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12:59 pm

12:59 pm, September 10th, present year.

      Kristen Myrene saw the car approaching them. It was a squad car, containing Juliet Madyson. The car parked, and out of the driver’s and passenger’s  side came two officers. One of them opened the back seat door and a little girl came into view.

            She looked around seven years old, with curly, bouncy red hair. Her face was beautiful, but her clothes were completely opposite. Jeans that were spotted with holes and were inches short. A ratty sweater that looked two sizes too big. But beyond the appearance, Myrene could see that this girl was something special.

            It made her wonder how she got dragged into all of this. What did a child have to do with this?

            She approached the vehicle, and shook hands with the two officers, Shawn Rodgers and Erik Ludwick, respectively. Then she knelt down to eye level with Juliet and shook her hand.

            “Hello Juliet. My name is Kristen Myrene, but you can call me Kristen. How are you?”

            She shrugged. “I’m okay. What’s going on?” Juliet’s gaze wondered away from Myrene and towards the scene behind her.

            “Well, that’s kind of why you’re here. You met Chase in Fahlstown, didn’t you?”

            A smile came over her face, and she nodded, red hair flying. “Yes I did! I like Chase. Where is he?”

            “He’s in his house. But I need to ask you some questions about when you met him. Think you can answer some simple questions for me?”

            She agreed without a second thought.

            “All right, just follow me back here.” Myrene stood up and led the two officers and Juliet towards her squad car. She had compiled a list of questions while waiting, and they were still sitting on the hood of the car.

*          *          *

            What was Hunter doing? He hadn’t turned around yet; he was still standing with his back to us.

            I saw Terri tense up. “Damian, another car showed up.”

            He still didn’t move. “What is it doing there?”

            She walked over the window for a better view. “I can’t tell. Seems like just more cops.”

            “Keep an eye on it.”

            He finally faced us again.

            “What are you going to do with us?” Mom whimpered.

            “You haven’t done anything wrong. Only he has.” He fixed his attention on Dad.

            “Then leave the rest of my family alone. Kill me, and get your pitiful revenge,” said Dad.

            “That does seem like the simple answer does it. Only kill who’s responsible. But that’s not good enough. I need more. You, and then a little something more just to get my point across.”

            “Oh your point will get across. In fact, I think we all get it without you killing anybody.”

            He didn’t reply to that, instead, he started a new subject. “You know what the percentage is for the son of an abusive father to abuse their own family? High. Very high in fact. The way I see it, I’m not only ridding the world of the cause of this cancer, but also the offspring that could carry it on.”

            Mom was appalled. “If you think that just because my husband did some dark things in his alter personalities past, that means that Chase will do those same things, you’re incredibly mistaken! You’re insane!”

            “I think we’ve already established that, Mom,” I commented.

            “Smart mouth. Well, won’t do you much good in a few hours anyway,” Hunter shot back at me.

            “So tell me, how long did this ‘devious’ plan of yours take to plan?” I asked Hunter, desperately trying to stall.

            “Why do you want to know?’

            “I just want to know how much time you wasted on me, when I’m not even your true victim. I mean, this whole thing sort of revolves around you and Dad, so…”

            “You were easier to keep tabs on. I mean, you kids do nothing but text, spend time on your computers and game consoles. If I get access to a child, I get access to the whole family. It forces your parents to do something about it.”

            Terri cut in. “They have her, Damian, they have her.”

            “They have who?” Hunter walked over to the window, standing beside Terri.

            Mom, Dad, and I all looked at each other.

            Who?

*          *          *

            Hunter’s emotions flipped. Hatred and intense focus on a single goal melted away, and a lucid, intimidated, scared feeling swept over him.

            They had Juliet! Why was she here? What had happened? What did the police want with her? She didn’t do anything!

            “I have to know why she’s there” he whispered to Terri. He didn’t want the Mitchels to see him vulnerable, like he was now. His weakness, his kryptonite in a sense, was his daughter, the girl whom he loved with his whole heart. He couldn’t be a monster if he had these emotions for his daughter.

            “Find out why she’s there.” Hunter wiped a single tear from his eye and willed the feelings away. He took a moment to compose himself, and then walked back over to the Mitchels.

            “Who is it?” Chase spoke.

            “Somebody important,” was the stiff reply from Hunter.

*          *          *

            I could tell that whoever it was impacted Hunter in a critical way.

            And that she just might be the person to save us.