The Test

Chapter Twenty-Six

Derek

I lay on the bed in my hotel room, staring blankly at the white ceiling above me while I clutched the half empty bottle of vodka as a lifeline. The news played on the TV softly in the background but I wasn't paying attention to what was being said.

I started laughing as I thought about what was in store for me tonight; I must have been hysterical or extremely drunk to find the thought of myself being offered as a sacrifice the tiniest bit hilarious.

"This is the women they suspect may have something to do with the kidnapping of twenty-year-old Layna Jackson, who has been missing for about a month." I sat bolt upright as I heard the news anchor discussing Leila and before my brain could catch up with what my body was doing, I had whipped the bottle at the screen, shattering both in the process. Leila's picture, which they were showing on the screen, was now distorted and I smiled at myself.

Standing up I started pacing around the small room, going over my plan in my mind. I grabbed my cell phone and called Detective Greene. He answered after a couple of rings. "Hey, Derek, what's up?"

"Can you come over to my room tomorrow morning? The earlier the better; I'll be awake."

"Uh...sure. What's this about?" he asked, his voice saturated with confusion.

"I just have some things I'd like to discuss with you, and I think it would be better if it was done in person," I replied, staring at the note I had written him, and placing it in the middle of the bed. Once he got in the room, he would be able to find it quickly.

"Is everything alright Derek? You sound a little off."

"I'm fine. I'll talk to you tomorrow, Greene. Remember, bright and early."

I hung up the phone, before putting it on silent, and slipping it into my sneaker. Grabbing the keys to my car, I exited the room quickly, not bothering to lock the door behind me.

***

It was dark by the time I got to Timothy's house. I left my phone in the trees near the house, and then walked the rest of the way to whatever waited for me in the dark house.

The door creaked ominously as I entered the house. "I'm here you bastard!" I yelled into the darkness, but I was only met with silence.

"Wonderful, now we can begin," someone called out and before I could turn to find the source of the voice there was a pain in the back of my head and everything went black.

Layna

I groggily opened my eyes as the drugs slowly wore off. I slowly looked around and managed to pull myself up into a sitting position. My muscles protested as I leaned against the wall to catch my breath. This was the most movement I had done in a very long time and my body was not cooperating with me.

I wondered why Leila had allowed the medication to wear off. Usually, when it did she was here watching me with a plate of food, or another injection ready to go. And because the medication made me extremely tired, there was nothing I could do about it.

Suddenly, the door opened, making me flinch. A body was tossed carelessly into the room, and then the door was shut again.

Glancing over at the familiar shape, my heart fell to my stomach when I realized that it was Derek.

"No, no, no," I whispered as I painfully made my way to his side. I gently pushed him over with a trembling hand, and he flopped on his back.

"Derek?" I asked softly, but he didn't respond. I stroked his hair and felt around to see if I could find a reason for him being unconscious. As my hand moved to the back of his hand, it brushed over a large bump, and Derek groaned in pain.