A/N: only one more week before I have to go back to school. Boo. Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. Thanks to emptyvoices for her help with editing.

Scrolling through the old newspapers articles on the computer, Emily was finding the events of the past rather dull. This is just not worth my time. She was ready to give up and return to the cafeteria. She knew she had to pick a topic soon if she was going to get this project done on time. Emily forced herself to concentrate long enough to look through a few more of the articles.

The last article she glanced at caught her attention. On the front page of the old newspaper article was a headline that read Bombing at Lux Atlantic. That's Lexi's mom's hotel. She was suddenly curious. According to the information in the article a man named Jackson Rippner forced her to make a phone call to her hotel that would have ended the lives of a prominent family. But she ended up being able to save them, injuring him severely in the process. I bet he was pissed off with her for that.

If she did this as her assignment she wouldn't have to do any further research if Alexis's mom would be open to an interview. Researching more, she found another article concerning the trial surrounding the incident. Along with the article of the trial were two photographs. One that she recognized as Lisa and a man she presumed to be Jackson Rippner and she felt a strange sense of deja vu. His picture seemed terribly familiar to her. Studying the picture intensely, she realized whom the man strongly resembled.

It can't be. Despite the grainy black and white photo, there seemed to be no denying what was clearly evident. Gathering her books together, she knew she had to tell Alexis about what she found just incase her suspicions were correct and they were the same person. If she was right, Alexis could be in danger. Who knew what could have happened to the guy since the last article about Jackson Rippner was dated from before she was even born.

After her talk with her teacher, Alexis was starting to feel better about what happened earlier. She wished she could become indifferent to the pestering of the girls who enjoyed picking on her. Alexis realized she had been unfair to Emily and knew she should apologize. I'll find her after school.

Rushing down the hallway she wasn't really paying attention to where she was going. She just knew she needed to find Alexis who was probably still in the cafeteria eating lunch in which all high school students were to be during the break period. She knew to get to the cafeteria that she had to go past 'Mr Carter's' classroom. Maybe he won't be in his classroom. But running past, she realized she had no such luck when she heard her name being called out, causing her to stop. "Miss Bennet, you do know that there's no running allowed in the hallway, don't you?"

"Yes." She was nervous pinned under the intensity of his stare.

"And why were we in such a hurry?"

"I'm late to meet somebody." She said quickly, glancing over her shoulder

"I really don't like people lying to me Miss Bennet. I'm excellent at reading people. So what's the real reason for your rush?"

"I have to find somebody." She was purposely vague in hopes he would be satisfied with the ambiguity of her answer.

"That person wouldn't happen to be Alexis now would it?"

"No…"

"Lying again Miss Bennet? What did I just say?"

"Not to do it."

"Along with running in the hallways you're not even supposed to be out here without a pass. So I assume you have one." He extended his hand in ready anticipation of getting her in trouble.

"Well no not exactly. I was in the library and left kind of quickly. I'm just trying to get to the cafeteria. I won't break anymore rules, I swear." All she wanted to do was escape her present predicament.

"Alright, just don't let me catch you doing this again."

"You won't" she headed off, thankful that she managed to elude him and in her rush to get away dropped a copy of the article she had printed of the newspaper clipping.

Mr. Carter bent down to pick it up and was about to take it into his classroom to give to Emily later in class until he saw the contents of the page. Shit! She knows and she'll ruin everything.

He quickened his pace to catch Emily before she got near the crowded cafeteria. As he drew closer to her he raised his voice just loud enough for her to hear without drawing attention from anyone else. "Miss Bennet,"

Now what? She turned around.

"You seem to be missing something." He extended his hand to hold out the article to her.

"Oh. Thanks." Her heart was beating erratically as she carried on with the pretense that she was unalarmed despite knowing perfectly well what she had dropped.

He seized her arm, pulling her towards him, away from the cafeteria. "Curiosity killed the cat, Miss Bennett."

"I wasn't planning on telling anyone!" She struggled against him only to feel his grip tighten on her arm. The scream which had seemed paralyzed in her throat now struggled to break free. He furiously clamped his hand over her mouth.

"Sure, you weren't." he said sarcastically "Now we're going to leave the school and you're not going to draw any kind of attention to us. Play nice and you and your family may get out of this alive."

Too scared now to form words, she nodded her willingness to comply. His eyes seemed to convey the fact that he wasn't delivering idle threats. She had put herself and her family at risk. More to the point, she had been right all along and Alexis was in danger.

Emily prayed it was almost time for the bell to ring that signaled the change in period and the hallways would be crowded once more allowing her to obtain help. There has to be someone around. Prospects seemed bleak as he continued to drag her to the exit of the building, pushing her outside into the frigid air. Everyone had apparently seemed to vanish especially when she needed help the most.

Emily does have a point later in the story. I think it's the next chapter where Alexis finds out everything. :)