Lights (Scomiche)

Blood

Apologies, kids. Triggers/cursing/bad ... just yeah.. 

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He sat on the too soft mattress hugging Mitch’s alpacasso and also his Rilakkuma bear tight against him. He wasn’t sure how he was still functioning. He hadn’t wanted to leave his apartment, didn’t want to leave the tiny pieces of Mitch behind, but Wyatt had been dropped off at Connor’s and the remaining members of PTX + Esther and Darian were all gathered in that safe house once again along with a carousel of FBI agents and profilers. This all felt ridiculous, but at this point he didn't really know what to do.

The last picture he’d gotten had broken his heart into a thousand pieces. Mitch looked so small and pale, hair and beard a straggly tangled mess, eyes vacant, one of those nightmarish chain dog collar things around his neck and a chain leash leading to God know's where. He’d been inconsolable for about an hour after that, just imagining all of the horrible things they could be doing to his best friend, but no one had still seen any sign of Jeremy and that was disconcerting.

Kirstie looked worse for wear. He felt bad that he hadn’t really been there for her during all of this, but every time he looked at her his heart broke all over again and then the tears would return. It was hard to be strong when Kirstie was falling apart right in front of him. All of the boys and Esther were extra protective of her and so Scott was just kind of left to his own devices.

Mitch and Jeremy’s parents were all together somewhere, he didn’t know where, but could only imagine what Nel and Mike were doing right then, how they were feeling.

Both phones, his and Mitch’s old one, had been taken away again and while he’d been anxious before when they’d taken it away, now he just felt numb. He was never getting Mitch back. He could feel it in the air, see it in the eyes of every FBI agent who looked at him with pity.  He began to drift away, retreating into his own mind.

No one could get him to talk, not the FBI, not Avi, Kevin, not even Kirstie. It was simple luck that they hadn’t had another call since Avi had made his choice for him. He wondered if that was what the dog collar was, #3. It didn’t matter anyway. It’s not like there was a “send him home safely” option.

Avi poked his head in. “Scott, I know you don’t want to, but there's a video. They want you to see it.”

He looked up at him, heart beginning to race in his chest.

Is this it? Is it over? Please…

He couldn’t believe he’d even thought such a thing, but all of this in-between was making him crazy. He immediately felt guilty for his thoughts and got to his feet, leaving Ice Cream on the bed but keeping the bear in his arms as he followed Avi down the stairs. Everyone was gathered around a computer screen and Kirstie was being ushered out of the room, a sobbing mess, wrapped up in a huddle of arms between Esther and Darien.

One of the techs, a very lanky/nerdy type, looked up at him as he approached.  “This went up on youtube about 12 minutes ago. Every major media outlet was notified. We managed to keep it off the air, but it had thousands of views before we could take it down. They’re trying to track its origin, but it looks like it was bounced off of hundreds of servers”

“Is he dead?” It’s all he could seem to say.

“We don’t know. We’re doing everything we can, but I need to know if any of this looks familiar? Do you recognize anything or anyone besides Jeremy. Just watch carefully. I know it won’t be easy, just do your best, ok?”

He didn’t want to, but he nodded as he hugged the bear tighter. Avi stood next to him and Kevin sat next to the tech as he pushed play.