip and Harriet Hunter. “We can’t exactly use Jason’s original MO, can we? He only previously targeted women. Now, as it seems to be, he’s targeting anyone who is connected to Pip – and he clearly doesn’t care what their gender is, or how he attacks them. He strangled the women, but he stabbed Zach.”

“Weapon of convenience, perhaps?” Ravi suggested. “Stabbing is quicker than strangling someone. He probably thought that Zach would just bleed out in the woods.”

Cara raised an eyebrow. “And you know this how?”

Ravi shrugged. “I have a dead brother, Cara. Finding out he was suffocated made me research a lot about killing methods.”

Of course. The answer was right in front of her eyes. She wasn’t thinking straight because of that specific redhead occupying her mind right now.

“Oh, right.” Cara awkwardly glanced at Pip, who was sleeping like a baby. “Anyway, I’ve been reading over this article about Julia Hunter’s death and something caught my eye.”

“What?”

She passed over the printout to him. “The criminal profiler mentions how all of Jason’s kills are most likely motivated by misogyny. It’s just interesting how, instead of immediately going after one of the girls first, he goes after Zach. Any reason why that is?”

Ravi shrugged. Jason being a misogynist hadn’t slipped his mind – he’d just been caught up with taking care of Pip. Killing five innocent women due to his vicious hatred of them was textbook misogyny. And he did understand Cara’s point, because him suddenly changing his MO was weird.

“Hm, you’re right.” Ravi sighed as he rubbed his chin, collecting his muddled thoughts. “Any chance he did plan on targeting someone else before Zach?”

“Like whom?”

“Anyone who was a girl. We all know that Jason hates women. He has most likely written a manifesto about his feelings about them.”

“Like me?”

Cara’s face grew frightened at the prospect, and Ravi didn’t blame her. Knowing that you might have potentially been the first target for a serial killer was horrifying. And she couldn’t even feel relieved, because the first target had ended up being a friend.

Ravi nodded. “Yeah. Scary, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, right.” Cara gulped. “Can’t even feel lucky, because that fucker still hurt one of my best friends. We need to find out why he targeted Zach in the first place. Any chance they’ve interacted?”

“I don’t know. I’m not the person who would know about that.” An idea then popped into Ravi’s mind. “But I know someone who would.”

~~~~

“I didn’t do it, I swear!”

Connor felt like he was going to pass out. It had almost been an hour since he had been rudely awakened to find out that he was wanted for questioning at the station. He’d assumed it would just be standard questioning as a witness, since he’d been the last person Zach had spoken to before his attack.

To say the least, he was horrified when finding out that he wasn’t being considered as a witness, but as a suspect instead.

Hawkins kept pressing him about his whereabouts on the night that it happened. He’d told him the truth; that he was at home the night it happened. He even had a photo that he’d taken for his photography account a few minutes before the attack as evidence.

But Hawkins didn’t believe him. He was insistent that somehow, he had texted Zach using a burner phone, lured him outside, ambushed him and then stabbed him. He wouldn’t even let him explain himself, because Hawkins just kept rejecting his narrative in favour of his own.

“Connor, just make this easier for the both of us, please.” Hawkins pressed on. He looked tired, but from what? Harassing an innocent person? It must surely be hard work to blame an innocent person for their best friend’s attack. “Have you ever resented Zach?”

“What?”

“Did you ever feel like you wanted him gone? You just couldn’t stand him and wished for him to be gone?”

“What? No! I love Zach! He’s my best friend!”

“Come on, Connor, there’s no need to lie. Sometimes, we do get upset with our best friends, though not all of us leave them to die in the woods.”

“But I didn’t do that! I wasn’t even there when Zach was attacked!” Connor argued back. “Why don’t you believe me? I was at home when it happened!”

“Connor-”

“You have no idea what you’re talking about. If you really think I’d hurt my best friend, then you are delusional. I don’t even know why I’m being questioned for this. The suspect is right in front of your eyes, and yet you’re ignoring it in favour of blaming someone else.”

“And who may that be, Connor?”

Connor snickered. “Jason Bell, you fuckwit. He’s the one who did this.”

“Hey, that language isn’t appropriate here, Connor.” Hawkins warned. “And also, that can’t be possible. He’s the one who provided a statement against you.”

Connor swore his entire world had shattered at that moment.

“What?”

Hawkins smiled, as though he’d caught him. “Early this morning, Jason had come to the station. He had told me that, on the eighteenth of September, you had reportedly gotten irritated at Zach over a minor miscommunication. When he had tried to assess the situation, you had shouted at him.”

“What? I didn’t-”

“And, according to him, you had scratched him in the face. Is that correct?”

“That’s bullshit!” Connor screamed. “I never scratched him! That’s a lie!”

“Connor, don’t lie. He even allowed me to take a photo as evidence.”

He then passed over a photo to me. Connor could feel the knot twisting tighter in his stomach as the face of Jason Bell stared back at him, a large scratch now plastered on his left cheek.

Jason had clearly done this to himself. He’d scratched himself so that he could frame Connor as a violent person, when he was far from one. He had almost thrown up when dissecting a frog in school. How could he even consider scratching someone? Let alone an adult man who could easily overpower him?

“I didn’t do this, I swear.” Connor could feel his eyes filling with tears. “I didn’t hurt anyone. Jason did this, I swear.”

“Connor-”

“I’m a good person. You have the wrong guy, Hawkins.” Connor’s face fell into his hands, tears streaming down his face. “I didn’t do it… I’m innocent.”

Hawkins didn’t even dare to comfort him. Instead, he just got up and walked off, but not before he left him with some parting words.

“I’ll be back in a few minutes. While I’m gone, I suggest that you really consider telling me the truth. You won’t be severely punished if you just own up to it, Connor.”

“But I didn’t-”

“Even his parents believe that you were involved. Isn’t that saying something, Connor?”

And then he left, as if he hadn’t just dropped a bombshell on him.

Zach’s parents, who had known him since preschool, truly thought that he had attacked their son.

Did Zach believe it as well? He hadn’t gotten an update on Zach’s condition, but it seemed to be that Zach had survived surgery, since Hawkins kept saying that he was attacked and not murdered. And even though Connor felt relieved thinking about that, it didn’t help the current situation at all.

Until Zach finally tells everyone the truth and clears his name, Hawkins is going to insist on his guilt.

He just had to hope that Zach, whom he loved so dearly, would pull through and tell the truth.

But right now, he was trapped in a corner, surrounded by the false narrative that Jason had clearly created against him. He’d planted an idea into Hawkins’s head, knowing that Hawkins would listen to him over anyone else, because whatever Jason Bell says was clearly the equivalent of the gospel.

What did Jason even want with him? Why was he specifically targeting him?

~~~~

11:35am

“Still not answering. Seriously, something is wrong, Ravi.”

Cara sighed as she tucked her phone back into her pocket. No matter how many times they called, Connor wasn’t picking up. They had even tried both Nat and Jamie’s numbers. Jamie didn’t pick up. Nat did, but then it disconnected twenty seconds into the call.

When they had tried calling again, the call didn’t go through, so they just concluded it to being bad service. Maybe Nat wasn’t at home and the signal was poor. Seemed reasonable, right?

But something was wrong. Connor wasn’t like Pip, who always answered a call, but he wasn’t unreliable. He usually returned calls that he missed if it was someone he knew.

But this was different. Even if Connor could possibly be busy, something in Cara’s gut told her that something was wrong; that Connor wasn’t answering for a specific reason that while she didn’t know, it wasn’t good at all. What had happened to him?

“Don’t say that. Connor will answer eventually.” Ravi dialled his number again and pressed the phone to his ear. “Connor’s a good person. Connor is going to answer.”

“But Ravi-”

“Connor is fine!” He suddenly snapped. “He needs to be. There’s no way that Jason already got to him.”

Cara went silent. She knew that Ravi was distressed, but she’d never seen him snap before. She’d heard about him doing it to Pip when she had told him she wasn’t doing the case anymore, but she’d never seen it in person.

And it was scary. But that didn’t mean that Cara automatically hated him, because she understood him. They were kind of like twin flames, since they both have similar coping mechanisms and rarely lash out. She couldn’t hate him because she simply understood him.

“Okay, Ravi.”

He looked up at her now, worry evident in his eyes. Clearly, he regretted snapping at her, judging from his reaction.

“Sorry, Cara.” He said, sounding softer this time. “I just don’t want anyone else to get hurt. It’s bad enough that Zach got hurt. I just want everyone to be safe.”

“I know, Ravi.”

“I couldn’t protect her, you know.” Ravi sniffled as he glanced at Pip, who still slept peacefully in her bed. “I knew she had a stalker, and I still left her alone. I should’ve acted sooner. I had a feeling something was wrong, but I brushed it off. Because of me, Pip almost died.”

“Ravi, it’s not your fault.”

“But it is, Cara.” Ravi countered. “I was supposed to be there for her. And no matter what I do now, it won’t fix what I did. There’s nothing that can fix me leaving her alone for him. He took her because I wasn’t there. He knew that he wouldn’t have stood a chance if I had been there.”

“Ravi-”

“And even though I knew that, I still left her alone. If she had died, it would have been all my fault.” Ravi lowered his head, tears pouring down his cheeks. “But it’s still my fault, nonetheless. Pip escaped, but now Jason’s going after everyone else. If I had just been with her in the first place, none of this would’ve happened-”

“Ravi, stop it.” Cara cut him off. “This wasn’t your fault. You didn’t know that Jason was going to hurt her. And when you did realise something was wrong, you didn’t hesitate in searching for her. You didn’t do anything wrong, Ravi.”

“Well, I didn’t search hard enough.” Ravi lightly scoffed. “She was already hurt when she had escaped. If I had just been there, she wouldn’t have been-”

“And do you think Pip believes that?” Cara didn’t let him finish, because she knew that it was nothing but a lie. “Do you think Pip thinks that you’re at fault for her being kidnapped by her stalker?”

Ravi didn’t respond. He just glanced at Pip, who was still asleep surprisingly. Cara was shocked that their conversation hadn’t awoken her. She was a true sleeping beauty in real time.

“Ravi?” Cara shook his arm. “Ravi? Ravi-”

“I just want her to know that I’m trying to help her,” Ravi muttered as he glanced back at Cara. “She keeps secrets from me, Cara; I know she does. She might not think it, but I can tell. And even though I’m not sure what they are, I trust that she’ll tell me when she’s ready.”

“I understand, Ravi.” Cara flashed him a kind smile. “I know where you’re coming from.”

“Do you? Because I just want her to be safe, Cara.” Ravi sniffled again. “I don’t want her to be in danger anymore. I just want her to be safe. Clearly, she won’t be unless the final evil is destroyed.”

“Jason?”

He nodded. “I’m just trying to help her. She’s everything to me, Cara; I don’t know what I’d do without her.”

Cara understood. Who was she without her statistic-spouting childhood best friend? There was no Cara without Pip, just like how there was no Pip without Cara. Cara couldn’t even imagine a world without the girl. It would lose its soul without her here.

“I understand, Ravi, and we’re going to stop him.” Cara affirmed. “I just know we will.”

~~~~

A knock then sounded on Pip’s bedroom door.

Ravi glanced over at Cara. Pip’s parents were home, but they knew that Pip was sleeping. And Josh was downstairs, presumably playing video games. Who could it be?

“Expecting anyone else?” Cara asked as Ravi got up to answer the door.

“No, actually.” Ravi said. “I wasn’t even expecting you, no offence.”

“None taken.”

He opened the door, surprised to see who was standing there.

“Oh, Nat.” Ravi stepped aside so she could come in. He noticed how her short silver hair was sticking to the back of her neck. “Everything okay?”

She shook her head. Ravi noticed the faraway look in her blue eyes, which looked quite haunting. It was like she had seen a ghost.

“What’s wrong, Nat?” Cara asked as she stood beside Ravi. “What happened?”

Did you see Jason?

Has Jason attacked someone else already?

“It’s Connor,” Nat panted.

Connor?

Did Jason attack him already?

“What about Connor?” Ravi asked. He could feel his heart clenching tight in his chest, practically ready to explode. “What’s wrong?”

Nat sighed as she steadied her breathing. The haunted look in her eyes didn’t leave. Those eyes would become ingrained into Ravi’s memory as Nat dropped a bombshell onto him and Cara.

“Hawkins took him in for questioning. He’s being considered a suspect in Zach’s attack.”

Chapter Text

A pretty redhead is arguing with her boyfriend.

She doesn’t know it yet, but there’s someone standing in her front yard, watching her every move.

More specifically, Jason Bell was the one watching her, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

He can’t wait until the night. Though it was still early in the day, he wasn’t sure if he could keep holding off the urge to kill any longer. Scratching himself had been a temporary relief, but the urge preferred the blood of others instead of his own.

And this dumb redhead was too busy bickering with her boyfriend to even realise that the man out front of her house was here to end her life.

Today was the day that Lauren Gibson would die – and she was just too stupid to realise it. She was the embodiment of what he hated in women – specifically how dumb they could be. They were either too stubborn for their own good, or they were just plain stupid. Lauren was in the in-between. She might be clever in her own right but was also too dumb to even notice him right there.

Stupid bitch. And her boyfriend might just be dumber. What type of man lets a woman argue back with him? It wouldn’t even happen with him and Dawn, because she was too frightened to even raise her voice at him. This boyfriend of hers was nothing more than a waste of space.

He was doing the world a favour. They’ll realise it soon enough.

~~~~

12:00pm

“I’m sorry, Jamie, but there is nothing I can do.” Daniel da Silva loudly sighed as he tried pushing Jamie away. “I can’t stop the interview. No matter what, Hawkins has the right to interview him if he finds evidence suggesting that he’s suspicious.”

“But that’s not fair, Daniel.” Jamie countered. “Connor said that he had proof that backed up his alibi.”

“The proof he has is a photo, Jamie.”

“And? It was taken at home.”

Daniel shrugged. “It was, but it could’ve been taken any day. You can change the dates and times on a photo.”

“But why would he do that? Why would he even try kill his own best friend?” Jamie sighed. “You know him, Dan. You know that Connor wouldn’t do this. He’s innocent.”

“I know, but there’s nothing I can do, Jamie.” Daniel firmly stated. “If I could, I would stop the interview, but I can’t. Unless there’s something that can prove him innocent, then the interview must go on.”

“But the photo-”

“Isn’t enough proof, Jamie.” Daniel finished his sentence for him, shaking his head in disapproval. “I’m sorry, but there’s nothing I can do.”

Jamie sighed. He knew it’d be a long shot trying to get Daniel da Silva to believe him, but he also still went for it like the idiot he was. He just couldn’t handle watching his brother be interrogated as if he were a violent criminal.  

He saw everything.

How his eyes had grown wide with shock when Hawkins had accused him of attacking Zach.

How he kept asserting his innocence, despite the disapproval from Hawkins.

Jamie knew his brother was innocent. And it wasn’t just because he shared the same bloodline as him, but because the story Hawkins had didn’t add up.

Prior to the attack, someone had been messaging Zach. They’d threatened to hurt Connor if Zach didn’t go outside. They even had a picture of Connor that had been taken earlier in the day that they sent Zach. And according to Connor, he had never posted that picture anywhere. It had only been sent to Zach, right before his guitar lesson.

Hawkins believed that Connor had bought a burner phone to message Zach, just because nobody except him and Zach had that photo. And he was refusing to see nobody else’s perspective except his own.

Jamie had tried showing him a text that Connor had sent him three minutes before Zach’s attack, but Hawkins had refused. He didn't even care that Connor had been the one to inform everyone on Zach's radio silence. He just thought that Jamie was covering up for Connor simply because he was his brother. It didn’t also help that Jamie had screamed at him earlier when he’d come to their house.

But Jamie didn’t care. Hawkins could go burn in hell. Connor was innocent and Jamie knew it. Zach would also back him up if he were awake, but there were still no updates on him.

“Fine, I understand.” Jamie groaned. “What evidence is needed to prove his innocence?”

“Well, assuming he’s innocent, he’ll need-”

He didn’t get to finish, as PC Soraya Bouzidi suddenly stormed in, looking as if she’d seen a ghost.

“Soraya?” Daniel stood up from his desk. “What’s wrong? Is everything okay?”

Soraya shook her head. “That girl is back.”

That girl?

A smile grew on Jamie’s lips as he knew who it was. Who else would it be? Injustices in Little Kilton don’t go unnoticed. That girl was the reason why an innocent boy’s name had been cleared in his girlfriend’s death and that her real killers had been punished.

He could only hope that she would be able to clear his brother’s name, too. She was one of his best friends after all. He could never imagine her giving up on him, when she hadn’t given up on anyone before.

“No…” Daniel gulped, his eyes growing wide. “She’s not here, is she? It can’t be.”

But it can, because Pippa Fitz-Amobi does not fuck around when it comes to this fucked up legal system. She’ll burn down this entire town if it meant getting the justice that everyone deserved.

“She is,” Soraya glanced at him, as though she knew he had caused this to happen. “And she’s not happy, Dan. She wants to speak to Hawkins.”

“But she can’t-”

“She also said she doesn’t give a fuck if Hawkins is busy right now, because she’ll put him in the ground if he even thinks about arresting Connor for a crime he didn’t commit.”  

Oh.

Well, Jamie wasn’t surprised by the comment. You play stupid games; you win stupid prizes. Hawkins was just about to learn how true that statement was right about now.

“I’ll… go get him, then.” Daniel awkwardly glanced at him and gestured to the door. “You go join your friends outside, please. I’ll get DI Hawkins.”

~~~~

“Sarge, I understand that you’re angry, but you might want to refrain from glaring at everyone as if you’ll kill them at any second.” Ravi’s hand was tightly clutching hers, silencing the screams that were plaguing her mind. His mere presence was enough to silence the storm raging in her mind. It always came to a calm when he was around. “Just relax, please. We’ll fix this.”

Yeah, they will, because Hawkins was a certified dead man. He’ll be praying for mercy, and she won’t give a fuck. He didn’t care when she reported her stalker, so why should she care about him? She’ll set that cunt on fire right now if she had the supplies.

“He’s not going to get away with this!” Pip loudly declared. “He thinks he can get away with pinning it on Connor because Connor is close to Zach. He’s going to try to say that Connor secretly resented Zach and wanted him gone, even though that’s far from the truth.”

“I know, Sarge.” Ravi squeezed her hand tightly, pressing a kiss into her hair. “Just stay calm, Sarge. I’m here for you. Keep your head and stay calm.”

“He’s going to pin this on Connor when the real perpetrator is right in front of his eyes!” Pip screamed. “He’s not getting away with this! He won’t get away with it!”

“I know, Sarge-”

“Fuck him, honestly. He’ll be lucky if I don’t put him in the ground when I see him-”

“Refrain from the death threats, please, Pip.” Cara chimed in. She was sitting across from them with Nat, the latter having not spoken since she told Pip the news. “We’re in the police station. I don’t think openly threatening to kill DI Hawkins here is appropriate.”

“I’m with Cara on this one, Sarge.” Ravi affirmed. “Just relax. You’ll be fine.”

Pip wanted to scream. For the first time since Stanley’s death, she had been able to sleep without using Xanax. Ravi’s mere presence had been enough for her to just relax and fall asleep. Having to be awoken to find out that DI Hawkins was accusing Connor of attacking Zach had just pushed her off the edge.

She was livid. The next person she sees will be dead on sight, because her anger had taken full control. Her rationality had left a long time ago – and it was all because of the man who was supposed to protect them.

As Ravi runs his fingers through her hair, the door that leads to the back area suddenly opens. Her mind starts playing through brutal scenarios that all end in the death of the person who comes out of that door. The storm was growing violent again, all because of the man who chose the monster over her.

But the storm calmed immediately once seeing who it was.

Not an enemy, but a familiar face.

Jamie Reynolds. Pip’s nerves settled once seeing him. He was one of the good guys. He firmly stood on Connor’s side and was always going to fight for him, even if it could kill him.

“Jamie?” Nat immediately stood up and rushed over to him. “Jamie, what’s going on? How’s Connor?”

Jamie glanced at her over Nat’s shoulder. Pip swore she could feel the tension between them.

“Not good,” Jamie responded. “Hawkins won’t let him go. He’s adamant on Connor being the attacker.”

“Seriously?” Nat scoffed. “What about that photo he had? The one he took right before the attack?”

“Not good enough, according to your brother.” Jamie sighed dejectedly. “He could’ve changed the time and date it was taken. It’s not good enough.”

“So, they’re keeping him in custody until he cracks and gives a false confession?”

Pip was shocked but not surprised. That was the same tactic that had been used on Billy Karras – not allowing him food, water or rest until he told them what they wanted to hear. Hawkins was damned if he thought he could do it to Connor, too.

Jamie nodded. “Pretty much, Pip. That’s why I asked Nat to bring you here, because you’re the only one who can prove him innocent.”

“But he didn’t even believe me,” Pip argued, tears stinging at her eyes. “What makes you think he’ll believe me now? Does he even suspect Jason? Or has Connor always been the target?”

“Pip-”

“He doesn’t care about any of us! He only cares about himself!” Pip stood up now. Ravi followed suit, his hand resting on her shoulder. “As long as he can close the case, he doesn’t care who gets punished for it. They did this to Billy Karras, too. The real perpetrator got away, all because that lousy DCI Nolan targeted the wrong man.”

And because of that, DCI Nolan had unknowingly set off a domino chain of events.

While Billy was locked up, Jason had gotten to live a life of freedom that Billy had deserved.

He’d spent six years pretending to be the upstanding man in their community who had suffered a tragic loss.

But secretly, the only thing he had been upset about was that he wasn’t able to kill anymore due to Andie’s death. It would’ve just been too suspicious.

He hadn’t cared about Andie or Becca – all he probably cried over was not getting the chance to kill her himself. Pip remembered reading how Andie had noticed him looking at her differently in her unsent email. She’d known and died trying to escape him.

Poor Andie Bell. She wasn’t the perfect angel the town had made her out to be, but she wasn’t evil. She had just wanted to get away.

But now, because of DCI Nolan locking up the wrong man, Jason had set his sights on her. He’d told her that she was a test just for him back at the warehouse. He hated how she blew up his life with her investigation and chose to silence her permanently because of it.   

“Okay, what’s going on here?” Him. “Pippa, is everything okay-”

He didn’t even get to finish as Pip had already lunged at him.

~~~~

You won’t get out of this, Connor.

He blames you, and so does Zach.

Just tell him what he wants.

But he can’t.

He didn’t hurt Zach Chen. He loved Zach. He loved him that ran deeper than platonic adoration. Though he could never act on those feelings, he could always secretly admire him from afar.

But Hawkins couldn’t know. He probably suspected it but just hadn’t verbalised it. As Ant had said, everyone knew. It was only a matter of time for when the truth does come out.

And if Hawkins knew, he’d use it against him. Even if the idea of him hurting Zach seemed absurd, Hawkins didn’t care. Nobody cared. All they cared about was finding someone to blame.

He’d been taught to be honest. He was a good kid, raised in a good home, and was well-liked in town. And he was being honest when it came to Hawkins’s questions.

The only problem was that what was his truth, Hawkins saw it as nothing more than a lie.

And apparently, Zach’s own parents thought the same, too.

And what hurt the most wasn’t Hawkins insisting that Connor was responsible for Zach’s attack – it was Zach’s own parents believing he could do it. Those two had known him since he was in preschool. They had seen him grow up and had always adored him.

To find out that they believed that he had hurt Zach, whom he had loved since the first day of preschool, was enough to shatter his entire world. He would never hurt Zach Chen.   

But nobody, except Jamie and his own friends, believed it.

Jason Bell was setting him up. Soon enough, this news will spread to his parents, who were visiting Zoe and had no idea what was going on back home. Would they believe him? His mother had believed in Jamie, and his father had eventually as well. But if Jason gets to them first, he doubted they would ever see him as their son again.

He was nothing more than a cold, heartless monster – and it was all because of Jason Bell.

~~~~

Lauren Gibson had reached her limit.

After spending last night and today arguing with Ant, she had decided she was done with his bullshit.

Why had she ever gone out with him in the first place? She had been so desperate for his attention that she’d lost her true self in favour of a girl she didn’t recognise. No wonder why her friends had ditched her, because she couldn’t even stand the girl she had become.

Ant had turned her against her friends. He had wormed his way into her life, said the right things, and used her insecurities against her. He knew that she hated being alone and had used it to his advantage.

Because of him, all her friends hated her. She’d seen how Cara and Connor had reacted last night when seeing her at the hospital.

But she also saw how much they still cared for her. Connor had defended her from Ant’s vile comments, and Cara had seemed upset, too.

Cara.

She can’t talk about Cara.

Cara hated her, and that was that. There’s nothing that can change how Cara feels about her now.

As she gathers her things, her phone buzzes on the bedside table. She grabbed it, expecting it to be her mother. She had stayed the night at Ant’s because her mother was going to the pub with a few friends, and Lauren hated being alone at home. She’d seen too many horror movies growing up to know that being home alone, especially at night, was the worst idea that you could do.

But it wasn’t her mother.

> Private Number

PN: Going through a rough patch with your boyfriend, huh?

What? Lauren thought as she deleted the message. It was probably Dylan Khan – Ant’s creepy best friend who had been looking at her differently recently. That boy seriously needed to take a hint.

But as she was about to set her phone back down, it sounded again. She groaned and turned it on again, though the annoyance was quickly replaced with shock when she read the message.

PN: Don’t ignore me, bitch.

PN: [1 Attachment]

PN: You're looking quite fine today. Don’t you think?

Lauren felt her heart sink when she saw herself staring back at her. In it, she was arguing with Ant. The person who was messaging her had taken it from outside, since the curtains hadn’t been drawn on the living room window.

Lauren: Who is this?

PN: You tell me, sweetie.

Lauren: Fuck off.

PN: Gladly.

PN: Not before I slice you and that dumb cunt up first.

Before she could react, an arm had locked around her throat, holding her in a chokehold.

She tried to scream, but a hand quickly clasped over her mouth.

Death had come for her.

His lips grazed her ear and whispered, “Greetings, Lauren. Let’s go find your boyfriend, shall we?”

Chapter Text

12:30pm

“You have no idea what you’re talking about!” Pip shouted as she tried freeing herself out of Ravi’s grasp. He had both his arms wrapped around her, holding her in place. “Connor is innocent. Connor would never hurt Zach!”

Hawkins rolled his eyes. Pip wished she could gouge those eyes of their sockets given from how much he kept rolling them. It was a surprise that he hadn’t been able to find his brain, given how much he’d rolled them. Did he even have one at all?

She wished that the others hadn’t grabbed her before she could pounce on him. She had to be held back by Ravi, whom she pitied because he was acting more like a caretaker than a boyfriend.

“Pippa, stop it. I have every right to interrogate your friend.” Hawkins sighed as he squeezed the bridge of his nose. “And from the evidence we gathered, we believe that Connor could potentially be involved.”

“Why won’t you tell us, then?” Pip argued back. “Does the evidence not exist? You haven’t had enough time to create false evidence against him?”

“Pippa-”

“He told us that Zach had stopped texting him. Why would he go to my house and tell us about it if he’d done it?” Pip kept arguing, not allowing Hawkins a chance to refute. He could shove his false claims up his arse, because Pip wasn’t buying a word of it. “Didn’t think that one through, did you? You were just hoping to pin this on the best friend, weren’t you?”

“Pippa, I didn’t say that he did it.” Liar, but Pip kept listening. “I’m just saying that we’ve come into evidence suggesting that he could know more than he’s letting on. While I cannot disclose this evidence to you, I can tell you that it’s not looking good for him.”

“So, you think he did it?” Jamie seemed disgusted by that. “Bullshit. If my brother says he didn’t do it, then he didn’t do it. How could he dispose of his bloody clothing if he’d done it? He did go to Pip’s house, remember?”

“Jamie-”

“He did seem genuinely scared when he was at Pip’s house, too.” Cara chimed in. “He looked like he was about to have a heart attack. That’s not the reaction he would have if he had just tried killing Zach.”

Cara had a point. What type of wannabe killer would go to their friend’s house to report another friend’s disappearance, knowing that they had just tried killing them? The narrative that Hawkins had created did not make sense. It was obvious he was just trying to pin this on Connor just so he could focus on anything except doing his actual job.

“Well, he might have been acting.” Hawkins suggested. “He could’ve fooled you all.”

“Right… and you’re acting like we haven’t known Connor our entire lives, too.” Jamie countered, sounding especially offended. “You’re acting like I haven’t grown up in the same house as him, either. That boy cannot lie to save his life, sir. If he had tried killing Zach, we would’ve clocked it easily. You wouldn’t have even needed to bring him in yourself, because he would’ve just turned himself in.”

 “Is that so?” Hawkin pinched the bridge of his nose once again and sighed. “Look, I understand your concerns, but I can’t let him go just yet. Besides him allegedly being involved in the attack, we’ve had another incident regarding him.”

Another incident? Pip was curious to hear this. Connor had barely been able to function following Zach’s attack. She was really interested to hear what incident he had gotten himself involved in now.

“What?” Jamie practically spat. “Did he burn down a building as well? Hopefully it was your house-”

“Jamie!” Nat clasped her hand over his mouth. “Shush!”

Pip was surprised seeing this. Usually, it was Jamie stopping Nat from saying something offensive. Clearly, the roles had swapped today.

Hawkins, however, just brushed it off. “This morning, someone came into the station to report that they gotten into a violent altercation with Connor last Thursday.”

Last Thursday? Pip felt her heart go numb in her chest. Last Thursday, she had just escaped her would-be killer and had ended up in hospital because of it. Connor had been at the hospital. He’d been there with the others and was talking to Zach on FaceTime. How had there been any time for him to get involved in an altercation with someone?

“What?” Ravi spoke this time. “That’s not possible. Connor had been with us all night-”

“No, not all night.” Jamie cut him off. “Don’t you remember? He’d gone outside to wait for me and Nat.”

“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean that he’s telling the truth!” Pip shouted. She didn’t want to believe that Connor was guilty of something, because that meant that Hawkins was right, and she would rather die than let him be right. “Who reported it? Reckon they’re lying.”

“Pip-”

“Connor doesn’t hurt others. He has the kindest soul all-around. He’s a good person and whoever told you this is lying.”

“But there’s evidence, Pippa.” Hawkins countered. “We have evidence.”

“Reckon it’s fake.”

“Pippa, not everything is fake.” Hawkins groaned. “I know you care about your friend, but sometimes, we really don’t know the people we’re friends with. They might present themselves as good people on the outside but are the opposite deep down.”

“What are you saying?” Jamie spoke this time, sounding deeply offended. “Are you implying that my brother is a psychopath? We already told you that he would never hurt anyone. You’re clearly being biased here. Aren’t you supposed to remain impartial?”

“Jamie, stop it.”

“No, he’s right.” Ravi chimed in. “You are supposed to remain impartial. However, you clearly believe that Connor did it. You want us to believe that he’s guilty yet are claiming to be impartial. Hypocritical much?”

“I never said he was guilty, Jamie.” Hawkins countered. “I said that we had evidence suggesting possible involvement. This incident he is also allegedly involved in is separate to Zach’s attack.”

Jamie crossed his arms. “Like Pip, I reckon it’s fake, too.”

“And you may believe whatever you want to believe. I’m not stopping you from believing in your brother’s innocence.” Hawkins stated. “However, he is still a suspect as of now. Unless there is evidence suggesting otherwise, I’m afraid that I can’t let him go just yet.”

“But-”

“I’m sorry, but there is nothing that I can do.” Hawkins cut off Pip, glaring at her like a hawk. “Now, unless you are a family member, you must leave.”

Pip felt like her head was going to explode. She just wanted to strangle that bastard so badly. He was insistent on Connor being the perpetrator, even though any evidence against him was likely forged. She could already guess that the person who had reported the altercation had faked it, too.

And she also had an idea on who that person could be, too, but Hawkins wouldn’t believe her. He never did.

~~~~

“So, what do we do now?” Cara asked as they stood outside the station. “He’s not going to let Connor go just yet. What are we going to do now?”

Pip sighed. What else could they do? Hawkins wasn’t going to let Connor go no matter what they say. They’ll just have to wait until Hawkins finally released him.

Heck, that’s even if he releases him. He might just use the same tactics that had been used on Billy Karras to get a confession out of him. Hawkins, like the others, didn’t care about justice. You can’t conflate justice with the police, because it didn’t even seem like the police believed in it itself.

“We’ll just have to wait it out, I guess.” Pip said, sounding defeated. “Does anyone want to come back to mine? We’ll work on the case there.”

~~~~

Connor felt his heart rate spike when the door reopened.

He didn’t even need to look to see who it was. He knew it was Hawkins. No other officer was allowed to come in here. Hawkins had insisted on interviewing him.

“Sorry about the wait, Connor.” Hawkins remarked as he sat back down across from him. “I just got held up.”

Like he cares. He’d rather wish for him to just drop dead right now.

“Now, where were we?” Hawkins pressed play on the recorder and glared at him. “Connor, did you or did you not interact with Jason Bell last Thursday?”

Even if he wanted this man to burn in hell, he couldn’t lie to him. Everything else may be a lie, but him talking to Jason wasn’t.

He nodded. “I did.”

“Would you agree that the interaction between you two got heated?”

He nodded once more, though he could sense where this was going.

“Yes.”

Hawkins grinned like a cat. “So, you agree that you were physically aggressive towards him-”

“I never said that, sir.” Connor swiftly cut him off. “I confirmed that I did speak to him last Thursday, but only because he came up to me. And the interaction did get heated, but I never once attacked him. I never once scratched him. Zach could even confirm it because he was there.”

His eyebrow rose at that. Clearly, that had piqued his interest, and Connor wasn’t sure if it would be used against him or not.

“Zach was there?”

“Well… over the phone. I was talking to him on FaceTime.”

“Oh, really?” Hawkins grunted and gawked at him, as if he had two heads and not one. “Connor, just tell me the truth.”

“But I am telling you the truth!” Connor’s face fell into his hands, his nails digging into his temples. “Why don’t you believe me?”

Hawkins clearly didn’t want his truth – he wanted a fake one that fitted his narrative. Who cares if his narrative framed someone else for a crime they didn’t commit? As long as he gets praised for stopping a violent criminal, then who really cares who gets locked up?

“Connor, I know you’re hiding something from me about you and Zach.” Hawkins countered, sounding smug. “You don’t need to lie. You can be honest with me regarding your relationship with Zach.”

“What are you talking about?” Connor’s heart tensed. “What do you even mean? Zach is my best friend.”

“Hm, right.” Hawkins grimaced and rested his chin in his hands. “Connor, the world has changed since I first started here. You don’t need to lie about being Zach’s best friend. I know there’s something else you’re feeling about him.”

No.

Connor felt like he was going to throw up. How did Hawkins know? He could’ve guessed Ant knowing, but not Hawkins. Before this, the last time he had been at the station was to report Jamie’s disappearance. There was just no way Hawkins had known unless someone had told him.

“You’ve got it wrong,” Connor retorted. “He’s my best friend. You’re reading our relationship wrong.”

“Am I?” Hawkins chuckled and raised an eyebrow at him. “Come on, Connor. I’m not going to judge you. We live in a different world now.”

“What are you trying to imply, exactly?” Connor inched closer to him. He was glaring at him, daring him to say exactly what he was afraid to admit. “Spit it out. I don’t bite.”

“Hm, but you can surely stab your best friend and leave him for dead.”

“That’s speculation.”

“Hm, whatever you say.” Hawkins grunted again. “Can I ask you a question, Connor?”

“Go ahead.”

A half-smile formed on his lips. “Did you ever like Zach?”

A knot formed in Connor’s stomach. He didn’t like where this was going.

“…As a friend, yes-”

“No, not like that, Connor.” Hawkins rolled his eyes, as if he was just a stupid kid. “I meant if you liked him more as a friend.”

Fuck.

No!

The knot grew tighter. Connor could feel his throat burning. He felt like he was going to be sick. He needed to get out of here, but Hawkins wasn’t going to let him go until a confession was made. He didn’t even have anything to confess, but Hawkins didn’t care.

“No…? What are you talking about?”

“Connor, don’t lie to me. Rumours spread quickly in town – especially when it comes to you and him.”

What? Hawkins had to be lying now. He had to be fucking with him on purpose just so he would confess. Didn’t this apparently happen with Billy Karras?

“What?” Connor muttered, sounding dumbstruck. “What are they saying?”

“You don’t know?” Hawkins chuckled yet again, which sounded like poison to Connor’s ears. “Connor, people have noticed how you look at him. It goes beyond simple admiration for a friend. Did you want to be with him?”

Yes. “No!”

“Did you ask him out, and he rejected you? Did you despise him for that and decided to hurt him because of it?”

“No! I didn’t do this!” Connor shouted. “I know what you’re trying to do! This isn’t going to work on me! I don’t like Zach like that!”

But he did. He did like Zach exactly how Hawkins was implying it, but he didn’t hurt him. He hadn’t even had the courage to ask Zach out yet, because he was afraid of being rejected.

He wasn’t even sure if Zach was gay or not. Zach had never been interested in any girls before, but he also never showed any interest in men. He’d only ever been interested in friends, schoolwork and his parents. He’d even said that romance was overrated when Connor had suggested watching Love, Rosie during a sleepover last year.

Despite this, he still would never hurt Zach. The person who did it was right in front of Hawkins’s eyes, yet he was adamant on proving it to be him. He was practically grasping at straws to prove that it was him who hurt his best friend, all because he had been rejected by him.

This guy was a fucking idiot. No wonder why Pip and Ravi didn’t trust him.

“Connor, I know it hurts, but you need to stop lying.” Hawkins persisted, not caring that he was the reason why Connor was hurting. “Just tell me that you did it, or else-”

A knock suddenly sounded at the door, cutting him off. Hawkins glanced at him and got up, opening it to reveal Daniel da Silva once again. Is this guy the only person who worked at the station? Because Connor swears that he has never seen anyone but him here.

“What now, Dan?” Hawkins sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose. “Is it Pippa? Tell her that I don’t care-”

“There’s been another attack, sir.” Daniel cut him off, sounding panicked. “It’s bad.”

“Where?”

“Prestwood.” Daniel’s gaze flicked over to him, a tinge of sympathy in his eyes. “You need to get over there now.”

“I’m in the middle of an interview-”

“Leave it. You can’t keep him here much longer without solid evidence.” Daniel advised. “You can’t force him to confess. I’ll drive him and his brother home. Just get to the crime scene, please.”

Connor felt a wave of relief wash over him. He was finally going home. He may not be fully in the clear, but he was still going home.

But then panic quickly settled in. Who else had been attacked?

Chapter Text

“You stupid bitch!” His screams sounded through the woods like a haunting melody. “Get back here!”

But she didn’t.

She just kept running, even though her feet were killing her.

Run.

“I’ll find you!” He shouted. He was getting closer, which horrified Lauren. She had to keep running or at least find a place to hide.

Run.

She ducked behind a tree, her entire body forming into a ball so that she couldn’t be seen.

Keep running, Lauren.  

But she couldn’t. She was out of breath, her head was killing her, and that monster was too fast. She would just have to hide and pray that he would give up when he couldn’t find her.

“Lauren…” His voice lingered closer. “Come out, you stupid bitch. You think you can escape me?”

She held her breath and clenched her eyes shut. She prayed to whoever was listening that Jason would go away. He’d already murdered her boyfriend right in front of her. Killing her after she just escaped would be the cruellest twist in this sick game.

~~~~

2:30pm

“Connor, just come out of there, please. You can’t keep yourself locked up.”

Ravi sighed as his fist slid down the wooden door in frustration. After Jamie had brought Connor to Pip’s an hour ago, he had locked himself in the bathroom and wouldn’t come back. He wasn’t even listening to Jamie, which was really messing with Jamie.

Jamie thought he’d done something wrong. Everyone had assured him that wasn’t the case, but it was clear that he didn’t believe them.

“Go away, Ravi.” He called back, sounding weak. “I just want to be left alone.”

“I understand, but I don’t think locking yourself in Pip’s bathroom is the way to go.” Ravi countered. “Just come out, please. You’re scaring us. You’re even scaring Jamie.”

“Ravi-”

“Ravi, just leave him alone.” Cara appeared right then, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Pip said to leave him alone. He’ll come out in his own time.”

“What? But Cara-”

“Do you really think you’ll get anywhere right now? Connor just wants to be alone right now. Just let him be alone.”

Ravi felt conflicted. He wanted to give Connor his space, but he also didn’t want to leave him in the dark. Connor was like his twin flame, in the sense that he reminded Ravi of himself when he was younger. He’d realised it during Jamie’s disappearance, when he’d been spending a lot of time with him.

It killed him seeing Connor being treated like a criminal, as it happened to remind him of when people saw him as one because of Sal. And even after Sal was deemed innocent, nobody apologised, just like how Hawkins most likely won’t to Connor when the real perpetrator was found.

“I know, Cara.” Ravi sighed as he glanced at the door, foolishly hoping that Connor would open it any second now. “I just want him to know that we all believe him. Nobody here thinks he did anything to Zach. That was all on Hawkins.”

“I know, Ravi. Now let’s go.”

~~~~

“He hates me, doesn’t he?” Jamie choked out as he took another tissue from Nat. “I should’ve just punched that fucker instead of letting Connor go to the station.” 

“No, because then you would’ve been arrested for assault, and that would’ve made things worse.” Pip called back, her gaze fixed on her “murder board”, as she had called it during her previous investigations. “You’re not to blame for anything, Jamie. You did what was right.”

“But he hurt Connor,” Jamie countered. “He broke Connor. Do you understand how bad it must’ve been for him to be acting like this? He’s always happy, Pip. Even during dark times, he keeps a smile on his face.”

Pip couldn’t argue on that. Connor’s mere presence was enough to light up an entire room. The light hadn’t once faded during Jamie’s disappearance. It had weakened, but it never faded, because Connor had remained hopeful that his brother would come home.

But that light could be extinguished if Jason wasn’t caught soon. He already had gotten away with framing one person. He’ll be damned if he thinks he’s getting away with it again.

But who could he go after next? Everyone except Naomi were here. And Naomi worked in Slough today, so unless Jason was willing to drive half an hour to kill her, then killing Naomi was off the table.

As she tapped the marker against her palm, a hand suddenly grabbed her arm, squeezing it softly. Her body relaxed realising it was none other than Ravi, who was staring at her warmly.

“Hey, Sarge.” He greeted. “Any progress?”

She shook her head. “We’re all here except Naomi, who’s in Slough. Who will he go after next?”

Ravi shrugged. “I don’t know, Sarge. I don’t think he’ll come here, because your parents and Josh are here. But I don’t know if he’ll risk attacking Naomi while she’s at work. Should we warn her in case, though?”

Good idea. Even if he doesn’t go, it was better to be prepared in case he does.

“You’re right, Ravi.” She snapped her head in Cara’s direction, the latter having already pulled out her phone. “Call Naomi, Cara. Update her on what’s going on and warn her in case Jason goes to her workplace.”

Cara nodded and stepped out of the room. Pip then turned back to her murder board, her gaze once again fixed on the notes she’d made so far. Ravi hadn’t made much progress when she was asleep, but he had mentioned Zach possibly not being the first intended victim. He was most likely targeted first due to another reason, though they didn’t know why.

Wait a minute…

“Jamie?” Pip’s body snapped in his direction. He was sitting on her bed with Nat, face buried in his hands. “You mentioned Connor waiting outside for you and Nat at the hospital last Thursday, right?”

Jamie nodded, confused. “Yeah? What’s wrong?”

Pip might have just struck gold. Hawkins had mentioned a possible physical altercation between Connor and an unknown person on that same night. And if the stars truly aligned in her favour, then she had reason to believe that Zach had been there as well, just not in-person.

“Did Connor ever mention an interaction with someone that night?”

She noticed how Jamie initially shrugged, but then his face paled. Clearly, he had connected the dots just like her.

“He talked about it this morning, actually.” Jamie responded, sounding guttural. “He was getting upset because I wanted him to go to sleep. He looked out of it, and I thought him getting some sleep would help. Then, out of nowhere, he mentioned Jason speaking to him last Thursday.”

Bingo. Pip included the interaction on the timeline she’d created on her investigation wall.

“Was he on the phone to Zach?” She asked, though she already knew the answer. Connor was always talking to Zach. It would be highly unlikely that they hadn’t been speaking when this interaction happened.

“Probably. You know him, Pip. Him and Zach are inseparable.” Jamie then stood up and approached her, gaze fixed on the timeline. “My brother unknowingly interacted with a killer and got a target put on his friend’s back. Small world, right?”

“Well, not everyone has to deal with a serial killer, Jamie.” Nat chimed in. “But yeah, what you said.”

“But why did he attack Zach?” Pip remarked as she thought over her new findings. “Unless Connor tells us about it, then we’re stuck yet again. And I’m not sure if Zach is going to talk about it. He might not even remember it.”

“Maybe I could go ask him to come out and talk to us?” Ravi suggested. “He can’t stay locked in there forever, Sarge. He might know more than he thinks he does.”

“You can try, but he won’t budge.” Jamie retorted. “He’s stubborn. It has its advantage at times, but that trait might get him killed one day.”

“I know, Jamie, but he can’t just stay locked up forever.” Ravi countered, sounding frustrated. “He might know more than he realises. He needs to come out of there, or else I’ll just break down the door.”

Pip was stunned hearing that. Ravi was never the type to use physical force unless necessary. It seemed to be that Ravi, although he adored Connor like a brother, would go to that measure to get him out of the bathroom.

“Okay, maybe don’t break down the door, Ravi.” Pip advised. “My parents will get upset if the door is broken. Maybe just keep talking to him. He can’t stay in there forever.”

But a seed of doubt had planted itself in Pip’s mind. What if Connor never comes out? What if Jason goes after Naomi? What if he manages to get away yet again?

~~~~

6:30pm

Connor never came out of the bathroom.

He only left when Jamie and Nat had decided to go home. Pip saw that Ravi had been upset by it, because he had spent ages trying to get him out of there. He had even threatened to kick down the door, though the idea was quickly shot down when her mother overheard it.

Soon after, Cara left, because Naomi wanted her to come home. Now it was just her and Ravi yet again, going through the notes they’d made so far on the case.

“So, I reckon we should go to the hospital tomorrow to see if Zach’s ready to talk,” Pip remarked as she closed her laptop. “We can see what he might know about the interaction that Connor had with Jason last Thursday.”

“Good idea, Sarge.”

Ravi didn’t even look up at her. Obviously, he was still upset about Connor.

“Are you okay?” She asked.

“Hm?” Ravi looked up this time, clearly confused. “I’m fine. Why?”

“You seem a bit off, Ravi.” Pip continued, her gaze narrowing on him. “Are you upset about Connor?”

“What? I’m not-”

“And don’t lie to me, please. You want me to tell you the truth, so you should tell me yours.”

A knot twisted in Pip’s stomach then. There was still so much that Ravi wasn’t aware of – including what she was hiding in her desk drawer. She couldn’t even imagine his reaction if he saw them. She’ll have to get rid of them at some point, so he never finds out. 

Ravi sighed and sat down on her bed. “I thought I could get through to him. We’re so alike, me and him, yet it felt like I was talking to a stranger when talking to him today. It makes me wonder just how bad the interrogation was for him to have a reaction like that.”

Pip understood both perspectives. Ravi wanted to help, and Connor was purposedly shutting himself away. It reminded her of herself and Ravi, actually. He wanted to be the hero, while she was leaving him in the dark regarding certain things.

And she hated it, because Ravi didn’t deserve that. He was the embodiment of everything good in this world. She had no idea why he would waste himself on a girl like her when there were so many others out there. Those girls wouldn’t shut him out like she was to him. He deserved a girl who wasn’t a burden.

Yet again, she didn’t want him to leave. When she had been kidnapped by Jason, she had thought about him. She had spoken to him in her head. He had guided her through her escape. She didn’t want him to go, because he was the missing link in her life, but she also hated feeling like she was holding him back.

“And he probably won’t apologise,” Pip responded, sounding grim. “He probably saw it as part of the job. He didn’t care that Connor kept insisting that he didn’t do it, or that we supported him, because that didn’t fit his narrative. He hurt Connor and won’t even feel remorse for it.”

“I just want to punch that fucker, Pip.” Ravi spat. “He did that to Sal, too. He made Sal out to be this evil monster. He didn’t even bother to investigate his friends changing their story, because all he wanted was someone to blame. He doesn’t care who he hurts as long as he gets paid.”  

“Did you tell Connor that?”

“I did, but he wouldn’t listen.” Ravi sniffled as he rubbed his eyes with his flannel sleeve. “Seeing him be hurt feels like I’m being hurt, Sarge. He’s so much like me that it hurts seeing him upset. I just want him to know that it was never his fault that Zach was attacked. He couldn’t do anything to stop it.”

“Yeah, I know.” Pip sighed. “But the only way he’ll realise it is if Zach tells him.”

Just as Pip was about to write a reminder to go to the hospital tomorrow, a call comes through on her phone.

An unknown number is calling her.

“Who is it?” Ravi asked, already standing beside her. His eyes had grown wide when seeing the contact. “Is that…”

She had already accepted the call as his sentence trailed off.

“What the fuck do you want, Jason?” Pip hissed as she tightly gripped her phone. How he had gotten her new number would be a mystery that she’ll have to solve later. “What is your plan? Why are you hurting my friends?”

No response. Typical, because he did this to her right before he kidnapped her.

“Choosing silence, aren’t you?” Pip sneered. “Typical. You like it when your victims are silent. That’s all you want from them, right? You say that us women are too loud. You say that we should be listening to you. Well, I’m listening to you now, so what do you have to say?”

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ravi smile with pride. He was proud of her, and she might just be proud of herself, too.

But then he responded, making her feel like the scared little girl she didn’t want to be.

“Stupid bitch. You really think I’m scared of you? I may not have killed that stupid boy you’re friends with, but that won’t stop me. I’ve already killed again. You can’t stop me. Nobody but your friends and family believe you, and I’ll be coming for all of them. And then I’ll come for you, and you’ll be wishing that you had just stayed put when I had you.”

And then he hung up. Pip tried calling the number again, but it didn’t go through. He must have been using a burner phone, just like he had before.

“What did he say?” Ravi was now crouched beside her, both hands holding her arms. “Sarge, what did he say? Sarge?”

Stupid bitch.

I’ve already killed again.

You can’t stop me.

I’ll be coming for all of them.

You’ll be wishing that you had just stayed put when I had you.

“Sarge?” Ravi was panicking now, given how he was practically shaking her. “Sarge? Pip? Pip!”

I’ve already killed again.

“He’s killed again, Ravi.” Pip choked as she collapsed into his chest. “I’ve failed. He’s already killed again!”

“Who?” He asked, sounding as panicked as she was. “Who did he kill? Sarge, who was it?”

But Pip couldn’t speak anymore. Her tears had taken full control, so Ravi just held her right there, soothing her like he had countless times before.

~~~~

6:50pm

“Come on, Nai. Can’t we just order takeout?” Cara grumbled as she laid her head down on the kitchen table. “I don’t think my stomach can handle your cooking tonight.”

Naomi lightly wacked her with the wooden spoon in her hand. “Be lucky I cook for you at all. Without me, you’d probably be living off microwaved mac and cheese.”

“Is there something wrong with mac and cheese, Nai?”

“No, but eating it every night wouldn’t be good for you.” Naomi countered. “Now let me cook, please. I know what I’m doing.”

Cara didn’t object any further. Despite the teasing, she trusted her sister. Naomi was all she had after they both lost their parents. Their father was currently behind bars for murdering Sal Singh, and their mother had passed seven years ago.

If she lost Naomi, then she would be all alone. This house already felt empty without their father. What would she do without Naomi?

“How are things with Connor, by the way?” Naomi asked as she filled a pot with water. “Heard about what happened today. Makes me sick knowing that they went after the wrong person. Jason is right there, but Hawkins won’t listen.”

“Hm, you think everyone would share your opinion, but the world doesn’t work like that.” Cara scoffed. “Connor locked himself in Pip’s bathroom after it. He didn’t leave until Jamie and Nat were going home. And I guarantee that he won’t be better tomorrow. Hawkins might just find another crime and try to link him to it.”

“Hm, I reckon-”

Naomi was silenced by a loud bang on their back door. Goosebumps prickled on Cara’s skin hearing it. The last time she’d had a reaction like that was when they had found the Reynolds’s kitchen knife while searching Jamie’s last known location. Who or what could that be?

“You heard that, right?” Cara glanced at her sister, who mirrored her exact expression. “What was that?”

Naomi set aside the pot and moved towards the door. “I’ll check. Stay there, Cara.”

But Cara didn’t listen and followed her sister instead, the floorboards creaking under her weight. It felt like she was watching a horror movie, when the main protagonist hears a strange noise and decides to investigate it.

Both her and Naomi knew better than to investigate strange noises, especially when a serial killer was most likely after them, but it wasn’t like they were living in a movie. It would be such a cliché for Jason to be the source of the strange noise. This wasn’t Scream.

But it was still strange, because Cara didn’t know what could be behind the door. It could be Jason, seeing that he did text her from an unknown number yesterday, and all killers in the movies seem to do that. But it could also be nothing, and they were just imagining it. Paranoia really was a bitch at times.

But it wasn’t Jason who was there, nor was it nothing at all.

It was someone who Cara would have never suspected at all.

It was Lauren Gibson, laying battered and bruised on the ground. 

Chapter Text

“Reporting live from outside the scene in Prestwood, a young boy has been found viciously murdered in his own home. Police officials have identified the victim as Anthony Lowe – a long-time resident in the area who was well-loved by all those who knew him. Officials have declined to comment on whether the murder is possibly related to another attack that had occurred on Sunday in Little Missenden.”

“Whilst Detective Inspector Richard Hawkins has assured the public that there is no need to panic, he has warned civilians in the Buckinghamshire area to be on the lookout for suspicious activity. All suspicious activity can be reported to the emergency hotline.”

~~~~

r/truecrime

Posted by sibwawc505

Ongoing Thread: Buckinghamshire Attacks

Anyone following along with this investigation?

Context: I live in Little Kilton. You might know it for the recent coverage on the girl who solved both the Andie Bell case and the Jamie Reynolds case. Apparently, she got kidnapped last Thursday and swears it was the DT Killer who did it, even though the DT Killer is in prison. Weird, right?

Anyway, these two recent attacks have been bugging me, because I recognise both the victims. I went to Kilton Grammar with both before they finished Sixth Form (I’ve started my first year of Sixth Form).

Both Zach Chen and Anthony Lowe were friends with Pippa Fitz-Amobi. Though Zach moved away from Little Kilton after the Andie Bell case, and she stopped being Ant’s friend when he accused her of faking Jamie’s disappearance for the podcast.

However, Zach was still her friend. I think I even heard a rumour that he was screwing Jamie’s younger brother Connor. Don’t take my word for it. I don’t know if it’s true or not.

I just find it weird that they both had a connection to Pip. I know that the police have not confirmed if they’re related, but I think they are. My older brother thinks so, too. What do you guys think?

Comments

vondutchb2b

Yeah, I agree with you, OP. I don’t think it’s the DT Killer to be exact, but perhaps a copycat. A case as infamous as his is bound to create copycats. Ever seen a Criminal Minds episode? Copycats just love to incite panic by recreating the worst crimes known to mankind.

Not that this is a Criminal Minds episode, obviously. This is real life and right now, one person is in the hospital and another is dead.

nocontrol1992

@vondutchb2b While I do agree with you on the copycat theory, I don’t think we should deduce the other theory either. It could very well be the DT Killer.

sibwawc505 (OP)

@nocontrol1992 Explain your point? The DT Killer is behind bars. He was arrested in 2019, a little while after Andie Bell’s disappearance. All the evidence points to Billy Karras.

nocontrol1992

@sibwawc505 Obviously, I know. But haven’t you seen his mother’s Facebook page? She’s been actively campaigning for his innocence. And I know that could just mean she’s blind to the evidence against him, but she argues a strong case.

She said that they used illegal interrogation tactics against him to get a confession. They refused him water, food and rest for nine hours until he confessed. Even then, it seemed like DCI David Nolan was feeding him a script. He was apparently feeding him details about the murders when Billy didn’t have the answer for his questions.

They profiled the DT Killer as being a sadist. He would’ve most likely kept trophies from the victims so that he could be reminded of the crimes. When Billy was apparently asked about the missing items that belonged to the victims, he had said that he had just thrown them away, which contradicts the profile. Sadists don’t just “throw” away their trophies. They’d be devastated if they lost them. Billy Karras saying this just contradicts the original profile.

So, I don’t think it was him. I think that the actual DT Killer had framed him and got away with it. I don’t know who the original killer is, but I do know that he could be possibly behind both Pip’s abduction and the recent attacks.

sibwawac505 (OP)

@nocontrol1992 Mate, you’re quite clever. I didn’t even think to look back at the original profile. I might also check out the mother’s Facebook campaign. Link?

~~~~

24/09/2025

“Just ignore the stares, Sarge. Don’t let them get under your skin.”

But Pip couldn’t. She always felt like someone was watching her because of Jason. He’d watched her constantly before her abduction. He made her feel unsafe in her own home. And now he was making her feel unsafe in her own town yet again by hurting the people she loved.

Ant was dead. She hated his guts, but she didn’t want him dead. Lauren was going to be devastated when she found out – and that’s just assuming she doesn’t know yet.

Did Jason think he was doing her a favour by killing Ant? She still hated his guts no matter who he killed. She still wanted him to suffer even if he’d killed that raging fucker.

But now she was worried about Connor. The murder had to have taken place when Connor was being interviewed. Would Hawkins somehow link him to it? He’d seemed insistent on linking him to Zach’s attack. She wouldn’t be surprised if that same anonymous reporter from yesterday reported him yet again for something else.

“Have you eaten today?” Ravi asked as they entered the hospital Zach was staying at. He’d finally woken up and had apparently even asked to speak to Pip. She’d been ecstatic finding that out this morning from Victor.

“I had coffee,” she responded, knowing that wasn’t a good enough answer.

Ravi’s lips pursed as he pulled out a breakfast bar from his pocket. “Eat this. I swiped it from the cupboard before I left.”

“Did you?”

“Anything for you, Sarge. Now, let’s go.”

~~~~

“Cara, what’s going on?” Connor asked as he entered Cara’s house. After spending an entire night locked in his bathroom, he found the change of scenery quite a lot, despite having been to this house multiple times. “Why did you call me to come over?”

He noticed the uncertainty in Cara’s eyes, which worried him. Or was he just imagining it? After spending last night crying his eyes out in the bathroom, he wasn’t what was real and what wasn’t. Was he even here right now, or was he still at the police station, being treated like a criminal?

“I… I have a problem, Con.” Cara admitted after a moment’s silence. “And I need your help right now.”

“What about Pip and Ravi?”

“They’re going to the hospital today, remember?” Cara responded. “They’re seeing Zach.”

Zach?

Oh, Zach.

Zach was probably going to tell them how much he hated him. He’d left him all alone in that house. Or, if what Hawkins had said was true, then his parents must’ve convinced him that Connor had been his attacker. He was probably going to tell them all about how he attacked him because he had rejected him, even though Connor had never asked him out at all.

Or had he? His memory wasn’t holding up as well as it was supposed to. All his memories were in shambles, and he was struggling to collect the pieces. Who was he, even? Was he still Connor Reynolds? Or was he a violent criminal who had attacked Zach Chen?

Nothing made sense. What was even real at this point?

“Oh, right.” Connor mumbled. “I forgot.”

“Surprised you didn’t go with them,” Cara remarked. “I thought you would’ve jumped at the chance to see him-”

“Cut to the chase, please. I really need to lie down.”

“Feeling sick?”

Connor shook his head. “Just tired.”

“Hm, right.” Cara sighed. “You heard about what happened to Ant, right?”

Of course he had. It had been all over the news since the early morning. He’d overheard Jamie and Nat watching it when he’d left. He honestly didn’t know how to feel about it. He hated Ant, but he never wished for him to be murdered. The details of his murder hadn’t been released yet, but he could already guess that Jason was behind it.

“I did,” Connor replied. “What’s wrong?”

Cara grimaced as she led him upstairs. “So, while Naomi was making dinner last night, we heard a loud noise outside.”

“Let me guess: you investigated it?”

“Clever boy.”

Connor couldn’t help but giggle. Cara always knew how to cheer him up, even when it wasn’t intended.

“So, continue.”

“Well, we opened the door and found… Lauren.”

Connor swore the atmosphere grew thick with tension right then.

“Lauren?” He stopped mid-way on the stairs. “As in Lauren Gibson? Our ex-friend?”

“Um… are there any other girls named Lauren Gibson in town?”

He didn’t find that one funny. He wasn’t angry, but he wasn’t exactly happy. What was Lauren doing there? Trying to win back Cara because she realised that Ant was still a piece of shit?

“Cara, what did she want?” Connor asked, sounding concerned. He didn’t want Cara to get hurt again by letting Lauren back into her life. There was a reason why the group had cut her off. It shouldn’t be ignored all because Cara felt bad for her.

“Con-”

“Cara, Lauren is bad news. Did you forget what her and Ant said about Jamie? They said that he wasn’t missing, because we’d faked his disappearance for the podcast. Lauren didn’t defend me when Ant kept picking on me. She saw him do it and just excused it. Why would you let her back into your life?”

“Ugh, take a load of him, Loz. Can’t he take a hint? He’s depressing everyone out with his sob story about his brother.”

“Didn’t you hear what they’re saying about your brother, Connor? He’s not missing. You and Pip are just hiding him so that you can make another season for the podcast.”

“Stop being such a bum and grow up, Connor. No one cares about Jamie except you.” 

“I understand why Jamie disappeared now. If I had you for a brother, I would disappear, too.”

He remembered it all.

Every single word that Ant had said during the week that Jamie was gone.

And he never apologised. He only worsened after it.

“Why are you still upset, Connor? Your brother is fine now. Stop acting like a baby and grow up.”

“No wonder why Lauren prefers my company over yours. I would’ve killed myself in seconds if I had to be your friend.”

“You know, you should start taking after me, Connor. The reason why you don’t have a girlfriend is because no girl is attracted to cry-babies like you. I mean, Lauren loves me so much that she chose me over you guys, and she’s been friends with you guys since primary. Doesn’t that say something?”  

Maybe he was glad he was dead, actually.

He didn’t like wishing death on others, but Ant deserved it. He’d been so cruel and never apologised. He’d taken his cruelty to the grave. One less monster, but it didn’t significantly change the world at all. 

“Con, I want you to know that what Lauren did to us wasn’t okay. I’m not excusing it. However, what happened to her yesterday was bad.”

Yesterday? Ant was murdered yesterday. Was he supposed to feel bad that her scumbag boyfriend was dead? Because, frankly enough, he was in the mood to throw a party. He might even invite his equally shitty parents just to further add salt to the wound.

“What happened?” Connor asked, sounding impatient this time. “Hurry up, please. I feel like I’m going to fall asleep.”

What he heard next was not something he expected.

“Lauren was attacked, Con. She’s in my room. She’s been in there since last night.”

~~~~

“Zach?” She knocked on his door twice. “Zach? You awake?”

Pip felt her body relax when his head poked up from the bed. She stepped in with Ravi, whose hand was holding hers in a death grip. He wasn’t letting her go. He probably thought that Jason would snatch her if he did.

“Pip?” He croaked. He sounded weak, which broke Pip’s heart. Though they had slightly grown apart, Zach was still a dear friend of hers. He was always so kind, even when some people didn’t deserve it. “Is that you?”

“It’s me, Zach.” She called back. “And Ravi, too.”

“What about Connor?”

Oh.

Her dad hadn’t mentioned Connor needing to be there. He just said that Zach wanted to speak to her.

“Oh, he isn’t here.” Pip responded, sounding gutted. “Sorry, Z.”

“He’s been really upset, you know.” Ravi suddenly chimed in. “About you. He’s been worried sick.”

And he’s also been falsely accused of attacking Zach, but Pip wasn’t going to mention it. She didn’t want to incite panic. Zach needed to stay calm right now, especially after what he went through.

“He has?” Zach lightly coughed. “Then why isn’t he here?”

“Sorry, Zach. I didn’t know that you wanted him here.” Pip shuffled awkwardly, looking anywhere but at Zach. “We would’ve brought him if we’d known.”

“It’s not your fault, Pip. I thought I told my parents to call him. I guess I hadn’t.” Zach coughed again. Pip now noticed that he was wearing his old glasses. His current ones had been cracked during the attack. “I guess you want to know about what happened, don’t you?”

Obviously. She needed to know the events leading up to the attack. Zach was the first victim and only known survivor so far. He was the key to unravelling Jason’s new plan.

“Do you remember anything?” She asked as she sat in the chair next to his bed. Ravi stood by her side, hand rested on her shoulder.

Zach nodded, grimacing from the movement. “Everything. It’s all I was dreaming about when I was asleep. I thought it was just a dream, but it wasn’t. I really wish it was just a dream, Pip.”

“I know, Z.”

“I thought I was going to die,” he sniffled. “He told me that I was going to die. He left me to die in the woods. I really thought that was going to be it, Pip. I really believed him.”

“But you defied him, Zach.” Ravi chimed in this time. “You’re alive now, because you pushed through and got help. You’re going to be safe now. You just need to tell us everything that you remember about the attack and the events leading up to it.”

Pip’s gaze softened as she rested her hand on his. “Please, Zach. We’re listening to you.”

~~~~

“Stop trying to kick me! You’re not going to get away from me! Just stay calm and I won’t go so hard on you, Zach. Just stay calm.”

Zach clenched his eyes shut, rewinding his memory back to the night that had altered his entire life.

“I was… in the kitchen. I was texting Connor about the pizza I was going to make for dinner that night, since I was by myself.” Zach recounted, smiling at the mere thought of Connor. If only he were here right now, then he would be able to settle the storm with just his presence.

“Did you see anything that seemed odd?” Pip asked as she held her phone in his direction. She was capturing every word on audio so she could relisten later.

“Like what?”

“A strange noise, or an odd shadow.” Ravi added. “Anything that seemed out of the ordinary to you.”

Zach shook his head. “No. I was just too focused on Connor.”

“Let me go!” He screamed as he was held down on the ground. “Help! Let me go! Con-”

“Oh, shut it.” Jason spat as he punched him in the face, his glasses snapping in two. “Connor isn’t coming to help you. Your little prince isn’t anywhere near here, Zach.”

“Aren’t you always?” Ravi remarked, a hint of sarcasm in his tone. “Anyway, go on.”

“Well, I was texting him until I had put my phone down for a second to read the instructions on the box.” Zach continued, his heart beating faster than usual. “But then it buzzed again, so I picked it up. I thought it would be Connor.”

Why wasn’t it Connor? Why did it have to be Jason Bell?

“Was it a private number?” Pip asked.

Zach nodded once again. “Yeah, it was.”

“Who answers a number they don’t know?” Jason spat as he rammed the knife into his gut and twisted the blade. “Someone who’s dumb enough to be friends with that little bitch. All because of her, you’re going to die. Isn’t that wonderful?”

He shuddered right then. Amid trying to recall the events leading up to it, his memory was also replaying the attack. All the cruel things Jason had said to him were replaying in his mind.

“Everything okay, Zach?” Ravi asked, his gaze narrowed on him.

“Yeah, I’m fine.” He lied, surprised how easy it slipped off his tongue. “I’m just trying to make sure I can recall everything. I don’t want you guys to miss any detail.”

“Hey, it’s fine.” Pip assured. “Just tell us what you remember, and we’ll work with it, okay?”

“Okay, I understand.”

Pip flashed him a small smile and continued. “How did he get you to come outside? There was no sign of forced entry. He had to have used something to make you come outside.”

“Who would’ve thought a photo of Connor would’ve made you come outside? I do wonder what kind of power that pathetic boy holds over you?”

“You stay away from him!” He shouted, though it was weak. His throat was killing him from all the screaming he’d done. “You can hurt me, but you stay away from Connor-”

A slap across the face shut him up. “Don’t bargain with me. He’s on my list, just like the rest of them.”

“It was a photo,” Zach said.

“Of whom?” Pip countered, as if she had been able to see the memory herself.

“Connor,” Zach replied, a lone tear streaming down his cheek. “He had a photo of Connor. He told me that he’d kill him if I didn’t come outside. I didn’t want Connor to suffer if I didn’t listen, so I just listened to him.”

He was starting to cry now. As he leaned over, Ravi passed over a tissue, a kind smile flashing on his face.

“It’s okay, Zach.” He said, sounding kind. “We don’t blame you.”

He wanted to believe that, but he just couldn’t.

Not when he’d pretty much walked into the trap Jason had set because of Connor.

He just didn’t want Connor to suffer. Was that hard to understand?

“Zach?” Pip called out to him. “Do you… by chance know why Jason attacked you first?”

“What do you mean?”

Pip shrugged. “Did he mention why you were attacked first? We’re thinking that you might not have been the original person he wanted to attack first. Maybe he mentioned it to you.”  

“Nobody is going to save you, Zach.” He sneered as he plunged the knife into his side. “This is all Pippa’s fault. And Connor’s, too. Did you know that?”

“What?” He sputtered, choking slightly on his own blood. “What… did you do…”

“To Connor? Nothing at all, Zach. However, he started this.” He ripped the knife out suddenly, causing him to whimper. “He made me go after you first. This is all his fault.”

“He told me that Connor had made him go after me first.”

Pip’s eyes widened hearing that. She exchanged a worried glance with Ravi before looking back at him.

“What?” Pip said. “What do you mean?”

Zach shrugged, though it caused him a lot of pain. “When he was attacking me, he said that it was Connor’s fault for me being the first victim.”

“Why?” Pip asked. “Is it because of the incident on Thursday?”

Zach was taken aback hearing that. How did Pip find out about that? Connor must’ve told her. He couldn’t keep a secret as serious as that, especially if it could be connected.

“You know about that?”

Pip nodded. “Connor told Jamie, who then told us. What happened, Zach?”

“You couldn’t keep your mouth shut, couldn’t you?”

“Shouldn’t have defended that stupid boy. Once I get to him, I’ll make him suffer even worse than you have.”

“You think you’re the hero, Zach? No one even remembers who you are! Once I’m done with you, you’ll be nothing but a statistic. Not even Connor will remember you.”

“Zach?” Pip’s voice called out to him. “Zach? Zach?”

He suddenly snapped his head in her direction, eyes wide with panic. His heart was beating erratically now, practically about to burst right out of his chest. He felt like he was dying, just like how he’d been left to die in the woods.

He was supposed to be dead.

He didn’t die, but that didn’t seem so good now. What if he kills Connor because of his survival? He needed to know that Connor was safe; that Connor knew that he wasn’t going to let anything happen to him, despite his current situation. He’ll fucking kill Jason if he even dares to lay a hand on Connor.

“I need to see Connor right now, Pip.” Zach suddenly said. “I don’t remember anything else. I just need to see Connor.”

“But Zach-”

“Don’t you understand that I want to see Connor? I’ll leave this hospital myself if he doesn’t come here!” Zach was shouting now. He was just so desperate to see Connor. He was willing to do anything to see that beautiful face again, even if it meant going against protocol. “I need him, Pip. I just want to see him again…”

Through his blurry vision, he saw how Pip stopped the recording and stood up. She exchanged a few words with Ravi before grabbing onto his hand again, squeezing it softly.

“Thanks, Zach.” She said, sounding like the Pip he’d grown up with. “We’ll try to get Connor to come see you. You were very helpful. We’ll see you later.”

And then they left, leaving him all alone in a room he didn’t want to be in, without the boy who made his heart burn like it was on fire.

~~~~

“So, I think that went well.” Pip remarked as they made their way out of the hospital. “What do you think, Ravi?”

Ravi shrugged. He’d felt bad for Zach throughout the entire interview. He was crushed hearing Zach say that he’d only gone outside so that Connor didn’t get hurt. That sick fucker had threatened Connor’s life if he didn’t do as he said. And Zach, being the angel that he was, risked his life so that Connor could be safe.

He was a little glad that they hadn’t told him about Hawkins suspecting Connor of his attack. He would’ve been hysterical hearing that. They probably wouldn’t have even been able to do the interview.

“I think it went well, too.” Ravi said as he tucked his hands into his pockets. “I guess that we can conclude that Zach must’ve said something to Jason on Thursday that it angered him to the point that Jason made him the first victim.”

“Yeah, but what could’ve it been?” Pip quipped. “It had to have been horrible enough that it made Jason change his entire MO. I guess we’ll need to ask Connor about it.”

“Hm, you’re assuming that Connor will even appear today.” Ravi countered. “We might just be spending another day with him locked up in the bathroom.”

Pip winced. “Harsh, Ravi.”

“Am I wrong, though?” Ravi stated. “I love that boy, but after that interview, he definitely knows more than he realises. We’ll might have to break down the door today because we can’t wait around any longer, Sarge.”

“I agree with you, Ravi.”

Suddenly, a notification sounded on Pip’s phone. Ravi watched as she pulled it out, her eyes widening as she read the notification.

“What is it, Sarge?” He asked, sounding concerned. “Is it about Connor?”

Pip shook her head, her expression frantic. “We need to get to Cara’s right now. It’s serious, Ravi.”

“Why?” A sinking feeling was settling into his gut, and he didn’t like it at all. “Has there been another attack? What’s wrong, Sarge?”

“No, it’s not that, Ravi.” She said as she pulled out her car keys. “It’s Lauren. She was attacked by Jason last night but had survived. She’s at Cara’s house right now with Cara, Naomi and Connor. We need to go now!”

Ravi didn’t even object to that. Even though he disliked Lauren, having another victim alive when one was dead and the other was in hospital seemed like a miracle. They were not losing this lead, even if it happened to be Lauren Gibson.

~~~~

Lauren Gibson was alive.

Jason swore his teeth were going to fall out given how much he’d gritted them together. That stupid bitch was supposed to be dead, just like her lousy boyfriend. He didn’t even care if both had said that they weren’t friends with Pip anymore, because the urge to kill had taken full control in that moment.

Killing Ant had been quick. The fucker had fought but eventually gave up when realising that he wouldn’t win against him. Ant Lowe was a snot with equally awful parents, so he didn’t feel too bad in killing him.

Lauren, however, had been difficult. No wonder she had survived. After kicking him in his ankle, she had been able to flee into the nearby woods. He had spent an hour searching for her before deciding to leave. He thought her head wound would kill her, but he’d clearly been wrong.

And now, from what he’d overheard while stalking Pippa and Ravi, she was at Cara and Naomi’s house. He didn’t even know where they lived. He thought that the girls had moved away, but he’d been wrong again.

He was losing control in the game he’d created. Those fuckers thought that they could decide their fates, even though that wasn’t how it worked.

He’ll kill them all soon. He already had the next person in mind – and it wasn’t Lauren Gibson.

Chapter Text

“Oh, thank goodness it’s you two.” Naomi seemed relieved as she opened the door, stepping aside so they could come in. “Hurry along. It’s not good.”

“How long has she been here?” Pip asked, wasting no time in rushing up the stairs. She was so fast that both Naomi and Ravi were struggling to catch up with her. “How did she escape? Was she contacted by a private number beforehand? Is she seriously injured?”

“Sarge, please slow down.” Ravi advised as he linked his arm through hers. “You’re asking too many questions at once. Don’t overwhelm Naomi.”

She knew, but she couldn’t help it. Jason was moving quickly. She needed to catch up to him before he killed someone else. She just wasn’t sure who was going to be next, because it seemed like Jason himself had no idea.

Zach clearly hadn’t meant to be the first victim. Somehow, that interaction with Connor had earned Zach a target on his back. Because of that, he was now going after anyone who was remotely associated with her – including two people who had betrayed her.

“I know, Ravi.” She countered, sounding frustrated. “I just can’t let him get away with this. I need to see her right now. How is she, Nai?”

Naomi shrugged. “As well as someone who almost died could be. She slept in Cara’s bed. Hasn’t left Cara’s room since last night.”

“And Cara allowed that?” Pip was surprised. Cara had been firmly against Lauren since the incident back in May. Now she was letting her in her bed, as if that was perfectly normal. “Huh, strange.”

“Right? I even said it, but Cara insists that it’s nothing.” Naomi replied as they stopped outside Cara’s bedroom door. “Anyway, they’re in there.”

“Including Connor?” Ravi asked.

Naomi nodded. “Yeah. Why? Do you need to speak to him?”

“Yeah, I do.” Ravi said. “It’s important.”

“Hm, okay.” Naomi then opened the door and peeked in. Pip could make out Cara’s figure sitting on her bed. “Cara? Pip and Ravi are here. I’m going to head out now.”

“Head out?” Pip remarked as Naomi looked back at them. “Where to?”

“Work. My shift starts later today.” Naomi dangled her car keys in her hand and sighed. “Wish I could stay, but bills need to be paid, and food needs to be put on the table. I’ll be back by evening, though.”

Understandable. Though she worried for Naomi’s safety, she also knew that Naomi was vigilant. She had to be, since a serial killer was after them. And even if they didn’t know who he would go after next, staying vigilant was the right way to go.

“Okay. We’ll see you later, Nai.”

Naomi bowed her head and walked off. Right after, Pip and Ravi entered Cara’s bedroom.

~~~~

Lauren was a mess when Pip and Ravi entered the room. She had a blanket tightly wrapped around her. Her makeup had gone blotchy due to her overflowing tears. Her hair was sticking to her face. And her eyes, which had once been kind before turning evil, were now full of anguish that made Pip’s heart break.

Lauren hadn’t been a good friend. However, that didn’t mean that she deserved to be attacked by Jason. Nobody deserved to be harmed by a monster like him.

“You need to believe me, Cara…” Lauren whimpered as she blew her nose into another tissue. “He was going to kill me. He said that he was going to make me suffer…”

“I know, Lauren.” Cara had her arm wrapped around her, hugging her. “You’re okay now. He’s not going to find you here.”

“Or maybe he will,” Connor, who was sitting on the floor, remarked. “He’s a serial killer after all. Who knows what he’ll do?”

“Connor, stop it.” Cara hissed, sounding genuinely upset. “That’s not helpful. Don’t listen to him, Lauren. He’s not being serious.”

But Lauren didn’t seem to believe her. She just looked more distressed.

“Um, hey, guys.” Pip awkwardly greeted, temporarily resembling the awkward girl she used to be. “Everything okay here?”

Cara looked up, relief flashing in her eyes. “Nice to see you as well, Miss Sweet FA. How’s Zach?”

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Connor’s body visibly tense. Zach still seemed to be a touchy subject, even though he was awake and would recover.

“As well as someone who survived nearly dying would be,” Pip sat beside Cara on the bed, though her gaze was fixed on Lauren. “Hi, Lauren.”

Lauren didn’t respond. She just edged closer towards Cara, as if Cara was her safe haven.

“Not talking now, are you?” Connor scoffed. Pip hated to admit it, but Connor’s attitude was starting to annoy her. “Typical Lauren fashion.”

“What is that supposed to mean, Connor?” Cara’s head snapped in his direction, practically hissing at him.

Connor, however, didn’t seem to notice Cara’s fury. Pip wasn’t sure if it was because he was unaware, or if it was out of pure ignorance.

“It means that Lauren has finally realised that her boyfriend is a piece of shit. However, she somehow believes that running back to us will undo the damage she caused.”

“Connor, stop it.” Ravi swiftly cut him off. “That’s not nice.”

“Wasn’t supposed to be.”

Pip glanced at Ravi, who seemed just as shocked as she was. She loved Connor, but it was like he’d become a new person overnight. He was being cruel, when he was usually so nice.

“Hm, someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed.” Ravi sighed. “Come with me, Con. I want to talk to you for a moment.”

Weirdly enough, Connor didn’t object. He just followed Ravi out of the room, not even sparing a glance in the girl’s direction. Maybe, deep down, Connor had realised that his attitude wasn’t cutting it.

“Reckon he didn’t sleep at all last night,” Cara remarked once the boys were gone. “He’s been acting like this since I told him.”

“About Lauren?”

She felt weird for talking about Lauren when she was right there, but she also didn’t care. Time was ticking and Pip needed to focus. At any moment, Jason could strike again.

Cara nodded. “I’m worried about him. Should I go check in on him?”

Pip thought about it before shaking her head. “Don’t. Let Ravi try to get through to him. Let’s just focus on Lauren right now.”

~~~~

“What the fuck is wrong with you, Connor?” Ravi hissed as he pulled Connor into Mr. Ward’s old office. It hadn’t changed much since his arrest last year, only that any pictures of him were now gone, as if he hadn’t existed at all. “Why would you say that?”

“Say what?”

“Don’t act dumb. You know that you were out of line in there.” Ravi spat. “I can’t believe you, Connor. Why did you say that to her?”

“Well, I’m not wrong, am I?” Connor countered, not sounding apologetic at all. “She only came back because Ant died. I reckon she wouldn’t have done it at all if it didn’t happen. She would’ve just kept pretending that he was the best boyfriend in the world. It doesn’t matter who he hurts, because at least he’s nice to her.”

Ravi understood. Though he hadn’t been there during the incident in May, he had been told about it from Pip. But he hadn’t been made aware of any other abuse that Connor may have been receiving from Ant.

“What do you mean by that, Con?” He asked as he leaned against the table. “You can tell me, you know. I won’t judge you.”

“It’s nothing, Ravi-”

“But it’s not, is it?” Ravi cut him off. “Ant hurt you, didn’t he? Even after Jamie returned, Ant kept taking the piss out of you, because he knew that he’d get a reaction from it. It happened to me, too, after Sal died.”

“I know, Ravi.” Connor responded. He was sitting on Mr. Ward’s old office chair, directly facing him. “I saw it happen. I know what happened to you after Sal died.”

Everyone knew. Everyone had seen his locker get constantly vandalised at school. Everyone had watched as two older boys had held him down and poured rubbish on him at school. The teachers had turned a blind eye to the bullying and even seemed to encourage it.

“And you know what I had wished?” Ravi continued. “I wish I had someone to talk to. I lost all my friends after Sal died, because they didn’t want to be seen with a murderer’s brother. I had nobody except my parents. Even then, my parents couldn’t be there for me, because they were dealing with their own problems.”

Connor shifted uncomfortably in his seat. Ravi knew he was getting through to him, which made him feel relieved.

“I would’ve been your friend, Ravi.” Connor said. “Jamie was really upset after Andie and Sal died. He’d been friends with them both. He didn’t think Sal had done it. He always used to tell me that Sal couldn’t have done it and that I shouldn’t listen to what they were saying about him and Andie.”

Ravi knew. Jamie had been one of the few who hadn’t gone against his family after Sal died. While everyone in school could barely tolerate looking at him, Jamie had been nice. He hadn’t known Connor back then, but he knew Connor now, and he knew that Connor was telling the truth.

“I know, Con.” Ravi said, a small smile teasing on his face. “But that’s in the past. We’re friends now and I know that you’re hurting. I want you to tell me about the interview.”

“You don’t want to know-”

“I do, Con.” He cut him off again and grabbed his hand. “I know he hurt you, Con. He tried to make you believe that you did hurt Zach, when that’s not the truth.  He did that to Sal, too, after Andie went missing. It wasn’t okay with Sal, and it’s not okay with you.”

“Ravi-”

“I wish I could’ve stopped that interview myself, Con.” Ravi could feel tears stinging at his eyes, yet he made no attempt to wipe them away. “I would’ve kicked down that door if I could. I wish I’d done it with Sal, too. I already lost Sal – I’m not losing you, too.”

And then, as if something had shifted in the atmosphere, Connor cracked. He burst into tears right in front of him. Ravi didn’t hesitate with pulling him into his embrace, hugging him tightly.

They were alike, him and Connor. And even though he’d lost a brother six years ago, he had gained one through Connor six years later, and the world was damned if it thought it would take him away.

~~~~

Lauren wouldn’t speak.

Even after Connor and Ravi had left, Lauren had stayed silent.

Cara had watched hopelessly as Pip tried to get her to speak. It was strange, because Lauren had been able to speak to her, but somehow couldn’t with Pip. What was going on?

“Come on, Lauren.” Pip coaxed. She was sitting on Lauren’s other side, both hands gripping hers. “Tell me what happened last night, please. It will help.”

But Lauren didn’t listen. She wouldn’t even look at Pip. She had her head buried into Cara’s shoulder, her red hair covering her entire face. While Cara felt bad, but she was also getting impatient like Pip. Jason could be out there, about to harm someone else, and their one other lead was not speaking.

“Lauren, it’s okay.” Cara ran her fingers through Lauren’s hair, trying to soothe her. “Pip won’t judge you. Just tell her what happened so she can catch Jason.”

“But you won’t be able to.”

Oh, so now she was speaking to Pip. But what did she mean?

“What? Yes, we will.” Pip asserted, though she sounded a little unnerved. “Lauren, we will catch him. He’s not going to get away with this.”

“But he will, Pip.” Lauren sniffled. “He told me himself, right before I escaped.”

“What did he say?” Pip asked, her hand gripping Lauren’s tighter now. “Lauren, tell me, please.”

Lauren looked up now. Cara swore her heart broke seeing how frightened Lauren was. Even though she’d spent an entire night comforting her, the pain of seeing her scared was always fresh. Lauren didn’t deserve this, no matter what she’d done in the past. The past didn’t matter now. Any person with a heart would be empathetic towards her situation, no matter what she’d done.

“You don’t understand, Pip…” Lauren sniffled. “He said he’s going to kill everyone. He said you’ll never catch up to him. He already knows who he is going after next.”

“What do you mean?” Cara tensed beside her. “Did he tell you who he’s going after next?”

“Cara-”

“Lauren, you need to understand that besides Zach, you’re the only other lead right now. You escaped him. If he said anything about the next victim, then you need to tell us right now.” Cara advised, her heart beating faster than normal. “Anything will help, Loz.”

It felt odd, calling her by the nickname she’d given her at twelve, but Cara didn’t care. Lauren had come back to them; to her, so sue her for wanting to return to the friendship she once had with her.

And Lauren needed familiarity at this moment. Hearing that nickname would let her know that she was safe here; that nobody was going to let her be put in harm’s way again. She needed a friend right now, despite her past mistakes.

Lauren sighed. “I don’t remember anything right now. It feels like all my memories are in shambles. Nothing makes sense right now.”

“That’s okay, Lauren.” Pip quipped, though Cara could tell she was upset by it. She was desperate to catch Jason before he hurt anyone else. Having a lead with jumbled memories right now wasn’t helping her case. “Maybe try to get some rest. I’ll be back later.”

“Where are you going?” Cara asked.

“I’m going to check in on Connor and Ravi,” Pip replied. “And then I’ll go over the interview that I did with Zach.”

And then she was gone, as if she hadn’t been here at all. Cara got up to go follow her but was quickly pulled back down by Lauren.

“Hey, Lauren-”

“Don’t leave me, Cara.” Lauren begged, her hands tightly wrapped around Cara’s arm. “Please don’t go. Stay with me.”

A strange fire suddenly ignited in her gut. Cara recognised the feeling; she’d felt it with Lauren when they were still friends. And she was terrified, because she knew what that fire meant and what it wanted.

The fire needs to go. She can’t risk herself having those feelings about Lauren again. She had Steph, who is like a breath of fresh air. She hadn’t even thought about Lauren until recently, when she’d suddenly reappeared in her life.

But now, here she was, unknowingly igniting the fire Cara had sworn she’d put out in May.

And the strangest part was that Cara wasn’t even sure if she hated it or not.

~~~~

r/truecrime

Buckinghamshire Attacks: Update

Posted by sibwawc505

HELLO, I JUST HEARD A RUMOUR THAT ANT LOWE’S GIRLFRIEND HAD BEEN PRESENT DURING HIS MURDER AND APPARENTLY SURVIVED???

Comments

vondutchb2b

Where’d you hear this?

sibwawc505 (OP)

@vondutchb2b At work. One of my colleagues is a friend of Ant’s. She heard the rumour through her dad who was at the scene. Apparently, there was evidence suggesting she was there but most likely either left beforehand or escaped. The latter theory is more obvious, though. All her belongings had been left there.

nocontrol1992

@sibwawc505 Damn, I hope she’s okay. Witnessing your boyfriend’s murder must be horrible. Couldn’t imagine.

wannabeyours

I heard this girl is a huge bitch, though. She apparently dumped her whole friend group for Ant. Why should we feel bad for her?

sibwawc505 (OP)

@wannabeyours Just shut the fuck up, please. Is that what you really took from this situation? It doesn’t matter what she did because she didn’t deserve to be attacked. Why don’t you show some empathy?

wannabeyours

@sibwawc505 I’m just stating the truth! She was a bitch who dumped her friends for a boy. I didn’t say she deserved to be attacked. You’re just twisting my words. I just said that I don’t understand why we should feel bad for her. Do you feel bad for your ex-friends when something bad happens to them?

vondutchb2b

@wannabeyours Not all our ex-friends potentially witness their boyfriend get murdered and then be allegedly attacked, too. I think you can spare a bit of empathy, mate, if you even have any at all.

Also, no need to call her a bitch. You sound like those Reddit incels who probably have Charlie Kirk shrines in their houses.

nocontrol1992

@vondutchb2b EWWW NOT THE CHARLIE KIRK MENTION. I GOT GOOSEBUMPS READING THAT.

vondutchb2b

@nocontrol1992 Apologies, mate. It hurt even more to write that creature’s name.

Also, any chance that the perpetrator in the attacks is that user? I have my suspicions.

sibwawc505 (OP)

@vondutchb2b Likely, but I don’t think they’ll admit it. How many criminals openly admit to their crimes on Reddit?

~~~~

For a moment, Jason swore he could feel someone watching him.

It made sense, because he was currently in a busy parking lot, scrolling through Reddit on his phone. People were bound to stare at him, which he hated. He preferred it when people treated him like he was invisible, because that meant that he easily blended in despite his true nature.

All these people were unknowingly walking past a serial killer, which he loved. Those dumb fuckers on Reddit had no idea that he was reading their posts, relishing in how unaware they were.

What were the chances that the perpetrator was reading their posts? Very high, because he just happened to know the perpetrator very well. He can’t tell them who he was, because that meant exposing himself.

He couldn’t be caught now; he’d spent six years untouched because of DCI Nolan targeting Billy Karras. He just hadn’t thought about investigating Billy’s boss, because that man had just lost his daughter. Why would he want to hurt those girls, when his own daughter had allegedly been murdered by her boyfriend? Hurt people don’t hurt others. Who would even think of that?

And because of that logic, an innocent man was behind bars. Not that Jason cared, though. Billy Karras was always quite useless. Jason had even been shocked when the suspicion had shifted onto him.

He reminded him of Connor Reynolds. Both were useless and could be easily framed for crimes they didn’t commit. Though there was something different with Connor. He just couldn’t quite put his finger on it.

He’ll figure it out soon. He had bigger things to worry about.

Like the girl who was working in the small shop right now.

A pretty thing, like Lauren Gibson.   

But beneath that beauty, he knew she was nothing but a twisted little bitch. He knew all about Naomi Ward and the lies she spread. She was just like the rest of them. And once the time was right, he’ll get rid of that creature once and for all.

He just had to wait. It wouldn’t take too long, anyway.

Chapter Text

1:30pm

“Anything yet, Sarge?” Ravi sat down next to her on the couch, his fingers intertwining with hers. “You’ve been busy all day.”

Pip sighed as she shook her head. “Nothing. All I know is that Zach was not the intended first victim. I’ve listened to the interview a hundred times now, Ravi. My head hurts.”

“So, take a break.” He suggested.

Out of the question. A break isn’t possible when there’s a crazed serial killer out there. A minute that isn’t spent investigating is a minute where Jason is still free to do whatever he pleases. Who knows who he’ll attack next?

“I can’t, Ravi.” Pip whined as she rested her head on his shoulder. “He’s out there and I can’t stop until he’s caught.”

“I know, Sarge, but you won’t get far if you don’t take a break.” Ravi advised as he grabbed the laptop from her. “I’ll take over. I got some information from Connor before I left him alone.”

“You did?” Pip was intrigued now. “What was it? Did he tell you about the incident?”

Ravi shrugged. “He told me that Jason talked to him about you.”

Me? Pip shuddered just thinking about it. To think that while she was in hospital, her own attacker had been outside, talking to one of her close friends as though nothing was wrong.

“What did he say?”

“That he felt bad that it had happened to you,” Ravi scoffed. “Ridiculous, right? Acting like he hadn’t done it at all.”

“Well, he wasn’t about to go confess it to Connor, right?” Pip countered. “What else did he say?”

Ravi pursed his lips and sighed. “He asked him if he ever wondered if something similar could happen to him.”

Pip was taken aback hearing that. “What?”

“Yeah, Connor found it weird, too.” Ravi responded. “After he told him that he didn’t think about that, Jason then wouldn’t leave him alone. Said that he then started asking him who he was talking to on the phone.”

Pip swore she could feel a chill run up her spine. There was only one person that Connor could’ve been talking to on his phone – and that someone just happened to be the first person who got attacked.

“He was talking to Zach,” Pip continued from Ravi’s point. “I’m guessing that Connor wouldn’t tell him, so Jason started pressuring him.”

“Correct, my dear Sarge.” Ravi flashed a smile at her. “Then Zach jumped in and told him to leave Connor alone.”

A piece of the puzzle had fallen into place now. Jason liked being in control. He’d made his own home a warzone because of it. Pip reckoned hearing someone – a boy, to be exact – tell him to leave Connor alone was enough to piss him off.

Connor wasn’t Andie or Becca. He couldn’t just control Connor like he could with his own daughters, whom he’d made enemies against each other. Having Zach, who cared a lot about Connor, step in for him must have really pushed him over the edge.

It might have just been enough to push him to change his MO and go after him in revenge. It didn’t matter if he didn’t fit his original MO, because talking back to a man like him was just not allowed in Jason’s eyes – let alone it be a boy like Zach Chen.  

“So, that’s what set him off.” Pip stated. “Zach might not have been the original first victim, but it didn’t matter because Zach’s presence had threatened his control.”

“I really do wonder who the original first victim was, then.” Ravi remarked as he loudly sighed. “Could it have been Lauren? It doesn’t seem like he’s going in any order.”

“Not possible. People like Jason are calculated. They plan their every move, so they don’t get caught.” Pip countered. “He picks his victims carefully. Lauren could have been the first, because both her and Zach are low risk.”

“Low risk?”

Pip sighed. “I’ll show you.”

~~~~

Cara’s breathing fell in sync with Lauren’s as she watched her sleep.

For a girl who had betrayed her former friend group months prior, she surely didn’t seem evil like how she had back then. Back then, all Cara could see was a monster who had replaced her friend. Lauren wasn’t who she was because of Ant.

But now she was here, and she wasn’t going to let this moment slip away from her. Steph had messaged her nearly an hour ago, but Cara hadn’t responded. How could she when Lauren was here? Steph would understand.

As she brushed her hair out of her face, a knock sounded on her bedroom door.

“Who is it?” She called out, not moving away from Lauren.

“It’s me, Cara.” Connor called back. “Can I come in?”

Cara hesitated. She still hadn’t gotten over his earlier comments about Lauren, but he was also her friend. He was in a rough place after being falsely accused of Zach’s attack. She just didn’t understand why he had to take it out on Lauren.

“Yeah, sure.” Cara responded. “Come in.”

Connor stepped in soon afterwards. Cara noted the puffiness in his eyes and how messed up his hair was, as though he’d ran his fingers through it.

“What’s up, Con?” She asked as she sat up straight.

Connor sighed and sat down on the bed. “I’m sorry for how I was acting earlier, Cara. I was just upset.”

“I know, Con.”

“And I know that Lauren didn’t deserve to be attacked. I just… can’t get over what Ant did.”

Cara understood. It wasn’t a secret that Ant and Connor didn’t get along well with each other. When he’d joined the group, it had been right before Jamie’s disappearance, and Ant wasn’t helpful at all when it came to comforting Connor.

It was always the rude little comments he made during it. He’d repeat what the people online were saying about Jamie, knowing that Connor was upset by it. He’d then take the piss on the secrets that Jamie had kept, such as him trying to steal money from Pip’s mum. Cara remembered him once saying that everyone should keep their wallets away from Connor, because he might just take after his brother.

Zach had told him to shut up. Ant didn’t, because Ant Lowe lacked empathy. He’d been lucky that it was Zach who’d told him to shut up. After seeing Pip’s reaction when Tom Nowak lied to her, him being told to shut up was the best-case scenario in his favour.

And Lauren, because she was blinded by love, never stopped him. He never acted out in front of her at school, anyway. He’d perfected the good boyfriend act to her, so him acting out would seem out of character to her. He must’ve dropped the act once school was finished, though, given what Cara had witnessed just two nights ago.

“I understand, Con.” Cara said. “Just say it to Lauren when she wakes up. She’ll forgive you.”

“Will she?” His big blue eyes, which were full of sadness, were fixed on her. “I don’t even think I can forgive myself. I don’t even recognise myself.”

“What do you mean?” She asked, concern growing within her. “Connor, did something else happen?”

Connor shook his head. “Everything he was saying to me, Cara… it feels so wrong, but it also feels right.”

“Who? Hawkins?”

He nodded. “I got angry with you, because Lauren was here. I never get angry with you. And I know I didn’t attack Zach, but… what if I was capable of hurting someone? Maybe he’s not wrong-”

“No, Con, don’t say that.” Cara cut him off, horrified by what she was hearing. “Whatever Hawkins said to you was a lie. You didn’t hurt anyone.”

“Then why did he suspect me?” Connor sniffed as he rubbed his eyes. “It can’t be just because I was the last person he spoke to, or because someone said that I attacked them last Thursday. He probably thinks that I’m violent, right?”

“Connor-”

“Ravi said that’s what they did to Sal, too. They were convinced that he would harm Andie, even if that wasn’t true.”

“They always suspect the boyfriend, Connor-”

“But I’m not dating Zach!” He suddenly shouted. He shot up off the bed, mortified. “Where did you get that idea? I’m not… we’re not together!”

“I didn’t say you were-”

“That’s what Hawkins thought, too!” Connor continued, much to her displeasure. “He said that I hurt him because he didn’t… like me like that.”

“That?” Cara scrunched her nose up. “Elaborate, Connor. You don’t need to dance around it.”

But she knew what he was implying. She just wanted him to say it aloud; to confirm the suspicions she’d had for a while now.

“Well… I’m not dating him, Cara.” Connor responded. Cara noticed how the colour had drained from his face. “I’m not even gay. I don’t know why people think I am.”

Bullshit, Cara thought, though she didn’t say it aloud. Unbeknownst to Connor, she wasn’t an idiot. She’d been just like him before. She recognised the behaviour, because she herself had been in his position three years ago.

But she was also a good person, who knew that forcing people who were not ready to come out wasn’t okay. Kit Connor was a prime example of it. Why would she do it to her own friend?

“Hm, right.” Cara sighed. “I understand, Con.”

“Do you?” Connor’s eyes widened, as if he could read her mind. “Because something tells me that you’re lying.”

“Connor-”

“I’m not gay, Cara. Me and Zach are just friends!” Connor was on the verge of tears now. His hands were running frantically through his hair, practically tugging at it. “I just want people to believe me. I didn’t hurt Zach. I don’t want to hurt anyone. I’m a good person.”

“I know you are, Con.” Cara stood up now, her gaze softening on him. “You’re one of my best friends, along with Zach. I know you didn’t hurt him. Whatever Hawkins said to you wasn’t true. I believe you, okay? We all do.”

“But it isn’t enough, Cara.” He mumbled as she wrapped her arms around him. “Nothing is enough for them…”

~~~~

Severity Scale Of Potential Victims

Low Risk

• Zach Chen: Lives out of town. Was attacked first most likely due to the incident with Connor.
• Lauren Gibson: Former friend. Was attacked.
• Ant Lowe: Former friend. Deceased.
• Becca Bell: In prison. However, if she weren’t, she’d be high risk.
• Steph Rivers: Cara’s girlfriend. Jason most likely knows her but won’t hurt her because she poses no relevance to me.

Neutral

• Naomi Ward: Cara’s sister. Stays out of the way most of the time. Can defend herself if necessary.
• Nat da Silva: Notable figure in both my investigations. Can defend herself if necessary. Dan’s younger sister.
• Jamie Reynolds: Notable figure in past investigation. Connor’s older brother. Can defend himself if necessary.

High Risk

• Mum: My mum.
• Dad: My dad.
• Josh: My younger brother.
• Cara Ward: My best friend. Naomi’s younger sister. Notable figure in past investigation.
• Connor Reynolds: A close friend. Jamie’s younger brother. Notable figure in past investigation. Jason spoke to him right after my disappearance. Most likely the “unknown victim” who Connor apparently attacked last Thursday.
• Ravi Singh: My boyfriend. Notable figure in past investigation.

“Why are we including Zach, Ant and Lauren when they’ve already been attacked?” Ravi asked as he read over the list. “Also, should’ve put that I’m too ravishing that it threatens him.”

“Ravi, be serious right now.” Though Pip couldn’t hold back her laughter. “And I included them because they are still arguably low risk.”

“How so?”

“Notice how, in both the neutral and high-risk categories, they’re either related to me, a close friend or connected to a past investigation?” Pip remarked. “Zach, Lauren and Ant don’t qualify in any of those. They’re considered low risk for that reason alone.”

“And Becca?”

“As I said, she would be high risk if she weren’t in prison.” And probably the first victim, too. Andie wasn’t here, so Becca would’ve been next. “Steph is low risk because she doesn’t live here, and she doesn’t have any significant connection to me besides Cara.”

“And we know he’s only doing this to get back at you, right?” Ravi said, sounding horrified. “He’s hurting everyone you love just to hurt you. If he can’t get you, then he’ll get everyone else.”  

And that was only because she escaped. Had she not, one person wouldn’t be dead, and two others wouldn’t be severely traumatised.

Maybe she should’ve died.

No.

She can’t think like that. Had she died, Jason still wouldn’t be punished. He would’ve covered up his involvement in her death, because he was that calculated. He would be free to kill again, because killers like him don’t just stop, especially after being inactive for so long.

“What happens if he succeeds?” Pip gulped as her gaze fixed on Ravi. “I can’t let him hurt you, Ravi. I won’t forgive myself if he-”

“He won’t, Sarge.” Ravi cut her off. “I won’t let him get to me. He’s not going to get to me.”

“Ravi-”

“He’s not going to hurt anyone else, Sarge. You need to trust me, okay?” Ravi sighed and pulled her into his embrace, squeezing her tightly. “I won’t let him hurt me. I’ve been hurt before, Sarge. There’s nothing he can do that hasn’t been done to me before.”

Except killing you.

But Pip didn’t say that aloud. She didn’t want to scare Ravi. He was a brave person, but the thought of death might change that. They already had one body on their hands. Who knows who could be next?

It couldn’t be Ravi. There was a chance, though it was a small one. Pip just didn’t believe that Jason would go from Lauren and Zach to Ravi, whom she considered high risk. He was the person that she would burn down the world for if he ever got hurt.

It was too risky, and Jason knew it.

But who would be next?

She glanced over at the next category: the neutrals. The people in this category were significant figures to her but were not exactly close enough to her to be in the high-risk category.

There were only three names here: Naomi, Nat and Jamie. She knew Nat and Jamie were at home. And Naomi was at work in Slough.

“What are you thinking about, Sarge?” Ravi’s hand slipped into hers, his gaze following hers to her laptop screen. “You know who he’ll go after next?”

Not yet, but she had an idea.

Naomi.

Nat.

Jamie.

Naomi.

Nat.

Jamie.

Naomi.

Nat.

Jamie.

Nat.

Jamie.

Nat and Jamie.

Nat and Jamie!

Pip quickly pulled out her phone, her fingers shaking as she scrolled for Jamie’s contact.

“What are you doing?” Ravi asked as she pressed the phone to her ear. “Sarge, what is it?”

But she couldn’t listen to him.

Not when there was a killer on the loose and he could be going after Jamie and Nat next.

~~~~

2:15pm 

“Just going on my lunch break, okay?”

Naomi didn’t wait for her boss’s response as she stepped outside. After a hectic first half of her shift, she deserved a break.

She didn’t feel the eerie feeling growing in her gut as she walked through the parking lot, heading straight towards her car. She’d parked it right at the back, as all the good spots had been taken. Her workplace just couldn’t afford to provide employees with their own designated parking spaces, like other businesses do.

She didn’t notice how the hairs on the back of her hair were stood up. She was too distracted by her phone, aimlessly texting a boy she’d met at the pub a few weeks ago. He wasn’t anything special, but Naomi didn’t care. After spending five years avoiding dating due to the guilt she’d felt after Sal’s death, she just wanted to spend the rest of her twenties living how she had always dreamed it to be.

She just didn’t know that she wouldn’t be living past twenty-four.

Not until she had been grabbed from behind.

Her phone was knocked right out of her hands, smashing right onto the concrete.

She tried to scream, but a hand clamped quickly around her mouth. An arm locked tightly around her throat, suffocating her.

As she was being pulled towards an unmarked van, a pair of lips brushed against her ear, blood running cold as he spoke.

“Naomi Ward. Been a while, right?”

And that’s when everything went dark.

Chapter Text

7:30pm

Something was wrong.

Cara could feel her heart thumping faster as she watched the clock tick by. Each second that passed was a second where Naomi still hadn’t returned home from work. She was supposed to be home an hour ago. Naomi rarely stayed out after work unless she was going out afterwards.

Even then, she’d tell her. But Cara had checked her phone and there was nothing from Naomi. Her sister wasn’t answering her calls or texts.

Her sister was gone.

“Everything okay, Cara?” Nat called out to her. They were sitting in the living room together with Jamie. They had come over sometime before two. Apparently, Pip had called them over. “You haven’t spoken much.”

“I’m fine, Nat.” But she wasn’t, because her sister still wasn’t home. “Just tired.”

“Waiting for Naomi, aren’t you?” Nat flashed her a strained smile, mirroring her concern. “She’ll be home soon, Cara. Don’t worry.”

But the thought of her being in trouble was eating Cara alive. This is what Connor must’ve felt like when Jamie went missing; how watching the clock tick by felt like torture, because every second that went by was a second where Jamie was still missing.

Jamie was missing for seven days. Cara couldn’t even imagine how bad it had felt for Connor during those seven days. She’d supported him through them when she saw him, but she had no idea how he was when she wasn’t. How long would her sister be gone for?

“What’s this about Naomi, huh?” Pip then entered the room. She’d gone back home briefly with Ravi to check in on her parents and Josh. “Is she not home yet?”  

Cara shook her head. “She isn’t.”

“Are you serious?” Pip’s voice rose with panic. Cara saw how Ravi quickly grabbed her hand, as if instinctively. “Has she called? Texted? Anything?”

Cara shook her head yet again. “Nothing. I know it could just be nothing, but-”

“No, nothing is a coincidence, Cara.” Pip swiftly cut her off as she sat next to her, pulling out her laptop. “When was the last time you talked to her?”

“This morning, before she went to work.” Cara recalled. “You don’t think… he-”

“No, that’s not possible, Cara!” Pip shut her down before she could verbalise it. “She was in Slough today. He couldn’t possibly know where she worked. I didn’t… I didn’t think he’d know.”

Pip was starting to cry now. Cara felt her heart ache, because even though Naomi was missing right now, Pip was overwhelmed, too. She just wanted to keep everyone safe. But it seemed like there had been an error in her judgement, and one of their own had been unknowingly left to be the predator’s prey.

Her sister had been left to die.

Naomi was gone.

“No, don’t say that.” Ravi said. “We’ll go find her. Where does she work? We’ll go now.”

“We will, too.” Nat quickly stood up. “Don’t worry, Cara. We’ll find her.”

“Maybe I’ll stay back, actually.” Jamie said. “Connor and Lauren are here. Someone needs to watch them.”

“Watch them? They’re not children, Jamie.” Nat chuckled and clapped his shoulder. “But sure, be our guest.”

“And it’s actually better if you stay, Jamie, in case Naomi does come home.” Pip remarked as she pulled out her car keys. “We’ll call when we’re heading back.”

And then everyone was up and moving. Cara thought about going, but then quickly decided not to. Just like Jamie, it was better to stay in case Naomi did come back.

And also, Lauren was here. She couldn’t leave her alone, when she’d promised to stay.  

If there was one promise that needed to be upheld, then it was going to be the one that Cara made to Lauren. Her sister would understand.

~~~~

8:00pm

“I told you that I don’t need you to babysit me, Jamie.” Connor groaned as he poured himself a glass of water. Ever since the late afternoon, he had an awful headache that just wouldn’t go away. “You could’ve just gone with the others. Me, Cara and Lauren are fine here.”

“I know, Con, but you don’t exactly know that.” Jamie countered. He was sitting at the kitchen table, texting Nat. “It’s better if I’m here in case… he comes.”

“But I can defend myself.”

“I believe you can, Con. But as I said, it’s for safety reasons.”

Connor scoffed. He had no idea why Jamie was treating him like a child. Even though he was six years older than him, it didn’t mean that Connor needed to be treated like an infant. And besides, he was eighteen now, along with Cara and Lauren, so Jamie was stressing over nothing.

Jason probably wouldn’t even come here. There’s no way he knew where Cara lived. It was a small town, but not small enough that everyone knew everyone’s addresses. Heck, he had to look up people’s addresses in the past simply because he didn’t know where they lived.

“I don’t think I’d want you defending me anyway, Jamie.” Connor remarked as he sat across from him. “No offence.”

“Erm, I’m offended, Con.” Jamie set down his phone and scoffed. “Why wouldn’t you want me defending you?”

Connor shrugged, a smirk creeping on his face. “If my memory is accurate, then it recalls you needing to learn self-defence for the catfish.”

“Oh God, please stop bringing that up, Connor.” Jamie’s face flushed red from embarrassment. “I didn’t know that Layla was fake!”

“I did. How can I not recognise a poorly edited Stella Chapman?”

“Well, you went to school with Stella, Con.” Jamie retorted. “I didn’t. Didn’t even know the girl until I went to that calamity.”

“I still can’t believe you did that, Jamie.” Connor couldn’t help but laugh. He hadn’t genuinely laughed for a while, so it felt good doing so. “You kept insisting to her that she was Layla, when she wasn’t.”

“Again, I didn’t know, Con.” Jamie shot back. “I was madly in love, as Mum put it.”

“Yeah, with someone you hadn’t even met.”

“Cut me some slack, Connor. I just wanted to be loved.” Jamie shrunk into his seat, covering his face with his hands. “You should understand.”

“What do you mean?”

Jamie glanced at him, a mischievous glint in his eyes. “Connor, I know how you feel about him.”

Oh fuck.

“About whom?” A lump suddenly formed in his throat. He gulped, but it didn’t go away.

“Connor, I’m not stupid. I know that you like him.”

“Who is him? Can you stop dancing around it like I’m stupid?” Connor practically spat. He wasn’t stupid; he’d never been. People automatically assumed he was because he struggled academically. He wasn’t naturally bright like Pip or Zach, so they all just assumed him to be dumb.

Just like what Jamie was doing now.

And it hurt because Jamie was his own brother. His own brother thought he was dumb.

“Connor, I never said you were stupid.” Jamie flinched, his eyes wide. “I just said that you don’t need to hide your feelings about Zach-”

“Zach? I don’t have a crush on Zach!” Connor swiftly cut him off. “I don’t… why does everyone keep saying that? I don’t like him like that! We’re just friends, Jamie.”

“Connor-”

“You all think I’m stupid. You all think that you can just tell me how I feel.” Connor suddenly stood up, having to steady himself as his legs were shaky. “I don’t want to talk about it, Jamie. He’s… Zach’s my friend. That’s all he is to me.”

But he was wrong.

Jamie was right – he did like Zach more than as a friend. He wanted to be with him. But he couldn’t. Even if he does make a full recovery, he could never be with him, because the world doesn’t work like that.

Everyone thinks he attacked Zach, no matter if he says otherwise. He didn’t do it, but that isn’t what the world believes.

“Connor, I didn’t mean to do that.” Jamie sounded genuinely apologetic… or did he? Maybe he was making it up. People who tend to wrong others are good at lying. Connor knew liars; this entire town was full of them. “I just… I don’t want you hiding anything from me.”

“I’m not.”

“But you are, Connor.” Jamie sighed. “Ravi told me what you told him. That man… he could be after you.”

“He’s after us all.”

He didn’t even care that Ravi told Jamie. It was going to come out eventually. And unlike Jamie, at least Ravi didn’t treat him like he was stupid, but as an equal instead.

“Yeah, but I worry that there’s something he wants from you, Con.” Jamie continued. “It’s not a coincidence that he spoke to you. He attacked Zach because he stood up for you. I know that he’s mainly out for revenge against Pip, but what if… what if he wants something from you, too?”

“What do you mean?” Connor tensed. He crossed his arms, shivering though it wasn’t even cold.

Jamie shrugged. “I don’t know, Connor. All I know is that I don’t want him to hurt you. I don’t want to lose you, Connor.”

“I know, Jamie.”

Jamie grabbed his face, brushing back his hair. “I’d die for you, you know? I’d die protecting you if it means that you’d be safe.”

“Jamie, don’t say that.”

“But I’m not lying, Con.” Jamie affirmed. “He’ll be damned if he believes that he’ll hurt you. As long as I’m here, that prick won’t come near you. I should’ve been there when he was talking to you last Thursday. He wouldn’t have even considered it if I was there.”

“You can’t change it, Jamie.” Connor said, a tear streaming down his cheek. “There’s nothing you could’ve done.”

“But I could’ve,” Jamie wiped his tears for him, though he was starting to cry himself. “Connor, I made a promise to myself that I would protect you from any harm. After what happened with Charlie, I promised to myself that I would never put myself in harm’s way because that meant your life was at risk, too.”

“Jamie-”

“Jesus, I literally slammed you up against a wall because you took my phone while I was texting Layla.” Jamie continued. “I was so irrational that I was hurting you in the process. I hurt you, and yet you forgave me for it. You even risked your life to save me.”

“Because I love you, Jamie.” Connor responded, pushing back from Jamie’s grasp. “I always knew that you were missing, along with Mum. Dad didn’t believe it until after the close call with that other person. Hawkins didn’t believe it until after you were found. I didn’t know what you’d gotten yourself into, but I wasn’t going to abandon you when you needed me.”

“Even when I hurt you?”

“Jamie, I don’t care about that.” Connor sniffled. “It did hurt, but I know now why it happened. All I wanted was for you to be safe.”

“You did?”

“And Jason is damned if he thinks he’ll hurt you, too.” Connor affirmed, sounding confident, though he didn’t fully feel it. “I don’t care what he wants with me. I just don’t want you to get hurt, Jamie. We’ve already almost lost Zach and Lauren.”

He didn’t mention Ant, simply because he didn’t care. Ant may have people who’ll mourn him, but Connor won’t be a part of them. As they say, nobody mourns the wicked.

And Jamie didn’t mention it either. Connor knew that Jamie hadn’t liked him either. He’d almost beat him up after finding out how Ant had treated him during his disappearance. Connor had to talk him out of it, simply because he didn’t want him getting into trouble. He’d already gone missing for a week, for crying out loud. There was no need for Jamie to fight his battles.

“And we’re not going to lose Naomi either,” Jamie boldly stated. “She’ll be safe, along with the rest of us.”

And Connor was hoping that he was right. In a town that has already experienced enough loss, Connor hoped that Naomi wouldn’t be the next victim to it.

~~~~

As Cara read through her book, a subtle groan sounded from Lauren.

“Everything okay, Loz?” She set down her book and shuffled in close to her. She winced seeing the bandages that Naomi had wrapped around her head wound last night. “Are you okay? What happened?”

“Nothing, Cara.” Lauren said, though her tone contradicted her. “I’m just… tired.”

“Do you need anything?” Cara persisted, because she wasn’t leaving her side. “Water? Food? Another blanket?”

“I’m fine, Cara. I already feel bad that I’ve taken your bed.”

“Don’t be, Loz.” Cara assured. “You need it. You need to rest so that you can feel better.”

If Lauren needed it for a lifetime, then Cara was willing to give it to her. She may have hated this girl, but she had been a friend once upon a time. And she can be that friend again if she wants to, as Cara wouldn’t mind. She might just want it, honestly.  

And, as a little part of herself had indicated, she might just want to be more than a friend.

No.

She has Steph.

Steph is a good person. Steph doesn’t deserve to be tossed to the side for a girl from Cara’s past. Steph is what she needs. Steph is all she needs.

But why hasn’t she been in contact with Steph? She didn’t even think that she’d told Steph about Naomi’s absence. She’d been too focused on Lauren…

That wasn’t good, right?

Fuck, maybe Connor was right.

But she couldn’t believe it.

She’ll talk to Steph soon… right after she checks in on Lauren.

“I can’t when all I can think about is him, Cara.” Lauren sniffled as she sat up, her hair sticking to her face. “He wanted to kill me. He said that he would after killing Ant. He made me watch him kill Ant.”

“He did?”

Lauren nodded. “He stabbed him to death. He was crying out for me, Cara. I wanted to help him, but he was going to kill me if I fought back. I only escaped because I was lucky. Even then, I don’t feel it, because someone that I loved is dead.”

“Lauren-”

“And I know that he was awful, but I really did love him, Cara.” Lauren continued, tears streaming down her face. “He was so kind to me. He made me feel like I was special. I just excused his bad behaviour because I didn’t want to lose him.”

“Even when he was hurting others?”

Lauren nodded. “I didn’t mean for Connor to be hurt by him. I love Connor. I just thought Ant was joking around with him. I know now that it wasn’t just a joke, but I was stupid back then.”

“But it’s not just about Connor, Lauren.” Cara said as she grabbed her hands. “It’s about the rest of us, too. He got Pip suspended after provoking her about Jamie’s disappearance. He made Zach uncomfortable with his cruel jokes about Connor. He made me… lose you, Lauren.”

“Lose me?” Lauren’s tone indicated that she was confused. “What do you mean?”

Cara realised she’d made a mistake right then. She’d let her intrusive thoughts take control when they shouldn’t have.

“Oh, nothing.”

She tried to brush it off, but Lauren didn’t buy her poor attempt at it.

“Cara, come on.”

“Lauren-”

“I’m not going to judge you if you tell me the truth, Cara.”

“But I can’t, Lauren.”

“Why not?” Her eyes, which were like a puppy’s, were pleading with her. “Don’t lie to me, Cara. I won’t judge you.”

“But you don’t need to know.”

“Cara-”

“Lauren, don’t-”

A notification sounded on her phone right then. Grateful for the distraction, Cara grabbed her phone, expecting it to be a message from Pip.

> Private Number

PN: Don’t bother looking for your sister, sweetheart. That bitch is long-gone.

It wasn’t a message from Pip.

Not Ravi, either.

Or Nat.

Jamie and Connor were downstairs. She could hear their hushed voices, which were like ghosts in an already haunted house.

And Zach was in the hospital, recovering from the attack that the monster who just texted her was behind.

“Who is it, Cara?” Lauren asked, closing in beside her. Cara felt her heart skip a beat just feeling Lauren’s presence beside her. “Is it Pip?”

Not Pip.

Cara shook her head. “Nope.”

“Ravi?”

Not Ravi.

Another shake of the head. “Try again.”

A breath hitched in her throat. “Naomi?”

Cara blinked back tears. Oh, if only it were her beloved sister.

Not Naomi.

“Not Naomi.”

Realisation then dawned on Lauren, as though she could read her mind.

“….It’s Jason, isn’t it?”

Cara nodded, because she was right.

It is Jason.

And he left a particularly cruel message for her.

“Can I see it?”

“Do you want to?”

She didn’t want to scare the already frightened girl. Some things are just too much to handle for some people.

Lauren nodded, which Cara was shocked by. She’d faced death herself and yet wasn’t backing down. Cara admired it, though was still slightly intimidated.

“If you had to see it, then I will, too.” Lauren affirmed, flashing her a kind smile. “For you, Cara.”

For me?

For me.

Cara passed the phone.

She watched the horror grow in Lauren’s face as she read the message that monster had sent her.

Yet she couldn’t stop thinking about how Lauren did this for her.

For you, Cara.

~~~~

8:45pm

“Come on, Pip. We need to go.”

They’d spent almost an hour here searching for Naomi. Her boss had said she’d never came back from her break. They’d searched everywhere, but there was no sign of Naomi.

And even though Ravi did not want to go, he also knew that they weren’t going to get anywhere by still being here, in Naomi’s workplace’s parking lot.

Nat agreed with him, too. Nat was smart; an intimidating person, but she was smart and kind. And she was older than them, so she was a little wiser compared to them.

But Pip was adamant on staying until she found a lead. And though Ravi adored the girl, he also knew that she was going to drive herself mad if she didn’t leave this place.

“Pip, just listen to him, please.” Nat advised. “We’ll come back later-”

“But there’s nowhere else he’d take her!” Pip shouted. “He can’t take her back to the warehouse due to suspicion. He can’t take her back to his house because of Dawn. He’s here, guys. I know he is!”

“But Sarge-”

“Ravi, believe me, please.” She begged. “You always do. Aren’t we supposed to be a team?”

“We are, Sarge, but you’re going to drive yourself mad if you stay here!” Ravi countered, sounding desperate. “Please, Pip. We need to go-”

But he was cut off when him, Nat and Pip were suddenly bathed in a car’s headlights.

Instinctively, he stepped back, latching onto Pip’s hand. Whoever this may be, they’ll have to get through him if they dare to hurt Pip and Nat.

It was a van; hard to make out the exact model due to the dark, but it was a van. The windshield was blacked out, too, so Ravi couldn’t make out the driver.

Is it him?

“Who is that?” Pip muttered to him, tightly squeezing his hand. “Ravi…”

“It’s okay, Sarge.” Ravi whispered to her. “Just stay still.”

Right as he said that, a body was pushed out of the van.

Before anyone could react, the van sped off.

And a scream erupted from Nat after they all realised who it was.

It was Naomi Ward, barely hanging on by a thread.

Chapter Text

9:20pm

“Is Cara Ward present?”

The doctor who was assigned to Naomi’s medical team approached the group. They were at the same hospital that Pip had been admitted to. It felt like déjà vu to Pip; to be here for someone she knew when just last Thursday, she’d been the one admitted here, while everyone else had been waiting out here for her.

Cara, who was sitting beside her, stood up immediately. She hadn’t left her side since she got to the hospital. She’d been oddly clingy, too. And though Pip didn’t mind, she sensed that it stemmed from somewhere else.

“I’m Cara,” she said, sounding almost breathless. “How’s Naomi? Is she okay?”

The doctor’s jaw ticked. Pip recognised the unease in his eyes, as she’d seen it before after Stanley died.

“Cara… you might want to sit down for this,” he advised, but Cara didn’t listen.

“No, just tell me now, please.” Cara ordered. “I’ll be fine.”

“Cara-”

“Naomi’s fine, right?” She continued, much to the doctor’s displeasure. “She must be. She was fine this morning. And she was still alive when Pip, Ravi and Nat found her. She’s fine, right?”

Well, Pip wouldn’t put Naomi as being fine when they found her. Nat had to force her eyes to stay open because she was slipping out of consciousness. She was struggling to breathe, too, because she kept choking on her own blood.

She was barely alive when they found her. That monster had held her captive for six hours – and the results of it were obvious.

“Cara, I really think you should sit down for this, please.” The doctor insisted. “Please sit.”

“But-”

“Cara, just listen to him.” Pip advised as she pulled her friend back into the seat. “You’ll be okay.”

But she wouldn’t, because Pip knew what was coming next.

The doctor sighed. “Due to the gravity of your sister’s injuries, there’s a likely chance she won’t survive the night.”

~~~~

“Connor, are you there?”

Connor was passing by Cara’s bedroom when he heard Lauren call out to him. He stopped in his tracks and peeked in. It had been quiet since Cara went to the hospital to see Naomi.

Nat had broken the news to them. Connor felt sick finding out that Naomi had been left brutalised by the monster, who had dumped her out like she was rubbish right in front of Pip, Ravi and Nat.

He’d been right in front of them, in his unmarked van. They hadn’t known it was him back then, but they certainly did now.

Jamie was in the kitchen, talking to their parents. Luckily for them, they were still in Newcastle, visiting Zoe. Connor reckoned that Jamie was advising them to stay there, so that they didn’t get caught up in the crossfire. He knew that Jamie wouldn’t forgive himself if either of them got hurt by Jason.

And he was up here, because he was going to go rest in the guest room. His head was still killing him. Nothing he did was easing the pain, which worried him because he wasn’t sure how much more he could take of it.

But now there had been a change of plans, because he was now in Cara’s bedroom with Lauren.

Oh, Lauren. Though he had hated her since the falling out in May, knowing what happened to her put those feelings aside. He didn’t even care about the Ant part in it, because Ant was burning in hell and Lauren had been given a second chance at life.

“Yeah, I’m here.” Connor said. He didn’t sit on the bed, because he wasn’t sure if Lauren wanted him to. “What’s up, Lauren?”

Lauren sat up and shrugged. She looked drastically different compared to the girl she used to be. The girl who was usually well-kept was now ragged and exhausted. And Connor felt bad, because even if the girl from before hadn’t been a good friend, that still didn’t mean that he wanted her to be hurt.

“Is Cara back yet?” She asked.

Connor shook his head. “Nope. She probably won’t be back for a while.”

“Oh, okay.” Lauren glanced away from him. “Thanks for telling me, Con.”

Connor didn’t leave, though. He couldn’t when that voice was in his head, telling him to apologise for his earlier behaviour. It was like the one that Hawkins had somehow planted in there, after his interrogation.

The one that told him that he was capable of hurting Zach.

Hurting everyone, actually. Everyone has a dark side to themselves – and he was apparently no exception to it.

But he wasn’t going to listen to it.

He can’t, when it was lying to him. He didn’t hurt Zach, nor would he hurt anyone else.

But he can listen to this voice; the one that told him to own up to his actions, like how any person would.

“I’m sorry, Lauren.” He suddenly said, noting the awkward silence that had been between them until right then. “Sorry for how I acted earlier.”

“What?” Lauren seemed taken aback by his apology. “What are you talking about, Connor?”

“I’m sorry for how I was acting earlier,” he elaborated, still awkwardly standing near the bed. “I was just… upset about what happened. My head wasn’t in the right place.”

“Connor-”

“I didn’t mean to take it out on you, you know.” Connor continued. “I know you didn’t deserve to be attacked. I was just… angry about the interrogation that I wasn’t thinking straight.”

“Are you talking about your interview with Hawkins?”

Connor nodded. He guessed that Lauren hadn’t been told the full story yet.  

“I didn’t get any sleep last night, you know.” Connor rubbed his eyes, which were already sore. “I spent it in the bathroom, crying my eyes out, because I just couldn’t understand why Hawkins thought that I had attacked Zach.”

“Because he’s sick, Connor.” Lauren responded, grasping the blanket tighter. “He doesn’t care about us. I should’ve realised it back when your brother disappeared.”

“What, when he didn’t believe us about his disappearance?”

Lauren nodded. “Ant took up all my time back then. I was too obsessed with him to even realise that one of my closest friends was hurting.”

That friend was him. And he had been especially hurt seeing Lauren ignore him in favour of Ant. Just like Pip, Cara and Zach, he’d needed her, so it killed him seeing her pick the monster instead.

But he was willing to set those feelings aside for now, because they needed to not be divided right now. This current monster was coming after them all, so it was better to stand together instead of being divided.

“You really did hurt me, Lauren.” Connor now sat beside her on the bed. “I needed you back then, when Jamie was missing.”

“I know, Connor.” She blinked back tears. “I should’ve been there. I was just too stupid to realise how bad of an influence Ant was.”

“You think?” Connor resisted a chuckle. This wasn’t the time to laugh. “I still don’t know what you saw in him. There was nothing extraordinary about him, Lauren.”

Lauren shrugged. “I just thought he was nice… to me, at least.”

“Nice?”

Lauren sighed. “Well, he was, until we finished school.” Lauren grimaced. “Then he became… like that.”

Connor understood. Lauren had been in the wrong back then to side with Ant, but she’d also been blindly in love with him.

And while he wished she’d known better back then, he was willing to accept her perspective on the matter, because it seemed that she was willing to change.

“I know, Lauren.” Connor said as he grabbed her hand. “And I forgive you for it, okay?”

“You do?”

He nodded. “I do.”

~~~~

“What?” The look in Cara’s eyes seemed distant. “What do you mean?”

“Cara, your sister was in terrible condition when she was brought in.” The doctor stated, his eyes mirroring Cara’s. “Even if she survives, the damage has been done.”

“What do you mean?”

The doctor sighed again. “There was severe damage done to her internal organs. She’d already lost a lot of blood when she was found. And that’s barely scratching the surface on what was done to her, Cara. Whoever did this to her took their time and was clearly enjoying it.”

Unbeknownst to the doctor, they knew who’d done this to Naomi.

Jason did this to Naomi.

He’d held her captive for six hours.

He’d drawn out her torture for six hours.

For six hours, she probably wondered where everyone was. She probably prayed that they would save her; that Pip would save her, when Pip hadn’t even known about her abduction.

She’d made a fatal error by thinking that Jason wouldn’t go to Naomi’s workplace. Jason literally went to Zach’s house to attack him! What would’ve stopped him from going to Naomi’s workplace?

But no, she’d been foolish and thought he would attack Jamie and Nat next.

Because of her, Jason had been free to attack Naomi.

Naomi was now going to die because of her.

Even if everyone told her otherwise, she knew that it was her fault.

Cara was going to hate her for this. Cara now had nobody left in her family. Her mother was dead. Her father was in prison. And now her sister, whom she sworn to protect for Cara’s sake, was going to die, too.

Life just wasn’t fair to the people in Little Kilton, was it?

“Isn’t there anything you can do?” Nat asked. “Surely she can be saved.”

But the doctor shook his head and sighed. “I’m afraid not. We don’t want to risk her dying on the operating table. And she has also requested to not be operated on.”

Pip swore the oxygen had been swiped right out of her lungs. What did he mean that Naomi had refused surgery? She had the chance to save her life, but she had refused. What for?

“What?” Cara mumbled as she frantically rubbed her eyes. “No, that’s not right. Are you sure you’re talking about the correct Naomi Ward? My sister isn’t the type to give up.”

“I’m afraid I am talking about your sister, Cara.” The doctor countered. “She doesn’t want to go through it.”

“Why?” Ravi asked, having remained silent until now.

The doctor shrugged. “I’m afraid I don’t know.”

Liar, though Pip didn’t verbalise it. She didn’t need to cause any more trouble than she already has.

“So, what am I supposed to do now?” Cara asked as she stood up. “Can I see her?”

The doctor nodded. “You may. She does want to see you, Cara.”

She then gestured to Pip, Ravi and Nat. “Can I bring my friends?”

He nodded once more. “Of course. However, I do warn you that she may get overwhelmed. Be gentle with her, please.”

But Pip didn’t go.

Neither did Ravi or Nat.

“Guys, come on.” Cara motioned for them to get up and go, but nobody did. “Pip?”

“You should go, Cara.” Pip said. “She’s your sister.”

Cara seemed confused by that. “And? This is your mystery to solve.”

“Your sister’s final moments shouldn’t be spent being questioned, Cara.” Pip countered as she stood up, cupping her face. “She needs you, Cara. Go be with her.”

“But Pip-”

“Cara, just go be with her, please. We’ll be right here, waiting for you.”

“But what about Lauren?” Cara asked. “Jamie and Connor might need to go. Lauren can’t stay there by herself-”

“Then I’ll go,” Nat answered. “I should head back, anyway. I need to talk to Jamie.”

Pip watched the uncertainty flash in Cara’s face before she accepted it. Although Pip loved Naomi like a sister, she also knew that her final moments needed to be spent with Cara.

The mystery could wait, for it is not allowed to steal the final moment Cara can have with her sister.

~~~~

The last time Cara had been at the hospital, it had been to see Pip last Thursday.

But before that, it had been to see her mother seven years ago. Just like Naomi, it had been to spend the last few hours of her mother’s life with her, as she laid dying in a hospital bed.

Cara never thought she’d be doing this now. Though she hadn’t been certain if she’d outlive her sister, she was sure that she wouldn’t be doing this now, at eighteen. Her beautiful sister was only twenty-four, yet her time had already come to an end.

“Nai?” Cara called out to her as she stepped into the room. “Nai? Naomi?”

Her sister’s head slowly turned in her direction. Cara noticed how although the movement was minimal, it still caused agony for Naomi.

“Cara?” She called back. “Cara? Is that you?”

Cara swiftly approached her bedside. Though she was taken aback seeing her sister’s state, she didn’t care. Her sister had been forced to endure absolute hell for six hours. She couldn’t even imagine the horrors Naomi had been forced to endure at the hands of Jason.

Pip must’ve barely scratched the surface if Naomi had been with Jason for six hours, though it was no competition.

“I’m here, Nai.” Cara said, blinking back tears. “I’m here now. I’m here. I’m not leaving you.”

“Cara… is that really you?” She tried reaching out for her, but the pain was too much. Cara saw how she winced when she tried moving her arm. “Cara, I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be. This wasn’t your fault, Naomi.” Cara brushed back her hair, as it was falling in her face. Her beautiful face had been beaten into a pulp, though it didn’t make her any less beautiful. “None of this was your fault. I should’ve been there for you. I’m so sorry I wasn’t there.”

“Cara, don’t be.” Naomi responded. “Don’t be sorry, please. You need to stay strong for me, please.”

“I can’t, Nai.” Cara sniffled. “I need you. Why did you refuse surgery? You could’ve been saved, Nai!”

“You wouldn’t understand, Cara.”

“But I would!” Cara exclaimed, unable to hold back her tears now. “I would, Naomi. I don’t want you to die. Nobody wants you dead. We want you to stay, Nai.”

“I know, Cara.” Naomi sighed. “I know you do.”

“Then why are you choosing to die?” Cara asked. “Why?”

Naomi was silent. Cara sat there, listening to her breathing as though it were music. She didn’t know when her sister would pass, so she was taking in every small detail that she wouldn’t have noticed before.

“Because even if I lived, I would be in pain for the rest of my life.” Naomi said. “He intentionally kept me alive so you could see what he did. He told me that he was drawing it out purposefully so that everyone would see what he’s exactly capable of.”

“He told you that?”

She slightly nodded. “He destroyed everything, Cara. He did all this in six hours, just because he could. He made sure that nothing he did could be fixed, even with surgery.”

Cara could only imagine what he’d done. She’d seen her face, but that was just scratching the surface. What exactly is a monster like Jason capable of doing within six hours?

Cara gulped. “Did you want to live at all?”

Naomi nodded. “I did. I really wanted to, Cara. I fought to stay alive because of you and the others.”

But he killed her chance at survival. He’d made sure that she wouldn’t bounce back from what he’d done to her. Even if she lived, the mark he’d left on her would always be there – both physically and mentally.

“So, this is really it, is it?” Cara whimpered as she glanced at her sister. “You’re going to die, and I’m going to be left alone. I’ll have no one.”

For eighteen years, she’d lived a life with Naomi in it. Now she was expected to move on without her in it. She couldn’t even picture a life without her beautiful sister there. When she’d planned her future, Naomi had been in it, and now she wasn’t.

“Cara, don’t say that.” Naomi said. “You’re not going to be alone.”

“But I will, Naomi.” Cara countered, now breaking out into a sob. “Dad is in prison for killing Sal. Mum is dead and you’ll be as well. I’m going to have no one, Nai.”

“No, you won’t, Cara.” Naomi shifted in her bed. “You won’t be alone. You’ll never be alone. Remember what Mum told us right before she died? She’ll always be watching over us. I’ll be like that for you, Cara. I’ll watch over you and the others.”

“You will?” Cara wasn’t sure if she could believe that. Nobody knew what the afterlife was exactly like. How could she know Naomi was there? How could Naomi even know?

“I will, Cara.” Naomi responded, sounding confident. “I’ll be there, watching over you. And you won’t be alone, because you have the others. They all love you, Cara. You’ll never be alone.”

“But I won’t have you,” Cara countered. “I don’t want you to go, Nai. I don’t want to lose you...”

And then Cara started sobbing uncontrollably right there. She had tried staying strong, but she just couldn’t.

Her sister, who had been there for her from the day she was born, would soon be gone. This world seemed to hate her, because it had killed her mother seven years ago, had her father arrested a year ago, and would now kill her sister sometime soon. What had she done to deserve this?

And Naomi… even though she was dying, she was keeping a brave face for her. This girl had been through hell for six hours yet was staying strong just for her. Naomi Ward was too good for this world; it didn’t deserve her at all.

Bu as she sobbed, Naomi’s hand had grabbed her arm. Cara was stunned, given that the earlier attempt had hurt her. And it still was, though Naomi was suffering through it.

“Nai?” Cara whimpered as she grabbed her sister’s hand. “What is it?”

Naomi’s gaze was fixed on her. Despite her injuries, her kind eyes stood out. The monster may have destroyed her face, but it couldn’t take away her beautiful eyes; the ones that exactly mirrored Cara’s.

“Don’t let him win, Cara.” Naomi stated, confidence flashing in her eyes. “He can’t win. He may have killed me, but that doesn’t mean you should stop fighting. Justice will always prevail, Cara, even if it’s not always respectable in a legal perspective. He won’t win, because you won’t let him.”

Cara thought about a refute but quickly shut it down. Her sister was right; Jason wasn’t going to win. He may have taken her sister, but he wasn’t going to escape the consequences of doing it. Every action has a consequence – and she was going to make him pay, no matter what.

She’ll fucking kill him if it means getting justice for her sister, and she knew nobody in their group would have a problem with it. The monster deserved to pay for what he done, no matter what.

“I won’t, Nai.” Cara said. “He won’t win. We’ll make him pay. I swear that we’ll make him pay for what he’s done.”

Naomi smiled, though it was clearly painful to do so. Cara hated seeing her sister like this; like she was a prisoner in her own body. She knew that although her sister didn’t show it, she was praying for her time to run out so that the pain would be over.

While Cara didn’t want to lose her sister, Naomi was praying for the time to end so she could be free of the pain.

“Can you lay next to me, Cara?” Naomi suddenly asked as Cara was brushing back her hair. “Please. I don’t want to be alone.”

“You’re not, Nai.”

“I know, but I want you next to me, please.” Naomi pleaded, tugging on Cara’s hand. “Please, Cara.”

Cara didn’t hesitate in fulfilling her sister’s request. She didn’t care if someone came in and told her not to, because she wasn’t leaving her sister alone in her final moments.

Whenever Naomi would pass, Cara would be right there, because she wasn’t going to leave her alone.

She may not have gotten enough time with her in this lifetime, but her memory will never be forgotten – and Cara was certain of it.

~~~~

10:30pm

Little Kilton was quite a beautiful place at night.

Living in the English countryside did have its disadvantages, but the scenery was not one of them. Connor remembered the nights he’d spent with his friends, observing the stars.

He remembered claiming a few stars, to which Zach would argue that he couldn’t “claim” a star. Zach was always serious like that, but Connor didn’t mind. His seriousness perfectly matched his whimsical nature. Moments like those reminded Connor of why he loved Zach so much, and how nobody could ever make him think otherwise.

The world can have everybody else, but Zach Chen belonged to him.

Well, he used to, until the monster attacked him. And then he attacked Lauren. And his most recent victim had been Naomi. He’d killed Ant, but Connor didn’t care.

Call him a terrible person for it, but he just didn’t care about his own tormentor dying. He didn’t like he’d been murdered, but that was the line he’d drawn when thinking about Ant’s death.

Anyway, he was only outside because he wanted to clear his mind. He’d been inside all day, so getting some fresh air was what he needed. It did help in numbing the awful headache he’d been having all day, too, so there was that.

As he walked down the footpath, his phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out, expecting it to be Jamie, who had told him not to go out in case Jason was out there.

Obviously, Connor hadn’t listened, because even if Jamie had a point, Connor felt like he was going to drive himself mad if he didn’t get some fresh air. He needed this, and Jamie would understand. It wasn’t him who’d been accused of trying to kill Zach, so he had no idea how being accused of something you didn’t do really fucks with you.

But it wasn’t Jamie who had texted him.

It was someone whose mere presence in his phone was enough to make his blood run cold.

> Private Number

PN: Out here all alone, Connor Reynolds?

PN: Stupid cunt. Your friends get attacked and yet you’re still choosing to go out alone? You’re just asking to get killed at this point.

Connor felt like he was going to be sick. This meant that, somewhere out in the darkness, Jason Bell was watching him. Though Connor could not see him, he knew better than to stay out here like a fool after receiving such a cruel message.

So, without a second thought, he booked it back to Cara’s house, not looking back.

You’ll never catch me, Jason Bell.

I’ll make sure of it.

~~~~

Naomi Ward was going to die.

Jason had never been more pleased with himself when he had her in his clutches, ensuring that she wouldn’t survive her injuries. He’d intentionally kept her alive just so she would suffer through it. Even if she had surgery, the damage had been done. It was better for her to be dead than to live a lifetime full of pain.

But, strangely enough, that wasn’t what he was focused on.

He was focused on Connor Reynolds, whom he’d spotted while driving back home.

He was quite stupid to be out here, especially right after the people he supposedly cared about had just been attacked.

But then, yet again, did he care about them, or was he just pretending? Jason was just like that himself. He pretended to care, when he really didn’t.

He’d tried framing this boy for Zach’s attack, but maybe that was wrong. He’d assumed this boy was pathetic just like Billy Karras, but maybe he was something more.

Maybe he just needed to keep a closer eye on him. There was something about that boy that really intrigued Jason – and he was going to figure it out by any means possible.

Chapter Text

25/09/2025

7:00am

Sometime before four, Naomi Ward had passed away from her injuries. She’d died in Cara’s arms. Cara had been hysterical and had passed out because of the stress.

Pip hadn’t left her side. Ravi stayed as well, but it was Pip who had stayed awake all night. She’d kept herself occupied by going through the case’s details in her mind.

Unfortunately, she was still stuck when it came to the case. It seemed like she couldn’t just assume who Jason will go after, because he was being unpredictable. He was calculated, but he didn’t seem to care who he was going after. If they were somehow connected to her, then it was open season.

“Is she awake yet?” Ravi asked as he stepped into the room that Cara had been allocated, carrying two coffee cups.

Pip shook her head as she accepted the coffee. “Nope. I don’t think she’ll be awake for a while. She was up almost the entire night until… Naomi died.”

The feeling that Naomi’s death left was still fresh. The feeling was only going to worsen when Cara eventually woke up and would be forced to deal with the harsh reality of losing your sister.

But Pip would be there for her, no matter what. The mystery can wait. Jason was damned if he thought his killing spree was going to prevent her from supporting Cara during this time. She needed her, and that was that.

“I still can’t believe it, Sarge.” Ravi said, followed by a low sigh. “Naomi’s just… gone. I’ve dealt with death before, but this feels different.”

“I know, Ravi.” Pip responded. “We’re going to get through it; I know we will. He’s not going to get away with this.”

Ravi flashed her a strained smile in response. “Anything I can do to help?”

Pip shook her head. “Not now. Maybe you should go back to Cara’s.”

“Are the others aware of Naomi’s…?”

He couldn’t even speak the word into existence, because that meant it would be real, and Pip knew how much Ravi despised death. He may have grown accustomed to it, but that didn’t mean he was willing to embrace it like an old friend.

“I told Nat when she called an hour ago,” Pip said, sounding grim. “She’s devastated. I guarantee Connor and Jamie know, too. I don’t know about Lauren, though.”

Ravi smiled again and nodded. “Okay. I’ll see you later, okay?”

“Okay, Ravi.”

He then pecked her lips and tucked her hair behind her ears. “Stay safe, okay? I love you, Sarge.”

Pip nodded and kissed him back. “Love you as well, Chief Inspector.”  

~~~~

7:25am

“Connor, what’s wrong?” Jamie asked as Connor entered the kitchen. It felt weird, standing in a kitchen that didn’t belong to him, but there were more important things to worry about. “You seem rough.”

“Rough?” His brother arched a brow at him. “What do you mean?”

Jamie shrugged. “You were awfully quiet when you came back in from your walk last night, too.” He remarked as he poured himself some coffee. “Did something happen?”

Connor biting his nails was the answer he needed. He only did that when he was nervous, or if something was bugging him.

“Okay, spill it.”

“What?” Connor asked, clearly confused.

“Don’t play stupid, Con. I know something is bugging you.” Jamie then gestured to his hands. “You bite your nails when something is wrong.”

Quickly, Connor’s hands moved away from his mouth, though there was no point now. Jamie had caught him and was going to find out what was bothering him.

“I just… it’s nothing, Jamie.” Connor mumbled, though Jamie wasn’t buying it. “I’m just tired.”

“Liar.”

“Jamie!” Connor practically squeaked. “I just… didn’t get enough sleep last night.”

“Connor, do you think I was born yesterday?”

Connor shrugged. “Could’ve been. Weren’t you the one who beat up a guy because a “girl” you were talking to told you to?”

Jamie scoffed. He just loved bringing up that catfish, didn’t he? You might as well call him Layla Mead’s biggest fan, given how he couldn’t keep her name out of his mouth.

“Connor, really?”

“What? I’m not wrong.”

“Yeah, but this isn’t about Layla, Con.” Jamie then stepped closer towards him, pressing his hand against his chest. “It’s about you, Con. You’ve been acting weird since coming back from your walk last night. Did something happen?”

Though Connor didn’t say anything, the subtle lip twitch was all Jamie needed.

“Something happened, right?”

Connor nodded, his gaze trained on the floor.

“Do you want to tell me?” Jamie asked, clapping a hand on his shoulder. “Or do you want me to guess?”

Connor didn’t respond, so Jamie guessed that they were going for the latter option.

“Okay, so I guess I’m guessing, then.” He sighed. “Did you see someone?”

Connor looked up. His eyes, which were a replica of Jamie’s, seemed haunted, which worried Jamie. Who had hurt his poor brother? Though Connor could be a troublemaker at times, he was still a beautiful soul who didn’t deserve the world’s cruelty. People like him deserved to be protected from the world’s cruel nature, though it was clearly impossible to do so.

“Okay, so you did see someone.” Jamie sighed again. “Did you see… Hawkins?”

Connor shook his head. Pity, because Jamie was really hoping it was him, so that he could bash the bastard straight to hell.

“Okay, so it’s not Hawkins.” Jamie bit his lip, his mind running through all possible options. “Hm, assuming you somehow gained the ability overnight to do this but… did you see Ant’s ghost?”

Connor’s eyes widened, clearly disturbed by his answer. Jesus, he was only having a joke with him. Since when did Connor get offended by jokes?

“Okay, so it’s not a ghost.” Jamie chuckled, though it didn’t erase the awkward tension between them. “Con, can’t you just tell me?”

But Connor didn’t want that. Clearly, whatever he’d seen last night had spooked him into silence. Even the mere thought of it had rendered his poor brother mute.

But Jamie needed to know. He needed to protect Connor, especially during this time, when their lives were on the line. He shouldn’t have let him go out last night, despite knowing that there was an active serial killer out to get them. Connor had just gotten overwhelmed, and Jamie knew what could ensue if Connor reached his limits.

Wait.

Jamie could feel his blood running cold as the thought formed in his mind.

Jason.

Jason had been there.

Connor had seen Jason, which meant that Jason had seen him.

Oh no.

“You saw Jason, didn’t you?”  

The silence from Connor spoke for itself.

~~~~

7:50am

Ravi shouldn’t be here.

He was supposed to go back to Cara’s, as Pip had instructed. He always listened to Pip, because Pip always knew what to do.

But here he was, back at the hospital where Zach was staying. Unlike Naomi, Zach was admitted somewhere else, because Zach didn’t live in Little Kilton anymore. He hadn’t since his parents forced him to move out after Pip solved Andie’s case.

They didn’t want to deal with all that drama, according to Pip, though Ravi could tell that she knew they were specifically referring to her. His suspicions were only confirmed by the icy looks he’d been given when they saw him outside Zach’s room.

“I didn’t think that Zach was ever friends with you,” his father had remarked as he glared at Ravi. Ravi barely knew this man, but he knew that his stare was enough to kill a person. “He never mentioned you.”

“Well, I’m a new friend, then.” Ravi countered. “And you know, your son is currently in hospital after almost being murdered, so hence why I’ve never been mentioned.”

“I think I’m fully aware on what happened to my son, Ravi.” His father said, an edge to his voice. “And it’s awful. That boy can lie all he wants, but I know he did this to him.”

Ravi bit the inside of his cheek, resisting arguing with him. He knew exactly who Zach’s father was referring to, and he didn’t like it at all. But he also didn’t want to start an argument with him, because that would mean wasting time, and he couldn’t waste any time.

So, he just nodded along in agreement, while secretly cursing him out in his head. What? It’s not like he’ll ever know. And Zach won’t care either, because Zach knew it wasn’t Connor who’d attacked him.

“Whatever you say, Zach’s father.”

“It’s Mr. Chen to you, Ravi.”

“Same thing, isn’t it?”

Before he could respond, Ravi entered Zach’s room.

What? It was the same thing. He didn’t understand adults who wanted to be formal all the time. He understood in professional settings, but that man wasn’t being exactly professional when it came to his son’s best friend, who also happened to be Ravi’s best friend, too, so fuck his feelings.

“Ravi?” Zach called out to him. He was sitting up in bed, staring right at him. Compared to yesterday, he seemed more rested today. “Ravi? What are you doing here?”

“Hey, Zach.” He greeted, already sounding exhausted. “Can I just say that your father is a real piece of work? I really do wonder how you survive. I don’t think I would be able to survive a minute living with him.”

Zach arched a brow at him, clearly confused. “Well, he is my dad. Unless he died or my parents got divorced, then I don’t think I can just get rid of him, Ravi.”

Fair point. Why had Ravi even mentioned it at all? That wasn’t what he was here to talk about, anyway.

“Fair point.”

“Why are you here, Ravi?” Zach peered over his shoulder, his expression dampening when seeing it was just him. “And where’s Connor? I thought I said that I wanted him to be here.”

Ravi grimaced. How exactly was he going to break the news to him? If Pip were here, she’d know what to do. She was rational like that; a natural-born leader. He was clever, but nothing like Pip.

But he was also a good friend. And, as it turned out, good friends don’t lie to their other friends, so he was just going to have to tell the truth to Zach.

“Zach… how do I even say this?” Ravi gulped, his gaze trained on the wall behind Zach, because he couldn’t dare to look him in the eyes this time. “They think Connor was the one who attacked you.”

Silence.

Ravi stole a glance at Zach, quickly looking away when seeing the horror on his face. Clearly, nobody had told him that his own best friend had apparently attacked him, right? Not even his parents, who allegedly cared so much about him.

“…Connor is being accused of this?” Zach mumbled, a tremor to his voice. “They really think Connor did this?”

“Well, that is what Hawkins believes.” Ravi responded. “They think he lured you out using a burner phone and then attacked you. Crazy, right?”

“But that doesn’t make sense, Ravi.” Zach countered, panic growing in his voice. “I told them it was Jason who did this.”

That took Ravi by surprise. “You told them? When?”

“Yesterday, after you and Pip left.” Zach responded. “They said they would investigate it. They never mentioned Connor being a suspect.”

Because it never once crossed their minds that Jason could be behind this, Ravi thought, though he didn’t voice it aloud. Zach was already getting worried, and he didn’t want to induce a panic attack from him. Zach needed to stay calm until he was finished.

“Well, besides the alleged narrative they created about your attack, a person came forward the other day, alleging that Connor had assaulted them last Thursday.”

The night Pip had almost been killed by Jason.

“Last Thursday?” Zach gulped. “But that was the night… Jason wouldn’t leave Connor alone that night, Ravi. Was it him, Ravi? It had to be him, right? Connor didn’t assault anybody! I was on the phone with him!”

“I know, Zach.”

“It doesn’t make sense, Ravi.” Zach groaned as he ran his fingers through his hair. “Why are they accusing Connor? We’ve had arguments before, but he would’ve never hurt me. He cares about me, Ravi, and I care about him… I really do.”

But there was something else, wasn’t there? He could tell from how his expression softened when talking about Connor. He may not be an expert on love, but he could tell when the line between platonic and romantic feelings had been crossed – and, in this case, it was most certainly being crossed.

“I know you do, Zach.” Ravi said, shutting that thought out of his mind temporarily. He’ll circle back to it later, when neither Zach nor Connor were present. “And Jason will pay for this. He won’t get away with it.”

“What if he does, though?” Zach sniffed. “He’ll get Connor locked up for something he didn’t do. Connor, the kindest boy I know will get his image ruined all because of that monster.”

“Zach, no.”

But Zach didn’t listen.

“They’ll tell me that I never really knew him; that he was just putting on a façade to deceive me and everyone else. We don’t always know the people we’re in love with, right? We might think we do, but that’s not the truth. There are secrets that will be kept. We might only find out about them when it’s too late.”

But Ravi hadn’t listened to that last part, because something else stuck out to him instead.

“You’re in love with Connor?”

Ravi expected a dramatic reaction, because who wouldn’t? But that wasn’t what happened.

In fact, Zach didn’t seem fazed by it. He just sat there, staring blankly at him, as though he hadn’t just openly admitted his love for Connor.

“I always have been, Ravi.” Zach admitted, his tone unaffected. “I could never not love him. He’s more than a best friend to me, Ravi; he’s my entire world. And it hurts, because not only can we not be together, but also because it seems like the world is against him.”

“Zach-”

“I don’t understand why they’re doing this to him, Ravi.” Zach was starting to cry now. “I love him and that’s all that matters to me. And I don’t care what anyone says, because he would never hurt me or anyone else. I clearly remember it being Jason, so that’s who the police should be going after – not my Connor.”  

My Connor, like how Ravi calls Pip his Pip. It made him tear up, thinking about how close he’d been to losing Pip. Because of the police not believing her, that monster has been free to hurt whoever he wants. He has already killed two people. How many more will it take until the police start suspecting Jason?

“We’re going to stop him, Zach.” Ravi stated. “He won’t get away with this.”

Zach scoffed, much to his surprise. “Will you? Because it seems like the police are not even on your side, Ravi.”

“They’ve never been, Zach, but that doesn’t mean Jason is going to get away with this.” Ravi countered. “We’ll stop him, okay? He won’t get away with it.”

But Zach didn’t look like he believed him. There was an unusual glint in his eyes that gave it away, which only made Ravi feel more scared than he already was. He was supposed to remain strong; put on a confident mask to the others, as he and Pip had been through this before.

Clearly, it wasn’t working, because Zach didn’t even seem to believe him.

Strangely enough, Ravi didn’t blame him, because it didn’t exactly look good when two people were dead, and him and Lauren had both survived but were traumatised as a result.

“Why did you come here, anyway?” Zach asked. “Is it about the case? Because I already told you everything I know.”

Fuck. Why had he come here, actually? He was supposed to be at Cara’s, as Pip had instructed. What made him come here?

“Um… just wanted to check in on you, Zach.” Ravi said. It wasn’t a complete lie, though. Zach was a friend, and good friends check in on each other. “Had some time to kill and was in the area. I’m probably going to head out soon, though.”

“Oh, okay.”

Was it his cue to leave? Ravi slowly moved towards the door, his eyes never leaving Zach’s.

But then Zach spoke again.

“Ravi?” He called out, abruptly stopping Ravi in his tracks.

“Yeah?”

Zach’s gaze faltered before he said, “If you’re free later, can you come back around? And bring Connor, too. I really miss him.”

“Connor?”

“Yes, Connor.” Zach rolled his eyes. “I want to see Connor. Can you do that for me, or do I need to leave the hospital myself to see him?”

“Okay, no need to do that, Zach.” Ravi responded. “I’ll bring him, okay?”

“Promise?”

Were they five? Either way, Ravi didn’t care, because he was going to fulfill Zach’s request no matter what.

“I promise, Zach.”

And then he was off.

~~~~

8:25am

“Jason, have you heard?”

Jason had just finished reading the newspaper when Dawn came inside, having just come back from a quick errand to the supermarket. Judging from her expression, she was horrified.   

“What?”

Though he knew exactly what it was. Nothing ever happens in this shitty town. Contrary to belief, Little Kilton was peaceful, up until a little snoop called Pippa Fitz-Amobi stuck her nose into the past.

But fine, he’ll play the clueless act to his wife, because she didn’t know who he really was. We never really know the people we love, do we?

“It’s Naomi Ward, Jason.” Dawn wept. “She died sometime before four. Someone apparently attacked her.”

Oh, was that so? Jason bit back a smirk, because Dawn couldn’t know. Dawn may be weak, but she wasn’t stupid. If she found out he was a killer, then that was going to be another body to deal with, and he couldn’t detract from his current plan right now.

“Oh, how unfortunate.” He remarked, forcing himself to sound pitiful. “Such a shame. Wasn’t she friends with that Pippa Fitz-Amobi?”

Dawn nodded. “Her younger sister is. Oh, that poor girl. She has nobody left. I think I might go round to hers later to drop some food off.”

Hang on. Dawn knew where Cara and Naomi lived?

“You know where they live?”

Maybe Dawn wasn’t so useless after all.

Dawn nodded. “I do. I used to be friends with Isobel before she passed. I just never mentioned it to you.”

Dawn seemed to have lost her boldness right then. Jason liked it like that, because no woman should think of herself as better than a man. He’d written all about it in his manifesto.

But he had to remain calm, too. He can’t just outright ask Dawn about it, because then she’ll ask questions, and he couldn’t lose control of himself right now. He had a plan, and he wasn’t going to let his stupid wife get in the way.

“I just didn’t know that, Dawn.” He said. “Anyway, I might be back late.”

“Oh?” She crossed her arms, her eyes trained to the floor. “Where are you off to?”

He scoffed. “None of your business. I’ll be back late, and that’s all you need to know.”

Dawn didn’t respond after that. She just hurried into the kitchen, presumably to make herself a cup of tea. She was weak like that, but Jason didn’t care. He’d made her like that, because a woman who defies him will only be a recurring problem. It was better to break her down to the point where she’ll just obey him without any further questions.

And he couldn’t lose focus today. He needed another adrenaline boost after killing Naomi Ward – and he already had his sights set on the next person.

But this person wasn’t going to die, surprisingly.

Well, killing him was not off the table just yet, but that wasn’t a priority when it came to this boy.

The boy he’d seen last night, wandering carelessly. You wouldn’t even think it were his friends who were being attacked if you saw him.

But him and that boy were more alike than he would ever realise, but Jason was going to make sure that he knew it.

Everyone has a dark side to themselves – and Connor Reynolds was no exception to it.

Chapter Text

10:00am

Sometime before nine, Cara had awoken. Pip was there as the doctors spoke to Cara about Naomi’s death. There was so much that needed to be done, and Pip was willing to help her through it.

Cara was a mess. The nap may have settled her initial hysteria, but it didn’t erase it completely. She was still out of it, as though her body lacked its soul. Pip related to that feeling; she’d felt it when Stanley died. Though unlike Stanley, Cara had lost her sister, and Pip just couldn’t imagine how much worse that feeling was.

“Want me to drive?” Pip asked when she saw Cara pull out her car keys. They’d been given the green light to leave the hospital, because there wasn’t much that they could do right now.

“No, I’m fine.” Cara said, but Pip knew better.

She snatched the keys from her, much to Cara’s surprise.

“It’s better if I drive, Cara.” Pip stated. “Just relax. You’ll be fine.”

Cara didn’t even attempt to argue. She just sighed and got in the passenger seat, not even acknowledging Pip as she got in and started the car.

~~~~

10:10am

“Oh, there you are, Ravi.” Jamie remarked as Ravi entered the kitchen. “Was wondering when you’d finally get back.”

Ravi wasn’t a genius, but he could tell that something had gone down while he’d been gone. The tension in this room was so thick that it was practically suffocating him.

Connor was sitting at the table, face buried in his hands. His hair was ruffled, suggesting that his fingers had been ran frantically through it. Nat was not here, so Ravi just believed that she was upstairs with Lauren.

“Uh, yeah. I just had to make a quick pit stop somewhere.” Zach’s hospital room, to be exact, but he didn’t voice that aloud. He’d also gone back home to check in on his parents, but that wasn’t important. “I’m here now, though. Isn’t that a good thing?”

“No, it is.” Jamie said. “Never said it wasn’t, Ravi.”

Okay, what was going on? Ravi didn’t like being kept out of the loop. He needed to know, or else he’ll force it out of whoever he chooses. And Connor looked like he was about to crack, so if it gets to that point, then Connor better be prepared to spill.

“Okay… are you guys okay?” Ravi winced, cringing at how awkward he sounded. “Did something happen while I was away?”

Obviously, something happened, you idiot. Why else does Connor look like he’s about to cry?

“Do you really want to know?” Jamie grimaced. Okay, so something did happen, and Jamie was just dancing around it. “It’s not good.”

“Considering there’s an active serial killer going after us right now, I think I’d like to know, Jamie.” Ravi responded. “Especially if it’s about him.”

Right then, Connor tensed. So, it was about Jason, wasn’t it?

“Ravi-”

“Hey, Con, want to tell me what’s up?” Ravi shot at him as he sat beside him. “You can tell me. Your brother seems to want to keep it a secret, but I don’t think that’s fair.”

“Ravi, stop it-”

“Did Jason come round here last night?” Ravi persisted, much to Jamie’s pleads. Normally, he’d be empathetic, but not right now. That monster had just murdered Naomi and could’ve potentially picked his next target. “Come on, Con. I won’t judge you if you tell me. What happened?”

He placed his hand on Connor’s back. This boy was so much like him when he was younger. No matter what, this boy will always have his unconditional support, so even if it were the most embarrassing thing in the world, Ravi would still support Connor no matter what.

Connor’s hands moved away from his face. Ravi winced seeing how bloodshot his eyes were. It was as if he’d been shot right in his eyes.

“He saw me, Ravi.” Connor mumbled, clenching his eyes shut. “I was out on a walk to clear my head last night when he texted me. He told me that I was practically asking to be killed because I was outside by myself, despite knowing that there was a killer targeting us.”

“What did you do?” Ravi asked.

“I went back here,” Connor said. “I came back and went straight to the guest room. Even then, I couldn’t fall asleep, because I couldn’t stop thinking about him possibly breaking in while I was asleep.”

So, that explained why Connor looked out of it. Even before this, he hadn’t been getting enough sleep because of the interrogation. This poor boy had gone through enough at this point. What was the world punishing him for? Being too kind?

“Can I see the message, Con?” Ravi gestured for his phone, which was sitting beside him on the kitchen table. “Go get some sleep. You look like you’re about to pass out.”

Connor was about to object when Jamie grabbed him by the shoulder and whispered something in his ear. Connor then passed over his phone and stood up, heading out of the room with Jamie.

A minute later, Jamie came back.

“He’s going to bed,” Jamie explained as he sat down next to Ravi. “I told him that nobody will break in while we’re here.”

“Do you think he’ll go to sleep?”

Jamie shrugged. “I hope so.”

And so did Ravi. However, that wasn’t important right now. He’ll read the message and then figure out his next course of action.

Oh, this would be so much easier if Pip were here.

~~~~

10:15am

Cara hadn’t spoken once since leaving the hospital.

As Pip drove, Cara just sat there beside her, watching the window. Normally, Cara was so chirpy and bright. But here she was, acting like a stranger and not the girl whom Pip considered a sister.

And Pip understood, because while she considered Cara her sister, Cara had lost her own. She was going back to a house without her sister for the first time in her life. She was going to have to plan Naomi’s funeral and figure out if she’ll continue living in that house by herself.

But still, it felt wrong having Cara act like this.

“So, what are you going to do about the house?” Pip asked, hoping to break the tension between them. “Are you going to stay there?”

“Do I have a choice?” Cara sniffed, not looking at Pip. “I don’t have anywhere else to go.”

“What about your grandparents?”

“In Great Abington. Pip, you know this.”

Pip did. How had she forgotten? Jason and this case had really consumed her. All she could think about was him, and not the people she allegedly cared about. Was she even a good friend?

“Oh, right.” Pip grimaced as she drove. “Well, I’m here for you, okay? Don’t forget that.”

What Cara said next was enough to make Pip’s blood run cold.

“Sure, you are.”

That didn’t sound like Cara.

That wasn’t the Cara who, at four years old, had hugged her on the playground and asked if she liked bunnies, too.

The Cara who had been more like a sister than a best friend to Pip.

The Cara who, if given the choice to sacrifice her own life so that Cara could live, Pip would go through without a second thought.

That was someone else. That was someone posing as Cara.

“What’s with the attitude?” Pip asked as she parked the car on a side street. She couldn’t cause an accident because she’d been arguing with Cara. What good will come from both her and Cara being dead? Jason will only just be free to continue hurting everyone she loved.

Cara scoffed, pure hatred reflecting in her eyes. “My sister is dead, Pip. Why else do you think I’m upset?”

“Cara, I know.” Pip said. “But I don’t know why you’re taking it out on me.”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Cara scoffed again and rolled her eyes. “My sister is dead. She died in my arms, Pip. Why wouldn’t I be upset?”

Pip understood. If it were Josh in Naomi’s position, then Pip would be just like Cara.

But Cara should also know that Pip wasn’t going to abandon her during this time. Though not blood-related, Cara was her sister, and blood didn’t matter to Pip at all. If she said that Cara was her sister, then that title was going to be upheld.

“I know, Cara.” Pip clenched her eyes shut, silencing the overwhelming thoughts consuming her. “And I’ll be there for you. You’re like my own sister, remember?”

Cara scoffed once again. “Some sister you are for letting Naomi die.”

Silence.

Pip swore you could hear a pin drop from how silent it had gotten in the car.

Cara blamed her for Naomi’s death.

Her Cara blamed her for Naomi’s death.

The Cara who had been Pip’s first friend.

The Cara who had tearfully come out as a lesbian to Pip over the phone in the early hours of the morning three years ago.

The Cara who had rescued her from Becca with Ravi just last year, after she had stupidly followed Becca to the cave where she had hidden Andie’s body after killing her.

This wasn’t Cara. The Cara she knew and loved wouldn’t have said this, but that Cara was clearly long-gone now.

And Cara didn’t even seem to regret saying that. She just sat there, still glaring at Pip as though she were a stranger who’d wronged her.

And for the first time in her life, Cara’s eyes weren’t like home to Pip – they were like a stranger’s, which Pip had deeply feared.

“What?” Pip sputtered, barely able to speak because of the lump in her throat. “Cara, what did you just say?”

Cara’s jaw twitched, eyes burning like a fire. “I said that you got my sister killed, Pip. You were too focused on Jamie and Nat to even consider that he’d go after my sister.”

“I thought he didn’t know where she worked!”

“What do you mean? He somehow has all our phone numbers, Pip!” Cara shot back. “He also managed to find out where Zach lived, too. What made you believe that he wouldn’t know where Naomi worked?”

“Because… I didn’t think he’d go that far, Cara-”

“Oh, really?” Cara cut her off. “Well, congrats, Pippa. Because of your mistake, my sister is dead, and I have nobody left. Are you happy? Because while you get to go home to your parents and Josh, I’ll go back to an empty house all because of your mistake. Happy now?”

“I’m not happy that Naomi died, Cara!” Pip retorted, anger building up inside of her. “I didn’t want anyone to die! I just made a mistake in my judgement and I’m sorry!”

“Sorry isn’t going to bring her back, Pip. She’s dead and now I have to bury another member of my family.” Cara frantically rubbed her eyes, though the tears poured freely. “Just take me home. Go find Jason Bell, but don’t involve me anymore. I don’t care what happens.”

“But Cara-”

“You’re not my friend, Pip. You were once, but not anymore.” Cara, though sobbing, stated boldly. “Take me back home now. After that, don’t talk to me again. You got my sister killed, and there’s nothing you can do that will make me forgive you, Pippa.”

Pip just stared, unable to say anything. Any attempt she made came out as nothing. It was as if Cara’s words had somehow stolen her ability to speak.

Cara wanted nothing to do with her.

After this final drive, Cara was cutting her out of her life for good, as if Pip was as discardable as Ant.

While Lauren was back in Cara’s life, Pip would be gone, as though she had never existed.

And if that was what Cara wanted, then Pip was willing to let it happen. All she wanted was for Cara to be happy. And if that meant cutting herself out of her life on Cara’s request, then Pip will do just that.

But that didn’t mean it didn’t hurt to do so.

~~~~

10:30am

Ravi felt sick to his stomach as he handed Connor’s phone back to Jamie.

He’d assumed that Jason had left Connor alone after Connor had gone back to Cara’s house last night, but he’d been mistaken. It turned out that Jason had kept texting him even after Connor got back in – and each message had been worse than the last one.

PN: Ran back like the baby you are?

PN: Aw, how sad. Poor little Connor is afraid of the monster coming after him and his friends. Too bad you’ll never escape in time.

PN: You’ll end up dead, just like that bitch Naomi Ward.

PN: Maybe you’ll even go burn in hell like your old friend Ant. What do you think about that?

PN: Come on, Connor. Answer me.

PN: Leaving me on read? That’s not a good move to make. Wonder who’ll mourn you when you’re the one who dies.

“I can’t believe it,” Ravi gulped as he clenched his eyes shut. “I don’t know about you, Jamie, but I think he has other plans for Connor. He’s not opposed to killing him, but he also sees something within him, too.”

“But what, Ravi?” Jamie asked. “What is it?”

“I don’t know, Jamie.” Ravi replied. “But we can’t let him get to him either. We need to keep him safe; keep everyone safe. We’ve already lost Naomi, Jamie. We can’t lose anyone else.”

Jamie nodded in agreement, though Ravi could see the uncertainty in his eyes. Ravi knew that if needed, Jamie would die if it meant keeping Connor safe. Even if Connor didn’t want it, Jamie would do it, because that’s how much Jamie loved Connor.

He wondered if that was the same with Naomi, too; if she took all the pain just so that Cara wouldn’t have to suffer, even though Cara wasn’t even there. She died not even knowing if Cara would be safe from Jason, because that monster was still roaming free.

“Everything okay here?” Nat entered the kitchen right then. Ravi noticed how worn out she seemed. Had she been up all night, too? It looked like it. “Connor is asleep. Lauren’s waiting for Cara.”

“Still?” Jamie sighed. “God, that’s commitment.”

“Hasn’t she slept?” Ravi asked.

Nat shrugged. “Refused to. She doesn’t want to until Cara comes back.”

Ravi understood. If it were him in Lauren’s position with Pip, then he’d act just like her.

But he was also confused. Wasn’t Cara with Steph? An outsider wouldn’t guess it from how… obsessed Cara seemed to be with Lauren right now – and that was the nicest way to put it. He wasn’t even sure if Steph had even been updated about the situation right now.

“Hm, right.” Ravi chewed on his lip before getting up. “Anyway, I think I’m going to call Pip to see when her and Cara are coming back. Be back in a bit-”

He was cut off by the front door being swung open. Seconds later, two familiar voices entered the house – and neither sounded happy with each other.

“Cara, please-”

“Pip, go away. You did what I asked, so go now.”

“But Cara, you don’t have to do this.” Pip pleaded. Ravi swore he could feel his heart go heavy just from the pain in Pip’s voice. “We’re friends, remember? You told me that the first day we met.”

A moment of silence passed before Cara said, “Well, not anymore. That girl is gone now, Pip, because you got her sister killed. Maybe don’t make that mistake next time, if it even was one to begin with.”

Hold on. What was going on?

Ravi approached the scene with Jamie and Nat. There, in front of the doorway, stood Cara and Pip, staring each other down as though they were each other’s worst enemies.

This didn’t make sense. As Pip had told him, her and Cara were like sisters. They’d been like that since the first day they met. Pip had even kept Naomi’s involvement in the car crash a secret just so that neither Naomi nor Cara got hurt.

But here Cara was, renouncing that title. What happened?

“What’s going on?” Ravi asked, breaking the silence that had settled after Cara’s harsh words. He noticed how Pip was looking at him, seeking comfort in his kind eyes. “Sarge, what’s wrong?”

Pip didn’t respond. She just pushed past him and went into the living room, a sob breaking out of her.

For a moment, Ravi was uncertain on what to do. He looked at Cara, hoping to get an answer from her, but she just stared blankly at him, not saying a word.

Guess that was her response, then. Since he wasn’t going to get anything from her, he was better off not being here.

So, without a second thought, he took off in the direction that Pip went.

~~~~

This was for better, Cara thought as she watched Ravi go. Jamie and Nat had gone away, too, but she was too focused on Ravi. He was obviously going to Pip, because unlike her, Pip had someone to fall back on.

She had Steph, but she was nothing like Ravi.

Unlike her and Steph, Ravi and Pip were destined soulmates. They fit together like a glove, while she couldn’t even tell Steph about Naomi’s death.

And it was wrong; Cara knew it was, not telling her anything, because Steph deserved better. But she also couldn’t let Steph go, because who else was there besides Steph?

“Cara?”

Well, besides Lauren.

Cara glanced up at Lauren. She was standing on the stairs, watching her intently. Had she heard everything? Cara could already feel her heart going heavy from the guilt. Lauren didn’t deserve to overhear that. She needed to rest after everything that she’d been through.

“Lauren, hey.” Cara stepped onto the stairs, slowly approaching Lauren. “Have you been waiting for me?”

She nodded. “I waited all night.”

God, now Cara felt worse. Even if it wasn’t in her control, Cara still felt bad. She already ruined her friendship with Pip and was now going to ruin Lauren. She should just get out of here before Cara blows everything up as she usually does.

“You shouldn’t have done that, Loz.” Cara responded. “Go back to bed. You need to rest.”

“But I can’t,” Lauren quipped as she reached out for her hand. “Not without you, Cara.”

For a moment, Cara resisted. Lauren was treading in dangerous territory by still sticking by her. She should be running far away just overhearing that horrible interaction with her and Pip.

But… Cara also needed a friend right now. And no matter what feeling she felt for Lauren, a friend was what she needed, so Lauren will be that friend for now.

So, Cara grabbed her hand. A spark set off in her chest just from grabbing it, but Cara brushed it aside. She’ll deal with that later, when her mind was much clearer.

Right now, all she needed was Lauren, and that was all that mattered to her.

Chapter Text

Where am I?

Clearly not home.

He’s out on the street again. The streetlight he’s under is bathing him in the light. It’s blinding him, to be honest.

But this isn’t right.

Something about this feels wrong.

He can’t move. No matter what he does, his feet won’t budge. It’s as if they have been glued to the pavement.

He tries to scream, but nothing comes out. Has someone stolen his voice?

But then he sees it.

Suddenly, his voice and lack of movement is not the priority anymore.

A figure is watching him.

An older man is watching him.

Who are you? His mind questions, since he couldn’t verbalise it. What do you want?

The man approaches closer. Connor swears he could feel his heart beating faster than usual. He’s been in intense situations before, but nothing like this.

This doesn’t feel real.

Not real.

The man’s footsteps are heavy like rocks. Connor’s entire body tenses just hearing them slam against the street.

Not real.

The light reflects onto him. Connor clenches his eyes shut, afraid to see who it was, though he knew deep down.

Not real.

“Open your eyes.”

He knows that voice, but he still doesn’t open his eyes.

No, because this isn’t real.

Not real.

Not real.

Not real.

“Connor, open your eyes.”

The voice is getting angry now. However, Connor still doesn’t open his eyes.

This isn’t real.

Not real.

Not real.

Not real-

The thought is cut off when a pair of hands wrap around his throat, yanking him off the ground as though he were a doll.

Suddenly, he can’t breathe. His lungs are going to explode, just like his entire body.

Not real.

Not real…

Not real?

~~~~

11:10am

Pip had gone back home. Ravi had followed, of course, because he could tell something was wrong. Pip wished he had stayed at Cara’s, because he was safer there than he was here, but she couldn’t stop him either.

“Sarge, tell me what happened between you and Cara.” Ravi asked for what felt like the hundredth time since they left Cara’s house. And, in Pip’s current true nature, she was being stubborn. “We can fix this, Sarge. There’s no way you and Cara are going to stop being friends over this.”

“Didn’t you hear her, Ravi?” Pip replied as she read her notes from her laptop, not even sparing him a glance. “I got Naomi killed, so now she wants nothing to do with me.”

“But that’s not true,” Ravi countered. “You didn’t get Naomi killed. That wasn’t your fault.”

But it was. If it hadn’t been, then why did Cara cut off their friendship? It didn’t take a genius to realise that it was her fault, because if she had not treated Naomi as an afterthought, then she wouldn’t be dead.

Jason wouldn’t have taken the chance to kidnap and torture her for six hours. He purposedly drew out his torture on her for six hours, because he wanted her to suffer. He wanted her to die, but he also wanted to make sure the pain was drawn out long enough so that she would feel everything.

Naomi had probably been praying to pass away sooner so that she wouldn’t suffer anymore. But Jason, being the clever monster he was, made sure to keep her alive until he was ready to dispose of her. What a sick fucker.

And Pip had let it happen.

If Pip had just stopped and realised that Naomi was still a target no matter where she worked, then she would still be alive.

Your fault.

Your fault.

Your fault.

 “Then why is Naomi dead?” Pip sputtered. Her gaze cast over to her desk drawer. Unlike Ravi, she knew what was in there, and she also knew that Ravi was better off dead than knowing about it. “If it wasn’t my fault, then why isn’t she alive?”

Get the pills.

Get the pills, Pippa.

All the pain will go away if you get the pills.

“You didn’t know, Sarge.” Ravi countered, sounding exasperated. “Nobody knew he was going after Naomi. You even said yourself that he’s targeting anyone close to you!”

Wrong.

He’s lying to you, Pippa.

He hates you, too.

Just get the pills and the pain will go away.

“You don’t understand, Ravi.” Pip sniffed, her gaze still stuck on that damn desk drawer. She needed Ravi to leave so that she could take the pill and ease her mind. It was going to kill her if she didn’t calm it soon. “I killed Naomi. I didn’t do it directly, but I led her to her death.”

She thought about Naomi; how she saw her this morning, blissfully unaware of her impending fate. She wondered if Naomi saw it coming; if she could spy the monster from the shadows. Though she mustn’t have, because she had just been going on her lunch break.

A lunch break was never going to be the same for Pip ever again. She’ll always think about Naomi; how she never made it back from hers, because that monster stole her life.

And it was all because of her.

Because it didn’t cross her mind that Jason would know where she worked.

Or that he would go that far to find her.

But maybe it started before that, when she chose to escape from Jason instead of staying put.

None of this would’ve happened if she had just stayed instead of running away.

Yes, it is your fault, Pippa.

Your fault.

Your fault.

Accept it, Pippa.

They all hate you.

Cara.

Lauren.

Nat.

Jamie.

Connor.

Zach.

Mum.

Dad.

Josh.

Ravi, too.

Ravi especially hates you the most.

He can’t even stand to be in the same room as you.

Look at him, Pippa. He looks sick because of you.

Just let him go, like how Cara did for you.

Do it.

Do it.

Do it.

“Sarge, what are you staring at?”

Fuck.

Ravi shouldn’t have noticed. Though she appreciated how clever he could be, she just wished he wouldn’t notice everything – as in stuff that Pip was intentionally hiding from him – especially the drugs that she wasn’t supposed to have now.

Once upon a time, she’d been prescribed Valium after the initial aftermath of Stanley’s death. However, as time went on, the doctor cut her off, telling her that she needed to find her own ways to cope with the trauma, as the medication will prevent her from recovering from her PTSD in the long run.

And Pip had tried; she really had, but nothing was working besides the medication. So, when her doctor had cut her off, she resorted to buying Xanax from Luke Eaton – Nat’s ex-boyfriend who had also been one of the final two suspects for Child Brunswick. He’d since become the new drug dealer in town after Howie Bowers was arrested.

Interesting career choice, but Pip couldn’t really judge, since she was actively aiding his business by buying from him.

But Ravi couldn’t know.

He’ll never forgive her if he did, because she had told him that she was getting better using talk therapy. And he believed her, because he had no reason not to. What happens if he finds out that she lied to him?

“Nothing, Ravi.” Pip lied, casting her gaze back onto him. “Just go home. I need to rest.”

“What about the case?”

Fuck the case, honestly. Not only was it costing people’s lives, but it had costed her friendship with Cara. Jason might just win, all because of her stupid judgement.

“Forget the case for now, Ravi.” Pip replied, practically snapping at him. “I just need to rest.”

“Is that all you’re going to do?”

Why was he questioning her? Did he suspect something? She was really screwed if he did. He’d already noticed her staring at the desk drawer. It wouldn’t take him long to start piecing the puzzle together to discover the bigger picture.

“Yes, Ravi. I’m not doing anything besides having a nap.” Pip snapped. “Now go, please.”

But he didn’t.

He just didn’t, and that slightly pissed Pip off.

Why couldn’t he listen? She just wanted to be alone. She really loved him, but she also didn’t deserve him. When he eventually finds out the truth, then he’ll never be able to look her in the eyes again.

He’ll never be able to love you when he finds out that you’re a liar.

Liar.

You’re a liar, Pippa.

A pathetic little liar.

Who’ll care about you once they realise that you’re nothing but a liar?

“Ravi, I said that you need to go.” Pip stated, almost sounding like a parent scolding their child. “So go.”

“But I don’t want to, Sarge.” Ravi replied. “There’s a serial killer out there who’s targeting people close to you. What happens if he just decides to go after you now?”

But Pip was quick to shut him down. “He wouldn’t do that, Ravi. He has a plan, and he won’t deter from it.”

“But Zach-”

“Was an exception. And even then, Zach was still a low-risk target. If it hadn’t been him, then it would’ve just been Lauren or Naomi.”

“Pip-”

“Don’t you understand, Ravi? He’s saving me for last.” Pip cut him off, voicing the dreadful truth that she couldn’t even stomach hearing herself. “I was supposed to be his last victim until I escaped. And if he gets his way, I’ll still be his last victim – he’s just going to kill everyone I care about first.”

Even you, Ravi.

He might even make me watch him kill you.

But Pip didn’t voice that thought aloud. Ravi was already worried enough.

But he did it himself.

“Even me?”

Pip hesitantly nodded. “Even you.”

A heavy breath expelled from Ravi. Pip could hear it, and it felt like torture. This boy had been the reason why she survived her ordeal, because he had been there in her mind, guiding her through her escape, but even he wasn’t safe from Jason.

If her other thought came true, then she’ll be forced to witness Jason steal his life from him, too, before he kills her.

Oh, Ravi.

I’m so sorry.

“Maybe you should leave town,” Pip suggested.

“What?”

Pip continued. “I was thinking about telling my parents to do the same, too. Maybe-”

“Wait, what? Leave town?” Ravi stopped her, eyes wide with confusion. “What about you, Sarge?”

“What about me?”

“If we’re gone, what about you?” Ravi continued. “You, just like everyone else, deserves to be safe from Jason.”

“Yeah, but it’s me he wants, Ravi.” Pip argued. “If I leave, then he’ll just follow.”

“And you don’t think he’ll do the same for us?”

“Ravi-”

“I’m not leaving you, Sarge.” Ravi cut her off once again, sounding defiant. “I’ll stay by your side no matter what. Your parents can choose to do so if they want, but I’m not leaving.”

“Even if it kills you?”

Ravi sighed. “Sarge, it’ll kill me more if I’m away from you. We’re a team, remember? No one gets left behind.”

“No matter what?”

Ravi grabbed both her hands and softly kissed them. “No matter what, Sarge.”

But even then, she still didn’t deserve him.

He may not leave, but that didn’t mean she deserved him. In fact, he deserved better than a liar like her.  

“Fine, Ravi.” Pip sighed as Ravi released her hands. “But I do want to get some sleep. My head is killing me.”

“That’s fine, Sarge.” Ravi smiled and stepped back. “Do you want me to stay?”

As much as Pip would like that, she shook her head.

“No, it’s okay.” Pip said. “My dad’s here. And I want you to go back to Cara’s, actually.”

“What for?”

“Connor, Jamie and Nat are still there,” Pip continued. “I need you to check in on all of them. Then you can come back here.”

“Are you sure?”

No, she wasn’t, because there was still a slim chance that Jason could change his mind and kill her while she was alone.

But that was still a slim chance. Jason was going off the rails, but he wasn’t going to deter from his plan. He’d already seemingly done it once with Zach, and Pip had a feeling he wouldn’t risk it again.

“I’m sure, Ravi.” Pip nodded. “Now go, please.”

Ravi stood there for a moment before he said goodbye and kissed her forehead. Pip watched him go before shutting the bedroom door and going straight to her desk drawer.

She shouldn’t be doing this, especially after that moment with Ravi.

But she couldn’t sleep if she didn’t do this.

She pulled out the small baggie of pills, which fit perfectly in her palm like a glove.

There were six left, just like the six gunshots that lived inside her now. She’ll have to restock when possible.

Do it.

Do it.

Do it.

She popped two into her mouth, just to be safe. She found that she got to sleep easier if she took two.

Ravi would hate her if he saw this, so hence why he’ll never see this.

She just had to pray that he’ll never question it further.  

~~~~

“Open your eyes, Connor!”

Why are you doing this to me?

Not real.

Not real.

Not real?

This was real, wasn’t it?

He never had fallen asleep, because this wasn’t a dream. He was still on his late-night walk, where Jason had seen him and had stalked him from the shadows. Jason had just finally made his move onto him.

Real.

Real.

Real.

Slowly, Connor opened his eyes.

The face that stared back at him was one he expected, but still sickening to look at. His blood ran cold just looking at it.

But it looked distorted, too; just like a monster. He exactly resembled the monsters in the stories Jamie and Zoe would tell him during late-night thunderstorms just to scare him.

But, unlike those monsters, this one was real.

And he had him in his grasp.

Real.

Real.

Real.

“Pathetic boy, aren’t you?” He teased, a venomous smirk plastered on his face. “It’s your fault, Connor.”

My fault?

For what?

“You got him attacked, Connor.” He continued. “It’s your fault. You’ll be the reason he’s dead, too.”

Connor didn’t even have to take long to realise who he was referring to.

No…

No!

Let me go!

But he couldn’t move. His body was as stiff as a rock. His voice was still gone. He was practically dead weight in Jason’s hands.

“It’s all your fault, Connor.” He dropped him right then. “All your fault.”

Your fault.

Your fault.

Your fault.

Your fault!

IT’S YOUR FAULT!

Connor…

You won’t be the hero you so desperately want to be.

It’s all your fault.

Your fault.

Your fault.

This is all real and it’s your fault.

Real.

Your fault.

Real.

Your fault.

Real.

Your fault.

IT’S ALL REAL AND IT’S YOUR FAULT.

No!

~~~~

“Connor!” Jamie was trying to hold him down while also trying to wake him up. “Connor! Nat, help! Connor, wake up!”

Sometime after Pip and Ravi left, Jamie had overheard noises from upstairs but had brushed it off as his imagination. Like his brother, he hadn’t been getting a lot of sleep because of the situation.

However, when the noises wouldn’t die down and Nat had overheard them, too, Jamie felt it in his gut that something was wrong.

And his gut had been proven correct when they went into the guest room and saw Connor thrashing around in the bed, practically a prisoner stuck in his own body. Cara had overheard, too, but Nat hadn’t let her in the room. Though she was a friend, Connor did not need an audience right now – he just needed his brother and that was it.

But Connor wouldn’t wake up.

Jamie had tried everything, but Connor wouldn’t stir. Whatever nightmare he was having had taken full control, because nothing they did could snap his brother out of his terrifying slumber.

“Connor!” Jamie shouted. “Nat, help!”

“How?” Nat asked.

“Anything!” Jamie shouted back. “Just help!”

Nat left the room and returned a moment later, carrying a glass of water. She approached the bed and swiftly dunked it onto Connor.

Instantly, Connor awoke. And although Jamie was relieved that Nat had been able to break his brother out of his terrible slumber, the relief was temporary as Connor was still hysterical.

“It’s not my fault!” Connor shouted as he thrashed in Jamie’s grasp. “Let me go! I didn’t mean for him to get hurt! I didn’t mean to do it!”

“Connor, calm down!”

“I didn’t mean it! I swear I didn’t!”

“What are you talking about?” Jamie asked, his arms tightly wrapped around his brother to hold him in place. “Connor, relax. Everything is okay-”

“It was real. All of it was real. He’s going to kill me because he saw me.” Connor broke out into a sob right then. “He’s going to kill me…”

Connor started crying. Jamie, being the good brother he was, hugged him tightly, not even considering letting him go. Connor’s face buried into his shoulder. His tears were staining his shirt, but Jamie didn’t care. His brother was all that mattered to him right now.

“It’s okay, Connor.” Jamie said as he rubbed his back, soothing him. “It’s all okay now. He’s not here.”

“But it all felt so real…” Connor mumbled as he sobbed. Jamie swore he could feel his heart breaking from how broken Connor sounded. “He was there, Jamie. He said that it was all my fault that he got attacked.”

“Who?” Jamie asked. He cast a concerned glance at Nat, who just sat beside him silently, mirroring his concern.

“You know who, Jamie.” Connor replied. “It was him, Jamie.”

Him, as in Jason Bell. Even thinking about him was enough to send shivers down Jamie’s spine.

“Jason?”

Connor’s silence spoke for itself. Jamie felt sick just thinking about it. It even seemed that you couldn’t escape from Jason in your dreams. He was just like Freddy Krueger. He only had to hope that Jason wouldn’t somehow get the ability to kill them just like Freddy could.

“Oh, Con, it’s okay now.” Jamie said as he continuously rubbed his brother’s back. “Just relax. It was just a dream.”

Connor didn’t respond. He’d gone limp in his arms, though his sobs could still be heard. Because of this, Jamie chose to just not bother him anymore.

But it didn’t erase the worry he felt for him. It was like his brother was on a cliff, being slowly pushed to the edge. It only was a matter of time when he’d eventually fall off, and Jamie was worried as to what would come after that.

He just had to hope that he was enough to keep Connor safe. He’d die for him, and he was willing to live up to that promise no matter what.

~~~~

A grin grew on Jason’s face as he watched the Amobi house. He was sitting in his van, which he’d parked across the street. Nobody ever seemed to notice him here, which was surprising, but he didn’t care. The only person who had was her little brother, but who would ever believe a kid? They’ll just brush it off as him telling lies.

A small part of him had wanted to break in and just kill the stupid bitch who started this in the first place, but he quickly reminded himself why he was purposefully putting her last.

If there was one thing Pippa had made known on her podcast, it was that she deeply cared about her loved ones. She had even put off solving that Jamie Reynolds case just so her loved ones wouldn’t be in danger yet again.

Heck, her poor beloved dog had been allegedly killed by Becca because of the previous investigation. It was such a tragedy, wasn’t it? Such a shame that her initially believing it was Becca was a fault in her judgement, too.

But he didn’t care. He hadn’t even known it was her dog until after the news came out. He’d simply assumed that it was Becca’s, which he hadn’t liked because Becca was supposed to do as she was told. She wasn’t supposed to have a dog, because he was allergic to them, so he killed that stupid mutt when Becca released him.

Anyway, it was clear that she cared a lot about the people she loved. Jason couldn’t relate, because he’d rather set himself on fire than have empathy. Either way, his feelings on the topic didn’t matter, because it was Pip’s that he was interested in.

She wanted to protect those she cared about during her investigations. Well, what happens when they’re the ones at the centre of it?

And he already had his next victim in order. Though he wasn’t exactly planning on killing him just yet… the plan wasn’t off the table, but there was just something about him that Jason needed to see first before finalising his decision.

Everyone has a dark side to themselves. And if Connor Reynolds was playing his cards right, then he better choose to embrace that side if he wants to be the one who gets to live.

Chapter Text

12:00pm

When Ravi arrived at Cara’s house, he immediately sensed something was off.

First, Connor was sitting on the couch in the living room, blankly staring at the TV.

Second, Jamie was pacing around in the backyard, talking on the phone to someone.

And third, Nat was initially nowhere to be seen but Ravi could hear her voice upstairs, so she must be with Cara and Lauren.

But Ravi was confused, because something must’ve gone down while he was gone. What could’ve happened in the time that he had been at Pip’s?

“Hey, Con.” Ravi greeted as he sat beside him on the couch. He noticed how Connor tensed just from the subtle movement, even though he would never normally do that. “Are you okay?”

Connor didn’t respond. He just sat there, staring blankly at the TV. It was like although he was physically here, he wasn’t mentally. God, what happened? This wasn’t the Connor he’d known for a year now.

The Connor he knew was warm, kind and always knew how to cheer someone up with his cheesy puns. The Connor who was sitting beside him might as well just be an imposter.

“Connor, did something happen?” Ravi asked, not giving up. “Connor-”

“It was a nightmare, Ravi.” Nat suddenly chimed in. Ravi’s gaze snapped in her direction, landing on the stairs where she stood. “He had a nightmare.”

“About what?” Ravi felt nauseous thinking about it. He’d had nightmares before; specifically of Sal’s passing during the initial aftermath, but there had never been one that rendered him mute like Connor was right now.

“I don’t know if I should say,” Nat bit her lower lip, gaze narrowing on Ravi. “It’s not my business.”

“Yeah, but I would like to know Nat.”

“Ravi-”

“Nat-”

“I’m right here, you know.” Connor suddenly said. Ravi almost jumped out of his skin hearing his voice, even though he’d heard it countless times before. “I can hear you both.”

“I know, Connor.” Ravi replied.

“Then why are you both talking about me as if I’m not here?” Connor asked, casting an annoyed glance at Ravi. “I know people believe I’m stupid, but I’m not. And I’m certainly not deaf either.”

“We know, Connor.” Ravi replied. “And we’re sorry. You just weren’t talking.”

“Is there any point to it anyway?” Connor lightly scoffed and rolled his eyes. “Talking doesn’t stop him from hurting you. He’ll just laugh at you and then kill you.”

“Who?” Though Ravi already knew.

“Jason, Ravi. You know this.” Connor scoffed again. “God, I’m not stupid.”

“Nobody said you were, Con.” Nat chimed in. “Ravi was just asking.”

“Isn’t that what you all do?” Connor retorted. “All you guys do is ask questions. But no matter how many questions you ask, it’s not stopping him from hurting us.”

Fair point, but Connor had to understand they were trying. Like every case before this, they had to ask multiple questions before finding the culprit – the only difference was that they knew who the culprit was but didn’t know who he was targeting next.

“We’re trying, Con. We really are.”

Connor didn’t respond. He just sat there, still staring at the TV. He was like an old man whose youthful soul had been ripped right from him. Any youth he once had was now replaced with bitterness.

And though Connor had a right to be bitter, Ravi also knew that he needed to be rational right now, too. He couldn’t be vulnerable, because that’s exactly what Jason preyed upon. When a person is visibly vulnerable, they’ll have their guard down, which allowed for predators like Jason to swoop in and capture them.

And right now, anyone who was connected to Pip needed to have their guard up. Because of a mistake, Naomi was dead, and Ravi wasn’t going to allow anyone else to die on his watch.

~~~~

“Maybe you could still go through with the surgery, Nai.” Cara twisted a lock of Naomi’s hair around her finger, noting how perfectly it curled around it. “We could still try-”

“No, Cara, we can’t.” Naomi quickly shut her down. “I’m going to die, okay? We’ve been through this already. Even if I survived, the damage was already done.”

“But maybe-”

“No maybes or buts, because I’ve already decided my fate.”

Despite it, Cara still hated it. Why couldn’t her sister just choose to live? Why must she die now?

“You can have it your way, I guess.”

But she’ll just have to accept it and savour whatever time they had left together.

“Can you promise me something, though?” Naomi’s hand cupped her cheek, her gaze fixed on Cara’s. “Please?”

Cara can’t handle it anymore.

Growing up, Cara had lived in a functional household. She had both her parents and an older sister whom she deeply admired. When she was four, she’d gained another sister through Pip, who may not have been related by blood, but was still like a sister to her, nonetheless.

But when she turned ten, her entire life had started going off the rails.

Her mother had gotten sick and eventually passed away. Naomi never fully recovered from it, seeing that she’d been so close to their mother. And her father had been shattered by the loss, as what Pip had described him during the funeral.

Then Sal died when she was eleven. Naomi also never fully recovered from it, but there was another reason behind her grief that Cara only found out five years later.

And then her father, whom she’d always looked up to, was revealed to be Sal’s killer who had a relationship with Andie prior to her death just last year. He hadn’t delivered the final blow that killed her, but he’d done his part to cause it. He’d only killed Sal so that nobody suspected him in Andie’s disappearance.

But after that, things went smoothly for a while. Jamie had disappeared, but he was found alive after a week.

Other than that, her life was seemingly going back on track. She finished school, was going to take a gap year with Steph, and was going to be staying in Little Kilton as Naomi got a job and was able to financially support both.

And it seemed, for once since her entire life blew up, there was a light at the end of the tunnel. Cara was actually looking forward to what the future held for her… until now.

Because now, in the present day, Naomi was dead. The Ward family had once comprised of Elliot, Isobel, Naomi and Cara, but now only one remained and it was Cara.

And Cara wasn’t sure what to do.

“Cara?”

Oh, but Lauren was here, and there was something about Lauren that made Cara feel safe.

She was lying next to Lauren on her bed, gaze fixed upon hers. Her eyes were like an ocean that Cara would willingly drown in if it meant being with her.

“Yeah?” Cara sniffed. “What’s up?”

“Are you okay?” She asked. “You haven’t spoken since… whatever went on with Connor.”

Cara’s face flushed. Right when she was about to talk about her feelings to Lauren, an incident involving Connor had occurred in the guest room. She had tried to intervene, but Nat wouldn’t let her in. She’d said that Jamie needed to be with his brother. And although Cara understood, it felt like she’d been stabbed in the heart being pushed away.

Connor was a close friend. He’d been a friend since they were ten, when he had invited both her and Pip around to his house. In some sick way, her being pushed away from Connor was punishment for pushing away Pip.

Pip.

She didn’t want to think about Pip. She really regretted saying the things she’d said to her in the car, but she couldn’t take it back now. Pip had followed through on her request and had left with Ravi.

She didn’t know why she blamed Pip for Naomi’s death. She remembered seeing Pip so determined to find her sister once realising her absence. She was going to bring her back, but that promise never came through, because she was already a dying woman when she was found.

Pip said she had just made a mistake in her judgement. It hadn’t crossed her mind that Jason would know where Naomi worked, despite the personal information he’d already known about them. Why wouldn’t he know where Naomi worked?

But still, Pip hadn’t deserved the blame. She’d just been so angry about her sister’s death that she took it out on the one person she could never imagine hurting.

But now there was nothing she could do about it. What’s done is done.

“Hm, right.” Cara pursed her lips together. “Just tired.”

“Go to sleep, then.” Lauren suggested. “You look like you need it.”

“Is that meant to be an insult, Lauren?” Though Cara was biting back a chuckle.

“Oh, no.” Lauren’s eyes widened. “I was just… kindly suggesting it. I didn’t mean to come off rude-”

“No, it’s fine, Loz.” Cara replied, a hint of joy in her voice. “I was just playing around with you.”

“You were?”

“I wouldn’t lie to you.”

Because what’s the point in lying? All a lie does is hurt someone.

Her mother had promised that she would survive her illness and died.

Her father had lied about being a good man for five years and was now in prison for murder.

Her sister had promised to be back before the evening and was now dead.

And her best friend… Pip had promised to find Naomi alive, but she hadn’t. And it hurt, because just like Naomi, she hadn’t intended to lie to her. It had simply been a broken promise that Cara couldn’t realise at the time due to her anger.

And yet, she was still angry, because she knew that if Pip had realised sooner, then Naomi would still be alive. And sure, the logic was flawed, because the responsibility shouldn’t be placed on Pip, but that seed planted in her mind made her think otherwise.  

“I know you wouldn’t, Cara.” Lauren responded, a smile teasing on her lips. “You’re a good person.”

“Is there such a thing as a good person?” Cara sighed as she clenched her eyes shut. “I ended my friendship with Pip because I was angry about Naomi. I promised to be there for Pip after what she went through, yet I just cruelly shut her out.”

“Well, you were angry, Cara.” Lauren replied. “We all say things we don’t mean when we’re angry.”

“But it’s different, Lauren.” Cara argued. “I told her that I hated her and didn’t want to be her friend anymore. I said that I don’t even care what happens with Jason, because I don’t want any part in it. How could she ever forgive me for that?”

“Well, you never know, Cara.” Lauren sighed as she brushed a strand of Cara’s hair out of her face. “Pip does love you. If it works out, then this will pass, and you’ll be friends again.”

And even though Cara has every reason not to believe Lauren, she chooses to. She may not deserve to be forgiven, but she will pray that the chance will come.

But not now. All she wants is to fall asleep while looking into Lauren’s beautiful eyes, wishing that they could take her away from this horrible world.

~~~~

Your fault.

Your fault.

YOUR FAULT.

YOUR FAULT.

And it just kept repeating in his head.

Connor had never thought he’d been brought to a state like this. Yet again, he never thought he would be a target of a serial killer just because of who he was friends with. It’s funny how the world works, right?

Even though it had just been a dream, it felt as if he’d never left it. He swore that he could see that man’s face everywhere – on the TV, in the cup of water that Nat had given him, and even in the faces of the people he loved.

For a minute, he’d seen his face on Ravi, which scared him because he considered Ravi his best friend. Zach was, too, but Zach… there was something else there, which terrified Connor. But with Ravi, there was nothing but platonic love for him, which Connor greatly appreciated.

So, when that monster appeared even on his best friend’s face, it made him wonder if he does make it out of this situation alive, then if he’ll ever recover from the pain that monster had inflicted.

Ravi had sent Nat away. He told her that he needed a moment alone with him. Nat, being the understanding person she was, did as requested. Connor had always liked Nat; she was always so nice to him. If Jamie does end up marrying her, then he’ll be over the moon to welcome Nat to their family.

But now, even though he did consider Ravi to be like a best friend, the awkward tension between them was back. It had grown to the point that it was practically suffocating Connor.

“You know, there’s something I haven’t told you, Con.” Ravi suddenly blurted out, breaking the silence between them. “Today, after I left Pip at the hospital with Cara… I went to where Zach is staying.”

Connor’s body tensed. Even the mention of Zach was enough to make the world stop in Connor’s eyes.

He was going to be okay, but Connor wasn’t sure if he’ll ever be able to face him again. How could he look at him and still feel the same? How could he not look at his face and remember that he could’ve saved him? Had he just gone to his house as planned, then Zach wouldn’t have been in that situation in the first place.

Not to mention that stupid spark that ignited in his chest when Zach’s image pictured in his mind…

“Why?” He asked.

“Because I felt like it,” Ravi shrugged. “He misses you, Connor. He wants you to see him.”

Connor swore he could feel the entire world crash down upon him hearing that.

“What?” He practically sputtered.

“He wants to see you, Connor.” Ravi repeated, unfazed by his imminent panic. “He wants to see you today. He told me that-”

“No!” Connor suddenly shrieked, cutting Ravi off. “I can’t! I can’t do that! I can’t see him!”

“Connor-”

“I can’t do that, Ravi!” Connor continued. “I can’t do that… I can’t let him see me, or else he’ll never forgive me…”

“For what?” Ravi asked, cocking his head to the side. “Connor?”

“For not being there for him,” Connor sniffed as he buried his face into his hands. “I wasn’t there. I should’ve been there. It’s all my fault that he got hurt. He’ll never forgive me for it.”

“Connor, you know damn well that he doesn’t believe that.” Ravi argued. “He told me that he wanted to see you. He said that he’ll even leave the hospital himself if it meant getting to see you.”

“He never said that-”

“Connor, he did.” Ravi insisted. “He really cares about you. You have no idea just how much he misses you. He knows you’re not at fault for anything that happened.”

“Yeah, but they think I attacked-”

“He knows you didn’t do it, Connor.” Ravi cut him off. “He even told the police that it was Jason. Connor, what aren’t you understanding? Zach wants to see you. He misses you, Connor. And I know that you miss him, too. Don’t you?”

I do.

I really do.

But Connor didn’t say that aloud. His gaze was just trained on his lap, his hands trembling.

Truth be told: he really wanted to see Zach. There was nothing else he wanted more than to see him again. Seeing Zach would make him feel safe again, because whenever Connor would feel overwhelmed, Zach’s presence was enough to ease his nerves.

And right now, he felt like he was about to burst. A violent storm was waging in his head and the cure to stop it was unavailable because of his nerves.

If he just went to visit Zach, then all would be well. Jason would still be loose, but Connor would also have a clearer mind. The storm would be gone, and Connor would then be able to think clearly without getting easily agitated.

Maybe he should go. Will it kill him to do so?

And he will be with Ravi, too. There’s no way that Jason will get to him while Ravi was there, right?

“I guess you’re right, Ravi.” Connor said after a moment’s silence. “I’ll go.”

“Really?”

He nodded. “Why not? I think I might just go insane if I spend another hour cooped up in this house anyway. Just let me go freshen up.”

Immediately, Ravi smiled. Connor had always liked Ravi’s smiles, as they made him feel like he was being wrapped in a warm blanket. The fact that this town made him and his family out to be evil for five years shocked Connor, because Ravi was nothing like a monster. A golden retriever was a far more accurate comparison.

“Go on ahead, Con.” Ravi said. “I’ll be waiting here.”

~~~~

1:30pm

Jason had just been driving aimlessly through the street when he spotted the car.

The car, as in Ravi Singh’s car. Everyone in town knew that car. It had been defaced on various occasions prior to that little pest proving his brother innocent.

But, strangely enough, his focus wasn’t on Pip right now.

It was on the boy sitting in the passenger’s seat beside Ravi.

Connor Reynolds.

Just who he was looking for.

Luckily, his van had blacked-out windows, so they didn’t see him. And he wasn’t going to let them get suspicious either. He was a skilled predator who had perfected the art of stalking since 1997. Nobody ever saw him, because he intentionally made it so that they didn’t.

And Ravi and Connor were no exception to it.

Chapter Text

2:00pm

“You’re being ridiculous, Zach. You have no idea what you’re talking about!”

“I do! I may have gotten stabbed, but I didn’t lose my memory during it. The cops are wrong! It wasn’t him!”

Ravi could feel Connor tensing beside him as they walked down the hospital corridor. He grabbed his shoulder, squeezing it softly to help ease his nerves.

“Don’t listen to it, Con.” Ravi advised as they neared Zach’s room, the shouting growing louder with each step they took. “You’ll be fine. If he says anything, I’ll deal with it.”

“What? You’re going to fight with his father?” Connor’s eyes widened. “Ravi, you can’t do that!”

“Why not?” Ravi asked, a careless grin plastered on his face. Nothing Zach’s father could say could be any worse than the verbal abuse he’d received for five years after Sal’s death. “What is he going to say that I haven’t heard before?”

“Well… I wouldn’t know-”

“Exactly, because I’ve heard it all before, Connor.” Ravi finished for him. “I’ve dealt with enough judgement from grown pricks like Zach’s father. There’s nothing that man can say that I haven’t heard before.”

Because, trust him, he had been called every name under the sun since Sal’s passing. His personal favourite was monster’s brother, because yes, he was Sal’s brother. No need to remind him of a fact he was aware of.

Also, his brother didn’t even end up being the monster anyway, so the insult was just outdated now.

“Fair point, I guess.” Connor tucked his hands into his jacket pockets and sighed. “I’m still nervous, Ravi.”

“What for?”

Connor shrugged. “What if he does hate me for-”

“No, Connor, you’re wrong.” Ravi swiftly cut him off. “Zach doesn’t hate you. We’ve been over this a million times now. He wants you here, okay? He wants to see you. Stop doubting that fact and accept that he really does care about you.”

And loves you, too.

But Ravi doesn’t say that aloud. For those feelings to be known, Zach had to be the one to admit it to Connor.

“Are you sure?”

Ravi chuckled and flashed him a smile. “Positive. Now let’s go in.”

~~~~

To say that Connor was feeling the wrath of Zach’s father’s anger through his glare would be an understatement.

Right from the moment him and Ravi entered, Zach’s father had made it evident that he hated them being there – especially Connor, for obvious reasons. He’d heard him shouting those exact reasons while they were outside.

But none of that mattered, because Zach was here.

A spark went off in his chest just seeing him there. He was sitting upright in bed, intently watching him. He’d noticed how his gaze had softened once seeing him, as though he had been waiting a lifetime for his arrival.

But Zach’s father was making it hard for him to fully take in the moment.

“I don’t think either of you should be here,” he spat, hands on his hip. “Zach needs his rest. And you’ve already been here, Ravi Singh. Why did you come back?”

“Last time I checked, there’s no restriction on me seeing my friend.” Ravi snapped back. “Though I suppose you might not have any, judging from your reaction.”

His eyes grew wide. “Excuse me?”  

“You’re excused. Now how about you give us some alone time, please?”

Connor was shocked. He would’ve never imagined himself talking back to a grown adult like that. Yet again, him and Ravi were quite similar, so maybe his time to talk back was just waiting in the wings.

“How dare-”

“Dad, please go.” Zach swiftly ordered. “I’ll call you when they’re gone. Just leave us alone, please.”

His father glared at Zach. Connor swore he could feel the tension between them. In the past, Zach had complained to him about his father’s overbearing nature. Connor could relate, because he himself didn’t have the best relationship with his own father prior to Jamie’s disappearance a few months ago. Only when Jamie returned was when his father reformed his ways and started to be better.

“Fine,” his father sighed. “But I don’t like this, Zach. What if that boy-”

“My name is Connor,” Connor cut in. “You know who I am. No need to pretend that you don’t.”

What? He had a right to get annoyed at how people were treating him. They used to treat him with kid gloves, but now all they saw was an evil monster when that was far from the truth.

Zach’s father arched a brow at him, his jaw ticking like a time bomb. “Hm, right. Anyway, I’ll be back, Zach.”

And then he was gone.

Now it was just him, Ravi and Zach. Connor could feel his heart pounding against his chest as he glanced at Zach. God, even here, he was still so beautiful…

“I think I’ll head off, too.”

Wait, what?

Connor’s head snapped in Ravi’s direction. What did he mean that he was going? Where to?

“Where?” He asked, sounding slightly frantic.

“To the car, Con.” Ravi replied, seemingly unfazed by his panic. “Don’t worry. I’ll be back in a minute. I just left something in the car.”

That’s when Connor noticed the absence of the flowers Ravi had bought for Zach. What? It was nice to bring flowers, and Ravi said it could be a joint gift from the two of them.

Still, Connor didn’t want Ravi to go! He may have agreed to come here, but he thought it meant having Ravi here with him, too. He never once thought that he would be left alone with Zach…

But before Connor could object, Ravi had left the room, leaving him all alone with the boy who made him feel things he never thought he could feel.

~~~~

The moment Connor’s gaze landed on him, the entire world ceased existence to Zach.

It was only just him and Connor, and he couldn’t say that he couldn’t complain about it, because he wanted it to be like this. Ever since their first meeting in preschool, his entire world had been Connor. He just never had the guts to admit it because it took him a long time to accept it.

But now here he was, right where he wanted him to be.

But something was wrong. Zach was already aware because of what Ravi had told him earlier.

Oh, Connor.

You’re going to be fine now.

Let me help you.

“Were the flowers your idea, Con?” Zach asked, breaking the silence between them. “Because I’ve always penned you to be the type to bring flowers whenever someone is in hospital.”

Connor didn’t respond. He just stared at him, intently watching him, as though if he looked away, Zach would be in danger once again.

And it hurt Zach, because none of this was his fault. DI Hawkins was a terrible man for planting such an awful idea in his head and trying to make him believe that it was all his fault.

None of this was his fault – and Zach was going to make sure Connor knew it.

“You can’t stay silent forever, Connor.” Zach continued, longing to stand up and just hold onto him. “It wasn’t your fault, you know. I don’t hate you for what happened.”

No response, so Zach kept going.

“I waited for you to come, Connor. I never once thought it was you who hurt me. I remember it all, and it wasn’t you. I don’t know why anyone believes me. They were all waiting for me to say the truth, but then I told it, and they suddenly didn’t care.”

“Because it wasn’t who they wanted it to be.”  

Even though he’d heard his voice a million times before, it still took him aback hearing it just now. Maybe it was because he’d been longing to hear that beautiful voice since he awoke from surgery.

There you are, Con.

I knew you weren’t gone forever.

“What was that?” Though he’d heard it loud and clear, Zach just wanted to hear him repeat it again. It was confirmation that he wasn’t crazy; that people were just planting lies in his head to make him doubt his own memory.

“They don’t want it to be Jason, Zach, because how can a man like Jason be a monster?” Connor sniffed as he slowly approached the bed, sitting down in the chair next to it. “Jason Bell’s a kind man. He takes chances on those who are down on their luck and helps them succeed. They don’t realise that it’s all a façade; that once they look away, he shows his true colours.”

Those true colours being a violent misogynistic serial killer. How had nobody realised it? Yet again, it seemed like Pip hadn’t realised it either. She had thought it was Daniel da Silva before being kidnapped by Jason herself.

“Why you, though?” Zach asked. “Why are they targeting you, Con?”

Connor shrugged. “I don’t know. I really wish I did.”

“That’s okay, Con.”

Though Zach was a bit disappointed, he knew that it wasn’t Connor’s fault. He was just as clueless as everyone else when it came to this situation, so expecting him to know everything was too much pressure to put on his shoulders.

But Zach quickly noticed the despair in his eyes. Despite his assurance, it seemed as if Connor didn’t believe him.

“Is it?” He practically whimpered, sounding broken.

“What? It is, Con.” Zach adjusted himself, his gaze never leaving Connor’s eyes. “Connor, what’s wrong?”

A moment passed between them until suddenly, Connor just hunched over and broke out into a sob.

~~~~

Did Ravi know it was probably a bad idea to go off alone, knowing that there was an active serial killer targeting him and his friends on the loose? Yes, but he didn’t want to let the flowers go to waste. Jason’s killing spree should not triumph his every decision.

Also, he spent a lot on those flowers, so he’d really hate for them to go to waste.

But as he walked through the hospital’s parking lot, a strange feeling grew in his gut, making the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. It was weird, because Ravi hadn’t noticed anything to set off the feeling. He had noticed the odd silence at the hospital earlier, but he’d been told that the hospital was usually quiet during the day.

Strange, but Ravi hadn’t thought much about it. He had bigger things to worry about than a quiet hospital.

But just as he had unlocked his own car, that was when he spotted it.

It was a van, parked at the far back of the parking lot. Earlier, when Ravi had been driving with Connor, he had noticed that exact van at times during the trip. He had just brushed it off because, like he said before, he had bigger things to worry about.

But that van… there was something about it that was making Ravi not think about the flowers and focus entirely on the van.

Stop looking at the van.

It’s nothing.

It’s just a van.

It’s just a van.

It’s just a… van.

Is it just a van?

Suddenly, as if a curse had been placed on him, he started approaching the van.

He was just going to check out the van.

He was just going to check it out and then go back to Connor and Zach.

That was all he was going to do, wasn’t it?

~~~~

Suddenly, everything came out like word vomit. Connor told Zach everything that had happened since his attack on Monday.

He listened as Connor told him about the interrogation, not sparing any detail. He was shocked hearing about how he had lashed out at Lauren after she was attacked and went to Cara’s house for refuge, though he didn’t judge him. He just listened, even about the nightmare he had earlier.

The nightmare that had felt so real that Connor was still slightly convinced that it was real; that it wasn’t just an awful nightmare that his mind had created to torment him. Maybe it had been real, and he’d just blocked it out of fear.

And it scared him, because his mind was starting to distort the line between reality and his imagination. He wasn’t sure what was real and what wasn’t. Was any of this real? Was he even real?

Was he even speaking to Zach right now, or was he just imagining it?

“I’m scared, Zach.” Connor choked out. “I’m scared of my own mind. I think I’m starting to lose myself.”

“Lose yourself?” Zach arched a brow. “What do you mean?”

Connor shrugged. “I don’t know what’s real and what isn’t. I keep doubting my own memory and I don’t know why.”

“Have you always been like that?”

Connor shook his head. Up until now, he had never felt like this. It was only until after the interrogation was when the seed of doubt had been planted in his mind.

“No, never.” Connor said. “I’m scared, Zach. What if something happens and I’m not able to distinguish whether it’s real or not?”

“Connor-”

“I don’t even know if this is real or not,” Connor continued, his hands trembling as he tried to make sense of his surroundings. “Is this real? Am I dreaming? Are you even real, Zach?”

Is this real, or was he imagining it? What if Jason had got to him and he was only imagining the good times so that he didn’t have to face his actual reality? He’d heard about people disassociating during captivity so that they didn’t have to face their actual reality. Maybe he was one of those people, too.

Maybe this was all a dream. It did seem too good to be true, honestly. If this were real, then Zach wouldn’t even give him the time of the day, because Zach was supposed to hate him for letting him be attacked.

Your fault.

Your fault.

YOUR FAULT.

YOUR FAULT.

But as the storm raged on his mind, a hand grabbed his own, snapping him out of his thoughts.

It was Zach who had grabbed him. Connor blinked a few times to see if it would change, but it didn’t. The person who was here was Zach, not Jason or anyone else who wished to harm him.

Just Zach.

His Zach.

“Zach?” Connor whimpered, his voice low. It was as if he was afraid to raise it, just in case this wasn’t real. “Are you real?”

Zach’s eyes softened. Connor could see the heartbreak in them, which only hurt him even more. By doubting his own memory, he was hurting the one person he never wanted to hurt.

“I’m real, Con.” He squeezed his hand, eyes never leaving his. “This is real, Connor. All of this is real.”

But Connor wasn’t fully convinced. His own memory had been distorted to the point where even physical touch didn’t seem real. Could it be real? Or could it just be a cruel trick that his mind was playing on him?

“Are you sure?”

Zach nodded. “I’m sure, Con. This is all real.”

But Connor still wasn’t sure. He knew that he should just stop doubting Zach, because he knew that Zach would never lie to him, but he just couldn’t stop doubting himself.

Is this real?

This isn’t real.

You’re not real.

It’s fake, Connor.

Just close your eyes and this will all be over.

Do it.

Do it.

Do it.

“I don’t know if I believe you…” Connor mumbled, his voice low. “I don’t even know if I believe myself…”

Zach’s grip on his hand loosened. Connor didn’t blame him, because the person who was allegedly meant to be his best friend was doubting his own existence, but then his hand grabbed his face, cupping it.

Suddenly, Connor was looking straight at him. His heart burned like fire just looking into his eyes, which were so beautiful that Connor had to admire them.  He missed seeing these eyes almost every day – and it was all because a cruel monster just had to hurt him as part of his revenge.

But was this real? Because if this wasn’t, then this would be the fatal blow to his already broken mental state. Jason could do anything he wants, but his own mind making him believe that he was with Zach when he wasn’t would be enough to kill him.

“Zach?” Connor sniffled, taking in the sight of the boy who made him feel things that he could never feel with anyone else. He didn’t deserve Zach Chen. What made him even believe that there could be more to their relationship beyond a friendship?

“I’m here, Connor.” Zach said, his own eyes full of sadness. “I’m here. I’m sorry that I wasn’t there for you while you were suffering. I should’ve been there.”

“No, don’t say that, Zach.” Connor replied. “It’s not your fault. You couldn’t have been there. You were here, recovering from what he did to you.”

“Yeah, but nobody told me.” Zach argued, his hand softly squeezing Connor’s cheek. “Nobody said that you were hurting because of what happened. They didn’t mention how Hawkins considered you a suspect, despite that being far from the truth. I was kept in the dark, when I should’ve been pushing harder for you.”

“Zach-”

“You’re everything to me, Connor. You mean so much to me. I can’t bear to imagine what I would do without you. They don’t understand how much you matter to me.”

His other hand then latched onto Connor’s face. Connor didn’t stop him, simply because he didn’t want to.

The fire inside his heart grew even more. Connor didn’t even want to extinguish it, because that would mean ending this moment, which he didn’t want to do.

If it were possible, he would want to stay in this moment forever. Just him and Zach together as his heart wanted it to be.

“You matter to me, too, Zach.” Connor said, his voice soft like a feather. “I don’t know what I would do without you.”

“Same as well, Con.” Zach brushed back his hair. He should really consider getting it cut after this, as it kept falling over his eyes. “You know, there’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you…”

Oh? Connor wondered what it could be. Though his heart was voicing exactly what it wanted, Connor was going to stay rational and not listen to it. The heart does often know what it wants, but it can’t always get exactly what it wants.

“What?” He asked.

But the question would remain unanswered, as his phone started ringing.

“Oh, I’m sorry, Zach.” Connor mumbled as he pulled away from Zach and stood up. “I’ll just take this outside. Be back in a minute.”

~~~~

He wouldn’t be back in a minute.

Not after he’d seen who was calling him.

> Incoming Call: Private Number

Jason.

It was fucking Jason.

Of course, it would be him. Who else enjoyed ruining lives other than Jason Bell?

And Connor knew that he shouldn’t answer it. What good would come from answering a call from Jason Bell?

But somehow, that logic didn’t apply here, because Connor knew that Jason would keep calling if Connor didn’t answer. And what would happen if he didn’t answer? He didn’t even want to think about that.

So, he answered.

Biggest mistake of his life.

“What do you want?” He spat, not sparing a bit of kindness for the monster on the other end.

No response.

Okay, is that how Jason was going to be? Well, so be it. What a coward.

“Silent, aren’t you?” Connor continued as he started moving away from Zach’s room. “You know you won’t get away with this, right? We’re all onto you. Sooner or later, Pip is going to stop you. No crime in this town goes unpunished because of Pip – and you’re not the exception, Jason.”

Still nothing.

“You’re a monster. Soon enough, everyone is going to know about what you did, and we’ll all be there, watching your downfall. Nice thought, isn’t it?”

Amid the silence, he thought about all those who had fallen victim to Jason both in the past and present. Soon enough, they’ll all have their justice, while Jason will be rotting for his crimes.

“You’re still silent. Don’t like it when people talk back to you, right? I mean, that’s why you attacked Zach, isn’t it?” He gulped just thinking about him. “He talked back to you, and you felt threatened. You hurt him not only because of him being Pip’s friend, but also because he stood up to you. You didn’t like that, so you hurt him. You hurt Zach.”

My Zach, Connor thought, tears stinging at his eyes just thinking about it. He couldn’t even imagine how frightening that had been for him. And yet, people were convinced that he’d done it out of anger.

Once Jason was arrested, they’ll all regret even thinking it. Connor would make sure of it.

“You’re never going to get away with this, you monster.” Connor spat, his finger hovering over the hang-up button. “Burn in hell-”

He stopped when he felt it.

It being the blood puddle that he had stepped on, causing the blood to splash onto his feet.

Horror set in as he took in the sight of the receptionist working on this floor, now dead and in a pool of their own blood.  

They were dead.

And there was only one reason why that was.

Connor looked back at his phone. The call was still ongoing. Just as he was about to hang up, a voice – Jason voice – called out to him, stopping him.

“Nice surprise, right?” He snickered, as though it were just a harmless joke. “Stupid boy. You’re such a stupid boy, Connor.”

“I’m not!”

“Ah, but you are.” He snickered yet again. It felt like a punch to the gut hearing his laughter. “You haven’t even realised until now how far you’ve gone from your precious Zach. Too busy shouting at me, right? You haven’t even realised just how much you’re like me, silly boy.”

“Go to hell!”

No response.

Connor thought it was over with, so he hung up and started walking back.

He barely got away when an arm suddenly wrapped around his neck, locking him in a chokehold. He didn’t even get a chance to scream, as a hand was quickly clasped around his mouth, silencing him.

He didn’t even need to doubt whether this was real or not, because it was very much fucking real.

And he really wished that it wasn’t.

As he was being dragged away, a pair of lips brushed against his ear. Breath that was bitter and burned like fire blew on his skin as the voice spoke in his ear, his words making Connor’s blood run cold.

“Pathetic boy. You really thought you got away, didn’t you? Not a chance. And you have no idea just how much worse it’s going to be for you now.” He spat as he dragged him into a closet. Connor fought to no end, but nothing he did helped him. “Oh, you have no idea just how much you’re going to fucking regret what you said, you fucking cunt.”

The door was then slammed shut, trapping Connor in the darkness with the town’s own monster.  

Chapter Text

You shouldn’t be here, Ravi thought as he stared at the van. By now, he should be back in Zach’s room, with the flowers that he had initially left in his own car.

But no, that wasn’t what he was doing.

Instead, he was staring at a different vehicle; a black van, to be exact, that had tinted windows. It looked a lot like a work van that had been out of commission for a while, but Ravi wasn’t judging. His own car was a bit beat up and he couldn’t afford to buy a new one currently.

But this one… something about it seemed off. Ravi didn’t know why, but it reminded him exactly of the one that Naomi had been thrown out of two nights ago. And although it could just be a coincidence, Ravi’s gut sensed that something was off about this van.

He never got to see what model Jason’s van was because of the darkness. He could barely remember anything about that night besides watching Naomi be thrown out of the van like trash.

But this van… could it be the one?

And if it was, then what could that mean?

~~~~

Connor didn’t even get a moment to fully register anything before Jason had climbed on top of him, pinning him to the floor.

Suddenly, everything felt very real. No doubt plagued his mind, because this was very fucking real, and he wished it wasn’t.

The cold laminate floor pressed against his back as he clenched his eyes shut, not daring to look the monster in the eye. His heart was beating erratically to the point that it might possibly explode. Even Jason’s mere presence was enough to invoke such a terrifying reaction from him, which he hated because he was taught to not fear the monsters.

He was told to fight back from monsters like Jason, but how could he when he was right here, fully in control? Any movement he made would be proven useless, because Jason was in full control of this situation. Connor could not see a possibility where he’d be in control, because any prospect of that did not exist.

“Open your eyes, Connor.”

No.

No!

It was just like the dream! At least the dream wasn’t real. This, on the other hand, was real. Why couldn’t it be just a dream?

Connor didn’t listen, simply because he was afraid to. He didn’t want to look at the monster; didn’t want to feel the monster’s wrath any more than he already has to.

But the monster didn’t like that. His hands suddenly grabbed his face, his nails digging into his cheeks.

“Open them now, or else you’ll fucking regret it.” He spat, spit droplets splattering on his face.

Connor felt sick, but he still didn’t do it. People had told him before that he could be stubborn. Sometimes, that trait did work out in his favour, but he wasn’t sure about now.

“Is that how it’s going to be, Connor?” He hissed. Connor could practically feel his frustration. “Pathetic. And here I was, thinking that I was going to let you live.”

Wait, what?

Out of shock, Connor opened his eyes. He knew he shouldn’t have given into his demands, but those words were enough to evoke shock from anyone. A monster like Jason was willing to let him live? Connor didn’t fully buy it. There had to be something more to it, right?

“What?” Connor gulped. “What do you mean?”

“Oh, so now you want to listen?” Jason scoffed. “You’re just like the rest of them. Why should I care now? You clearly see me as a monster just like the rest of them. Why should I give you the time of day now? Because I changed my mind on letting you live?”

Well, he wasn’t wrong on the monster thing, because he was one. If brutally murdering a bunch of innocent people didn’t make you a monster, then Connor was interested to know what did classify someone as such in Jason’s eyes.

But Connor was interested because Jason had thought about letting him live. Why would he, a monster beyond all else, consider letting him live? He had everyone to choose from, but he’d chosen him. What for? What was he planning?

“No, please.” Connor pleaded, eyes widening. “I’m sorry for what I did. I was just scared. Please let me live. I swear I’ll do anything to live.”

His eyes darkened. “You’ll do anything?”

Connor nodded. “Yes, I will. Don’t kill me, please. I don’t want to die. I really don’t want to die. Just say the word and I’ll do anything.”

Anything to live.

He just wanted to survive. He was better off alive than he was dead. There was nothing he could do if he were dead. That monster would still be free to hurt others if he were dead.

And Zach was here, too. If he killed him right now, nothing was stopping him from going after Zach.

And he wouldn’t even think twice about killing him if he dared to hurt Zach again. He already got away with it once. He was damned if he thought he could do it twice.

“Hm, maybe my judgement was wrong.” Jason remarked as his grip loosed on his face. “You know, you remind me of myself when I was your age.”

What? Connor was confused, but he just listened. He didn’t want to give Jason any reason to suddenly change his mind again and kill him.

“What do you mean?” Connor asked, because a harmless question couldn’t be a reason to kill him.

Jason smiled at him. Connor resisted grimacing, in case that could anger him.

“We’re so alike, you and me. Both of us pretend to be kind, except we’re not. We have to pretend to be something we’re not; hiding our true selves because the world wouldn’t like it. You understand, don’t you?”

What? Connor still wasn’t getting it. He was in no way like Jason. Whatever Jason was implying did not apply to Connor at all. 

“I don’t.”

“Hm, that’s fine.” Jason replied. His hand was on his cheek, though Connor did not want it to be. His touch was dirty; nothing like Zach’s touch from earlier. “You’ll understand eventually.”

“But I don’t-”

“You’ll soon learn how much we’re alike when I teach you all my ways. Soon enough, you’ll be my exact copy.” He grabbed onto Connor’s cheek again, his nails digging lightly into his skin. “My clone who will continue my legacy after I die. Isn’t that such an enticing offer?”

What? No! Connor was not an idiot. Even though he had said that he would do anything to live, that was off the table. He could do anything, but becoming like that monster was too much. He couldn’t even kill a fly; what made Jason believe that he could kill an actual person?

“What? I don’t… I won’t!” He shouted, teeth clenched together. “No, I won’t do that. I can’t do that. I won’t!”

“You won’t?” Jason’s brows knitted together, anger burning in his eyes. “No, you don’t get a choice, Connor. It’s either that you accept, or you die. There’s no option where you get to live if you say no, Connor. You chose to live, so therefore you’ll do as I say if you want to live.”

“Well, consider me a dead man, then.” Connor spat. “I would rather die than be like you! We’re nothing alike! You’re mistaken, you monster. I’m a good person but you’re not; you’ve never been.”

“Is that so?”

Connor nodded. “Yep. You chose to murder all those people, Jason.  Nobody forced you to. You’re sick, and if you even think I’ll be like you, then you’re mistaken-”

He was cut off by a punch to his jaw. Instantly, blood pooled inside his mouth, followed by an unbearable throbbing pain that was enough to kill someone.

Though Connor wasn’t dying, he certainly felt like he was. He looked up at Jason, barely able to breathe as the blood was seeping down the back of his throat, choking him.

“Take it back!” He shouted as he delivered another punch, this time to his stomach. Connor’s body convulsed, writhing under him. “Take it back! Take it back now or I’ll kill you right here! Is that what you want, Connor? Nobody will hear your screams. I can kill both you and your little friend and leave before anyone even realises your absences. Is that what you desire, Connor? Is that what you really want?”

Connor didn’t want that, but he also didn’t want to accept Jason’s offer. He’d rather be dead than accept his offer.

But there was also Zach, and that complicated everything. If he dies, then nothing was stopping Jason from going to Zach’s room and killing him. But ensuring his safety meant accepting this monster’s offer, which Connor didn’t want.

Jesus, if only this were a dream…

“Come on, you stupid boy.” Jason spat in his face, glaring at him as though his stare could condemn him to the pits of hell. “What do you choose? Do you want to live, or do you want to die? Fair warning, though: choosing the latter will also get your friend killed, and you don’t want that, do you?”

No!

I don’t want that!

But I don’t want to go with you!

But Zach…

Oh God, what am I going to do?

“Come on, Connor.” His jaw ticked as he watched him intently. “Time is running out. I’m not a patient man when it comes to choices like this. Pick it quick, or else I’ll decide for you.”

Stop it…

Stop it.

Stop it!

JUST STOP IT!

“Connor?”

Oh no.

Connor knew that voice.

He could recognise that voice from anywhere.

That voice was like music to his ears.

It was perhaps the most beautiful thing that this world could offer.

But right now, it shouldn’t be here.

Zach shouldn’t be here.

And judging from Jason’s expression, he expressed that same sentiment, too, but not out of concern. Nothing this monster did was out of concern, since he clearly lacked it.

But then Connor saw it.

He saw the hunger in Jason’s face, like the true monster he was.

The need to kill, like every predator.

And, unbeknownst to Zach, that next target was him.

A hand was clamped over Connor’s mouth before he was given the chance to speak. It was as if Jason could read his mind and saw what he was about to do; how he would scream out for Zach, telling him to run while he can, because once you are caught by the beast, there’s a minimal chance that you’ll escape from him.

“Don’t even think about it, Connor.” Jason hissed in his face. Connor writhed under him, trying to break free, but it was useless. He had already been caught by the beast. Unless a miracle happened, then his fate was sealed.

And it seemed like Zach’s was, too.

“Connor?” Zach edged closer towards the closet. Connor could feel his entire body tense just thinking about what this monster could do to Zach. “Connor, where are you? Connor?”

“Any second now, he’ll be here.” Jason snarled, flashing a wicked grin at Connor. “And because of your incompetence, I’ll kill him right in front of you before I kill you. How’s that, Connor? You like that?”

Connor tried to scream, but any attempt was made feeble because of the hand on his mouth.

“Connor? Connor, please answer me.” Zach sighed. He had no idea just how close both Connor and the monster were to him. “This isn’t funny, Connor. I thought you cared about me.”

I do, Zach.

Zach, I really do.

You just need to go or else he’ll get you.

He’ll get you like how he got me.

“Connor, please come back-”

He went quiet, and Connor knew exactly why he did.

He must’ve stepped in the blood puddle, which in turn meant he found the dead body, which also meant that he was right outside the closet.

Zach, go now.

Please, go now.

Zach!

Please go.

Please.

Please don’t stay.

Zach… don’t stay here.

Jason’s weight shifted on him. The hand remained firmly clamped on his mouth, though it had loosened a bit. He could scream, but his fear prevented him from doing so.

“Connor?” Zach called out, now sounding scared. “Connor, where are you? Please, this isn’t funny. I think he’s here, Connor. I really think he’s here.”

And he was.

But Zach didn’t even know just how close he was.

Or that he had already been caught by the beast.

And he was going to find out about that all right now, because Connor couldn’t remain complicit anymore.

Without hesitation, he bit Jason’s hand. Jason screamed and fell off him, giving Connor the chance to get up and rush to the door.

“Zach!” He screamed as one hand bashed on the door while the other fiddled with the knob. “Zach! Go away! Run now! He’s here, Zach! He’s-”

A familiar hand clasped over his mouth, silencing him once more. But Connor wasn’t going down without a fight.

He could kill him, but he can’t kill Zach.

Not Zach.

Not my Zach.

“Connor?” Zach’s voice grew louder as he rushed to the closet. “Connor? Are you in there?”

No response, because Connor couldn’t speak. That bastard had prevented him from doing so.

“Connor!” Zach shouted before groaning. “Fuck it. I’m coming in!”

No…

No!

The door was thrown open.

Connor didn’t even get a chance to scream before Jason tossed him aside and latched onto Zach, throwing him to the ground.

His Zach.

“Zach!”

~~~~

> Jamie Reynolds

Jamie: Hey, is everything okay?

Hm, define okay and we’ll see if that applies here.

But Ravi silenced that thought. Jamie wasn’t aware of the van, and Ravi didn’t exactly plan on telling him, because he wasn’t even sure himself if it were Jason’s van to begin with.

He also didn’t want to worry Jamie any more than he already was. He was already holding on by a thread for Connor’s sake; he couldn’t even imagine what the final blow would be.

Ravi: Everything’s peachy.

Jamie: Seriously?

No, actually. Everything was fucked and Ravi was only saying that so that Jamie didn’t get worried.

Ravi: Would I lie to you?

Clearly, he would.

Jamie: Oh, okay.

Wait, that was it? Was Jamie seriously not going to press further? If that were Pip, then he’d be practically interrogated until she got the truth from him.  

Yet again, Jamie wasn’t Pip. He wasn’t even remotely like her at all. While Pip was driven, Jamie never pushed anyone’s buttons like she did. If he was satisfied with the initial response, then that was enough for him.

But do you really know Pip at all?

He quickly silenced that thought. Of course, he knew Pip! Pippa Fitz-Amobi was the love of his life. He’d known it from the day that they had met. He literally came back to town just for her.

Sure, she had been a little off since Stanley’s death, but that didn’t mean anything. She was just struggling with the aftermath, and he was happy to support her. And she had even told him that she was getting better with the talk therapy she’d been doing, so there was that.

But we do we ever really know the people we love?

Okay, what Zach had said to him earlier was really fucking up his head. He does know Pip, and that was that. She wouldn’t keep any major secrets from him because he knew that she trusted him. They were a team, and nobody in a team keeps secrets from one another.

Right before he turned off his phone, another text from Jamie came through.

Jamie: How’s Connor? He seemed better when you guys left. Is he okay now?

Ravi grimaced before texting back his response; that Connor was okay, because that wasn’t a complete lie. Sure, he wasn’t with him now, but he hadn’t been gone for long. Surely nothing bad could’ve happened while he was gone, right?

Anyway, he’ll go back in a bit. It was such a shame that this van seemed to be a dead end, though. He had really been hoping for it to mean something more.

However, he still took a photo of it.

Why? His gut told him to, so that he could show Pip later when he went to her house. Maybe she could make sense of it – she always knew how to.

~~~~

Connor felt like his body was going to give up on him as he fought against Jason Bell. By some miracle, he had managed to free Zach from Jason’s grasp. However, that didn’t mean that Jason would give up that easily.

Like a true predator, he wasn’t going to stop until he had captured his prey – and Connor just happened to be the obstacle preventing him from doing so.

So, after immense struggle, Jason had somehow gotten the upper hand and had pinned him against a shelf.  The contents on it rattled as Connor struggled against Jason’s grip.

Though he fought with everything he had within him, Jason was much stronger than him. His attempts just didn’t match the strength that Jason had against him.

“This is pathetic. You’re pathetic, Connor.” Jason spat in his face as his hand gripped his neck, squeezing it tightly. “If I wanted to, I could kill you right now.”

“No!”

“I could even kill your little friend, too-”

“Leave Zach alone!” Connor screamed, his eyes darting towards Zach. He laid on the floor, motionless. Connor wasn’t sure if he was awake or not. “Just stop! Don’t hurt him!”

“And why should I listen to you?” Jason snarled, his fingers digging into Connor’s neck. “You didn’t listen to me. You even said that I was a monster! So why would I listen to whatever bullshit you have to say? You’re not worth my time.”

“No! Please!” Connor begged. “Don’t hurt him! Please! Just leave him alone!”

But Jason wouldn’t listen. His grip tightened on his neck, making it difficult for Connor to breathe.

Connor’s panic worsened, because if he dies right here, that means that Zach has no one here to protect him. He was also still in a lot of pain. Connor was even surprised that he had enough energy to leave his bed to go look for him. In any other scenario, Connor would admire him for it, but not now. He couldn’t possibly admire him when he was practically on death’s door.

“You should’ve just listened, Connor.” Jason hissed, his teeth clenching together. “If you had, then none of this would’ve happened. Your poor friend wouldn’t be in this situation had you just listened. It’s all your fault!”

Your fault.

Your fault.

YOUR FAULT.

YOUR FAULT.

Stop!

If I go with him, I’m screwed.

But if I don’t… I’ll die, and Zach will, too.

I can’t protect him if I’m dead.

Suddenly, Connor knew what he needed to do.

And even though he didn’t want to do it, it was what needed to be done to ensure Zach’s safety.

His vision was starting to go dark. He knew that if he didn’t speak now, then he’ll be condemned to eternal silence.

“Please… don’t do this,” Connor gasped as he struggled to breathe. “I’ll do anything. Just don’t hurt Zach.”

My Zach.

Just don’t hurt my Zach.

The grip on his neck suddenly loosened. Though Connor felt relieved, he knew what was coming next, because he’d already made his decision.

And he hated it.

But he had to do it.

Anything for you, Zach.

“Anything?” That same wicked grin reappeared on his face. “You’ll do anything?”

Connor nodded. “Anything. Just let Zach live, please. Don’t hurt him.”

Without even speaking it, Connor’s choice had been made. A life for a life, though his will not be condemned to death like how so many were.

~~~~

2:50pm

Ravi had just exited the elevator when he saw the body on the floor. He didn’t even hesitate in going over to it and checking for a pulse.

Nothing.

Judging from how blue the man’s skin was, he must’ve been dead for a while. Though Ravi knew there was nothing he could for him, he still felt guilty, nonetheless. It made him think about Pip trying to save Stanley, despite her awful history with the man. To this day, she still felt like she was responsible for his death, despite Ravi telling her that she wasn’t.

You don’t always know the people we’re in love with.

Okay, right after he finds Zach and Connor, he was going to temporarily shut off his brain so that those negative thoughts could be silenced.

Contrary to belief, he does know the girl he is in love with. His brain had no idea what it was talking about.

But before he could make his way to Zach’s room, a noise sounded in the closet opposite him and the body. And although Ravi would usually ignore it, his instincts compelled him to go investigate it.

And he was glad that he did, or else he wouldn’t have discovered a partially conscious Zach inside.

“Zach!” He shouted as he knelt beside him, pulling out his phone as he did so. “Zach, can you hear me? Zach, please answer me.”

No response. God, he hadn’t been gone for that long! How could this happen while he was away? He was never going to forgive himself for this.

But as he dialled 999 on his phone, he suddenly realised that something – someone – was absent.

Connor.

“Zach…” Ravi gulped as he pressed the phone to his ear. “Where’s Connor?"

Chapter Text

7:00pm

Pip stirred awake as someone was shaking her shoulder. She awoke to see her mother sitting beside her, casting a concerned look at her.

“Mum?” She yawned as she sat up, brushing her hair out of her face. “Mum, what’s wrong? Did something happen?”

Her mother sighed. Clearly, something had happened whilst she was asleep.

“Pip, it’s your friend.” Again? Pip could already feel her heart sinking, even though she didn’t know who or what it was yet. “Something terrible has happened.”  

“What?” She asked.

Her mother sighed yet again. “Earlier today, Connor and Ravi went to visit Zach at the hospital. While Ravi had left to go get something from the car, someone attacked both Connor and Zach.”

No.

No!

This couldn’t be happening! Pip felt like she was going to be sick. There was no way that Jason had gone after them while she had been asleep. She must be dreaming, right? If she pinches herself right now, then she’ll really wake up and find that everything’s okay.

But she was wrong.

So wrong.

“Ravi found Zach in time, but there’s been no sign of Connor.” Her mother continued, a dark look now cast on her face. “The police uncovered security footage of Connor following an unknown man into the emergency exit, but that’s it.”

A strange feeling dawned on Pip then. This was obviously Jason’s work, but he took a hostage. That was far out of his MO. Why did he take a hostage? What importance could Connor possibly pose to him? Unless he was going back to his original MO by kidnapping and taking him to the warehouse, but that didn’t seem right.

“Do they know who he is?” Pip asked, sniffling. “The man, I mean.”

Her mother shook her head. “Not yet. Ravi gave a statement earlier. Zach isn’t awake yet. Honey, I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be,” Pip said. “It’s not your fault.”

“I know, but it still hurts. Joanna and Arthur are devastated.”

Pip had almost forgotten about Connor’s parents. Last she had heard, they had been in Newcastle visiting Zoe. She could vividly imagine Joanna’s reaction to the news that her other son has gone missing, just like how Jamie had in April. Arthur was a strange man, but he had grown a lot since Jamie’s disappearance. Once emotionless, but that wasn’t the case anymore. She could even envision him bawling his eyes out after hearing the news.

“Oh.” Was all Pip could say. What else could she say? One of her closest friends was missing. The other had been attacked yet again. And Ravi…

Ravi.

Ravi! He was there when it happened. He hadn’t seen it, but he had to experience the aftermath of it. Pip had to see him this instant. She could already imagine the guilt he was feeling, because she bore the same guilt for Stanley.

So alike, her and Ravi. Many wouldn’t guess it, due to their differing personalities, but they were alike.

But Pip didn’t want this for him. He didn’t deserve to feel guilty over an event that he couldn’t control. She needed to see him so she could comfort him, just like how he did for her so many times before.

But as she got out of bed, her mother grabbed her shoulder, stopping her.

“Where are you going?” Her mother asked, sounding concerned.

“To Ravi’s,” Pip said hastily. “I need to see Ravi.”

“Honey, I’m not finished here-”

“I am. I need to see Ravi.” Pip broke out of her grasp and got out of bed. Her mother watched on, concerned as ever before.

“Darling, I need to speak to you.” Her mother ordered. “Please listen.”

But Pip did no such thing. She picked her jacket off the floor. Her outfit was casual enough to go out in, and Ravi wouldn’t care either way. She just needed her jacket because it was cold outside.

“Pippa, please.”

“I can’t. I need to see Ravi.”

But she had stopped right in her tracks when she heard her mother’s next words.

“We’re leaving town, Pip.”

~~~~

“We’re going to find him, Jamie.” Hawkins assured him as he squeezed his shoulder. “Don’t worry.”

But his words were nothing but an empty promise to Jamie, especially as they were coming from a man who had assumed the worst of his brother days before.

Jamie couldn’t even think straight. His mind kept going back to the moment when he found out that his brother, whom he had sworn to protect from that monster, had gone missing. Security footage had shown Connor following someone (though he knew exactly who it was) out through the emergency exit.

Jamie just couldn’t believe it. He hadn’t even properly said goodbye to Connor when he left with Ravi. He just would’ve never guessed that would potentially be the last time he ever saw him, because the chance of him already being dead existed.

Like Naomi.

And that especially scared Jamie, because Jason had tortured Naomi for six hours before disposing of her. If he was capable of that, then he could only imagine what he’ll do to his brother.

A hand looped through his. He recognised it as Nat’s immediately, making his body go warm. Throughout it all, Nat had been right there for him, and he was so grateful that she was.

“Are you okay, Jamie?” Nat asked, her voice like music to his ears.

Jamie shook his head. “I want my brother, Nat.”

“I know, Jamie.”

“No, you don’t.” Jamie sniffled and sighed. “I need him back now. I can’t even imagine what he’ll do to him after what he did to Naomi. I promised that I would protect him, but I couldn’t even do that.”

He thought about all the times he’d been called useless in the past – particularly from his father, who had been his biggest critic until his disappearance. And after his disappearance, he had sworn to never be like that again and would make something out of his life.

But he couldn’t even live up to the simplest promise. He couldn’t even protect his own brother. Jamie had never felt more useless until this very moment. Nothing his father could’ve said about him could ever compare to how he felt right now, knowing that his brother was in the hands of an absolute monster and couldn’t do anything about it, because he didn’t protect him.

Your fault.

Your fault.

He’s dead because of you.

And it’s all YOUR FAULT.

Jamie grabbed his face, his nails digging into its sides. The voices in his head that blamed him were getting louder and he couldn’t control it.

And if he couldn’t control it, then he wouldn’t be able to not listen to them.

YOUR FAULT.

YOUR FAULT.

He’ll be dead and it’ll be because of YOU.

Why didn’t you go with them, Jamie? Too busy still trying to impress your dad?

You’ll never live up to his expectations.

He fucking hates you now for what you did.

You let the son he actually cares about be kidnapped by Jason.

Happy now, Jamie?

HAPPY NOW?

Stop it!

Hot tears streamed down his face as Jamie tried to silence the voices in his head. It wasn’t his fault! He hadn’t known what Jason was planning. He had his suspicions, but he didn’t know that Jason would actually go through on it.

But it was still his fault, because he had suspected it yet didn’t do anything about it. A good brother would’ve been there with Connor instead of being at Cara’s house. But no, because since he was the worst brother in the world, Connor was now missing, and it was all because of him.

Happy now, Jamie?

Come on, you are happy about it.

You didn’t like Connor. You could barely stand how much your father preferred him over you.

You wanted him gone, didn’t you?

No!

“Just stop it…” Jamie muttered under his breath as he rocked back-and-forth on the couch. “Leave me alone… I didn’t want this… I want my brother back…”

“Jamie?”

Nat hates you, too.

She never really liked you.

She’s only dating you because she felt bad for you.

Stop it!

But he can’t stop the voices.

They’re there, like they used to be before his disappearance. Though those voices told him how worthless he was compared to the rest of his family. These ones, however, were much worse.

“Jamie?” Nat’s voice grew louder, but not loud enough to silence those voices in his head. “Jamie, come back to me. Jamie, please.”

She hates you.

Everyone hates you.

Nat.

Your dad.

Your mum.

Zoe.

Connor.

They all do, because you failed him.

IT’S YOUR FAULT, JAMIE.

“Jamie?” Nat tugged at his arm, her voice growing desperate. “Jamie, please talk to me. Jamie, please.”

Worthless.

Worthless.

Worthless.

WORTHLESS.

WORTHLESS.

YOU’RE WORTHLESS.

“I’m not worthless!” Jamie suddenly screamed, tearing Nat’s hand off him. She looked at him, horrified, but Jamie didn’t care. He just wanted those voices out of his head.

Get out…

Get out!

GET OUT!

“Jamie, what’s wrong?” Nat, despite her horror, was still trying to get through to him. “Jamie? Jamie, please. Jamie, it’s okay. Connor will be okay.”

But he wasn’t.

Connor was going to die because of him – and that was assuming that he was still alive.

Because he’s not.

He’s dead and it’s your fault.

YOUR FAULT.

YOUR FAULT.

YOUR FAULT.

YOUR FAULT.

A knock sounded at the front door. He didn’t answer it. He just leaned over and grabbed his head, trying to will the voices to stop.

But they didn’t. Nat leaving his side briefly to answer the door didn’t help either. In fact, it might’ve just worsened them.

See? Point proven. Nat hates you.

And you hate yourself, too, don’t you?

Jamie…

It’s all your fault.

Everyone hates you, and you know it.

“Oh, hey.” Nat greeted. Who was she speaking to? Jamie didn’t know. “This isn’t a good time. Jamie’s being weird.”

A hushed response from whoever it was followed. Jamie didn’t hear it, because he couldn’t hear anything except the shrill screaming in his head.

Get out…

LEAVE ME ALONE!

JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!

“Well, you can try, I guess.” Nat sighed. “Come in, Ravi.”

Ravi?

A familiar face. A person who Jamie would consider a close friend. He’d known Sal at school and while he hadn’t been in his friend group, he still considered him a friend. Ravi helped Pip and Connor to find him after he disappeared. He had even been there when he was found.

But despite it all, that’s not what Jamie was thinking about right now.

Instead, a sense of anger had blinded him, discarding all the good things he’d done in favour of a harsh truth.

Ravi hadn’t been there to save Connor.

If he had, Connor wouldn’t be gone.

It’s not your fault, Jamie – it’s his.

Now make him pay for it.

And so, he did.

The moment Ravi was in reach of him, he delivered a harsh slap across his face.

~~~~

“What do you mean… we’re leaving?” Pip pulled out her desk chair and slowly lowered herself into it. As if instinctively, her eyes darted to the desk drawer where her pills were, but she quickly regained focus and looked at her mother. “No, that’s a lie. We can’t leave.”

“Pip-”

“I can’t leave just yet,” Pip continued, her heart beating faster than it has ever before. “I can’t leave. Not when Connor is missing. He had six hours to do whatever he wanted with Naomi. I don’t even want to know what he’ll do with Connor.”

“Pip-”

“You don’t understand, Mum!” Pip cried out, cutting her off. “He’s ruined everything! He took away everything from me. I lost my best friend because he killed her sister. He’s kidnapped one of my closest friends. He’s killing everyone I care about because I escaped! He’s doing this to punish me!”

“Which is why we need to leave, Pip.” Her mother argued, grabbing onto her shoulders. “I know you don’t want to, but seeing that the police aren’t doing anything, me and your father have decided to go away for a while until it’s safe to come back.”

“But what if that doesn’t happen?” Pip countered. “What if he just goes into hiding and waits until we come back? You haven’t thought this through, have you?”

“Pip-”

“You can go, but I need to stay.” Pip stated as she turned around, opening her laptop. “In the end, it’s me he’s after. If I go, then he’ll just wait around until I’m back. But if I stay, I can finish this.”

I’ll stop you before you can finish your plan, Jason Bell.

You’re not getting away with this.

Her mother, however, just sighed. “We’ll talk about this in the morning, darling. Just don’t stay up too late, please.”

Unfortunately for her mother, that wasn’t guaranteed. Now more than ever did she need to catch Jason before his plan succeeds. And if she left town, then she won’t be able to stop him.

And even though she loved the people around them, she knew none of them stood a chance against that monster – including Ravi.

And even if it meant having to sacrifice herself in the end, then that was a risk she was willing take. She’ll do anything for the people she loved.

~~~~

Ravi didn’t even get a chance to process anything before Jamie stood over him and started screaming at him.

“You did this!” He shouted as he delivered a punch to his ribs. “You did this! How could you? Why did you do this? Why, Ravi?”

“What are you talking about?” Ravi asked as he leaned forward, hugging his chest. “I didn’t do anything… Jamie, stop-”

He was cut off by another punch, this time to his jaw. Blood formed in his mouth and trailed down the back of his throat, causing Ravi to cough and wheeze. He hoped Jamie would snap out of it and show sympathy, but that wasn’t the case at all.

This wasn’t Jamie. The Jamie he knew was kind and understanding. Who was this and what had they done to Jamie Reynolds?

“Jamie, stop it!” Nat screamed as she latched onto him, preventing Jamie from hitting him again. “Calm down, please. Ravi didn’t do anything. Please, Jamie, calm down.”

“Nat, let me go.” Jamie gritted through his teeth. “Let me go!”

“Jamie-”

“You don’t understand, Nat!” Jamie screamed, cutting her off. “He did this! Connor is gone because of him! He left him alone! He did this!”

“Jamie, please-”

“No, I don’t care!” He pushed Nat away and grabbed Ravi by his shirt collar, yanking him onto his feet. “Why, Ravi? Why weren’t you there? Why did you take so long to come back?”

“Jamie, please stop.” Nat begged, but it was hopeless. Nothing she could possibly say could bring Jamie to his senses, because he was long-gone now.

“Spit it out, Ravi!” Jamie shook him. “Why? Did you know Jason was there? Were you hoping to deflect his attention from you by using Connor? Is that what this is?”

“What? No, Jamie!” Ravi gasped. “I didn’t know he was there! I didn’t know he was going to attack Connor and Zach while I was gone! Please, you need to believe me, Jamie. I didn’t know!”

But Ravi knew he wasn’t fully telling the truth.

That stupid van that had caught his attention earlier came to mind. Back then, he wasn’t fully certain if it was Jason’s, but now his gut feeling told him otherwise. That had been Jason’s van, but Jason just hadn’t been in it when Ravi found it.

Because while he was observing that van, Jason had been inside the hospital, attacking his own friends and even kidnapping one.

Maybe it was his fault, actually. He saw Connor like a brother, yet he had let him be kidnapped. And Zach, though not a close friend, was still a good friend of his and hadn’t even been safe at the hospital.

And maybe, if Ravi had been there, none of this would’ve happened. Jason wouldn’t have been given the chance to attack if he had been there. The opportunity wouldn’t have even existed at all.

But it did – and it was all because Ravi wasn’t there.

“Liar. I know you wanted him gone.” Jamie spat and rolled his eyes. “You don’t want you or Pip to get hurt, so you exchanged my brother’s life for yours. Is that what you did, Ravi? Did you make Jason go after Connor so that you and Pip would be safe?”

“What? Jamie, I didn’t do that!” Ravi argued. “I really didn’t know he was there. I swear I didn’t know!”

“You’re a liar!”

“Jamie, stop!” Nat screamed as she grabbed Jamie once again. “Let him go! He didn’t do that to Connor! He would never do that!”

“But you don’t know that, Nat!” Jamie snapped back, still glaring at Ravi. “Why else did he insist on Connor seeing Zach? He was safe with me! He needed me! There’s no other reason for Ravi wanting Connor to go besides him needing to deflect the attention away from him!”

“Jamie, do you even hear yourself?” Ravi spat. Though terrified, he wasn’t going to let Jamie spout baseless accusations against his character. That had already happened once, and he wasn’t going to let it happen again. “I care about Connor. He’s like a brother to me. How can you even suggest that I would sell him out to Jason for mine and Pip’s safety? Why would I ever do that?”

Jamie scoffed. “He’s a brother to you? Last time I checked, Ravi, Connor only has one brother – and it isn’t you. It’ll never be you.”

“Jamie-”

“Also, brothers look out for each other. They never leave each other behind. You should know that, knowing what happened to your own.”

And that was it.

Those words were enough to shatter Ravi’s entire world.  

It hadn’t been the accusations against his character. It hurt, but Ravi could deal with it. He’d been called much worse before. Jamie’s accusations barely scratched the surface.

But this… this was it.

Just the indirect mention of him not being able to save Sal was enough for the world to crash down on Ravi’s shoulders.

“Jamie!” This time, Nat was able to physically pull Jamie off him. Ravi could practically feel the tension radiating off her as she glared at Jamie. “How could you say that, Jamie? Apologise!”

But the damage was already done.

No apology Jamie could say now could erase the damage he’d caused. Ravi mirrored the glare Jamie had given him, though his might just be enough to suck Jamie’s soul right out of his body.

“You can say whatever you want about me, Jamie, but keep Sal’s name out of your mouth.” Ravi warned, his eyes darkening. “You can assume that I would willingly let Jason kidnap Connor. You can assume that I would sell out everyone’s safety for my own and Pip’s. You can assume anything you want about me, because I’ve heard it all at this point. But keep my brother’s name out of your mouth.”

“Ravi-”

“Contrary to your belief, I didn’t force Connor to go anywhere. Zach asked me to bring him, because Zach wanted to see him. Do you really think that low of me? Do you really think I’d do that to someone I care about?”

“Ravi-”

“No, I wouldn’t, and you should’ve known it, Jamie.” Ravi held back tears, though they stung at his eyes. “I came here to check on you, because I know how much you love your brother. Yet here you are, accusing me of selling him out to Jason just so he would leave me and Pip alone. Do you even realise how stupid that sounds? Jason is playing the long game here, Jamie. He’s going to kill everyone else before me and Pip. Nothing either of us could do could make him change his mind on killing us.”

Jamie went silent. His words had clearly struck a nerve in Jamie, but Ravi could care less. He did love Jamie, but he wasn’t sure anymore. This boy was not the person he had considered a friend.

And it hurt, because Ravi understood where he was coming from. To lose a sibling is the worst pain anyone could go through. Ravi knew exactly what it was like to lose a sibling. Though there was no indication that Connor was dead, Ravi understood why Jamie could think that. After what happened to Naomi, nothing was off the table.

But he just couldn’t be around Jamie right now after what he said. After knowing what he’d been through regarding Sal, Jamie should’ve known better than to bring him up. Even his anger couldn’t excuse what he’d done in Ravi’s eyes.

“I have to go,” Ravi brushed himself down and started walking to the door. He looked back over his shoulder, tensing at the sight of his two friends who now felt more like strangers. “If you really wanted to know, Jamie, the guilt of not being there for Connor is eating me alive. You only just worsened it.”

Jamie’s eyes were wide, practically begging for him to stay, but Ravi felt nothing.

“Ravi-”

“I thought you would understand, Jamie. He may not be my brother by blood, but he’s the brother I needed after six years. And I even saw you like my brother, too. I saw Sal in you when you disappeared. And I fought so hard for you to come home. All that work was clearly for nothing if this is how you treat me over a mistake.”

He was gone before Jamie could respond.

~~~~

9:00pm

Cara was falling in and out of sleep when she heard the doorbell ring.

Confused, she got up and slipped out of bed, making sure not to wake up Lauren. Who could be here at this hour? Her body tensed when the thought of Jason came to mind. There may be a chance that he didn’t know where she lived, but she wasn’t dismissing the possibility of him knowing, either. You can never be too sure of yourself.

But who she saw at the door wasn’t who she expected.

“Hi, Cara.” It was Steph who stood there, sucking the air right out of Cara’s lungs. “Can I come in?”

~~~~

10:00pm

Connor knew he’d made a mistake the moment he had accepted Jason’s offer.

He only did it for Zach, because Zach’s life was at stake at that moment and Connor was willing to do anything to protect him, even if it meant giving up his own freedom for his.

But he had regretted it the moment the realisation of what he’d done had set in.

In giving up his life for Zach’s, he had pretty much agreed to becoming Jason’s partner. But he couldn’t back out now. Not only would it cost him his own life, but he knew that the others were at risk, too. He didn’t put it past Jason to go back to the hospital and finish the job he had started.

He really wished it hadn’t come to this, though. If it had, then he wouldn’t be trapped in an old house with Jason, who was currently tying his wrists behind his back with duct tape.

“Stop whining, Connor.” Jason remarked as he fastened the tape around his wrists. “It’s only for tonight. I just can’t risk you running off anywhere.”  

Connor didn’t understand. He didn’t even know where he was. Judging from his surroundings, he was clearly not in Little Kilton nor anywhere near it. Jason said that this was his old house before he moved to Little Kilton. Apparently, he had never sold it and used it as an escape from Dawn when necessary. Connor struggled to see what that exact escape would be besides after murdering an innocent person, but he wasn’t going to ask. Despite his current situation, he was alive and that was what mattered to him. He couldn’t risk losing his life over a stupid choice on his part.

“Silent now, are we?” Jason snorted as he grabbed his ankles and started wrapping them in duct tape. “Good boy. I like it like that.”

Connor bit down on his lip, cringing as he ripped the tape off the roll. Even if he had planned on escaping tonight, all hope was gone now that his ankles were bound.

Jason set the tape roll down and grabbed his right cheek, his nails digging into it. “You know, you’ll grow to realise how much you prefer this life over your old one. It’s not so bad once you get used to it.”

Connor didn’t respond. He was just too afraid to slip up and get himself killed – and he couldn’t let that happen.

Jason smiled as he grabbed the roll again, ripping off a piece of tape. “See? You’re going to be just fine, Connor.”

And then he stuck the strip over Connor’s mouth, silencing him. Connor didn’t even resist, as he just felt numb. Jason then grabbed him by his ankles and dragged him over to the closet in the master bedroom, placing him inside before shutting the door.

A few minutes later, Connor heard the van pulling out of the driveway.

Then it was complete silence.

And then for the first time in hours, Connor cried.

What had he gotten himself into?

Chapter Text

26/09/2025

4:50am

Pip was still awake and going through her notes when her phone sounded beside her. Her body tensed, thinking it was Jason for a split second, but eased when seeing it was Ravi.

> Ravi ❤️

Ravi: Are you awake, Sarge?

Ravi: I’m outside your house. Can we talk?

Pip didn’t even hesitate in doing so.

~~~~

The cold wind greeted Pip as she stepped outside, carefully shutting the door so that nobody heard her.

Her heart skipped a beat seeing Ravi, who stood underneath the streetlight. Under the light, he was like an angel. If only it were possible for him to come rescue her from this nightmare.

“Hey, Sarge.” He greeted, a lightness to his voice. “Nice to see you. Sorry I didn’t come round again yesterday. I got… busy.”

Pip understood. But as she approached, she noticed the bruises on his face. What happened? Immediately, she thought about Jason, but quickly dismissed it. Jason wouldn’t have had the time to go after him when he had Connor.

“What happened?” She asked as she grabbed his face, inspecting the bruises. They were recent, as she had suspected. She would have noticed them if they had been from an earlier incident. “Who hurt you?”

“Pip-”

“Don’t cover for whoever did this, Ravi.” Pip advised. “I won’t let them get away with it. Whoever hurt you will pay for this.”

“It was Jamie, Pip.” Ravi said, much to Pip’s shock. “It was him, Pip. And I know you’re angry, but you can’t get upset with him.”

“Jamie?” Pip couldn’t believe it. Though she wanted to not believe it, her gut feeling told her otherwise. Ravi would never, ever lie to her, especially if it involved something as serious as assault. “Jamie… did this to you?”

Ravi nodded, much to her horror. “He hates me, Sarge.”

“Hates you?” Pip was dumbfounded. “Why would he hate you? You haven’t done anything wrong.”

“But I have, Sarge.” Ravi was starting to cry. Pip could feel his tears soaking onto her hands, prompting her to wipe them away. “I wasn’t there for Connor. If I had, he wouldn’t be missing.”

“Ravi, no.”

But he didn’t listen. “I don’t even know why I left in the first place. The flowers weren’t that important. I think I just wanted an excuse to go, so that Connor and Zach could have some time alone together. If only I knew the consequences that would follow…”

“Ravi, it’s not your fault.” Pip responded as she stood on her tiptoes, softly pecking his lips. “You didn’t know, okay? Jamie is just angry right now. Once he’s over it, he’ll apologise for hurting you.”

“You don’t know that, Pip.” Ravi sighed. “I’m never going to be able to forgive myself for this, Sarge. Jamie will never forgive me for not being there. I promised myself that I would protect him if Jamie wasn’t able to.”

 “And you did, Ravi.” Pip countered, trying to lift his spirits. “You did the best you could. You can’t always control how the world works. Life can just cruel when you least expect it.”

Her own words cut deep like a knife. Pip knew exactly just how cruel life could be. It had been horrible enough in making her witness a man be shot to death by another man. Not to mention how cruel it was to make her feel so conflicted over the situation, because she could understand both sides.

Charlie Green’s life had been ruined because of his sister’s death. Stanley Forbes had helped his father in kidnapping Charlie’s sister. And even if he hadn’t killed her himself, Charlie didn’t see it like that, because Stanley represented the life he’d lost because of her death.

Life just seemed to be cruel to everyone. It didn’t matter if you were good, bad or just morally grey, because life doesn’t discriminate in who it hurts. Even Ravi, who had been enough to keep Pip fighting for her survival, was still a target for the cruel games that life throws at you. No amount of good a person did could prevent them from being life’s next victim.

But Pip wasn’t going to allow that. Out of everyone in this world, Ravi did not deserve the blame for Connor’s disappearance. Nothing he could have done could have prevented Jason from taking him. If it hadn’t been at the hospital, then it would’ve been somewhere else, because it was clear that Connor was important to Jason. And though Pip wasn’t sure what the reason was yet, she just knew it wasn’t good at all.

“Ravi, look at me.” Pip lowered his head to hers, their foreheads pressed together. “It’s not your fault. Connor wouldn’t want you blaming yourself over it. He loves you like a brother.”

Ravi lightly scoffed. “What a brother I am for letting him be kidnapped-”

“He doesn’t hate you, okay?” Pip interrupted him. “He wouldn’t blame you for this, so don’t blame yourself. This is all Jason’s fault, okay? And we’re going to catch him and rescue Connor, okay?”

 A moment of silence passed between them before Ravi nodded and sighed. A flash of hope reflected in his eyes, which made Pip smile.

“I hope we find him before… Jason hurts him, Sarge.” Ravi stated as his fingers dug into her hair. “I won’t forgive myself if something happens to him, Pip.”

“I know, Ravi.” Pip pressed her head against his chest, taking in his warmth. “I understand.”

Because I wouldn’t be able to forgive myself, either.

I can’t even forgive myself for what happened to Naomi.

But Pip didn’t voice those thoughts aloud. Instead, she just held onto Ravi, soaking in the moment. In a world where it delighted in hurting her and her friends, Pip needed to soak in every moment that she shared with Ravi, because there was a chance that every moment they shared could be the last one.

“Let’s go inside, shall we?” Pip pulled away, a smile teasing on her face. “I’ll make us some tea.”

~~~~

5:30am

“Why didn’t you tell me that Naomi died?”

Cara chewed on her nails, avoiding eye contact with Steph who was sat across from her at the table. Cara had made them coffee, though neither of them had touched their respective mugs.

“I… forgot.” Lame excuse, but Cara couldn’t think straight. She couldn’t even focus on Steph when her mind kept drifting to Lauren, wondering if she’ll wake up and discover the scene. “Sorry, Steph. I’ve just been… busy.”

“With what? Because it must’ve been so important that you forgot to inform your girlfriend about your sister’s death.” Steph rolled her eyes. Cara was shocked; she had never seen Steph like this before, not that she couldn’t say she blamed her for it. “I thought you cared about me, Cara.”

“I do.”

“Yeah? Then why did you ghost me?” Steph snapped. “I had to find out about your sister’s death online. And then that led me down a rabbit hole of information that you’ve been keeping from me, Cara.”

Each word felt like a punch to the gut. Cara already felt like shit and Steph was just worsening it with the truth.

“I didn’t mean to, Steph.” Cara responded, not sparing her a glance. “I didn’t want to worry you.”

“Worry me? Cara, I’ve been worried sick because you haven’t been talking to me.” Steph sighed. “I came all the way here because I was worried that you’d hurt yourself. Yet here you are, perfectly fine.”

Perfectly fine? What a load of shit, Cara thought, biting back a snicker. If she laughed now, then Steph might think she’s crazy. Maybe she was slowly losing her sanity, but Cara didn’t really care. She was honestly surprised she hadn’t lost it when her father was revealed to be a murderer.

“What a load of shit.”

That took Steph aback. “Excuse me?”

Cara suddenly stood up, though she didn’t know why. “Perfectly fine? Steph, I’m a fucking mess. My sister died in my arms. I was right there, begging for her to stay alive. I lost my sister, yet here you are, berating me because I didn’t tell you.”

“It’s not just that, Cara!” Steph shouted, an edge to her voice. “Since last week, you’ve stopped talking to me. You didn’t even tell me that Pip had been kidnapped and almost murdered-”

“Don’t talk about Pip.”

Steph’s gaze narrowed on her. “Why not? Did you also push her away?”

Yes. “No! Just don’t talk about her!”  

Cara’s fingers bunched into her hair, pulling it apart. She didn’t want to talk about Pip! If she does, then she’ll be reminded of how easily she had cut her out of her life. They had been friends since they were four, yet Cara had easily discarded it, all because she was blinded by her anger.

If she could turn back time, she would go back to that moment and stop herself from ending her friendship with Pip. She needed Pip, because Pip would know what to do. She always knew what to do.

“Hm, because you pushed her away, too, just like you did to me.” Steph scoffed and rolled her eyes. “I don’t know what’s going on with you, but it needs to stop, Cara. You’re only hurting yourself by doing this.”

“Just stop!”

But she didn’t. “You’re hurting yourself, Cara. Don’t you see? By pushing us all away, you’re just hurting yourself.”

“Stop it!”

Though her statement was true, Steph wasn’t aware that there was someone who she hadn’t pushed away yet.

And she couldn’t know, because that girl was the reason why she was feeling things that she hadn’t felt for Steph before.

Lauren.

“Cara, what are you so afraid of?” Steph prodded, much to Cara’s displeasure. “I can help you. Just let me in, please. Don’t shut me out anymore.”

For a moment, Cara considers shouting at Steph again.

But then the tears start pouring down, and Cara broke out into a sob.

Steph, being the kind soul she was, came to her aid.

But that wasn’t who Cara wanted.

As Steph consoled her, there was another girl on Cara’s mind – and it killed her, because this isn’t what Steph deserved.

Right then, she knew what she needed to do.

“Steph?”

“Hm?”

Cara sighed. “There’s something I need to tell you.”

~~~~

6:00am

“You need to eat.”

A plate of toast was placed in front of him. Jamie didn’t even give it a second look before pushing it away.

“I’m not hungry,” Jamie replied, though his stomach argued otherwise. Hunger pains clawed inside, but Jamie didn’t even acknowledge them. He couldn’t when the only thing on his mind was his brother, who was still missing.

“Jamie, you need to eat.” Nat advised as she sat in the chair next to him, wrapping an arm around him. “You haven’t eaten at all. I’m worried about you.”

“Don’t be. I’m fine, Nat.”

But he wasn’t. He couldn’t be when he was here and not out looking for his brother. He had spent the entire night searching for him with Nat, who had to force him to go back home when the sun was starting to rise.

So now he was here, being forced to act normal when he was anything but. And he hated it, because while he was here being forced to act normal, Connor was somewhere out there and being held captive by a serial killer.

“You’re not, Jamie.” Damn Nat. He could lie as much as he wanted, but Nat would always see through it. “And it’s okay that you’re not. You don’t need to lie to me.”

“I’m not-”

“Yes, you are. I know what a liar looks like, Jamie.” Nat interrupted him and forced the plate into his hands. “Please eat, Jamie. I’m worried sick for you.”

“Nat, please don’t do this to me.” Tears stung at his eyes as he looked at the plate, feeling nauseous just looking at it. “I can’t do this… not without my brother…”

“Your brother wouldn’t want this, Jamie.” Nat countered. “He wouldn’t want you hurting yourself for him.”

“And how you would know that, exactly?” Jamie quipped, an edge to his voice. “He’s my brother, Nat. I’ve known him longer than you have.”

“Jamie, what?” Nat seemed taken aback by that. “What are you talking about? I just said that Connor wouldn’t want this. He would hate to see you hurt yourself over him.”

“You don’t know that, because he’s not here right now, Nat!” Jamie’s voice rose as he shoved the plate into Nat’s hands. “Why doesn’t anyone understand? I can’t be like this!”

“Like what?”

Jamie scoffed and crossed his arms. “I can’t pretend that my brother isn’t missing. Everyone, including you, are trying to make me do that.”

“Jamie, I’m not-”

“You don’t understand, Nat.” Jamie clenched his eyes shut and sighed, sounding guttural. “When I went missing, Connor didn’t stop looking for me. Even when the internet was saying that I was dead, or that I deserved what happened because of my past actions, he didn’t give up on me. I can’t give up on him, because he didn’t give up on me, Nat. I just can’t.”

“I know, Jamie.” Nat grabbed his hand, squeezing it softly. “And we will find him. We know that Jason is behind this. He can’t keep him hidden forever.”

“But you don’t know that, Nat.” Jamie buried his face into his hands, a sob breaking out of him. “Look at what he did to Naomi. I can’t imagine my brother being okay when he did that to Naomi. I just can’t.”

Even though he hadn’t seen Naomi’s body, he already had a clear image of what a man like Jason could do to her in six hours. They say that men are the world’s most dangerous creatures, and Jamie can’t say that he didn’t disagree with that statement.

“I know I can’t promise anything, but you need to remain optimistic, Jamie.” Nat continued, her touch making his body go warm. “Connor would want you to stay optimistic. Even when you were missing, he stayed optimistic. Hurting yourself won’t allow that. You’ll just be digging yourself into a deeper hole if you keep doing that.”

“Maybe that’s what I want, then.” Jamie argued. “I’d rather dig myself deeper into a hypothetical hole if it means trying to save my brother.”

“Jamie-”

“No, you don’t have any right to tell me how I should feel!” Jamie continued. “My brother is missing, Nat! He could probably be dead and yet I’m expected to just sit around like a little sheep. You of all people should know just how terrible the justice system is.”

Jamie knew, too, just how much the system could fail you. When he’d gone missing, they hadn’t even batted an eye at it because of his history with being a runaway. Nat, on the other hand, had her rapist be let go because a jury of twelve peers had chosen to believe him over her and the other girls he’d raped.

Yet why was she expecting him to just sit around and wait for the police to consider doing their jobs? They had made no effort in finding him, nor believing Pip about Jason, so why should he trust them in finding his brother?

“Jamie, do you even hear yourself?” Nat scoffed and stood up. “I’m trying to help you! I know exactly how unfair the system is. I’m just saying that how you’re coping with Connor’s disappearance isn’t going to help you.”

Wrong.

Don’t listen to her, Jamie!

She’s lying to you.

They are all lying to you.

They’re lying because it’s YOUR FAULT.

YOUR FAULT.

YOUR FAULT.

“Just stop it…” Jamie mumbled to himself, trying to silence the voices in his head. “Just stop it… it’s not my fault… I didn’t do anything wrong…”

“Jamie?”

“Shut up, Nat!” He suddenly screamed as he buried his face into the table. “Just leave me alone! I want to be left alone!”

“Jamie-”

“Go away!”

And she did.

Not before she delivered her parting words, though.

“I’ll do just that, Jamie.” She stood up, her voice sounding unusually angry. Though Nat was the type who wanted to watch the world burn for what it did to her, she never sounded like this when it came to him. “You know, even if you’re not yourself right now, I still love you.”

“Nat-”

“And if something happened to you, I would risk my life just so you could be safe.” Nat continued. “We all care about Connor. I know how much you care about him, Jamie. However, you’re hurting yourself by acting like this.”

“You don’t understand.”

“Of course, I don’t, because I’m not you. However, I love you enough to know that this isn’t you, Jamie, and Connor wouldn’t want this.” Nat continued, much to Jamie’s disarray. “You don’t even realise that you’re hurting everyone around you. And soon enough, it’s going to catch up to you.”

“What do you mean by that?”

This time, Nat didn’t respond.

She just shrugged and walked away, leaving him alone in the kitchen.

All alone, just like how his brother was right now – and Jamie wasn’t even sure if he was still alive.

~~~~

7:00am

Connor hadn’t gotten an ounce of sleep at all during the night. He had rotated between crying his eyes out, trying to break free from his restraints, or trying to make any intelligible sound that would draw attention.

The only one that worked was crying his eyes out. The cupboard was small, so it prevented him from making much movement, and any sound he made was muffled by the tape on his mouth. He had even tried licking the tape off, but that didn’t even work.   

He didn’t even know what the time was until he heard a car pull into the driveway. His body tensed, as if sensing who it was before seeing them.

It must be morning, seeing that he’s back, Connor thought, his heart thumping rapidly in his chest. Any chance he had to escape was now gone. He had wasted too much time in crying instead of fighting.

God, he really was useless. No wonder why everyone thought it.

He didn’t get much time to process anything before the closet’s door suddenly swung open. Cloaked in the morning light was Jason Bell, who stood tall and had a sinister smirk plastered on his face.

“Had a nice rest, Connor?” He remarked as he knelt in front of him. Connor felt his entire body freeze as Jason’s stare was fixed on him. “I know I did.”

Connor didn’t respond. Not that he could’ve, anyway, seeing that there was a strip of tape covering his mouth.

“Cat got your tongue, huh?” Jason grabbed the tape and ripped it off his mouth. “There. Now answer my question.”

But Connor didn’t do that. Instead, he was hunched over, sucking in all the air that he could. After a long night of having a congested nose due to crying, he was never going to take breathing for granted ever again.

But the moment did not last. Suddenly, a pair of hands grabbed his face, forcing him to make eye contact with the monster.

“Answer my question, Connor. You should know how this works now.”

Though Connor felt sick, he did as he was told. He just didn’t want to find out what would happen if he rebelled against him.

“No…” Connor whimpered, a sob breaking through him. “Let me go, please. I want to go home.”

“What are you talking about? This is your home, Connor.” Jason remarked as he pulled out a knife, his voice sounding oddly gentle. “Don’t you remember? You gave your old life for this. You can’t go back to who you were before. If you do, they won’t accept you.”

“You don’t know that.”

“Oh, but I do.” He cut the tape off his ankles. “All they want is justice. What you did won’t be seen as justice in their eyes, Connor.” He inched closer toward him as he grabbed his bound wrists, the knife’s blade hovering over them. “You’ll be seen as a traitor.”

“What? No-”

“You chose to come with me. I didn’t force you to.”

“You did!” Connor countered, sounding desperate. “You were going to kill me and Zach if I didn’t go with you! I didn’t want this! You made me do this!”

“Yet who decided that?” Jason retorted. His ability to remain calm despite the situation was enough to send chills down Connor’s spine. He had literally kidnapped him yet was acting like this was normal; that it was perfectly fine to do the terrible things he had done so easily. “You were given a choice, Connor. I never once forced you to choose me.”

Connor didn’t want to believe it. He might not be considered the brightest, but he wasn’t stupid. He vividly remembered Jason threatening his and Zach’s lives if Connor didn’t go with him. Yet here Jason was, trying to make him doubt his own memory.

But what if he’s right?

No.

He’s not listening to those voices in his head.

Like that nightmare from yesterday, they were not real.

But this is real, Connor.

You’ve been kidnapped and it’s all your fault.

You accepted his offer.

Stop it!

He’s not listening to those voices! They’re not real! This situation might be, but those voices aren’t. They’re all in his head. They’re only there because that fucking pig called DI Hawkins had instilled doubt into him. He made him believe that he was a monster capable of hurting the boy he loved.

But what if he was wrong again? Though he knew this wasn’t a nightmare, he also remembered that he had, in the final moments of being in that closet with Jason and Zach, considered the offer just to save Zach’s life.

A life for a life, as he had seen it. He just hadn’t been fully aware of the trouble that would follow because of it.

Or maybe he had been, since he had been stupid enough to accept Jason’s offer…

“Your silence speaks for itself, Connor.” Jason then sliced the knife through the tape, freeing Connor’s wrists. “Better for you to not speak, anyway. I’ve always believed in children needing to be seen but not heard.”

Connor gulped, his eyes going wide as Jason yanked him onto his feet. An arm was then wrapped around him, and he was suddenly being forced to move. Connor could barely stand, let alone walk, yet he followed along so that he didn’t anger the monster.

“Don’t dawdle, Connor. There’s so much to do today.” Jason remarked, practically dragging him out the front door. “Hurry up. You can’t slow me down; I’m already far behind on my plan. It needs to be finished today, or else.”

“Or else what?” Connor croaked. He hadn’t even realised how dry his throat was. It made sense, considering that he hadn’t had any water since the early afternoon yesterday.

Jason didn’t respond. He just forced Connor into the van’s passenger seat before getting into the driver’s side.

But Connor wasn’t giving up. The alarm bells were going off inside his mind after hearing Jason’s words. He obviously knew about Jason’s plan, but he was curious to know why it needed to be finished today, and what consequences would follow if it didn’t.

“What are you going to do?” Connor asked. “If your plan isn’t finished today, what are you going to do?”

“That’s none of your concern, Connor.”

“I think it is, since it’s about my friends.”

Jason snickered. “Your friends will all be dead by today, if my plan goes the way I need it to.”

Connor’s eyes widened. “You can’t do that! I won’t let you-”

Suddenly, a hand wrapped around his throat. Though Connor was able to breathe, he still felt nauseous at the monster’s mere touch.

“Oh, but you will.” Jason hissed, his gaze narrowed on him. “In fact, you’ll be helping me finish my plan, or else you’ll regret it.”

“Go to-”

“In fact, you can help me now.” His hand suddenly squeezed his throat, his nails digging into the skin. “Where does your friend Cara Ward live?”

Chapter Text

7:30am

Pip was dozing in his arms. Though Ravi was tired, too, he opted to stay awake so that Pip could sleep. She hadn’t gotten any sleep at all last night because she had been going over her notes about the case.

He had but had suddenly woken up at four due to a nightmare he had. He had been at the hospital where Zach was admitted and had been forced to watch Connor be murdered by Jason. Even though that hadn’t happened, it had scared Ravi enough for him to not go back to sleep and to go to Pip’s instead.

He’d had similar dreams after Sal passed. Sometimes, he would be forced to watch Sal kill himself in the woods, as they had said he did. Other times, however, he would be forced to watch Sal be brutally murdered by an unknown figure, as his gut had suspected many times before Ravi decided to push away any thoughts of his brother’s passing. His brother was dead, and there was nothing he could do about it.

But Connor… there was a chance that he wasn’t dead, and that killed Ravi. Whatever Jason wanted with Connor had to be a fate worse than death. And Ravi knew that Connor had only taken the chance to go with him because he’d been forced to. Connor was a good person; one of the best that this town could provide, so it didn’t make sense that Connor would willingly go with a serial killer unless he’d been forced to.

And then there was Jamie, who had made it clear yesterday that he despised him for not being there for Connor. Even though it had seemed Jamie had regretted what he said, Ravi could care less. Jamie could’ve stopped at the accusations of him making Jason target Connor so that him and Pip were safe, but he just had to bring up Sal.

Sal, who couldn’t even defend himself, had his name tarnished once more even after it had been cleared. It was even worse that it came from someone that Sal had considered a friend.

Yet again, do we even know our friends? Sal’s apparent friends had sold him out so that their own crime didn’t get discovered. Ravi’s old friends had dumped him after Sal’s death because they believed what the news told them. And his current friends seemed to have it out for him, too, all because he hadn’t been there to save Connor.

Not Pip, though.

Amid it all, he still had Pip, and he wouldn’t trade her for anything in this world.

But do you really know her, Ravi?

He did. He didn’t know why that stupid voice had come back, because he had chosen to silence it yesterday. He did know her, so that little voice in his head can go get fucked.

Come on, Ravi.

You know she’s hiding something.

She’s not… right?

No, she couldn’t be, because Pip wouldn’t do that to him. Pip loved him enough to not lie to her, right?

But you don’t know that, Ravi.

In fact, why don’t you check that desk drawer?

He can’t do that, because that would mean invading Pip’s privacy, and Pip trusted him not to do that.

But… how would she know? He could check now, just to ease his worries, and Pip would never know.

He glanced at her one last time before getting up, being sure not to make any sudden movement that would wake her up.

This was going to be quick, Ravi thought as he inched towards the desk. Pip isn’t hiding anything from me, so I’ll just check to be sure and then everything will go back to normal.

Because Pip wasn’t hiding anything from him, right?

~~~~

 8:00am

“So, even though you claimed that you didn’t care about her, seeing her on the night Zach got attacked made you suddenly change your mind?”

Lauren had just awoken and was about to go downstairs to find Cara when she heard Steph’s voice. Though she had never personally met Steph, she had seen her and Cara out in public before and recognised her voice.

And that scared Lauren. Why was she here? And where was Cara?

“Yeah, Steph.” Cara. Lauren felt like her heart was being held in an iron fist just from hearing her beautiful voice. “That’s right.”

But why did she sound sad? It sounded like the life had been sucked right out of Cara. Lauren understood, because of Naomi’s death, but she hadn’t been like that at all last night. In some way, despite what had happened, her old self had been there, smiling and teasing her like she used to. And Lauren had basked in the moment, because every moment counted in times like this.

So, what had happened now? Why was Steph here? And why did the thought of Steph make it feel like Lauren’s heart was being ripped right out of her chest?

“So, you don’t feel anything for me anymore, do you?” Steph’s voice sounded guttural. Even though Lauren could not physically see her, the image of her possible reaction came to mind, sending chills down Lauren’s spine.

“Steph, I never said that.” Cara responded, sounding panicked. “I do care about you. I just… don’t know if we can be together anymore.”

“You don’t know?” Steph scoffed. “Goodness, you don’t need to dance around it, Cara. You can just tell me.”

“Steph-”

“I won’t be offended if you want to break up with me, Cara.” Steph interrupted her. “I understand. I’ve noticed it, too.”

Noticed what? Lauren felt like she was being suffocated. She loved Cara, but she didn’t want to be the reason why Cara broke up with Steph. Though she barely knew her, Steph seemed sweet and didn’t deserve to be heartbroken. If she was the reason why Cara lost the one girl who she swore she loved, Lauren will never forgive herself for it. She might as well have let Jason kill her back at Ant’s house if it meant not being the reason behind a breakup.

“What do you mean?” Cara asked. “Steph, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. I was just-”  

“Cara, it’s fine.” But it wasn’t. Lauren could tell by the tone of her voice, which sounded sharp like a knife. “I told you that I’ve been feeling it, too.”

“Feeling what?”

Silence, until Steph said, “That we’re pulling apart from each other. We haven’t been the same for a while, Cara, and you know it.”

No…

No!

Lauren felt like she was going to be sick. Cara was going to lose her girlfriend because of her. If she had just died, then none of this would’ve happened.

Don’t be real.

Please don’t be real.

This must be a dream.

Please be a dream…

“I… I don’t want to lose you, Steph.” Cara whimpered. “Please… I don’t want you to leave me.”

“Cara-”

“I’ve already lost so much, Steph. I can’t lose you as well!”

The bile rose in Lauren’s throat. The world around her spun, making her feel dizzy. She was so scared, because she didn’t know what she would do if Cara and Steph broke up because of her. How does one react to being the reason why a relationship ended? It couldn’t be good, judging from how she felt like she was about to pass out.

“Cara… I don’t want to lose you, too, but you know that we can’t do this anymore.” Steph sounded like she was about to cry, and Lauren could not blame her. She really did love Cara, and that made Lauren feel like absolute shit for ruining their relationship. “This is hurting both me and you. You can’t lie and say that it doesn’t hurt, because I know you know it does, so just tell me the truth, please.”

“I am, Steph.” But she wasn’t, and Lauren knew that. “I just… I don’t know what to do.”

“Cara-”

“I care about you, but her… I just can’t explain it.”

“Do you love her?” Steph asked, her tone sharp enough to cut someone. “Do you love Lauren?”

“Steph-”

“Just answer my question, Cara. I’ll drop this once you’ve answered it.”

But Lauren didn’t even get to hear that answer, because she had rushed right back into Cara’s bedroom. She locked the door and collapsed against it, struggling to get any air into her lungs.

She felt like she was dying.

Maybe she was dying, and this was her punishment for her past actions.

Perhaps she had never escaped from Ant’s house at all and had been killed by Jason. Maybe she had just been dreaming of the good times with Cara, because that girl was like a curse to Lauren. Even when she wasn’t her friend, she had still thought about her, not even realising that she loved her more than she would have ever loved Ant.  

But it was never meant to be. And because of the love she had for Cara, it had resulted in Cara losing the girl who her heart belonged to.

This was all her fault. Had she not survived, then none of this would’ve happened.

So now she must go, so that Cara could be happy. She was always better off without her, anyway.

~~~~

8:10am

Pip slowly opened her eyes. She hadn’t known how long she had been asleep for. The last thing she remembered was being in Ravi’s arms and just talking to him like they always did before all of this started.

But she wasn’t in Ravi’s arms anymore. He was standing by her desk, his gaze narrowed upon her. And though Pip usually felt safe whenever she was in his presence, that wasn’t the case right now.

In fact, she felt scared. She felt like she was going to throw up, because he happened to be standing by the very desk where her pills were.

“Ravi?” Pip’s voice was merely a hushed whisper. “Ravi, what’s wrong?”

But she knew, deep down, what it was. What happened next only confirmed that feeling for her.

Suddenly, Ravi approached her, carrying that little bag containing her pills. Pip felt like her body was going to explode as Ravi stood over her, shaking that stupid bag in front of her face.

“What is this, Pip?” He asked, his tone unrecognisable. “What have you done?”  

~~~~

8:25am

“Please don’t do this,” Connor begged as Cara’s house came into view. “Please don’t hurt my friends. Just leave them alone.”

“Shut up, Connor.” He snapped, not sparing a glance in his direction. “There’s nothing you can say that will stop this from happening.”

“Just kill me. I’d rather be dead if it means they get to live.”

Because he had chosen to live for Zach’s sake. But that came at a price, and Connor did not want to pay for it, because that meant giving up the life he loved for one he didn’t want.

That life meant going against his morals for a man who had openly admitted to wanting him dead until he realised that he could be made into something more.

And he didn’t want it.

He didn’t want this.

He wanted to go home. He wanted to see Jamie and his parents again. He would do anything if it meant getting to see them again. He had promised himself to never take his family for granted after Jamie’s disappearance.

And his friends, too. Even if they see this as a betrayal, he still loved them regardless. He was willing to do anything if it meant saving them. He’ll even die if it meant that they were safe.

But Jason didn’t see it like that.

“You don’t have a choice now, Connor.” Jason snickered. “Have you already forgotten? Nothing will stop me from finishing my plan today. And even if you’re being insufferable right now, it’s too risky to kill you.”

“How so?”

Jason shrugged. “Remember your little friend that you risked your life for? He’s not dead, Connor. Even if the police believed him to be a liar about me attacking him, they might start thinking differently if you turn up dead. I can’t risk that.”

Connor felt his blood run cold just thinking about Zach. Zach, who he would do anything for, hadn’t been believed when it came to the perpetrator of his attack. Had they believed him, none of this would’ve happened.

“Maybe you can,” Connor responded. “Maybe it’s worth the risk. Just let me go, please.”

“Connor, shut up.” Jason warned. “Don’t test me. I was already kind enough to let you live. Don’t ruin it.”

Connor went silent then. He hadn’t been lying when he’d said that he’d rather be dead so that his friends could live. He really didn’t want to die, because there was so much that he hadn’t yet achieved in this life, but he was willing to do it if it meant that his friends were safe.

But he still didn’t want this.

He didn’t want to hurt anyone. He just wanted to be who he was before. This wasn’t fair. What had he ever done to deserve this?

“You’ll appreciate this one day, Connor.” Jason snarled as he pressed a firm hand on his shoulder. “I’ll make sure of it.”

Connor wasn’t sure what to think of that. He never saw a future where he would appreciate Jason for stripping him away from the life he loved. It hadn’t been perfect, but nothing ever really was. No matter how terrible his old life had gotten over the year, he would choose it in a heartbeat over this cruel life he was being forced to live. He may have chosen it, but not willingly. He had only done this so that Zach would be safe.

And now there was a probable chance that Zach wouldn’t be alive after today. He didn’t doubt that monster would go finish the job if the opportunity arose, so now the sacrifice he’d done would be proven worthless if Jason killed Zach.  

He was such an idiot. Maybe this was what he exactly deserved.