Extinct or Alive

Epilogue - The End of the Beginning...

Tampa, Florida

Brayden Point tosses and turns in his bed, kicking at the blankets over him. Suddenly, ACDC's 'Thunderstruck' blasts through the air and his eyes snap open. He bolts upright to his phone vibrating like hell and ringing. He snatches it up and slides his finger across the bottom, before pressing the cell to his ear.

"Hello--Brayden--Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Slow down Vlad. WHAT?!" Brayden sleepily remarks.

He pushes the blankets off of him and slides around, dangling his feet off the side of the bed.

Vladdy's voice then proceeds to yell into the receiver, "Bray, they took Brett!"

"WHO DID?!" Brayden snaps, gripping the phone tighter and his heart beginning to pound in his chest.

"Nolan Patrick," Vladdy blurts out. "I'm here with Mesky, don't worry any. I promise I'm not alone."

At once, Brayden's eyes narrow as he glares across the room at a giant framed picture of himself and Brett laughing and looking at once another.

"I make sure he's NEVER alone," Ville's voice grumbles on the other end. "Too many rapists and bad men out there lately."

"Mesky!" Vladdy squeaks. You can hear the playful punch to Ville's arm by Vladdy. "I'm fully capable of handling my own, thank you very much. Remember, who was the one who got taken in Australia?"

"Don't push your hero now, Vladdy," Ville teases.

"Would you too knock it off! I'm taking a plane up there at once! Where's Jessie? Jessie okay?!"

"Jessie's fine, a little shaken, but...he's happy we found him and let him out of the kennel...I guess they decided to spare him and just lock him up. Did those bad men hurt you, Jessie?" He begins to baby talk over the phone, before a soft yip comes and then a giggle. "Puppy kisses!"

"Wait! Bad mEn? And you said 'they' earlier...who's this 'they'?" Brayden demands, jumping to his feet.

"Jessie says Tkachuk and Drouin were with him...he tried to attack them and help Brett out, but they threatened him and Jo locked him up." He whimpers. "Jo...bad bad bad memories."

"Drouin, another reason, I'm not letting you out of my sight," Ville growls. "I don't trust that ugly French Canadian bastard!"

"Okay, I'm on my way, try to lay low. I'm gonna phone the others and notify them as well. Nolan Patrick's found friends and who knows who else he's found too!" Brayden snaps, as he slips on shoes and heads for his closet. "Give me four hours."

New York City, New York

Brayden races down the hallway to Brett's apartment on the first floor and walks inside, finding Vladdy and Ville sitting on the couch with Jessie lying across their laps. Vladdy is petting Jessie, trying to keep him calm.

At once, he halts, spotting the bloody knife and the puddle of blood. His heart sinks and he drops down to get a closer look.

Ville gets up, rounds the couch and comes over to him. "It was a good hour, we were waiting for him to show up. We saw nothing, but heard Jessie barking nonstop..." He hands Brayden, Brett's golden glass tiara.

Vladdy hugs Jessie on the couch. "Poor Jesper Fast!!"

Ville shakes his head. "So, we assumed Brett put Jessie up and we still didn't suspect anything. Then we opened the door to this..." He gestures around, pointing at the blood puddle, the knife, the broken lamps and turned over tables in the room.