"There's no way," I said once we were in the car and driving off to an unknown destination.

"That can't be the name she heard, right?" Devin remained silent.

"Devin?" I snapped my fingers to get his attention. I didn't know what was going through his mind. I was afraid to know.

Bick was our father's name. But he was dead. There was an accident, both he and our mother perished in the car flames six years ago. There was a funeral. There's a grave with his name on it "Bick Vicker", right next to our mother's "Paula Vicker".

I remember the small funeral with few family members. I barely knew them. And there were other people I didn't know at all.

But was it him? No, it couldn't be our father. If it was, why would he do this? Why would he hurt his children? I don't understand it. My head was starting to hurt.

"It's not him," Devin said barely above a whisper.

"Devin, she said..."

"I don't give a fuck what that crazy bitch said. Bick Vicker is dead," he shot back. He was driving a bit faster now. 

"He is." I agreed realizing that he said his name instead of our father.

"And I'm going to kill the motherfucker who's pretending to be him."

It scared me when Devin spoke like that. I was afraid because I knew there was a part of him that was capable of doing that. This situation was sending him down a dark path, one that I didn't think I could possibly pul him back from.

We were driving for a few minutes when I realized that we passed the same park for the second time.

It was then that I realized that we weren't actually going anywhere. He was circling the neighbourhood.

"What're you doing?" I asked when I realized that we'd stopped just a few houses down from Mrs Nicholson's home.

"C'mon do you really think, Marcus, a big ass momma's boy hasn't spoken to his mother in a week, especially since those men held a knife to her throat?"

"I don't know maybe?" He possibly wanted to keep her safe. It's the same way Dahlia and Devin would leave me at home when they went out "shopping"; to keep me "safe" and out of trouble.

"Nah, I bet as soon as we left, she called him. She kept looking at her cell phone on the table. She was afraid of us, or maybe just me." He leaned back in the driver's seat, but he still watched the house. 

I didn't pick up on any of that while I was there. I saw a woman who was afraid for her life and for her son's; like she was willing to help us help Marcus.

He touched my shoulder and nodded toward the side view mirror.

Marcus drove up to his the house. I looked at Devin but his focus stayed on Marcus, as he clambered out of his car. He looked a bit rougher than the last time I'd seen him two days ago. His clothes were a bit ragged, and half of his shirt was untucked into his sagging pants.

He went inside for a few minutes. Then he stepped onto the porch and hugged his mother. She delicately rubbed at her son's cheek and he bent down to allow her to kiss his forehead. My chest started to feel heavy when I realised how long it's been since I'd experienced anything like that. I didn't want to go down that train of thought. So I turned to Devin, who clearly had the plan here. 

"What we were going to do now?"

"Now we follow him," he responded as he slowly pulled out of the side of the road.

We drove a few metres behind Marcus as he moved through the steady Sunday traffic. Where Marcus made a few turns into one-way streets, we kept straight, not wanting to make it obvious that we were following him. There's no way he'd know it was us. Where he turned onto another road, we'd always catch up to him when he found himself back on the main. We followed him to the western side of the city, almost to the outskirts.

I wasn't very familiar with this area. There weren't as many multistorey buildings as in the heart of the city. 

We continued to follow Marcus until we were out of the city completely. I looked back and watched as the city shrunk behind us.

This was the third time I'd ever left Berlington. I was told that we left once when I was a baby, I don't remember it. Another was with our parents when we visited some cousins in Marverly Town.

Other than those two times, it was like I was bound to the city, never being able to really escape. I wondered to myself if the family in Marverly would ever take us in, why they didn't take us in at all. They were the only family I was aware of, an aunt I think.  Our grandparents died before I was born.

All the family gatherings we've ever had was just the five of us. Christmas, New year's and birthdays, my parents and siblings were all I ever had.

I cracked the window slightly, and let in a little of the crisp fresh air that didn't exist in the city. I watched as evergreen trees swiftly passed by. I almost lost myself in the scenery, forgetting the problem we had to deal with. I stuck my arm out and let the breeze whip my hand backwards. I opened my hand and let the cool wind gride between my fingers. 

I took my eyes off of the person we were following for a minute and in that minute we were off the main road and travelling driving down a rocky path in the midst of sparsely clustered trees.

Marcus' vehicle disappeared around a corner. Devin didn't follow him any further. He shut off the engine and pulled out the gun we had taken from the man last night. Something didn't feel right. Why would Marcus come here? There were no buildings around. There were no noise apart from a bird jetting from limb to limb above us and the rustling trees.  Does he know that we are following him?

I told Devin that something didn't feel right about this. 

"I get that, but this might be our chance to find out what's really going on." If he was nervous he didn't show it. He kept his tone cool, and his voice low. I suppose it was to keep me from worrying. I was getting out to go with him but he grabbed my arm. I winced as the pain flared up again. He let go. 

"Sorry, but I can't save Dahlia if I have to worry about you too," was all he said that made me sink back into the passenger seat. I was a burden but I didn't argue. 

I watched him as he stealthily rounded the corner where Marcus' car disappeared. He kept his body low but the dried leaves still crunched under his steps.

The place was mainly quiet. If things weren't so messed up, I probably could have relaxed. Then I heard loud grunts coming from the same direction Devin and Marcus went in. I stayed put, for a few seconds. Marcus wouldn't really hurt Devin, would he?

I listened keenly for any cry of pain, that would suggest that Devin needed me. I jumped when a shot was fired, that scared a flock of birds from the trees. I got out of the car as quickly as it took the bullet to find its target. My heart hammered against my chest.

I gripped my 3 star firmly in hand, not really sure what I'd do really. I rounded the corner. Devin was being held down on the ground, with the gun that he once had now being aimed at his forehead.

From where I was, I didn't see anyone bleeding. It must have been a stray bullet. Marcus didn't notice me as his focus was on holding Devin down. He was bigger than Devin but it still took some force to keep him on the ground.

I rounded Marcus' car, ducking behind it. I could just run in head-on, and take him by surprise I thought. I could go in swinging, giving Devin a chance to get free. Then I saw a piece of a branch nestled on the ground. I took it up, it was heavy enough to use it instead of the knife.

"You're real stupid to be following me kid," I heard Marcus say between grunts. 

"Look I don't know what you thought you were doing, coming to my house asking questions."

"Where's Dahlia?" Devin grunted at him.

Before Marcus could respond, I continued around the car and came up behind him.

"Hey!" I shouted to get his attention before swinging the branch with all my might. I struck him right on the side of his head and knocked him out. Devin exhaled loudly before shoving Marcus' limp body off of him.

He took up the gun and shoved it in his waist.

"What happened?" I asked as he stood up inhaling deeply to catch his breath. His entire back and head was covered in dried leaves.

"The fucker jumped me."

Devin and I hauled Marcus' deadweight up to a slender tree. I scanned the area as Devin proceeded to handcuff Marcus around the tree. There was nothing around but the dirt road. I still couldn't believe Marcus almost killed Devin. Still, knowing that Marcus had an involvement in Dahlia's kidnapping meant we couldn't trust him. I just needed to know why he'd do this. Maybe it was because of his mother? The kidnappers forced his hand? We were going to find out.