We found a secluded spot to talk to everyone. Less chance of someone listening in. Ryan took everyone in an abandoned area on the outskirts of town, making it look like we were scouting a Halloween party spot.
We all pulled into the empty parking lot and got out of the cars. We all stood in a circle.
"Are you sure?" asked Frazier.
"Positive," he said, handing the note to him, who read it, then passed it around. After everyone read it, Elena said, "I told you there might have been a serial killer in the house!" We all looked at her. "Well, it's possible."
Sometimes I wonder if they do not separate her and Frazier at birth.
"So, what now?" asked Jordan.
"Well, we can't move, and it's being swept for bugs as we speak, but it's still a possibility that someone is listening," Ryan told us.
"The question is, who is our unknown enemy," I whispered.
"The only way we can figure this out is going through a list of people that hate us," Marissa suggested.
The guys looked at each other. "Everyone," they all said.
"That's a big help," she said, rolling her eyes.
"I agree with Marissa," said Cole. "it's time to make a list and figure out their location."
"Okay, I'll list them, since I remember everyone," I said.
"How's that possible?" asked Dean.
The guys looked at him and collectively said, "Photographic memory."
"All right," he said.
"Let's start at the beginning, Mario?" I asked them.
"Out of the country," answered Ryan.
"Ashley?" I said.
"College in a different state," said Marissa.
"Frank," I said next.
"Serving twenty-five to life at a maximum correctional facility," responded Jordan.
"Bella," I mentioned.
"Institutionalize," said Jordan.
"Mario's goons," I added for good measure.
"The same place, Mario is," said Ryan.
"Max," I said.
"Serving time for sexual assault and attempted an assault," said Cole.
"Jules," I questioned.
"Mental facility," said Ryan.
"Max's frat brothers," I said, thinking about it.
"Serving time in jail," said Dean.
"Dean Stanford," I said.
"Jail for embezzlement," said Dean.
"The scholarship committee," I added.
"Most are dealing with the IRS, and some are in jail," said Cole.
I exhale deeply. "That's all I can think of."
"What if we're missing something?" Frazier asked.
"What do you mean?" Ryan asked.
"Well, the only time someone could get close to us was when they had a way in," he reasoned.
"Then what you're saying is, it could be any of us. That makes little sense," Ryan told him.
"It does if they know how to get close to us," Frazier said.
"What are you talking about?" Jordan asked.
"The person knows things about us and is close enough to know it could be someone within the group," he explained.
"That's crazy," said Ryan.
"Actually, not as crazy as you think," I said.
"Are you going along with his crazy theory?" Ryan asked me.
"Think about it. It doesn't mean that the person is part of our group. The person has interacted with us in the past. It's a puzzle where we have to put the pieces together," I reasoned.
"That makes sense," said Jordan.
"In which aspect?" Asked Ryan.
"They know where we live. The person knows how to get past the security system. They left a note specifically address to you and me. We hurt their family. My professor received a paper that was to stay hidden. The only people who had a copy, which was the original, were my parents. Someone is playing a game of cat and mouse. The question is, who?" I said as I looked at them.
We all looked at each other, then at Marissa. She looked at us. "Wait, a minute. You don't think it's me, do you?"
"No, but someone will make it look like it's you," I smiled.
They all looked at me like I lost my mind.
"Follow my lead, who better than make the person who hasn't been part of the group the longest, look guilty? Jordan took you to homecoming our senior year in high school when the paper discovered. You started dating Frazier; then, everything started happening. When everything falls apart, who better than making the less obvious person seem guilty?" I questioned.
"Ooh, they're good, but we're better," said Frazier. "Don't worry, honey, you're just the scapegoat for them," he grinned.
"Thanks, that's making me feel so much better, you ass!" she exclaimed.
"But you love me, anyway," he said, kissing her.
"I do, but you're still an ass," she said, kissing him back.
"So, what now?" asked Cole.
"What else, we set a trap and wait for them to take the bait," I said.
Ryan received an alert.
"What's that?" I asked.
"Sweep is clear. Found bugs in several places, but everything is all clear, and security changed along with being beefed up," he replied.
"Does that mean we can talk freely at home?" I asked him.
"Mostly, but anything like this, we'll have code words and meet in a place like this," he explained.
"Sort of like code name Dylan," I suggested.
"That's perfect," exclaimed Frazier. "No one would suspect that! Alex, you're a genius! You make me so proud," he said, dabbing his eyes. I slugged him in the arm, "Ow."
I rolled my eyes as he rubbed his arm, pretending wounded.
"Well, I don't know about anyone else, but I would like to discuss this later and enjoy Halloween," said Ryan.
"What did you have in mind?" I asked.
"How about this year, we do what you want to?"
I gave him a sideways look, "Scary movies?"
"With popcorn," Frazier chimed in, throwing his arms around our shoulders.
"Yes, with popcorn," we said together.
"All right, I want a big tub of the most greasy, buttery goodness, one can have," he grinned.
I swear he is like a kid in a candy store.
We went back to the house after we had picked up two boxes of microwave popcorn, candy, and beverages so that we could do a horror marathon. Ryan and I talked on our way back.
"Do you think it will work?" I asked him.
"If it's someone that knows us well, it will," he reasoned.
"What if it doesn't?" I questioned him, unsure of the plan.
We pulled up in front of the house, and he put the car into a park, then leaned over, looking at me, "It will work. Just remember everything we've taught you. Keep your eyes and ears open."
I took a deep breath. It wasn't the fact there was someone out there who knew us; it was the fact; we didn't know who the person was. Whoever it was, they left a few clues. Now, we just had to find the rest, putting the puzzle together; then, we had to act as healthy as possible if that was even possible.
We got out of the car and went inside. I changed into my PJs along with everyone else. The guys made popcorn and brought it in along with the rest of the snacks we purchased.
Ryan and I snuggled up together on the couch with a blanket over our laps, and no, we did nothing, pervs.
Jordan and Elena were on one of the oversized chairs with her sitting on his lap, and we camped Frazier and Marissa out on the floor with blankets and pillows. If we had let him, he would have built a fort. Frazier wanted to, but Ryan told him, no, and yes, Frazier whined for a few minutes. He was such a baby.
We started with Halloween. I'm not sure if that's a good movie to watch when some unknown enemy is already stalking you. Next was A Nightmare On Elm Street, you know, the Robert Englund version, which was way better. Then the Amityville Horror movie with Ryan Reynolds and yes, all of us girls were drooling over his abs. The guys weren't as we encountered their death glares. I'm sorry, but the man is hot.
Finally, after the third movie, I started getting tired, so Ryan picked me up and carried me to bed. Well, his bed, even though I insisted on going to my bed. Once we were inside his room, he tossed me onto the bed.
"Hey," I exclaimed.
"Sorry, you were getting heavy," he grinned.
"Are you saying I got fat?" I asked with a look.
"Well," he slightly shrugged.
"Or maybe it's a muscle," I replied, grabbing his shirt and yanking him onto the bed. He fell right by me, then jerked me underneath him so that he could hover over me.
"Someone's been a bad girl," he smirked.
"I'm not a bad girl. I'm just doing what they taught what me," I giggled.
"Not that, I caught you are staring at Ryan Reynolds's abs," he mentioned.
"Aw, come on, those were some abs, you can't blame me for staring, plus he's hot," I grinned.
"The only abs you should stare at are mine," he said in a low husky voice.
"Then maybe you should remind me," I arched an eyebrow at him, and within in two-seconds, he had his shirt off, showing me his abs in their full glory. Damn, he had nice abs.
I felt my cheeks getting hot, and he leaned in for a kiss when the power went off.
"Damn it," he said, dropping his head by my face. He got up off of me, and I propped myself up. "Maybe we're getting another storm?"
"No, there's no report of one coming in. Maybe Frazier is using one of his kinky gadgets," he said.
I got up off of the bed, and we walked over to the door, opening it, looking out into the dark hallway. Jordan begins his door, and Elena did the same.
"Frazier, if you popped a breaker with one of your sex toys, I swear to god," Ryan yelled.
Frazier opened his door. "Dude, it wasn't me this time. I swear. Plus, that happened once!"
We all looked at each other. "Who will check the breaker?" asked Jordan.
"Not it," the five of us said, leaving Jordan it.
He sighed. "You guys suck." He grabbed a flashlight and went down to the basement.
"Let's hope Micheal or Jason doesn't get him," Ryan chuckled, and I couldn't help but laugh.
Jordan made his way downstairs, holding the flashlight overhead. As he made his way over to the breaker box, he felt a breeze behind him. Jordan spun while feeling it again. After looking around, he saw nothing and finally found the breaker box. He flipped the main breaker, but nothing happened. "What the hell?"
He shined the light down and looked at the wires. They cut them. He stood up to go back upstairs when he turned around, and someone in a Michael Myers's mask stood in front of him, making him scream, bolting out of the basement and up the stairs.
We all stood there, laughing so hard, two of us fell to the ground, holding our stomachs.
"What the fuck?" He asked as he made it to the main floor while looking through the basement doorway.
Someone tapped him on the shoulder, and he turned to someone who says, "Boo," which he took a swing at them, but they ducked. He stood up and pulled off his mask. "At least, I ducked this time." Frazier grinned.
"Not funny, asshole!" Jordan yelled.
"It was a little funny," he said, moving his fingers inches apart.
We were dying at this point. Once we found our composure, Ryan said, "Dude, have seen your face. That was some funny shit!"
"Yeah, yeah, hardy har, har," Jordan grumbled.
We were still giggling.
"Frazier, you ass, I didn't even know you could move that quickly," Jordan remarked.
Frazier was chuckling a little. "What are you talking about?"
"When you were down in the basement with me," Jordan told him.
"Dude, I just came down two minutes ago," he said with a weird look.
"When I was going towards the breaker box, I felt a slight breeze behind me like you had passed by me," Jordan explained.
"Um, that wasn't me," Frazier told him.
"Jordan, I think you let those horror flicks to get you, but in all seriousness, where are the lights," Ryan asked.
"The wires look like it has cut them," he answered.
"What are you talking about, Jordan? Quit messing around," Ryan said, getting annoyed.
"I'm not messing around. Someone cut the wires. Check it out for yourself," Jordan said, handing him the flashlight. Ryan took it and went downstairs. He checked out the breaker box, then came back upstairs.
"Well," I asked.
Ryan picked up his phone and made a call. After a few seconds, he ended the call.
"Yeah, they have cut them. That means someone was in here while we were here and in the basement with Jordan," Ryan commented.
I started feeling uneasy.
"Everyone grab whatever you can, we're not staying here. It's not safe anymore," Ryan told all of us.
"Where are we going?" I asked him, grabbing his arm.
He looked at me. "Somewhere safe," he said.
Things were getting out of hand now, and when you don't feel safe in your own home, it makes it ten times worse. We all grabbed two bags of clothes, our school books, and phones, then jumped into the car, heading out. I fell asleep in the car on our way there. Once he arrived, he didn't bother waking me, but picked me up, carrying me bridal style into a house. The door closed after us, and that's all I heard before drifting off to sleep.