||Hello Neighbour: A Better Timeline||

||Chapter 103: Things Are Calming Down||

Currently, all they could do was go off theory work: They didn't know who Crowface was, there was nothing to go off, no prints, no blood or anything.
Voice wasn't traceable, especially if they were able to impersonate others voices to throw people off.

Jay was stress, tense and scared, I mean- Learning that your son was in danger multiple times, you weren't told by the only people that knew and this Crowface, who was potentially very dangerous, was carrying Nicky back into his room; So Crowface has been in their house. . . In their son's room.
Nicky was fast asleep on the sofa, his head resting on his dad as he tired to get his mind off it by watching TV but. . . He took a deep breath, rested his hand on Nicky's head.
He still had many questions, if Crowface was as Quentin claimed, as violent as a feral dog, then why would he put Nicky back to bed? Why did they never hurt him or kill him, they had many opportunities and even that book said to leave him be.
Though that scared Jay too, like they were going to use Nicky for something.

~

Luanne sighed as she closed the door after her,"The wind is getting worse. . . Jay?", she found her husband and Nicky asleep on the sofa.

=

The next morning, she stopped at the station for more updates and see if anything else was withheld from yesterday, she understood it was cut short especially since Ike needed to be taken to the hospital, it wasn't good for his heart and that was understandable.

"I didn't get much from Quentin, but Beatrix had more information on Crowface and it's not good."
Keith turned to Luanne, Alexander and Mr Peterson,"According to Beatrix, with her time being kidnapped, she witnessed that Crowface was being. . . Tortured?", Alexander frowned,"Tortured?", "She apparently saw them, Cult Members, use electric to 'teach' them, telling her it keeps them in line so. . . I have reason to believe that Crowface might just be as much as a victim, potential brainwashing and years of being in a cult does something to ya. . .", Luanne shuddered,"Awful way to treat another. . .", Keith nods,"Yep, the more we learn: The more their list of charges grow, so this makes this more. . . Complicated: Not only do we have nothing that leads to Crowface's identify, this testimony tells us he's more of a victim, to then Gerda and Leonard even saying Crowface hasn't followed through the plans with hesitation.", Keith sighed and leaned back, Mr Peterson folded his arms,"And, no voice? No matches??", "Nope, cause of the possibility of a medical condition that Alexander brought to the table, possibility of a voice changer that could be helping them talk and also manipulating other's voices.", Mr Peterson blinked,"What?", Luanne sighed,"I had just learned that too, when Quentin and Beatrix told me Crowface was following Nicky when he was sleepwalking outside, never told me and Jay, and was mimicking Jay's voice and putting Nicky back in his room so it didn't wake him.", Mr Peterson stared at her, as did Alexander.
. . .
"I would have killed them."
"I plan to."
Keith turned to them,"I may need to ask the kids again, for anything on Crowface, and. . . I apologise for my tone towards them, I am not good with kids and I talk to them like they're adults, so if I take the wrong tone with them I do apologise.", Luanne, Alexander and Theodore nod.
. . .
"And Crowface?"
"Well, I'll need to figure out what kind of game their planning."

=

Crowface crossed off Leslie's picture.
New Players, Old Players. . . Some he wanted to win and others to lose. . . Trinity was still a top threat to the game, Lucy not so much and The Peterson kids aren't at the moment. . .
Crowface turned away from their plan, their beginning to throb and had to take a moment, their body shuddering.

=

Diana held her hand up,"Remember kids, stuck together and enjoy the film, and let me know if it's worth watching.", Aaron nods,"No problem: And meet back here and wait for you and Jay to get us.", Jay nods,"And have fun.", Mya was practically jumping off the walls, telling Nicky so many small facts about The Boardway Show of Wicked as they went to take their seats, waving goodbye to Mr Roth and Diana.

"Nice to get them out of the house, especially with everything."
"Yeah, definitely; Looks like your daughter is a huge musical fan, especially of Wicked."
Diana nods,"Oh yes, both me, Aaron and Mya love musicals; Theodore, not so much, but he finds it odd with singing and dancing while telling the story, but he enjoys it. Yourself?", Jay nods,"Oh yeah, I like musicals though I don't watch them much but Natalie was a huge Musical fan, last one I saw with her was Phantom Of The Opera.", Diana's eyes lit up,"Really?? Oh I love that Musical!", Jay nods,"Yeah, it was pretty amazing when we went to see it, me, Luanne, Miguel and Natalie.", Diana nods,"You know, when I was still an actress/dancer and so on, a lot of work goes into Musicals from the music, dancing, acting, set pieces and so much, and sometimes I miss it, but I certainly don't miss the stress that came with it: It's one of the reasons I stopped, also to spend more time with the kids and I became a teacher.", huh, the more you know.
And they chatted about Musicals.

=

Keith laid down the results.
"Mr Murtaugh sent this; Gerda's business is about to be investigated."
Alexander took the sheet, frowning as Theodore and Luanne looked over his shoulder to gave a glimpse.
"This is. . . This is a name of a strong sleeping medication."
Keith nods,"Yep; He overheard the kids talking about the Golden Apples, got suspicious of why the apples would make someone sleepy, and found traces in the Apples which leads me to think Gerda made them, so if things had gone smoothly; They might have tired to grab a kid.", that scared them, the idea that their kids could have had those at the wrong time and been taken, couldn't defend themselves or call out.
Theodore suddenly had a realisation,"Wait- That could have been. . .", they looked at him,"I remember, kids would always go missing in Raven Brooks when big events happen, and those big events usually had Golden Apples; Is it possible that's how they were taking people?", that was a good theory!
"That would mean the Golden Apple Factory was involved. . . And it wouldn't surprise me, that factory was also owned by the previous Mayor and his family; Who were Cultists as well, and Leonard continued it for whatever reason he had.", now things were looking different, the Golden Candy Apples were like a weapon to them.
It was no wonder the factory had shut down years ago, were they discovered and shut down??
"That's scary. . . People were going missing even years ago?"
Theodore nods,"Yes. . . And, there wasn't much that could be done since there were no witness, no cameras and they all vanished; Which lead to a lot of search parties and curfews.", Theodore shook his head,"Me, Ike and Norman never saw much of it, I use to be inside all the time and our families did their best to shield us.", Luanne nods, not pushing to ask Mr Peterson anymore.

=

"Good to know!"
Trinity nods,"Yep: I'm all better, physically and I'm getting new medication for OCD; I'm all good to come back to school.", Maritza cheered over the phone, it felt like things were gonna calm down for a while.