AN:Thank you again to everyone for following, favouring, and reviewing this story. Here's the next chapter everybody, enjoy. Don't forget to Review. :)
Disclaimer: I do not own Castle or it's characters.
School's out for the Summer, but Murders in Session (Part 1)
It's that time of year again, which every child around the world dreams about once school starts, that's right summer break. It's been a long tough school year, my mom died, I moved in with my aunt, and I got sent to a private preparatory school. I also had a ton of run-ins and mishaps with criminals and my own mischief. Today my aunt let me tag along to a crime scene at a jewelry store.
I was wearing my vest that Castle got me a month ago for my birthday. The jewelry store was apparently robbed and they killed three people. Glass was smashed up and there was a barrage of bullets everywhere. I looked around the shop and saw the three bodies sprawled about the display cases. The one looked like the jeweler, and the other two looked like a young couple, who were probably looking for something romantic.
Lanie was viewing the young woman and it looked like all three victims were shot in the back of the head.
"They didn't have to kill them, it was at close range and they were on their knees. I think this was more of a personal crime than just stealing jewelry," Lanie said.
"I agree, Lanie. There is definitely more behind this jewel theft and murder," my aunt said.
"Maybe the man was the target and they didn't want any witnesses," Castle said.
"Possibly, but it still doesn't explain the theft," my aunt said.
"They could have tried to throw off the cops," Castle said.
"I guess that's one possibility," she said looking over the scene.
"Aunt Kate, what's that?" I asked pointing to a piece of paper.
My aunt pick it up and read it out loud, "Stage 3 complete: BrokenArrows."
"What's that mean," Castle asked.
"I have no clue," my aunt said looking over the note.
"Do you think it's a game," I asked.
"A game? Why would it be a game?" my aunt asked.
"Well stages are usually apart of games," I said.
"Emily, this is not a game. This is reality," she said.
I looked at Castle, "I have to agree with your aunt on this one, mini Beckett. Even though you have a small point."
"Don't add to her child theories," my aunt said.
Eventually we left the scene and my aunt decided to take me home. Since I turned nine my aunt has been letting me stay alone at home, not a lot, but enough to see if I'm trustworthy enough. I was surfing the web and listening to today's hard rock radio. My favorite song was on and I was banging my head like it was no tomorrow.
I came across a website that painted me intrigued. I went on it and looked through the forum and chat room of many different people around New York. That's when I read each message posted on the forum.
"Stage three was completed, SeththeOhMighty1," posted by BrokenArrows.
"I am pleased with your work. Who did you take and how many were killed?" Seth wrote.
"I took Hansel'sGrettle, and Foxwatch65 with me sir. Only three were killed and no special people were there," Arrows said.
"Very well, BrokenArrows. Your team gets 50 points added to each of your separate profiles. DingDongDitch, finished stage four at central park and killed two people and one was an attorney from long island, so he gets special points," Seth said.
I was shocked and frightened at what I read, it was just a game. A game messing with everyone's lives. This is not a very good thing, especially in New York. I looked to see how many people were a part of this website, and I saw that there was 125 profiles. I had to contact Aunt Kate before this gets out of hand. Just when I was about to go call my aunt, another post popped onto the screen.
"Attention all players, stage five is now in effect. I want someone to go to Marty's Meat Market and grab two steaks and money out of the register. Remember leave no witnesses and have fun. Also no children, remember points will be deducted if a child dies. I'm always watching," Seth said.
Oh no, they're already starting stage five. I quickly got to the phone and dialed Aunt Kate's number.
"Emily, I'm busy. If it's not a dire emergency I have to go. We just had another case," she said.
"At Central Park?" I asked.
"How did you know? We didn't release that yet," she said.
"I found a website that links to the case," I said.
"What? A website," my aunt asked.
"Yeah, it is just a game, Aunt Kate. A very bad game," I said.
"Emily give me the website," she said.
"It's ," I said.
"Okay, I'm going to check it out. Behave," she said.
"Wait but…" I said.
"Bye Emily," she said and hung up.
I didn't even get to tell her where the next stage was going to take place. So I thought to myself, there's only one thing to do at a time like this. Head over to Marty's Meat Market and stop them myself. Okay maybe not the smartest idea, but I'll think about a plan on my way to the store.
I made it to the market in about ten minutes and the place already looked like a blood bath. The windows were shot out and blood was covering the walls and floor. I didn't know what stains were the animal blood or the human blood. It was a pretty grotesque sight.
I saw someone run out of the back with a hand on his stomach, it was bleeding pretty badly and he looked ghostly pale. He looked like one of the killers because he was clutching a plastic mask in his hands and he looked like he was only about seventeen years old.
"They didn't know he'd have a gun. They left me to die, they left…" he dropped to the floor and blood was forming at his mouth.
"Help is coming," I said.
"It's…It's too late. If they contact my mom tell them to tell her…I love her and… and… I'm sorry," he said and took one last breath.
It was a pretty difficult seen to take in. I looked around and knew there was going to be a big uproar in New York. This is getting way out of hand. I looked out the window and saw a shady figure hanging out in the shadows. It hit me of what Seth said, "I'm always watching."
I decided to confront him and followed him down the alley by the market.
"Hey, you're SethTheOhMighty1," I confronted him.
He whipped around and glared down at me. He also looked young, probably around eighteen or nineteen years old.
"Get out of here kid. You don't want to get hurt," Seth said.
"You shouldn't be doing this," I said.
"What are you going to do about? It's just something that needs to happen. This corrupt city needs to know, we won't take this anymore. We are the new generation, we own this city," he said.
"You're crazy," I said.
"No, I'm the future. We'll take over this city, then we'll take over the next, until we have the whole country praising this generation. I'll recruit every person who wants to fight with me," he said.
"You're going to get caught," I said.
"Not if I can help it. My IP address is untraceable and I never go commit the crimes. I only organize it," he said.
"I've seen your face," I said.
He pushed me up against the wall and said, "You're lucky you remind me of my little sister and I have a rule that I can't kill children. So I'll just knock you out."
He knocked my head against the thick hard brick wall behind me and after a few rough hits my vision blurred and he dropped me to the ground. I could feel the blood seeping out at the back of my head, making my hair feel weird. I watched his hazy figure walk away and darkness consumed my aching head.
I slowly blinked my eyes to reveal a very blinding white light shining down on me. I looked around and saw white walls and hospital items around. I was lying in a hospital bed in an uncomfortable light blue hospital gown. My aunt was sleeping in a chair next to my bed and I wondered why she was here.
"Aunt Kate?" I said.
She slowly blinked open her eyes and quickly looked at me. She threw her arms around me and I felt a few tears drop onto my cheek.
"I'm so glad you're awake. It's been a hard few days," she said softly.
A few days, I've been in the hospital for a few days. I wondered why I was here, how did I get here?
"Where's mama," I asked looking for her.
"What? What do you mean?" she asked looking worried.
"Where's mama? How did I get here?" I asked.
"Emily?" my aunt said slowly and nervously.
Just then a man came in who was around my aunt's age and he was holding two cups of coffee.
"Mini Beckett's awake," he said smiling at us.
"Who are you?" I asked.
"Emily, that's Castle. You remember Castle, right?" she asked.
"Are you two dating?" I asked.
"No, no…He shadows me at work and is a writer," she said.
"The Nikki Heat and Derrick Storm writer? Mama read a few of them," I said.
"Huh?" Castle looked confused.
"I think this is much worse than we expected. I think she has amnesia," my aunt said.
"But she's the only one who saw something," Castle said.
"I know," she said.
I looked at them confused, I can't have amnesia. I remember things just fine. I just started the third grade and my mama was proud of me. What's going on?