Meanwhile, the seniors left behind were doing everything in their power to control the rest of the band, or more specifically, the freshmen.

"WEEEEE!!!!!"

"STOP THAT! The piano IS NOT a scooter!"

"Woo-hoo! Look at me go!!!!"

"Hey! Cut it out! That barry sax isn't supposed to bend that way! YOU PUT THAT FINGER DOWN MISTER!"

Seniors Val, Chris, Michelle, Asa, and Erin were failing miserably at crowd control. *Just take a minute and imagine the chaos..* So that's why they were almost relieved when they heard a knock on the band room door.

BANG! BANG!

All activity stopped. Sophomores closed their mouths, and Juniors stared wildly. Freshmen hung suspended in mid-air. Chris nudged Val.

"Who is it?"

"I don't know! Go see!"

Then Danielle's voice drifted to them from the doors.

"Guys! It's us! Open up, we've got Kyle!"

"What's the password?"

Val rolled her eyes

"Let them in. NOW."

The weary rescue team trudged into the band room.

"Wait a minute!"

"What?"

"Where's Cree?"

"Er.."

"So you're telling us you DIDN'T creep all the way to the administrative offices and vanquished the villain?"

"Uh..no."

"Then.."

"Look, it doesn't matter HOW we got him, but the point is we rescued the drum major and piccolo!"

"AND piccolo?"

"Er..long story."

"Have you done ANYTHING?!?!"

Danielle looked deeply offended.

"Excuse me? We saved the drum major AND a piccolo.."

Asa cut her off sharply.

"A piccolo that never would have NEEDED rescuing had you stayed here!"

Danielle raised an eyebrow, but chose not to reply, being the level- headed leader we all want to grow up to be. *Smile*

"I ALSO found out," She began evenly, "that Cree is being held somewhere in the school. We thought there had been murders owing to the blood trails, but we found Kyle and Katie in a closet, alive and unharmed." "However, there's one hole in your theory." Michelle countered.

"If the victims are unharmed, then exactly where ARE the blood trails coming from?"

Danielle sighed.

"I don't know..."

"Hey, what time is it?" Val wiped her eyes and checked her watch.

"It's almost seven o clock now. Rehearsal time doesn't matter anymore, we're stuck here until we find Cree."

"No, it's not that, it's just that the lights went out in the hallway and there's maniacal laughter coming from the loudspeakers again."

Danielle's eyes widened in shock.

"The door! We left it open!"

"The freshman!"

"Uh oh.."

"Quick! Section leaders do a head count!"

Everyone rushed to their section leaders to be quickly counted. Sophomores and Juniors waited anxiously during the count, biting their lips and avoiding eye contact with each other. Danielle paced, not having any freshman to count. The other section leaders came to her, some with worried expressions, and others with a relieved look.

"What's the count?"

"Clear."

"Clear."

"All freshman accounted for here."

Danielle turned.

"Sarah? Are all the freshmen clarinets accounted for?" Sarah bit her lip.

"Two reported missing. Diana and Amanda."

Danielle's eyes got bigger.

"Trumpets?"

Erin looked away.

"Two missing. Sarah and Tom."

Joy, the youngest section leader, pushed herself into the sea of seniors.

"One sax gone. Lauren."

"What about the other freshman sax, Rachel?"

"Left early. Doctor's."

Danielle sat down, head in her hands. She shot up.

"Val and Asa, check out the hallway by the first door up there for any signs of the freshmen. Nick, come with me. We'll search the second hallway."

She turned.

"Sarah, stay here with the other seniors and try to get Kyle up. We need some answers."

Sarah nodded.

Danielle clasped her hands together and shook her head.

"Let's do it."