A/N - i own nothing you recognize, but i own everything you don't. and don't yell at me for not updating Phantasy, if you were planning to. i have tons of back-up material for this story, so it isnt taking up my writing time!!!

okay, this is the prologue of a series of detective stories i'm writing, starring Sam. Also featuring our favourite ghost boy (duh) a bit later on.

hope you like it!!!!

Prologue: Detectives

"Suspect is entering the room. Copy? Over."

The machine crackled loudly as she pushed her pigtails over her shoulders and put her lips to the mouthpiece.

"Roger. T minus three seconds. Over."

"Roger."

"Roger. I'm going in!"

She leapt up from her hiding place with a battle cry and threw the duvet cover over the oblivious figure that had just entered the room. The smothered person let out a small shriek as she was tackled to the ground.

"Oh my God!" She screamed. "Let me go!"

"Suspect is caughted. Over and out!"

The furiously writhing girl under the cloth finally struggled her way out from under it and glared murder at the small girl still happily clutching its corner. Their heads both snapped to the door as it whooshed open to admit a young dark-haired boy, skipping with excitement.

"We caughted her Sam! We caughted her!"

"Matt!" Sam snapped crossly. "Be cool."

Matt stopped skipping and hung his head in apology. The girl released the sheet and went to high-five her comrade.

Meanwhile the teen who had been apprehended stood, brushing herself off, though there was nothing on her to brush off, and jammed a loosened earphone back in her ear.

"What the hell are you freaks doing?" She demanded loudly.

"We're detectives."

"Oh, right, detectives, of course!" She hissed, her voice dripping venom and sarcasm. "Well from now on you keep your stupid games away from me!" She finished with a yell.

Her little cousin was smiling up at her. "We winned though Katie. We caughted you!"

"'Caughted' is not a word, Samantha." Katie informed her imperiously, tilting her nose into the air. "Now, both of you – get out of my room!"

The two children smirked happily and darted out of the room. They ran downstairs and into the garden, eventually collapsing next to each other in the grass, rolling around, still giddy with excitement.

"Matt, we're good detectives, aren't we?" Sam asked, sitting up and picking at one of her pigtails.

"We're the best detectives there ever was." Her friend assured her, pulling up a clump of grass and watching it fall through his stubby fingers. "But we're only pretend detectives."

"I'm going to be a real detective one day Matt," she informed her friend happily. "And I'm going to have some real handcuffs and a magnifying glass and I'm going to catch bad men."

"Can I come with you, Sam?" He asked tentatively.

"Of course. You have to be my partner."

"Will," he paused, turning pink. "Will we be married?"

"Of course not!" She giggled. His face fell, but she did not notice. "I'll be far too busy being important."

"Well then, well then maybe I won't be a detective with you then." He choked, turning his back on her.

She was stunned. "Wh-what do you mean? What will you be instead?"

He turned back to face her. "I don't, I'll be… I'll be in the army!"

"The army!"

"Yes!" He cried. "I'll be a," his mind shot back to a report his dad had been watching on the television yesterday. "I'll be a Navy SEAL."

"A seal!"

"Yes, a seal."

She began to laugh uncontrollably.

"Why are you laughing?" He asked, both hurt and confused.

"You can't be a seal! You don't like to swim!"

"Oh." Matt was deep in thought. "Well, I guess I'll be your partner then."

She beamed happily and threw her arms around him.

"I'm glad."

"Me too."

She leapt up, grabbing his hand to pull her with him. "Well if you're going to be a detective you've gotta be able to run real fast!"

"Why?"

She rolled her eyes at how clueless he was. "To catch the bad guys, silly!"

"Oh, of course."

"So," she said, beaming. "Catch me if you can!" And off she ran.

Matt laughed and ran after her. He was gaining on her, and she looked around her garden. There was nowhere else to run. She turned to the side gate. Perfect! She ran straight for it, opening the latch and sprinting along the side of her house. She ran out into the road, Matt right behind her, not even realizing she had left the safety of the pavement, not even noticing the car coming up from her left.

The car that just missed her.

But she stopped dead when she heard the vicious squealing of wheels, the hissing of an engine, a yell of agony, and the horrific silence.

whatcha think? give me a review please!!! it is just the prologue, so if you think it's too short...that's why!

FunkyFish1991 xXx