I'm lying flat on the ground with my cheek pressed against cold concrete. There is a bitter taste in my mouth that reminds me of medicine. My entire body is sore and feels as if a car ran over me multiple times. Things are a little foggy at first but pieces start coming back to me. I remember going to Blake's house and getting a call from Todd.

He seemed really upset on the phone and was acting suspicious. Was it his car that drove up to the warehouse? That part is still a little blurry.

Sitting up, my heart pounding, I am shocked to find my hand cuffed to a metal beam. I tug at in vain as I take in my surroundings, a crowded and dark basement. The only window is shattered completely, allowing a chill to seep into the tiny space.

Suddenly, there is someone behind me and my spine lights up in fear. Blake drops in front of me, placing a hand on my mouth and bringing a finger to his lips. I struggle against his grip, tears brimming in my eyes.

"Stop it, Audrey!" he hisses against my ear. "I'm not going to hurt you!" His hair is wet and there are cuts on his hands. "God dammit! I didn't believe it was them. I had my suspicions but never knew for sure."

I manage to pull my face away from him. "What the hell is going on?" He gestures to keep my voice down, turning to look up the set of stairs. "You were there, weren't you?" Hurt, strong and immediate, flashes across his face.

He responds by pulling his sweater off and running a hand across his bicep. "If you're asking whether I killed your mom, I didn't."

Relief spreads through my body and I let out a breath. "I was confused. Your grandma said some things and then I found-"

"Save it for later," he replies coldly. "Right now, we have to get out of here." Blake brings his attention to the cuffs, tugging at it lightly before standing up. He stars rummaging around the tiny basement for something to use while I sit there, feeling guilty and dizzy.

My conversation with Todd surfaces through the haze. "It was Todd," I mumble to myself. Blake nods meekly. "He killed my mom." We both look up the stairs when someone yells, holding our breaths. A whole minute passes by before I am able to speak. "How did you find me?" I ask softly.

"I thought I messed up, said something stupid and lost the best thing in my life. I needed to clear my head so I went to my place." His words sting, fueling the guilt. "Just as I walked up to the warehouse, I saw Todd's car drive past. I also found your phone." Blake slips my phone out from his pocket, flashing it at me before tucking it away.

"We have to call the cops!" Adrenaline is coursing through my veins, knocking me into my senses just as Blake proudly yields a screwdriver.

"Don't you think I thought of that!" His forehead is lined with sweat even though the base basement is cold. "Phone is dead. And calling the cops might not be so helpful in this situation."

I don't have a chance to ask him what he means by that. There is rustling near the door upstairs, causing Blake to freeze and scramble behind a stack of crates. "I'll get us out of here, I promise," he whispers, disappearing behind the shadows.

The door opens and the basement is briefly shrouded with light. My heart pounds as a tall figure dressed in black descends down the stairs. On his head he's wearing a dark woolly ski-mask and in one hand he's balancing a tray of food.

This doesn't feel real, it's almost as if I have been plucked up from Toronto and catapulted back in time to Oakville. It's him, it's the guy who shot my mom. A fit of rage overtakes me and I grab for Todd's head.

"You bastard! I know it's you." Todd takes a step back, losing his footing and spilling the contents of the tray. I lunge for him again but stop in my tracks when he levels a gun at me.

"Yo, Hunter! She knows it's me!" Todd removes his mask and finally meets my gaze. Falling to my knees, I look back at the past few months in agony. My mom's killer had been near me all this time, he pretended to be my friend, made me care about him and then dug a knife into my back.

A burly man rushes down the stairs, one who isn't wearing a ski mask. He looks like an older version of Todd, except more buff and rough around the edges. He helps Todd off the floor and sneers at me, striking fear into my hear. This must be the other guy, the one who intimidated the kid and shot me. A sharp feeling radiates across my leg at the thought.

"How could you?" I ask, my mouth feeling like sandpaper and my insides turning to liquid. I'm not expecting a straight response from them. Why did people do what they did? What compelled people to hurt or kill others?

"I didn't mean to kill your mom," Todd says quickly, flashing his palms at me. It doesn't do much to reduce my worries because he's still firmly holding the gun. "It was an accident." There is genuine remorse spread across his thin features but it doesn't make any of this okay.

"Shut the fuck up," the man, who must be Todd's older brother, mutters. They bicker for a few minutes, showing their lack of coordination. Through the exchange it also becomes apparent that the other kid involved in the robbery had fled the country months ago.

I'm blown away by the fact that Detective Glenda hasn't traced down these two idiots yet. The shear lack of judgment shakes me to my core. My eyes briefly meet Blake's who is watching me intently. How the hell did Todd and Hunter manage to get away with it for so long?

My question is answered when a familiar face stomps down the stairs. Grey eyes, surrounded by dark shadows sweep the entire space before landing on the broken window. "There is someone here," Detective Miller declares.

Blake's statement makes sense now. A corrupt cop is on Todd's side, one who is charming and can easily persuade any cops that knock on the door to look elsewhere. His every move is calculated and he projects a level of ease only possible for someone who is a seasoned professional. Gone is the rookie act he put on at my apartment.

Hunter and Todd frown as they spin around like pinatas, searching for the intruder. "No!" I yell when they drag Blake out from behind the crates. A quick and hard jab to Blake's temple knocks him out cold. He falls to the floor like a rag doll when his limbs go slack.

I start screaming and thrashing about, hoping that someone might hear me outside and call for help. My attempts are thwarted by Todd's half-brother, who slaps his hand across my mouth and squeezes. "Another word and he's dead," he says into my ear. "Do you understand, sweetheart?"

I nod and he removes his hand away, keeping his gaze locked on me. It all makes sense now. Todd and his brother had someone on the inside helping them, ensuring their safety and preventing their arrest. Tears stream down my cheeks as they cuff Blake's limp body to the banister.

"What are you going to do with us?" I ask.

The cop, who his brothers refer to as Ty, tucks his hands into his coat and tilts his head. Light from outside bounces across his features, giving him a ghost-like complexion. "I've risked everything to keep my brothers safe. Can't let you ruin everything."

"This is wrong, Detective. You could lose your job over this." My voice is low, almost a whisper and there is a slight tremor there.

Ty snorts, shaking his head. "You're stupid if you think I don't know that. But family always comes first." Reasoning with him is useless, he's too far gone at this point. Ty pauses at the stairs, where Blake is stirring. There is no hesitation when Ty brings his foot back and kicks Blake in the gut. "You try anything, I'll kill him." The threat is enough to keep me quiet.

My fingers curl into fists and jaw tightens at the sight of Blake writhing in pain. Todd looks away, one hand on his neck. While his brothers climb the stairs, he lingers, caught feeling something between sympathy and fear. His brothers call to him and in a heartbeat, he is gone. It's quiet again except for Blake's groans as he adjusts himself on the floor.

***

Almost an hour passes by before someone comes down to the basement again. It's Todd, holding another tray of food which he carefully sets in front of me. Red, hot anger courses through my veins at Todd's kindness and I flip the tray over, causing the glass to shatter. Todd flinches but doesn't retaliate, choosing instead to pick up the broken pieces.

Blake is sitting up now, holding a dirty rag to his head. We had spent the last hour going over potential escape plans. A nod from Blake, the signal to put the plan into action. "I need to pee," I say to Todd.

He steps back, scratches his head and glances up the stairs. Things may have turned out differently for Todd if his brother wasn't Hunter. Todd looks up to his brothers and would do anything they said, including robbing a convenience store for hijinks. It almost makes me feel bad for him, almost.

"I have to ask my brother," he mutters. My heart leaps to my throat, preparing to call it quits and accept our painful end.

Blake snorts, tossing the rag to the side. "Of course, you do! You're a little shit who can't think for himself." The comment is a haphazardly shot arrow that hits its' target. Todd whirls around and stares Blake down, daring him to utter another word. I don't miss the bulge in his sweater pocket.

His entire body seems to collapse in on itself before he leaves the basement. For a brief moment, I think our plan has failed but then Todd returns with the keys for the cuffs. "You have to be quick. My brothers are out in the garage and will be back any minute." That's all the information I need to put phase 2 into action.

As soon as Todd removes my cuffs, I lunge at him and try to rustle the gun away from him. He swears and attempts to grab at my hand. Todd is much bigger and stronger than me but I have the element of surprise on my side. He struggles at first but once the gun is in my hands, he stops moving.

My pulse quickens and palms sweat as I point the gun at a shocked Todd. He's on the ground, eyes wide and full of overwhelming fear. The world around me fades away but I have never felt more control of my life than right this moment. No one ever taught me to use a gun but it seemed easy enough. Pull the trigger and the boy who killed my mom would get hurt, simple. Todd would get what he deserved.

Blake's pleading shakes me from my vengeful fantasies. Todd looks up at me with a smug expression, glancing briefly at Blake before speaking. "She would never pull the trigger. She is too nice."

"Shut the fuck up!" I spit, raising the gun to his head. A hush falls over the basement as the two boys stare at me in shock. My vision is starting to blur and the gun is slipping from my hands. I want so badly to pull the trigger. "My entire world exploded when you murdered my mom. You should pay for your crime."

"He's not worth it, Audrey," Blake says, keeping his voice calm and to a whisper. "You're better than this. You're better than them." His eyes meet mine and they are enough to pull me away from the edge.

Todd should pay for his role in the robbery but not like this. Shooting him isn't the solution. "Give Blake the keys!" He doesn't move right away, which lights me ablaze. "Now!" He glares at me as he tosses the keys to Blake. "Handcuff yourself to the beam." He doesn't protest to the request, just makes a show of cuffing himself to the beam. Staring at the butt of a gun is making Todd more compliant than usual.

As soon as Blake is free from the cuffs, he wraps his arms around me and pulls me in. Grabbing gently at my wrist, he tugs the gun away from me. It's a relief to be free of the weapon but the desire for revenge lingers. Blake leads me up the stairs and I look down at Todd for the last time. A hollowed-out boy resembling a scarecrow stares back at me. "I'm sorry for everything," he mumbles just as we reach the top of the stairs.

I'm an empty cocoon being led through the dark hallways of Todd's house. We press ourselves near a wall in the kitchen, listening for any sounds. Blake brushes his lips against my temple before leading me outside through the back door. The cold air whips against our legs but we don't stop. Even when we hear the sirens, we keep running, weaving between parked cars.

A sound like a fire cracker stops me in my tracks. Blake's grip loosens and he falls to his knees, bringing me down with him. Blood gushes from his shoulder down his back, staining his hoodie. Ty is standing a few feet away, a gun hanging at his side. He raises it again and I close my eyes, hoping for a quick end.

The bullet doesn't come. Tyler is no longer there.