The Killing Game

Disclaimer: We are making no profit off this work. George Lucas owns the characters and universe, except for a few original characters.

AN: Hey everyone! We're back! We are so pleased that everyone enjoyed our first short story, Welcome Home Obi-Wan and since it was so popular we decided to write a sequel to it. Thanks again to all our readers and reviewers, we have very much appreciated hearing from you! We do hope everyone enjoys this story just as much, though this is darker than the first one as we see Obi-Wan chasing down a very dangerous criminal. Of course, Qui-Gon will be in it and several other Jedi might be making appearances as well. So stay tuned to see who Obi-Wan meets again!

Anyway, for those of you just joining us, here is a quick summary of events up to the present. Obi-Wan Kenobi left the Jedi Order as a teenager and never returned, eventually settling down with a wife and children. He has become a very well known and respective detective for their security forces. Meanwhile Qui-Gon was quite bitter about Obi-Wan's leaving for a while, but eventually learned to let it go and even looked for his former apprentice, but never found him. The two never made amends and more than ten years goes by until they meet again. Through a series of events, they finally make amends and become friends.

Now nearly two years later, certain events will bring the two men back together again in a game of deadly intrigue.

Chapter One: "The Escape"

Please note this chapter takes place a couple weeks before the prologue.

**Obi-Wan's point of view**

"Are you sure you're alright?" I asked Diedre as we gathered up the kids and things, heading toward her parents' for a rather large family barbecue. "You still look rather pale."

"I'm fine." She set Seth down and we watched as he toddled through the grass.

"Daddy." Kalei bouncing around, interrupted our conversation. "Can I go play?"

"Go on." I motioned her forward, toward the open front door. "But go give Grandma a hug first."

With that she took off as Anna and Angel stepped out onto the front porch. As we neared, I could hear the tale end of their conversation.

"Mom, I'm happy with my career." Angel was saying. "I like what I do."

Diedre and I exchanged glances, not wanting to get into that particular conversation as Anna bent down to give Kalei a hug.

"But I would like more than two grandchildren." She said as she reached out her arm to help Seth climb up the stairs. "That a boy. You'll get it soon."

I caught Angel's gaze as she rolled her eyes and I had a hard time not laughing, but decided to take pity on her. "Hey Angel there is another bag of food in the speeder, can you get it?"

"Of course." She gave me a grateful look and hurried down the drive.

"Oh, Obi-Wan go ahead and take that bag to the back." Anna told me as I greeted her with a kiss on the cheek. "The boys are already grilling. They will need that."

"Okay." I took Seth's hand. "Come on Kalei. I'm sure the kids are back there too."

Leaving the ladies together, I took the kids, heading through the house toward the backyard. Of course with Diedre's extended family hanging out everywhere, it took several minutes to get there.

"Hey Obi-Wan!" One of Diedre's cousins, Jeremy, called from by the grill. "It's your turn."

I couldn't help but laugh as the kids soon left my side, heading off to the play set and pool. "I did it last time."

Jeremy gave me a look as his brother, Todd, called over his shoulder. "Please tell me you brought the good stuff."

Stepping closer over, I gave him a slight grin. "You think I would come all the way over without it?"

The two of the looked at each other before back to me. "Yes."

Setting the bag down on the card board table besides the grill, I started rummaging through it before pulling them out. "Though I need to put these back into the cooler."

They both took one before nodding toward several sitting back in the grass. "There's ice in them already."

Quickly stepping over to the cooler, I took one for myself before placing them with the other drinks.

"So, how much sleep have you been getting?" Todd was asking when I rejoined them a moment or so later.

"Between work and the baby, absolutely nothing." Jeremy said, taking a large swig of his drink, before nodding toward his three month old baby, sleeping in a swing underneath a large tree. "Of course she sleeps now, not when we're trying to."

"Thank the Force, Diedre and I done with that." I took a swig, seeing my two playing in the pool with one Diedre's older teenage cousins. "They are both out of diapers, so unless a storm or something wakes them up, they sleep all night."

"That must be nice." Jeremy dryly commented. "You want mine?"

I couldn't help but laugh. "Are you kidding me? We're done." I turned from watching the kids to my cousin. "Actually once you get past the not sleeping part, it's not that bad. There are not running everywhere and getting into everything. You can actually hold them. Kalei will barely let me rock her to sleep anymore. She'd rather be playing."

The other two laughed. "Good luck with that. She's too much like Diedre, always everywhere, doing something for someone."

I couldn't help but smile slightly. She was definitely taking after my wife. "That she is."

Jeremy and I discussed the kids for a bit, while keeping an eye on the cooking meat, with Todd rolling his eyes, saying he'd never get married and have kids.

So, it wasn't that much later, the women were setting the food on the tables and the kids were climbing from the pool. It took quite a doing for everyone to settle down. After all, Diedre's grandparents were still alive, her father with his brother and sister, with all three being married. So, Diedre had a total of eight cousins and four siblings. Of course, throw in several spouses, boyfriends/girlfriends and a couple college roommates and four second cousins and you get a crammed in backyard barbecue.

I sat down on the table and pulled Seth into my lap, trying to keep his hands from reaching the food. "One more moment, and Daddy will feed you."

"Hungry Daddy." He was starting to pout, a sure sign he was ready for lunch.

"Do we need another high chair?" Anna asked as she placed a small sippie cup by me, then handing a Seth a couple grapes. "Here you go."

I shook my head, noting two of the other little ones were using some. "He'll be fine. I can hold him."

She only nodded as she sat down next to her husband.

So of course for the next while, we all ate way too much, but enjoyed each other's company. Being the fact the majority of the family was one way or another involved in the Security Force, recent cases were discussed and we spent half the time teasing the couple of rookies. Sometime during the afternoon, the kids all went down for naps, including Kalei as running around the backyard had quite exhausted them, and the adults got to spend some time alone. Some of the ladies went sunbathing by the pool and others sat with their drinks under the shade tree gabbing. Of course we men grabbed our drinks and went back inside to watch the game that we all thought we'd miss. All in all it was a good day and reminded me how blessed I was to have such a wonderful family, even if I married into it.

But all good things must come to an end and just as I was beginning to put our things into the speeder when my father in law came up to me. "Do you have moment to talk or do you want to take Diedre and the kids home first?"

I straightened up and glanced over to where Diedre, Angel and a few of their cousins were talking and laughing by the porch swing. The children were playing games at their feet. "They'll be fine for a while. What is it?"

His face looked grim and he motioned me toward the house. "We can talk inside."

With a funny feeling I followed him back inside the house.

I rubbed the edges of my beard, hearing the news, not liking it at all. "When did he escape?"

"Late last night." Dan Cummings, the chief of police and also Diedre's uncle, explained as we were situated in Seth's den. "They think, since he worked in this area before, he'll stick around."

"They sure about that Dad?"Jeremy asked, who was also another detective, asked. "He's too clever. He has to know we'll be after him."

We all agreed to that, but sometimes criminals who were quite intelligent, did things for certain purposes, even if it didn't seem like the wisest course of action. "He's trying to outdo us, to prove that he's better than us. It's a game to him to see how many he can kill before he gets caught again."

"Has he already do that?" Todd asked.

"Not to my knowledge." Chief Dan said, rereading the notes he had already gathered. "But I was just notified, so I might not have received everything yet. We need to go to the prison and see what's going on."

The men continued to discuss the case and I found my mind drifting slightly as I saw the children playing in the yard, their laughter echoing through the slightly opened window. Several years ago, Jack Braden had torn apart many families and he wanted to again. But would he follow his previous MO or would he set a new pattern? But if this was a game to him, wouldn't he play with us, to see how long it would take to figure out his new pattern? To see how he would torture us, haunt all of us with how many women he was murdering, as if taunting our skills at catching him. Oh he could certainly would kill again, and soon too. The game had already started.

"Obi-Wan." Nearly startled, I turned to face Seth. "What is it?"

Seth's gaze was questioning, well knowing I hadn't just been staring off into space.

I met his gaze before glancing about the room at all their faces. "He's going to kill again, soon I expect. He wants us to play his game."

"You think he'll pick different victims?"

I shook my head. "He's too obsessed with women not too. With his deranged past, I don't think he'll kill anyone else intentionally. However, who he hits and how, will be different. And what he does to them, will more than likely change." We all shuddered, remembering how he raped and beat them before he strangled them. "But we won't know how he's working until he strikes. He's already in the lead."

"And he knows it too."

"Let's get to work." Seth said as Dan pulled out his blinking comlink, finally receiving some new information. We all glanced at each other, well knowing it was time to get to work. We had little time before lives were lost.

"Obi-Wan what's going on?" Diedre asked me the second I climbed into bed late that night, well early morning as we stayed up most of the night working. Her mother eventually had taken most of the ladies home, that didn't join us that is, once they realized we were on a case. This time, I had come home long enough to catch an hour or two of sleep, and shower before heading back to the office.

I sighed as I stared into her eyes for long moments before answering her. It would be in the paper in the morning anyway. Better she hear the truth from me, rather a distorted one from anyone else. "Jack Braden escaped from prison last night."

A slight gasp escaped her throat, well remembering the horror of his first killing spree. "Oh no. How did he do that?"

As I held her close, I told her what I could. "So, until this guy is back behind bars, nearly the entire department will be on the case. Hopefully with all of us working on it, we'll catch him before too many lives are taken."

I felt her hands in my hair, stroking gently, as she knew I was already feeling guilty for the ones we couldn't save. "You'll get him. I don't think there's a criminal that has eluded you yet."

"It took me some time to figure out his MO before."

Diedre smiled, her confidence in my abilities bolstering my confidence in myself. "Yes, but you know the way he works now, half the figuring is already done."

I tugged my precious wife closer. "Thank you my love. I think I needed to hear that."

"Your welcome." She stretched up slightly, kissing me. "You leaving planet?"

I nodded. "Later this morning. We're going out to the prison on the Lycon moon. I just came home for a few hours of sleep and to clean up a bit."

"Be careful." I could hear the stress in her voice.

"Don't worry, I will be and I'm not going alone." I assured her. "You be careful too. We don't know whose he's going after this time. In fact it might be a good idea if you and the kids stay with your parents while I'm gone. Your uncles and dad will be running things here. You'll be well protected."

"Obi-Wan that's not necessary. I'll be fine."

I gave her a look. "I have a bad feeling about this, Diedre, promise me if things start happening you'll go over there or stay with someone. I can't stand the idea of someone hurting you when I can't be there to protect you."

She gave me a look, but her soft sigh told me she relented. "I promise, my love."

I leaned down and kissed her deeply, silencing the rest of our conversation.

Wanting to get an early start, I rose after only a few hours of sleep and took a quick shower. I gathered a few things together before kissing a still sleeping Diedre goodbye. After peaking in on the children, I quickly headed out toward the main office.

"Good morning Detective." The desk duty cop greeted me when I walked through the front doors of my office and I knew by the tone of his voice, Braden's escape was out.

"Good morning." I sipped on the coffee I had just picked up, needing at least a little something today. "Is anyone back in yet?"

"The Chief is in for sure as well as several others." He told me. "They were in the conference room earlier."

"Thanks." I told him before heading down the hallway. I was nearly to my office when the Chief and Seth caught up with me.

"Obi-Wan, come join us." The two looked like they hadn't slept at all.

"Sure." I turned and followed them into the conference room which had notes and files spread all over the table.

"This is what we've been able to gather so far. We still need to go over to the prison and talk to them in person, the inmates and the guards." I nodded as we continued the discussion from the night before with them finally ending with. "Take a few others and go out to the prison and start the interviews. We'll go from there."

I nodded my agreement and we started to gather our things together before quickly discussing what kinds of things we should be asking, but the older men very well knew how I just knew instinctively what to ask and how to ask in order to get what we really needed.

Several hours later, I ran a frustrating hand through my hair. We hadn't really learned all that much more. Sure, we knew when Braden broke out, which direction he ran, that he managed to get off planet. He could be anywhere, well since the ship he took was low on fuel, we figured he was still in the relative area. Of course we plotted out all possible routes and locations, altering everyone possible that a killer might be stopping for fuel sometime shortly.

Then we started interviewing a lot of inmates, particularly the ones he might have disclosed something to, but wasn't getting much more The worst part about it was I felt they were telling the truth, that they weren't covering any tracks. No one was surprised when he escaped though, as he did talk about that, but most prisoners did at one time or another, but no one took it too seriously.

"Why do you think he escaped?" I looked up into the hardened eyes of another criminal that supposedly spend more time with Braden than some of the others. "You must have a theory, all you cops do."

"If I did, I wouldn't be spending all my time sitting in here with you would I?"

He considered that for a moment or two before leaning back in his chair, a sly grin on his face. He knew something, I could feel it. "You probably wouldn't, but then again, you're not that smart if you hadn't figured out Jack's plan yet."

"I got him and you behind bars didn't I?" I tried to bait him, hoping he would unknowingly shed a little light onto this situation. "I outsmarted you once and Braden for that matter."

He grunted, not liking to remember that. "And we didn't like it either. You've got a lot enemies in here. Do you really think we'd tell you anything?"

"Oh, I guess I was hoping some time in here might have straightened you out a bit." I signaled the guard to come and get him. I was done for now. "But I guess I was wrong."

The prisoner didn't say a wrong as he was led out of the room and back towards his cell. I sat there for long moments, deep in thought.

"Well that was nearly pointless." Angel plopped down besides me. "What have we learned besides the fact that he stole a ship and flew the coup?"

I turned my gaze toward my sister-in-law. "That he's after one thing." I waited till I had her full attention before continuing. "He wants to outsmart, not the prison, not the Lycon Security Force, but me. He escaped to beat me. It's driven him mad that I was the one that discovered his pattern, that trapped and caught him before locking him away. He wants me to play his game until he comes out on top."

Angel stared at me for long moments before speaking. "And you got all of that out of one little statement? Are you sure?"

"Positive. There was something in his eyes that said it." I shrugged lightly. "Just a feeling really, but it makes sense if he would come after me."

"So what's the game plan?" Angel asked as we got up to leave the room. "We just can't wait around for him to kill someone."

I nodded, still deep in thought. "I know, but we have very little to go on and there aren't enough of us to search all the possible places he could be." Though we had all the major ones being checked out and searched.

We had stepped into the outer room and saw the others that had come with us.

"Was I the only one that didn't pick up a thing?" Jeremy, quite frustrated, asked.

Angel nodded. "Though Mister I can sense things normal people can't did."

I soon found all their eyes on me as I sent her a look of warning. "Angel."

"Well, you did." She insisted and proceeded to inform them of it. "Braden escaped to go after Obi-Wan."

"You sure?"

I nodded, giving them the brief clues here and there I had picked up and that last interview. Once we discussed it a bit, we headed back towards home, all wanted to nail this guy once and for all.

Once back in the quiet of my office, I looked over the notes from that morning, feeling even more sure that he was wanting to play just with me, but I was so frustrated that I hadn't a clue to where he was going to next. What was even more frustrating was that Jack Braden knew he was in charge. The game was his.

With a frustrated sigh, I got up from my desk and left the room, walking swiftly across the hallway to Angel's. "Where's his file? Has anyone pulled out from archives yet?"

She looked up from her notes from this morning, obviously trying to find something we might have missed. "I'm not sure. You might want to ask Dad or Uncle Dan."

I nodded before heading down toward their offices. I knocked on Seth's door and found him sitting behind his desk, looking quite tired and stressed. "Are you alright?"

He nodded slightly. "I spent most of the morning trying to notify all of the family members of Braden's victims and making sure they have regular patrols checking on them."

I held back a wince. That couldn't have been easy. "Are they holding up okay?"

"Mostly. Angry as well as scared. Hopefully he won't go after any of them." He shook his head, then changed the subject. "What do you have?"

"Very little." I gave him the run down on what was going on, that the major hangers that had been checked out had come back clear with no suspicious activities. No possible hot leads. "Though something one of the prisoners said gave me a little insight."

Seth raised an eyebrow, asking what it was.

"I think he broke out of prison to outsmart me, to prove that he's better than me." I held up my hand to foretell any protest. "I was the one that baited and trapped him. It's personal to him. I haven't a clue to where he's going to strike, but I have a feeling it's going to be soon."

Seth leaned back in his chair, clearly studying me. "You sure that's he's going to be going after only you?"

"Positive."

Seth seemed to consider this for another several minutes before sighing. "Very well. Dan was just in here and we decided you should be leading the task force we've set up to get this killer, especially since you have this uncanny ability to get into their heads." He paused as he looked into my eyes. "We're going to need it."

I nodded towards him. "We'll get him before too long. He's going to get cocky and he'll slip."

"Hopefully before too many die." A brief silence stretched before us, well knowing, more likely than not, lives would be lost. "Now, here are the ones we were thinking of assigning to the task force."

I leaned over Seth's desk, looking over the names as we started to discuss the new task force. We were just about agreed on things when a knock sounded on the door.

"Come in." Seth called as I finished catching up on my notes.

"Here's all the documentation you wanted." The files clerk glanced toward my direction. "Oh good, Detective, I was just about to go find you. This just came for you."

I took the data pad from him, somehow already knowing it was from him. I activated the message and read what he wrote as Seth started questioning how that message got to us.

"Hello old friend. Are you up for another rousing game? I've already played the first piece and moving onto number two But what game am I playing? And how many people will die before you figure it out? Catch me if you can Kenobi."

I set the date pad down and turned back to Seth. "We need to get every security station at all possible locations on the com. He's murdered again and we've got to find out where."

Seth sighed as we left the room. A feeling of dread filled me. There was a killer on the loose and we had no idea where he was. Braden might feel it was a game, but this was no game. People's lives were a stack and I wouldn't rest until they were all safe.