Endgame Chapter 4 Rating: Pg-13

Kaidlyn. . . So this is what a mental hospital looks like. Interesting. Definitely don't want to spend a lot of time here.

"Alright Kaidlyn. This is the room you'll be staying in while you're here. That's your roommate over there. Name's Jennifer. You need anything you call me. Jennifer? This here's your new roommate, Kaidlyn. Why don't you get acquainted for a little while?"

"Thank you Ms. Matthews."

"No problem sweetie. Have a good night."

"Hi. Jennifer, right?"

"Hi. Yeah. And you're Kaitlyn?"

"Close ~ Kaidlyn. With a "d." Some mix up on the birth certificate. But once I got to school and there were so many variations on Kaitlyn, I was kinda glad to have something different."

"Yeah. Not a lot different you can do with Jennifer, unfortunately."

"Right."

"I moved my stuff over to the bed by the window after Sammi left. I hope that's ok."

So Sammi was her roommate. Maybe I'll learn a lot more than I thought early on. "It's fine. No problem. So did Sammi get better?"

"No. She ~ I don't know what happened. She was here when I went to sleep and gone when I woke up. The window was cracked open. I guess she ran away. It's been happening a lot."

"Really? And they don't do anything about it?"

"I don't know. I guess they try. More frequent bed checks and stuff. But the truth is, Ms. Matthews is about the only one who cares ~ and she's not always here cause she has to check the other wings too. The others, well, to them we're just a way for them to make a buck. They tolerate us more than anything. Act like they're the ones doing us a favor."

"Oh. Have you told anyone about the others?"

"I've tried. But it doesn't seem to do any good. So, you in for cutting I assume?"

"Yeah. My. . .my dad found me in my room. I'd had a fight with my boyfriend and I don't know what happened. I sort of blanked out and the next thing I knew he was screaming at me and there was blood everywhere. I mean, it's happened before, but he never caught me. He freaked."

"Yeah. Parents have a way of doing that. You ever burn yourself?"

"No. You?"

"Yeah ~ it's a lot less bloody."

"Oh. So what are things like here? I mean, do you feel like the program's doing any good?"

"Sometimes. I like the group interaction. And the creative outlets they give us. You write or something?"

"I, um, I try to sometimes. Mainly I mess with clay."

"Cool. Art is one of the things you can do. They say by having a creative outlet it gets the feeling out of you. And they'll love that you do clay. They're big on that cause you can punch it and stuff."

"Oh. Ok. So how long have you been in here?"

"Me? A couple of weeks. Some girls have been here for a month or so. No one seems to stay longer than that. You settled?"

"Yeah."

"How bout we go down to the rec room and you can meet the rest of the girls. There are a few guys in the program, but they tend to stay to themselves."

"Ok."

"Hey ladies. This here is my new roomie, Kaidlyn. She just got here."

"Hi." Great ~ a sea of blank faces.

"Hey girl. I'm Cathi. Welcome to our little family. There's always room for one more. But I'm a little surprised that a girl like you got put here."

"A girl like me?"

"Looks like your family's got some money based on your clothes. Why'd they put you here instead of one of the fancy residential programs out in the country?"

"We don't have that much money. But I think my dad just freaked and didn't know where else to go."

"Maybe he'll get you out soon and send you somewhere else. Pretty little thing like you, you better hope he does."

"Cath ~ you know we're not supposed to say anything."

"What? I'm not gonna let her get into. . . Oh. Hi there."

Why did she stop? Who is this? Some older guy. Brown hair, brown eyes. Not bad looking, but that's not what I'm here for.

"So, anyone going to introduce me to the new girl?"

"Sure, sure. This is ~ Kaidlyn was it?"

"Yeah."

"Well hi there Kaidlyn. Nice to meet you. My name's Jon ~ but most of the girls call me James, it's my middle name. Technically I help out in one of the other wings, but once I'm done I like to come up here and hang with you girls."

"Oh. Ok. Hang on, my phone's ringing."

"They let you keep a phone with you?"

"It's complicated. I, um, I."

"She's probably getting out of here soon to go to one of those fancy country program places."

Gotta get over to the window. Can't let them hear me. "Hello?"

"Kaid? It's Haley. We may have rushed things a little. Seems the girl who vanished just ran away. She showed up at her house 5 minutes ago."

"Oh, I see."

"But anyway, you're in there. What's going on?"

"Well, the girls have already decided I've got money."

"Good. That's the common bond we've found among the girls who disappeared."

"Jennifer, my roommate, said that Sammi was her roommate before she left. That's what they say. Left. I don't think they know."

"And they don't need to. Low profile, remember?"

"Right."

"Anything else?"

"There's some guy who just came up to the TV room. Said his name's Jon ~ J- O-N ~ but everyone calls him James. Apparently he works in another wing and comes over when he has the chance just to hang out. He sort of gives me a weird feeling."

"Listen to that feeling. You said Jon? Last name?"

"Ummm. . .I think I saw it. Let's see. Oh yeah. Samuel."

"Ok ~ yeah. He's on the list. I'm going to do a little more digging. You said he said to call him James?"

"Yeah. I'd better go, but I've got to make this convincing."

"Right. I'll be in touch. Max? What's the problem? Kaid, I've got to go. Your uncle may have something."

"Ok." Now a lot louder, Kaid. Sell it, baby. Sell it. "I hate you for putting me here Daddy. I'm fine! I don't need this!. . .What?. . .No! Get me out of here now! I don't want to talk to you right now!"

"Girl? You ok?"

"No, Cathi. I'm not feeling very well. I think I'm going to go back to my room if that's ok."

"Hey ~ no rules saying you have to watch TV. Suit yourself."

"Why don't I walk you back to your room, Kaidlyn. Get to know the newest girl on the floor a little?"

"Um.ok. I guess." I don't know if this was the greatest idea I've had, but how else am I supposed to get back to my room. If I said no, he'd probably just follow me, and at least this way I can keep an eye on him.

"Let's go." She's cute. There's something slightly familiar about her but I can't place it. The phone's a little weird, but I guess if she's really rich, maybe Daddy's making a nice contribution to let her keep the phone.

"So you don't work in this section?"

"Nope. But I like to come up here and hang out. It.well, it helps me understand my mother a little more."

"You mother?"

"Well, my biological mother. I was, um, adopted. But I found my birth mother and went to see her one time. But I don't want to talk about her. I want to know about you."

"Not a lot to tell. You already know my name. What else?"

"It's sort of unusual isn't it?"

"Yeah. It was supposed to be with a "t," but there was a mistake on the birth certificate and my parents thought it was cute, so they left it."

"I see. Irish?"

"Yeah ~ both sides of the family."

"That's nice. Want to sit down?"

"Yeah, I guess." Ok, Kaid. Keep your head. Don't get off your game plan.

"So, you live with your dad? I mean since he's the one who brought you here? I was near the admitting office when you came in."

"Yeah. My mom. . .she left when I was little."

"Oh. I see."

"Yeah."

"Kaidlyn? You seem sad."

"What do you expect? I get stuck here, completely abandoned? I'm supposed to be happy about this?"

"I know what it's like to be abandoned. Believe me. Hey, you know, it's a nice night. Want to go for a walk outside?"

"I don't know. I thought we were supposed to stay in the building."

"It's ok. You're with a staff member."

"Well. . ." Maybe I should. He might not be the guy we're looking for. And even if he is, it would get this over with a lot quicker.

"Come on. I can-. . . I heard the moon's really pretty right now. Wouldn't want to miss it."

"No, I guess you're right. Ok. Let's go."

At the same time in the surveillance office. . .

"Haley, what did she say? Something about a guy who said to call him James?"

"Yeah, Max. Said his name was Jon Samuel, but he told them to call him James. She said he gave her the creeps. As long as she listens to those instincts, she should be ok."

"I don't know. Do you have pictures of the staff members?"

"Not all of them. I'm checking for his now."

"Max? Are you thinking what. . .?"

"I hope I'm wrong about this, Woody. I really do. I mean. . ." As I was speaking, there was a loud banging on the door. Woody leaned over to open it a crack, but it was soon thrown back and Jordan hopped into our already cramped area.

"Jordan, what the hell are you doing here?"

"I'm sorry, Woody. I really am. But we found something else. Something important. Something no one bothered to check before because the girl died of exposure. But I pulled a print off her."

"A print. And?"

"It matches one other print we've seen before."

"One other? Jordan, are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"Dad, it matches James' print from. . ."

"Haley, I know I'm retired and was never FBI and you're the one in charge, but we have got to get Kaidlyn out of there. This guy is. . . Is that your phone?"

"Yes. Haley. Dr. Jarvis? What? She. . . How long? No sir, I know you did everything we talked about. Alright. I need to go now. I'll keep you informed. Good-bye. She's gone. When they were asked, the girls in the program said that she went back to her room, but after that. . ."

"Nothing else? Was he. . .?"

"I don't know. Dr. Jarvis said that they asked them and got nothing. But they checked where 'Jon' was supposed to be and he's not there. His car is missing too."

"I think I may know where he's taken her. Jordan, I don't. . ."

"Dad, she's my cousin ~ my family too. Please? Woody? Haley?"

"It's against my better judgment, but I'll leave it up to you Drew." I should have known she wouldn't stay put. In all the cases we've worked together she's never done what I told her ~ what anyone's told her.

"Jordan, I understand why you came to tell us what you did. A call would have worked, but. . .well, now that you're here. . . We can't lose any time. You have to do exactly as you're told. I mean it."

"Ok."

"Hey team? We've got to move. She's vanished. Can you trace her cell with location?"

"We'll try and keep you posted."

"Ok. We think we may know where he's taken her. Max? You ride up front to give directions."

"Yes sir."

"Let's go."

To be continued. . .