I closed the door to the study but remained near it. A part of me thought I should have stayed and helped my brother stand up to dad. The other part knew he needed it. I could hear my father screaming at Tanner. Maybe this will be the one, the wake-up call I had been wishing for him to have.

Father had told me to check on Jess but I had no idea where Zach had taken her. I walked down the stairs and past the kitchen. I was about to walk back into the living room when Kara bumped into me and fell to the floor. She dropped with her various empty medical bags used to store iv medication. "Oh gosh! I'm so, so, sorry Prince McClain! Are you alright?"

"I'm fine dear, are you alright?" I bent down and helped her up as she collected her things.

Kara patted her uniform off and nodded, "yes I'm fine. Again, I'm so sorry. I'm not in my right mind at the moment. If you'll excuse me I have to dispose of these right away." She scurried off toward the west wing.

I continued to walk to the living room. She was acting weird. What were those bags used for? I sighed. Again I was breaking my promise to stay out of peoples' minds as I peered into her thoughts.

'I hope Finnigan doesn't suspect anything. Why did I have to be such a klutz? Jared will be so mad if Finnigan finds out what I've done.' What was she talking about? What could she have possibly done...

The doorway of the living room was ajar. I walked in to find Zach passed out on the floor. It was as if a tornado had touched down on it. Not a single thing was in its rightful place. Most importantly, there was no sign of Jess. I sped to Zach and shook him violently. "Zach, Zach wake up! Come on man. I need you." There was no way to kill a vampire without ripping their heart out but there was no sign of any abuse on him. It had to be vervain.

A small groan escaped his lips. "He knows," Zach whispered.

"Don't waste your energy, think what you want me to know."

Vervain is a vampire's kryptonite. It couldn't kill us, but it could make us wish we were dead. I propped him up against the back of the couch and searched his thoughts.

'Jared found out that we were taking Jess. He waited until I came back down with her and attacked us. You've gotta go help her. I'll be fine. Go find Kara. She'll know where they are.'

I nodded and sped out of the room. I tried to hear Jessica's thoughts but got nothing. She was still unconscious.

As furious as I was, I needed to remember that Kara didn't have a choice. If he was even half as vicious with other staff as he was with Jess, I couldn't imagine what he's done to Kara over the years. I made it into the kitchen. Kara was behind the bar with her back to me, cleaning glasses. 

How do I approach this? I took a deep breath in. Be as nice as you can, Finn. She's a good person.

I hoped over the bar and wrapped my hand around her mouth. The last thing I needed was Tanner and my dad to get involved. She let out a muffled scream into my hand.

I turned her around so we were face to face. Her brown eyes were so wide, so afraid. They reminded me of Jessica's blue ones the first night we spent together. I used my free hand to grip her throat ever so slightly. Just enough to intimidate her, "Kara, when I take my hand away from your mouth you're going to tell me everything." She nodded and I let my hand fall to my side.

"I didn't' want to do it, Mr. McClain! I'm so sorry." Her body trembled under my hand.

It tightened around her throat, "That's not what you were supposed to say." I scolded.

"You don't understand. He'll hurt her if I talk."

'That nice vampire that came here with you said you can read minds. It's not safe for us to talk. If you can hear me give me a sign, please.'

Thank God, she was smart. I hadn't even thought about cameras and microphones. "I need to know where she is Kara. If you care about her you'll tell me what happened."

'Yes, I can hear you.' I thought back to her.

"I vervained your friend. He trusted me and I hurt him," her voice strained.

'He told me to get close to your friend and inject him with vervain. I tried to say no, but you know Jared...he always gets what he wants one way or another.'

"I already know that. Where is Jessica?" I relaxed my hand so she could catch her breath. She was cooperating, but I needed to make my rage look real.

'Where are they now?'

"I-i don't know, sir." '

The basement. But it's locked and Jared and Tanner are the only ones who know the code.'

"Finnigan what the hell?" Tanner yelled from the kitchen doorway. "Put Kara down! The fuck?!"

I locked eyes with her one last time. 'Thank you for your help. Try your hardest not to tell Tanner anything until I get downstairs, please. You know how he defends Jared no matter what.'

"Fine," I said and dropped her to the floor. As Tanner sprinted to her I sped out of the room.

'I will do my best, sir.' Kara thought back.

Kara said that the basement was locked. I had to guess Tanner's code. First I tried his birthday 0819, but it red-lighted me. Fuck. I tried to listen but couldn't make anything out. The steel door was too thick.

I tried Jared's birthday 0724, then Jessica's birthday 0319. Nothing worked. Desperate, I started trying random numbers. 1111, 2222, 1234, 0000. Finally, I was dumb enough to try 6969 and the machine finally bleeped green and I heard the deadbolt slide. What fucking idiots, I swear. I threw the door open to find a note attached to an envelope with my name on it taped to the door.

Finnigan:

Next time you have a secret meeting, you ought to pick a soundproof room. That, or at least be smart enough to make sure no one is listening. It's one thing to take Jessica from Tanner. I get it. She's useful to your family and you don't want to jeopardize that. But trying to take me out of the picture too is over the line. In fact, if you wouldn't have brought me and Jessica's past up I probably would have let you have her. She's bad for Tanner and me, always getting in the way with her morals and bullshit. But you fucked with my friends and that's something I cannot let go of. You won't find Jessica down here. You won't find her anywhere actually. Not until I want you to. Watch the tape if you wish to find her alive or don't and wait for her body to wash up somewhere. Either is fine with me. I hope this teaches you that none fucks with my friendships.

See you upstairs.

-J