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Alistair explained Brooke's situation with a blackmailer to over a dozen times this evening. First it was the Sargent, then her parents, the principle of their school, a few other officers and finally his mom.
It was exhausting and frustrating. He wanted to do something rather than talk about it. The more they talk, the more they waste time. The clock was working against them.
He doesn't know what that sick monster wanted to do with Brooke. That's what drives him over the edge. They have no idea what his intentions are. Is it to kill her? Rape her? Kidnap her and take her over the border somewhere? Torture her? Sell her? They don't know!
It was him against the unknown and he didn't like that feeling at all.
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Sully felt miserable. He was chained to the ground by guilt and the idea that he failed his best friend when she needed him the most. His promises have gone to waste, he couldn't protect her or help her figure out who was behind the whole thing. He felt utterly useless, like he was just a bundle of bones and flesh, that he had no purpose in life. Nothing but a waste of air.
Izzy's shoulders hunched over. Her tear stained cheeks red. Her eyes burning from the unshed tears. Her throat so tight, she could barely talk. It was too overwhelming, too real.
It was okay to pretend like it wasn't dangerous when it was just texts. They had all thought that they were just a scumbag with a secret agenda. Maybe they wanted to make Brooke do something for them and then leave her alone.
It was easy to not take them seriously. It was all just texts.
But they have crossed a line.
Izzy cursed her big brain. It had failed her for the first time in her life. It didn't help her or Brooke figure out the blackmailer. Maybe she was too slow, unfocused, not caring enough.
She just wishes she could have done more.
All three of them sat next to each other in the parking lot outside. They needed fresh air before they chocked on their own feelings.
Sully decided that if he couldn't help Brooke right now, maybe he could help Izzy. So he got up, walked to her and then wrapped his arms around her in a comforting hug.
"I'm so worried about her," Izzy whispered.
"Me too," Sully sighed. They glanced at Alistair to find him drowning in self-loath too. His head laid on his palms and his elbows rested on his knees. He looked broken.
Sully pulled away from Izzy. He got up and sat on the chair next to Alistair. He patted Alistair's back. Alistair glanced up, his eyes red rimmed, he gave Sully a weak smile.
"She is going to be alright," Sully whispered. He hoped. He really did. Alistair nodded, his words failing him.
Izzy sat next to him as well. She laid her head on his shoulder, to seek comfort and offer some. Alistair wrapped an arm around her in a side hug. Sully also wrapped his arm around them.
They are grateful that they could share this situation with someone. Alistair would have gone crazy otherwise.
"We have to do something," Izzy spoke up. Her voice hoarse from crying.
"I agree," Alistair said in a low voice. Sully nodded.
They agreed to start knocking doors on their peers and schoolmates. The police has already done that but they came up with nothing. Alistair knows that him and the gang would find something useful. Teenagers reacted different when it was someone their age, not an adult with a gun on his belt.
Most people know of Brooke, they knew how she looked like, they didn't bother to know her name.
It angered Alistair. Brooke has done everything in her power to help everybody. She went out of her way to be kind to everyone and nobody was bothered to even know her name, to ask her how is she doing or even thank her.
This girl deserves the world and if he gets another chance to show her how much she's worth, he will.
When they also came up with nothing, the decided to hit the most people they hated. Orion Grey and his so-called friends.
"Hello, Mr. Grey, can we speak with Orion for a second?" Izzy asked with a charming smile.
"He is not here, he is sleeping over at a friends house," Sully and Alistair exchanged a confused glance. They checked every one of his friends house and they didn't find him there.
Izzy thanked Mr. Grey before the three huddled back in Alistair's car.
"It's him. It has to be," Alistair's fist clenched, turning white.
"But it doesn't make sense, he is perfect, he is rich, he has good grades and girls are always all over him. What would he want with Brooke?" Izzy asked. Nothing in this situation made sense.
"Did she reject his advances towards her or something?" Alistair asked. It would explain why Orion was acting the way he was. After all his ego was bigger than Texas.
"No, I don't think so," Izzy frowned.
"They have never talked before," Sully added. Alistair nodded at their answers.
"Whatever his motive is, he is crazy and we have to find him," they all reached an agreement and decided to head back to tell police station with there theory.
The Sargent listened carefully, he absorbed the information but without probable cause or a motive, they have nothing. They can't search his belongings or his house. They were sitting ducks.
Whoever did this was careful enough but the Sargent would never give up.
He just hoped that Alistair and his friends wouldn't do something risky and blow up the case. He knows that if Alistair set his mind to something, he will do it. He is as stubborn as his dad. No matter how many lectures or speeches he gives, Alistair is still going to do what he planned.
