I have one thing to say.

I am so sorry.

Oh, and should I change the rating to M? Let me know what you think when you read the next chapter.

Enjoy, I guess?

Thank goodness Nico hadn't text me to ask if the investigation was being carried out. I could just about live with not telling him the whole truth (that they thought it was a prank call and weren't pursuing it any further), but, if he asked me, I couldn't lie straight to his face.

It's not helpful that I freaked out every time I saw a black van or a man in a suit. All. Weekend. Eventually, Monday rolled around and we were finally back in school. Word got out about Luke's run-in with the law through some of Octavian's friends, and there were all sorts of strange conspiracies about who wanted revenge on the 'only living Castellan'. Trying to seem innocent and curious, I asked what Hermes' new name was, but neither Octavian or even Luke knew, which utterly sucked. It was somewhat easier around Nico how we were together, but harder in another way, as I knew I was keeping something from him.

I had history with Nico that day, where we watched everyone present their posters. We didn't get 'round to our video, which was… ahem… irritating. Before I left at the end of the day, I kissed my new boyfriend goodbye. He blushed brilliantly and giggled sweetly. I got himself and myself exceedingly happy, which crashed and burned when I saw how awfully unhappy my family was.

"Guys, what's up?" I asked, concerned, but still moderately cheery.

Austin held out his phone, his face pinched and draw with worry. "Down, more like," he muttered, referring to the depressed mood of the household. "Look."

When I read the message, the ground seemed to sway under my feet and it blurred in front of my eyes. I knew, recognised, and hated that number. 'I'm planning something big' it read.

"Shit," I muttered. "This is getting out of hand."

I knew Austin must've been thoroughly shaken up, as he didn't immediately tell me to stop swearing, which he did even in the worst situations. "It got out of hand a long time ago," Lee spat, taking the phone and gently laying it down on the counter.

"Call the police," Michael asked.

I shook my head. "Already done."

Victoria hugged me hard. "Will, promise me that you won't let anything happen to me."

"I promise, but only if you promise too," I whispered.

We all agreed to help the others in the room, swearing on our lives and the River Styx to stick beside each other, whatever happened.

I wish I hadn't been up studying.

DeathAngel: Solace... help

SolaceShine: Nico, are you alright?

DeathAngel: I can hear footsteps on the gravel outside.

SolaceShine: Relax, it's probably your neighbours!

DeathAngel: Solace, our neighbours don't HAVE gravel.

SolaceShine: Nico, it's alright

DeathAngel: OMFG!

DeathAngel: Hazel's in the bathroom. She said that see can see someone in the window.

SolaceShine: Nico?

DeathAngel: The guy's digging in the garden. I think it's Hermes

SolaceShine: Ok... Nico, I don't think it is.

DeathAngel: He dug up my time capsule.

SolaceShine: OK what

DeathAngel: Bianca can hear whistling. From downstairs. It sounds like a car exhaust

SolaceShine: House layout. Now.

DeathAngel: The bathroom is above the entrance way Hazel's is above the first door on the left, Bianca's the second, Reyna's the third, mine the back, Dad and step-Mum in the attic.

SolaceShine: Can you see anything out your window?

DeathAngel: No. My window's out the side of the house. Hazel's and the bathroom are the only two facing the front of the house.

SolaceShine: Who's awake?

DeathAngel: Hazel and Rey definitely.

SolaceShine: Parents and Bi?

DeathAngel: Asleep and I'm nearly at her room

DeathAngel: Will.

SolaceShine: What?

DeathAngel: SHES NOT HERE

SolaceShine: Nico.

SolaceShine: NICO, are you there?

SolaceShine: Nico, where are you?

DeathAngel: Will, this is Hazel. Nico's gone. I found his phone outside the room, thrown out the door.

"No, no, no, no, NO!" I shouted. My boyfriend had just been kidnapped, but the police thought we were joking and we had no clear evidence. I felt like everything I had control of had just crashed and burned around my ears.

SolaceShine: No…

DeathAngel: I think he threw it for us.

SolaceShine: What you going to do?

DeathAngel: Idk. We're scared to wake up our parents. I'm terrified. Help!

I dropped my phone and screamed in fear. Kayla dashed in. "Will! Are you okay?"

I poured out the entire story and Kayla turned sheet white, dropping to the ground. "Kayla!" I yelled, crouching down beside her.

Austin ran in. "What happened?" he gasped.

"Fainted."

When she woke up, Austin rushed her into Dad's room, despite my protests, and she sobbed out the whole story to them. Bloody brilliant.

SolaceShine: Crap. I screamed Kayla woke up and asked what was wrong. I told her but she just told my mum now the whole house is awake. Fuck

GoldDigger: We just called the police. They still think that the call was a prank and they have no one that has the name Hermes Castellan, or had it in the past.

SolaceShine: I'll come and see you tomorrow, okay?

GoldDigger: Please do.

I threw myself onto my bed and sobbed myself to sleep.

oOo

In the morning, I threw on a grey sweater, some newly washed jeans, my oldest, most comfortable sneakers, and headed to the bus stop. In case you're wondering, our car is broken. No, it is totally not to do with Kayla having a sudden moment of madness and shoving a yogurt-filled golfing cap into the engine. No, not at all.

When I got to their house, Reyna and Rachel were sat outside, Reyna sobbing and Rachel hugging and whispering to her to try and calm her down. Hazel was hurriedly talking to Frank in the living room. "We know who it is! But there's no records of anyone with that name, nor records of anyone having it previously! We have no concrete evidence!"

"Hazel?" I asked rhetorically.

She gasped. "Oh, Will!"

"Hazel, we'll find him. The police might not believe us, but we have what we need: friends and evidence. We know it's him. I know it's him. I knew right from when I first saw it."

"What do we do?" she asked, helpless.

"We tell people. We go around the houses in Hermes' area and tell people about it. We ask them if they've seen Nico. We ask if they know who took him. Hermes'll find out and let something slip."

"He lives near you, right?" Hazel asked.

I nodded. Hazel stood up and yelled, "Dad, I need some money for a bus fare!"

Hazel told me she knew what to do. She hadn't cleaned her face, so it was bright red and tear stained, her eyes were filling up with tears, and her dress was rumpled all over, her hair loose and messy. She took my hand and yanked me up the drive of the first nice-looking house. I assumed she had made the decision of the house to visit by the fact there were a lot of play-items (swings, trampolines, scooters, bikes, flower-pot stilts, pogo sticks, and hula hoops) and children clearly lived there.

A little girl with very dark brown hair tied back in bunches opened the door. "Hello, Miss, Mister," she giggled.

"Why aren't you at school?" I asked sweetly, not wanting to drop a bomb just yet.

"We have a te'her trainin' day!" she laughed, before noticing Hazel. "Miss, are you okay?"

Hazel nodded, wiping her eyes. "Do you have an adult home we can talk to, sweetheart?"

She nodded happily. "Ma! Ma! There's someone at the door for you!" she shouted, running down the hall.

"Hello!" the woman chirped. "Are you two alright?"

It was such a relief to see such an ordinary family, with a polite little girl, toys in the garden, and a mother who seemed kind and friendly. "We've come to ask you something. Erm, my…" I cast a sideways glance towards Hazel, worried. "Boyfriend was taken from his home only last night. We have no evidence, just mere speculation, so we were wondering if you knew anything."

Hazel's face was priceless, pure gold, but I couldn't laugh. The woman's mouth was a round 'o' of shock. "Oh, goodness! Maria, Maria, come here!"

Another woman ran to the door, presumably Maria. "What is it, darling?"

Hazel was stuttering and crying now. "My… my brother was kidnapped and… and we were… wondering if you… knew anything… about… him…"

"I'm ever so sorry, but we haven't heard anything. We'll let you know if anything happens, okay? Where could we let you know?"

"Not the police, for sure, so… 7 Archery Lane or 11 Unclaimed Rd, if you can't go there," I explained. Hazel looked confused, so I mouthed 'Luke's house' to her, and she had to hide a smirk.

oOo

The next house looked like an old-people house, so we thought 'how bad can it be?' A girl I recognised from Kayla's grade opened the door. All I know about her is that her name is Lillian Raker (nicknamed Watson), she loves Sherlock, she's a writer, and she's English, speaking like someone from the 1940s, just with more slang and more swearing. "Hallo, Will, Hazel! Why aren't you at school?" then she noticed Hazel's tears. "Oh, are you okay?"

Hazel nodded, but then she burst into tears, but, this time, I couldn't stop her. She collapsed to her knees and cried and yelled. Neighbours were looking out of windows and opening doors, so Lillian quickly ran inside and begged her grandparents to let us in to talk. The woman with curly-white hair was mildly reluctant to agree, presumably for Lillian's own safety. The man, however, was large and jolly, inviting us in instantly. Lillian ushered us into the kitchen and poured out some lemonade. She used it to swallow down a pill before talking to us.

Hazel gulped down some tears. "I'm alright, Lillian. Don't worry about me."

"I only wanted to take you in because you were crying, Hazel. Please, tell me what's wrong," she begged.

"One question," I asked, stalling so Hazel could dry her eyes and calm down. "Why aren't you at school?"

She sighed, coughing painfully. "Ouch, that hurt," she announced, before swallowing thickly. "I had to have my adenoids taken out when I was ten but the op. kept getting put back and eventually my adenoids got infected, so they had to operate out my adenoids three weeks ago. Usually, you have to take two weeks off school for your adenoids, but, because of the infection, I have to take off five. I've already been off three."

"Oh, alright," Hazel and I replied simultaneously.

Suddenly, she blurted out, "I've heard loads of mixed reports and rumours from school about Luke Castellan getting arrested, Kayla getting killed, Austin Lake getting kidnapped, and the like. Please tell me what's going on."

I took a breath. "Right, do you promise not to text anyone this story, or tell anyone when you get back to school?"

"Of course," she promised, her eyes wide and curious. "I probably won't be back until it gets sorted out anyway."

That gave me more hope than it should've, but I never wanted to dispel the feeling of power I got when she told me this. "Right, it started around two weeks ago…"

When I was done, Lillian was staring at me, terrified. "Dear Zeus above and Hades below. I won't tell anyone. I swear on my life."

"Thank you," Hazel rasped. "Will, shall we go?"

I nodded. "Let's go. Lillian, can you not talk to your grandparents, parents, extended family, and… little brother, isn't it?"

She nodded. "Yeah, Luca."

"Okay, don't tell them anything," Hazel told her.

Lillian nodded seriously. "Of course."

"Let's go," Hazel announced, and we left the house, happier than when we had gone in.

After a few more houses, we took the bus back and sat in their lounge, telling Rachel, Reyna, and Frank about what had happened.

oOo

"Look, you're coming back to ours tonight," Luke ordered. "I'm sorry, but you have to take a break. You're working yourself to death."

"I could not agree more," Octavian piped up. "Will, you're going to kill yourself with your searching. Even Hazel and Reyna aren't working as hard as you. One night won't hurt, Solace. We'll find him soon."

Soon, as it turned out, was sooner than we thought. Of course, back then, I couldn't see it. "Fine," I grumbled.

Octavian and Luke grinned and hi-fived. "Yes!" Octavian clapped a hand on my shoulder. "We'll find your Angel soon."

"One question: Why your house?" I asked.

Luke shrugged. "Dad's being super protective these days. I can't pinpoint it, but… Never mind. I just can't go over to anyone else's house right now."

"Sure, why not?" I shrugged, knowing full-well it was a bad idea, but, hell, he might let something slip.

oOo

Apparently, getting two seconds alone is a real problem in the Castellan household. First of all, we sat in the kitchen, but Hermes (that's Luke's dad, by the way) was constantly checking up on us and asking if we needed anything. After a while, we moved into Luke's room, but that wasn't much better because Hermes kept popping in to change Luke's bedsheets, get dirty washing, and other things that could've been done later. Eventually, we resorted to going out into his front yard, sitting on the bench and leaning against the van.

I sighed dramatically. "Does your house have anywhere private?"

Luke tugged at his hair fretfully. "The garage roof 'll collapse with all three of us on it. We can't get into the garage and anywhere in the house isn't exactly private."

"Why?" I asked, confused.

Luke sighed. "Dad's been keeping closer tabs on me than usual since the kidnapping. He gets really edgy when we talk about it, too."

Octavian groaned, edging closer to his boyfriend along the bench. "Why?"

In a moment of sudden anger, Luke slammed his fists into the bench. "Pleases stop saying 'why'!" he shouted. "Okay, freak-out over. I don't know, to be honest. Bad childhood experiences or something, I assumed."

"Hey, don't you have a basement?" I realised.

"Yeah," Octavian answered for him. "We snuck down there, once."

Luke cast him a 'really?' look. "Yeah, we did."

I smirked, glad to think about something other than the kidnapping. "Oh yeah? To do what?" I teased. "Have sex?"

"Oh, be quiet!" Octavian stuttered, turning to whisper to Luke. "More like make out."

I chuckled. "I heard that."

They both blushed furiously again. In an attempt to salvage the conversation, Luke spoke up. "Dad usually keeps the keys on the hook, but he's kept them on him since… well, around the time you met Nico, let's say."

We were stunned into silence at the mere mention of his name. I missed him so much that his name was as precious as gold to me. Luke stood up awkwardly. "We… we have a spare key to the basement. I stole it when I was ten and my dad has no idea where it is. He's been looking all over for it."

It took us two hours to get a clear window to go into the basement. We unlocked the door and Luke reached for the light switch. "Ew, it smells gross in here," Octavian muttered as Luke reached for the light switch. A voice rang out from the other side of the basement and we all jumped, our feet creaking on the steps. "N… no…" the voice whimpered, their voice cracking. "No more."

I saw all the colour drain from Luke and Octavian's faces. I was shocked beyond comprehension. "Nico?" I exclaimed in utter disbelief.

Octavian hissed urgently, "Hermes." Luke locked the door and pocketed the key, then, he yelled loudly, "FOUND YOU!"

I pretended to jump. "Dam you, I thought I had it with this spot," I grumbled, accepting Octavian's hand up, knowing to pretend we're playing hide and seek.

I had a sneaking suspicion my phone was being tracked, which would prove to be correct later on, so I knew that if I pretended to receive a message Hermes wouldn't fall for it. Instead, I looked at my watch. "Shit," I muttered. "Austin told me to be home by seven. See you."

"See ya," they said simultaneously.