Chapter 4. This is where it really starts get interesting...

"He's turning down the alleyway!" Ethan yelled and prepared to wrench the wheel around. Jayden grabbed the wheel and jerked it straight again.

"What the fuck are you doing, you asshole?" Ethan yelled pushing him away.

"I'm trying to save your son!" Jayden yelled back. "Now he thinks he's lost us and will probably park somewhere close- if we take the next street and double back, I can guarantee we'll find his car and hopefully, his house too."

Ethan shook his head. The tires screeched as he flew around the next corner. Sure enough, they saw a familiar car parked a little way up the street.

Jayden pulled out a gun from under his loose shirt. Ethan followed suit and opened the glove box, revealing a hand gun. Both raised their eyebrows at each other and shrugged before getting out of the car. They closed the doors softly before making their way up the front path, Jayden in the lead, gun at the ready. They both decided to move around the house and enter through the back door. Keeping low to the ground, they stole quietly to the door. Jayden raised a hand, signaling for them to stop. Muffled cries could be heard from inside the house. Face grim, Jayden kicked the door down with surprising strength- his gun trained in front of him. A disgusting smell met their noses and Ethan retched. Jayden winced- he knew this smell.

All of a sudden there was silence. A deathly silence. Jayden rushed through the kitchen, Ethan close behind. They both stopped dead upon the sight in the living room. Children's bodies lay in the room- still as statues and pale as ghosts, ugly bruises showing bright against their necks. The smell was overpowering

Among them lay Shaun.

"Shaun!" Ethan stumbled to his son and dropped to his side. Jayden's heart sank. Ever alert he still swept his eyes around the room- he was 100% certain the killer still remained in the house somewhere….

BANG

Jayden gasped. A searing pain shot through his shoulder. Warm blood started running down his arm. He started down at it in shock. His vision swam before his eyes. "Fuck… I don't wanna die yet…." were his last thoughts.

Slowly, he crumpled to the floor.

Ethan whirled around and caught the glint of a gun trained around the doorway. Shaking with anger, blood boiling in his veins he took out his own gun, aimed and fired. Again and again. He moved closer, firing relentlessly. He reached the doorway and saw the killer cowering on the floor. Clearly he hadn't expected retaliation in the form of a gun. Quickly he whipped out his gun and pressed the trigger: CLICK. "Shit!" the man muttered, pulling the trigger again :CLICK, CLICK. Ethan looked into the face of his son's murderer and planted the gun right between the monster's eyes.

BANG

Ethan glared with contempt at the disgusting figure on the floor and spat. He chucked the gun aside and rushed back into the living room and collapsed next to his son, picking up his small hand, still warm. Tears overflowed in Ethan's eyes. He had now lost both of his sons. He was a complete failure.

He glanced at the still body of the young FBI agent on the floor and felt his heart crack in two- Jayden had played a valuable part in saving Shaun- both in the past and the present- he had repaid him by leading him to his death.

Death would be welcome right now, Ethan thought. At least I'll be able to see my sons again. He reached for the gun in Norman's still hand, cocked it and placed it to his temple. His index finger made it's way shakily to the trigger and rested there for a moment…

Suddenly he felt a small movement in his hands.

Ethan looked down in surprise. His son's eyes fluttered open slowly.

Shaun was alive!

Gasping, Ethan threw the gun aside and pulled his son into a tight hug.

"You… saved me dad….." Shaun croaked weakly. Ethan could only sob as he clutched his son. Shaun groggily glanced at Jayden on the floor. "Daddy… what…happened to… Mr. Norman?" Ethan sighed and hugged his son harder.

A low groan answered from the floor. Ethan started. He gently lowered Shaun back down onto the floor and rushed to Norman's side. Blood was pouring from the wound in his shoulder and his face was growing paler. He could hear a rattling sound in his chest, labored breathing. Jayden shakily raised his uninjured arm and clasped Ethan's hand. Pale eyes met his- they held for a moment…

Then slowly started to close…

What is Jayden's fate? How will Ethan, Shaun and Madison rebuild their lives?

Read on...