VII - Prelude to a storm

Thursday early afternoon

Chloe was in her room, laying on her bed, baking as she pondered about the previous days. As promised by Doctor Ryan, she had been discharged from the hospital on Wednesday morning and driven home by Joyce and David. She had gone straight to her room and had stayed there ever since, occasionally shuffling to the kitchen for food. During the day, her mom had knocked on her door several times, each time asking if she wanted to talk to Max' parents, each time trying to give her news about Max' condition. Each time, Chloe had just asked if she was awake and sent her mother back when she answered negatively.

Chloe felt confused. Part of her was happy Max was back in her life. Part of her was angry her best friend had ignored her for years. And another part kept worrying about Rachel, her real best friend, the one who would never have left without her.

Every now and then, Chloe's fingers came to brush her lips as memories of the kiss she received in the bathroom filled her mind. Every time, anger rose in her.

Did Max really think that kissing me would make up for her silence?

But with this rage, also came pain. The raw pain of when Max left her came haunting her again. And with pain, she also felt dread and fear. She had refused to go see Max every time her mother had offered. She had brushed the offers back, acting angry; acting like Max meant nothing to her anymore. But she doubted her mom had really bought it.

David probably had not. It was a novelty to her. Step-Douche had actually been concerned about her, asking if her wound hurt, telling her he understood how being shot could made you feel.

As if he would let me forget he was a soldier.

He had offered to talk about it whenever she felt like it, offered to talk about Max, telling her he knew she was scared, that he had been through this before. She remembered the picture he gave her three years before. The picture of his childhood friend who had not made it back from the war.

In an attempt to make peace, the first of many, she had taken the picture. In fact, she still had it now, lying on the bed beside her.

Would David really be able to help me?

She frowned and shook her head.

The hell with this! He's a douche! No way I'd need his sergeant drill shit!

She sighed and put off her joint. She closed her eyes trying to relax, but as soon as she did, the memory of her last day before Max moved out came to her mind, followed by the instant before the shot.

Fuck that!

Chloe stood up quickly, too quickly, cursing as her wound stung at the sudden move. She groaned, holding her flank as she waited for it to ease up. Then, she picked her jacket and headed for the house door.


She had been sitting by the lighthouse for an hour now. Looking at the sea, smoking cigarettes. She held the picture of her and Rachel in her free hand, looking at it with sad eyes.

"I sure could use your help Rachel. Fuck where do I start?" She ran her hand in her hair before she took a breath of her cigarette.

"So, well I got shot. How sick is that?... I was trying to get Prickscott to give me cash... You know hush money for not telling everyone he tried to roofie me. Thought he would cough up the dough and we could use it to escape from this shithole."

Chloe looked at the horizon.

"Guess I'm not smarter than you are. Remember how you got stabbed by that dickhead Merrick? Guess we are hella even now." She paused a moment. "Oh, remember that friend I told you about, who left for a more Northern and Greener place? She came back. She was in Blackwell..." She tossed her cigarette butt over the cliff, fishing in her pocket for another. "Been there since September... Been there for a whole month and didn't say a fucking word. Hella best friend forever right?"

She lit the new cigarette, taking a few drags, puffing out trying to make circle of smoke.

"Still... She got shot at the same time I did... She actually tried to protect me."

Chloe looked down at the picture, feeling tears gathering in her eyes.

"I wish you were there Rachel. I dunno what to do. She might die… and I want to tell her how I missed her. But ... I'm so angry… angry that she left me when I needed her. I know she didn't choose it. I know she didn't want it. Still..."

She started to cry, pouring her heart out.

"I keep thinking about what happened in the bathroom. It's hella confusing! I mean, one moment I'm pushing Douchebag Junior away, the next I'm wrapped tight in the arms of a girl I haven't seen in years... And Rachel, I... I think she was kissing me... What should I do Rachel? I ... I can't even visit her... I'm so scared... Scared she'll die, scared to see her broken..."

She wiped her eyes on her sleeve and looked at the picture again.

"Where are you Rachel? Are you okay? Did you go to LA... Did you really leave without me?"

She remained there, unanswered for another hour, smoking cigarette after cigarette, until she started to feel the chill of the wind.


The sky was turning red as the afternoon came to an end. David's car was in the driveway as she came back and parked her truck. She sighed and headed for the house, steeling for a discussion she didn't want to have.

As she opened the door, David passed his head through the kitchen door. "Chloe! Where the hell have you been?"

Chloe pushed the door closed and leant her back on it. "Relax dude. I just needed to clear my mind!"

David looked like he was about to lash at her, but held it back. "I understand. It's good to do that sometime. But you're not supposed to drive. Not while you take those painkillers."

Chloe sighed "Yeah, sorry. But really Dude you got to chill, I'm a prudent driver..."

David eyed her up and down, noticing the puffy eyes. He sighed and nodded "Fine... I'm off work for the rest of the day. Let me know if you want to go somewhere. I'll drive you." He walked toward the living room, heading for the garage where he spent most of his free time, as he mumbled "Don't want to tell your mother she lost another person dear to her in a car crash."

Chloe was about to curse at him but decided to try and let it go this one time. She looked at her phone, checking the time, pondering a moment.

What the hell is wrong with me!

She grabbed her head with a frustrated grunt and went through garage door beside her. "David... I... need to go to the hospital." she announced as she entered the man-cave.

David looked up from under the hood of the muscle car he had been working on. "Is something wrong with your wound?" He asked worried, but Chloe shook her head. "Hell no... I'm good! Just... I thought I should at least go see her once."

As she finally surrendered to the idea and admitted it, she threw her hands up with exasperation.

"Oh. Okay. Let me get my keys." He moved to the back of the garage wiping his hands on an old rag in order to clean the oil from them. He came back with his jacket and they both headed for his car.

"Glad you want to be with your friend." he said as they boarded.

Chloe looked away, closing the passenger door and replied with an empty voice, "She's not my friend."


The drive was quiet and Chloe was so lost in her thought she barely noticed when David parked. She blinked a few times looking around as she heard the engine cut off.

"David? What the fuck? This is not the hospital!"

David nodded "Sorry, just need to pick up some paperwork I have to give to the PD. Thought I could give it to the officers standing watch over Prescott." He opened his door, the sounds of a party reaching them from the gym. "Won't take long." he added as he closed the car.

At the same moment, three patrol cars rushed in the parking with no sirens, flashlights illuminating the area in blue and red as they stopped with screeching tires.

Officers disembarked, and David frowned, heading to a black man stepping off the nearest car.

"Cole? What is going on?"

The officer looked up and waved at him.

"David! Good timing! We're looking for a Mark Jefferson!"

David frowned as he looked at the other officers rushing toward the school, hands on their holstered guns.

"The art teacher? What's this about?"

Officer Cole looked at the head of security's car and saw the blue hair in the passenger seat.

"Prescott woke up an hour ago. He gave it all up. Said he'd been drugging and kidnapping girls for Jefferson." He frowned a moment. "Rachel Amber was among them, said they accidentally killed her, gave us the location where they hood her body."

David froze a moment, blood leaving his face. "She... You found her?"

Cole nodded somberly. "Yeah… not pretty, she's been dead for months."

David passed a hand in his military regulation haircut. "Give me a few. Then I'll take you to the asshole!"

He moved to the car and looked at Chloe. As she saw his face she felt her heart stop.

"David? What's happening?"

"Chloe, I got some bad news..."

"What? Is ... Is Max dead?"

David shook his head. "They found Rachel."

For a moment, Chloe felt hopeful again and she started to step off the car. Then she remembered the dark face and tone David was using.

"No... No…"

"She's dead Chloe... She's been dead all this time." He reached for her, trying to sooth her pain. "I'm sorry."

Chloe's mouth was gapping in shock. She fell to her knees and wailed in despair. "NOOO! She can't be... Rachel can't..."

David reached to hug her and for the first time since they met, she didn't fight him. In fact, she didn't realize he was holding her as she cried.

"I'm sorry Chloe... I'll... I'll catch the one who did it. I promise. Please wait in the car..."

"You... You..."

He led the girl in the car and looked at Cole. "Can you get one of your guys to drive her back home?"

The officer nodded and called on his radio as David joined him. The former soldier paused and frowned as he looked around the parking lot.

"His car's not here."

"What do you mean?"

David looked at the officer again and pointed at the parking lot. "Jefferson's car. It's not here."

At that moment, two officers came, escorting Principal Wells. "Cole! Mr. Wells got info for us!"

Wells looked around, frowning at the officers. "I was told you were looking for Mr. Jefferson. Why is that?"

Cole looked at the man, waiting as he saw an officer leading Chloe Price to one of the cruiser and driving away, before he nodded "We have found evidences he is linked to Mr. Prescott in the drugging and kidnapping of several students, and the murder of Rachel Amber."

Principal Wells' face turned pallid. "God! He left a quarter an hour ago, after announcing the Everyday hero contest results." The man's eyes opened wide as he remembered something. "He left with Miss Chase!"

Cole swore loudly as he reached for his radio. "Dispatch, this is 55 David reporting from Blackwell. The suspect left the premises with possible hostage." He accepted a notebook from David and kept reporting "Victoria Chase, Female Caucasian, 18, Blond hair. Last seen leaving a school party at Blackwell. Send a bulletin for his car."

Soon the radio squelched "Copy 55 David... All Units, All Units! Be on the lookout for code 187 suspect, name Mark Jefferson, Male Caucasian, 38, Brown hair, driving a Bentley plate number Tango Papa Foxtrot Tango Hotel Lima Kilo. Suspect last seen with possible hostage, Female, 18 Caucasian. All Unit be advised suspect may be armed and dangerous!"

The officers rushed to their car and David looked at Cole "Did Prescott say where they might be going?"

Cole nodded "Talked about a bunker under an old barn. We haven't found which of those owned by the Prescott it could be."

David looked thoughtful, then he rushed to his car and popped the trunk taking out a duffle bag.

"I might have an idea! Let me go with you!"

Cole eyed the security guard and shook his head "I can't do that David. You're not a cop. You don't have the training or the equipment."

David Madsen dropped his bag, opening it, revealing the military flak jacket and equipment. "Cole, I been a soldier for two tours! I fucking know how to raid buildings!"

Cole scratched his head "I'm sorry, I still can't let you come with us."

David poked the officer's chest "Listen Cole! The asshole killed my daughter's best friend, and had his protégé shoot at my daughter! I'm coming with you or I'm going there without you!"

Cole thought for a moment. He knew Madsen was a soldier and had probably more experiences raiding dangerous building than most of the cops in a small town like Arcadia Bay. Also realizing that David would probably go on his own as he threatened, the officer sighed and waved at his cruiser "Fine! But you fucking stay behind us! You don't make me tell Joyce I had you killed in a police raid you had nothing to do taking part in!"

Both men boarded the cruiser and as it set off, Cole used the onboard radio to call it in.

"Dispatch 55 David, we have a possible lead on Mark Jefferson's location. Please send back up at ..."


A/N :

Chapter 7 took less time than I thought.

As you will see, we made a little trip in Chloe's mind, more shell cracking. I had a good idea with her going to friends trying to talk about her feelings... But I decided, no this will be better for when Max is awake. So you will have to wait for THE TALK.

The part about the search for Jefferson, I had 3 different ideas for. I first thought about David and Chloe finding out as they passed the officers on guard in front of Nathan's room.

But then I realized that it would put Chloe waiting for news in Max' room. And I was not ready to have Chloe spending hours in Max room yet. I want Chloe to be confused about her feelings for a bit longer. So plan B... Instead of hearing the news at the hospital, we hear it at the school. As for the twist at the end... well I always planned for something like this and plan B allowed me to put a small cliffhanger on the chapter (yep I love those).

So stay tuned to see if Victoria survives.

As for the title... well I played on the double entendre, Thursday being the day before the storm in LIS and the meaning of "to storm" as in raiding a building.