Ronnie Anne sat in her cell after the conversation with N who talked about some apprentice and master. She knew that they weren't human or maybe they were at some point, but changed into these things. She hated how N used her bond with her mother to get a raise out of her, but at the time...she felt like they would also trap her mother in this unknown place with her. Though she was cut off from these thoughts when another creature similar to N walked in.

"Oh great, it's another one of you...." Ronnie Anne said before this

Alternates. 

"Okay, it's another one of you, alternates? What are you planning to do to me?" Ronnie Anne asked.

As my associate explained, you are a bargaining chip to control our Master's apprentice. Once they begin their duties then we will also turn you into one of us. 

"W..What? I can't become one of you..." Ronnie Anne said before the alternate started to laugh. She felt her blood boil after hearing that laugh since they were clearly liking her distress over this entire situation.

Anything is possible. We even turned three people already and you should've been how they reacted once they saw their new, superior forms.

"Three people have already been captured and turned. Which means...." Ronnie Anne began before the alternate continued.

Relax, you won't turn into one of us...yet. Besides, you should be honored to be one of the few people who will join us in this new era unlike some others.

"Honored? Why would I feel honored about that? You captured me, threw me in jail and are planning to turn me into one of you. What part of that should I be honored about?" Ronnie Anne said.

How typical, it's just like humanity to be blind to the bigger picture. You will be one of the people that we will spare while killing some others like that red haired boy who expired after his alternate encounter.

"Red haired boy? You can't possibly be talking about a boy named Chandler...right?" Ronnie Anne said.

Was that his name? We never bother to remember our victims after we had our fun with them. Not like it mattered since his death showed our newest recruits what their duty and purpose is.

"YOU MONSTERS!" Ronnie Anne yelled which caused the alternate to chuckle.

Oh please, this is our way of life. We choose a target, enter their homes, drive them M.A.D and watch their demise as hopes for rescue dim with each passing day. You will also do this someday when our master decides that you're ready to join us.

"I'll never join you." Ronnie Anne said.

Silly girl, you don't have a choice in the manner.

After saying that, the alternate left leaving Ronnie Anne alone once again in her cell. She couldn't help herself from thinking how she got tangled up in this mess. Getting kidnapped by that thing on the TV, being placed in a cell and getting taunted by these alternates. Alternates who lived to drive people past the point of no return by using their words. 

It didn't help that they used them to kill Chandler who may be the first victim in Royal Woods. No sooner has that thought came, another more horrifying thought came into her mind. Does this mean that her family...could be next? She didn't want to image it since she loved them so much despite how they get on her nerves sometimes. She had to get out of this cell and save them...though she doubts that she could get away and save the world from these alternates.

At the same time, Sarah was busy looking for suspicious activity happening on the internet. Sure, there were easier ways to learn information, but because the police didn't want to alarm anyone...trying to get information is tricky. She never liked the police since they decided to leave her poor brother to his demise. They were never going to help with this investigation and would just continue to pretend that someone could get help with alternates. (Note: Sarah hates the emergency services cause they never helped Mark with the alternate tormenting him)

"I can't believe that the police would be that useless..." she grumbled before seeing an article from a place called...Royal Woods? She has never heard of this town since she basically stayed in Mandela County. Despite this, the contents of the article were intriguing. It said that a boy was found dead by mysterious circumstances after being left alone for days. It then went on to tell about two local kidnappings in the same area which caused her eyebrow to raise. 

"Could it be..." she said. If this town was being plagued by alternates then it's a great lead to figure out what happened to her Mark, Jonah and Adam along with these two missing kids. She just needed to wait for Caesar to get out of the hospital and they can head on over. Though...she can't help herself from feeling like this case would become more complicated. 

Hopefully it would be nothing that she can't handle with Caesar, but life is never that easy.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter...Bye 👋