The hallucinations carried into the night and I had a restless night worth of sleep. tossing and turning all over before getting up for the day without any sleep at all. Checking my phone I saw that I had a text message from Zach, asking if we could meet up somewhere at school and have a chat in private

I knew I couldn't avoid Zach Dempsey forever and I might as well see what information he had that he so desperately wanted to share with me. I highly doubt Zach would be on his own mission to take down Bryce Walker when he considered him to be a brother.

Texting Zach back I told him to meet me in the courtyard opposite the cafeteria before school started, he declined to meet me there but suggested I wait for him at the front of the school gates half hour before school started.

After my usual morning walk to school with Clay, Hannah and Jessica I bidded them goodbye as they wanted to get inside and out of the cold. Looking at either side of the road every now and again there was no sign of Zach Dempsey, minutes later a familiar silver Audi crawled up along side of the road as the window rolled down

'Get in'

Doing what I was instructed I got into Zach's car as he pulled away from the side of the road of the school, driving down the road to a side street a couple of blocks away from view of passing students

'So what's with the secrecy Zach?'

'It's best that we're out of view from everyone'

'Why can't you talk to me on campus? Afraid to be seen speaking to me'

'The information I give you is for your ears only Mason, word can't get out that I've said something to you from any busy body at school and there are plenty of them there'

'How can I trust you Zach? You haven't given me a reason to before so why should I believe anything you say now'

'Because I know you're on a secret mission to take down Bryce'

'You don't know everything' I exclaimed. 'How can I know Bryce hasn't put you up to this so you can report back to him what I know already of his past'

'It maybe hard for you to believe but I want you to succeed in bring Bryce to justice'

'I thought you guys were friends, the best even'

'I call all of them my brothers which they are but I don't agree with their actions sometimes just like I call you a brother as well even when we have nothing in common except the team'

'So why haven't you tried to stop him if you know what Bryce gets up to'

'I tried once before to betray him but Bryce had promised to rape my little sister if I ever reported him to the cops'

'So you have been vowed to silence then' I exclaimed

'I didn't have many other choices but to accept Mason. You on the other hand have the will to bring him down for what he had done to Hannah and Jessica'

'How could you possibly know what happened to Hannah and Jessica'

'I was there on both nights when Bryce raped them but I didn't see it, I saw their polaroids in his private box after what he had done and pieced it all together'

'You sure do know a lot about Bryce's private habits'

'A long time ago I was walking down the same path as your own right now and wanted to collect any evidence I can to put forward to the police'

'Maybe you can be of help to me one day if I need you Zach' I suggested the idea

'Just say when and I'll be all the help you need Mason'

'Since you were collecting evidence Zach what else have you uncovered that I might not know of?' I asked hopefully

'I was only collecting evidence for two weeks before Bryce made his threat to me but I managed to track down a rape victim of his'

'What's her name?'

'Gwen Thomas' he admitted

'Isn't she a friend of Amanda Mcintyre'

I was sure I had heard that name before in the locker room amongst the guys when they were bragging about which girls they had slept with in the past. The last time I spoke to Amanda I never really asked if she thought her ex-boyfriend could have potentially went after her friends

'She transferred over to HillCrest midway through freshman year' Zach informed me. 'Not much was said why she had transferred but it wouldn't take two guesses to know why'

'Are you in any contact with her still?'

'We talk every now and again but I can get Gwen to meet you if you like Mason'

'Can you get her to meet me in City Gym after school finishes today'

'I can try but don't expect anything if she doesn't want to talk about what happened' he sighed deeply. 'It was hard for Gwen to tell me so she might not open up to you'

'It's been hard for the others to open up to me and difficult to hear their stories without feeling their pain'

'I can't even begin to imagine how hard it must have been for you to hear so many stories but Gwen's story will shock you the most'

'That bad?'

'I was shook for days that Bryce could do what he did'

After hearing the stories I had become immune to them but I was still troubled no one knew anything and wasn't willing to do anything about it. Counting the girls off on my fingers Bryce was close to assaulting at least ten young woman, innocent lives destroyed by him when the man couldn't care less about consent or the girls afterwards

'I couldn't help but overhear you saying that you had no luck finding Bobby Reid'

'Yeah I've been trying to track him down for weeks but no one seems to know him or where he is at the minute'

'I can help you on that'

'You know Bobby'

'Yeah I know Bobby, I can tell you who is he and where he's hiding right now'

'How would you know any of this information? at the time he disappeared you were in freshman year and no freshman are allowed on sports teams'

'Bobby lived in my neighbourhood and we were close friends, practically inseparable sometimes. After the incident at the baseball field his family moved away but didn't tell anyone where they had gone' Zach informed me

'I've got some questions I want to ask him, not all of them are about Bryce but about Coach Patrick as well'

'Well he's free tonight if you're not to busy with Gwen to meet up afterwards'

'I'll text you Zach if I've got the time later to meet Bobby today'

'Alright Mason' he sighed contently. 'I'm glad we could have this chat and I think we've reached some common ground'

'Well now I can officially call you a brother' I exclaimed. 'I've got your back Zach if you ever need it'

'Likewise'

We fist bumped each other and respected the new found friendship between us, Zach agreed to do some reconnaissance work on Bryce and report back any activity that could be of any use in court. The lengths Zach was willing to go to get justice for the girls as well was remarkable, If he was to be caught being a whistleblower anything could end up happening to him. I couldn't let him become another Bobby Reid and disappear off the face of the earth…

School went without incident and no one was the wiser about the new arrangement between Zach and I. It was best that we stayed silent so I didn't even mention to my close friends on the team or my social bubble what I knew from Zach or plan to do with it. Too much was riding on today to be messed up on my part when I would speak to Gwen or Bobby…...

In the punch bag area of City Gym I was casually hitting the punch bag whilst waiting for Gwen to show up, my mind wasn't really focused on boxing the last couple of days and when I did practise with Clay I wasn't feeling like myself in front of the bag. Finding my mojo back could be a tough ask in a short amount of time before the fight

The door to the gym opened and a thin girl strolled into the store, her gaze searching around before landing on me. The young woman walked over with a curious look on her face as she reread something on her phone before looking back at me

'Are you Mason?' she asked curiously

'I am and you must be Gwen right'

She nodded her head and I ushered Gwen to follow me into the back living space of the large unit, we were alone in Caleb's apartment as I told him I needed the space for an hour or two so we were not seen by anyone passing by. Sitting down on the couch I could sense she was agitated and unsure of being left alone with me, probably bad experience with other jocks that she must have encountered

'I bet you're wondering why Zach asked you to meet me here today' I proclaimed

'I was surprised to say the least when he texted me during the day, we mostly talk at night every now and again' she explained. 'I don't even know who you are and I don't know why I even agreed to meet you'

'Whatever you think of the jocks at Liberty I aint like them at all so you don't have to be so nervous around me'

'Zach did say that I could trust you'

'A lot of girls have trusted me recently with their stories and I hope that you can as well'

'You haven't told anyone what the others have told you'

'I just want to know how many victims there are out there after I learnt my girlfriend and my cousin was raped by Bryce recently'

'So Zach has told you what happened to me?'

'He only told me you are one of his victims but he never told what happened' I exclaimed. 'You don't have to tell him anything if you don't want to but if you do then it is said in confidence'

'If you are trustworthy as Zach says you are then I can tell you what happened'

I nodded my head and prepared for the worst from the reminder Zach had told me this morning. Gwen wiped away tears from her eyes that had started to roll down her cheeks, I only felt sympathy whenever any of the girls opened themselves up to me so I reached over and placed my hand over hers

'It's ok if you can't Gwen I understand'

'It happened a few years ago at a summer party at Bryce's house, a few of us planned to crash the night there since his family was gone for the summer'

'I'm guessing he took advantage of you when everyone was passed out drunk that night'

'I don't know why he was so interested in me when he was dating my best friend Amanda at the time, I never showed any interest in him in anyway even in a joking flirting way'

'My god' I whispered under my breath

'I was staying in his little sister's bedroom when he creeped into the bedroom in the middle of the night' she informed me. 'I thought he was just sleepwalking or something till I saw what was in his hand'

'What did Bryce have Gwen?' I questioned, from his previous assault I heard he never did carry a weapon with him

'Bryce had a gun with him and locked us in the bedroom. I was at his mercy that night'

'I am so sorry Gwen that he pulled a gun on you like that'

'I had no choice but to follow through with his demands as he told me to strip naked whilst I was in bed' she proclaimed. 'Bryce took off his night clothes and climbed into the bed, he then proceeded to rape me'

'Jesus'

'Whilst he was raping me Bryce kept the gun close to my head and slapped me across the face with it several times. I feared he would kill me that night after he was done and once he was finished I couldn't sleep at all that night as I thought it was my fault somehow that I let it happen'

'You know that's bullshit Gwen, you never did anything wrong that night'

'That's why I transferred to Hillcrest as quickly as I did so I wouldn't have to face Bryce or Amanda again'

'Does Amanda know what has happened to you?'

'How can I tell my best friend that her boyfriend raped me' Gwen stated. 'I was single at the time and she was very much in love with Bryce, she was just going to presume that I was just jealous of them and wanted a boyfriend of my own'

'From what I know of Amanda and what has happened to her, she would have believed you without a doubt'

'Bryce would have twisted the story to suit his narrative if I spoke out about what happened'

'Since your rape have you reported it yet to the police Gwen'

'I did report it to the police but the next day I withdraw my statement before they could arrest Bryce'

'Why did you withdraw Gwen?'

'When I thought about what would happen next it all just came too much for me to go through. I was put on antidepressants for over a year to cope and had to see a therapist to stop having these suicidal thoughts'

'I don't want you to think that I blame you or anything for withdrawing your statement, it's your choice what you decided to do what is best for you'

'Withdrawing my statement I feel like I've enabled Bryce to rape whoever he wants without having any consequences'

'I don't think that would have changed a damn thing Gwen, once he had got a taste for it he was always going to keep doing it again'

We continued to talk about how Gwen's freshman year at Liberty went and the shift in her personality after the assault, Zach had told me she became more reserved and quiet as she settled into her new life at Hillcrest and distanced herself from her friends back at Liberty.

Gwen and I both came to the realisation that she might have been Bryce's first victim, from what I knew of the others I kept that to myself and didn't indulge in giving any information to Gwen, everything said to me was in the utmost respect and confidence

'Thank you Mason for just listening to my story' she smiled weakly. 'Zach was right when he said I should trust you'

'Everything is going to be alright from now on Gwen'

'I sure hope so'

Reaching over I wrapped my arms around the young woman and held her close, feeling my phone buzz in my jeans. I ignored my phone and gently rubbed my hand against the side of her arm. Moments later we pulled away and waved goodbye to each other as Gwen saw herself out of the apartment

I pulled out my phone from my jean pocket and saw that I had a message from Zach, he managed to get a hold of Bobby Reid and asked if it was possible to meet up tonight. Second later another text came through from Jessica, asking If I wanted to meet up tonight; I knew I would have hell to pay if I bailed on her to meet Bobby…..

Making some excuse to Jessica that I was a bit under the weather and not feeling up to it, I promised to spend time with her another night; I hated the fact I had to lie to my own girlfriend about where I was tonight. Entering Rosie's diner I was escorted to a booth and waited as instructed by Bobby for his arrival, I ordered myself a large soda and looked around the premises. Familiar faces every which way I turned before dropping my gaze and taking a sip of my drink

Seeing the shadow of someone sitting down in the opposite booth seat I knew this person had to be Bobby, lifting my gaze up I came face to face with an african american teen, he looked tired like the last few years had put a strain on him. I couldn't believe I was finally face to face with Bobby after hearing so little about after his disappearance

'So you are the man I've heard so much about' he exclaimed

'We finally meet, I've heard so little about you Bobby'

'I've been keeping a low profile if that's what you mean' Bobby sighed deeply. 'Zach has had much to say about you'

'I hope it's been positive' Zach must have filled him in what I've been doing around Liberty

'From what I've been told is that you been causing trouble at Liberty and putting my name about the school again'

'It's not what you think Bobby' I tried to explain

'No it's ok Zach has filled me in' he interjected, stopping me from my rambling. 'You're just finishing off what I started a few years ago'

'What you started?' I questioned

'A witch hunt against that prick Bryce Walker'

'I wouldn't say it's that at all, more like gathering information if he found himself in front of a courtroom one day'

'Call it what you want Mason it's still the same thing'

'Then why did you just leave town one day and vanished off the face of the world Bobby? Why not finish what you claim to have started and put Bryce in prison''

'From what I've been told you been trying to find out what happened that day and you have been doing your research'

'Well you didn't leave much clues to find you, I had little to go off'

'No matter how hard I keep on trying to leave this town something keeps pulling me back to it'

'It's your sense of duty that's calling you back here Bobby' I proclaimed. 'You clearly have some information of your own that you have detained so help me with it'

'Help you how exactly?'

'We both clearly want the same thing and that is bringing justice to all these girls'

'Can I ask why you care so much Mason? I've got my own motives but what's yours'

'My girlfriend was raped by him at a house party she had thrown when she passed out and my cousin was raped when she attended his house party at the start of the school year. I almost lost Hannah when she attempted suicide'

'I'm sorry that your close ones were hurt by Bryce in the cruelest of ways'

'May I ask what are your motives for wanting to take him down Bobby'

'It's a long story Mason and I don't want to trouble you with it'

'There is so much mystery surrounding your disappearance and nobody knows what happened. You can trust me with what happened' I exclaimed. 'I thought we were allies after all'

'We are Mason but the truth what happened that day on the baseball field will shock you'

'Nothing can shock me now after the countless stories I've heard over the past few months'

'Well prepare yourself because you won't be able to handle mine' Bobby sighed deeply, taking a quick sip of his drink that had just arrived in front of him. 'It was just a normal day and a rivalry match was going on between Hillcrest and Liberty'

'I spoke to some eyewitness about that day and you just came out of nowhere and confronted Bryce'

'Bryce was the kind of jock that was on every team at school and wound up everyone and I was just on the basketball team' he informed me. 'But jocks are jocks and we just mingle every now and again but he crossed a line'

'I don't understand what you mean?'

'I wanted to kill him on that baseball field when I found out what he had done to my little sister'

'So that's why you confronted him out of the blue'

'There are somethings that I regret doing at the time and should have handled it a bit more differently but I don't regret starting that brawl on the pitch'

'You were the one to start that massive fight Bobby'

'Things spilled over and everyone had a hard time keeping me and Bryce apart, I swung at Bryce and his friends got involved and before you know it the Hillcrest boys got involved and it was one big punch up on the field'

'Then what happened' I asked, intrigued to know more after I only had seen pictures and videos

'I was escorted away from the baseball field by Coach Patrick to the clubhouse, if I knew who was going to be there then I wouldn't have went so easily'

'Who was there Bobby? I thought everyone was still on the pitch'

'Both teams were sent back to their locker rooms still everything had calmed down but the Liberty boys went wandering around the school all except Bryce and Monty'

'Were they the reasons you went missing from Liberty'

'I didn't go missing Mason I just didn't tell anyone I was leaving the town after what happened, I felt ashamed that it did and I couldn't do anything to stop it'

There was a pain in Bobby's eyes that cut deep inside of him, something awful must have happened to him when he was alone in the clubhouse with Bryce and Monty. The perfect opportunity for them to take their revenge for Bobby's outburst

'Bryce and Monty held me down to the ground and put me in some restraints. I don't know how they did it but they got my sister to the clubhouse, Bryce raped her again in front of my very own eyes'

'I'm so sorry that you had to witness that Bobby'

'It's one thing watching on helplessly your sister being raped but I was raped as well that night by Monty'

'What!'

'They wanted to make sure that I never piped up what had happened to my sister so they sodomized me, repeatedly saying it would happen again if I didn't step in line with them' he explained. 'It was then that I realised my life wasn't safe anymore in Crestmont'

'How is your sister? I asked, being raped once is bad enough but twice from Bryce with him taking joy from it doing in front of Bobby's eyes

'She's dead'

I was speechless to say the least, A whole lot had happened to Bobby and his sister that no one knew for his reason to leave this town so quietly that they did

'My sister Michaela commuted suicide not long after we both had been assult in the clubhouse, it's been just over a year since her passing'

'This is personal for you Bobby to seek justice for your sister'

'I mean I feel bad for the others out there but I've lost my sister and there's no getting her back, Bryce broke her in so many different ways and I just want to kill him'

'We'll get justice for Michaela one day Bobby and for the rest as well, mark my words brother'

He nodded his head whilst the topic of conversation changed about Coach Patrick, Bobby told me all about his experience with his previous mentor and the downturn of their relationship. He warned me that Coach Patrick wasn't afraid to drop people at a moment's notice if they were of no use to him anymore and to watch myself around him, the next few days worth of practise should be interesting with Coach Patrick taking the lead instead of my usual routine with my boxing coaches….