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DISCLAIMER: I do not own the characters or ideas created by Ari Schlossberg. I only borrowed them for the entertainment and amusement of my audience.

SUMMARY: A thought on how Madison Allen spent her time in the tunnels with John Wakefield.

GENRE: Drama

RATING: PG

DATE COMPLETED: January 15, 2010

::~*~::

Madison scrutinized the board in front of her. She was determined to make her grandpa proud of her and follow his advice. He always said to look two or three moves ahead. That's exactly what she was doing. After a few minutes of continued contemplation, a grin slowly spread over her face as she grasped her queen and slid her across the board to take out the bishop. And take it out, she did. She flicked the bishop off the board and he went shooting across the small room.

John smiled at her as he ignored the flying chess piece and took his turn to study the board.

"You're a very good chess player, Madison," he said casually.

"Thank you," she replied. "My grandpa taught me. He always played with me when I would visit him."

"He sounds like a nice grandpa. Does he treat you good?"

"He did," she said quietly. "He died at the church."

"I'm sorry about that," John said, moving his one remaining knight in the traditional L-shaped pattern. Madison quickly squashed his knight with one of her bishops. She knew that she was presently winning, but grandpa had always instructed her to not get cocky and let it run to her head. He had taught her by making a spectacular comeback from a losing position and the lesson had hit home. She had been properly chastised.

John chuckled as he looked at his four remaining pieces; the king, a rook, the other knight and a pawn. As he was thinking, a knock came at the door. Following his prior instructions, Madison waited the requisite two minutes before hurrying to the door and opening it. Picking up the platter from off of the ground, she brought it inside, closing the door behind her. On it sat two plates, each containing a sandwich, a bag of chips, some fruit and two cans of soda sat between the plates. There was even a straw because Madison had mentioned how much she liked drinking soda with a straw. She liked how it bubbled up and tickled the inside of her mouth.

Grabbing one of the plates and sodas, she carefully set the plate on her lap while she popped the top of the soda. Taking a bite of her sandwich, she watched John. He had grabbed the other plate and started to eat the other sandwich.

"Isn't it your turn?" Madison asked.

"I went while you were getting the food."

"Where? I didn't see you," she said.

"I always thought you were quite perceptive, Madison. Can't you see which piece I moved and where?"

Madison put her sandwich back on the plate as she leaned over the board with a quizzical look. Immediately, her face lit up and she flicked his pawn across the room as her queen claimed yet another victim.

John mockingly groaned as he debated which of his three pieces should be the next to take the plunge.

::~*~::

Madison ended up winning. When she finally cornered his king, she had jumped up and shouted "CHECKMATE," as her chair tipped over behind her. Twirling around, she suddenly remembered her manners and, turning back to John, held out her hand while saying, "Good game."

John shook her hand as he replied, "It was a good game."

Madison was beaming, but her happiness was interrupted as a giant yawn overtook her.

"You should probably get some rest. You've had a very long day."

"You're probably right. Mom would be so mad if she could see how late I stayed up."

"Before you go to sleep, though, I have to tell you something."

Madison had crawled over to the bed and was sitting cross-legged on it. "Sure."

"There is a bad man on the island here. He is hurting people, more specifically, the people connected to your aunt's wedding. He thinks this is all a game, much like our chess game, and like any game, he has rules. He wants these rules to be obeyed. He said something bad was going to happen to your mother if you don't follow the rules."

Madison gulped as he said this. "Okay," she said in a voice only slightly trembling in fear.

"He told me what he wanted you to do. It's very important that you do exactly as I say." John rubbed his hand over the stubble of beard on his face as he thought about how to phrase what he wanted to say. "It's very likely that someone will come and find you tonight. They'll take you back to the inn and they'll ask you questions. It's imperative that you tell them that the sheriff took you, especially to Abby. You must make her believe you and you cannot say anything different until she leaves to confront her father. Can you do that? It will keep your mother safe."

Madison nodded solemnly. "I can do that. He won't hurt her, will he? The sheriff won't hurt Abby?"

John smiled as he reached out to ruffle her hair. "No. The sheriff won't hurt Abby. Now, off to bed with you." He watched as she rolled over so that her back was to him and he slipped out of the room and into the tunnels beyond.