"Wow! Suite? This is more like a flat!"

Dr Stark chuckled. "They're for staff members who stay here over the week and only go home at weekends. Means they don't have to pay for hotels. Or rather we don't," she grinned.

Charlotte smiled back at her. The 2 of them were standing in the entry way of a huge suite. Complete with bedroom, bathroom, lounge and a small kitchen with basic tea and coffee facilities. The bathroom had a huge shower cubicle. "Too bad I'm only staying one night," she laughed. "Talk about luxury!"

The consultant chuckled. "You can stay as long as you like Charlotte, but I'm sure you have things to get home to."

Charlotte nodded. "Sadly yes. College, more's the pity," her face grew serious suddenly. "Or I would stay to help Danielle through this. That said, I hopefully don't need to now. Hey?"

Dr Stark smiled. A few minutes previously, Dr Loomis had told her over the radio that Michael was now with Danielle beside the waterfall. Charlotte had cheered quietly. "Yay, Adam's plan failed! That's the best news I've had for weeks!" Now, the doctor made as if to leave. Before she could stop herself, Charlotte had spoken. "Dr Stark, please may I talk to you? I mean is that ok? I know I'm not a patient and I'll pay whatever you charge for private sessions if you do them…"

Dr Stark cut her off, raising her voice a little. "You'll pay nothing Charlotte. You've been effected by this just as much as Danielle has. I told you I would talk to you if you needed it." She closed the door and sat on the desk chair. Charlotte sat on the huge leather sofa against the lounge wall. "I meant it."

Charlotte smiled at her. "Thank you," she said sincerely. "I really appreciate that." She paused for a second, then spoke again. "I know I said before that the abuse Adam had put me through was like child's play, but you're right, it was Domestic abuse. It was still no barrel of laughs. I guess in some ways it was worse for me than for Danielle. I could see when he was about to check my phone, read my texts and while he couldn't use blindness against me, he certainly used other things. Telling me what to wear, saying I couldn't wear makeup, texting me every 5 seconds when I was out, what are you doing, who are you with? Following me everywhere I went. Even when I was driving my car he'd follow me. I'm 20, a little older than Danielle and got my licence at 17. I never thought I'd have to learn how to drive to avoid a stalker. Take short cuts, change my routes, you name it. I ended up outside the police station more than once asking for help. For all the good it did. He'd just say he was worried about me or something at first, then later on when the cops got wise to it he stopped following me, unless he was sure he could get away with it and just phoned me instead. Constantly. I did what Danielle has and changed my number, but a so-called friend of mine gave it to him." She sighed a little sadly. "Someone who used to be like me. Believed Adam was Mr. nice guy. I just hope to dear God she doesn't get with him like I did and make that stupid mistake! I was, to put it in a way Danielle would laugh at, a sighted idiot who put my eyes before my head. Now I have a new number, thanks very much to you and your DV workers. I'm forever grateful for it. Danielle had told me countless times he was bad news and I never listened. All I wanted was for them to split up. Ha. Now all I want is to get away from him."

"But you are, aren't you? You're in a secure refuge?"

Charlotte nodded and looked down at the ground. "Christ Dr Stark! It's… horrible in there. Not the refuge itself, the staff are just as nice as you all are, from the Psychologists to the cleaners. It's… the victim's. Some of the women in there have scars so horrific, it's like…" she stopped again, as if she knew what she was about to say was crazy but couldn't help herself. "It's almost like being well, in a horror movie. They make Danielle's look like scratches!"

"Hmm," Dr Stark said compassionately. "I understand what you mean. I've seen similar things myself."

"I'm sure you have," Charlotte said sympathetically, shivering a little. "I only have 2 friends in there and that's only because they're willing to talk to me. A lot of the women in there are so quiet, just stick to their rooms and only come out for meals. Even then some of them have food bought to their rooms. They're allowed to as part of the rules. We can't make each other socialise and I understand why some don't want to. Some of them don't even trust women, let alone men. I haven't told anyone in there my story though, or should I say mine and Danielle's story, we tend to avoid the subject of why we're here. No one wants to talk about it of course. No men are allowed to visit either and any woman who does has to have the consent of the woman they're visiting."

Dr Stark nodded again. Charlotte looked in to the doctor's kind blue eyes and wondered what horrors she herself had seen. In this job she'd probably seen everything.

"Dr Stark," she said slowly after a moment. Not sure if she should ask this question, or even if she did what answer she'd get from it. "I've been thinking. I know Danielle loves Michael, as do you I'm sure by now, although I know you can't confirm this. Do you think there's a chance he'll ever get out of here?"

Dr Stark looked at Charlotte closely for a moment before replying. "Well, that depends. But I can't say any more than that." Charlotte nodded, trying not to smile. She had a feeling she knew what the doctor was not saying.

…

Adam was just beginning to doze off having kicked that night's whore out of the house when his phone rang. He glanced at his watch. It was just past midnight. So that meant there were only 2 people it could be. Chancer or one of Leach's goons. Unless it was the fucking pigs arresting him. Well they could fuck themselves. He picked up the call. "Hello?"

"Adam," said a voice, speaking in just above a whisper. Adam recognised it though. It was Chancer. "I can't speak for long," the woman killer continued. "The guards are watching me like a hawk and I think that quack Dr Loomis still suspects my iPod… isn't an iPod. So listen. I just saw Myers guiding Hayward in to her cell and going in with her an hour ago. Sorry my friend."

At first, Adam didn't fully register what Chancer had just said. Then gradually, it began to sink in. His plan had failed. Myers had guided the bitch back to her cell and what was worse he was in there with her to boot. No. This couldn't be. Could it? But it was.

"FUCK!" Adam bellowed, turning his head away from the phone so as not to shout in Chancer's ears. He was furious. Beyond furious, livid. But he was also scared. Michael Myers was one quite literally, deadly enemy he didn't want against him. Even if it was already too late for that, depending on what the bitch had told him, just as Edward had said. This, was bad.

…

"FUCK!" Adam Dawson bellowed, luckily for him having had the forethought to turn his head away from the microphone so as not to blow Derek's ears off. Lucky for him, because otherwise Chancer would've killed him in a very slow, painful way. Not that he wasn't already considering doing just that, but this would've only made that desire stronger.

"Sorry Adam," he breathed. "I don't know what I can tell you. I can only go by what I've seen."

Dawson took a deep breath. Derek could almost imagine the little prick trying to reign in his anger. He smirked. He didn't like Dawson, that was no secret and part of him was glad the guy's plan had failed. Not because of Danielle, he couldn't give a shit about her besides fucking and killing her, but because it might show the arrogant idiot that not everything was about him. Bring him down a peg or 2. He thought he was everyone's boss, not just women's. Chancer didn't like that at all. He was seriously considering just getting Dawson's money, then giving him a little… operation on his operating table. Newly restored with the prick's money, of course. After all, if he was paying for it, didn't he deserve to be the first to see what his money had purchased? All sorts of wonderful thoughts of what he could do to Dawson and then more women flashed through his mind and he was grinning when Dawson spoke again.

"I'm not giving up, Mr. Chancer. I am going to get to Hayward if it's the last thing I do!"

Which it very well might be, at my hand no less, Chancer thought. Except for paying me a shit load before you die of course. "Ok," he said, keeping his voice neutral, trying not to let any of the excitement he'd just felt come out in his tone. "Well, try and text me ok? I can't speak for too long these days. In fact, guard's coming." He hung up.

…

Adam knew he should probably wait until morning, but he was too angry. He picked up his phone and dialled the number of Leach's organisation.

"Yes?" Said a voice, this time it actually sounded like a man, thank fuck. Maybe they didn't use voice changing software at night as the risk was lower or something.

"I need to see someone," Adam said. "Face to face, as soon as possible. I have a request which I only want to make in person."

"Sorry that's not your decision," the man said. Adam felt his anger rise.

"Listen Sir, I'm the client in case you've forgotten. I'm paying you good money for this. Mr. Leach himself even said I give you profitable business, ask him if you don't believe me! Well if you want to keep that business, then I demand to meet someone face to face!" There was a short silence. Briefly, Adam wondered if he was going to pay for that little rant with his life. But then the man spoke again. "When?"

"Like I said, as soon as possible," Adam said.

"Hang on," the guy said and hung up. About 5 minutes later, he called back. "Fine," he said when Adam answered. "Mr. Leach himself will meet you at your café in 15 minutes. But don't be late, he won't hang around."

"On my way," Adam said and hung up. But as he dressed at top speed, he started to wonder why. Why was Chris Leach meeting him? The crime lord himself at past midnight? Didn't he have goons that did all that work for him while he slept soundly? Or fucked whatever whore he pleased? As Adam thought this, he started to feel a little uneasy. Was this a bad idea? But it was too late now. Picking up his car keys, he got in to his car and drove towards the internet café, hoping his connection to life wasn't about to be disconnected as easily as a broadband connection could be.

…

Chris Leach was angry. This guy Dawson was starting to demand a little too much from them. To meet now? Face to face? If he didn't have a very good reason for this Leach might possibly finish him off here and now. Not by terminating his contract either, by terminating his life. Chris Leach knew 26 different ways to kill people which would look totally accidental and leave no marks. Some were quick, others hurt. A quick finger strike to the throat and that would be the end of Adam Dawson. But he decided he'd see what the guy wanted first.

Leach smirked to himself. Maybe he should've sent Tulip, his deputy. Of course, Tulip wasn't her real name that was Sharon. But very few people knew that except for the organisation high ups. Her alias was an inside joke, total irony. Flowers were delicate, vulnerable, and delicate and vulnerable were 2 things Sharon, Tulip, most certainly was not. She was hard as nails and could make even the largest man quake. Leach suspected even Michael Myers himself would think twice before targeting her. Adam Dawson would get a nasty surprise if he tried any of his misogyny on her. Maybe next time he would send Tulip. That'd teach the guy a lesson. Leach wasn't a misogynist, but he was also indifferent towards women. As long as the whores he paid gave him good sex, he didn't really care either way. But unlike Dawson he was quite happy to get his own food, wash his own clothes and so on. Women were just there to fuck. He smirked again as he thought about Sharon. Even though she was married; they did enjoy a role around in the sheets from time to time. Leach knew her husband and suspected the guy didn't care. He wasn't in Leach's organisation and Leach suspected he hardly knew what his wife was doing half the time. But he was one violent motherfucker. If Leach needed someone beaten up, Tulip's husband was a good number to have in his phone. Maybe he'd set him on Dawson just for his own kicks.

When Leach got to the internet café, Dawson was already there. Good. "I don't have hours," he said as he got out of his Mercedes. "What is it? I warn you now, if you're here to cry about that incident again then…"

"No Sir," Dawson said quickly. "I promise you I'm not." Leach smirked. Dawson was scared of him. That was just fine with Leach.

They entered the unlocked and broken door, the owner giving them a brief nod before going up to his small flat above the place. Leach and Adam sat down at their usual table at the back, furthest from the door. Not that it was likely anyone would come in at this hour, but they were taking no chances.

"So?" Leach said. "What is it?"

Adam couldn't resist asking this question and suspected he was probably to use his father's words, digging his own grave, but he couldn't stop himself. "Why have you come yourself Sir? I would've thought you'd send one of your minions at this hour."

That is irrelevant to you," Leach replied smoothly, his tone quite clearly indicating for Adam to move on. "So I suggest you just answer my question. I will not ask you again. What is it?"

Adam shut his mouth. Probing further would just be stupid and potentially deadly. So instead he just took a breath before speaking again. "Apparently my letter plan has failed. Our inside man told me an hour ago that he saw the masked killer guiding the target back towards her cell." Adam had learnt from Leach's organisation early on never to use names in person unless absolutely necessary, as one never knew who was listening. Leach shrugged. "So? How's that our problem? It's yours."

"Yes I know," Adam said quickly. "Sir," he added. "But here's the thing. Our man says his… device isn't working when directed at that particular cell. That he can't hear anything she says. It works everywhere except when pointed at the cell I need it to work for! I'm paying him a shit load of money and it strikes me a bit suspicious that all of a sudden it's stopped working. I'm wondering if something's going on inside he's not telling us. Maybe the masked killer has got wind of it and our man is too scared to listen for us anymore."

"Hmm," Leach said thoughtfully. "So you think he might be lying about the device not working?"

"I don't know!" Adam said in pure frustration. "But I want to know why all of a sudden it's apparently stopped when pointed at her cell. He said he can't see her cell from his so they might have modified it, but how do I know that's not just an excuse? He could see it when going out in to the yard, couldn't he?"

"Not necessarily," Leach answered. "I've seen a layout of the block they're in and there are 2 doors leading out in to the exercise yard. One at one end, one at the other. If our man's cell is nearer one door than hers, they wouldn't take him past her cell to get out. It's designed that way for security reasons, duh."

Adam nodded. He knew that much already. Though he hadn't seen Smith's Grove himself, Chancer had told him that once before. "But that's just it! Damn it! I want someone to go in there and make sure he's not bullshitting us! Make sure he's not lying."

"But what if he is?" There was a slight grin on Leach's face now. "What if he is lying? What? Do you plan to join forces with Michael Myers after all and ask him to kill him for you?"