Happy Friday the 13th everyone!!

"Forty-nine..." I push up from the ground. "Fifty." I collapse on the grass in a heap.

"Great! Fifty push-ups done, you're last exercise for the morning is finished. Well done." Erik gestures towards the back door. "You may now head inside for your training with Mark."

I slowly get up, my stomach muscles aching. And this was exercise... I haven't even begun training yet. I think to myself with a groan, rubbing my soar arms and wanting desperately to crawl back into the warmth of my blankets. After a long hot shower last night, I was relieved to slip into some new pyjamas. With a new member to our little crew, one of us would have to share rooms now. Bed arrangements weren't the problem, as there were already two beds in each room, it was the people sleeping in the particular rooms. Erik had the master bedroom, but seeing as it was his house, it didn't seem right to make him have to share. Plus, even if we had decided on it, I didn't think Erik would have allowed it anyhow. I could tell he was still on still wary around Kol, despite his deceptively warm smiles towards to boy. Nobody asked Mark if he wanted to share, because we all knew the answer to that. The glaring hadn't stopped, even at the dinner table, and he barely spoke a word the whole night. Mark wasn't particularly talkative, but he wasn't usually so outright... cold. So that left me and Justine. Deciding that I missed Justine and that I wanted my best friend back, I took the opportunity and offered my room to Kol. I thought it would be awkward moving into her room after I had been downright horrible to her, but as soon as I walked through that door, Justine threw her arms around me. "We haven't done a sleepover in forever!" she had squealed.

I smile as I walk inside the little 'training' room to wait for Mark's arrival.

I remember being relieved of the guilt as I hugged her back. "I'm so sorry." I had said and Justine grinned. "No friendship is complete without their little ups and downs, am I right?"

I snap out of my thoughts as I see Mark enter the room, looking almost happy again, which was reassuring. Mark didn't seem like the suspicious type, and seeing him that way was just... well, just wrong.

"Okay, so Erik wants to really push you." Mark stops a few paces in front of me, giving me a small smile. "Training will be harder from now on. You think you're up to it?"

I shrug. "I guess so."

Mark nods. "Well I know so. Let's start." He walks over to the corner of the room and picks up the single pair of mitts. "Thirty punches on each side," he ordered. "Remember what I said about using your hips for better technique."

I feel my face begin to flush as I think back to the previous day, how his hands were placed steadily on my hips. I push the thought to the back of my mind, nervous to start training and well aware that my face was probably as red as a tomato. A half an hour passes, and a small smile starts to spread across Mark's face.

"You remember more than you think with self-defence classes." Mark comments, obviously satisfied at my progress.

I block an incoming hit to the head. "Yeah I guess I do."

"You're stronger than you know."

"Yeah well..." I block and counter attack with a kick. "If I really am 'stronger than I think' then why can't I seem to kick or punch very hard?" I had applied all my knowledge to every strike, and every block. My blocks seemed to be becoming increasingly better, but I noticed my attacks lacked strength. Mark barely moved when I striked, and I knew he was better trained and stronger, but it was frustrating watching him stand there easily as I tried my hardest to kick or punch. He never flinched once, nor did he ever step back from the impact. The only thing I got from him was one word: "again". But no matter how hard I seemed to try, it wasn't seeming to get me anywhere. I give a small sigh and wipe some perspiration forming on my forehead as I attempt a final punch, hitting the mitt square in the centre, but seemingly having no effect on the boy, who stood stock still.

"Because," Mark drops the mitt down beside him and steps closer to me, holding a hand to my stomach. "It needs to come from in here."

I look down squeamishly. "My gut?"

"Your stomach is the core of everything, of every move you do, attack or counterattack. If you're core is off-balance, then so are your strikes," he explained patiently.

"But, how do I make sure it's not off-balance?" I ask, not entirely sure if I had understood.

He grinned and shook his head. "You've pretty much got it Audrey. Your kicks and punches are pretty strong, you just don't know it." He noticed my doubtful stare and he stepped back, shaking his head at me but still smiling. "You just need to believe in what you're doing."

A slow clap comes from the doorway. I turn abruptly and find Kol there, his eyes twinkling in the morning sunlight that streamed through the single window. Embarrassed, I step away from Mark, despite Mark already having removed his hand and taken a step back. To my disappointment, Mark's scowl resumes from the day before.

"What heartfelt advice." Kol winks- to me or to Mark I wasn't sure.

Mark ignores him and turns his attention back on me. "Try again. Focus, and trust in what you're doing. Don't think too much. Just do."

Instead of focusing on precision this time, I try to just let it flow, like he advised. I kick into the bag he holds up and this time, I feel more of my strength pushing into the bag. Unfortunately it wasn't a precise kick, and my kick hits the edge of the bag rather than the centre, causing me to land a little off balance, but I was excited nonetheless at this new energy I had found inside me.

Mark grins at me. "Did you feel that?"

I nod, beaming.

"Is that all you're teaching her?" Kol didn't look too impressed.

"I'm teaching her the basics first," Mark retorts.

"Well to me it looks like she could already be moving on to a higher level," Kol responds nonchalantly from where he leaned on the door frame.

"You think you can teach better? Fine," Mark gestures towards me. "Go ahead."

Kol strides in. "I will teach you how to knock down someone coming at you with a knife." As quick as a flash, Kol steps towards me and I find myself entangled with him.

"Can you move your arm?" he asks. I try to move it, but it was well hooked under his elbow. I felt his hand gently placed on my throat. "Now that you're stuck, I can grab your throat and I'd then be able to drive you to the ground. You're knife hand would be useless if you can't move it, which leaves me at a perfect advantage." Kol lets go of me, smirking at my surprise. I take a step back, feeling too close to him for comfort and Kol demonstrates the movement a few more times. "Now you try."

Nervously, I attempt to hook my arm around his the way he had shown me. I then use my other hand to grab his throat in what I think seemed right, but Kol shakes his head at me.

"You're too far away, which means your grip isn't as tight as it could be around my arm. Also, your other hand is barely touching my throat which means I could just as easily step back and throw you off balance instead."

I take a step closer to him. "Like this?"

He wriggles his arm and I could have sworn he was enjoying himself. "Still loose."

I step even closer and I see a smirk appear on Kol's face. I can pretty much feel his breath on me and my heart begins racing. Why does Kol always have that stupid grin on his face? That stupid... kind of adorable grin. Out of the corner of my eyes, I see Mark shake his head and walk out of the room. I look sadly at his retreating back, wondering what it was about this boy that seemed to infuriate him so much.

"Mark?" I use the excuse to break free from Kol, who rolls his eyes. I follow Mark outside. "Mark!" I call. "Where are you going?" I hurry to catch up as he continues to ignore me. I feel sudden annoyance towards him and I yell out to him a final time. "Hey!" This time, he turns around to face me, but remains silent. "What is up with you?"

He shakes his head. "I just don't trust him. Okay?"

I shrug. "We may not know everything about him, but I'm sure Erik will get it out of him eventually." I shrug, hoping to ease his suspicions. "He seems okay to me."

"That's because he's flirting with you half the time," Mark grumbles.

"What?" I say bewildered. For a moment I was left speechless. I'll admit that there was a mischievous aura about Kol. But flirty? I almost laughed aloud at the thought. Since when did boys flirt with me anyway? I wanted to say, but I simply shook my head at him. "No he's not. I mean, it looks like it I suppose, but it just seems like Kol's nature to act like that to be honest."

"He's trouble," Mark insists stubbornly.

"He saved my life," I argue, remembering how I had been mere seconds away from a death sentence.

"Yeah he saved your life," Mark replied sarcastically. "After he put your life in danger in the first place!" Mark cries, exasperated.

I take a step back, surprised at his sudden outburst, Mark seems just as shocked at his own reaction, and quickly mumbles an apology. "Forget it. I'm sorry." Mark begins to turn.

"Where are you-" I start, but he cuts me off.

"I just need to clear my head a bit. I'll be back inside soon. Promise." He wanders off to the edge of the woods without looking back, and I stare at the wandering figure in concern. Deciding that there was nothing I could do to ease his qualms for the time being, I resolve to head back inside. I sigh. Better leave him be. Maybe some air will do him good.

"Morning!" Justine beams as I step back into the house. "How was your morning exercises?"

I walk into the kitchen and open the pantry. "Tiring. Physically and mentally."

"Oh?" Justine says, looking over my shoulder at the few boxes of cereals and tinned food placed in the small food cupboard. I find a box of cornflakes and close the pantry.

"Yeah, I don't know. Mark's just seems a bit on edge lately, know what I mean?" I open the fridge and retrieve a carton of milk.

"Yeah I've noticed. It started ever since Kol came along," Justine states.

I nod and grab a bowl from a nearby shelf. I shake the contents out of the cereal box and into the bowl, pouring the milk in next. I grab a spoon and take a seat, Justine plonking herself on a chair next to me.

"You going to eat?" I ask before popping a spoonful of cornflakes into my mouth.

"Already did beforehand," Justine answers dismissively. "Anyway," her eyes light up keenly. "You don't find that strange at all?"

"What?" I ask, bringing the spoon up to my mouth. Justine stares at knowingly, and I guessed she was still talking about the previous topic of discussion. "Mark and Kol?" I galnce at Justine questioningly. Her hair was out today, her long brown hair pulled to one side and over a shoulder. She nods and I shrug in return, swallowing another mouthful of cereal before continuing. "I guess it's kind of annoying, but not strange. He doesn't trust Kol. I can't exactly blame him." I lower my voice as I remember that Kol was somewhere in the house, if not still in the training room. "He's not exactly an open kind of guy, and we don't know much about him other than what he told us yesterday."

Justine nods, but the matter didn't seem to bother her all that much. She seemed intent on making me understand something, but I wasn't sure what. "You think that's all there is to it?" she asks. "About Mark acting all weird?"

I shrug again, uncertain where this conversation was leading. "Why, is there supposed to be something else to it?"

Justine covers a smile and I raise my eyebrows at her, but she simply shakes her head in return. "Never mind then. It's probably nothing."

Before I can ask what she means, Erik walks in.

"Ladies, good morning." Erik nods at the two of us. "Finish eating quickly, Audrey."

"Where are we going?" I take a last spoonful of cereal before pushing back my chair and placing my bowl in the sink.

"Well I assume it won't be long until the assassins find us." Erik reasons. "Unfortunately I wasn't able to cover our tracks very well in the woods, so I would say it might take them a couple more day tops before they discover our little hideout." Erik clasps his hands together. "So, we might as well use the peace and quiet while we have it."

"What exactly are we doing then?" I glance at Erik, who smiles grimly at me.

"We aren't going to do anything," he paused and I straight away understood I wasn't going to like the answer. "You, on the other hand, are going to have to jog some of those memories of your father."

My mouth suddenly dry, I stare blankly at him before nodding once and managing a one-word response. "Oh."

"Sit, please." Erik gestures towards a chair in his room. Even for the master bedroom, his room wouldn't exactly be classified as 'big'. However, it did have a sort of homely look to it, that I'll give him credit for. His bed was neatly made and the window was open, letting some of the cool breeze in. A closed wide door was on one side of the white wall, which I assumed could only lead to a bathroom. I nervously take a seat on a wooden chair while Erik opens his cupboard. He brings out a box and rummages through it for a minute or two before producing a small but thick, dark blue album.

"Here," he holds out the album. "This was your father's, you might want to have a look through it."

My fingers tremble slightly as I hold the album in both hands. I stare at the cover for a long while, convincing myself to open it. It's not a big deal. I tell myself, but the thought of seeing my father again, even in a photo, was haunting and saddening, and I knew it would only make me wish for something I knew would never happen.

"Maybe this isn't a good idea." I start to say. "I mean." I look at Justine and Erik's watchful, expectant faces and sigh. "Sorry. It's just, I blocked out the memories of my father for a reason. I mean, obviously they're still there, but I never even let myself think about them." I half hoped that they understood, that they would change their minds, but that hope was soon diminished.

"Close to your father or not Audrey, we need those memories." Justine says gently. "Anything might be a clue as to where he hid the gold, and right now, we could use all the clues we can get."

I shake my head, more at myself than at anyone else. "I know, I know." Before I can change my mind, I open up the album to the first page. A picture of me as a baby in my dad's arms is the first picture I see. I look at my young-looking father. His blond shaggy hair a mess. He has that grin that you might find on a cheeky toddler. We stood on a grassy hill, a picnic blanket beneath us, and my father sitting cross legged on the red blanket. I feel a pang of hurt every time I flip a page, my dad seemingly a living, constant reminder of the days I had spent with him, and the days I could've spent with him still if things had turned out differently. If he wasn't a thief. I think bitterly, then instantly regret the thought. I flip the page again, my father's kind eyes seemingly boring into mine at every page, and a growing desire was welling in my chest. I want him back. I find myself thinking. I turn the pages faster and faster, suddenly having an urge to get through this quickly. I stop when I see a picture of me at about five years of age. I was riding a small pink bike, a look of terror on my face. I remember this. It was the first time I had taken my training wheels off my bike, and I remember feeling completely terrorised by the thought of it. My dad would laugh every time I wanted to hop off. "Focus." He would say. I continue flipping through the pages until I find my eight year old self. It was a picture of me rummaging through my dad's jacket pocket for something.

"Oh my..." I stare at the picture in surprise. "I remember this..." I say quietly, half to myself. I look up, and, seeing the questioning looks from both Erik and Justine, elaborate on the matter. "It was a game that we used to play. Capture the thief. As in capture the moment. I used to think it just a fun game but..." I stop, glancing back at the photo.

"He was training you," Erik finishes.

I nod. "I guess he was training me to steal as quickly as possible without being caught. I was supposed to spot the camera in the room, but I guess I didn't find it, or I forgot to check."

"How could he take a picture if he wasn't there in the room?" Justine asks, checking out the picture.

"Maybe he put it on a timer..." I think aloud. "But... now that I think about it, whenever he hid a camera it was a video camera. I don't know how the phot was taken..."

Erik nods and takes album from me. "See?" He points at the picture, holding it out for us all to see.

"I don't see anything." I look at Justine, who shrugs.

"The angle that the picture is taken... it's tilted slightly downwards." Erik explains.

Justine snaps her fingers. "Meaning that a person took the picture right? A tall person."

Erik grins. "I've taught you well."

"So my own dad was standing at the doorway and I didn't even notice. What a great thief I make." I grumble, standing up from the chair.

"You were eight." Erik points out. "Keep going. See if there's anything that you think might help."

I turn the page but don't bother to take the book back from Erik's hands. I'm not really concentrating anyway. The memories pained me, and I wanted no part in this anymore. Tears clung to the corners of my eyes, but I held them back.

"I've seen that park before." Justine points to a photo that was half covered with Erik's thumb. Erik passes the book to me, which left me with no choice but to grasp the book once more as I observed the picture.

"Audrey, that park is so familiar, where have we seen it?" Justine ponders.

I shake my head, a sense of Déjà vu overcoming me as I thought back to a few nights back, when I had that strange dream of my father emerging from that same tree, telling me to focus.

"If you know something Audrey, you need to speak." Erik takes the album back and closes it, his dark eyes serious.

"No it's just..." I shrug. "I saw it in a dream." It seemed stupid to say it aloud, and for a moment the two stared at me blankly.

"A dream?" Justine looks at me quizzically.

"Well, I guess memory would be more like it." I still wasn't entirely sure if it had been a memory, but it did seem familiar, and it sounded less ridiculous than admitting it had been just some 'dream'. "I was at the park with my dad, I think... he must have been training me or something." I shrug uncertainly. "He told me to 'focus'."

Justine looks at Erik expectantly but he just shrugs. "It could be something or it be nothing. Did the park mean anything to you?"

"I don't know." I say, flustered. "I guess... that park was my favourite as a kid. One of my favourites anyway. We went there the most often." I feel something wet trickle down my cheeks and I realise I'm crying. Oh for goodness sake keep it together. I wipe away at the tears.

"Can I have a look?" Kol says suddenly, from where he was leaning on the doorframe for who knows how long. Erik pauses briefly before handing the album to Kol, who flips it to the right page, perceiving the photo with detail. He then slowly turns each page, taking a look at every photo.

"What are you looking for?" Justine tries to take the book from him, but he shifts his body away from her. After a good minute or two, Kol gives the album to Justine.

"Tell me, have you ever noticed a pattern in the album?" Kol faces Erik.

"They're ordered chronologically." Erik replies.

Kol grins. "Yeah, and?"

Justine stares silently at the closed album.

Erik eyes Kol suspiciously. "There's nothing else. Not that I could see anyway. I haven't had a proper look at that album for a while."

"Have you noticed that in each picture there is always at least one person in the picture?" Kol asks, taking a step into the room. "Yet..." he taps the cover of the album in Justine's hand. "That one photo of the park, there's no one."

Erik's eyes widen and a sudden realisation seems to dawn on the man. "The image also happens to be the only photo that we don't know when t was taken because we have no idea of telling how old Audrey was when that picture was taken." Erik nods enthusiastically, seemingly interested for the first time in a while. "Which means it may also be the only picture not placed in chronological order."

"So..." I say, trying to keep pace. "That photo means my dad was trying to send a message?" I glance at Erik, but he continued to nod in Kol's direction, clearly impressed with the boy's skills.

Kol smirks. "Not so amateur now am I?"

"What are we looking for though?" Justine asks, bemused.

Erik shakes his head. "I'm not exactly sure, but I reckon we'll find something at that park."

"Do you remember what it's called?" Justine looks at me.

"Um, yeah..." I hesitate for a moment before nodding. "Newfarm." I glance at the three of them and I knew we were all wondering the same thing. What are we hoping to find exactly? The actual gold? A clue? Or was this all just some wild goose chase?

"So we need to head there." Justine says. "When are we going?"

"Guys!" A voice huffed from the doorway and we all turn around to find Mark panting just outside the door.

I step forward worriedly. "Mark? What's wrong?"

"Where have you been?" Justine exclaims. "You'll never believe..."

"The assassins," he interrupts, placing a hand against the doorframe for support. "They're close."

"How close? Were you followed?" growls Erik.

Mark shakes his head. "They were pretty deep in the woods. I reckon we have a good couple of hours left before they find this place."

Erik glances at Justine. "Well I guess we have our answer. We leave in an hour's time. Get everything together."

I exchange worried glances with Justine and we begin to exit the room. Mark grabs my arm before I can move off to go pack.

"They want you." Mark says, his brown eyes full of concern. "I heard them talking... and I'm not sure how far they're willing to go for you, but I'll bet it's pretty far."

"I feel so special." I say, but the joke was lost on my lips, and he continued to gaze at me with that worried expression.

"You are," he spoke the words so quietly that I'm not sure I quite heard right. He lets go of my arm and I briskly make my way down the hall.

Kol or Mark???

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*Dedicated to @MayaIsNotNormal thanks for reading and commenting! :)*