Hide & Seek

Chapter 5 | Gone

*Jack's POV*

I was confused. One moment I was chasing Rye and the next he was just gone.

Walking back toward the pool I rub my face. Maybe he was with the other boys already. I'm sure there was other ways to get back without me seeing him.

"Hey have you guys seen Rye?" I ask as I walk up to the three lounging against each other.

"No babe why?" Andy says looking up toward me now.

"You seriously haven't seen him?"

"Not since you started chasing him down the hall?"

"Maybe he ended up having to go to the bathroom or something?" Sonny speaks up as I set down.

I nod in agreement, even though there was a heavy feeling in my chest that something was very wrong. All four of us jumping as we hear a voice over the loudspeakers.

"Hello this is your captin speaking. One of the crew has been found dead. We would like to go to a code red so everyone please go to your rooms and lock your doors. You will be brought food, but confined to your room until we can figure out who the killer is. Thank you."

The entire boat goes silent before chaos as everyone runs to their rooms.

"Jack." Brook yells over the noise, taking my hand and pulling me along with him toward our cabin.

"What the fuck is going on?" Sonny gasps as Andy stumbles for the remote and going to the emergency channel.

"...crew has found three more dead. We are not sure how it is happening but the killer is quick. Police on the boat are beginning to profile the killer. Seems to be in early twenties, around 5'8" to 6". We do not know much more at this point in time. But please be aware."

The screen goes blank and I softly drop onto the bench at the end of the bed. I feel numb as Andy's arms circle around me, and I don't even tell I'm crying until he wipes my eyes.

"It's happening again." I say numbly.

My voice sounding too loud for how quiet everything was. I barely comprehend what is happening as I'm laid down. Soft kisses being placed on my hands, trailing my body carefully.

*Brook's POV*

I watch as Andy pulls Jack to him, helping him lay on the bed.

"Sunshine." I speak up, tugging at his fingers.

He turns to me with a soft smile, and sad eyes.

"Come on. We need to give them space." I whisper, making sure to not set off Jack.

Slowly pulling Sonny out of the room until we're in the living room, curled up on the couch.

"What was happening in there?" Sonny asks softly, confusion lacing his voice.

"I think it's time to tell you what happened before you came around." I say, curling up against the other side of the couch facing my newest partner.

"Andy and I had met first. Childhood. Then Mike." I stutter over his  name slightly but clear my throat. "Jack of course came along a while later. And he brought along Rye a couple years later. Rye at first seemed like a perfectly normal guy. Until Jack began putting the pieces together. Do you remember the Midnight Man case?"

Sonny nods, still looking as confused as ever. I take his hand comforting him as best as I could without stopping the story.

"Rye was arrested for that case. His roomate Alex, he was a serial killer. He was able to somehow brainwash Rye into thinking he did the killings instead. And he believed it so much he allowed the police to arrest him. Not like he really had that much of a choice. That's kind of why we came on this cruise. Was actually a  celebration for his release from jail."

"Why didn't you guys tell me this?"

"Jack didn't want to scare you away from us. Especially because we knew other stuff could happen again."

"Is that why Andy started to do what he was doing with Jack?"

I nod, smiling softly.

"He does that with me when I have panic attacks. That was his way of calming me down. So he also does that with Jack. It became second nature when Jack was one of our partners. Mike and his personalities clashed too much though. They were better off friends."

"Will he be ok?"

"I don't know honestly." I answer, rubbing the back of my neck. "He shut down the last time Rye was gone. This time might be worse. Because we have no idea where Rye is."

"He's asleep." Andy speaks up, pulling us both out of our conversation turning toward our boyfriend.

"Do you think it's...." I can't even finish my sentence.

"I don't know. I guess we'll figure it out. I think we should wait till Jack is awake. But we need to tell someone Rye is missing. So we can try to start identifying bodies."

Andy cringes at the sentence, before setting down between Sonny and I. Both of us instinctively curling up into the older blonde.

So I almost forgot today was Monday. I'm: a mess. Hope you enjoyed! Peace and love, see you on the stupid side x