Hey Guys, welcome to Chapter 25! We are so close to finding out who T.E. is. Can you feel it?
Simone.L. – Yes it was good that Simon warned Jay wasn't it? Alison and Maya not being trustworthy is a possibility, time will tell. Yes it was a big shock to most people that Zandra was involved in the TSY flight crash. I'm glad you're loving the story!
Daniel.K. – Yes I guess there was footage from the plane crash or that they found the bomb near her. But it's scary to know she was responsible wasn't it? Yes good eye, T.E. did confirm towards the end that Zandra didn't know. T.E. double-crossed her.
Charlie.D. – Yes it was sad that Lauren got the second answer wrong, but she was also very lucky to get the first answer right wasn't she? T.E. caring about Lauren was a clue, good eye! It was the best timing for T.E. and so naturally the worst timing for everyone else when Linds received the recording. Yes I do feel bad for Linds that she got it and worse for Mel after everything she went through.
Lucy.H. – Yes B is good for Linds isn't he? He knew exactly what to say to calm her down. It was nice that Linds realized she can use her stuff from her time as the Queen of Team Evil for good, wasn't it? Yes huge reveal that Kenneth is the father I agree! Yes I've known about it for a while now and was so happy to finally reveal it to you guys!
At this stage the book will have no more then 30 chapters. So with that in mind we are only 5 chapters away (after this one) from coming to the end. I hope you enjoy it and thanks for your reviews guys.
Chapter Twenty Five – A little mixed up.
Andy paced his room wondering how it was that T.E. hadn't gotten back to him yet. Yes he may not have been able to use his phone to call anyone, but it had come as a great source when it came to knowing the time.
According to T.E's last message, they should have called yesterday and now it was already past 9pm the following day.
Andy went over everything in his mind it sickened him to know it was someone he knew, someone he thought he could trust. But that was the thing when it came to the last few years. Trust, though usually the corner stone of any friendship or relationship seemed to be slowly vanishing from everyone. Once Andy had worked out who T.E. was it had only been a matter of time for him to work out their motivation.
"Got a secret can you-" Andy's phone rang.
"Finally!" Andy said out loud. "Hello?"
"Hello Andy," T.E. replied. "The time has come for you to answer the 2 questions that will determine your fate."
"I'm ready," Andy answered resolutely.
"Are you sure?" T.E. asked. "You'll only get one shot at this and you'll want to be right, otherwise the consequences will be…severe."
"No, I'm sure," Andy retorted. "I'm ready."
"Under your bed are pictures of everyone you've come to know and love," T.E. went on.
Andy looked under his bed and noticed that indeed another folder had been placed.
How drugged are these people making me to be able to sneak in and out without my knowing it? Andy wondered as he grabbed the folder and put it onto the desk.
"Each person in that folder represents someone who has been involved in your life for the past 3 years," T.E. went on. "Knowing you, you've thought long and hard about who I am and naturally anyone you've come into contact with was a suspect. Am I right?"
Andy nodded, but didn't say anything.
"I thought so," T.E. replied.
"How did you know I agreed with you?" Andy asked. "I didn't say anything!"
"Surely you've worked out by now Andy," T.E. went on. "That I can see you."
He hadn't worked that much out, but now that T.E. had said it, it made sense. After all, this psychopath had seemed to have eyes everywhere for the past year.
"Now then," T.E. went on. "Question the first, who am I? You need only locate the picture of me and hold it up."
T.E. sniggered knowing this would take Andy quite some time. But before long Andy took out the picture of the person he knew was T.E. and held it up.
"This is you isn't it?" he asked.
T.E. seemed to pause for a moment and Andy took the silence to be a good thing.
"That answer is…correct," T.E. replied a surprised tone evident in their voice.
"I know," Andy retorted confidently. "It took me a while to work it out, you're very good at what you do. But once I had, I knew it was you!"
"Well, well, well," T.E. replied. "Someone's rather pleased with themselves."
"Oh rather!" Andy agreed. "You nearly got away with it too. You were the last person I expected to be the one that was stalking us. But sometimes one only needs the smallest bit of motivation don't they?"
If Andy had hoped to rile T.E. up he was sorely mistaken as T.E. didn't even seem to react to his last, but rather kept talking quite smoothly.
"Which brings us to question the second," T.E. went on. "Why am I doing this to you and your friends?"
"A complicated question," Andy smiled. "With an even more complicated answer."
"Indeed?" T.E. questioned.
"Quite so I'm afraid," Andy retorted. "For you see, you wanted us to believe that your soul motivation to do all of this was because of Lindsay's potential to get out of the sanatorium."
"So you're saying that's not the reason?" T.E. asked.
"Oh no, not at all," Andy replied. "If I've lead you to believe that, clearly I've misspoken. What I'm trying to say is that Linds' pending release was not your only motivation."
"So what was it then?" T.E. snapped.
"To answer that question," Andy started calmly. "I had to think harder. If Lindsay's release was the only reason you did this, you would have run away the moment she came out. But you never did, did you? No, somehow Linds' release seemed to motivate you into another direction altogether. After all, it was a little clumsy of you not to go after Linds herself if that was your true motivation behind it all."
"How do you know I never did," T.E. replied.
"Oh there are many supporting bits and pieces here and there," Andy went on calmly. "But to list them all would only bore you and me. You know what they are and I know what they are, so let's just leave them at that shall we?"
T.E. had no response to this and the silence from the other end told Andy as much.
"I think if one truly examined the evidence they'd find that you're not as malevolent as you make yourself out to be are you?" Andy smiled.
"Who says I'm not?" T.E. asked.
"Oh I rather thought that was obvious," Andy replied coolly. "I do. For you see T.E.- if you insist on calling yourself that - the only crime you really committed towards me was having me believe I was locked into a sanatorium for beating up my boyfriend."
"When did you work it out?" T.E. asked.
"A few days ago," Andy waved off. "So let's not pretend that you and I don't know your true motivation."
Again silence filled the phone.
"In a word T.E, it was your turn," Andy went on. "Sometimes people get jealous when they go through something horrible and aren't in control. But even after Linds was caught and put into the sanatorium, you still didn't feel like you had control and so you needed to do whatever it was to assert yourself. Naturally being yourself would only get you so far, but aha! To use an alter-ego well naturally that would place fear in people. Though might I add, T.E, Team Evil, it's a bit…juvenile isn't it?"
Andy couldn't help drawing this out. It was so much fun after all. Whether T.E. held up their end of the bargain and released him or whether they didn't, Andy was getting his revenge.
"So T.E. put simply," he went on. "You tortured my friends and I, because you wanted to be in control. You wanted to be in charge of everyone and instill the fear that was once placed on you."
"You think you're so smart!" T.E. retorted.
"Not really," Andy replied. "But I do think I have answered your questions correctly, have I not?"
The next thing Andy knew a buzzer sounded in his room and the door opened to reveal 3 nurses heading his way.
"Ah good evening ladies," Andy said politely. "To what do I owe the pleasure this time? Another drugging perhaps?"
But the nurse closest to him just smiled and shook her head.
"Mr. Thompson, you won," she said simply. "You passed the test. Now put this blind fold on and we will take you…to freedom."
"*"
About an hour later Andy was still happy that he'd managed to outmaneuver T.E. and though he was still blind folded he was happy to know that he was finally being led away from that creepy fluorescent-lit drug induced place.
It didn't take much longer for the car he was riding in to come to a stop. One of the nurses helped him out and instructed him to count to ten before he took off the blind fold.
But Andy was in such a euphoric state that he would have contentedly counted to a million. Hearing the car leave however made him realize he would be safe enough to do so now and excitedly he pulled off the blind fold wanting nothing more than to race into his house and see Jay.
But disappointment filled him as he realized he wasn't at home. In fact he wasn't standing in front of any home or anywhere he knew. Instead he found himself situated in some sort of a forest.
Though it was dark that much was obvious, thick trees lay ahead of him and behind him was a dirt track path.
Where the hell had T.E. taken him?
"Of course!" Andy screamed out. "Of course you'd abandon me! Wouldn't want anyone knowing your little secret now would you!"
As soon as the words came out of his mouth Andy had regretted them as the sound of a wolf howling in the distance could be heard.
"*"
"Morning," Linds said as she noticed Spencer make her way into the kitchen.
"Morning," Spencer groaned making her way to the thankfully made coffee pot and pouring out a mug for herself. "Any word yet?"
"Not yet," Linds answered. "I'll let you guys know the moment I hear anything."
The previous night had been filled with getting a lot of information as Linds had shown Spencer everything she had learned from her time of being the leader of team evil. Though all of it was spectacular, without another text from their infamous stalker, there was no way of tracking them down. Even the message that Linds had received about Mel and Andy, had somehow been erased between getting it and making her way to the office.
Once Linds had shown Spencer everything the pair had started to get concerned about the other team's safety. Since departing for Casa de Carmita, no one had contacted the mental team and according to what Lindsay had just said, even now, the next day, there had been no word.
"Aren't you worried?" Spencer asked.
"Yes I am," Linds replied. "But at the same time I don't want to risk anything."
Spencer understood that at once. It would be foolish to contact the cops for so many reasons and at the same time if something had happened to them, calling could lead to something disastrous. So waiting, waiting to see what happened. That was their only option.
"I better go check the mail," Linds said suddenly. "God only knows how long it's been piling up out there."
"I'll come with you," Spencer said almost too quickly. "You know, in case you need more than two hands."
Linds smiled at Spencer's concern and the pair made their way outside. But it was when they stepped out onto the porch that Spencer stopped suddenly and Linds bumped right into her.
"Oooff!" Linds groaned. "Spencer wha-"
But Spencer started walking towards the thing that had made her stop.
"Ah Linds?" she asked. "What's this?"
She bent down to get a better look and Linds quickly approached also bending down.
"There's a letter for you," Spencer said holding up a cream envelope and passing it to her new friend.
Linds took the envelope as an ominous wave crashed over her. On the floor of the porch sat 3 jars each filled with what looked like a fine light grey powder.
"Spencer don't-" Linds warned as Spencer reached out to pick one of them up. "You never know what it could be."
Quickly Linds opened up the envelope and read the letter out loud.
Dear Lindsay,
I hope you enjoyed my first message. Although judging from the fact that I never got a response from you, who's to know? It's nice to get information that we continue to get kept out of the loop from, but a little advice Lindsay? Gratitude goes a very long way.
Behind this letter are 3 jars, use them as you will. But before you use them, you'd better work out what they are…
Secrets now too late to know
And certainly the murmuring there below
Once these faces behind glass
Might have returned your glance
Might even have gathered up
Their limbs in order to stand.
In the notebook it says secrets beyond the boundaries of reach and dress
A word may be shaped like a bed…
"A basket of tears or an X?" Spencer asked concerned.
Linds looked up from the poetic clue and nodded.
"Do you know what it means?" she asked.
"It's a famous poem," Spencer replied. "Well actually it's more like 2 poems in one, by a famous writer. I honestly don't remember their name. But clues aside Linds, it doesn't take a scientist to work out what this is."
"What is it?" Linds replied, almost too scared to ask.
"What's the one thing that would get to us more than people dying?" Spencer replied.
Linds shook her head.
Spencer picked up a jar and looked at Linds sorrowfully.
"Bringing us the jars of our dead friend's ashes," she concluded.
"*"
Back at Casa de Carmita the physical team woke up one by one. Jay, B and Micah had taken Carmita's room, while Debbie and Mel had taken Zandra's old room, which brought back many painful memories of what had happened when she was in there last.
Just as B was getting out of the shower, his phone rang.
"Hello?" he said quickly.
"Hey ah B it's Rein," came the reply of the weak sounding girl on the other end.
"Oh hey munchkin," B said, using the nickname he'd come up with for her.
"I'd really appreciate if you could come up with another name for me," Rein replied softly. "Munchkin makes me sound short and I'm taller than a lot of people my age."
B chuckled.
"I guess you're right," he agreed. "I'll think of something. How can I help you?"
"Well," Rein answered. "I'm being released today and I was wondering if you and Jay could, you know, um, pick me up?"
"Of course!" B replied. "But wouldn't you want your Grandmother to-"
"Yeah I'd really rather it not be her," Rein answered cutting him off. "Of course if you can't come, I could always get a cab or something."
"I don't think so," B replied. "Of course we'll come. I'll tell Jay and we'll be on our way."
"Thanks B," Rein said gratefully. "I'll be in my room."
"You're welcome," B said. "See you soon."
"Jay and I will be on our way where exactly?" came the sound of Jay's voice from behind him as B disconnected the call.
"That was Rein," B replied moving into the bedroom and getting dressed. "She's being released today and she wanted you and me to go and get her."
"Of course we'll go!" Jay said more defiantly then B had earlier. "But what about Emily?"
"I suggested that," B laughed. "But it seems she doesn't want her right now for some reason."
"Wow, I wonder why?" Jay laughed, knowing full-well that Emily, though her Grandmother, was probably the last person she wanted to see.
An hour later the two men arrived at the hospital and the moment they walked into the room Rein's face lit up like a Christmas tree.
"You came!" she smiled.
"Of course we came Rein," Jay replied, racing over to hug his friend. "We'll always come when you need us."
"Thanks Jay," Rein said, before turning to B. "And thank you B. It means a lot that I can count on you guys."
"Always slugger," B tried.
"Ummmm yeah," Rein replied. "We'll work on it together."
"No problems squirt," B answered as Rein shook her head.
"So, ready to go?" Jay asked not helping the laughter that came out of his mouth.
"Yeah, I've done everything I needed to," Rein replied. "Now it's time to get out of here."
Moments later all three were in B's car on the way to Lindsay and the rest of the mental group. If they were required to get back to Casa de Carmita they would go after dropping off Rein. But otherwise at least they'd be back with the others. The revelation that William had supplied was worth everything they could provide, but William had simply asked if they could stay the night as now that they knew his secret, he was scared of what would happen next.
As all four made their way back into the house, it was Linds that squealed with delight as she ran up to the girl.
"Rein!" she cried. "You're out of hospital!"
"Yep," Rein replied. "Just got released this morning. How's everything going here?"
Guilty faces from the others were quiet obvious to make out.
"What happened?" Rein asked concerned.
"Nothing," Spencer said in an attempt to keep her in the dark a little longer.
It wouldn't do for Rein to come out of hospital and be bombarded with the discovery they'd made that morning.
"Ok I don't buy it," Rein replied. "But honestly I could do with a shower-"
"Say no more," Linds beamed. "You can use mine and Mel's private one. I'll show you where it is."
As Linds led Rein off to her bathroom Spencer explained to B and Jay everything that had gone down since they'd left. They were surprised to learn that everyone had been worried about them and realized they should have at least sent a text or something to let everyone know they were ok.
"We received some huge news though," Jay piped up after the apologies were made.
"What news?" Linds asked, making her way back to them. "Rein's in the shower, so talk quickly."
"We know who Rhonda's father is," Jay answered. "And it's not Palmer."
"Well…" Linds asked. "Who is it?"
"Dr Kenneth Stappord," B spat.
"No!" Linds gasped. "Really?"
"Apparently he met Martha not long after she divorced Palmer. Rhonda loved him so much she practically begged to have his name on her birth certificate," Jay supplied. "Ah, what's that?"
Everyone turned in the direction of where Jay was pointing to see the three jars Spencer and Lindsay had brought in earlier sitting on the kitchen bench.
"A gift," Spencer started.
"From T.E," Linds finished.
Jay coughed in a skeptical manner.
"Since when does T.E. leave gifts?" he asked.
"Since they-" Spencer started before taking a breath.
She realized it wouldn't do to just blurt out that their friends had been burned for T.E's sick and twisted pleasure.
Linds noticed Spencer's dilemma and spoke up for her.
"Yeah," she agreed. "There's no easy way to say this, so I'm just going to say it. Those, over there, are the ashes of Richard, Carmita and…Emmett."
"What?!" Jay cried out in shock. "It's not enough that they kill them, they had them cremated?!"
"And sent to us by express mail," Alison chimed in.
"Although I'm thinking T.E. made the trip personally," Spencer added.
As the others continued talking Linds offered to make some coffee and after a moment Spencer got up to join her.
"I'm so sorry about your friends," she said softly.
After all Spencer didn't really know Emmett and Carmita and though she'd gotten to know Richard more than enough to like him, she hadn't known him long enough to consider him a friend.
"Thank you Spencer," Linds replied gratefully.
"I'll bet you never went this far," Spencer thought out loud.
"No," Linds sighed. "I never did. Besides, crematoriums freak me out."
Spencer didn't know what to say to that, so simply compromised with a smile.
As Linds went back to making the coffees Spencer continued to look at the jars. Lengths of time had passed since she and Alison and were stalked by their psychopath and even though they believed that their stalker had killed one of their friends, it turned out not to be true as their friend had simply run away. This T.E. had not only killed 3 of her new friends, closest friends but had also sent them the ashes. The whole thing was just so sick, so twisted so-
Spencer stopped as she realized she had unconsciously picked up one of the jars. The movement of the jar had shifted some of the ash and there, sticking out was what appeared to be a slip of paper.
"Lindsay?" Spencer whispered.
"Yeah?" Linds whispered back.
"Is that what I think it is?" Spencer asked, pointing to the slip.
"Paper?" Linds asked in shock. "Why the heck would they put paper in there?"
"Even if the 3 victims had paper on them, it would have also burned. I'm assuming that was put in after the fact." Spencer deduced.
Unscrewing the lid quietly so as not to get everyone else's attention, Spencer carefully put her hand into the jar and pulled out the slip. Replacing the lid Spencer slowly made her way to the study. Linds hot on her heels.
"What does it say?" Linds asked as she closed the door behind her.
Spencer opened up the slip and read the note out loud.
Many a tear has to fall
But it's all in the game
All in the wonderful game
That we know as love.
"God!" Spencer cried out annoyed. "Could T.E. be any more cryptic?"
"Actually," Linds smiled. "I think T.E's losing their touch."
Without saying much else, Linds unlocked the PC and typed something into it, before a soothing lullaby kind of tune came out as some man started to sing what was clearly an old fashioned song.
"Many a tear has to fall_ But it's all, in the game." Came the words of the singer.
"It's a song?" Spencer asked. "Way to go Linds!"
"Why thank you," Linds smiled appreciating the words of encouragement. "Now look at the name of the artist."
Spencer did.
"Cliff Richard," she said slowly. "Wait that was a Cliff Richard song?"
"More importantly," Linds replied. "Take away the Cliff and I think we know whose ashes are in that particular jar."
"*"
As much as Linds and Spencer tried to slip out of the study undetected it was all for not as all four pairs of eyes from the remaining people looked at them expectantly. It was Jay who spoke first.
"What's going on?" he asked.
"Caught red handed," Linds whispered to Spencer.
"Yep, time to let the cat out of the bag," Spencer agreed. "You do it, they know you better."
Linds gave Spencer a wry smile before stepping forward.
"We found a note in one of the jars," she began.
"You fished around in the jar?!" Jay asked scandalized.
"No," Linds replied. "Spencer saw some of it sticking out of the ashes, so we took it out."
"So what did it say?" B asked, not necessarily caring whether they'd fished around or not and more focused on the note itself.
"It was a clue," Spencer replied. "Well actually it was lyrics from a song."
"Which one?" Jenny asked, surprised that song lyrics would just wind up with the ashes.
"It's called It's all in the game?" Spencer questioned.
"Of course it is!" Jay huffed. "Everything's a bloody game with T.E. I swear to god when I find them-"
"You mean by Cliff Richard?" Jenny asked over the top of her son.
"Yes!" Spencer said excitedly. "We're assuming that's a clue to let us know that this jar contains Richard's ashes."
"Richard's ashes?!" came the sound of what could only be Emily. "Who the hell wants my husband's ashes? Cause they're not getting it. Richard specifically requested to be buried with his paren-"
She stopped abruptly as she spied the jar that Spencer was holding.
"Is that?" she gasped. "Is that my husband?"
Spencer stepped forward and handed over the jar. It was rightfully hers anyway.
"Yes Emily it is," she said sorrowfully. "I'm so sorry, T.E-"
"That bitch burned my husband?!" Emily demanded.
No one could bring themselves to say anything and Emily took their silence as confirmation to what she'd asked.
"Well so much for funeral plans," she said stunned while looking at the jar. "I mean honestly, who's going to want to come and pay their respects to a jar of dust?!"
"Grandma!" Rein called out as she slowly made her way into the room and put two and two together.
As Jenny, Alison and Jay walked over to their pair to offer their condolences and support, B turned to Linds and Spencer.
"I know it sounds ruthless," he whispered.
"But we need to know who is in the others?" Spencer shot back, knowing where he was going with it.
As everyone seemed busy trying to calm Emily down, Linds positioned herself in front of them so that the pair could inconspicuously remove a note from one of the other jars. Process of elimination would prove that the other would be the remaining deceased anyway.
It didn't take long for Spencer to find the note in the second jar, but B who clearly wasn't sharing the same thoughts as Linds had also found the one in the third.
Skulking away, Spencer and B made their way to the office one last time.
"What does yours say?" B asked as he closed the door behind him.
Spencer quickly read it out loud.
I hear a whistling through the water.
Little person won't be still.
They keep floating round the darkness.
Edging through the silent chill.
"Well that's not going to help," Spencer muttered disappointed.
Turning to the PC she typed in the first two lines.
"Moo – you bloody choir? Future Islands? Eilen Jewell? None of this makes sense!" she cried impatiently.
"Write some more," B encouraged. "Maybe T.E. skipped a word here or there."
Spencer typed in the third line.
And there it was!
"It's a poem!" Spencer exclaimed. "A poem called Emmett Till! So the second jar must belong to Emmet!"
"Yeah see," B explained. "T.E. wrote 'little person won't be still' when the poem is actually 'little Emmet won't be still!"
"Of course!" Spencer caught on. "T.E. wouldn't want to make it easy on us. What does yours say?"
B quickly read his note out loud.
And there's times when it is dark out.
With my night cap on my head.
I don't know if I'm retiring.
Or just getting out of bed.
"Definitely sounds like Carmita to me," B chuckled. "So busy and energetic, never really knowing which way was up."
"Even so," Spencer replied snatching the note out of his hands. "We need to be sure."
Quickly, Spencer typed in the first two lines of the new poem.
"It is a poem," Spencer said though sounding concerned. "But it doesn't mention Spain, or Carmita or even the name De Leon."
"What's the poem called?" B asked. "The title seems to be the answer with all of the clues anyway."
"Ah," Spencer replied, looking for the title. "Oh my god!"
Spencer gasped as she read the title.
"What?!" B asked. "It can't be worse than being killed and then cremated? Can it?"
"Maybe," Spencer replied as she bit her lip. "The poem connected to that clue is called A little mixed up."
"Yeah cause that's what T.E. is right?" B laughed. "A little mixed up, well more than a little if you ask-"
But he stopped as Spencer shook her head.
"If Carmita was in the last one the poem's headline would say Carmita or at least have the words De Leon in them. Richard's had Cliff Richard, Emmett's had Emmett Till!" she cried.
"So what are you saying?" B asked horrified at her expression.
"I'm saying T.E. has done the worst thing yet," Spencer replied. "My guess? This poem is not referring to Carmita, but the contents in all of the jars."
"You don't mean?" B gasped.
"I think so," Spencer replied wincing. "I think T.E. took all of the ashes and mixed them all up."
The moment she'd gotten the words out of her mouth, Spencer stood up.
"I think I'm gonna be sick," she said and bolted off to the bathroom.
"*"
It didn't take long for Spencer to return from the bathroom and once she confirmed to B that she'd be okay, the two of them walked back into the sitting area where everyone was consoling Emily.
From where they sat however, Linds and Jay could see that something wasn't right with her friends.
"What's wrong?" she asked sympathetically making everyone pause in their discussion and look over at Spencer and B.
"There's more," B said calmly.
"More than my husband being burned to ash?!" Emily replied hysterically holding the jar she'd been given earlier.
"Yeah," B said simply. "What you're holding is part of your husband."
"Part?!" Emily shrieked.
"And part Carmita," B continued.
"What?!" everyone chorused.
"And part…Emmett too," B concluded.
"Wait a minute," Jay said quickly. "How's that even possible?"
"T.E. mixed everyone's ashes together!" Spencer blurted out before becoming overwhelmed in a flood of tears and burying herself into B's chest.
Everyone's jaws dropped.
No one said anything, but they were all thinking the same thing.
Denial.
There was no way this was true. Spencer must have gotten some misinformation. Right?
"It's true," B sighed. "The remaining jars also had notes and while the first was a clue leading to Emmett the second was a clue to a poem called All mixed up."
"All mixed up?!" Jay cried.
"I think I'm going to be sick," Emily stated.
"Join the party," Spencer retorted sympathetically.
"Wait-" Linds started. "So not only does T.E. kill all these people, then they cremate them-"
"Without permission," Emily chimed in.
"Right," Linds agreed. "Without permission and now you're telling us they mixed up the ashes and a piece of all of them is inside each jar?!"
"Who would do something so horrible?" Jenny asked.
"T.E." Jay replied glaring off into the distance.
If T.E. could go that far imagine what they'd done to Andy and Lauren. Was his friend also a pile of ash? What about his boyfriend? Were they about to find some stinking clue that told them pieces of Andy were also in those jars?
"*"
Though no one at Mel's place knew this Andy wasn't dead, though he was fearing for his life. As each hour went by the forest got darker and darker and Andy still hadn't decided which route would be better to take.
The path seemed easiest to follow, but it would also be easier for T.E. and their minions, which by now Andy was sure T.E. had, to find him. But the forest was filled with things. Ominous things. He swore he'd heard a wolf howl not so long ago. What else was the darkened woods filled with?
Finally deciding to take the path, Andy set forth on what he knew would be a very long journey home. As far as he'd seen, New Haven was not home to any sort of forest.
In any case the path twisted and turned, this way and that and before long Andy had come to a bridge of sorts overlooking a small pond. Andy decided to stop and take a moment to breathe as he was so puffed out.
He thought about Jay and what it would be like to have him there alongside him. This turned Andy to thoughts of how Jay was coping back at home without him, as Andy had often thought about since being dropped off. Ever since he'd worked out T.E's story about Andy hurting Jay was a lie, he'd wondered how his boyfriend was coping with his disappearance. He clearly remembered what he went through when Jay was taken away from him. He had been lucky back then to have many people around to support him. Would Jay have the same thing? Or would he be on his own? Would he have been compelled to rejoin T.E.?
After all Lindsay had sent some terrible messages once Jay was trapped in the warehouse. If this new T.E. had done the same thing, would Jay snap and get back on the band wagon? Even if only to find Andy, it wouldn't be a good move.
Slowly tears started to fall from the corners of Andy's eyes. He'd worked out early on that T.E's motivation was to have control and now they had it. The worst part was that Andy knew who T.E. was, which was in and of itself, the one thing that could take the psychopath down. But there was no one to tell.
Suddenly Andy jumped excitedly as a rush of adrenaline filled him. T.E. may have been in control, but they weren't exactly smart. As Andy reached into his pocket, his thoughts were confirmed as with a smile, he pulled out his cell phone.
"*"
Everyone at Mel's place was in shock. How could T.E. have done this? It was sickening!
Emily, who was all of a dither, had insisted on recalling the maids over, to some protests, but in the end no one had the heart to argue with her. So at 10pm Imelda and some other maids had arrived along with a man that Emily introduced as Robert, Richard's former butler and the man that was sent out to locate the victims in the plane crash. After passing on his condolences to everyone Emily's staff walked to the kitchen to prepare some meals.
"Well, I mean, I don't exactly know what to do now," Emily was saying to Jay. "Richard had all of these specific plans and now they're completely gone. Washed away because of T.E."
Jay nodded kindly. He didn't quite know what to say to her, but then again no one did. Anything anyone said led to getting their heads blown off by the constant swipes Emily would make. They understood of course, but the battle to support her and yet at the same time not get yelled at had been one all of them were trying to work out.
Later on B, Jay and Linds sat in the dining room discussing what to do next just as Spencer walked in.
"Hey Spence," Linds said softly. "Feeling any better?"
"A little, thanks," Spencer replied.
After the realization of what T.E. had done had truly sank in, Spencer had thrown up again and Linds had insisted she lay down in her room so as not to be disturbed by anyone. Spencer had managed to get a good half an hour of sleep, but when she woke the magnetic force of knowing just how much there was left to do, had pulled her to her new friends.
"We were just talking about going to pay Kenneth Stappord a visit," Jay was saying. "Considering we now know he was Rhonda's father, we may be able to get some information out of him."
"At the very least we want to find Lauren and Andy," Linds agreed. "If Dr Stappord can lead us there, then I'm all in."
"I agree," Spencer replied. "I think we have to talk to him. But we have to make it look inconspicuous. If T.E. finds out they could warn him and if we go barging in there demanding answers then were not going to be any better off."
"Spencer's right," B agreed earning a smile from the brown haired lady. "We need to make it look genuine. Maybe someone could make an appointment to see him?"
"I'll do it," Jay sighed.
"Jay?" Linds questioned. "Are you sure?"
"I have the perfect cover," Jay said darkly. "I cancelled on him before, I could say I've come to my senses and I'm finally ready to be counseled. But I agree with Spencer it's probably best not to tell anyone about this. Not them out there or even the people at Casa de Carmita."
"You think one of them is T.E?" Linds asked.
"We can't be too careful," Jay replied. "I'm not saying one of them is, but I think the list of knowing who it's definitely not is shorter. Right now you guys are the only ones I really trust."
"Ditto," Spencer agreed. "Jay's right. The less people that know the better. We can't risk taking any chances on the off chance that someone here is being less than honest."
"It's happened before," B said knowingly, referring to those who went undercover for Linds during her time as team evil.
"I suppose," Linds finally agreed. "I mean that's what I would have done."
"And did," B replied smiling tightly, earning an even tighter smile back from Linds.
"Why don't you two go?" Spencer said referring to the men. "Linds and I can stay here and work on finding out more about T.E's plan."
Linds smiled at the subtle reference to what they'd been working on the night before.
"I agree," she said quickly. "Jay could need back up B and you're the best back up we have right now."
After quite a smart remark from B, he and Jay set off for Dr Kenneth's. Unlike most therapists for some reason Dr Kenneth's place of business was open 24 hours a day. Not that B and Jay were complaining as now was the perfect time to get to him. Hopefully he wouldn't have too many clients' waiting.
As they walked up the steps that led to the therapist section of the building Jay could help but stop as he flashed back to the time he was last here. He recalled getting the message from T.E. that led him to realize it was Dr Stappord and running out of the office despite the receptionist saying that he was on his way.
"It's ok," B said protectively, throwing his arms around Jay. "I'll be here the whole time. I promise."
Jay laughed nervously.
"You'd better," he replied.
Once they'd made it up the stairs Jay walked up to the receptionist.
"Hi there," he tried to say convincingly and yet it came out as a nervous squeak.
Jay cleared his throat before continuing.
"I'm ah Jay Taylor," he went on. "I was hoping to have a session with Dr Kenneth Stappord."
"Let me see if we can fit you in," the receptionist said with a smile. "Well, Jay Taylor it seems as though you're in luck. Dr Stappord is just about done with his last client for the day. So I can squeeze you in after that."
What luck! Jay thought.
Despite the fact that butterflies had began to fill his stomach and emotionally he felt like a nervous wreck, logically speaking he was thrilled that he could get an appointment right away and not have to come back goodness only knew how many days later.
As Jay took a seat next to B, he wondered how everyone else was getting on back at Mel's place. He was sure they'd all be sitting down to dinner right now, discussing their next move. He could picture Linds telling them that he and B had gone to Casa de Carmita to see what the holdup was. That was, after all, the plan the four of them had come up with.
Jay wondered what B was thinking about. It was new territory for B to be on the side of good. They were lucky when he thought about it, that they had B on their side. He'd hate to think of the acts that T.E. could commit with such a great helper.
But then again, Jay thought. What could be worse then what they'd done so far?
"*"
"Ok, so-" Linds began excitedly. "I was thinking we need to find a way to lure T.E. into texting me again!"
"Wait-" Spencer said quickly. "Why exactly would that be a good thing?"
"Because," Linds replied, while pulling up multiple programs on her PC. "The moment T.E. texts me, we can track their whereabouts! I have so many different programs, some of which I haven't even shown you yet and remember the tracking device I gave Andy?"
Spencer nodded, how could she forget any of the fascinating stories Lindsay had told her the night before?
"Well, I actually have a better program on here, which can track the exact location of where the sender is, without actually having to go to them!"
"That's amazing!" Spencer cried as Linds brought up yet another program.
Linds showed Spencer exactly how it worked by getting Spencer to send her a text and then by connecting her phone to the PC and after selecting a few different options the screen settled on a map that zoomed right into the location of Linds' home.
"Pretty radical huh?" Linds asked, excited to be teaching a protégé of sorts.
"I'll say," Spencer replied beaming. "Now we just have to get T.E. to text you somehow."
"If only there was a way," Linds agreed. "I mean they seemed pretty miffed that I didn't respond to their first text. I was hoping they'd give me another chance, but I guess not."
"Wait!" Spencer cried out as a sudden thought hit her and she bolted out of the room coming back with the slips of paper they'd read earlier.
"Whoa!" Linds responded. "Someone's got a brainwave!"
"And then some!" Spencer replied. "Ok."
Quickly Spencer placed all the notes in front of her on the desk one above the other quite neatly.
"Take a photo of this," she said indicating the notes.
"What?" Linds asked confused.
"With your phone," Spencer continued. "Grab your phone and take a photo of it. I have an idea!"
"I'll say you have," Linds smiled, before grabbing her phone and taking the picture. "Ok what now?"
"Ok, remember when Jay was-" Spencer stopped recalling something. "Oh yeah, you weren't there. When I first arrived Jay was telling me about how he, Andy and Emmett found out that T.E. had a twitter account."
"I remember," Linds replied. "Go on."
"Well," Spencer smiled. "I'm thinking T.E. uses it quite a bit because I've been checking it out lately to see if they'd put up any more clues."
Linds' smile grew wider.
"They haven't by the way," Spencer concluded. "But they have been posting something pretty much every day, despite the fact that it's pretty much meaningless, which leads me to believe…"
"What?!" Linds called out excited, not daring to believe Spencer had stopped right there.
"That T.E. thinks of twitter as something like an email service. A place to contact people online right?" Spencer went on.
"Right," Linds agreed.
"And so, what if you send a private message to T.E's twitter account with the picture thanking them or something-"
"Thanking them?" Linds asked abhorred.
"Saying something nasty will just have T.E. laugh it off," Spencer reasoned. "We need something that will motivate T.E. to respond to you."
"And if I thank them," Linds replied catching on. "Hopefully T.E. will respond with something like 'you're welcome'."
"In the form of a text!" Spencer concluded.
"Why Spencer, you are a genius!" Linds replied and wasting no time at all, did exactly as they had planned.
"*"
Remarkably it only took 10 minutes for Linds to squeal with delight, altering Spencer to the fact that T.E. had actually taken the bait and texted her back.
"What did T.E. say?" Spencer asked unable to help the smile that had spread across her face.
"What does it matter?" Linds asked smiling back. "The fact that they did, means we can finally track them."
So as to not miss the opportunity incase T.E. decided to delete the text again, Linds connected her phone to the PC and opened up the tracking program.
"Ok, so provided T.E. doesn't delete the message, we should have a location in no time!" Linds said joyously.
She wasn't wrong either.
Moments later the program Linds was using had narrowed down the location. It finally settled on an old abandoned hospital known as New Haven Memorial.
"Okay," Linds dragged out. "I've never heard of New Haven Memorial before."
"That's because it was closed down years ago," Spencer replied. "Other hospitals in the area received more funding and were better suited to meet patient's needs, therefore closing down the hospital for good. Most people were transferred but-"
"How do you know all this?" Linds asked intrigued.
"My mom was working on a class action law suit for many of the nurses at New Haven Memorial when it was being closed. It was long and arduous, that's how I remember it."
Linds nodded impressed before turning back to her PC and typing in many differing codes.
"What are your trying to do?" Spencer asked.
"I'm trying to see if I can find a way to connect to a live stream of the place. They may not have one since it's been closed down for a while, but you never know," Linds replied.
"You can do that?" Spencer asked.
"I've done it before," Linds answered. "Though not with places that have already closed."
Spencer grew silent very quickly allowing Linds to concentrate. If Linds could in fact get a live feed to this abandoned hospital then they could see exactly what it was they were dealing with before attempting to track them down.
"And wah-lah!" Linds announced.
"Wait-" Spencer started. "Wah-lah as in the French Tada? As in you actually found one?"
"If by one you mean a few," Linds began. "Whoa! Correct that, quite a few actually and – wait – I thought you said the hospital was closed down?"
"It is!" Spencer insisted. "Mom definitely would have said something if they'd reopened."
"Then why am I seeing doctors and nurses walking around?" Linds asked.
Spencer turned her attention to the screen.
"Whoa," she replied shocked. "But that's not possible! Oh wait – it isn't! Can you pause the footage by any chance?"
Linds wondered why Spencer would want to do that, but complied nonetheless.
"Ok and could you zoom in on that guy?" Spencer asked, pointing to a man in a white lab coat.
Linds complied.
"Ok now zoom in on his chest pocket and enhance," Spencer went on excitedly.
"You've done this before!" Linds replied smiling.
"No, I've just watched too many cop shows," Spencer laughed.
As Linds followed Spencer's instructions she began to notice what she'd seen. On the man's breast coat pocket was an emblem. It was a symbol of a pink rose with the initials NHMH etched into the petals. Below the symbol was the year 2012.
"Got ya you slime ball!" Spencer said enraged through also impressed at the same time.
"Well will you explain it to me?" Linds asked, not having noticed what Spencer had seen.
"When you look at the feed in normal motion it looks like an everyday hospital, so you need to look deeper. The year inscribed on the lab coat is 2012, the last year New Haven Memorial was opened. They closed their doors in October of that year," Spencer replied. "If the hospital had reopened the emblem would be the same but the year would be-"
"2016!" Linds agreed quite impressed with Spencer's discovery. "You're right."
"Especially when you consider they'd want to make a great fresh start to the reopening and there'd be nothing worse than wearing gear that is so obviously 4 years out of date."
"Wow Spence," Linds beamed. "Good eye! If only I'd known you last year."
"Yeah, I would've tracked you down quicker then Andy did," Spencer replied smiling.
"*"
Back in the forest Andy awoke feeling quite disoriented. It took him a moment to realize where he was and more importantly why he was there. The GPS on his phone had been a god send, but it hadn't taken long for his phone to die which had caused Andy to cry his eyes out, eventually falling asleep. But now it was still the middle of the night and he needed to find his way out of there.
If there was one thing Andy knew it was that no matter what he was not spending another night in this place. On and on he walked feeling exhausted and so thirsty, the lake was so enticing, but who knew how poisonous it was. He'd known from slight research that most water in forests needed to be boiled before it could be consumed, but that would mean making a fire and without matches, a lighter or even a tiny bit of flint to create a spark knew it was pretty close to impossible.
It was funny how deserted the path seemed to be. Ever since he was dropped there the night before Andy hadn't seen or heard anyone. Anyone human anyway. There seemed to be more than enough animals to go around including a wolf or two a few badly timed hooting owls and some other things rustling through the grass off the path that Andy prayed were cute little bunnies.
Finally what seemed like an hour but was probably only about 15 minutes later, Andy found a sign. The words on the front bore the name:
East Rock Park.
"East Rock Park?" Andy thought out loud. "How come I've never heard of this place before?"
And then it dawned on him just how far away from home he could actually be.
"*"
"Hey! I'm home!" came the sound of Mel's voice.
Linds raced out of the office to greet her girlfriend planting a long kiss on her lips.
"Wow, if this is the treatment I get when I stay away for a night," Mel began. "Then I should go away more often."
"Oh ha ha," Linds replied sarcastically. "So what do I owe the good fortune of your presence to?"
"Honestly I just came home to change," Mel replied making her way to their bedroom to change. "William was so helpful though. We all thought he would give us the run around and take forever to answer questions, but he sort of just opened up like a book and told us everything he knew."
"He did?" Linds asked surprised.
"Well yeah," Mel replied. "It turns out he's Rhonda/Mariana's brother after all. They're not blood related but hey it's all good we learned things about who his f-"
Mel stopped as she realized Linds looked saddened.
"Linds?" She asked. "Are you still upset about Andy and my-"
"Oh god no, it's not that," Linds assured. "I mean ok, I'm not happy about it, but I've been so distracted that honestly Mel it's the last thing on my mind right now. You're not exactly out of the dog house, but there are other things we need to deal with right now."
"Of course," Mel replied. "How's Emily holding up?"
"Not well which is to be expected," Linds answered. "But there have been some really dark developments."
"Developments?" Mel questioned, walking out into the kitchen to make a quick cup of coffee before heading back.
It's not that Casa de Carmita didn't have coffee; it was more that the coffee she owned was so much better. As she got to the bench she noticed a letter placed neatly on top and read it.
Linds,
We've gone to drop Emily off and get some food. We suggested Rein go back with Emily but she insisted on staying so we left her with you.
"They did?!" Linds asked, looking around wildly half expecting to see the tiny form of her friend on the couch somewhere having gone completely unnoticed.
"Rein?!" She called, realizing that Rein wasn't in the seating area.
"She's in the office with me!" Spencer called back.
"Oh," Linds replied. "Ok Good!"
Once we drop Emily off, we'll grab some dinner and come back.
Jenny, Alison and Maya.
"Ok so they're getting dinner," Mel dismissed. "And Rein's in the office, what developments Linds?" She asked accusingly.
Linds pointed to the jars that were still on the table.
"Aren't you the least bit curious as to what these are?" She asked pointing to them, surprised Mel hadn't said anything.
"How should I know?" Mel shot back. "I just assumed it was some botany thing you learned at the sanatorium. Who am I to come between you and your therapy?"
"That's not soil Mel!" Linds whispered back harshly. "It's ash."
"Ash?" Mel asked, before it dawned on her what Linds meant. "Wait- you mean cremated ash? As in-?"
"Yes," Linds replied as calmly as she could. "T.E. found all three bodies and burned them, before sending them to us as a gift in a nice little package."
"Oh my god," Mel said revolted. "You mean these are the ashes of Richard, Carmita and Emmett?"
"And that's not the worst part," Linds confirmed.
As Linds went on to tell Mel everything that had gone down since she'd left for Casa de Carmita, Spencer was filling Rein in on everything they'd discovered. She didn't know if it would be wise to do so considering everything the poor girl had gone through, but Rein insisted she needed the distraction.
"And so that's the hospital we're looking at right now," Spencer concluded.
"So who are those people?" Rein asked. "If the hospital closed down why are there nurses and doctors walking around?"
"My assumption," Spencer began. "Is that they all work for T.E. I'm thinking if we can get-"
But she was drowned out as the camera they were focusing on turned to footage of a room.
A room that contained-
"Mom!" Rein screamed out.
"That's your mom?" Spencer questioned, having never met the woman before.
"Yes!" Rein insisted. "How long has she been trapped there?"
"Honestly I have no idea," Spencer replied. "We only just got the live feed moments ago. For all we know this is where she's been the whole time."
Though she had more to say, Spencer was stopped as Mel and Linds barged into the room.
"What's going on?" Linds asked.
"And what the hell is Lauren doing on our PC?!" Mel demanded.
As Linds did her best to catch Mel up on how they'd ascertained the live feed, Spencer couldn't help but focus on Rein, who was watching her mother go through the horror of being stuck in this room and god only knew how much worse.
"We have to get in there," Rein told her.
"We will," Spencer replied. "We just need a way to get in undetected. I'm guessing they'll have the place heavily surrounded."
"So we need clothes like they're wearing," Rein said matter of factly.
"Yeah but how we're going to-" Spencer started, but was cut off as Rein raced out of the office.
Spencer ran after her and stopped her right before she was about to head out of the front door.
"Rein stop!" Spencer demanded. "I know this is tough, but we need to do this right. If we get caught T.E. will just trap all of us and then we'll be even worse off!"
"Worse off than what?" Mel asked.
Spencer turned to see that Mel and Linds had followed them out of the office.
"Rein obviously wants to rescue Lauren," Spencer rushed. "And I'm all for it-"
"It's just we can't get caught," Mel agreed, seeing her logic.
"Rein," Linds tried softly. "Where were you headed?"
Rein sighed.
"I was headed home," she said honestly. "Among other things, Mom's a really good seamstress and has made many clothes and costumes and things for me growing up. I was thinking if we can somehow fashion together some outfits like the nurses are wearing we can go into the hospital in disguise."
"That actually might work," Mel agreed. "But it'll be easier to do it here, so we're all together."
She turned to Linds.
"Why don't you and Spencer go and track down the fabric, it shouldn't be too hard. Take a photo of one of the nurses if you must. We'll go and get Lauren's sewing stuff and we'll all meet back here within the hour. Now that we know where Lauren is and there's a good chance Andy's there too, we can rescue them. And we'll do it as soon as we can get the garments."
Everyone agreed and before long both pairs had set out to meet their objectives.
"*"
"And so then I found myself at a store with one of my friends," Jay said. "And I had…well…what I'm guessing was a panic attack."
He had been in a session with Dr Stappord for a while now and though his plan was to get some information out of him, somehow the doctor had made the session all about Jay and the sandy-blonde had forgotten all about his ulterior motive.
"That must have been very tough to go through," Dr Stappord replied, penciling some notes as Jay went on.
"It was," Jay replied. "But what was tougher to go through was the fact that I was still having those moments even months after the ah person was locked away."
Whether Dr Stappord was aware of what had happened in the warehouse or not, Jay had enough presence of mind to make sure he didn't drop any names or specific locations.
"Jay that's call post-traumatic stress disorder," Dr Stappord replied. "It's when people go through something very traumatic in their lives and then months later have all these things that happen if a trigger just so happens to be present."
"A trigger?" Jay asked. "Like a gun?"
"No Jay," Dr Stappord replied. "Although it is similar. A trigger is something that sets off a memory. For example the room you were in when you were tortured was very hot and then you had a flashback when you woke up to the heat in your bedroom like you were saying earlier."
"Oh," Jay said. "So it's like a connection that takes me back to everything."
"Yes, one could use the word connection," Dr Stappord agreed. "Your mind can't help but go back to that situation. But Jay, I need to ask you something. Something very important."
"Yes?"
"Know that this is a safe space and that you can tell me anything Jay. People who experience post traumatic stress are at higher risk of suicide and so I must ask, have you had any suicidal thoughts lately?"
"*"
Mel and Rein were the first to return home and though it didn't take long for them to get everything inside Mel seemed rather panicked.
"Mel?" Rein questioned. "Are you ok?"
Mel smiled. It was so unbelievably kind of Rein to ask her considering everything she was going through. But if anything, this only made what she had to say that much worse.
"No, I'm not," she said eventually. "But I will be. Rein, I need to go and do something and I'm so sorry to leave you. But do you think you'll be ok to set all of this up?"
"Oh," Rein replied surprised at Mel's response. "Sure, that's fine. You go and do whatever it is you need to do. I can set all this up by myself."
"Thanks Rein," Mel smiled calmly. "I'll be back as soon as I can, but if for any reason I'm not back by the time you guys are done then go on without me ok?"
"Ohhh kayyy," Rein dragged out. "Why wouldn't you be back in time?"
Mel sighed and perched herself onto the arm of the sofa looking at Rein.
"I just don't know how long it will take," she said sincerely. "But getting your mom out of there is a top priority so I will do my best to get back as soon as I can, I promise. But you have to promise me that if I'm not back by the time you're all ready that you will go without me ok?"
"Ok," Rein replied. "But I'm going to hope you will be back on time. We could really use you Mel."
"Thanks sweetie," Mel replied grabbing her coat. "I'll do my best, I promise."
Without another word, Mel headed straight out the front door and back into her car.
"*"
"Suicide?!" Jay asked scandalized.
"Now Jay," Dr Stappord replied. "It's a normal reaction to PTSD and just a question, not an accusation."
"Oh, sorry," Jay said. "It's just…really? People kill themselves over this sort of-"
Jay stopped as a realization dawned on him. He wondered if T.E. knew about his PTSD. Somehow someone had made mention of him suffering from PTSD in that stupid article his mom had shown him and if T.E. had gotten a copy of the article they would know.
Did they also know that PTSD could lead to suicide? Was that why they'd kept pushing him with texts in the early days, including the taunting moment with the PC at the library?
"Jay?" Dr Kenneth asked. "Where did you go?"
"I ah," Jay began. "I don't know. I just, I guess I don't understand how people can commit suicide, especially when it comes to PTSD."
"What do you mean?" the doctor asked.
"Well, I mean," Jay continued. "If a PTSD victim killed themselves then the person or people that caused the situation would win, wouldn't they? Logically it makes no sense."
"It seems that you're one of the rare few," the doctor replied. "For most PTSD victims, logic and reason doesn't come into play. Every decision is based on their emotions. Normally for example a victim of PTSD would be driven to commit suicide because they find themselves so buried in guilt, grief or loss over what happened they don't see the logic you just pointed out."
"But wouldn't someone who has never thought about suicide before be less likely to kill themselves post PTSD then those who have?" Jay pondered aloud.
"Not necessarily," the doctor advised. "It's not about what happed beforehand. For most PTSD sufferers, the past is simply that, everything that happened before the event itself. It's almost looked upon as another life altogether."
"Yeah, that's how I feel," Jay agreed. "Before that person came into my life, things were different, for one thing I lived in another state and for another, though I had ups and downs I'd never experienced anything like this before."
"*"
As Linds helped Rein with the sewing Spencer focused on the live feed. Neither had questioned Mel's sudden disappearance they were way too focused on the task at hand.
"Patients…have…numbers," Spencer wrote on a pad.
The list of things to remember was long and varied.
"Spencer!" Rein called out. "We're ready!"
"Excellent," Spencer said to herself, grabbing the pad and making her way back out to her friends.
"Ok so I've compiled a list of-" she started, before looking up and noticing the light blue shirts and dark blue skirts the pair had fashioned to perfection.
Everything down to the floral emblem with the words NHMH and 2012 had been expertly created. There was no way they wouldn't fit in.
"Wow you guys!" she exclaimed. "Good job!"
"Yeah, not bad for half an hour's work," Linds agreed as Rein beamed.
"Ok, here's yours Spencer," Rein pointed out. "We had to guess with size, but you're similar to Linds' size so we went with that."
"No problems," Spencer replied. "Besides, if it's too form fitting they may notice something's up."
Once Spencer had changed, she started reading notes from her pad.
"Ok so the people in our uniforms are referred to as 'nurses'," she started. "The ones in the white lab coats are called 'doctors' so that shouldn't be too hard to remember."
The others nodded agreeing.
"They all speak quite confidently," Spencer went on. "So we need to do that also, we need to act as though we're part of the group. Oh yeah, there's something called a quest, which I couldn't quite work out what that was."
"I don't like the sound of that," Rein replied.
"Yeah me either," Spencer agreed looking back down at her notes. "Oh they kept mentioning someone named Telium. I honestly don't know who he or she is but my over-analytic mind is telling me it could be T.E' s first name?"
"It's possible," Linds agreed.
"Um, oh yeah," Spencer lit up. "There's talk about patients but no one ever uses a name. They use numbers instead. There's a lot of talk about Patient's number 1 and number 2."
"Number one and number two?" Rein asked skeptically.
"Are they talking about people or bowel-movements?" Linds snickered.
"Yeah I know, it's weird," Spencer agreed. "But I guess like everything else we're beginning to learn about T.E. everything must be talked about in code."
All 3 made their way into Linds car while Spencer kept talking.
"They're talking a lot about patient number 1," she went on. "Saying some things like 'ever since she failed the quest she's given up' and 'Patient number 1 is not eating'. I really want to know who patient number 1 is."
"I really want to know what this quest is," Rein replied. "I have an ominous feeling about it."
"In 300 meters turn left," came the sound of Linds' navigational system.
"We ready?" she asked the others who nodded in agreement. "Ok then fellow 'nurses' let's go."
"*"
"Ok Jay, so just relax take a deep breath and we'll begin," Dr Stappord said calmly.
The pair had talked about ways to treat PTSD and one of the ways Dr Stappord had mentioned was hypnosis. Jay had liked the sound of that and as instructed had laid down on the couch preparing for what was to come next.
"Ok," Dr Stappord said. "Now then, just look into the-"
But his words were cut off by multiple flashes of light the streamed into the room.
"What the?" the doctor asked aloud.
"What is it?" Jay asked sitting bolt-upright fearing that anything that caused the doctor to freak out at best wasn't good and at worst could only be…T.E.
By now Dr Stappord had made his way over to the window.
"Someone's…" he started but stopped as he continued to look out. "…OY!"
Before Jay could say anything else, Dr Stappord raced towards the door.
"What's going on doctor?" Jay asked.
"Someone's been taking photos of us!" the doctor replied. "Wait here, I'll be right back."
As Dr Stappord raced past B and the receptionist his mind was racing. Who in the world would be taking pictures of him? He'd seen what was clearly a man with short dark hair and a blue t-shirt but hadn't been able to make out who the person was.
As he got to the bottom of the stairs, he flung himself through the door and looked around wildly.
But the streets seemed to be deserted.
"Who's there?!" the doctor called out, feeling quite deranged.
Silence followed. Not a word, a whisper or even the sound of a light breeze. Everything was still…
And then-
Flash!
Another photo was taken, this time almost blinding him and Dr Stappord noticed the same man he'd seen earlier.
"You!" he cried racing after the man.
"Me what?" the man asked surprised.
"You t-t-took a p-picture of me in m-my office!" Dr Stappord stuttered. "Don't deny it."
"Doctor I think you have me confused with someone else," the man said. "I was just waiting for my friend. You're counseling him right now. Jay Taylor?"
"How do you know he's my client?" the doctor asked, trying to calm down.
"We've been friends for years," the man said. "I'm his friend Micah, Micah Bruckner."
"*"
"You have arrived at your destination," Linds' navigational system said as she turned off the engine.
Spencer and Rein looked out of the car at the size of the building.
"It's huge!" Rein cried. "How will we find everyone?"
"By going in," Spencer said confidently.
"Ok now remember everyone," Linds said calmly as they got out. "We're nurses who were on a break. Teliam phoned and told us we need to check in on the progress of patient number 1."
Silently agreeing with her Spencer and Rein followed Linds to the door and knocked.
"What's the password?" came a gruff voice from the other side.
"Password?" Rein questioned whispering.
"Ospedale Occulto!" Spencer piped up while Linds and Rein looked at her in shock.
Simultaneously the door slowly began to open.
"What?" Spencer whispered. "It's Latin for Secret Hospital. I took a shot."
"Who are you?" came the same gruff voice that they could now see belonged to an aging man.
"We're just coming back from break," Spencer said realizing the others probably wouldn't say anything.
"I don't remember y-" the man began.
But Spencer cut him off.
"Do you want to waist our time talking or can I get on with the task Teliam has set me?" she asked confidently.
"Teliam sent you?" the man asked. "Was it- ?"
He leaned in closer.
"Was it about patient number 2?" he concluded.
"No actually, Telium's getting too much information on Patient number 2 that we've been ordered to get direct feedback on Patient number 1. No one seems to have updated Telium in a while."
"But I thought-" the man started.
"What name do you go by here?" Spencer asked, imitating someone she'd seen say the exact same thing on the live feed.
"Duncan miss," the man replied.
"Well Duncan are you going to step aside and let us in or would you rather have Teliam come down and deal with you?" Spencer demanded.
"Oh no," the man said stepping back frightened. "Please proceed."
"Thank you," Spencer replied marching forward in pursuit of patient number 1.
"*"
Micah stood there scared of what the doctor was going to do. Knowing everything he knew didn't help either. This guy helped create Rick. Not only create him but literally was the reason Rick had turned out the way he had. From the little information Micah had gathered Rick had been physically abused by this guy since he was a little kid. How was he going to react to Micah?
Would he hit him?
"Well…ah…" Micah began. "I guess you're not finished with him yet. M-my friend I mean."
"Why are you so nervous?" Dr Stappord asked.
"N-no reason," Micah replied, trying his very best to remain calm. "I'll just be going now."
"Not with that camera you won't," the doctor replied. "I don't care who you think you are Micah Bruckner, but nothing gives you the right to-"
But Micah didn't need to hear anymore and quickly turned away from the doctor and bolted down the street. Not that it was going to help anything as Micah discovered the doctor was very quickly running after him.
Puffing and panting Micah rounded a corner and took a breath, but the sound of his pursuer's footsteps gaining on him made him pick up the pace as he continued to run.
Who knew what this guy would do if he caught him?
"*"
"Ok this is it," Spencer whispered, seeing the reception desk and opposite it a door with the number one marked clearly on it.
"What?" Linds asked confused.
"It's a hunch," Spencer admitted. "But room 1, I'm guessing holds patient 1."
"My mom's in there?!" Rein asked as quietly as she could. "Right in front of reception?"
"Yes," Spencer replied. "At least I think so."
Turning away from Rein and Lindsay, Spencer approached the desk.
"Hi there," she said brightly, before checking herself and dropping her voice down to a confident tone. "I have direct orders from Teliam to check on Patient number 1. A full report is required and I don't have long to respond."
"Here's the sign-out sheet," the receptionist said in a bored tone. "Sign there, initial there and write the time there."
As Spencer did so, the receptionist took a key out from a draw next to her.
Spencer hastily made up the name Karen Nightly and signed a signature she'd never used before giving the sheet back.
"Here's the key," the receptionist said handing it to her. "You know where the switch is I presume?"
Spencer noticed a light switch next to the door of room 1 and assuming it was what the receptionist meant smiled.
"Of course," she replied quickly, taking the key and moving back over to Lindsay and Rein.
"Ok guys, I'm thinking I should be the one to go in," she began, before Rein cut her off.
"Why you?" she asked. "She's my mom."
"And that's why," Spencer replied. "If you go in there and she recognizes you they'll know something's up."
"She's right," Linds agreed. "We've come this far Rein, we don't want to stuff everything up now."
Rein nodded slowly.
"Ok, now you two need to create a diversion of some kind," Spencer went on. "If you find an alarm or something I suggest you pull it. Otherwise start a fire if you have to or flood the place for all I care. But there's no way she'll get out undetected unless we have some sort of a distraction."
The others agreed and went off to do just that as Spencer sliced the key into the lock and boldly stepped into the room closing the door behind her.
"Oh great," Lauren said sarcastically. "More medicine?"
Spencer stopped in her tracks and turned around fearing another nurse being behind her. But there was no one there and she quickly realized Lauren was referring to her.
"Ah no," Spencer said softly making her way over to the woman. "Ok I'm going to need you to not react to anything I say, can you handle that?"
"I guess," Lauren replied. "After everything you guys have put me through I don't think I could react if I tried."
"Shhh!" Spencer said trying desperately to keep Lauren quiet. "Lauren, we've never met, but you may know of me. I'm Spencer, Andy's assistant."
Lauren just looked at Spencer in shock.
"Ok again, again remember, no reaction," Spencer hastened to remind the woman. "There are people outside and if they have any idea of what's really going on we'll all be screwed."
"Check my arm," Lauren said out of the corner of her mouth.
"What?" Spencer asked.
"My arm," Lauren repeated. "They give us injections and blood tests here, if you check my arm it'll look like you're preparing to give me another one."
"Oh," Spencer replied. "Good thinking."
As Spencer proceeded to look at the cuts, scars and bruises all over Lauren's arm, the woman whispered to her.
"Any word on my daughter?" she asked softly. "Please, I won't react I promise."
"She's outside creating a diversion," Spencer replied. "She misses you a lot but otherwise she's fine."
"Thank you," Lauren replied as a single tear fell down her cheek.
Suddenly red flashing lights could be seen outside of the room.
"Code green, everyone evacuate! Code green everyone evacuate!" came a sound of a woman over the loud speaker.
"Mom!" came the sound of Rein as she burst into the room followed by Lindsay who closed the door.
"Rein!" Lauren squealed.
"I thought I told you guys to-" Spencer started.
"Give her a break Spencer," Linds replied watching Rein envelope herself into her mother's arms. "Everyone's in a blind panic no one even noticed we slipped in here."
"Everyone's in a panic?" Spencer asked as Rein and Lauren furiously greeted each other.
"Yeah, can't you hear the noise?" Linds asked, before realizing how silent it was in there. "Oh I guess it's a silent room."
"No but that's good," Spencer said. "If everyone's panicked, now's the perfect time to get her out of here."
"Wait!" Rein piped up. "What about Andy?"
"I did some quick research," Linds replied. "Andy's patient number 2. So we just need to locate his room and then we can get the heck out of here. If Lauren's ready."
"Oh born ready!" Lauren replied getting out of the bed faster then she'd ever gotten out of any bed in her life.
"Ok, Linds come with me," Spencer said. "Rein wait here with your mom, we'll be 2 minutes. Lauren, if you need anything get it now, because you're never coming back."
After a quick smile to Lauren, Spencer and Linds darted out the door and Linds raced to the now empty desk.
"What're you looking for?" Spencer asked quickly.
"There's a map behind the desk!" Linds said, grabbing it and running back out to join Spencer. "According to this his room is only just down the hall."
"Ok, hold on Andy, we're coming," Spencer said quickly as the pair hurried to the room.
It didn't take long to get there and though other people passed them hurriedly they were too concerned with getting themselves to safety to ask the pair what they were up to.
At last they found a room with the number 2 on it and Spencer pushed open the door nearly falling inside.
But Andy wasn't there.
"But-" Linds said quickly. "Where is he?!"
"I don't know," Spencer replied concerned. "But it's not good."
Spying the desk Spencer raced over to it and began to rummage through the draws.
"Oh my god," she blurted out.
"What?" Linds asked quickly.
Spencer held up the contents.
"It's copies of the files we have back at the house!" Spencer exclaimed. "How in the hell did they get in here?!"
"We don't have time to figure that out now!" Linds yelled. "Grab it, grab all of it and let's get back to Lauren. If those are T.E's files then Andy definitely was here, but it's clear he's not here anymore!"
Agreeing with Lindsay, Spencer grabbed the files and they raced back to room 1.
"There's an exit close to room 2," Linds was saying as they raced. "It's about 4 doors down."
"Good, cause there's no way we'll go unnoticed going through the main entry," Spencer replied.
Once they reached the door Spencer yanked it open.
"Move!" she yelled. "We have to go now!"
Pushing Lauren and Rein out of the room, the threesome followed Linds to the exit she'd located.
"Room 2…3…4…and there!" she called spying it on the left. "Go, go, go!"
The four of them rushed out of the building with Lauren blinking in the natural sunlight that her eyes were no longer used to. Fortunately there was no one else in sight and Linds was quite proud of her efforts in locating a safe exit.
"Rein, wait here," Spencer said rounding on her friend.
"But-!" Rein protested.
"Rein, wait here!" she cried. "I'm going to bring the car around. If they see Lauren they'll come after us. We'll be less than a minute I promise."
Bolting Spencer and Linds raced back to Linds' car and though she didn't ask permission, now was not the time to care as Spencer got into the driver's seat and Linds took the passenger side.
"Automatic thank god!" Spencer said quickly starting the engine.
Before they knew it, the pair had made it back to the exit area where Rein and Lauren were.
"Get in!" Spencer yelled.
Lauren and Rein didn't need telling twice and the moment they slammed their doors Spencer peeled off down the street.
"*"
"Haaaaaaaa!" Micah panted as he rounded another corner.
Little by little Dr Stappord was gaining on him. This was not going to end well at all.
Thankfully noting an open door to a building nearby Micah raced into it hoping at least that there would be someone there that could stop the insane doctor that was clearly on a mission to destroy him.
Kenneth meanwhile knew he had Micah cornered. Those photos were not getting out. He'd only just built up a great reputation and he was not about to let some pip-squeak take it away from him.
Kenneth ran into the building.
It was very dark, but a light switch would definitely take care of that.
But just as he turned around to find one the door to the building slammed shut!
The sound of a switch could be heard and suddenly the doctor was bathed in light. And that's when he noticed it, there standing in front of the newly concealed door was his client Jay Taylor!
Dr Kenneth was shocked!
"Mr. Taylor?" he asked curiously. "What are you doing?"
But before anything else could be said someone had come up from behind him and grabbed his arms so that he couldn't move, swerving him around.
"Dr Stappord…" came the sound of a female voice as the sound of high heels could be heard accompanying it echoing off the currently invisible walls. "Dr Kenneth Stappord…I believe you have some explaining to do."
It was plain to see for all but particularly for Dr Stappord that the hunter had become the hunted.
Before the doctor could say anything the figure stepped into the light and smiled gratifyingly.
It was Mel.
"*"
And that's where we'll leave the chapter for this week. What did you think?
Were you surprised that Andy knew who T.E. was and what their motive was? Though he was released from the sanatorium, T.E. never promised to take him home. Were you shocked that he was placed into a forrest of sorts? What did you think of the jars of ashes? T.E. is evil aren't they? What about the clues? If you look-up the stuff that Spencer did regarding the clues you'll actually see what they saw. The links to the song and the poems are there as well as the links to Moo – you bloody choir, Future Islands and Eilen Jewell. Poor Emily, having to find out about Richard's ashes the way she did and then to find out that each part of him is separated into different jars mixed up with the others. It was about time someone spoke to Dr Stappord, how lucky was Jay to get an appointment right away? Dr Stappord nearly got away with it too, but Micah seemed to save the day when he started taking photos of them. Wasn't it a great idea from Spencer for Linds to send T.E. a message on twitter. It definitely helped, getting them the location of the hospital. And what about Rein's idea to fashion outfits that matches the nurses? Pretty genius hey? Wasn't Spencer smart in being able to identify the password and convince the guard to let them through? So they found Lauren, were you surprised? Naturally they couldn't find Andy because he was 'released', which begs the question, would he have been better off getting the answers wrong? After creating the diversion Rein, Linds, Spencer and Lauren escape, what do you think will happen next? And Dr Stappord went from pursuer to trapped pretty quickly didn't he? Did that twist surprise you?
Next time on Love Hurts.
With Andy being released from the hospital…
(Nurse): "You passed the test, we will take you to freedom."
Lauren found and rescued…
(Spencer): "If you need anything get it now because you're not coming back."
And Dr Stappord finally cornered…
(Mel): "I believe you have some explaining to do."
How will T.E. deal with the fact that team innocent is so close to working everything out?!
But come next week…
(Lauren points to something in a photo album): "Aha! That's her!"
What information can Lauren give the others…
(Mel): "That's (name)! What's (name) doing in Andy's photo album?"
That will make them all realize…
(Lauren): "Or more importantly,"
Their worst fears have come true?...
(Lauren): "What was (name) doing at the hospital?"
And with Dr Stappord finally alone and defenseless…
(Kenneth): "It was a tough time back then."
Will we finally learn the truth behind T.E?...
(Kenneth): "I struck a deal."
(Micah): "What kind of deal?"
And with Lauren finally released from the hospital is she about to let it all out?...
(Lauren): "I have just spent an eternity in that hell-hole of a hospital being drugged-up on god only knows what and I am not about to be put through the ringer again Mr!"
(Lauren in between punches): "You- tell- us- who- T- E- is- right- now!"
And is that a bad thing?...
(Mel): "Lauren, not now."
Or…
(William protesting): "Alright, alright I'll tell you!"
BEAT-BEAT-BEAT-BEAT-BEAT-BEAT-BEAT…..WILL-IT-LEAD-TO-THE-REAL-T.E.?!
(Mel): "So who is it then? Who is T.E?"
(William): "It's…(name)… It always has been."
Counting down to the finale in an all new Love Hurts
Next week.