Hidden faces

by Klarisa_Blanchard

Summary:

Cali [MC] is teetering on the brink of collapse. The danger around her friends growing and Jake has disappeared. Her fear and helplessness seemed more unbearable by the second. Just when she wanted to admit to everyone her suspicion that the legend of the man without a face might not be entirely impossible. And also just when she was going to tell Jake about her life. But now... She doesn't even know if she'll ever get a chance.
But even despair has an end. And that usually turns into anger. Cali reaches this point when she receives a strange phone call from Richy, who then suddenly disappears. The next moment, her temper flares and she's determined to do whatever it takes to bring Jake and Richy back. Even if it may mean digging your forgotten self out of the grave.

 

*The story takes place from the middle of the seventh episode of Duskwood*
*Every original character and original plot is the property of Everbyte.*

TW: blood, anxiety, depression, light smut, death

I apologize for any mistakes, unfortunately English is not my first language. :)

Chapter 1: First Chapter

Small boxes were lined up precisely side by side on the shelves. The warnings on their packagings had no effect, because although one resisted as much as one wanted, the idea of such a quick escape from stress was exceedingly tempting. At least it was for me. Clock on the wall ticked simultaneously with the notifications of incoming messages on my cell phone - I had only turned it off for a few hours, and in that time it managed to accumulate a lot of messages. Not surprisingly, because the identification of Amy's body upset everyone. So far, our investigation had only dealt with kidnapping. None of us would have thought anything worse could happen... This new discovery completely shattered our certainties and awakened something that neither of us wanted to admit. And it wasn't easy for anyone to accept the risk of death.

With my jaw clamped tightly together, my eyes wandered to Marlboro again. It would be such an easy relief, though certainly not the right one. Moreover, with my current feelings, I was in danger of smoking half a packet during the night. If Jake was here, he'd definitely talk me out of it... But he wasn't. He disappeared. As if it wasn't enough that he was never physically here and I always had to fight the thought that I might never meet him in person. Suddenly, he just... wasn't at all... And I wasn't even sure if he was ever coming back. Lilly and I did our best to correct her mistake and help her brother escape his pursuers. And while the results seemed promising, there was no sign of my- our hacker. Lilly blamed herself for it, and although she had a hand in it, I felt sorry for her. Even though her decision was rash and stupid, she was just worried about her sister, and I could understand that.

A sigh left my mouth. Suddenly everything started to fall apart like a house of cards. And just when I was about to- ,,Are you just going to stand there or are you finally going to buy something?" uttered the annoyed salesgirl behind the counter. My gaze dropped from the cigarettes to her bored face. She certainly loved her job with her whole body and soul.

With another sigh, I stepped closer to the counter and tossed a bar of chocolate and a can of iced tea onto it. If I didn't have a car waiting for me outside, I'd definitely grab something with alcohol in it. ,,And-" No, he wouldn't want you to fall for something so stupid. "Actually, nothing. Just this," I finally said, rubbing my face tiredly.

I didn't get it. It's been a while since a man was behind any of my decisions. After a few disappointments in high school, when no boy could keep a single fucking promise, I decided to become selfish. This also applied to potential friends. For a long time, I had no need to put someone else's wishes before my own, nor did I particularly desire to. Every day I looked in the mirror knowing that the only person who controlled my life was myself. And suddenly here I am, standing in a gas station in the middle of the night, contemplating breaking my three-year smoke-free era. All because of a couple of people who came into my life through a phone.

The saleswoman lazily took the offered banknote and rolled her eyes at me. If I had any more mental strength, I'd send her to the inappropriate places. I picked up the few coins she placed on the counter and walked to my car with my purchase.

The outside of the gas station was completely empty. Other than my Mustang, two gas pumps, a lamp, and an out-of-service car wash, there was nothing. The only evidence of life's presence was me and a screaming bird somewhere in the distance. It might have been scary to some, but to me it brought a longed-for peace. I hadn't been afraid of the dark for a long time, and I knew enough about the things that lurked there not to be terrified of them.

I climbed into the car and leaned wearily back in my seat. My gaze wandered to the rear-view mirror, causing me to curse. I looked terrible. Lack of sleep had taken its toll on me with circles under my eyes and dry, pale skin. I hadn't washed my hair for a week, so I wore it in a not-so-sleek ponytail for the last few days. What a wreck... The latest series of events has been more confusing than I would have expected. Attack on Jessy, Dan's crash, Lilly's video, Phil's arrest, and most importantly... Jake's disappearance. His presence was the last thing that kept me sane. And now that he was gone... What if he was actually caught? What if I can't help him anymore?

I hit the steering wheel angrily and then hid my face in my hands. He just couldn't be gone. There's a lot I haven't told him yet. He didn't know what new things I'd discovered in my search. I didn't even have time to tell him anything about me. He had no idea who I was, or what my hair, or my eyes looked like... And I wanted him to know. I wanted him to know every part of me - even the parts I was desperately trying to suppress.

I stifled a sob, blinking away the newly forming tears, and started the car. I had to get away. At least for a moment to hide somewhere away from the world and to be alone with my stormy thoughts. The car's engine roared loudly and soon I was speeding away down the road.

The panel on the dashboard read exactly 2:30 in the morning, which meant that I was truly and completely out of my mind. I've always been a night owl, but sleep has always been sacred to me. Whatever I was doing at the time, whatever my job was, there was always time and space for a quality nap. But these two weeks have been different... Every day I went to bed with the fear that when I woke up, someone else would disappear. The events of yesterday only made things worse. I considered tonight the hardest night I'd ever had. After endlessly tossing and turning in bed and suppressing visions of my friends' dead bodies, I locked myself in the bathroom for an hour and there I immersed myself in a tub of ice-cold water. Whatever I originally thought, it didn't help. My reflection didn't change, quite the opposite. After a long time, I stared in the mirror, not sure who I was looking at. It was as if something new was forming inside of me, while at the same time bringing back what I had buried a long time ago. How ridiculous and pathetic... I never thought I would be experiencing something like this. Eliza, my last real friend from high school, would definitely be very amused by my situation. If I hadn't moved away from California years ago, I'd definitely be telling her everything that's happened lately.

I drove to a meadow near my home and there, with chocolate and iced tea, I settled down on bales of straw. The sun wasn't supposed to rise for another couple of hours, but I was going to wait. I wouldn't be able to fall asleep at home anyway, and spending time in nature sounded more appealing than in the middle of the city. I snuggled into my warm jacket and the fluffy blanket I luckily had in the car, and leaned my back against a straw bale perched higher up.

The moon illuminated the wide meadow and the deep silence was broken only by the occasional hoot of an owl. It was so peaceful - the kind of peace I would like to experience all the time. At times like this, I've often imagined how simple life could be if none of this was happening. What if I were someone else? What if I had a completely different life and didn't get involved in all of this? I'd just be a regular, normal girl who falls in love with a football player from the school team in college. We'd get married, get a house and a dog, preferably a Doberman, and have a few kids. No mysteries, no disappearances, no murders. No skeletons from the past... Would that be better?

No, my head rang. As much as I'd like to erase some things from my life, I'd be empty without the rest. The idea of not knowing Jesse and the others... Not knowing Jake... There was no such version of life for me anymore, of that I was certain.

I sniffled, stuffed another piece of chocolate in my mouth, and then pulled my phone out of my pocket. After all, it was time to face my fears and finally read the new messages after a few hours.

Jessy:
Can I call you?
Are you there?
Hello, Cali?
Still nothing?
Are you okay? I'm really scared right now.
It's already evening, so I hope you just fell asleep.
Please call me as soon as you can! I'm so worried...

Dan:
You're probably just asleep, but Jessy's kinda freaking out so make sure to call her soon.
PS: If that hackerboy did something to you, I'm gonna find him and kill him. And also, if he did - I told you.

Lily:
Are you okay?
Please, please, please be online.
First Jake and now you...
I hope I'm just being dramatic.

I've had similar messages from others too. The group was literally overflowing with conspiracies about why I was absent, which made me feel extremely guilty. They didn't deserve this. My selfishness made them all fear for my safety. Meanwhile, I was just feeling sorry for myself.

Hey, guys.
I'm fine!
I'm sorry, I've been busy and... Quite frankly, I needed to rest.
I didn't mean to scare you. I'm so sorry.
I feel terrible right now.

I quickly typed in the group chat, and although I wasn't expecting it at this hour, a notification immediately beeped to let me know it had been read. Surprisingly, it was Dan who first viewed my messages. With squinted eyes, I found his profile, and before I knew it, I was dialing his number. I don't know what came over me, but as soon as i heard his voice on the other end, I felt slightly relieved. Maybe the medicine for my stress wasn't cutting off from everyone, but the exact opposite.

,,Well, well..."

I couldn't help smiling. ,,Isn't a hospital bed comfortable enough or why are you up so late?"

,,I could ask you the same question, honey. I can't get my ass out of bed all day, so I want everything but sleep. I feel like my biceps have shrunk by half in the time I've gone without moving," he hummed discontentedly while something rustled in the background.

,,Wow, you're about to be skinnier than Richy and Thomas!"

,,That's never gonna happen! I won't let that happen. Or do you think that's possible? No, of course not, that's stupid."

I pulled one straw of hay from the bale beneath me and began to play with it, but it broke in an instant under the pressure of my fingers. Fragile, I thought. Like everything else. ,,I don't think it's possible that quickly," I said to Dan, a little absently. But not many things have been possible lately, and yet they have happened.

,,Hopefully I'll be going home soon," he sighed, and then there was a tense silence for a few seconds. I suspected what he was going to say and was honestly afraid of it. ,,I'm glad you're okay."

,,Were you scared?" I didn't forgive myself, though it probably wasn't the time for such jokes.

,,Me? Hardly, more worried about the others. I don't want to be a snitch, but Richy was a bit of a softie about it."

,,And I was hoping you would shed a tear for me." I was comfortable with Dan because the conversation with him didn't always have to be completely serious. He could make fun of anything, even if he sometimes overdone it. I think he did it mostly so he wouldn't have to admit his own feelings, which I understood - now more than ever. ,,I'm sorry I scared everyone. I just..." An icy gust of wind kissed my cheek, but that wasn't the reason for my sudden shiver. I couldn't finish the sentence. I didn't even know what I wanted to say. And what I could even say.

,,Look, I'm not a good advisor, but I can listen, so talk. Daddy Dan is at your service," he said as my silence began to lengthen.

Something between a sigh and a laugh escaped my lips. ,,I don't know if I can describe it, Dan. You know, my head's a crazy mess. I don't know what to feel first. Fear, anger, joy, sadness... There's so many things, and I'm constantly mixing one emotion with another. These days, all the certainties of my life are being shaken to their foundations. I want to help as much as I can, but sometimes I feel like I'm only making things worse. I question everything, I can't sleep, and then I feel sorry for myself. One minute I'm telling myself I'm just overreacting and nothing major actually happened, and the next moment I'm blaming myself. All of a sudden, I feel... helpless, weak and lost. I can't even define my condition. And I hate these feelings more and more." I took a deep breath and the smell of hay went up to my nose. It was pleasant and relaxing, warm like a human embrace and so familiar. Although night was my element, I was momentarily overwhelmed but the desire for sun and for basking on the hot hay and watching flocks of birds in the blue sky. I longed to feel the life around me again. ,,I feel guilty for all the events of the last few days. I keep wondering how far it can go. I know this isn't just about me, but what if I could stop all of this and I just don't know how yet? If I'd done something, maybe you wouldn't be in the hospital right now. Maybe Jessy wouldn't have been attacked, Phil wouldn't have been arrested, and Jake would still be here-"

,,Hey, hey, baby, take it easy! You're starting to panic a little bit, Cali. Breathe in and out... It's gonna be okay, all right?"

I did as he said and then tried to pretend that it brought me the desired calm. ,,I'm sorry. Other than Jake, I haven't talked to anyone about how I really feel in a long time. I had forgotten that anxiety could be so strong."

,,No, no, it's okay. Look, I- Ah, fuck, I'm not good at this shit. I just... I get it, okay? Look, I and the rest of us are and will be okay, and that's mostly to your credit. Your hackerboy is annoyingly persistent, so he'll be back soon. And you don't have to beat yourself up for feeling bad about what's going on right now and needing a little break. I think all of us would like to put our feet up and forget all this. In the beginning, you were just a stranger, you had nothing to do with this, and yet you're facing it with us."

The eerily quiet landscape around me seemed to give him the benefit of the doubt. I really was a stranger at first... No one had yet been able to decipher how my number could have gotten to the others. Was it fate? Or was someone up there just taunting me? Whichever version was true, it was absurd. ,,I'm not normally too scared, do you trust me?"

,,Hell, I trust you. You're a pretty tough cookie," Dan laughed.

I grinned in amusement at his remark, though I wasn't exactly laughing. ,,But now I am... Not the typical fear, like the one of spiders or lightnings or things like that. I mean the all-consuming fear that paralyzes your mind and body and strips you of all certainty over everything you know."

,,Cali, everything that happened-"

,,It's not so much about what happened," I sighed and ran my eyes over the night landscape - peaceful, quiet, and dangerous. Bat wings fluttered in the air, their shadow cutting through the moonlight. Breathing in and out. ,,But what will happen."

,,What do you think will happen?" he asked with considerable confusion.

I longed to answer him honestly, but the thought of his reaction was discouraging. Besides, Jake should be the first one I tell everything to. And even if he didn't, Dan would surely think I'm crazy. There were no higher realms for him, he didn't believe in the ability to predict. If I told him I could feel another, many times bigger, turning point coming into our lives, he wouldn't take me seriously. He may not say it right away, but he'll think it. I didn't blame him, if I were him I would also choose the easy answers rather than those that go beyond basic human understanding. ,,There is no clear answer to that. But it won't do any good..."

,,I don't know you that depressed," Dan remarked in a nervous voice. ,,I thought you were always the only one on top of things."

I grinned and downed the rest of my iced tea in one gulp. ,,There's a lot of emotion behind a simple text, Dan." If you only knew.

,,But you're hiding a lot more than that, aren't you?"

The absurdity of his words made me laugh, which was anything but joyful. Sometime during my loud amusement, a few tears rolled down my face. I raised my hand to wipe them away and the blanket fell off my shoulders, whereupon a stinging frost enveloped my body. As we talked, I stopped noticing how cold it actually was. ,,I'm going to have to move into the warmth."

,,You've been outside all this time?" Dan blurted out in horror.

I nodded, even though he couldn't see it. ,,Yeah, can you believe it? I preferred the meadow and the straw to my own bed."

Dan was immensely amused by my situation, and as I moved my stiff, frozen body back to the car, he kept taunting me. We spent the next hour having a slightly more positive conversation. He told me about his childhood, how he met everyone in the gang, and how many jobs he's had in his lifetime. It was nice to deal with ordinary life instead of disappearances and murders, at least for a while.

Dan started teasing me again when I admitted to him that I was going to wait until dawn. He couldn't understand why I wasn't scared to be alone at night like this, and that I was willing to sacrifice valuable sleep for something I could see every day. Then he started laughing when I sent him to inappropriate places for his criticalness. ,,You're too cute when you swear. By the way, you have a very pleasant voice, Cali. I'm honored to apparently be the first one to hear it."

I rolled my eyes at him. ,,Your compliments don't serve a purpose here, my dear friend."

,,Oh, I forgot... That damn hackerboy is a lucky bastard. And if you're as good looking as you sound, he's hit the jackpot," he uttered in annoyance. ,,Would he be jealous?"

Jake? Absolutely. ,,Maybe," I shrugged.

,,Would you want him to be jealous?"

,,Dan!" I snapped in a reproachful tone. In fact, I was extremely attracted to the idea of a jealous Jake. I didn't like narcissistic men who viewed their women as their property, but the thought of Jake making my unavailability known to others was too leg-crushing. In an instant, I flushed like a crab and tried not to notice the growing heat in my lap. ,,I should go now. And you should rest."

,,Cali, you don't have to be ashamed if hackerboy makes you horny. Or maybe you should-"

,,For God's sake, Dan, just shut up!" I cursed, wanting to go hide somewhere. It was so embarrassing that Dan found me out so easily.

The idiot was making fun of me. ,,I knew it! I knew it!"

,,You're an asshole, Dan. Goodbye," I said, trying to sound cool even though I was consumed by shame and partly by Dan's infectious amusement.

,,I love you too, shameless. Good night and wet drea-" I ended the call just before him finishing those awful words. As true as they were, it was so humiliating to hear them. Plus, it only underscored the fact that Jake wasn't here. As tempting as hot fantasies about him were, he couldn't fulfill them. At least for now.

...

I don't even know how I managed to fall asleep. The position behind the wheel wasn't very comfortable and my head was full of restless thoughts. Although sleep seemed unlikely at first, in reality I was extremely exhausted and if it weren't for my ringing cell phone, I would have probably slept for another couple of hours.

I slowly widened my eyes and smiled at the sight of the pink sky and the rising sun outside the car windshield. I couldn't be mad at the caller, because he picked a great time to wake me up. I reached over to the phone on the dashboard and squinted in surprise at the display, which was lit up with a photo of a blond man.

,,Hi, Richy! Is everything okay? Why are you calling so-"

,,Cali, I'm so sorry, I don't want to wake you up and I don't want to cause a fuss, but... I'm sure this is going to sound stupid, but I think- No, I'm sure someone's watching me," he blurted out. He was distraught, his voice shaky and brimming with fear. The beauty of awaking quickly took its toll and my insides contracted again due to the growing anxiety. Richy was in danger, and he called me. And apparently he was confident that I could help him.

Chapter 2: Second Chapter

My stomach clenched to the size of a bean and the chocolate I ate almost ended up on the steering wheel. ,,What are you talking about? What's going on?"

On the other side of the call, Richy cleared his throat nervously. ,,I'm on my way to the next town to get the rest of the parts for Dan's car. I want to try to actually fix it, as crazy as that must sound considering the condition it's in. I left early enough to keep up with everything today. It's just... I've had a car following me for 15 minutes. It's going the exact same way and I can't shake it off, even though I've already done one section of the route twice. I didn't know who to call and you... You're the only one who... Damn, I just feel like you're the only one who could help me."

He trusts me. He trusted me so much, and now it was up to me not to let him down. Such a burden made my head spin. ,,Yes, Richy, of course," I nodded, even though he couldn't see it. Of course I was willing to help, the only question was: How? He was in Germany, in Duskwood, while I was in the Czech Republic and a few hours from the border. What could I possibly do? Think, think, think...

,,They had to wait for me. They knew very well when and where I would go. I just don't know why... I don't know what the hell to do," he mused aloud as my mind tried to come out of its trance. Come on, Cali, you were always good at handling situations with a cool head. ,,It's weird-" he suddenly paused, and the sound of the car engine grew louder in the background of the conversation. ,,Oh crap..."

,,What happened, Richy?" I asked, startled. My hand with the cell phone trembled.

,,Cali..." Richy let out a shaky breath. ,,They're speeding up. They're getting on my ass! What am I supposed to do? What the hell do I do?!"

The cracks in my heart widened painfully. He needed my former confidence, and he needed me to pull myself together. I've been whining every spare moment for the last few days, and that wasn't me. You helped a lot of people. And now you've done so much to help Hannah! You can do this.

I closed my eyes for a moment and sucked a good dose of air into my lungs, imagining that I was finally smoking that longed-for cigarette. ,,Richy, listen to me, okay? I need the exact location of where you are right now. I want to know every possible detail that you can notice. Clothes, skin, eyes, tattoos, voice, equipment... Any specific sign that you notice. The make, type and color of the car, and preferably the license plate. Anything at all. Can you do that?"

Richy paused. I was horrified that he noticed the uncertainty in my voice and would just give up on me. For a moment, only slow exhalations could be heard on the phone. I didn't need to see him to imagine the look on his face right now. ,,Y-Yes," he nodded, and I was relieved. ,,This must be a bad dream."

,,Richy, I know it seems impossible right now, but you have to try to calm down. You can do it. Describe to me everything you are able to see. It's very important," I replied in a soothing tone as I blindly reached into the glove compartment and pulled out a notepad and pen. ,,You. Got. This. You can do it."

I should have contacted the others, but losing even one second of my conversation with Richy was way too risky. I wish I'd come to Duskwood. If I hadn't been a coward, I could have helped Richy myself now. Maybe I could have saved him. But I wasn't there. I preferred to hide here and rely on fate to forget me. It didn't. It never forgets. It was giving me a hard time for questioning it for so long.

For a while, it looked like Richy wasn't going to talk again, and I was starting to come up with a backup plan to get the informations. If I could get home to my laptop fast enough, I might- ,,It's an SUV. An Audi Q7 to be exact, all black. The license plate is fake, not many people can tell, but the numbers are oddly shaped. Um... I don't know, it looks like there are two people inside and they're all in black," he said. ,,I'm halfway to Redlog Pines, about twenty minutes from Duskwood. We're passing through the woods now."

I frowned in confusion. ,,Two people?" I muttered as my pen flew furiously across the paper, writing down every detail. So the man without a face has an accomplice? ,,Why do you think they're following you? Have you done anything to draw attention to yourself? This morning or yesterday?" Richy may have been marked with the raven symbol, but this didn't make sense. Why would the man without a face show up now and in this way? That wasn't his style.

My friend on the other end of the phone laughed sarcastically. ,,Me? I just wanted to fix the car. How could something like that-" He suddenly paused, and I became alert.

,,What?"

,,Oh, no..." he groaned. ,,I... I posted your movement on my account yesterday. You know what I mean. #IamJake."

I almost shot out of my seat in anger. ,,You did what?!"

,,I was just trying to help! I didn't think it would catch the eye of the man without a face!" he shouted back in frustration.

Inhale, exhale. ,,Richy, we're in a situation where it's very risky for us to make ourselves visible in any way," I responded in a slightly calmer voice before running my fingers through my hair. ,,I don't know why this would make him act, but-" A small light bulb went off in my head, one that had been haunting my mind ever since Jake had disappeared. No. No, no, no, no, no.

,,But..?"

I gulped and closed my eyes for a moment. ,,Richy, this is not the man without a face." It took a lot of strength to say that realization out loud. But accepting the weight of the words that followed was even harder. ,,You may be facing the people who are chasing our hacker."

He took a shaky breath, his dismay almost palpable. ,,Who disappeared not long ago," he added, and I nodded sadly, though he couldn't see it. If only Jake were here. He would have helped us. His computer could do more than me. ,,Cali, do you think... Do you think that they got him?"

The words hurt even though they had flashed through my mind just seconds ago. I took a shuddering breath while my fingers were just inches away from snapping the pen in half. ,,The answer to that question scares me," I admitted with a lump forming in my throat. I was back to where I was before the phone call with Dan. Completely fucked.

Apart from the hum of the car in the background, silence fell between us for a minute. The kind of silence that tears your ears more than a screaming crowd. The kind of silence in which people accept irreconcilable things. We were so far apart, each in our own vehicle, and without ever seeing each other in person, yet I felt like I was sitting right next to Richy. Like we were just inches away from each other, watching both of our worlds crumble. I should have continued to look for helpful details, I should have asked questions and kept calm. But any thought of Jake caused me to fall into some kind of strange delirium, and my only source of energy was self-pity. I couldn't shake it.

,,Okay," Richy spoke suddenly, taking a deep breath. ,,If something you could track and trace managed to get into their car, would that mean there's a chance of finding your hacker?"

The words stuck in my throat at first. ,,What are you talking about?"

,,My watch. It's connected to my cell phone. If I hide the phone here somewhere and get the watch in their car, you should be able to track it wherever they go."

,,But how would you want to do that?" I blurted out just before his words started to make sense to me. ,,Hold on..."

,,I'll get it to them. I can make it."

I angrily threw my notepad on the dashboard. The damn thing was as useless as Richy's idea. ,,Are you crazy? Absolutely not. Forbidden, not allowed, denied, prohibited," my voice echoed through the car. ,,You're not risking your life for such madness!"

Richy laughed briefly. ,,And what hasn't been crazy in the last few days? This might help. If we don't find Jake, the chances of finding Hannah will be a thousand times less."

,,You can't sacrifice yourself like that! What if Jake's just hiding? You'd be kidnapped for nothing!" I shook my head in disapproval. ,,We have no certainty. I just won't let you do it."

There's that laugh again. It's like nothing's really happening. He put his own fears aside and just laughed, willing to do anything to help me. ,,What else do you want to do, huh? If they just wanted to watch me, they wouldn't do it so blatantly. They're gonna kidnap me whether you want them to or not, Cali. And since I don't see you anywhere near, I guess you can't stop it," he said conciliatorily while I muttered curses.

,,Are you even listening to yourself?" Suddenly there was a loud bang and squealing brakes in the background of the conversation. ,,What was that?!"

Richy swore something softly before the sounds stopped. ,,They shot my tire," he said after a moment, his breathing quickening. ,,I told you. Even if I tried, I couldn't get away. There's no other way, Cali."

,,No! There has to be!" I shouted, hitting the steering wheel with my fist. There was a sudden noise on the phone, and Richy's voice sounded strangely muffled the next moment. ,,No, no, no! Richy, please! We'll come up with a better plan! Please!"

He was smiling sadly, I knew it. I could feel the resignation in his voice, and the nervousness that must have made his hands shake. ,,Two tall men in black suits came out of the car now. The cell phone is hidden. I turned off the sound so they wouldn't find it. You might even hear something that will help you," he said slowly, his voice distant, as if he wasn't really there. I stared blankly at the rising sun behind the windshield, shaking my head. This wasn't happening. It couldn't be real. I couldn't lose another person. ,,I'm sorry, Cali. I trust you as much as you should trust yourself. I'll see you soon."

The cell phone was hidden in something that muffled every sound, making the following events very difficult to identify. A knock on the door... And bum. If my guess was correct, someone had broken into the car. Cursing, blunt blows and screams. The sound of a struggle. And then silence. I put my hand over my mouth and sobbed. ,,Richy..."

I was useless. Instead of helping, I drove my own friend to self-sacrifice. This wasn't fun, these people weren't just anyone. If these were indeed Jake's stalkers, then they were professionals. Government agents that even Jake was often short on, even though we thought of him as a god. How was I supposed to free two people from someone like that?

I looked desperately at the red end-of-call icon, unwilling to press it and fully admit to myself that Richy was gone. That he'd gotten kidnapped and was counting on me to save him. I sobbed again as a tear rolled down my cheek, the taste of it lingering on my lip. My finger levitated over the icon for a good five minutes. Pull yourself together.

A noise interrupted my train of thought. It was like someone had broken into the car again, turning its interior upside down. ,,There's nothing here!" someone growled in a deep voice, and the sound cut to the core of my being, like Richy's despair.

,,That's not possible. Have you looked everywhere?" someone else joined in. The man either had laryngeal cancer or was addicted to cigarettes because his vocal cords were making a strange rasping sound.

,,Of course I did, but it's more whitewashed than the other guy's," he said angrily, then sighed. The other guy? ,,Well... At least this time we don't have to dig through cables. Cars are better than computers," he added almost in disgust.

My system paused. Their voices paralyzed my body. Like poison, they tore through my circulatory system, crushing my heart in their tight grip. ,,Do you think one of them will be him?" The other man spoke again.

,,I don't know, let's see who the others come back with. Now we have to get out of here."

,,Release the handbrake. If the car goes into the woods, they'll notice it much later."

And suddenly they were gone. Just a screech and a noise and then a crash as the car hit something hard. I slowly shook my head and put my phone down on the passenger seat, still not having the courage to end the call. My hands shot up, fingers in my hair, wanting to rip it all out. The rising sun was no longer beautiful, only a reminder that another one of the days of hell was beginning. It was almost as if I could hear it laughing. The sound vibrated through my insides and only increased the level of tension inside the car. A bead of cold sweat ran down my back as the little electronic device next to me rattled a few times. It only took another second for it to sink in. The laughter was real and it was coming from the phone.

I slowly turned my head, my brain completely dysfunctional, trying to assess the chances that this was all just a nightmare. A stupid nightmare that I would soon wake up from. Richy would still be safe in Duskwood, Jake in the safety of his hideout and no man without a face or pursuers in sight. But the sound didn't stop. It just kept coming out of the microphone and getting louder. A mad, sickening laugh that only made my madness grow.

,,Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" I shouted angrily towards the phone, tears falling onto the gearshift. It was stupid, my phone couldn't answer. No one could hear me on the other side due to Richy muting me. Not to mention the fact that no one was there. There couldn't have been. ,,This is not real... None of it," I mumbled, then buried my face in my hands and just cried.

I don't know what I was hoping for but certainly not what happened next. One moment the laughter stopped and the next it was replaced by a voice that nearly tore the speaker apart with its coarseness. ,,But it is. And you know it," he said. The atmosphere was suddenly different - cold and dark. And I knew that feeling very well. My hands dropped into my lap in shock, the remnants of tears right behind them. ,,They will die, Cali. Every last one of them. You should admit that, too."

Three beeps. The call ended. And I just stared blankly ahead. My pulse was slowing down eerily and the blood in my veins was getting colder by the second. As if perhaps my body could no longer take all the despair and stress. As if it knew full well that if it gave it free rein, it would completely destroy me. My head was suddenly empty. Everything turned into nothing.

He's real. It started to dawn on me a few days ago. Actually, it thought about it at the beginning of all this, but I didn't want to admit that such a thing could be true. Eventually, though, like always, it caught up with me. The man without a face was a demon and he was real. And he knew about me. He knew who I was. Or at least he suspected it. He's real. Just like the past you tried to forget.

In all the emptiness and coldness, anger began to rise. And for a moment, it seemed to become something tangible. An arrow that pierced my heart and broke all the panic that had been growing in it. The arrowhead rang against the hard shell of something old, almost forgotten. My own heartbeats rumbled in my ears, their pace agonizingly slow. From a stagnant state, the cogs in my head suddenly shifted to a different, long-rusted configuration. A humming sound rang in my ears, and somewhere in the background of it, a thin voice was gaining strength. It's time, it urged me. It was as if a piece of a mirror had appeared in my soul that I had refused to look into for years. But the urge to stop resisting that part of me grew with each passing day since I'd become involved in the case of Hannah Donfort's disappearance. And the events of the last few days may have been proof that further denial was pointless. Whatever the case, it was now time for the other Cali to take control - the original Cali, who had always done her job very well. It was foolish to ever think that I could bury her and forget everything. Without her, my hopes of fighting man without a face were almost non-existent.

I sniffled and wiped the remnants of my tears on my sleeve before reaching for my phone. Hannah sent my number to her friends. I was the one Jake trusted with informations that could put him in danger. I was the one Richy called when he needed help. Enough with the self-pity and depression. A few days ago, I decided to help. It was time to actually follow through on that promise.

With my jaw clenched tight, I dialed Thomas's number. It didn't matter that it was early in the morning. This couldn't wait a minute longer. ,,Cali?" He muttered sleepily when he answered the call. ,,What-"

,,No time for explanations. Grab someone and head down the main road towards Redlog Pines. You'll find Richy's car somewhere on the edge of the woods near the road there," I began, not giving him any space to even wake up. ,,Get him back to Roger's Garage and find his cell phone in it, Richy hid it somewhere. Don't tamper with it until I give you further instructions."

,,Woah, woah, wait-"

,,No time, Thomas! Just do as I say. I'll explain everything later!" I interrupted him again, this time in a more forceful voice. ,,Be careful. I'll be in touch soon," I added with a sigh and hung up without waiting for his reaction.

I turned my face to the windshield and stared straight into the rising rays of daylight for a moment before I decided to run my gaze down the list of contacts. Sometimes I thought it wasn't the moon that sent us into nightmares, but the sun. Its beauty was an illusion. A veil under which evil lurked. With a deep breath, I opened the car door and stepped out. The blanket stayed on the seat and the cold wind bit into the skin of my neck. But the cold outside could not overcome the chill that spread through my body and soul like a plague.

It took me a good minute to refocus again and dial the number that had been lying idle in my phone for seven long years. The call was answered almost immediately, as if perhaps she had been waiting for just this moment. ,,That can't be possible..." gasped the woman on the other end.

,,Hi, Chelsea," I uttered nervously with a small smile. Hearing her voice after so long was both nice and sad at the same time. ,,I'm sorry, I know it's sudden... I need help."

Chapter 3: Third Chapter

The cold wind tugged at my hood, pulling it off my head, while the first drops of rain tried to seep through the many layers of clothing. A flash of lightning lit up the night sky above the dense forest, thunder rumbling a moment later. As if the weather itself knew what was about to happen. As if it was warning me to think it all through carefully. Because there was no way I could come out of this without consequences.

But I had already made up my mind. From the moment the man without a face revealed his true nature. From the moment I swore I would stop whining like a little girl and actually try to change something. Nothing could undo that decision.

I sighed. Warm breath beneath my balaclava rose up to my eyes, hidden under the black nylon. I huffed in annoyance and rubbed at my eyelids through the fabric. I hadn’t worn this many layers even seven years ago. It was uncomfortable, but necessary if I wanted to make sure not a single part of my body was visible. My light hair was slicked back, gelled tightly under the nylon, all of it hidden beneath the hood so not a single strand could slip free. Every piece of clothing was black, brand new, unwashed - their purpose beginning and ending here. When I’m done here, all those rags will end up in the fire. Gloves, vest, boots… everything.

It was crucial that nothing on me could be traced or identified. No scent, no specific details, no hint of femininity. Nothing. Every piece of clothing was men’s and one size larger than necessary. At first glance, I simply looked like a well-disguised man, but apart from that, nothing else was identifiable. In my chest pocket I carried only a flea-market Swiss army knife, a flash drive and a small signal jammer. My phone and everything else were locked safely in my car, miles away. Out here it was just me and a few trinkets. I hadn’t spent an entire week planning this, day and night, for nothing. I hadn’t unlocked a bunch of forgotten doors just to let tonight’s mission go to hell before it even began.

When a sharp command rang out from the property ahead, I ducked lower behind a bush. Just as Chelsea had said, the building before me was large, though not as large as one might first expect. It was clear it hadn’t stood here long, everything about it looked too modern, too new. Maybe since the search for Jake began… I shook my head sharply. Now wasn’t the time for emotions. I had to focus on the mission I had set for myself. Richie’s life was on the line. And Jake’s too. If he was really inside that building... You can do this, Cali, I reminded myself just as I had the whole way here. Coming back into action was brutal, both mentally and physically. Sure, I’d never stopped working out, the gym had always been my escape but it had been years since I’d put my skills to real use. My body simply didn’t look the same as it used to. My thighs and waist had filled out a little over the years, and at just 160 centimeters tall, my figure could no longer be called exactly athletic. Maybe that added to the depression.

It was strange. Once, I used to do things like this every day - running into danger willingly, even eagerly. Now it took everything just to steady my heartbeat. Of course… This is different. A different kind of mission. Different stakes. I inhaled shakily. It was true I had never taken on an assignment like this before. Especially not one entangled with the FBI. That had never been my domain. My past job had always dealt with things less… tangible. Going against the government was new territory. And doing it alone? Fuck.

Finding them had been hard enough. Infiltrating them, and getting my friends out alive… That was going to be a thousand times harder. Chelsea hadn’t even wanted to help me at first. Same with Walter, and Olivia. No one had, really. But I guessed all my old friends eventually realized my return wasn’t just some whim. The situation was serious. I wouldn’t have broken my promise never to see them again if it hadn’t been for something big. And Richie and Jake? They were a lot. A lot more than I wanted to admit.

To summarize the last week… Thomas eventually gave in and, together with Cleo, found Richie’s car. After a long search they even found his phone, well hidden inside the seat. Chelsea handled the rest. She wasn’t Jake, but she was good - good enough to unlock the phone and trace it through its connection to his smartwatch. By the time I was ready to leave, Thomas had already rushed to the location. But all he found were the abandoned watches on the roadside. Our biggest lead cut off too soon. Still, Chelsea managed to break into the German police system and before long we had traffic camera footage tracking a black Audi Q7 from that last location. When the trail finally ran cold, Chelsea scoured the area frame by frame until she found a property with no listed owner. No details, just suspiciously large grounds. We knew that had to be the place. But if my friends were really being held there, they wouldn’t be kept long. This couldn’t be a main FBI facility. Just a stopover, a holding site. Which meant I had to move fast.

The property was big but there was no time to scout every detail. Chelsea had tried but cracking the FBI system wasn’t something she could just pull off. It would take too long, and she might end up like Jake. And though I’d avoided it from the start, in the end there was no choice but to call Olivia - the one person I hadn’t parted ways with on good terms. Riskier than all the other steps, but unavoidable.

,,Seven years, Cali. After seven years of silence you call me at half past five in the morning? Are you fucking kidding me?” Olivia had snapped over the phone five days ago when I finally called. ,,I’m sorry… YOU NEED WHAT?!” she roared after I explained what I wanted. Talking about my plan on the phone was risky, but knowing her, her calls were surely ironclad secure.

,,Oli, please. Without you I don’t stand a chance.”

Convincing her was one of the hardest parts of my plan. It took a full hour and a contract signed in blood, but I did it. Olivia used to be an agent, but now she's been sitting in a high chair for several years and forgot about the action faster than I did. For our safety, she couldn’t give me direct intel but she could quietly slip Chelsea access to certain documents. ,,You know I won’t protect you if this goes south, right?” she’d warned when I got the encrypted link from an unknown number. That was enough to let Chelsea start piecing together every shred of information we could find about our target.

I smiled sadly and nodded, though she couldn’t see me. ,,I know,” I whispered. It was hard to keep my emotions in check when the cause of them felt so close. ,,I’m sorry.” For everything.

,,I know,” Olivia sighed, and hung up. After that, and after a brief breakdown, I was able to return to the planning that had been occupying my mind from dawn to dusk.

When the planning was nearing the end, there was one last thing to deal with: I had to get the others out of Duskwood for a while. I couldn’t risk the FBI showing up there now, or right after I tried to free the boys, and taking the rest of my friends. So I called Walter. He’d been a military pilot, now making a living renting out properties. His price was high, especially for discretion, but luckily he’d always had a soft spot for me. The group had resisted at first, especially since I told them so little. But in the end, they agreed. Knowing they were safe, hidden somewhere no one would ever think to look, gave me at least a shred of peace.

And so here I was, crouched in the bushes just a stone’s throw from the building where Richie and Jake were likely being kept. From the kidnappers’ conversation I’d overheard a week ago, it sounded like if they did have Jake, they weren’t certain of his identity. That played into my hands. Thanks to #IAmJake, they might never know which of those people was the real hacker. Then again, it could also mean Jake wasn’t here at all. But I still hadn’t received a single word from him. And that couldn’t mean anything good.

I sighed one last time and adjusted the collar of my jacket. The yard in front of the building suddenly stood empty because the night patrol had moved off on their round. Which meant it was time. I scanned the area and then slipped from behind the bushes. I slid through the shadows of the trees, my black clothing blending with the night, the rain muffling my steps. I dodged the pools of lamplight and the blind spots between cameras Chelsea had studied and was now covertly monitoring. She couldn’t shut them off, that would be too suspicious, but if I happened to appear on a recording, she could discreetly edit me out.

I reached the wire fence surrounding the property. Climbing it was no issue, the problem was the live electric wire strung along the top. From my pocket I pulled one of the few items I’d brought - a pocket watch. No phones, no gadgets. The only way to communicate with Chelsea was through synchronized time. Every minute had a clearly set course. And in this one, the electric current powering the fence was supposed to cut out for a moment. The crackle of electricity died out, and I immediately lunged forward.

,,I can’t shut it down for long. This is the FBI, everything looks suspicious to them. Can you do it in thirty seconds?” Chelsea didn't believe me when I confidently replied that even in fifteen. Maybe I should’ve been more modest because I cleared the fence just a heartbeat before the wires began crackling again. I exhaled, checking my suit for any damage, then pushed on. The patrol would be back soon so there was no time to waste.

The complex had three main parts: two two-story wings on the sides, and a long central building between them. I needed the first floor of one of the side wings - luckily, the one closest to me. Sadly, the only way in was through a vent. Which was on the roof. No ladder, no handy beams or windows. Just a mess of pipes and cables crawling up the corner. I dashed to them, hiding in the shadows until the nearby camera turned away. Now or never. I gripped the cold metal and pulled myself up. The rain made everything slick, slowing me down. I hooked a leg around another brace and climbed higher. Just before reaching the edge of the roof, my foot suddenly slipped, and I barely managed to catch myself in time and avoid falling down. With a shaky exhale, I glanced down at the drop, then back up toward my goal. The camera would swing back any second. If I wanted to save my friends, I couldn’t afford to be caught this soon. I needed to get up there, even though the risk of falling was big enough to make a person turn away. Damn it, the risk of everything that could have happened here today would have discouraged a sane person enough not to even try to get here.

,,Fuck,” I muttered when I finally hauled myself onto the roof. My body hadn’t moved like this in years, and it showed. Suddenly, the gym seemed useless. Panting, I crouched low, in case someone could see me. Thankfully, the vent was right ahead. And it stared at me like the hungry maw of hell.

…

It took forever before I finally got somewhere through the duct, and even longer before the couple making out disappeared from the room below me. Romance, it seemed, wasn’t dead even among soulless hyenas. Of course, I didn't hold it against them. And I certainly didn't blame them for the fact that while they were enjoying themselves, I had to stick my neck out to have at least a chance of experiencing something similar. Purely theoretical. No one in particular… just a thought.

I dropped down onto a table with a soft thud, then stretched on tiptoe to pull the vent cover shut behind me. I looked around carefully. Bingo. I’d gotten lucky, unbelievably lucky. Because this was the server room. I’d known it had to be somewhere in here, but I hadn’t expected to stumble across it right away.

I grinned under the nylon, scanning the rows of towering machines. This was where the information lived - the kind that endangered me and my friends. The air stank of scorched wires, and the cold was worse than outside thanks to the cooling systems. But this was exactly where I wanted to be. Where I needed to be. This could help a lot.

I hadn’t counted on making it here tonight, but Chelsea and I had prepared just in case. As I moved toward the humming servers, my fingers fished the flash drive from my pocket and slipped it into one of the many ports. I couldn’t wipe the whole system - that would set off alarms across this facility, and the entire FBI and we could get into a lot of deep, uncomfortable shits. But I could tap into it, give Chelsea access and let her erase as much as she could about Jake and the others. Even if only part. Without anyone noticing right away.

While the flash drive did its work for next few minutes, I kept moving. I moved to the glass door in the corner of the room that I had noticed and carefully opened it. Behind them was another, smaller room that looked exactly like a typical police evidence room. Except this one held just three boxes. My heart skipped a beat as my eyes dropped to the Anonymous mask sitting on top of one. There are countless similar masks in the world. They are all the same, indistinguishable from one another. And yet I was absolutely certain who this one belonged to. I tried not to shake as my fingers reached for the dirty piece of plastic. ,,No…” I whispered. There was blood on it. His blood. Even though I had never seen him and knew his personality only through the messages. I had never had the chance to touch him, to find out what he smelled like or what his voice sounded like. I didn't know him at all, and yet I knew him well enough. And still I was sure. Something inside me knew it. It was his. And just these few drops of red were enough to stain my whole world the same color. The rest of the box wasn’t any help to my rising anger - his backpack, his cracked laptop, his hoodie. Everything he must have had on him when they caught him.

I clenched my teeth. I’d been battling my own mind for years, but this was different. Harder. I knew these things would only slow me down. I knew I needed to move, and fast. But leaving pieces of Jake behind? I couldn’t. Not when they could only add to the evidence stacked against him. With a sigh, I stuffed item after item into the backpack, then slung it over my shoulders. The mask didn’t fit inside, so it lingered in my hands for a few more seconds. I stared at it, as if his face might be behind it, and smiled faintly under my own disguise. My fingers traced the molded lips. Maybe it would slow me down, maybe it would ruin my plan. But nothing compared to the fear of not even trying.

With the flash drive back in my pocket, the backpack on my shoulders, and the Anonymous mask over my face, I moved on. This time, the only way forward was through the hallway. And that was going to be trickier than crawling through vents. But whatever today had in store for me, the only acceptable outcome was success. Fear and uncertainty no longer dominated me. Suddenly, there was only anger and the power lurking in my veins. And to satisfy it, I was going to raze this building to the ground. To let the world know that I was back.