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Chapter Text

When the parents came home from church, all their children were gone.

They searched and called them, they cried and begged but it was all to no avail.

The children have never been seen again.

What the fuck did it mean?

Ethan had read through the letter two dozen times by now, hoping against hope that some clue would come clear. Was it advice? A warning?

How could any of this have happened?

He'd been right fucking there. In arm's reach of Shaun, but his blackout...

He should have warned Grace. Should have told her that Shaun wasn't safe with him. How could he protect his son if he never knew when his mind would retreat into that nightmare world of surging water and dead children?

And now...

Now...

Shaun was gone, and it was Ethan's fault.

Just like Jason.

Except...

Maybe the letter was a clue. An invitation from the Origami Killer to save Shaun.

Ethan's gaze flicked to the bedraggled paper dog sitting on his desk. He'd woken on the street with it cupped in his palm. Confused and panicked, he hadn't been ready to consider the implications.

But what if Ethan had written the letter? What if he was the Origami Killer?

He shook his head, unable to accept the idea, wiping at the tears streaking his cheeks. No. No, he loved Shaun. With all his heart, all his soul. He wouldn't...couldn't...hurt him.

But his dream. The water...

He reached for the envelope, studying the typewritten letters on the front. If Ethan had mailed it to himself, then where had he gotten access to a typewriter? He didn't know anyone who owned one.

Wait...

There was something else inside the envelope. Something hard and flat.

A ticket to a luggage locker at the train station. Ethan breathed out a long, shuddering breath, staring down at the piece of plastic.

He stood and went to the front window, peeking through the blinds. The yard was a mob of reporters, some interviewing each other as they waited for more exciting news to come along.

Fucking vultures.

Instead Ethan pulled on his coat and headed for the backdoor. There was something in the locker the killer wanted him to see, and Ethan was in no position to refuse.

And if there was any chance of saving Shaun...any chance at all...

Chapter Text

"Based on what we know so far, the killer is a white male, aged between 30 and 45."

This was not going well.

Jayden could already tell the men gathered in the room were glazing over, dismissing his profile as so much nonsense. It was a reaction he was sadly familiar with, even from people who really ought to have known better.

"He doesn't act on impulse," he soldiered on, "Rather, he meticulously plans his crimes. He doesn't have anything personal against the victims...that's why he covers their faces with mud, to make them anonymous."

"Why does he kill them if he doesn't have anything against them?"

The question came from the youngest officer in the room. Ash, Jayden remembered. He seemed a bit more open than the other two, leaning forward as he waited for the answer.

"For him they're more of an image, a symbol. He gives them the origami figure and the orchid as gifts to apologize for what he's done to them," Jayden said.

"Fascinating." That was Carter Blake, Jayden's new 'partner'. He'd known within five minutes that Carter viewed the Origami Case as his own, which meant he was going to feel threatened by any new information he didn't dig up for himself.

Fucking idiot.

Jayden had never understood how some cops could be so damn territorial. Not much pissed him off, but playing games while a child's life was on the line was an exception.

Still, he wasn't going to get far if he made enemies this early on. Jayden took a deep breath and plastered on his best 'we're all in this together' smile.

"The best way to track a predator is becoming familiar with his behavior and how he thinks."

"That may be true in novels, but there's a child's life at stake here," Blake said. Jayden only narrowly resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"Continue, Jayden," Captain Perry said. He cast a look at Blake, which surprisingly seemed to quell the man, at least enough that he sat back in his chair with a smirk. Maybe Jayden had been underestimating Perry...he hadn't struck him as much of a leader during their first meeting.

Jayden advanced to the next slide, which displayed a graph and general timeline of the past murders. "One detail attracted my attention. The interval between the time the victim disappears and the time the body is found ranges from three to five days...but the rainfall is always at 6 inches, give or take 10%"

He paused, then sighed mentally at their blank stares. "We know the victims are drowned. More specifically, they're drowned in rainwater. The killer only strikes in the fall, when there's plenty of rain. I suspect he puts them in either a well or a tank...something open to the sky. The more it rains, the less time the victim has to live."

Blake started to scoff, but he cut himself off when Perry hummed to himself and steppled his fingers.

"What does that mean for Shaun Mars?" the Captain asked.

"Based on the weather predictions, it means Shaun Mars has less than 72 hours."

Perry nodded. "Continue."

Another click of the remote, another slide. "Next I studied the geographical distribution of the previous murders..."

A knock on the door cut Jayden off. Charlene poked her head in, smiling an apology.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but the father of Shaun Mars is here and asking to speak with the officer in charge of the case. He says it's very important."

Blake stood with an overdone sigh of relief. "Oh, thank God! Any excuse not to listen to this bullshit."

Sometimes Jayden wondered why the hell he bothered.

"Should I continue, Captain?" he asked when Blake was gone.

"No, we'll pick up later...Carter is your partner, Agent Jayden, and will need any information you can gather. I realize he's a bit rough around the edges, but he is one of our best."

Shit, the rest of them must be the absolute bottom of the barrel then.

"If you like, you can sit in on the interview with Ethan Mars if you think you might find it helpful."

Jayden nodded and left to do just that.

Blake scowled when Jayden slipped into the room, but at least he didn't try to order him out. Jayden took a moment to study Ethan Mars. Based on the killer's clear guilt over his victims, he suspected the real target might actually be the parents.

The man looked wrecked. Which was to be expected considering the circumstances, but the impression went beyond his red-rimmed eyes and slumped shoulders. There was a gauntness to him that spoke of long-term personal neglect, and the way he couldn't hold eye contact for more than a few seconds suggested deep-rooted shame.

Jayden had glanced at the man's profile earlier, so he already knew that Mars had lost his first-born son in a tragic accident. It would seem the man wasn't coping well, not just with the loss but with the guilt.

"A day...the day before Shaun disappeared I received a letter. This letter..."

Mars spoke softly and with a noticeable stammer. He pushed a piece of paper across the table to Blake, who surprisingly read it aloud for Jayden's benefit.

"Poetry?" Jayden questioned. He motioned for Blake to hand him the page and slipped ARI on long enough to scan it in. "It isn't from any known author."

Mars was too deep in his shame and fear to notice, but Blake raised a dismissive brow. "Your toy tell you that?"

"Yes," Jayden said in his most bored tone. If Blake was going to have a snide comment every time he used ARI this was going to be a really long investigation.

"I didn't...I didn't know what it meant, so I just...I ignored it. But after...I thought it might be connected. Then I found this..."

Now he showed Blake a plastic luggage key, brightly stamped with the numbers 134. "So I went to the...to the station. And inside the locker..."

He gestured to the shoebox at his elbow. Blake pulled a pair of plastic gloves from his pocket before sliding the box across the table.

"Mr. Mars, you shouldn't have touched this. If it is connected, you might have destroyed vital evidence."

Blake might as well have punched Mars in the face. He pulled in on himself, crossing his arms over his chest and dropping his head in a show of submission. "I'm...I'm sorry..."

Blake ignored the man's whisper, pulling the top from the box and frowning at the contents. Jayden leaned over his partner's shoulder to have a look, noticing how Mars shied away from the motion despite the table between then.

Five origami figures, each one a different animal and each one numbered. A cell phone. A gun.

"What the fuck?"

Blake's response might have been harsh, but it echoed Jayden's own thoughts.

"I-I didn't...I'm sorry, but I...I turned on the phone and..."

Mars was starting to hyperventilate, panting shallowly and rocking in his chair. Jayden straightened in alarm, already envisioning the man hitting the floor. He was clearly overwrought and exhausted. Probably hadn't slept at all in the last twenty-four hours. Factor in the existing anxiety issues...

"I saw...I saw Shaun!"

Yep, there we go. Jayden rounded the table and barely caught the other man before he crumbled to his knees. Blake, asshole that he was, just sat there watching Mars like he was an interesting exhibit at the zoo.

"Ethan...Ethan, I need you to calm down." Jayden crouched down, unsuccessfully trying to catch and hold Mars's gaze to give the man an anchor. "I can't help your son if you don't. Are you listenin', Ethan?"

As intended, the repetition of the man's name got his attention. He drew in a shaky, shallow breath and nodded.

"Good. I want you to take a deep breath and hold it for five seconds. Ready? Good, that's good. One..."

Jayden slowly...very slowly...reached for Mars' shoulder as he counted down, telegraphing the movement as much as he could. Even so, Mars still flinched away before slumping with a sigh. It took five rounds of deliberate breathing before Mars steadied enough for Jayden to feel comfortable pulling back.

"Can you bring in a glass of water?" he asked, directing his request to the officer on the other side of the one-way mirror. A minute later Ash appeared with a full cup.

"Drink slow...little sips," Jayden warned, knowing the panic attack would have left Mars nauseous. "Do you feel ready to go on?"

"He'd damn well better be," Blake put in, "We're wasting time coddling him while..."

Jesus fuck, what was with this guy? Jayden rounded on Blake before he could point out that Shaun Mars was currently fighting for his life.

"Give him a fuckin' minute, alright?" It was gratifying to see Blake blink at the curse and Jayden's tone. He'd probably figured Jayden for the bookish, polite sort. Which, granted, he normally was.

It took a lot to push his buttons, but Blake was managing just fine.

"I'm...I'm alright." Mars made a valiant effort to straighten up. Jayden gave the guy his dignity and stepped away. "The phone...it showed Shaun. Dr...drowning. In the rain."

If Jayden had been Blake, he would have felt vindicated at having his theory proven true. But Jayden just felt sick, his gut roiling at the thought of the child's fear.

Blake reached for the phone and Jayden crossed the room again to watch the video play out. Even Blake sucked in a breath when the boy cried out for his father in a thin, high voice. Mars bit back a sob when he heard his son and started to rock again, though less violently than before.

"I thought about opening the animals, but I knew...I knew I needed help to get Shaun back."

"You did the right thing, Mr. Mars," Jayden assured him, "We're going to do everything possible to find your son."

"I hope so," Mars said softly. "There was also...a message. On the phone. It said..."

He hesitated, obviously trying to recall it as precisely as possible. "How far...how far would you go to save someone you love? Five origami figures. Each figure is a trial. Each trial provides letters. The letters...the letters reveal an address."

Jayden briefly closed his eyes. Damn it. This was no ordinary murderer. Not even an ordinary serial killer. He was playing...

No.  No, it was a test. He was testing Mars.

Blake huffed and stood, picking up the box as he did. "Thank you, Mr. Mars, we'll contact you if there's any new information."

Mars jolted at the clear dismissal, staggering a bit as he came to his feet. "Wait...I...the killer, he'll know if I don't do what he wants!"

"Sir, you'll have to let us handle it from here." Blake rounded on his heel and strode out of the room, letting the door slam shut behind him. Mars flinched at the sound, dropping back into his chair and running his hands over his face.

"No, no, no..." he mumbled, "What have...I should have..."

He'd clearly forgotten he wasn't alone in the room. Jayden reached for the man's shoulder again, expecting him to jump at the touch and staying with him when he did. Mars seemed to be a curious combination of touch starved and hypervigilant. He wildly overreacted to contact, then leaned into it after the first reflexive recoil passed.

"Sit tight, Mr. Mars," Jayden said, "Let me go see what I can work out."

Because Mars was right. They weren't going to find Shaun unless they toed the killer's line. A man who'd gotten away with seven child murders wasn't stupid. He wasn't going to make a mistake now. Nothing in that box was going to give them a solid lead.

Now Mars was staring up at Jayden with something uncomfortably close to awe. "Thank...thank you," he whispered, "Thank you so much..."

"I'm not making any promises," Jayden warned, "Either way, I'll be back."

He was reaching for the door handle when he heard Mars clear his throat behind him.

"Yes?"

"I...what's your name?"

Right. Jayden never had introduced himself. "Norman Jayden, FBI."

Reflex made him hold up his badge, but Mars ignored it in favor of looking Jayden in the eye for the first time.

"Thank you...Norman."

* * *

"It's not about the kids, it's about the parents. If Ethan Mars doesn't do what the killer wants, Shaun Mars is already dead!"

"Please. You think you can do better than me just because you have a psychology degree and a pair of fancy glasses? We don't need Mars!"

"It's not a fucking contest, asshole!"

Perry had been watching Jayden and Blake argue like a man at a tennis match. Now he stood with a sigh, rubbing at his temples and showing his age.

"Agent Jayden...you're sure about this?"

Blake snorted before Jayden could answer, throwing up his hands in disgust. "Oh, come on, sir, you can't possibly..."

"Absolutely positive," Jayden said over him, "Right now, our best chance of finding the killer is to follow Mars."

Perry turned to Blake. "We're going to give Mr. Jayden a chance," he said, and there was steel in his tone that Jayden hadn't heard before. "Seven dead children, Carter...the city will riot if we don't save this kid. They're already going to tear me apart at the press conference this afternoon. At least this way I can tell them we have new information."

Bastard was only out to save his own skin. Still, Jayden didn't much care what his motive was if it meant Shaun had a chance.

"But don't mistake me..." Perry said to Jayden, "I expect fast results. If not, we'll pursue other avenues. And let's keep this as quiet as possible for now. Understood?"

Jayden allowed himself a sigh of relief. "Of course, sir."

* * *

Scanning the box and its contents with ARI showed exactly what Jayden had expected. No fingerprints, no clues. Carter still insisted on having everything looked at by the lab, which meant it took close to two hours before they were ready to speak with Mars again.

If the man had looked wrecked before, he looked positively broken now, far too pale and sagging with exhaustion. He brightened when he saw Jayden though, standing to greet him and even managing a weak smile.

Jayden dug in his own pocket and handed some bills at Ash.

"Get him something to eat...a sandwich, and something else with sugar."

"Coffee?" It was a shy request, like Ethan thought asking even that much was likely to turn the cops against him.

"And coffee," Jayden confirmed, "But not from here, okay?"

Poisoning Mars definitely wouldn't help his son.

"Here's the deal." Blake had evidently decided his best chance of saving face was taking control. "We're going to play along...for now. But you have to follow our lead, Mr. Mars, without question...one foot out of line and I'll lock you up until this over. You got me?"

Mars nodded, all too eager.

"Alright then," Blake said, "Let's open the first figure and see what the sick fucker wants."

O

Chapter Text

"There.  Is that comfortable?" 

Ethan twisted slightly, feeling the wire tug gently at his skin.  "It's fine." 

The technician stepped back and motioned for Ethan to pull his sweater back down. "We'll have full audio and it also has a tracker so we can't lose you.  We'll put an additional tracker in your shoe, just in case.  Everything is fully waterproof." 

"Thanks, Barry." The asshole cop...Carter...waited for the tech to leave before whirling on the FBI agent.  "I still say sending him in alone is bullshit.  This is going to blow up in our fucking faces, I already know it." 

Norman gave an easy shrug.  "Don't worry, you can pin all the blame on me."

"Oh, I will, asshole, you can believe it."

If Ethan hadn't been too busy trying to hide his terror he might have found the squabble between the two amusing.  As it stood, he was just damn grateful that Agent Jayden seemed to be on his side.  

Norman at least seemed entertained, smirking at Carter and almost taunting him to go for the throat.  Ethan had to hand it to the guy. He didn't intimidate easy.  Norman actually had an inch or two of height on his partner, but he was a greyhound to Carter's pitbull, built long and lean. Carter, on the other hand, was bulky with muscle and all too aware of his strength.

That didn't stop Norman from turning his back on the other man, dismissing him utterly before smiling at Ethan.

"You okay, Mr. Mars?"

Ethan wasn't even sure he understood the concept anymore.  "Yeah, sure."

"You understand you don't have to do this, right?"

Carter snorted.  "Ten minutes ago you were saying Shaun Mars was gonna wind up a corpse if daddy didn't play ball.  What the hell, Nam-men?" 

He drew out the name in mockery of the agent's rather dense accent.  Ethan saw Norman's lips tighten, but he didn't give Carter the satisfaction of a response. 

"Listen..." Norman said, "If you want to back out, I promise you I will personally do everything I can to save your son, Mr. Mars."

The man's sincerity was almost painful.  Ethan dropped his eyes, feeling so damn small and worthless in comparison.

'He wouldn't have let Shaun get taken,' he thought, 'No fucking way.'

Then again, even Carter would have done a better job safeguarding his children than Ethan had managed.

"Mr. Mars?"

"I can...I can do this."  Ethan was trying so hard to sound firm and confident, but he couldn't hide how his hands were shaking.  "I'll do whatever it takes."

He was ready for it this time when Norman patted his shoulder.  He was proving to be a touchy-feely sort, though Ethan was surprised to find he didn't much mind.  It was clear the agent was only trying to help, and lord only knew Ethan appreciated it.  He owed the man a beer when this was done. 

"Okay, this is the plan..."  Norman spread the origami paper out on the table.  Ethan craned his head to read it again, though he already had the lines memorized. 

"Are you prepared to show your courage and save your son?  Joe's Garage and Parking Lot 4988 Roosevelt Avenue Lexington".

Inside the folded bear had also been another ticket, this one a claim credit for a car.

That was it.  An ominous question and an address.  There was no way of knowing what Ethan was walking into. 

"We'll have officers in unmarked cars stationed around the corner," Norman said, pointing out the location on the nearby map. "They'll be listening, and if you need help at any time, just hit the panic button on your wire and they'll be there in ten seconds."

"You'll...you'll be there?"  

Fuck....could he possibly sound more pathetic?  This time Ethan ducked his head in an attempt to hide the flush on his cheeks.

Norman seemed to take it in stride, angling his own head to catch Ethan's eye and nodding firmly.  "Absolutely. I've got your back, Mr. Mars."

Knowing that shouldn't have helped as much as it did.  Ethan drew in a long, deep breath and held it for a slow five count. 

"Al...alright.  I'm ready." 

Ethan didn't hesitate when it came time to get out of the car.  He knew that if he did, he wouldn't be able to move, would just sit there and shake while his son drowned. 

He folded his arms across his chest as he walked toward the garage, feeling the comforting strip of the wire glued down his sternum.  

Inside the rain thundered down on the corrugated roof, raising a din that brought on an instant headache.  It was an older building, the air heavy with the smell of hot iron and gas fumes.  Ethan glanced around until he spotted a man's legs protruding from under an older sedan.

"Ex-Excuse me."

No answer, just the banging clang of tools.  Ethan cleared his throat and bent down. 

"Excuse me?  Sir?" 

"Ah, sorry, didn't see ya there." The mechanic rolled himself out from under the car and stood.  Ethan took a quick step back, but really the guy seemed friendly enough, smiling wide and guileless despite his missing teeth.  "What can I do you for?" 

"I'd like to get...my car?" Ethan offered up the ticket.  The man took it and looked it over with a small frown, then looked back at Ethan with surprise in his eyes. 

"Hey, you're a pretty patient guy!"  

He turned then, heading for the small enclosed office and the lockbox of car keys. "I'm sorry?" Ethan asked while the mechanic hunted around for the right set, "I'm not sure what you mean."

"That car has been here for two years now!  Don't worry, we took it out for a drive every month and checked the tires and batteries, just like you said." 

Ethan knew he was doing a bad job of hiding his surprise.  Shit, the killer had planned all this two years in advance?  Not to mention this meant the killer could afford to let a car sit around and pay the hefty storage fees.  

"Welp, here you go."  The mechanic tossed a set of keys to Ethan, who fumbled before clasping them in his hand.  "It's the third floor down.  The elevator is at the back of the garage." 

Ethan could hear his own breathing rasping loud on the ride down.  He eased his way down the rows of parked cars, ready to be jumped and dragged off before Norman and the others could ride to the rescue. 

He realized after a minute or two that wandering around was pointless.  Instead he looked down at the keys in his hand...and the entry remote. 

Lifting the remote high, Ethan gave the unlock button a firm press.  Sure enough, a car a few rows over responded with a cheerful beep and a flash of headlights that made strange shadows dance on the walls.  Ethan kept pressing until he was standing in front of a Cadillac...as shiny and bright as the day it rolled off the production line. 

He whistled through his teeth at the sight of it.  Whoever the killer was, he wasn't hurting for money. 

Once inside he sat with his hands on the wheel, wondering what he was meant to do next.  A bit of exploration and he found a GPS in the glove box.

"Your destination is four miles from here.  Leave the parking lot and take the first right," the machine said in a woman's voice.

Ethan swallowed and backed the car out of its space.  He was too afraid that the vehicle was bugged to speak to his wire. He was just going to have to hope Norman and the others had heard and would follow. 

'He said he would have my back.  I'm sure...I have to trust him."

And surprisingly, he did.  Well, as much as he could, considering the fucked up situation in which he had found himself. Agent Jayden had already proven he would go toe to toe with his superiors if it meant helping Shaun.  

He looked in the rearview mirror before he took the turn, and indeed there was a rather battered old car following sedately at the Cadillac's heels.  It flashed its lights once, and Ethan closed his eyes in relief and gratitude. 

Ethan didn't have to drive far before the GPS beeped.  "You have reached your destination." 

He pulled over, but there wasn't much to see. Just the entrance ramp to the highway and a crumbling strip mall.  

But then the GPS beeped again, pulling Ethan's attention back to the device.  "Listen carefully...take the highway and drive against traffic for five miles.  If you haven't reached your destination in five minutes, you will have failed." 

Oh fuck.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

This was insane.  

He was going to die.  Worse, there was a real chance he would get some innocent soul killed. 

And he had to do it.

Now, before Agent Jayden and Officer Carter tried to stop him.

"I'm...I'm sorry," he said, no longer caring if the killer was listening, "I'm going..."

The unmarked car that had been behind the Cadillac had pulled off into the strip mall's parking lot when Ethan had pulled over, probably so it wouldn't be so obvious they were tailing him.  Now two patrol cars raced past, sirens blaring, and took the ramp to the highway...hopefully to try and clear the way.  

Ethan shifted into drive.

"This is balls out crazy.  We can't let him do this." 

"We don't, Shaun Mars dies." Jayden leaned forward, trying to see the Cadillac through the driving rain.  "It's only five miles.  We've already got patrols mobilizing to pace..."

That was a risk, considering the Origami killer could conceivably be watching, but it was one they were just going to have to take.  

Blake growled, slamming a hand down on the steering wheel so hard it must have hurt.  "Fine, hotshot, then you're driving.  I don't want any responsibility for this when Mars smears his brains across the asphalt." 

Jayden was already out of the car before Blake finished growling, wishing he could simply peel out and leave his partner behind.  He settled in the driver's seat just as the Cadillac started to pull away from the curb. 

'I'm right behind you, Ethan,' he thought, 'Gonna get you through this, I promise.'

"Come on come on come on..."

Thank god the killer had given Ethan a decent car.  He kept his foot pressed down on the gas pedal, watching the gauge as it climbed toward 100.  

Two cop cars were in the lanes ahead of him, their lights blazing and pushing the oncoming traffic into the right lane.  Behind him was the old sedan, somehow managing to keep up despite its decrepit appearance.  

Unfortunately, not all of the cars in his lane were moving for the cops.  Ethan kept his eyes on the brake lights ahead, swerving when they swerved even if he couldn't yet see the obstacle himself.  He was panting now, the adrenaline a bitter tang in the back of his throat. 

"Come on!" 

A truck passed by so close the Cadillac shuddered from the rush of wind.  Another swerve and Ethan felt the car jolt as the side mirror scraped down the side of a passing SUV.  The rain wasn't making it any easier to keep control...though thankfully he had plenty of practice driving in such conditions.

Three more miles.  Three more minutes. 

Ethan jammed down on the gas.

One of the cop cars ahead suddenly slammed on its brakes and went into a skid, forcing its partner nearly off the road.  Ethan just barely managed to keep from t-boning it at 115 miles an hour.  The sedan behind him came even closer to disaster, missing the patrol car hurtling at it by inches. 

Then Ethan saw why the car had spun out and stopped breathing.

Just ahead was a construction zone.  A worker in yellow hat and vest stood in the middle of the lane, staring at oncoming death with a look of bewildered surprise. 

It was reflex that guided Ethan's hands.  He wrenched the wheel right, missing the man...then immediately left to miss another, though the second man at least had the sense to dive out of the way.  The following sedan was dropping back rapidly to avoid the men scattering into its path.

Ethan was alone.

"Two miles," the GPS said in its cheerful, faux-woman voice, "There is one minute and 34 seconds remaining."

Without the pacing cars ahead the oncoming traffic was growing heavier, though at least Ethan was past the construction zone. A horn blared as Ethan forced the Cadillac between two semi's.  This time he lost both side mirrors entirely and the car rocked violently, threatening to slide as it popped out between the trucks like a cork from a bottle.  Ethan fought with the wheel, trying his desperate best to keep control.

He failed.

The car fishtailed and hit the edge of the embankment, launching into the air.  There was a strange feeling of weightlessness, and Ethan had time to think that Shaun would be so disappointed that he'd never get the dog he'd been begging for.

O

Chapter Text

The Cadillac came back to earth with a terrible, ripping jolt.  Then she was rolling, tumbling down the steep hill, the world outside outside the window a blur of gray skies and trees. Ethan would have screamed if he could have found the air for it. Would have prayed, though he'd stopped believing in a loving God when he'd lost Jason.

He must have blacked out then, and when he woke it was to find himself hanging upside, bile burning his throat.

"Destination reached. Press the screen," a voice was saying nearby.  Repeating it again and again, an endless mantra that made Ethan show his teeth in a snarl.  His head hurt, and there was a strange pressure in his chest that was making it hard to breathe.

It was the smell of gas that shocked Ethan back to full consciousness.  There was steam boiling out from under the Cadillac's hood.  He'd always thought cars only exploded in cheesy action movies, but he had no desire to test the theory out.  He fumbled for the GPS screen, smacking it with the flat of his palm

"Your reward is in the glove department. The key is inside the GPS."

How Ethan managed to unhook the unit and pry open the back was a mystery. He had to stretch to reach the glove compartment, yelping at the lancing pain in his side. Something was badly wrong there.  Had he broken a rib?

Or two. 

Or ten.

He pawed around until he felt something small and square, recognizing it as a memory card for the cell phone. Now if Ethan could only get out the damn car so he could live long enough to use it...

He was failing miserably at unlatching his seat belt when the driver's side door yanked open. Ethan recoiled in surprise, crying out again when it jostled his ribs.

"Ethan! Ethan, are you alright?"

Norman. Ethan had never wanted to hug another man so badly in his life. "Yeah..." Mostly. "But I'm...the car..."

Norman looked toward the hood. The smoke billowing out was darker now and the smell was sharper and acidic, like burning plastic. "Don't worry.  I'm gonna get you out of here. Just stay calm for me.  Can you do that, Ethan?"

Up till now the FBI agent had been almost impeccably professional and polite. Ethan could tell the man was trying to hold onto that cool facade, but the fear was all too clear in his eyes. That he was using Ethan's first name was another hint that Norman was freaking the fuck out.

Not that Ethan blamed him.

"Yeah..." Still Ethan twisted to press the cell phone card into Norman's hand, forcing him to take it or let it fall. "The next clue. In case..."

Their eyes locked. Norman nodded almost imperceptibly.

Then he was knocking Ethan's hands away from the seat belt. "Brace yourself..."

He tried, but it was only Norman's steadying hands that kept Ethan from slamming his head against the car's roof when the belt released and gravity reasserted itself. Something in his chest shifted uneasily with the impact, and the flare of searing pain forced a scream from Ethan's throat.

When the darkness swept in it was almost a relief.

He came to only seconds later, half in and half out of the car. Norman had hold of his shoulders and was trying to pull him clear with savage little tugs. Ethan's left leg felt like it was caught in a vise, raised awkwardly off the ground and trapped under the crushed dashboard.

"No, stay back!" The flashing lights of the cop cars up on the highway were reflecting off the clouds, and Ethan realized Norman was warning off the gathering officers. "It could go at any second. Stay back!"

His attention snapped back to Ethan when he felt him move. "Ethan...Ethan, you're caught. Can you..."

Ethan nodded, shifting himself up on his elbows. Norman quickly bent further, looping an arm over Ethan's chest and pulling him back against the agent's legs. It gave Ethan the leverage he needed to twist his leg until cloth and flesh tore free.

The sudden release made him fall back, and then Norman was dragging Ethan across the slick grass on his back.

They made it perhaps six feet before the world exploded.

Some sixth sense told Jayden they were out of time. It was the same tingling sensation he'd learned to trust while on the trail, even before ARI. A twitching itch between the shoulder blades that brought up the hairs on the back of his neck.

He did the only thing he could, throwing himself down on top of Mars and pulling up his trenchcoat to cover both their heads. The shockwave pulled the air from Jayden's lungs. A second later he felt something rip across his back, and the shock of it threw him forward so his full weight landed on the other man. He felt more than heard Mars cry out.

Norman waited another thirty seconds before scrabbling up.

'Gotta move...' was his only thought. 'Could go again..."

Then Ash was there, helping Norman drag Mars to a safer distance. As soon as they were clear Jayden let himself drop to his knees, bracing himself against the ground with one hand while he tried to catch his breath.

"Ag--- are you---- me?"

It took Jayden a few seconds to realize Ash was in front of him, looking more than a little unsteady himself. Jayden could barely hear him over the ringing in his ears, but it wasn't hard to guess what he was asking.

"I'm okay. Check Mars!"

But the man was already up on his feet, thank god. He was cradling his ribs with one arm, but there was no gaping wounds or visible burns.

All in all, things could have gone much, much worse.

A fire engine came screaming up. Jayden clambered to his own feet as the firefighters closed in, their faces a study in stunned surprise that anyone had walked out of the wreck alive.

Mars was fumbling in his pocket. He came up with the cell phone, and Norman passed him back the card. They leaned against each other for support as they stared down at the screen.

Another video. Shaun crying, pleading, the exhaustion all too clear in his trembling voice. Mars's groan came from deep in his chest and sounded like a dying animal's.

Then the screen changed to show a hangman's pattern of empty spaces. It flashed and a sparse few filled in.

_5_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

R _ _ _ e _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Three fucking letters?

"What kind of shitty ass reward is that?" Jayden said, regretting the crassness instantly. He was surprised when Mars laughed, a breathy sound that still bent him double.

"That's...that's what I was thinking," he said, "Oh, Christ..."

"Easy..." Jayden grabbed for him before the man went down. They were both covered in more than enough mud. "I'm sure someone already called for an ambulance."

Mars pulled away at that, almost violently, gripping Jayden's arm with surprising strength. "No! No ambulance. I can't...they'll want to keep me and I can't take the time. I'm okay."

He looked anything but. Still, Jayden reluctantly realized the man had a point. They hadn't gone through all of that for nothing.

"We'll head back to the station and have a doc look at you there," Jayden compromised, "But if he says you're bleeding internally or something, you're going in, no arguments."

Mars dipped his head in agreement. Jayden wiped some of the filth from his face, grimacing at the sticky feel of it.

"That was some damn fine driving," he said, "Have you been drag racing on the side or something?  You..."

He felt the strange itch between his shoulder blades at the same instant Mar's eyes widened.

Jayden ducked.

The force of the missed punch put Blake off balance. Jayden spun, slamming his shoulder into the bigger man's chest and pushing him back.

He was surprised when Blake didn't press for another attack. The man's face was a rather alarming shade of fuchsia, but he backed off and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Happy, asshole? How do you think this is going to play on the news, huh?"

Jayden held up his hands.  Right now, getting Mars back to the station took priority, which meant deescalating the situation. "We got the first letters. It worked. Yeah, it could've gone better, but now we know the rewards are real."

"You almost got me killed!"

And honestly, that was a fair enough point, one Jayden didn't have much of a defense for.  He'd come damn close to hitting Ash's car when it had spun out in front of them.  

The noise of an approaching chopper made them all look up. Blake cursed. "Vultures are coming in already.  You were supposed to keep this quiet, shit stain!"

"Let's get Mars out of here. We'll make up a cover story. Tell the press he was just a drunk on a rampage. You can even say you were the valiant cop who forced him off the road."

Blake shook his head as if in disgust, but Jayden could tell he found the idea appealing.

"Alright, we're clearing out!" Blake shouted to the little ring of officers, "If I hear a single word about origami, killers, or the F-fucking-BI on the news, I'll have all your heads. Move it!"

Blake spun on his heels, heading back up the slope toward the line of waiting cars. The other officers trailed after, some still shaking their heads in shock at the whole scene. Jayden turned back to check on Mars...

Only to find the man and Ash staring at him with pale faces and wide, worried eyes.

"What?"

"Your back..." Mars said, "You're bleeding."

Only then did Jayden feel the burn and the wet sluice of blood down his spine.  "Well, hell," he said dumbly, and the mud was rushing up to meet him.

O