Chapter Seven: Stalemate


I woke up in a hospital, I suppose the only reason I had lived is because someone had come across me laid unconscious on the sidewalk. Shoot, can't believe I let them get the better of me. I couldn't move my head, it hurt too much.

As I slowly regained consciousness, I could see my parents sitting beside me. They had shown up? I just laid back and stared at them for a while before attempting to say something.

Me: "Hey, what's going on?"

I barely even heard myself, the bells ringing in my head were too much. Eventually, they stopped, and I could hear my parents.

Greg: "Son, do you know who was behind this?"

Jane: "Please, let us know if you remember anything."

I groaned and shook my head, I literally couldn't remember anything from whatever time they had knocked me out. I took a heavy breath. Soon as I did that, Trevor had walked into the room.

Me: "I'll be fine, I just need to go now.."

Trevor stopped me from getting up and forced me back onto the bed. I shooed him away. He'd then sigh and nod towards my parents.

Trevor: "Don't worry, I'm a friend of his."

Jane: "A friend? Well I suppose that makes sense, considering that you showed up.."

Greg: "Jane, do you really think we can trust him? Especially with our son?"

Trevor: "Mr. and Mrs. Matthews, I assure you that you have nothing to worry about. Please let me speak with your son for a moment."

He placed a hand on my shoulder. I simply swiped it away. I didn't want anything to do with Trevor right now. I didn't want anything to do with anyone right now.

Me: "How about you all just… leave? Get out of here."

Greg: "Son, we can't-"

Me: "GO!"

Greg pats Jane on the back and they both leave, Trevor however, decides to take a seat instead of leaving. I just stare at him.

Me: "Why are you still here?"

Trevor: "Come on kid, don't be like that. We need to talk anyw-"

Me: "Where is she?"

Trevor would lift an eyebrow.

Trevor: "Who? Where is who?"

Me: "Megan, she's the only one I need to talk to."

Trevor: "Kid, I can tell her once we're done-"

Me: "DO IT!"

Trevor: "Listen kid, you know better than to order me around-"

Me: "Do you think I give two craps? I need to talk to her, not you."

He simply chuckled.

Trevor: "Alright, fine, calm down. I'll call your girlfriend."

I just about socked this man in the face, but one of the doctors came in at that exact moment.

Male Doctor: "What exactly are you doing to Mr. Matthews, sir? Please leave him be, he needs rest."

Trevor: "Right, I was just about to leave actually. My bad."

Trevor would back away from me and exit the room, not without giving me one last look though. It was a look that said: "Watch your back" before switching to a jolly smile. I simply didn't pay him any attention.

The male doctor would come over to my bed with a cup of water.

Male Doctor: "Is there anything else you'd like sir-"

I nod and drink some of the water before tossing it on the floor. The doctor would back away.

Me: "What I'd like is for you to get me out of this frickin' hospital."

The doctor would simply walk outside to report what had happened I guess. Once he had done that, I got up and started to walk out of there, it was hard though. I was struggling to walk, but it seemed like it was going to be alright.

I got out of the room and started walking towards the exit, but the person at the counter had seen me and called the nurses. I had almost fallen over but one of the nurses had caught me, fortunately. I took a heavy breath.

Meanwhile over at Trevor's…

Trevor: "Yeah, little punk is at the hospital as we speak. That'll definitely put the case on hold, sorry Megan."

Megan: "I need to go see him, you know which hospital?"

Trevor: "Yeah uh, the Saint Merades Hospital. The little man kept telling me to let you know he was there."

Megan: "Alright, thank you Trevor. Talk to you soon?"

He simply laughs.

Trevor: "Yeah, sure. Go ahead and see your boyfriend, give him a high-five for me."

Megan: "Whoa, he is far from my boy-"

Trevor hung up, he seemed to love teasing the two of them. Not long after he had got done talking with Megan, someone else called.

Trevor: "Oh, it's him again."

He picks up the phone and gets up from his chair.

Trevor: "Yeah, what's up?"

Man: "I assume that the boy is dead?"

Trevor: "Well, not dead. He's in the hospital."

Man: "What?? Hospital? You mean to tell me they didn't kill him?"

Trevor: "Hey, it's not my fault that those kids were scaredy-cats. I'll make sure to take care of them, boss."

Man: "No, Trevor. I'll deal with them myself, you just make sure that kid doesn't interfere with anything! Do you understand?"

Trevor: "Of course I do, you have a thing for yelling don't you old man?"

Man: "Just don't let me down, got it??"

Trevor: "Yeah, of course."

Trevor hangs up and places the phone back in his pocket. He sits on his bed and sighs.

Back to Colson…

A few hours later and I'm at home, I still needed my rest though. I didn't want to rest, I wanted to find my friend. I needed to find my friend. I get up and go over to my room, I had been sitting on my couch the entire time. Before I had got to my room however, I heard a knock on the door.

Me: "Who could that be? Why so late?"

I walked over towards my door and opened it slightly, it was Megan. She seemed like she wanted to talk about something. I sighed and let her in.

Megan: "You weren't at the hospital, they told me they sent you home."

I take a deep breath and nod.

Me: "Yeah? What about it?"

She looks me dead in the eye before approaching me, stopping when she was a few feet away.

Megan: "You were being stupid, Colson. What were you thinking? Walking out there on your own, you could have injured yourself!"

Me: "I needed to get back on the case, Megan. I needed to be out of there."

She laughs my statement off.

Megan: "No, you know what you really needed? You needed rest, you needed to stay."

I shake my head slightly.

Me: "No, I really didn't, Megan. I needed to get back to finding my friend-"

Megan: "Listen, I know you care about her and all, but you need to care about yourself too, Colson! Listen to me before you end up dead-"

Me: "I won't end up dead! I am not going to be in danger, I am going to be the danger. Do you understand me?? When those people see me they are going to be BEGGING for their lives! You hear me Megan Pryler?"

Megan: "Oh my god, I literally can't with you.."

She brushes past me and walks off towards the door, preparing to leave.

Me: "Do you understand now, Megan?? Don't EVER worry about me, if anything you should worry about those scum who TOOK Maxine from me!"

That was the last thing she heard before she walked out and slammed the door behind her. I walk over to the couch and grab the remote, I turn on the TV and start to watch a documentary, but my anger at the time was boiling. I toss the remote onto the ground out of pure rage before leaning back in my chair.

Chapter Eight: Michael


January 21th, 2015

I woke up at around five in the morning, I figured that I could take a minute to sit down. I picked up the remote I had thrown on the floor yesterday and turned on the television.

The television currently displayed some sort of cartoon, but I was too old for that. I turned it back onto the news, apparently the police were still searching for Maxine, whoever had kidnapped her was good at covering up their tracks. I then saw something that shocked me. It said:

"Four males were taken from their homes earlier this morning, at three-forty five PM, no one knows of their whereabouts."

Missing person(s): Tye Andrews, Freddie Millsap, Wilson Hamilton, and Jerry Jermyn.

So now they're missing too? What is going on with this town today?

All of the others looked dark-skinned, aside from Freddie, who looked as if he was Caucasian, obviously we know Tye wasn't dark-skinned either. I sat back on my sofa before turning the TV off and sighing, those guys were jerks sure, but they didn't deserve this.

A few minutes later, I'm getting ready for school. It was almost time, I went to school as usual and had a pretty decent day there, actually. Although Michael was there, every time I saw him… my blood started to boil. I wanted to snap on him so bad, but that was for later. I'd visit him, on my own.

After school, after I had arrived home, it was time to go. Wait, no, not yet. His parents would be awake still, I needed to wait. I go to my room and put on my detective disguise. Black trench coat with a black and brown Homburg hat.

I sat on my bed and started to wait, it would be a while before I could visit that.. son of a.. alright, I need to calm down. I take several breaths before deciding to take a quick nap. I lay down and fall asleep.

After what I assumed to be a few hours of sleep, I wake up and instantly get out of bed. I decide now would be the time to call up Megan, although we weren't really on good terms from yesterday. I was being a jerk, I admit it. After waiting for about a minute, she answers the phone. I could tell she was irritated.

Megan: "What? What do you want, Colson?"

I took another breath as I prepared to speak.

Me: "Listen, I know we aren't exactly on the best terms because of yesterday, but I really need your help-"

Megan: "No, what you really need is rest, now please Colson. Get some and stop torturing yourself."

Me: "Megan, this is important- I may have a lead on Michael-"

She scoffs, I just knew she was shaking her head. There was no way she wasn't.

Megan: "No, Colson, rest for a bit longer and then we can get this thing going. For now, goodbye."

Before I said anything, she had hung up the phone. I cursed out loud and threw the phone onto the ground. I needed to go over to my parents house, they had two cars, maybe they could let me borrow one.

Skip ten minutes of walking and I'm knocking on my parents door. After a few knocks, my mother answered, clearly tired. It was eleven at night why wouldn't she be?

Jane: "Who are you? Are you one of those detectives because if so-"

I take off my Homburg hat and reveal my curly, light brown hair. My mother simply chortled.

Jane: "What are you doing in that outfit Colson? Take it off!"

Me: "Wait, mom no. Don't, it's uhh.. cold out here."

Jane: "Right, what do you want?"

Me: "I kind of need to borrow a car…"

She glares at me as if she was confused. I could tell her face said "You haven't bought your own?" She sighs.

Jane: "Just take the car, Colson. Please, get out of here."

I nodded, although Mom was a jerk she came through sometimes. Now what? I need to get back home is what, then I can take it from there.

I got home relatively quickly with the car, after I got in the house I took off my trench coat and got to work, it was time to find Michael. I get onto my laptop and go on the default browser.

Me: "If I want to find him, I'm going to have to go deep.."

I clicked on a white list website, that sounded like it may work. Problem was, I needed to pay. Of course, now what? I slammed my fist against the desk before starting to think.

Me: "No, I don't need to pay, screw that."

Somehow I needed to trick the website into thinking I had paid the money, but how would I do that? Trevor would be useful right now, but he'd probably be against me doing this as well. Wait.

Me: "Maybe he's in my neighborhood somewhere, it's slim but possible.."

I nodded and grabbed my trench coat, quickly rushing outside and getting into the car. It was about eleven fifteen at night, so maybe he was still awake, definitely. If there's anything I know about him it's that he's a night owl. I turn on my headlights and start to drive around the entire neighborhood.

Me: "Come on, he has to be somewhere.."

Skip another thirty minutes knocking on doors and saying the same thing over and over again: "Hey, have you seen Michael Fransier by any chance?"

My anger had boiled up the more I reached this tenth house. I instantly knew it was him, it had to be, otherwise I wouldn't be feeling such intense rage. I marched up to the door and knocked five times, no answer. Did it another five times, guess who opens it.. Michael.

I instantly calm myself down and try my best to maintain that tone, I looked at Michael and smiled politely.

Me: "Hey, would you mind if I talked to you? It's just I think you may know something about Maxine Taylor? Don't worry, it's just a couple of questions you know?"

Michael: "Of- of course sir, come right in, I don't mind."

I nodded politely towards Michael and sat down on the sofa. I waited for him to sit down before I started my questions.

Me: "First off, are you and Maxine friends?"

Michael: "Um, yes sir, we became friends not too long ago."

Me: "Alright, do you recall anything that happened that night?"

Michael: "Yes sir, I do. Um, so after me and her got home we talked a bit and we started to bond and everything you know-"

I couldn't hold it in anymore, the whole calm detective bullcrap. I told him to stop before shaking my head. I started to chuckle just a bit before silence fell upon the entire room. I then asked him:

Me: "Where is she?"

He suddenly sat back on his chair as I got up and started walking towards him. I stopped and got on my knees, making direct eye contact with him.

Michael: "Where is who? I don't know what you're talking about I-"

Me: "Maxine, where are you hiding her?"

Michael said nothing, I only continued to ask questions.

Me: "In your basement? Somewhere upstairs? Some… underground bunker? Tell me, Michael."

Michael: "I- I don't know what you mean, who are you-"

I got closer, we were both face to face now. I only continued to say the same thing.

Me: "Tell me, Michael. Where are you keeping her?"

Michael: "Listen sir, I honestly don't know, please.. leave me alone-"

Me: "TELL ME ALREADY! Tell.. me!"

My fist would slam against his couch as I slowly began to sob. I fell onto the wooden floor and just started bawling. Not long after, Michael had joined me in doing so. All I heard from him was a bunch of "sorry's" and "I don't know". He missed her too, I know he did.

Michael: "I'm sorry okay? I don't know! Honestly- some guy just broke in that night and told me not to say anything.. he just took her and told me to keep my mouth shut or he'd kill me… that's all I remember that night!"

I suddenly stopped crying and wiped my tears, another guy took her? Who was it? I got up from off of the floor and patted Michael on the back.

Me: "I'm sorry, Michael. I thought you were behind it all… the way that girl said it, it sounded like it was all you.."

Michael: "It's fine, if it helps I remember some details about the guy-"

At this point in time we were both still wiping away our tears, I nodded to let him know that he could continue speaking.

Michael: "Alright, well.. he had like a.. scratchy sounding and deep voice. Like a really really deep voice, his hair was all greasy and pulled back, his eyes were jade green and he had a slim figure, he was skinny."

My fists would bawl up again, it was time to pay that traitor a visit. Trevor.. you'll have some explaining to do..

I thanked Michael and went out to my car, that snake.. should have known there was something wrong with him. As I drove to my house all I could think about was Trevor, and how I was going to absolutely decimate him when I see him.

I arrived at my house, took off my detective disguise, put on some casual clothes, and went to sleep. Tomorrow was going to be an… intense day to say the least.

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