"Maybe you got the wrong building," Dan commented.

"No, this was definitely the place! I know it because we had come here before!" I exclaimed.

We were standing in the middle of the abandoned warehouse, the one that sat across from Cyan's old hideout, the one that we watched the police raid from, the one I had followed Jake to the night before. Everything was the same as I remembered, except for the fact it was completely devoid of any crime. I spun around in circles looking for any evidence that either Jake or Richy had been there, but it was seemingly untouched.

"I don't understand! I definitely followed Jake here last night and Richy was over there tied to a chair!" I pointed in the general direction where Richy had once sat.

Alan walked over and examined the ground for any evidence. "There's no blood," he shrugged. "Wait a second..." Alan crouched down and ran his fingers over the concrete surface. "Something was recently bolted here. There are fresh holes in the concrete."

Like a flash, I suddenly remembered, "Richy's feet!"

"His feet?" Dan looked at me confused.

"Jake had bolted his feet to the ground to keep him from escaping," admitting that out loud was more difficult that I could have ever imagined.

"MC," Alan frowned, obviously still struggling to accept not arresting him.

"We don't know if that's true," Dr. Cumming interrupted.

"What, are you his lawyer or his doctor?" Dan glared at the doctor.

"I am just saying if Jake used heavy drugs on MC we don't know for sure whether what she saw was real or a hallucination or a misinterpretation based on a series of suggestions," the doctor explained. "No offense, MC."

"None taken," I shook my head.

"But that's not really the sort of thing people just hallucinate, right?" Dan raised his eyebrow. "It had to come from something."

"Oh sure, but she could have misinterpreted something someone said or how Richy behaved as if he actually had his feet bolted to the floor," the doctor continued. "And truth be told, any lawyer assigned to Jake would tear MC's testimony apart, should she appear in court that is."

"He's right," Alan sighed. "Especially since MC was intended to be under the effects of a drug in the first place, a lawyer could argue that MC had been struggling to sleep at night so Jake gave her a sleeping aid that didn't agree with her. Everything after that point could be considered nothing more than a very convincing dream. Especially with the lack of evidence in this building."

"Yeah, but maybe he just cleaned it. Can't you call in a team that do that sciencey stuff with the light to find blood," Dan suggested.

"This isn't my jurisdiction, Dan. I would need sufficient reason to convince my friend at the Colville PD to bring such an expensive resource out here and I'm not sure MC's testimony will suffice when there's no visible evidence and no... victim," Alan rubbed his head.

"But we do have a victim," I pointed out.

Alan winced, "He hasn't been found yet. I can give it a try though. Who knows, maybe it's a slow crime day in the city." Alan pulled out his phone and walked to the side to make his phone call.

Suddenly my phone started ringing. Confused I pulled it out and saw <<???>> on my lock screen. My blood ran cold.

"It's him," my voice shook.

"MC, you don't have to answer if you are not comfortable taking the call," Dr. Cumming assured me.

"No, I'm good," I nodded and pressed the accept button on my phone. Dan looked at me like he expected me to put it on speakerphone. I instead lifted the phone to my ear. "Hi."

"Did you sleep well?" Jake asked with his voice modulator turned on.

"You know, my mind's been foggy all day, but it's becoming clearer as the day goes on," I admitted, trying to contain the anger. "Where is he?"

"Last I saw him was this morning. He could be anywhere by now," Jake said vaguely. "Let's not waste time with that. Tell me what it is you want of me."

"You know what that is. It's time to accept the doctor's offer," I glanced over at Dr. Cumming, who nodded at me.

Jake laughed, "I have to admit I started to doubt whether you would still give me that option."

"And if I didn't?" I questioned.

"Let's just say I'm not going to prison," Jake answered ambigiously.

"You'll come willingly then?" I asked.

"I will give you my current location. Know that any attempt at arresting me will likely lead to casualties. I surrender myself to you and to you only," Jake dictated. "Tell Dan if he so much as touches me, I will break all of his fingers."

"I will tell him," I had to smile at the last request. "To be honest, I expected more of a fight out of you."

"Losing you has hurt more than I care to admit," he said solemnly. "To fight now would be pointless. It is either this or going into hiding again."

"Well I am glad you're putting a priority on your mental health rather than taking the coward's way out," I commented honestly. "I just wish you had thought of that before you drugged me and kidnapped Richy."

"I had gifted you the luxury of ignorance. I knew your naïve sense of righteous would interfere with the justice I was going to deliver," he explained.

"Maybe because it was wrong," I narrowed my eyes. "And you knew it."

"I don't expect an angel to understand the work of a devil. It had to be done," he insisted.

"Then why are you surrendering?" I questioned. "If you feel that you had to."

"I do not deny that I wronged you. I cannot evade you. If I run, you will haunt my waking dreams," he spoke quietly. "I surrender to you and accept your judgement."

I closed my eyes and could see him kneeling before me in my mind, begging for forgiveness while still not acknowledging everything he had done wrong.

"We both know I am a monster," he admitted.

"You sound like you would accept death," I frowned.

"If that's what you decide is best," he said grimly.

"Death is too easy. No, you need to wake up to your wrongs and see them for what they are," I gritted my teeth. "Psychiatric care is the only way you can get that clarity."

"You think I can still be healed?" he asked.

"Now is not the time to be asking me that," I bit my lip as I opened my eyes again.

"Understood. See you soon, angel," Jake hung up before I could respond.

The others looked at me in an awkward silence as I considered what to say. "Well?" Dan pushed impatiently.

"He's sending me his current location soon so we can pick him up," I announced.

"You're not serious," Dan frowned. "That is most definitely, positively, one-hundred percent a trap!"

"I don't think so," Dr. Cumming interrupted. "During my few sessions with Jake I found he is quite remorseful. What's more, his utmost concern is of MC's wellbeing. He recognises that he is a danger to her, but he considers his pursuers to be a greater threat of which he feels he's the only one that can protect her from them. If he says he's willing to surrender, then I believe him. He would not make that decision lightly."

"Really? He revealed that much to you?" I asked surprised.

"Oh, there is a fair amount of reading between the lines when it comes to Jake, or I suppose in this case, listening between the phrases? In any case, he is highly defensive of what he considers are his weaknesses, which makes them easier to spot. You just need to look for distractions and deflections," Dr. Cumming explained.

"Huh?" Dan looked at him confused.

"Jake doesn't like talking about his past killings," Dr. Cumming responded plainly for Dan.

"Wait, why are we not arresting him?" Dan frowned.

"Because all of those killings were done during a heightened state of fear for self-preservation. In his eyes it was always kill or be killed. It's really no different to my patients with combat PTSD," Dr. Cumming continued. "However, unlike our soldiers returning home from combat, Jake is still at war."

"You did not just compare him to our nation's heroes," Dan glared.

"Isn't he though? Does he not fight for the individual's freedoms and rights?" the doctor questioned.

"He does so with bombs and guns!" Dan objected.

"So do our soldiers," the doctor pointed out. "I am not saying each killing was justified or within reasonable grounds for self-defence. Just that Jake perceived no other option available for survival, his or MC's. Not a single killing was made for malicious reasons."

"He told me he enjoyed killing," I commented.

"He loves the thrill of the battle and the feeling of victory, which he confuses for a love of killing. If a person poses no threat to him, he feels no joy in taking their life and is unlikely to waste the time or energy to kill them. He is quite capable of rendering a person unconscious," Dr. Cumming detailed.

"Or he just didn't tell you about the ones he killed for pleasure," Dan proposed.

"How does Richy fit in?" I ignored Dan.

"In his eyes Richy had escaped his just punishment. Jake had a hard time coping with his parole. He honestly felt a deranged monster was being let loose on the streets," Dr. Cumming replied.

"He's not alone in that," Dan interjected.

"I suspect he felt he was both protecting MC and delivering a more adequate punishment," Dr. Cumming continued. "It is certainly a line I would have rather not seen crossed. This means he is jumping from being reactive to becoming proactive in his perceived sense of self-defence."

"Does that change our agreement?" I asked.

"No, not at the moment," Dr. Cumming shook his head. "Richy was a bit of an exception given their past. No matter the breadth of Richy's remorse for what occurred, Jake sees him as an aggressor who may still try to complete his failed objectives."

My phone beeped in my hand. I looked down and saw that Jake had sent me his location. It was only a few blocks away, "Ok, I received his location."

"What location?" Alan questioned as he finally rejoined the group.

"Jake is surrendering to MC. I'll have my staff ready to pick him up," Dr. Cumming filled Alan in roughly.

"Tell them to bring your best straight jacket," Dan joked.

"I rather hope it doesn't come to that. Still we must be cautious and approach him overtly. Any attempt at subterfuge may result in drastic defensive action," Dr. Cumming warned.

"I'll take the lead," I confirmed.

"No, you won't," Dan glared.

"For once, I am actually with Dan on this one," Alan sighed. "Sorry, doctor, but I've seen far too many people suffering psychotic breaks decide to take themselves and their loved ones out in a final act of defiance."

"Yeah and I actually know Jake and what he's capable of. There will most definitely be traps set for anyone other than me," I folded my arms, unimpressed by the men's attempt of chivalry.

"How did he sound on the phone?" Dr. Cumming asked.

"I don't know. He wasn't angry or anything. More like he expected it. Surprised even that your offer was still on the table," I replied honestly.

"He's accepted whatever fate you've chosen for him," Dr. Cumming nodded. "I recommend MC takes the lead. She is the only one he genuinely trusts. She is the only one he'll surrender to."

"By all means, doctor, I don't know if I trust your judgement given his breakdown began curiously after he started seeing you," Alan frowned.

"Is that what you think? No, I was trying to calm an already developing breakdown. If my advice had been followed, he would already be in my facility," Dr. Cumming defended.

"Dr. Cumming is right," I sighed.

"Just because someone yells fire doesn't mean they didn't start it," Alan commented.

"Do you know how often we in the medical profession are blamed for causing underlying conditions simply for diagnosing them?" Dr. Cumming said unamused.

"Is it just me or is it getting tense in here?" Dan whispered to me.

"I wouldn't know, doctor. I only hear of the times people in the medical profession get a diagnosis so incredibly wrong and it's cost an innocent their life," Alan folded his arms.

"Well let me put it this way. I have the location. You all don't have the location. Either I take the lead or you don't get the location," I said decisively.

Alan shrugged, "You know how to drive a hard bargain, MC, but know I could have you followed."

"Yes, but my threat sounded... threatening, didn't it?" I mused.

"You had me convinced," Dan smirked. "But I'm going to be right behind you."

"No, Dan, you're going to stay out of my line of fire," Alan frowned.

"Wait what? Don't sideline me, coach!" Dan objected.

"Jake did warn me that if you touched him he would break all your fingers," I giggled.

"I still need my rematch with that cockroach!" Dan exclaimed.

"Dan, you will help cover any back exits," Alan commanded.

"Look at that! Sidelined!" Dan said dramatically.

"Alright, Alan, Dr. Cumming, I'm forwarding the location to you now," I announced. "Let's bring in Jake."