Dazed and mentally exhausted, Jason didn’t realize his surroundings had changed until a voice called his name.

“Jason!”

A warm body crushed itself into his side. Arms wrapped around his shoulder and pulled him close.

“How did you get here? Where have you been?” Jessica’s voice asked in rapid succession.

“I…”

Jason blinked and realized he was surrounded by people. He was standing on a second floor bridge inside of a mall he recognized. A steady stream of shoppers flowed around him as people went about their errands for the day. Above their heads, a large skylight let in the light of the midday sun. Jason’s internal clock was so out of sync that he found the sight of the sun strangely unsettling. Wherever he had just been had made it feel like it was the dead of night.

“Are you all right?” Jessica peered into Jason’s face.

Jason held his tongue. He couldn’t be honest. There was too much left to do to be honest. Jessica frowned at his silence.

“Hey.” She turned his shoulders so she could hug him properly. “It’s okay.”

Jason could feel the disgruntled stares from passersby. It wasn’t a convenient place for them to be taking up space, but Jason needed a second to compose himself. He allowed Jessica’s arms to squeeze him tightly.

“Did Kylee or Kirsten do something to upset you?” Jessica couldn’t fully hide the rising anger in her voice.

Jason could tell she was trying to focus on him and his immediate needs, but that obsessive drive to ward away the others was placing the blame squarely on the others.

“No… They…”

She didn’t know. Jason remembered that his childhood friend had been left behind and didn’t witness the second half of what had happened over the previous night.

“I’m so sorry.” Jason pulled away from the hug and bowed his head to her. “I never should have let them leave you there.”

“No, no.” Jessica blushed fiercely. “I knew what I was getting into when we broke in. I’m just glad you made it out okay.”

Jessica smiled for a moment before tilting her head to the side. Her eyebrows knit together and she took a deep breath.

“I saw someone… After you three fled the kitchen. There was a woman who helped me. She looked… different. She said that you sent her to help me?”

“Oh.” Jason was shocked to hear that Remi had revealed herself to Jessica.

For the demon girl to have gone that far for someone she may have considered to be a rival… Jason’s chest constricted as he realized how much Remi must have wanted to honor his request to save Jessica.

“She’s… not around anymore. We were… friends.” Jason couldn’t think of anything else to say.

Jessica frowned, but she didn’t press Jason further.

“Where are the others?” She asked instead.

Jason stepped over to the walkway’s railing and leaned against it.

“Kylee was shot. Kirsten and I called an ambulance for her. I don’t know what her condition is. Kirsten and I tried to go back to my house and get some information I needed to fix all of this. We… ran into Adaline.” Jason’s stomach rolled over at the mention of her name.

Jessica placed a comforting hand on Jason’s shoulder. “How’d you get away?”

“I almost didn’t.” Jason decided to simplify the story. “Kirsten slowed Adaline enough for me to get away.”

What if Kirsten’s still lying in the alleyway? 

The thought struck Jason like a bag of bricks. There was almost no chance the petite girl was still alive. The size of Adaline’s knife and the location of the stab would almost certainly be fatal within an hour. Judging from the placement of the sun overhead, several hours had already come and gone. The alleyway was frequently used during the day, so odds were high that she had already been found by one of his neighbors. Despite all of that, Jason knew he couldn’t live with himself if he didn’t go back and check.

“I need to go back.” Jason announced to Jessica.

She was already shaking her head. “No. If Adaline ambushed you near your home it’s too dangerous to walk straight back into the same situation. Besides, I thought you were here to meet Hayden.”

Jason paused. “What?”

“Your friend. He was calling around trying to locate you. He said if anyone found you to tell you to meet him here.” Her eyebrows lifted. “You’re telling me you didn’t know?”

“Did he say why?” Jason deflected.

“Something about having information for you. I didn’t know where you were and thought my best chance would be to show up to where Hayden wanted you to meet.” Jessica looped her arm through Jason’s own. “Looks like I made the right decision.”

Information? Jason frowned.

He hadn’t seen Hayden in what felt like ages. Jason thought that his best friend had simply walked away from the situation. It hurt, obviously, but Jason couldn’t really blame him for running away from a potentially life threatening problem that wasn’t even his own.

Maybe he found something in that hard drive. 

That was the only type of information Jason could think of that would be relevant. Though, how Hayden had stolen the drive from the crime scene that was Jason’s house was a true mystery.

“I guess it’s no use speculating.” Jason sighed. “Jessica, can you help me?”

The silver haired girl smiled and nodded enthusiastically.

“Of course.”

“I need you to meet with Hayden and find out what he knows. I’ll be going to check if Kirsten-”

“No.” Jessica broke in sternly.

Jason blinked. “But you said-”

“That I’d help you, and I will, but you are not leaving my sight.” Jessica pulled Jason’s arm firmly towards her body. “Not again.”

Jason ran his free hand through his unkempt brown hair.

I really need a shower. He thought as the filth of the past few days made his hand a bit grimey.

“Fine.” Jason relented. “We meet with Hayden quickly and then it’s straight-”

Jason was once again interrupted, but not by Jessica. Someone else knocked into him from behind. Most of the force transferred unintentionally to Jessica so she stumbled a few feet down the bridge before catching herself on the railing. Off balance but not in danger of falling, Jason turned to find an extremely familiar head of golden blond hair on the ground below him.

“Oh my gosh, I am so sorry!” The young woman pushed herself up to her feet and dusted off her skirt.

She then lifted her head up to Jason’s.

“Oh!” Her light blue eyes blinked in surprise. “I know you from school, don’t I?”

“Um.” Jason froze.

This truly was the last person he expected to run into today.

“I’m not sure if we were ever properly introduced.” She lifted her hand out to him. “I’m Ashlynn Connel.”

Jason stared at the hand and didn’t move. He couldn’t shake it. He didn’t have his gloves on. The fact that this was the girl he had a crush on for the last year crashed into his mind all at once. How did he feel after everything that happened? How was he supposed to feel? What about the other girls he’d grown closer to? Did that warm inviting smile she was giving him mean anything?

As Jason was sifting through the mess of his mental state, a hand flashed past Jasons’ face and slapped Ashlynn’s hand  down. Both Jason and Ashlynn turned with wide eyes to a red faced Jessica now standing between them.

“Jason is dealing with too much right now to be bothered by you.” Jessica folded her arms across her chest and leaned forward menacingly.

She was a full seven inches taller than Ashlynn and Jessica used that fact to her full advantage.

“I’m so sorry.” Ashlynn’s hand flew to her mouth. “I heard about what happened to your aunt Jason. I didn’t mean to-”

“Leave.” Jessica took a threatening step forward.

Ashlynn looked to be on the verge of tears. She bowed her head towards Jason.

“Please forgive me.”

Her head still low, Ashlynn sprinted away.

“I don’t think that was necessary.” Jason felt a pang of guilt. “I’m pretty sure that’s the first time we’ve talked. Ever.”

“Good.” Jessica grumbled, obviously still upset by the encounter.

She pulled her phone out of her pocket and began to dial a number with excessive force.

“I’ll see where Hayden wants to meet.” Jessica lifted the phone to her ear and made the call.

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?” Adaline screamed at the empty wiring.

He was gone. Once more, Jason slipped through her fingers. The frustrating thing was the wires weren’t even untied. Somehow Jason had managed to slip out of them, though Adaline was struggling to understand how that was possible given how tightly she had wrapped up her precious love.

She had been so close to finally finding her peace. Finally silencing the voices in her head driving her towards the one she loves. They didn’t have to scream so loud.

“I already know!” Adaline grabbed her skull with tremendous force.

She only hoped the pain would distract her from the thoughts rampaging around her mind.

“Don’t move!” A voice ordered her.

In clear violation of the order, Adaline’s head snapped up in the voice’s direction. There stood a large man in dark clothing. He had a gun out aimed at Adaline.

Police? No. Something else. Adaline wearily eyed this new threat.

“Where is Jason Simmons?” The man asked firmly.

The barrel didn’t sway or deviate from the center of Adaline’s chest.

“Not here.” Adaline hissed.

“Good.” The man’s face remained passive. “Then that means I get to take care of you once and for all.”

Adaline ducked, but was too slow to stop the projectile from hitting her completely. She howled at the impact on her left shoulder, but she didn’t let it slow her down. Her hands flew to the blade tucked into her belt and threw it towards the man with rapid speed. The man sidestepped the hastily thrown knife and shot two more times. Adaline felt her breath forced from her body as the bullets struck her stomach. She managed to hobble a few more feet before dropping painfully to the ground.

“N-no…” She gasped with no air in her lungs. “N-not yet.”

“Sleep well.” The man said from somewhere above her.

There was a sharp prick in Adaline’s neck and the world faded away.

JTNestman

Should I channel my inner Youtuber? "Remember to like comment and subscribe!" (done in as annoying a voice as you'd expect)

Nailed it. As usual, thanks for reading. New chapter in another few days.