Life Without Them (On Hold)

Chapter 2: Mysterious Packages

A strange package arrives on the doorstep of the townhouse being rented by the Blackbourne Team, in Reston, Virginia. They have only been in town a little over a week and no one knows who they are. Confused and cautious of the package, Owen Blackbourne calls for an immediate family meeting. No one is supposed to know where they are, so who could this possibly be from? The boys gather around the living room, waiting for their leader to tell them why they have gathered.

"It seems we've received a package," Owen announces to the room.

"That's not possible," Kota states. "No one knows where we are."

"Does it say who it's from?" Luke asks.

"It doesn't matter who it's from, it's not possible," Victor interrupts. "I covered our tracks perfectly. No one knows we're here."

"Well it appears someone does," Owen interjects while holding up the envelope addressed to the Blackbourne Team. "Now let's see what it is."

Owen tears open the top of the envelope and pulls out a stack of papers. The first page is a letter, typed, with only a few lines that manages to make his blood run cold. He reads it aloud.

"'I told you to leave her. You didn't listen. Now they will pay. Volto.'"

There is silence for a few seconds before chaos reigns.

"What does he mean we didn't listen?"

"How does he know we're here?"

"I thought you said you covered our tracks!?"

"What does he mean, they will pay? Who's they?"

"Owen, what's going on?"

"How did he find us?"

While his team is frantic, Owen is flipping through the other pages that were in the package. They're all pictures: of them, of her, of children. What is all of this? Owen thinks to himself.

"Owen? What is this?" Sean asks, trying to get the papers from Owen.

They struggle for a moment before the papers fly out of Owen's hands, scattering around the room. The team stops their bickering to look on the floor. Their faces staring back at them, her face staring back at them. A face they never thought they'd see again. One by one, they remember the days these pictures must have been taken. Luke bends down and picks up a stack of pictures with him and Gabe. His mind taking him back to a few days ago.

*Luke's Flashback*

I'm walking through some park with Gabe when my thoughts go to Cupcake, like they usually do. I wonder what she's doing; how she's doing. Does she miss us? Is she looking for us, even though we told her not to?

"Luke."

Has she changed? Does she still like chocolate chip pancakes?

"Luke!"

Will we ever see her again?

"Earth to fucking Luke!"

I snap out of my musings to see Gabe standing in front of me looking pissed. He's changed...we've all changed. He doesn't have the two blonde locks in his hair anymore, he let them grow out. Instead he dyed the back of his head pink, in memory of Sang. You can only see it if he puts his hair up, but we all know it's there.

"What the fuck were you zoning out about?" he asks in a huff.

"Cupcake," I tell him with a shrug.

If anyone would understand my thoughts, it's him. I saw his sketch book before we got here last week; nothing but portraits of Sang.

"You gotta focus Luke. We've gotta find him or we'll never see her again," he tells me.