-1"Stop pushing so hard," Kenny said, watching his wife struggle to slide her shoes on. "Let me help you, Honey."

"I got it. There," she said, feeling triumphant. "I hate this."

"Max."

"I know, I know. Stop looking at me that way. Go to work. I'll be fine. I can go to rehab, pick the kids up, hell I might even try cooking dinner. Go. This satanic cult thing needs more attention from you then I do," Max replied, as she wrapped her arms around his waist. "I'm okay to drive, Kenny."

"You promise that you'll call if you need anything. I'm going to worry about you."

"I'm not one of the kids," Max countered. "I'm 34 . . . god, I am getting old. Really, everything will be fine. I love you, now go."

Kenny's grin broadened, and he kissed her quickly. "Okay, okay. And you're not old."

"Oh, sorry," Samantha said, rounding the corner with Emily's hand in hers. "I didn't mean . . . Are we going to be late for school?"

"You're going," Max said, shooting Kenny an amused look. "Now."

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"The victim is Allie Meade, 14 years old from Windsor. She's been missing for two weeks," Carter confirmed. "Her parents identified her this morning."

"That's so young," Skeeter trailed off. "That's gotta be rough seeing her like that. What is wrong with these psychopaths out there?"

"I sent the semen off," Carter continued. "And some hair and skin samples I found under her nails. We'll have more information soon. Any more word on this cult?"

"They haven't been very active in this area, and they've been quiet for a few years. They got a ton of bad press when it came out that they did human sacrifices, although that was never confirmed," Kenny said, trying not to worry about Max. "This might do that though."

Jimmy nodded. "There hasn't been a case with this MO in more than 10 years, which was when the first big story about the Moneviles broke. The pictures of the victims, and there were nine, are strikingly similar to ours."

"We're looking into her friends, activities, her family," Skeeter added. "Apparently she was a loner, kind of shy. Really into her art, and apparently she's a really talented sculptor. Her parents, well apparently the father is an alcoholic and the mom just put ups with it. She didn't have the most idyllic home life. I'll look more into it."

Kenny nodded in agreement. "Did her parents say anything? Had she been behaving strangely before she disappeared? Anything? How about similarities with the victims from 10 years ago?"

"They didn't even file a missing persons report for 10 days," Jimmy answered. "They were caught up in their own problems, and ignored her. We'll keep digging, and this guy isn't getting away."

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"How did therapy go?" Jill asked, pushing the door open. "Not that I'm checking up on you or anything. You look exhausted, are you getting enough rest? And food? You also look too thin."

"Hi Jill," Max said, lowering herself to the bench in the physical therapy room, "I'm sleeping and eating, really. I promise."

"Is Kenny taking good care of you?"

"He's trying," Max trailed off, rubbing her leg, as she tried to will it to work properly. "I just want everything to be like it was before. When did life get so complicated?"

"Are you okay?"

Max shook her head. "It's just so much sometimes . . . Can I talk to you about something? I need someone objective, and I need to keep it private."

"Talk to me. What's wrong? You? Kenny? The kids?"

"Samantha," Max stated, not wanting to invade her privacy. "She told me that someone tried to rape her . . . at school. He didn't, but . . . the school is looking into it. Apparently this kid has done stuff like this before, but . . ."

"Max! You have to report it. Does Kenny know?"

"Of course he does. The school wants to look into it first before anything happens. The kid is suspended though."

"How is she doing? Who is it?"

"Good, although she doesn't want anyone to know. Not that I can blame her for that one. And it's Jordan Bradshaw."

"Do you have any idea who that is?" Jill asked, as Max shook her head. "He's the chief of staff at this hospitals son."

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"Look at this," Skeeter said, dropping a file on Kenny's desk. "Interesting isn't it?"

Kenny flipped through the pictures in front of him, before skimming the articles quickly. "Very. He moved here two years ago? That is definitely time to set up another cult, and start killing again. Why didn't anyone tell us that a cult leader moved to town? That's something that we should know."

"He was never convicted," Skeeter countered. "And therefore we weren't informed. You would think that someone would have recognized him and reported it. Garret Vessella, age 42. Currently residing on 56 Sycamore St, Rome WI."

"You want to go take a ride?"

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"You don't scare us," Jake taunted. "You think that the police can stop us? You don't know who you're dealing with, little girl."

"Leave me alone," Samantha spat, trying to duck around Jordan's friends. "I just want to forget all of this."

"Too late for that," Phil added. "You really screwed up now, and we're waiting for you."

"Ooh scary," Samantha shot back, trying not to show her fear. "I need to get to class."

"You're not going anywhere," Jake declared, blocking the hallway. "We're not done with you yet. You think this is bad? No one believes anything that you're saying. Probably not even your crippled Aunt. And no one ever will."

"Shut up!" Samantha yelled. "Just leave me alone!"

"Not yet," Phil added. "You're coming with us."

"I'll scream."

"We like it like that."

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"I'm going to talk to Oslo in an hour," Max replied. "I'm assuming that he knows who Jordan's father is, and I don't care if he is the Pope if he tried to do this."

Jill regarded her friend thoughtfully before replying. "Are you being objective? I mean with everything that you've been through . . ."

"Probably not," Max agreed, trying not to be offended by Jill's implication. "She's been through a lot too, and I don't want to make this more traumatic for her then it has to be."

"You've changed," Jill said smiling. "And I mean that it a good way. Everything isn't so black and white anymore, and you seem more . . . I can't really put my finger on it."

"Life has changed," Max agreed. "Some days I wonder how I got to be 34, married, with a house full of kids. I never thought I had a domestic bone in my body, although I still burn most of the stuff I try to cook."

"Well at least you try," Jill said with a smile, as she gestured to Max's leg. "How is the leg doing? I've heard you've been making good progress."

Max sighed. "I wish it was better. The arm came back pretty quickly, and I hate this. I never realized how much I took for granted before. Even the simple things, like putting shoes on, or picking up Lindsay and not being terrified that I'm going to drop her."

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"I don't know what to tell you," Garret Vessella said, as he let Kenny and Skeeter in. "I was involved with the Moneviles years ago, but not anymore. Their motives and beliefs changed over time, and I wasn't comfortable with it anymore. Yes, I was a cult leader, but once the values and ideals changed, I left."

"Really?" Kenny asked, not believing the man for a moment. "How did the beliefs change?"

"We started of worshiping a snake god," Garret began. "And we did do animal sacrifices in his honor. We wanted to draw on his power and strength, but some members got power hungry. I'm sure you've read the articles about the human sacrifices, and a group of Moneviles broke off and formed their own group."

"That you didn't have anything to do with," Skeeter finished. "Why did you move here?"

"I wanted a fresh start, although I knew I wouldn't be able to hide my past forever. I did some horrible things as a Moneviles. My followers and I lived in abject poverty on a ranch, and we did take advantage of people. Children went hungry, money was squandered, and women were taking advantage of. I'm not a saint, but I never killed any girl. Not now, not ever."

Kenny and Skeeter exchanged a look, as Kenny replied. "We'll be in touch."

"What's going on over here?" Oslo asked, rounding the corner to see Jake, Phil, and Samantha, "Boys?"

"Nothing," Jake said shrugging, shooting Samantha a deadly look. "We were just talking."

"You're all late for class," Oslo countered. "And your friend Jordan is already suspended, and if you don't want to join him, I suggest you go now."

"We're going," Phil muttered, "Come on Jake, algebra is waiting for us."

Oslo glared at the two older boys, as they sauntered down the hall before turning back to Samantha, "Were they bothering you? I know that their Jordan's friends, and they probably know what's going on with him. If they give you any trouble, tell me, or your Aunt and Uncle. I won't have my students being harassed."

"They were just being jerks," Samantha said quietly. "I didn't mean for all of this happen. I never was like this in my old school, and I never wanted to cause Aunt Maxie any trouble, after she's been so good to me and Nate. I just want it all to stop."

Oslo nodded. "We'll get to the bottom of this, and I want to meet with your Aunt and Uncle about the next step in this process. Until then, are you okay to go to class?"

"I'm fine."

"Stay with a friend when you walk these halls, and there will always be a teacher in the halls."

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"What did Oslo say?" Kenny asked later that night, joining Max on the couch as she breast-fed Lindsay. "You look exhausted by the way. You're not straining yourself, are you?"

Max shot him a mock glare. "I'm not even going to answer that. As for Oslo . . . are the kids all still upstairs? I don't want them, especially Samantha, to hear this yet."

"They are. Samantha is doing fractions with her walkman on, Nate's building something out of legos with Em, and I don't think Lindsay understands yet. Go, unless you want to take a nap."

Ignoring his last comment, she shifted Lindsay before replying. "Something, some sort of confrontation happened between Samantha and two of Jordan's friends in the hall today. Did you know that Jordan is the hospital chief of staff's son by the way? Anyway, Oslo and the school board talked to some of the other girls. There were seven."

"Seven?" Kenny cut in, both surprised and disgusted. "That's how many it took for the school to do something about it."

"Yeah. Would you let me finish? Five of them complained about looks and comments Jordan and his friends gave them. Stuff about their bodies, and how they wanted them. One other said that she went on a date with Jordan a few years ago, and he tried to force her to take her shirt off at a dance. She laughed it off then because they were both 13, and thought he got carried away on their date. You know teenage stuff, but I guess he didn't take the rejection to well because he broke up with her the next day, and her locker was defaced."

"Bastard."

"No shit. The seventh though . . . Her name was Hailey Hobbs, do remember it? The thirteen-year-old who hung herself last year?"

"You can't be serious?"

"She dated this Jordan, and remember her parents statement? About how she changed, and got all quiet and moody when she was involved with some boy?"

"And the note," Kenny picked up. "It said something about not being able to cope with the change that was coming. Not being worthy? Something like that."

Max nodded slowly. "And she was pregnant when they found her, right after she broke it off with him. That was all kept out of the news and stuff, but whatever happened to her family? Maybe they know something else?"

"You sound like a cop. Now Samantha? He obviously likes to be with younger girls, and possibly sleep with them? Shit Max. He's never getting near her again. I'll kill him first."

"I'd help. There isn't anything concrete to prosecute with. Sexual harassment? If he's raping preteen girls, he needs to go to prison. There isn't anything, and I don't want to wait around until he does it again."

"What do you want to do?"

"I don't know, but I don't feel comfortable sending Samantha to school knowing that these boys are going to harass her. It's not fair."

"We don't have the money for private school honey, especially now," Kenny replied. nodding toward Lindsay. "I think that she's done."

Max couldn't help but smile, as she gazed down at her drowsy daughter. "She's beautiful . . . but loud."

"I think we're in for some trouble when her and Em get older," Kenny replied. "They both have a stubborn streak in them."

Max nodded, as she thought of her two little girls. "And I want them safe when they go to school. The same way Samantha deserves to be."

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"Give me strength. Give me life. Let her flow into me," the voice whispered, as he raised the knife. "Her life is mine, oh great one! For you!"

"Why are you doing this?" she whispered. "I never did anything to you! Any of you! Please! Let me go!"

"It's an honor, see your friend over there? It's for a greater purpose! You've been chosen!"

"I don't want to be!"

"No choice for you little girl. Shut up!"

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"Hmm," Max mumbled, as Kenny kissed her neck later that night. "That feels good."

"The kids are all in bed," he whispered back, not too sure how she felt about their sex life these days.

Max turned to look at him, wishing that she could balance without the cane. "Are they?"

He leaned in and kissed her gently, and pulled her against him. "You want to go to?"

She kissed him back, cautiously, as most of her weight was on him now. "Hmm . . . yes. Kenny?"

"What?," he asked, as he continued to kiss her. "Hmm, you feel good. And smell good."

Max tried to think, as he lifted her into his arms. "We haven't, um, we haven't done this . . ."

He paused to look at her. "No, we haven't. And we don't if you don't want to honey."

Max shook her head, as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I want to, you don't know how much I want too."

"But?"

"What if I can't?"

Kenny studied her carefully before replying. "We won't know unless we try. We can take it slowly, Max. What?"

"I don't want to disappoint you . . . we've always been good at this. I don't know what to expect."

"You never have disappointed me," Kenny replied, placing his hands on her waist. "I love you, Honey, and I want you. And I have a feeling that we'll always be good at this, even when we're eighty."

Max smiled despite her doubts, and kissed him gently. Kenny tightened his grip around her, as she groaned. Falling back onto the bed, they lost themselves in each other.

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"Jesus Christ," Pete whispered. "This is sick! Who the hell is this guy?"

Skeeter tore his gaze away from the two bodies sprawled out on the ground in front of them. "I don't know . . . Carter is on his way. I can't believe this. Jimmy's calling the FBI in."

"This is too sick," Pete repeated, looking down at the two skinned bodies tangled together in the dirt. "They're just children, who could do this?"

Skeeter shook his head. "I don't know. Let's just mark the scene, and hope we don't find anymore."

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"You were amazing," Kenny whispered, trailing his lips down her jaw bone. "I've missed holding you like this."

Max felt herself blush, as he pulled her closer to his chest. "I love feeling your hands on me."

He kissed her neck, and rolled on top of her. "Oh really? You want to go again?"

She smiled back at him. "If you think that you can handle it."

Kenny groaned, as the phone rang. "Think we can ignore that?"

"Not likely, with everything going on," Max countered, as he snatched the cordless. "Go on."

"Hello?" Kenny answered, as Max continued work her way up his chest with her mouth. "What?"

He pulled Max closer to his side, as he listened to Jimmy explain about the two new bodies. She glanced up at him, and tried to decipher his pensive expression. Lying her head on his chest, she tried to ignore the dread building up inside of her. And I can't do anything about it, she thought, rubbing her lame leg. At least not yet.

Kenny looked down at his wife in his arms, and the last thing he wanted to do was go look at corpses in the woods. "Yeah, I'm coming. Give me a half an hour."

"It's not good," Max confirmed, as he hung up. "What's going on?"

He paused as he looked at her, reluctant to get out of their warm bed. "They found more bodies, two more. Skinned the same way as the first one, and they're most likely under 15. This isn't good Max."

"And you have to go," she added, wishing he would stay, but knowing why he couldn't.

"Max."

"I understand," she interjected. "You know I do. Go."

"I know you want to come, Honey," he offered, throwing the down comforter off. "Soon, you know that."

Max bit her tongue, as she watched him get dressed. "Be careful."

"Get some sleep," he said, kissing her again. "I'll set the alarm before I leave. I love you."

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"Where's Uncle Kenny?" Nate asked the next morning. "We were going to build a snow fort today."

"He should be home soon," Max replied, leaning against the counter. "He got called into to work last night."

"Is it about," Samantha trailed off, not wanting to scare Nate or Emily. "You know?"

"What?" Nate asked. "Sammy?"

"Nothing. Girl stuff," Samantha replied vaguely, as the phone rang. "Do you want me to get that?"

"Please," Max replied, as Emily spilled her milk all over the table. "Em!"

Snatching a towel from the sink, she tossed it over the spill before it could move on to the floor. Gritting her teeth in frustration over her battered body, she lowered herself to a chair before attempting to clean the rest.

"Aunt Maxie," Samantha said, handing her the phone. "It's for you."

"Thanks," Max replied, taking the phone. "Hello?"

"Hi, it's me," Kenny replied. "You okay?"

"Fine," she replied, "Hold on a minute. Em, don't cry. It was an accident. Here."

Kenny tried not to smile as he pictured a typical morning at home. "Uh, Honey?"

"I'm here," Max replied, relieved when Em and Nate went into the other room to play. "What's going on?"

Kenny sighed, as he told her about the two bodies. "Pete did some research on the human sacrifices that the Moneviles did before, and this is a repeat of that pattern. Honey, I know we had plans today with the kids . . . I have to stay."

"I know," she replied softly. "You have an obligation to these girls, and to stop this killer before he does this again. I'll miss you, and so will they."

"I'd rather be home with you," he said softly. "Tonight okay?"

"Good luck," she replied. "I love you."

"Love you too. Bye."

Clicking the phone off, Max sighed at the mess in the kitchen. Looking at the soft fall of snow outside, she wondered what she was supposed to do with four kids in the snow.

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"This is a Rome school ring," Kenny verified. "Almost every high school student has one."

"It narrows down the search though," Jimmy replied, wondering how a teenager was even capable of that. "We need to get a list of anyone who purchased one in the last few years. This one looks new, and don't they put a graduation date in them? Carved in? Look here?"

"Interesting," Kenny replied, trying to shake of his guilt of abandoning his family today. "That makes this kid a sophomore?"

"That's Zach's class," Jimmy added, feeling sick. "Fifteen years old, maybe sixteen? How does this happen? What's wrong with kids."

"A sophomore," Kenny repeated. "One who likes to take advantage of young girls. You better sit for a second. I gotta tell you something."