Chapter 5

"Wynn," Tommy said conclusively. He looked at Rosalyn. "It's the only person it could be. He's the only person who would know about your history at Smith Grove." There he went with that history stuff again. He bit his lip.

"I thought you said he was dead," Rosalyn grumbled.

"I said no one had heard from him in years, so he could be dead. But he's the only person Michael would ever listen to- to an extent anyway. Wynn thought he had power over him and probably still thinks that. Really, Michael just used him to get to his family. Wynn led him to Jamie and practically tried to hand his son to him. Now he'll probably try to get Steven back to pass along the curse. I should probably call Kara and warn her to keep an eye on Danny."

This is my chance, Rosalyn thought. "Tom, about Steven Lloyd. Was he ever adopted?"

"Yeah by a family just outside of Santa Mira- the Hawkins I think." Tommy paused. "Why?"

"I was just wondering. Do you think Wynn could find him?"

Tommy shrugged. "He found Jamie easy enough."

"Did they have any other kids?"

"The Hawkins?" He thought. "No, I don't think so. That's why they were so eager to adopt."

Rosalyn felt a pang of guilt. Why should you feel guilty? It's not your fault. It's just the way it has to be.

Her thought was interrupted when someone knocked on the door.

Rosalyn's thoughts raced. He followed me. He's come to kill me and Tommy. Oh God, please- I don't want to die.

The knocks became more insistent and finally Tommy moved.

"Tommy," Rosalyn whimpered.

"It's all right, Ros." Tommy opened the door and was confronted by a young man who looked to be in his early twenties. The rain had soaked his hair and clothes and he looked very tired. He leaned in on the doorframe and looked at Tommy.

"You Tommy Doyle?"

Tommy nodded. "And you are?"

The stranger straightened. "My name is John Tate. I'm Laurie Strode's son. I understand you tried to help my half-sister."

Tommy and Rosalyn just sat there gaping. John Tate? The John Tate? It was almost like meeting a celebrity in a morbid sort of way.

After another minute of standing out in the rain, John looked around. "Can I come in?"

"Oh, sure. Sorry." Tommy motioned for him to come in and took his coat.

~*~

"So let me get this straight," John said tiredly, leaning forward heavily on the couch. "I have a nephew in Warren County, but he's not just my nephew. He's my cousin too, because he's not just my half-sister's son, he's also my uncle's?"

Jerry! Jerry! Jerry! Rosalyn stifled a snort.

"Yep."

John shook his head, apparently accepting the fact, uncouth as it was. "All right, now why do I care?"

Tommy looked at him like he was crazy. "Haven't you noticed your uncle's little habit of killing off your family? I mean after all this time you think you would have found some sort of pattern here! Haven't you ever wondered why? After he finds his son, do you know who he'll come after next?" He stopped and stared John in the eyes. The young man looked away.

The room was silent. John let it hang for a minute before finally speaking. "So how do we stop him?" His voice was shaking.

Tommy let out a deep sigh. "I don't know."

John stood suddenly. "You don't know. You don't know?! That sick son of a bitch is still out there with some freak-show obsession with killing my family- including me -and you don't know?! He's been out there for over twenty-five years! Isn't there any way to stop him?!"

Tommy just looked back at him helplessly.

John threw up his hands. "Fine. Right. You don't know." He sat back down, but gave a final wide gesture with his hands. "Then what the fuck am I doing here?!"

"The only way Michael will stop is if his family line is terminated," Rosalyn piped up.

John looked at her apprehensively, narrowing his eyes. "What exactly is that supposed to mean?"

"It means that's the only way he'll ever stop." Rosalyn said simply, looking back at him as if saying 'don't make me tell you again because I know that you know what I mean'.

John swallowed hard. "So, basically what you are saying is I'm screwed for the rest of my life."

"No," Tommy said calmly. "We're not giving in that easily. I can get you a connection with a new witness protection program. You could- "

"That's no good." John was looking at the floor. "We tried that once before, remember? He still found us. He didn't even know what the hell I looked like and he had no trouble singling me out."

It was quiet for a long time after that. Finally, Tommy spoke.

"Well, we're not getting anything done tonight. We'll figure something out. Do you need a place to stay?" He looked at John whose head was in his hands.

"Huh? Uh- yeah. I'd appreciate it."

Tommy turned to Rosalyn. "I think you'd better stay the night too, Ros.

"Thanks, Tom," she smiled.

He didn't like that smile. It was the smile that meant she was up to something. He let it go though. "Come on, John. I'll get you set up." He said, trying to ignore it.

But even later as he drifted off to sleep that night, his thoughts dwelled on Rosalyn. She'd always been curious about Michael Myers and the Halloween murders, but now it seemed different. And that smile- there was something in that smile…

TO BE CONTINUED...

~*~