• Jack thought about it. Jeremy could most definitely be a problem. The poor girl felt so bad for him because he was moving. She didn't want to see her friend go, so she offered him a place to stay. Being the kind-hearted person, she was easily taken advantage of. Usually, she'd wait all night for Jeremy to come in and when he did, he'd usually be high or drunk. That was a major problem for both of them. He tried to force her to do things, like drive him places. He was abusive when he was drunk. He was stupid when he was high.
    Sadie's mom and dad were divorced. Sadie's dad.. was in the military and her mom was wasting her life away doing drugs and working late-nights at the strip club. Her father didn't approve of Jeremy at all, but then again, he wasn't his child, so he didn't care about what he did. Jack watched as Jeremy held the frail girl in his arms. He shook with envy at the moment.
    "Sadie! Are you okay?" Jeremy rubbed her back.
    "I had a nightmare." Sadie cried,"You..jumped..off a cliff... when you were drunk..."
    "It's okay. I won't do that. I promise." Jeremy told her,"I wouldn't make you go to a funeral at the state you're in."
    "Can you stop doing drugs? Please, Jeremy...please.." Sadie begged, with tears streaming down her cheeks,"Jeremy.. I love you. You're like my brother. If you die, I'm going down with you."
    Jeremy shook her,"Don't you dare talk like that! I'm not going to die. Neither are you."
    After another hour or so, Sadie finally fell asleep. Jeremy staggered back to his bedroom and shut the door. Jack came out from hiding and brushed his fingertips across her face.
    "I love you, Sadie. See you tomorrow at school." Jack whispered in her ear,"Forget the nightmare. Forget this night. Forget."
    He left the room, leaving through the window. Making sure Sadie was still sleeping, he turned his head to look back and he closed the window. Outside, it was cold. The air didn't affect him because he was immortal and he had no feeling in his body. His eyes watered in the cold, though.
    "Heh. Immortals have it so easy. Stupid mortals. If only they knew...how much hell is in an eternity." Jack muttered as he kicked a stone across the street. A couple walked past him, seeming so lost in each other's eyes. A hand touched his shoulder.
    "Claude. Victor. What are you all doing out at such a late hour?" Jack spun around.
    "Priscilla sent us out here after you." Claude bowed his head,"A mortal has wounded her. She has been hit.. near her heart. They know, Jack. Soon.. they will have us all captive..to be tested. Our time is running out."
    "Do they have anyone in specific watching us?" Jack wondered,"If so, I can have something arranged to throw them off our trail. Or.. mine and Priscilla's at least. Is she okay? Did she pretend to die?"
    "That's the problem, Jack. She didn't. She ran in fear. They know. Someone has exposed us." Victor intervened,"Obviously, this is a major problem. We are going extinct. We are no longer the hunters, but the prey."
    "I see." Jack stared past Victor, to see a man in a black coat. He had a notebook out and a camera,"That man. Is that him? He's got a pistol in his left front pocket."
    "One of them." Claude lowered his voice,"Come on. Let's go."
    Before Claude and Victor could cross the street, a black car pulled up. They were cuffed and dragged in the car. The man in the black coat came up to Jack and handed him a five hundred dollar bill.
    You didn't see anything, kid. Got it? They are now government property. If it is going to cost more to keep you quiet, I will gladly pay more." The man offered.
    Jack scowled,"I don't need your money. I want my friends back."
    "Tell me, boy...what makes you think you can get what you want?" The man jabbed Jack's chest with his finger. Jack grabbed the man's hand and crushed his bones.
    "You have no winning chance against me." Jack grinned,"You..might as well give them up. I can do more than just break a hand, my dear friend. Would you want that? I'm sure you'd like to live.."
    "I work for the government. They'd come looking for me if I suddenly went missing." The man lied.
    "They could always replace you."Jack told the man,"They could care less if you died right now. All they want is money. They don't care."
    The man took out his walkie-talkie,"Release them. They are the wrong suspects."
    Claude and Victor came out of the car without the cuffs this time. Jack pushed the man on the ground and they went their separate ways. The man swore under his breath as the immortals left.

    * * * * *
    Sadie woke up and quickly changed into some skinny jeans, her snowboots, a hello kitty shirt, and a gray sweater- button up jacket. Jeremy waited outside of her bedroom door with his cell phone in his hand.
    "Come on, Sadie. We're going to be late for school." Jeremy called to her,"Jack said he is on his way."
    "Coming!" Sadie grabbed her phone and iPod. She ran out of the room, past Jeremy and outside to the end of her driveway. Jeremy followed her out of the door. By the time they had gotten outside, Jack was waiting on them. Sadie climbed in the passenger seat next to Jack. Jeremy slid in the back next to Claude and Victor.
    "How are you this morning?" Jack asked Sadie as he drove off.
    "Stressed. Tired." Sadie confessed. Jack grabbed her hand and held it on their way to school. She blushed and stared out of the window the whole time.
    "Everything will be okay," Jack told her,"I had a rough night myself. Dealing with.. things."
    "You're so secretive about your after-school life." Sadie teased,"When do we ever get ti hang out?"
    "You're right. I should arrange something for us to do. How about this evening after school? I take you with me. To the mall. Hang out for a while. Hit the movies. Restraunt. Chill at my house with Claude and Priscilla. I take you home. Sound good to you?"
    "Jeremy?" Sadie looked back at him.
    "I've got Jarryd and Jayden to keep me busy. Liz and I have a date tonight anyway." Jeremy laughed. Time seemed to go by fast. They reached the school parking lot. Jack parked the car and they all got out, except for Jack and Sadie.