FallOut (BOOK 2)

-03-

Wait, Joseph Roberts? Billy asks.

That's my grandfather, I inform him.

I'll be damned, Billy chuckled. We were separated from the group home long ago...I never found him...

Holy shit...I'm related to him...but there's more to this-

MOVE!

Billy had screamed so loud, it made my head swim. But I caught his intent, and somehow I was able to break the restraints as Blackwood turned around with a scalpel. Shit! I blocked his arm, and I wanted to kick his ass, but Billy's fear and anxiety stopped me. So I ran as Blackwood shouted after me. I didn't look back.

Somehow, I knew where to go. I tore down the hallway until I saw an orderly that tries to stop me. I tackled him to the ground and attacked until-

"Jason, STOP!"

Jayda? Is she in here, too? I've got to find-

The whole room dissolved. I don't know how else to describe what I just saw. I'm not in the asylum, I'm back at the cabin...and the person I attacked was Nicky...I jumped off of him, still feeling cornered. I could have sworn I was still there. I can still hear Billy in the back of my head.

"...What the fuck..."

Jayda and Salim reach out to me, as Mai helps Nick up.

"What did I just do?" I asked. "What happened?"

"I'm not sure," Jayda replied. "We found you at the asylum. Blackwood attacked you, and we got you out of there."

"Nick, I'm...I'm sorry," I apologize. "You weren't you, it was..."

I frowned, confused. But Nick told me that he understood. My head spun violently and I felt nauseous. I barely made it to the bathroom. I don't remember anything else after Jayda and Salim came in to help me.

-JAYDA-

"Have you ever seen anything like this?" I ask Mai, glancing over at my love as he sleeps.

"No," Mai sighs. "That's an ongoing theme with this case."

"I've never seen him like that," Nick agrees, pinching the bridge of his nose with a sigh.

"He-he got you pretty good," I winced.

"I blame you," Nick jokes, trying to lighten the mood.

"What did you see when you found him?" Mai asks.

"He was already out by the time Salim and I had gotten there," I recite. "Blackwood was standing over him with some sort of medical tool. I shot him before he could do anything else."

"We need more than that," Mai mutters. "We should try to talk to Sarah again."

"Alice," I hailed the older woman. "Were you...was it like this when you and Greg escaped?"

"I honestly don't remember," Alice admits sadly. "One moment, we went in on a dare with two of our friends, and the next, we woke up in a hospital. My parents never spoke about it, even before they passed away. They moved me out of Canada not long after it happened. I should have come back. I should have tried to face it. This is on me. I'm so sorry, Jayda. I'm going to pick up Greg, and we can come up with a plan."