It was the most relaxing day Riley had had in a long time. She didn't have to worry about going to that awful school; moving from one class to the next like the mindless zombies around her. She didn't have to worry about what she was going to do for meals; for her or for Wren. It was a relief to wake up, walk to the kitchen, and find food laid out on the table for them. It was just cereal, but it was still more than either of them had for breakfast in a long time. For Riley, it had been since her life in Ohio. For Wren, as long as he could remember he never had a sit-down breakfast. That wasn't how you started the morning with his parents; a panicked sprint out the door to catch the school bus was more like it. And this luxury was never even an option in that foster home.

The morning passed with Riley at the kitchen table working on schoolwork and Wren in a comfy chair in the living room reading his book. The most peace and calmness Riley had felt in what seemed like years. They were safe. They were well fed. And they were happy.

The agents moved roughly on an 8-hour schedule. Two would be out patrolling while two roamed the house, and the other two slept. Those roaming would give breaks to those patrolling for meals and the sorts, but otherwise they hung out in the main living areas. Around lunchtime these agents offered to cook the kids a lunch, but Riley declined and instead made grilled cheese and tomato soup for everyone, including all of the agents.

By this time, Riley had finished any schoolwork she could come up with, and Wren had finished his book. They were at a loss for what to do. Sit and watch TV all day? It's not like they could go outside. What else was there to do? Thankfully the agents in the house at the time had a solution. All four sat around the kitchen table, and Riley and the agents taught Wren how to play poker. Using M&Ms and pretzel sticks as currency, the group played all afternoon up until dinner.

Riley walked away with the most "cash" at the end of the session, but the agents weren't too far behind her. Wren was hopelessly in last place, but he was starting to get the hang of it toward the end. The group cooked chicken breasts, rice, and broccoli for dinner, then Wren and Riley settled down in front of the TV for a movie while the agents relieved those on patrol for their meals.

As the darkness outside set in, so did the reality of the situation settle with Riley. While today was as relaxing as a vacation, this was not a vacation. While this cabin was like a dream home, it was not a dream home. It was a safe house. They were here because two dangerous criminals were coming to kill them. A sense of dread filled her and she fidgeted on the couch. Glancing into the agents eating dinner calmed her. They were guarded. They were safe. She settled back into the couch to watch.

With the end of the movie, Riley stretched and looked at her watch. 8:09. Hmm, I figured the agents patrolling would have come back in by now…maybe they went straight up to their rooms? She glanced out the windows to the front and back of the house, but only darkness stared back at her. The sense of dread returned and settled itself into her mind. Maybe I should just peak out and check.

She gets up and walks to the front door; cool and collected on the outside, a bundle of nerves on the inside.

"Whatcha doin, Riley?" Wren asks as he watches her from his spot on the couch.

"I'm just checking something, buddy. It doesn't look like the two agents switched yet so I'm just gonna check it out quick…" drifting the sentence off as she touches the front door.

"Riley…are you sure? Maybe we should wait…"

"Shhh, Wren I'm sure it's nothing. I just want to be sure." She turns the lock, opens the door, and takes a step outside.

The cool night air hits her face. The wooden porch felt even cooler under her socked feet. She can hear the cicadas and crickets chirping through the trees. An owl calls out in the distance. Riley listens closely, but is disturbed by the lack of nearby sound like the pacing of the agents around the perimeter, or the shift of an outfit. Just silence. She looks side to side and beyond the porch, but the blackness of the night is too strong.

"Agents?" She calls out. Riley can hear the softest of groans in response; was it a person, or just the creaking of the trees? She takes a couple steps out onto the porch, leaving the door ajar.

"Hello?" She calls out again. The groan responds again, sounding like it originated from the end of the porch. The ball of nerves tightens around her heart as she peaks over the railing. In the darkness, Riley can just make out a large, darker-than-the-night lump on the ground; what looked like feet sticking up toward the sky like someone was lying on their back on the cold ground.

The ball of nerves drops into her stomach. They found us. She sprints back into the living room, locking the door behind her.

With her back to the door, eyes wide, heart pounding, she looks to Wren.

"Wren. Go. Right now. Call Reid." She speaks without yelling, but he feels the urgent need in her short tone.

He pulls his cell phone out of his pocket as he jumps off the couch. He starts looking through his contacts as he bounds up the stairs out of sight.

"Go! Lock the door!" Riley calls after him, as she looks frantically around the room on high alert. She runs across to the back door and makes sure it's still locked. Then to the door leading to the agents' barracks. Locking this too, she places her back against it and takes several shaky, deep breaths.

Out of the darkness of the kitchen, Riley hears a voice; a smooth, calm, yet forceful voice that she knows all too well.

"Riley. Riley. Riley." The man steps into the entryway of the living room. The lights illuminate his face, glinting off his bright blond hair. His face cracks into a wide smile as he watches Riley frozen to the door. A mix of disbelief and fear show on her face.

His grin widens, farther than natural, "Did ya miss me?"