Pleasance, Calif.
Second Pier; 2 miles north of Presence

Kassie Tom adjusted her hairpiece and re-applied her lipstick. She took a long look at the surroundings in the old fishing building. The walls were wooden and aged; she could swear she smelled fish. The sounds of waves below her feet made her anxious, as the construction of the building was right on the pier.

“Comfortable?” Colin came into the main room, carrying a six-pack of Molson. “It is going to be a long night.”

Kassie turned to him and smiled. It was forced, since she just wanted to find Noah. “Long night, you say?”

Colin pulled out a can from the ringed pack. “Us? You are hired by my boss, are you not?”

“Of course,” Kassie said, nervously. “It is just… I don’t come cheap.” She couldn’t believe what she was saying.

“Who cares?” Colin slurred, taking a swig of the beer. “My boss is paying for everything.” He paused, and then, “You know… My boss never mentioned hiring out a whore for me.”

Kassie pasted a smile on her face. “You’re a lucky guy.”

Colin slipped up behind her. “And you… my, my, my… I guess my boss didn’t spare any expense. On the couch, earlier, I got to see what I was looking forward to.”

“But not everything,” Kassie finished. She then caught her eye on a door that she had yet to enter. She had seen Colin go in and out, but she never saw anything.

“What’s on your mind?” Colin asked, almost as if he cared.

She thought quickly. “You keep speaking of your boss. What are you doing on this dock in the small town of Pleasance? Why do you need to be cooped up, practically out of civilization?”

Colin let go of her. “I don’t have to say anything.”

“Not even a clue?” Kassie probed. “You know, a man with something to hide can be a real turn-on.” She turned to him and kissed his ear.

“And it will stay hidden.”

Kassie was upset. She was getting nowhere with this guy.

Colin then got up, checked his watch, and moved over to the door that Kassie had never been behind.

“What’s behind that door?” Kassie asked nicely.

Colin turned to her. “Why do you need to know?”

“Curiosity.”

“Nothing,” he responded. “Just a boiler room. It has been acting up.”

Kassie nodded at his explanation as he disappeared, but she knew there was something more going on. And she needed to act fast.

Tom Residence

Patrick Donavon was reflecting on the tip that he had just received. Apparently, the man who kidnapped Noah was driving a white, ’94 Volkswagen Jetta.

“Not much, but it’ll have to do…” He paced around the living room. He wondered where Kassie had gone. Usually she left a note or something.

Without warning (and why would there be), his cell phone rang.

“Hello?” Patrick greeted the called. “Patrick Donavon.”

“It’s the Presence Police Department,” came the voice he had heard earlier.

Patrick got anxious. “Is it about the lead? Have you found anyone?”

There was a pause. Then, “I’m sorry. But it appears there are thousands of white ’94 Jettas in this area. Chances are the car was either destroyed or stolen.”

“But you’re looking into it, right?” Patrick asked.

“Of course… We take ever lead seriously. I’m just calling to make sure you don’t speak too much hope on just this.”

Patrick nodded. “I understand.”

They finished their conversation, and Patrick hung up. With the idea of the man still at large fresh in his head, he realized Kassie might not have left voluntarily.

“Whom would Kassie tell if she was going out?” he asked himself. Then, “Her mother!”

He rushed into the hallway and bounded up the stairs. He neared Darla Tom’s room, and knocked gently on the door. He realized that she hadn’t been up since the police had finished questioning her.

“Darla?” Patrick asked, knocking a second time. “Can I speak with you?”

There was a moment of silent, but the door opened. Darla opened it, and trotted back her bed and sat down. “What?”

Patrick came in, and sat on a chair. “How’ve you been holding up?”

She looked at him. “You mean besides the fact that my son is kidnapped, my supposed friend, Robert, tries to kill you two, and I’m sick? Besides that, I’m fine.”

“I’ve been looking for Kassie,” Patrick started. “Do you know where she is?”

Darla shook her head. “She told be she’d stay here and take care of me… But maybe she had an errand to run.”

“Maybe…” Patrick said, but his gaze turned to Darla. “Are you sure you’re feeling alright?”

She looked pale. “I’m fine.”

“No… No you’re not.” Patrick flipped out his trusty cellular phone. He dialed a number and waited…

Huber Residence

Ian Huber jumped at the sound of the phone. He picked it up and answered.

“Hello?… Oh! Patrick… Yes, I remember you. How’s your legs?… That’s great! What is it now?… Oh, I’ll be right over.”

He hung up, took a sad look at his wife’s picture frame, and left.

Evans Residence

Its pointer finger, which had been pointing upwards, had curled down.

“This is crazy!” Addy Evans spewed, looking at the crystal hand. She had just wished for Gillian to lose faith in Giovanni. “A hand can’t grant wished.”

Though it seemed ludicrous, the strange Cassandra woman made it sound so real.

The knocking at the door practically made her jump right out of her skin. Addy got up and made her way to the entrance. She opened the door.

“Gah!” she screamed. She covered her face and breathed deeply. “What are you doing here?”

Cassandra stood in the doorway. “Just giving you the low-down.”

“What?” Addy asked. “How did you know I lived here?”

Cassandra narrowed her eyes. “Lady, I grant wishes. You’d think I’d be able to find your house.”

It made sense… she thought… “If you’re so high and mighty, what did I wish for?”

“That is easy,” she said, confident. “Let’s just say your daughter is going to see Giovanni in a whole new light.”

Addy turned to the hand sitting on the kitchen table. “Are you saying this think really worked? M’am? Are you—?”

She was gone.

Presence Apartments

Brooke Wright knocked on the door to Giovanni Pike’s apartment. It was located on the floor below her own, and she decided to invite herself over.

Giovanni answered. “Oh… I was expecting—”

“—Gillian?” Brooke finished, entering, the bottle of wine in hand. “She was really hurt, wasn’t she?”

Giovanni nodded. “If I find out who dug up that tape, I’ll destroy them.”

Those words made Brooke squirm, but she went into the kitchen and popped the cork. “I figured that Gillian hadn’t showed up yet, so some happiness was in order.”

Brooke wondered if she really did have a thing for this guy. She had kept his video for years, even beyond her own judgment.

“Wine?” Giovanni asked, sitting down on the couch. “Why would you do that?”

“I had a bottle, and it was just sitting there,” Brooke justified. She couldn’t shake the feeling that something out there was helping her along.

And it wasn’t good.

“What the heck,” Giovanni said, giving up. “Pass me a glass. I was hoping Gillian would show, so maybe this will help me sleep the remaining hours of this day away.”

“You don’t know how right you are,” Brooke said coyly. She took out the wine glasses and poured two glasses. In the second glass, she took out a vial and poured in a liquid. “Here it comes…”

Giovanni turned around, and was handed the drugged glass. “Thanks.”

Smiling, “No problem.”

 

Gillian Evans finally built up the nerve to visit Giovanni. She came out of her car, and entered the apartment building.

“I’m not going to be surprised this time,” she convinced herself. “I’m just going to get his side of the story. His story to why he made that pornographic movie.”

She pushed her red hair back with her fingers and pressed the upwards arrow button on the elevator and waited…

Consuelos Residence

“I’ve got a newsflash about that baby,” Mateo Consuelos said coldly.

“What?” Skye Lore asked.

“I know who the father is.”

Skye froze. “Who?”

“Me.

Skye, who was usually a smart-mouth, didn’t really say anything. It was as if all the power in hell – literally – couldn’t help her.

But Mateo did. “Why the hell did you do that?” he screamed.

Skye sputtered with words, but Mateo grabbed her by the collar and pushed her against the fridge. Magnets and papers fell to the floor.

“You don’t have much to say, do you?” he teased. “Dammit! I should have listened to my brother. He knew what was happening!”

Skye shook her head. “You can kill me, but I won’t die!”

“I would kill you, except you’re in some innocent woman’s body!” Mateo put her back down. “And I’d get arrested for murder.” He paused, and then, “Have you killed somebody?”

“No!” she said, gaining her composure. “I let humans kill humans. That is the gist of it.”

“What about Brianna?” he asked. “I read a headline in the paper… I remembered you were pissed off at her. Did you kill her?”

Skye paused. “No… I didn’t.”

“You’re lying to my, you damn rapist!” Mateo screamed. “God! You realize that you raped me? How long ago did it happen.”

“February,” she responded.

“The moth of Valentine’s day… how romantic,” he said sarcastically. He looked down at her stomach. “Are you sure? You look far along.”

She shook her head. “It will happen sooner than usual… We’re speeding this along.”

That really creeped Mateo out. “Let’s go back to when I was possessed. Did I have powers?”

“No,” she responded. “You just did a lot of… bad things.”

He was confused. “But you have powers…”

“Yes, I do.”

Mateo shook his head. “I don’t need to hear this… You probably were the first, and I just was just an underling. Whatever. Just don’t get in my way anymore. You can stay here as long as you keep the baby safe.”

Skye nodded, and headed outside.

Mateo stayed, and knew he needed to keep an eye on her.

King Estate

John King was sitting down with Mitchel Mathison on the edge of the bed in his brand new room. Mitchel hadn’t completely opened up, but he seemed for comfortable with him that he could ever feel with Constance of Julian.

“It’s all about connections,” John said to Mitch. “Sure, we have lots of money, but you can do anything you want if you’ve got connection. Would I have ever become mayor?”

Mitch’s eyes widened. “You? Mayor?”

“Connections,” John reminded him. “Hey, I may not be responsible enough, so I let others do the actual work.”

“What else can you get out of living here?” Mitch asked.

“The image. It’s good for a lot of things.”

“Like what?”

John smiled. “Women. They go crazy. If you’re good looking and have money, they can drop at your feet.”

Before Mitch could get a word out, there was a knocking in John’s room. It was coming from the outside veranda that was attached to his room.

“Speaking of women,” John said, getting up, “there’s one right now.” He walked into his room and saw a familiar woman in the doorway.

It was Iris Torres.

“Glad you could make it,” John said, opening the door. “Come in.”

Iris did, and she observed the surroundings. “When I heard you were moving into a room in the mansion, I was thinking something a little less extravagant.” She glanced at the adjoining doors. “Guest?”

John turned to the door and saw Mitch staring at them. “That would be my cousin, Mitchel. He’s stay here. But I’ll give us some privacy.” He moved to the door and closed it.

 

Adam King entered the mansion and was greeted by his mother, Constance. She looked restless.

“Do you know where Mitchel is?” Adam asked. “Henderson dropped by saying he had arrived. I just wanted to meet him.”

Constance looked up at him. “Good luck talking to him…”

“He’s silent?” Adam questioned.

Constance shrugged. “Maybe it’s just the new house. Maybe after some time he’ll start talking.”

“Where is he?”

“The west wing,” Constance instructed, pointing in the direction. “Room two.”

Evans Residence

After Cassandra’s strange disappearance, Addy couldn’t help but wonder if her wish had really been granted. It seemed very strange. These things only happened in movies and television.

“Is my daughter’s relationship really threatened more than it already is?” she asked herself, sitting down on the couch. She passed her hands through her own dark, red hair.

But Addy felt a cold wind blow through the room.

She couldn’t tell if it was really there, or if they were just chills she was getting. Either way, it was an unsettling feeling. It felt as if she was dealing with dangerous forces.

Presence Apartment

Gillian walked down the hallway and approached Giovanni apartment door. Just looking at it made her remember seeing the film.

At the door, she noticed it was open a crack. Curious, she just opened it a crack. She could hear voices, and decided that she didn’t want them to keep secrets. She entered inside.

“Oooo… Ahhh…” she could hear. Gillian wondered if he could be watching the cassette.

“Oh, Giovanni…”

That was not the cassette.

Gillian stopped in the doorway, and peered into the darkened apartment. The television was off, but she could see two people on the couch.

On top of each other.

Gillian covered her mouth, as she couldn’t believe who they were. It was Brooke. How could she do this?

On the couch, Giovanni remained knocked out and unaware of what was going on. Brooke, however, knew very well. They kept their clothes on, so they gave only the illusion.

But Gillian didn’t know that.

And lost her faith in Giovanni.

King Estate

“Iris,” John started. “What possessed you to invite yourself over?”

Iris shrugged. “I figured I’d be welcome. And I wanted a drink. A stiff one.”

John moved to a small fridge at the front of his room and pulled out a bottle of scotch. “This good enough?” he asked.

She nodded. “That’s fine.”

“What made you change your mind?” he asked, pouring a drink. “About me. I remember you acting very hostile towards me both time we met.”

“Change of heart,” Iris responded.

John was glad that he had her away from Adam, but it was an awfully quick character switch. “Are you okay? I mean, I’m flattered and all, but I was definitely someone who you hated. What happened with Adam?”

Iris looked at him. “What’s wrong with me wanting a real man?” she asked. She moved up to him. “I’ll be you could do thing your little brother never could.”

Woah. “Are you on drugs?” John asked jokingly, realizing that she was coming on to him.

“Maybe,” she said cryptically. “I may seem different, but I just realized what I wanted in life. And I’m making some changes.”

 

Adam knocked on the door marked ‘#2.’ It was a minute before anyone answered, and the teenager greeted him.

“Who are you?” Mitch asked.

“I’m Adam King,” Adam responded. “I live in the guest house in the front of the estate.”

Mitch nodded. “Looks nice.”

He was talking, and Adam took it as a good sign. “I was talking with my mother today, and she is wondering why you’re not talking to her. Or my father.”

Mitch turned to him. “Your mother insisted that I move in here. Grandfather Alistair said that. But I wanted to life with my grandfather. At his house, I could do what I wanted. In here, your father has made it clear there are rules to follow.”

Adam paused. “My family isn’t perfect. They’ll just take some getting used to, that’s all.”

“I don’t need to get used to anyone,” Mitch stated.

“Why’s that?”

He looked at Adam. “I’m independent. I’ll do my own thing, and screw the other rules. I didn’t ask for them; they asked for me.”

Torres Residence

Bo Torres was lying, face down, on the kitchen table. He hadn’t moved since his daughter had left for John’s residence…

“Who was that?” Bo asked, groggy. “What John?”

“King,” Iris responded.

Bo seemed too tired to argue. “This was an interesting drink…”

“I made it myself,” she responded. “Ever heard of benzonoxodial dextorite?”

Bo shook his head, but his head fell limp and he crashed onto the table, unconscious. He lay completely still.

“Well, that was the secret ingredient…” she said, leaving. “That should teach you for ruining my life since the accident.”

He was unaware of anything.

Pleasance, Calif.
Second Pier; 2 miles north of Presence

As soon as Colin disappeared into the room, Kassie knew she needed to notify someone of her location. She needed to call. Moving to the couch, she reached down and picked up her purse.

“I need to call,” she said, sifting through the papers and small objects. After a few seconds of panic, she threw it down. “Dang! I forgot my phone.”

She looked around to see if her eye would get caught on a phone. Any phone.

Kassie quickly realized how foolish it was to have done this. It wasn’t her. She didn’t go out, pretending to be prostitutes, and solve cases going undercover.

She then saw a phone on a far table.

“Bingo,” she said, rushing up to it. She found it awkward running in such a short skirt, but she managed.

The phone looked modern. It was attached, through wires and antennae, to what looked like a computer. The monitor had a map of the world, and red lines crisscrossed it, going from major city to major city.

“This better be simple to use,” she wished.

Patrick would not be able to track her down through the phone company. This system obviously rerouted its calls and probably disabled its Caller ID.

She picked up the black, cordless phone and was greeted by a strange beeping sound. No dial tone.

“A password, maybe?” Kassie whispered to herself, checking around. She spotted four numbers taped on the phone, and decided those must be them. “Six… Two… Eight… Eight…”

Immediately, the screen of the computer changed. The world map cleared, and black lines began crossing around. She could hear a ring and ping each time it connected to the new city.

“C’mon…” Kassie urged.

“What are you doing?” came Colin’s voice, exiting the secret room.

Kassie turned around, unable to not look like a deer caught in headlights…

Tom Residence

“I’m so glad you could make it, doctor,” Patrick said, inviting Ian Huber inside. “She has been sleeping for a while, and she looks pale.”

Ian followed him upstairs. “A lot of things have happened here, have they not?” he asked, approaching the bedroom door. “It could be depression.”

“I’d still like you to check her out,” Patrick said, opening the room. He approached Darla, and pointed to Ian. “He’s just going to check you out.”

Darla looked up at him. “Doc, I’m fine… It is just everything that’s happened.”

“Depression isn’t anything to be casual about,” he said, approaching her. “Open your eyes.” She did so and he observed them. “Good. Now, how have you been feeling that last few days?”

Darla shrugged. “I guess a little down. But not depressed. I’ll be fine.”

Ian nodded. “Understandable. Anyone would be upset. Most family members, if they experience hardships or loss tend to act distant.”

“There’s nothing else?” Patrick asked. “She looks pale.”

Ian shrugged. “It could be lack of food. She’s been here for a while I hear. Maybe nutrition would do some good.” He looked at her. “When was the last time you went for a checkup?”

Darla thought. “Well… I’ve brought Noah to the doctor’s quite a few times. But last year, when I discovered I was pregnant was the last time.”

Ian got up. “I suggest you go again. It might be a deficiency in your body, or that you need some sleep. At your age, a regular checkup every six months would be in order. Especially since you’ve had a child.”

“Thank you, Ian,” Patrick said. “We bring her in tomorrow to get a checkup.” He looked at Darla. “Won’t we?”

Darla nodded. “Of course.”

Ian packed up his stuff and left.

Patrick remained worried about Kassie, wondering where she could be…

Consuelos Residence

Outside, on the stoop, Skye dialed a number and waited a small while before someone picked up. “Hello? It’s me.”

“Skye!” came Brianna’s deep panting voice. “I’m so glad to hear your voice! Please let me out. It is getting stuffy, and I don’t think there’s much oxygen left.”

Skye smiled. She needed a cheering up after that ugly confrontation with Mateo. “Have you tried to swallow a pill, yet?”

“Almost!” she cried. “I’m getting desperate! I’ll do anything. I just want to see Ian, and the skye and everything—”

“Just shut up. You’re making me sick.”

A pause. “Am I free?” she asked.

“Your skills could come in useful.”

“Oh, thank you…”

Skye stopped her. “Don’t thank me quite yet…”

 

Mateo waited till Skye was out the door before he started with his poorly laid out plan. He had a terrible feeling about everything.

“He’s pregnant with my baby…” It couldn’t sit right with him.

He walked down the hallway and turned into his room. He immediately picked up the phone and dialed a number. He closed the door.

It connected.

“Hi. Father McMurdy? I need to talk to you…”

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