Matty was on the soccer pitch. A ball was coming to the other side of the net. It was going to get in. He was too far over. He dove and blocked the ball with his head. It hurt but just for a second. Everyone was cheering for him but he couldn't hear the cheers. He looked over at the stands and saw his father smiling at him.

Then he heard beeping noise and the soccer pitch faded around him. He opened his eyes, and everything was way too bright and white. He smelled antiseptic. Where was he?

There was a nurse there fiddling with an IV. "Good morning hon. You're awake. Good, I'll notify the officer on duty. He's been wanting to talk to you."

Matty spoke, "Where am I?"

The nurse smiled at him gently, "Parker General. Now first things first. Do you know your name?"

He looked at her. What was his name again? He knew it before he passed out. Then he said, "I'm not sure. I knew it earlier. My head feels fuzzy. I think my name is... Oh god, why can't I remember. I knew it before I woke up. I remember that I remembered my name. It's all fuzzy. What's wrong with me?"

The nurse looked at him sympathetically, "Whoever kidnapped you. They gave you some pretty strong drugs. We are running tests now to see what they gave you. Do you know how old you are? I'm guessing fourteen or fifteen? Maybe even older?"

Matty looked at her, "I'm not sure."

She nodded, "Ok. Well, that's ok, hon. The doctor will come by in a little bit. The police officer outside wants to talk to you."

Matty looked at her, "My brother. He was with me in the back of the van with me. He made me leave him behind."

The nurse made a face, "So the police should look for reports of two missing boys. I'll let the police officer know. The crime in this city is out of control. How old is your brother?"

Matty was not even sure of his own age let alone his brother's. "He's older. He has light brown hair and a goatee. His face was all bruised. We have to find him. He told me his name. Oh god. Why can't I think of it? It's right there at the tip of my tongue."

The nurse smiled gently at him, "Let me go get the officer on duty and your doctor."

Matty nodded, "My brother gave me an address. What was the address? I knew it before I passed out."

Then a name popped up in his head, "Winthrope. I think my last name is Winthrope. My father is Canadian I think. His first name is Michael. Michael Winthrope that's it. My father's name is Michael Winthrope. He's a history professor. I'm pretty sure. I think my mother died in a car accident when I was five. I don't remember her real name."

The nurse smiled, "That's very good. I will be right back with the doctor. Keep trying to remember. I'll have the policeman come talk to you. He's right outside the door."

The uniformed policeman came in. "Hello young man. The nurse said you think your father's name is Michael Winthrope? That you are Canadian."

He nodded. "I don't think my father & I live in Canada though. I think my father is just originally from Canada. We live with my grandfather and his wife in an estate. It's got a name. I can't remember the name of it. But it's really big. My father and I live in the guest house in the back."

The policeman looked at him, "You live with your grandparents and your father. Do you know how old you are? She also said there was another boy with you. That he was your brother."

Matty nodded, "Yeah but he's not a boy. He's older than me. He's an adult. He gave me an address to run too. I can't remember it. It's right there. The estate is in Chelsea, I think. Wherever that is."

The policeman wrote it down on a little pad, "I think there is a town named Chelsea in Pennsylvania. That's a couple of hours away. I will have them look up missing boys named Winthrope. Now as it appears you have been kidnapped. The FBI have been notified. They will be sending someone to interview you. We will get you home with your father and grandparents, young man. Take it easy for now. I'll see what we can find out."

He felt terrible. He didn't like being in the hospital. He needed to get out of here. God, what was the address his brother had given him? The doctor came and checked on him. Asked him a series of questions. He didn't know the answers to any of them.

They left him alone. He was scared. It wasn't safe here. He needed to get out of there. Laying in a hospital bed was not going to do him any good. He was on the first floor. He looked at the window. He walked over to the window and opened it. It opened right up. There was no screen.

He looked at the closet in the hospital room. His street clothes were in a bag. He changed out of the hospital johnny into his street clothes and then he crawled out the window. He walked away from the hospital.

Then the address popped in his head 4247 Maplewood Dr Arlington VA. That's where his brother said to go to. He didn't have any money though. He started walking. he could just take the metro. The hospital was near Union Station. He realized he knew this city. He knew where he was. If he could just get to Union Station and steal a metro pass. Except you needed the bus to get to Arlington. There was a bus stop right on the street he needed to go to. How did he know that?

He got to Union Station. He scanned the people. Who could he pick pocket? Could he pick pockets? What was he the Artful Dodger now? Worst case he would end up back at the hospital or the police station.
He saw a man arguing with his wife. The man's wallet was half sticking out of his back pocket. He minus well steal that man's wallet. He wasn't saying very nice things to his wife.

Matty went near them while they were arguing and just lifted the man's wallet. It was easy. He then got as far away from the arguing couple as possible. He went to the men's room and into a stall. There was $150 dollars in the wallet. He took the money. He could just take a cab to the address now. That would be faster than a bus and he wasn't sure if he actually knew how to get there by bus. His brain was so fuzzy.

He left the men's room and went up to the information desk. "Excuse me ma'am. Somebody dropped their wallet."

He felt bad about stealing the man's money even if the guy he stole from did seem like kind of a jerk. He figured he could have his cards back at least.

The information desk woman took it. "Thank you, son"

Then Matty said, "Can I get a taxi to Arlington VA from here?"

The woman nodded, "Yes there are cabs just outside the main hall entrance right over there."

She pointed to the main hall entrance where Matty should go.

Matty smiled," Thank you ma'am."

He went out the door and found a bunch of taxis just waiting. He went to one. "Um how much to 4247 Maplewood Drive in Arlington VA?"

The cabdriver looked at him" Probably about $25. You got enough money, kid?"

Matty nodded yes and got in the cab. The cab ride was quiet. There was some traffic but it wasn't too bad. They got to Arlington about twenty minutes later.

He gave the cab driver $30 and got out of the cab. He was in a residential neighborhood.

A boy came out of a house that said 4245 on it. "Hey Matty. I haven't seen you outside the house in a while. Are you feeling better?"

Matty looked at the boy, "You know me?"

The boy smiled, "Oh wow. You can speak. Jeff said you could. You were supposed to come back to school on Wednesday. But you didn't come back at all this week. We were kind of worried about you. Jeff was going to call and check on you. Are you coming back to school next week? Rachel and Jeff got into a huge fight over you. Did you really almost puke on her while you were kissing? And then she just ran out and ghosted you. That's not cool. She's always been a really flaky chick though."

Matty needed to get out of this conversation. "Sorry man, I can't talk right now. I'll tell you everything another time. I'm not feeling that great. I'm just going to go into that house. That is my house, right?"

The boy nodded, "Oh wow, dude. You really are sick aren't you. Yeah, that's your house. Feel better, man."

Matty smiled, "Um thanks, man. I appreciate it."

The boy smiled, "It was good to see you. Call Jeff. He's worried about you."

Matty nodded, "I will."

Matty lied he had no clue who Jeff was. He walked up to the house that was supposedly his. It did seem vaguely familiar but Matty was pretty sure he actually lived in the estate he had told the policeman about. He almost got to the door when all of the sudden a group of men in suits surrounded him.

No, he couldn't let them take him. Not again. One of the men reached to grab him and Matty kicked the man away. The men in suits would hurt him. He had a vague memory of men in suits hurting him before.
He had to get out of there. He got out of their circle. One of the men chased after him, "Matty! Wait, come back! We aren't going to hurt you. We need to take you to your father!"

He wasn't going to fall for the fake father bit. That creepy man had pretended like he was his father. He remembered that. He wasn't going to fall for it.

Matty just ran as fast as he could. He ran through people's backyards to a fence he somehow knew was loose. He went through it. He kept going until he came to a park.

The park seemed familiar so he walked into it. He saw a basketball court. Some boys were playing basketball. There was a red headed boy that looked at him and gave him a huge smile that Matty felt meant that the boy knew him.

The boy threw the basketball at another boy and ran over to Matty "Stetson, you're out of the house! I was worried about you, man. Your mom said you were really sick. That you had an allergic reaction to some of the new drugs they put you on. Are you feeling better?"

Matty looked at him, "You know me?"

The red-headed boy looked at him worriedly, "Yeah man, it's me Jeff. Dude, are you alright? You seem a little out of it. Your eyes look funny. You want me to call your mom?"

Matty looked at him, "My mom's alive?"

The red-headed boy named Jeff looked even more concerned. "Whoa, did something happen to your Mom? "

Matty just gave Jeff a confused look, "My mother died in a car accident in Toronto."

Jeff looked at him, "What? I talked to your mom yesterday. I don't think she was in Canada. Let me take you home."

Matty looked at him, "Maplewood Drive?"

Jeff nodded, "Yeah dude. That's where you live."

Matty looked at him "I can't go to Maplewood Drive. There are men in suits guarding the house. They want to take me somewhere bad. I can't let them. Not again"

Jeff nodded, "Ok, look I have my car. How about I drive you to my house? You can stay there, and I'll call your Mom or your brother to come pick you up."

Matty looked at him sadly, "You can't call my brother. The bad men took him. I left him behind. He told me to but I shouldn't have left him behind."

Jeff looked at him concerned, "Alright, I'll just call your mom or your grandma, then."

Matty nodded, "Alright. My grandmother will help."

They got in Jeff's car and drove to his house. Matty followed him into the house.

Jeff yelled, "Hi Mom. I'm home!"

Nobody yelled back. "I guess my Mom's not home. Sit down on my couch, dude. I'll call your Mom."

Jeff went to the phone and dialed. "Hi Mrs. Stetson. This is Jeff Kenwood. Can you call me back? It's important. I've got Matty at my house. There's something wrong with him. I'm kind of worried about him. Think he's having another bad reaction to the drugs he's on."

Then Jeff dialed another number. "Hi Mrs. West. This is Jeff Kenwood. Can you call me back? I 've got Matty at my house. There's something wrong with him."

Jeff came back and said, "You want something to eat or drink, dude?"

Matty looked at him, "Can I have some coffee?"

Jeff smiled, "Yeah man. I'll make you some coffee. What's your dad's cell # number? Do you know it?'

Matty looked at him, "Not sure. I know his name is Michael Winthrope. Can you look it up on the internet?'

Jeff looked at him, "No man, your father's name is Lee Stetson. Who is Michael Winthrope?"

Matty looked at him, "I think my father's real name is Michael Winthrope. The woman you think is my mother. I don't think she's my real mother. My real mother died in a car accident in Canada when I was little."

Jeff looked at him, "Dude, you are freaking me out. There's no way Mrs. Stetson isn't your mom. You look too much like her for her not to be your mom. This is crazy. I'll get you help though, man."

Matty looked at him, "I need to go to London. Find my grandfather. He can help me."

Jeff looked at him, "Dude, both your grandfathers died a long time ago. You told me that once."

Matty looked at him, "My grandfather is dead? Did the bad men kill him? Oh actually the grandfather I mean is actually my great grandfather. Your right. I think both actual grandfather's died before I was born. I remember that sort of. My step great grandmother her name is Irene Hamilton. That's it. Her last name is Hamilton. I need to talk to Irene Hamilton. She can help me."

Jeff looked at him, "I don't know any Irene Hamilton's. I know an Irene King. That's your brother's wife. She is way too young to be your great grandmother though. I can call her too. She's super nice. I'm sure she'll help. She'll know if your brother is alright too or if you are just having a really bad trip from whatever medication they have you on from your surgery."

Just then the door to Jeff's house crashed open and men with guns came in. They pointed a gun at Jeff and shot him.

Matty watched as his friend slumped over. Matty jumped the shooter and punched him. Then he ran out of the house.

Matty had no idea where to go. He just gotten his friend killed. He couldn't really remember him but Matty knew that boy had been his friend. A really good one too. But he needed to get out of there. Before anyone else got hurt because of him. An image of an airport locker popped in Matty's head. There was a duffel bag full of money and fake passports in that bag. If he could get to Dulles airport. He could go to London. His grandfather's estate in London. Chelsea was a section of London. His great grandfather was there. His great grandfather and Irene would help him. He was pretty sure his real father was there too.

Notes:

Jeff is in Prodigal Son III just saying in case you were worried.

Next Chapter - Will Matty go back to England far away from the action of this story? Will he get bonked on the head to cure his amnesia?(Not actually going to bonk him because I think that cure only works on TV when you get an initial bonk that causes amnesia and then you need the second bonk that's full of TV magic to get your memory back.)

Just as an FYI. FF has been extra glitchy the past week if you haven't noticed. This story is on AO3 as well if your having trouble reading the newer chapters here. Not that this message does any good because if you are reading this message you can actually see the new chapter.