Wednesday

3:15 PM

2.006 inches

Ethan Mars was sitting on the passenger's seat, staring at the falling rain that kept coming from the sky, feeling its might power slowly drag him to sleep. Rain made him feel at peace, it always did, especially now that he really needed it. Just thinking about Shaun being drown by it, however, made him hate it all of sudden and he moaned, worried and scared.

Jayden was driving the car. They were supposed to go to Ethan's place so he could prepare himself for the next trial. They didn't talk much to each other, not after Blake suddenly appeared before them a few minutes after Mars got the first letters for the hangman.

"Holy fuck, Jayden!" He yelled, getting off the car he used to reach them and pointing his finger at the Agent "What did you think you were doing, running through the highway like that? Are you stupid?"

"Blake, please!" Norman started, staying controlled "We can discuss that at the Station but right now we have to give Ethan some aid, if you don't mind!"

"Oh, yeah, in fact I do mind! Weren't you thinking about the other people driving here? You could have killed them, you know! And did you forget about Ash? If something went wrong, he would have to pay for your lack of responsibility, don't you see that?"

Norman blinked, facing the truth. He felt so desperate, so determined to help the man save his kid that he totally forgot about anyone else. He could have even crashed the car, damnit!

"Listen, I…" Ethan tried to argue, but was interrupted.

"You're insane, Mr. Mars!" Blake yelled at him "And everything for what? Did you actually get something for this craziness? "

"Blake, stop!" _ayden ordered "Yelling at Mars won't make your anger for me vanish! If you've got something to say, say it to me and no one else!"

Norman stared at him coldly. He had had no responsibility, alright, but Mars was fighting for his son's life, it was completely different! If he didn't do it alone, no one else would, that's why he acted like that. Still, Carter liked to play the boss, that he knew very well, and surely would try to settle a few things as soon as they got back to the station.

"Oh, yeah! I'll make sure to tell ya one or two things, "Nahman": Since you've come in to "help" us, you seem to think you're good at what you do! Guess what? You're nothing more than a piece of shit, critiquing MY way of working and interfering in MY job!"

"I am NOT going to allow you to mess up with clues, Carter! You've been working in this case for what, two years? And what did you caught, uh? Nothing! Abso-fuckin-lutely nothing!"

"The first letters." Ethan said, trying to get Blake's attention. Shit, he felt like a stray dog, having to watch the bigger ones fight for a piece of meat while standing out of it, keeping his head down, just accepting everything that was being thrown at him! Did they forget it was his son's life at stake here?

Blake looked down at him, angry for being interrupted, waiting for him to add something else.

"The first letters for the hangman! Now we just have to… To finish the other trials and we'll be able to find the address!"

Blake sighed, angrier than ever. This one time, the profiler and Ethan were left behind as if they had nothing to do with the case.

Norman felt his hands start shaking. He didn't know if it was the cold or even his anger but he surely felt his vision get blurry for a second. He closed them, hoping for it to stop, and turned to Ethan.

"I'm sorry…" Ethan said, his voice low "I didn't mean to get you into trouble..."

"It's ok. It wasn't your fault" Norman said, trying to focus.

"Ah… Are you ok? You don't look too good."

"I'm just fine." He said, his voice trembling. Ethan would never believe it, but he didn't care "Let's go! You've got to take care of your wounds."

"Over there." Ethan pointed the Motel to Norman.

"A Motel? I thought we were going back to your place…?"

"It's a little… Far from here and, besides, I… Well, I… Just go in."

The profiler didn't argue. He just parked his car and both got up.

"Room?"

"207. Third floor."

They headed for the stairs. Ethan was moaning, pressing his hand against his chest, hobbling.

"Do you want help?" Jayden asked him.

"No, thank you, I… I think I can do it by mys- Agh!"

"Oh, c'mon! I don't bite, you know?" Norman said and, putting Ethan's arm around his back, he went up the stairs. Mars kept on moaning and looked embarrassed. Couldn't blame him though: To depend on others isn't an easy task. To his relief, it didn't take long before they entered the room 207.

It was an empty place, that's for sure. Nothing really special, just the essential: A bed, a bathroom and a wardrobe, along with a TV and a fridge. He helped Ethan into the bathroom and left him by himself.

"If you feel bad, dizzy or anything, be sure to call me."

"Alright…" Ethan answered, still embarrassed. Off al places, he didn't want to faint in here, at the bathroom, naked and having only a man to help him out! Of course, he just wanted to help but… It would still be weird as fuck.

"Don't you have anything to eat in here?" Jayden asked, opening the fridge "You'll need to eat something."

"No, I… Actually, I came in here right after picking up the shoe box, I… I kinda freaked out so I-"

"It's ok. I understand. But you'll still need to eat something" He finished and sat at the bed, waiting, his hands still shaking.

Ethan sighed, a sharp pain crossing his body. Norman was different of all the others, that's for sure. He seemed to understand him, somehow, and actually cared about his son!

"May… May I ask you something, Jayden?" Ethan asked, wondering if he would still be there.

"Sure, go on ahead.

"Why are you helping me?

He turned in confusion.

"Sorry?

"I mean, you… You really seem to be worried about my son and… Well, you're the only one."

Jayden sighed. For Ethan it was just compassion, but for him it was more than that. It was a plague! Instead of just doing his work, he always let himself get too close to people and that usually led him into trouble. He believed in humanity and love and always thought that, if everyone at least tried to act like that, the world would be a better place. To his disappointment, though, that always made him feel like being weak.

"I just want to do the right thing" He said "To be able to actually help people. It's the only reason I joined the FBI, you know. To free the world from these false people out there."

"I see…" Ethan comment, lost in thought. It was good to see there were still a few good people out there.

"What about you?" Norman asked him "Do you have job or something?"

"Yeah, I'm… I'm an architect!"

"Oh, really? That's pretty nice, actually" He said with a smile_ I thought about doing it once but I'm not too good at drawing houses, If you know what I mean…"

"Ha, ha, it's all about dedication, really. The same you need to become an FBI Agent. The only difference is that we won't have to go after killers and all of that, if you know what I mean…"

"Yeah, right!" Norman laughed and Ethan got out of the bathroom, wearing the same clothes as before. Jayden didn't question him: He was right when he said he would possibly bleed again.

That thought sent him chills down his spine.

"So, how do you feel? Norman asked, getting up.

"A lot better, thanks" Ethan thanked him "Should we go?"

"What? No, not yet! You've got to rest, at least for a while and you've got to eat!"

"But-"

"Don't worry, I'll go and buy you something!" Norman said and headed for the door "What do you like?"

"Listen, you don't have to, you know…"

"Just tell me, it's fine."

"Ahn… _Ethan sighed" Anything you like is enough.

"Ok then, I'll bring something" He announced and left.

Ethan called but he didn't listen – Or maybe just didn't answer, who knows. He really wanted to help after all…

The fact is, Jayden started feeling weird as soon as he left the room .He reached his car as fast as he could and sat, trying to keep control. His hands were shaking like mad and cold sweats were running through that pale face of his. The world seemed to be spinning and he fought hard against the urge to vomit, his head feeling like it was about to explode…He knew well what was this all about.

A few years ago, after joining the FBI, he was selected, along with 30 other Agents, to participateof onto a program they were creating in order to make investigations faster and better. It sounded good, it sounded fun so… Why not?

The truth, however, wasn't so good like it was supposed to be. And now he was suffering its consequences, the withdraw symptoms of the fucking drug, Triptocaine, which seemed to be tearing him apart from the inside, craving into his veins and pushing them harder and harder, his heart suddenly failing him as he felt it, a tiny vial inside his pocket…

He... He had to take it. He had to take it, only then he would be able to concentrate and save Shaun. Yeah, he surely needed it. He...

He just wanted the pain to stop…

He took the small vial into his hands, that tempting blue liquid inside, staring at him, begging him: Just this once, it told him, just this once and you'll feel better. Time is running out for that kid, you need to be in perfect conditions if you're going to help him, don't you think?

Before he could even try to control his hands they moved by themselves and he inhaled victorious as the substance ran through his veins, his hands stopped shaking and his vision went back to normal. A few minutes passed as he stood inside the car, thinking, talking to himself…

It was already four o' clock when he went back into Ethan's room with some food.

"Mr. Mars, I'm so sorry for taking so long!" He said as soon as he opened the door "Had a few problems on the way back but I've-"

He stopped as soon as he turned around and faced Ethan. He was sitting on the bed, reading something in his cell phone and seemed really worried. Norman's heart seemed to stop, wondering what was written in there until Ethan spoke:

"He knows it."

Approaching him and leaving the bags behind, Norman read the message:

"Working alone may be harder in the beginning, but working with someone will make the ending even harder"

What the heck was that supposed to mean?

"Do… Do you think he's watching us?" Ethan asked, scared "He… He could have seen us coming here"

"No. He wouldn't risk getting too close to us… He must have seen me when I helped you out of the car."

"Do you think he's talking about you? Specifically?"

"Probably." Norman sighed, thinking "He must have been waiting for you to accomplish the first trial and the only time someone approached you was when I came in to take your seatbelt off…"

Ethan started shaking. Damnit, not only his son was in trouble but now even the one that was trying to help him. He couldn't help but start crying again.

"Ethan, what's the matter?" Jayden asked, worried. Ethan stood up and went into the bathroom to wash his face. Ethan didn't know if he could fully trust him, they had just met each other and here he was, crying in front of him like a child!

Yet, he was the only person he had, the only person he could trust at least for now. He couldn't take it anymore; he needed to share his pain, to make it all go away…

"I… I was married you know." He started saying from the bathroom and washed his face "I was married and… And had two children. Two wonderful boys…"

He sobbed to that memory. Breathing slowly, he went back to his bed and sat there once again, hot tears still rolling his face and falling onto the floor. Norman sat on his side, listening.

"It was when… _He swallowed, trying to keep controlled "I-it was when w-we went to a shopping mall… Just… J-just like a family and... And…"

"Jason, wait for me! Wait for your dad, son!"

"I-I lo- lost him in the crowd…"

"Jason!"

"And I panicked…!" He kept telling, pieces of this terrible memory flashing before his eyes as if he was traveling back to that moment, a deep agony taking all over him.

"Disappeared? What do you mean disappeared?"

"Jason, God, you really had me scared…!"

"The Red balloon! Follow the red balloon!"

"I saw the car coming…"

"JASON!"

"A-And h-he called me dad f… For the last time…!"

"Jason! NO!"

He started sobbing, covering his face with both hands. The pain was just too much for him to bear and Norman realized what his greatest fear was.

"You're afraid you won't be able to save Shaun, aren't you?" Norman asked with a low voice, patiently.

"A-All I want… Is for Shaun to be safe." He finished, sniffling. That's when he felt the known soft slap on his back and stared at the man standing by his side. He looked determined and he saw no lies in his eyes when he said:

"Don't worry. I'll make sure nothing happens to your son! You can count on that!"

Ethan smiled, still trembling. At least he wouldn't be all alone facing the killer…

"You… You better go. I… I don't want you to get into trouble with that fucking asshole just because of me and-"

"Did you just call Carter Blake a fucking asshole?" Norman asked, astonished.

"Oh, I'm… I'm sorry, he's… He's your partner, right?"

Norman laughed.

"Guess we have more in common than I expected us to have!"