Endgame Chapter 2 Rating: PG-13

Kaidlyn. . . Ok, so this is what a morgue looks like. Interesting. I still can't quite believe Jordan's a medical examiner. But ok. I can't wait to see her! Whoa! Who is this guy? I could work with him.

"Max! Good to see you. How is everything?"

"Nigel. Good. You?"

"Wonderful as always. Woodrow, haven't seen you since you got back. How's it going?"

"Hi Nige. Fine."

"And hello there. And you would be. . .?"

"Nigel, keep your paws off my cousin! Kaidlyn! Oh my God it's good to see you! "

"Jordan! How. . .?"

"Your cousin? The one you've been fretting about ever since you heard she was coming into town?"

"One and the same. Dad, Woody, Kaid ~ come on back to my office. I'm back 'home' after. . .well, you know." I can't believe I still have to choke back tears whenever I think of Elaine. But every once in a while I do. I guess we all do.

"Cool! So will I get to see you later ~ Nigel, was it?"

"I hope so. I sincerely hope so!"

"Nige! I'm warning you. Come on guys!"

Ok. He was definitely hot. It is amazing to see Jordan again! Back before everything with her mom and then my parents splitting up, we used to have such a good time. Then we moved and never came back to Boston. Mom always said there wasn't any point since her parents had died. But I sure would have liked to have come back. Oh well. I'm here now. Oh wait ~ did I just get asked a question? "Huh? Did you say something?"

"Yes darling cousin of mine. Trust me ~ leave him alone!" I can't believe how much she's grown ~ well, I guess I have too, but somehow it just never registered that little Kaidlyn would grow up. She is adorable. I can see why Nige would be interested in her ~ I'm just not sure it's worth it for either of them. "So what are you up to? What are you doing now? How long are you here for?"

"Jordan, I promised Kaid some lunch and thought you and Woody might like to join us."

"Oh, sure Dad. Sounds good. Let me get my jacket." Grrr. Why do they have to hang out here? I so want to kiss Woody right now. Oh well. "Ok ~ all set. Let's go."

A little later at a casual restaurant as they're finishing up lunch. . .

"So that's what I've been up to. What about you Kaid? Talk!"

"Well, I'm here on business."

"This we know. Can you tell us specifically what?"

"Um. Yeah. I'm um, an F.B.I. agent."

"Really? What on earth made you decide that?"

"Well, I don't really know. We took a test at school and the next thing I knew I was being recruited and found myself in training at Quantico. And then practically as soon as I graduated from training, one of the special agents started working with me on special training and the next thing I knew we were on the plane up here to work on a case."

"What kind of case?"

"I don't know specifics yet. Some kind of joint thing where we're helping the police department up here out. Haley's meeting with us at 3 to go over things for the first time. Woody's the liaison between the police department and the Bureau. All I know is apparently I fit the profile of something they needed for it."

"Haley? Special Agent Drew Haley?"

What is that look on her face? I thought I could read all Jordan's expressions, but this one is completely new. "Yeah. He's setting up shop in my office right now. You know him Jordan?"

"Yeah. Well, sort of. We um, we worked together on a case my first year back here. It was, um, intense. But Woody, you have absolutely nothing to worry about! I promise."

"So, you two are together?"

"Yeah. We are. It took a while to get there, but we are now." Since he came back from L.A. that is.

"Cool! Y'all seem really happy together. That's great! Oh, hang on. My phone. Hello?"

"Kaid? I know I said 3:00, but is there any way we can meet sooner? Something happened that has, um, raised the stakes a little. I'm over at the Medical Examiner's Office, but I'll be. . ."

"The M.E,'s office? That's where my cousin works. We're finished and have just been chatting, but we can come right over."

"That would be good. See you in a few minutes."

"Ok. Bye. Um, that was Haley. Something's happened and he's gonna meet us at your office, Jordan."

"Ok. Let's go." So I'll get to see Drew again. This could be interesting. Before Woody I would have been so excited to see him again, but now I don't know. And I'm not sure what the hell Kaid's gotten herself into. I know she's 26 now, but she still seems like my little baby cousin.

back at the M.E.'s office. . .

"So Garret, is there anything you can tell me from the evidence you've seen?"

"Not really anything new, Agent Haley. She was definitely raped. Obviously exposed to the elements for a while. That appears to be what killed her. But nothing to tell us how she got out of Summit View."

"Summit View? What about Summit View?"

"Jordan, good to see you. You remember Special Agent Drew Haley from the F.B.I.?"

"Yeah. Hi Drew. Good to see you again. I hear you've been training my cousin."

"Only on some things. She's young, but. . .well, she's just about the best we've had come through the academy in quite a while. And it's going to take. . . Hi Kaidlyn. Come on in here. You need to know what's going on."

"I didn't think anyone had died in this case."

"They hadn't. Until now. Kaid, the stakes have been raised. But you can do this. We're going to go back and get you briefed and we'll go from there. First you need to meet Sammi Johnston. Um, Jordan? No offense, I know you're great at your job and everything, but, um, I can't have you in on this one. Not right now."

"Oh. Ok. Well, I'll be in my office if you want to come by and chat."

"We'll see what happens. Let me get things settled with this assignment and we'll see. Like I said, the stakes have gone way up and we can't afford to get the tiniest bit sloppy. For the sake of anyone involved."

"Meaning especially me." I'm really trying not to sound so scared, but I can't help it. I know he says I'm ready for this, but I'm having trouble believing him right now.

"Yes, especially you. But I promise you I am going to do everything in my power to make sure that you are kept safe. Kaidlyn, I promise you."

"Ok. So what's up with Sammi?"

"Jordan? Please. Go."

"Ok, ok. I'm going. I'll see you later Kaid."

"Ok. Bye Jordan!"

"Hi Kaidlyn. I'm Garret Macy, the chief M.E. I'll walk you through what we know so far. Ms. Johnston was 18. Her parents admitted her to Summit View a little over a week ago. She'd been in several programs for self- mutilation. . ."

"Cutting?"

"Cutting and burning herself, yes. Anyway, none of them worked. Summit View seemed like the last hope. Because of the federal funding for their program, the costs are lower and her parents were just about at the end of their financial rope. It's been a pretty good program. A few problems here and there. The occasional report of some type of sexual abuse. Until a couple of months ago."

"What happened then?"

"More and more girls in the program started complaining about being raped. Then some of them started vanishing from the hospital. They all turned up safe and sound ~ well other than the rapes and some evidence of having been physically abused. Ms. Johnston was the last one who had complained. Her parents tried to get her out, but she disappeared. Then her body turned up over near some abandoned houses."

"But if things had been going on for a while how did they get so bad? Why didn't the hospital take care of the problem?"

"They tried to. The department sent me out there numerous times. But the girls would either drop the charges or they'd clam up when it came to talking details."

"Ok, Woody. But there are no leads?"

"Jordan and I investigated a case out there a couple of years ago and things got ~ well, that's not the point. In this case there were a couple of girls who were electrocuted by one of the patients after he'd had sex with them. But he was transferred to a more secure hospital, so we're 99% sure it wasn't him. At this point, it looks like it's someone inside. But since none of the girls have pressed charges, the evidence was all destroyed before it could be checked. And the pattern hasn't been consistent enough for us to pin it down on any one person."

"Ok. I think it's time we go back to your office Woody and finish getting everyone filled in. Thank you Dr. Macy."

"Garret, please. I'll let you know if we find out anything else. We're not holding out much hope for DNA evidence since things got so messy with her. But I'll keep trying."

"Thanks. Talk to you later. Max? We're ready to go over and do the briefing. Can you come?"

"Of course." And on hearing the excitement in the hall, Jordan poked her head out of her office to see what was going on. "I'll see you later, sweetheart."

"Ok. Bye Dad, Kaid. Bye Woody. I'll see you later, right?"

"Right. See you later."

I hate being out of the loop on this. I know they said it could get a little wild, but. . .

"Jordan? Please. I know how you are. But for everyone's sake, please follow orders on this one. Your cousin's life is potentially at stake here."

"Garret, I just wish there was something I could do."

"There is. You can help me collect evidence from Ms. Johnston's body. That's the best help you can be right now."

"Ok. Let's go."

to be continued. . .