**PLEASE READ**

 First off, I AM SO SORRY. I didn't mean to abandon this story, but I had the worst case of writer's block for quite a while. (As you can see.) Thankfully, I managed to write out this chapter. However, it's rather confusing and very rushed so once this story is completed I am definitely going to come back and edit this chapter. I have never written about wanted criminals and how specialized branches of the government go about on business and etcetera, so this is all from my imagination. If there are errors you find and know how to correct, please tell me in a private message. At the end of it, I'll explain the whole thing with Nate (Geek) and U.E.L. since it might be a bit confusing. Read on!

 Chapter 21~

 ~Nate's PoV~

 0900 hours- Headquarters conference room

 Boss strolled into the conference room right as the decorative grandfather clock signaled the turn of the hour. Carl and I sat next to each other at the round, glass table, along with five other members of the specially selected Elite team. We were all waiting for the bomb to drop.

 Any minute now...

 Boss sat down at the head of the table and pinned every one of us with his signature icy stare. "I assume all of you know why this meeting has been called?'

 The seven of us nodded curtly in a perfectly synchronized manner.

 Boss relaxed slightly. "Good. So all of you know that U.E.L. has been spotted. We need to move-- fast. They need to be shut down once and for all. All of the men in that group have been wanted by the government for quite a long time. U.E.L. has constantly been on the move ever since our first disastrous encounter with them. Because of how that attack ended, we haven't been able to locate them easily until this week, miraculously. Do all of you know who U.E.L. is?" he asked, giving a sweeping glance at all of our faces. Two or three guys shook their heads.

 "U.E.L. stands for Ultimate Enemies of the Law. They are a group set out for vengeance against the American government. There are a variety of reasons why they want revenge, most of them unknown. U.E.L. is wanted because of their conspiracies against the government and their relations with drug dealing in the past and, possibly, present. We have a slight fear they might plan an attack that could be a greater catastrophe than 9/11," Boss reported gravely. Unease twisted in my stomach.

 "That is just a rumor, though, and it has not been disputed. Point is, they are wanted, dead or alive. That is where you come in. I am going to assign each of you jobs, and then we will all consult the private think tank and plan our next move. Smithson, you are the designated aerial sniper," Boss addressed Carl, who puffed up his chest proudly at the news.

 "Peters, you are on the ground in combat." Boss met my relieved gaze with a subtle warning in his unreadable eyes.

 Now that I was given the position I wanted-- needed-- the rest of the meeting flew by in a blur. After the meeting was dispersed, I lingered in order to catch Boss alone.

 "Get to the point, Peters," Boss grunted bluntly. My palms were getting sweaty, a sign of my overwhelmed state.

 "Is there any way I can be assigned as a guardian-"

 "Peters."

 "Boss, he needs help, not maximum security imprisonment. He could be admitted to a mental health institution if I could corral him-"

 "Nathan!"

 "You don't understand, sir. That's my older brother that was recruited in U.E.L. and if the plan goes awry, my last living relative could be killed! I could save him with your permission." By now, my voice had risen in desperation and urgency. I had to get Boss to see where I was coming from, and I wasn't going to be dismissed without a fight.

 He sighed. "The only way I'll allow him to be separately protected is if you don't screw up like last time. Need I remind you what will happen if you disobey my orders, Agent Peters?" he demanded sternly.

 I shook my head. "No, sir. Thank you for giving me the chance to fulfill my promise."

 Boss waved a hand. "I'm too soft on you, boy. Now get out of here. You've still got your own case to work on."

 "Yes sir," I grinned. Finally, I had the second chance I'd been praying for.

~

 ~Ainsley's PoV~

 Mondays suck.

 It had been a struggle getting out of bed this morning, due to the nightmarish weekend I had previously endured. I dressed in a warm ice blue sweater and dark jeans, topped with black boots. Mom and Seneva were downstairs making pancakes when I joined them.

 "Morning, guys. I only have a minute," I mumbled, opening the fridge and retrieving the carton of grapefruit juice. Seneva looked up with dark blue eyes and observed me from her chair at the breakfast nook.

 "Ainey tired?" she asked in her sweet little voice.

 "You have no idea," I sighed, plopping down in the seat next to her. Mom set a plate of apple cinnamon pancakes in front of me.

 "Hurry and eat, you've got about three minutes, according to the clock," she smiled. I flashed a halfhearted smile back before stuffing my face in a very unladylike manner. Seneva stabbed her pancake with her fork repeatedly, cocking her head and scraping the top off.

 "Mommy, why did Kyle leave suddenly last night?" she queried, sliding her eyes over at me. I deliberately ignored her and gulped down my juice, discreetly awaiting Mom's answer.

 "I don't know, honey. Maybe he lost track of time. He said something about his mother texting him to come home." She continued obliviously flipping the pancakes on the electric griddle Dad had bought for her last Christmas.

 I hid a snort by sipping the last of my juice and loading my dishes in the dishwasher. His mother texting him to come home my BUTT, I thought sarcastically. Whatever. Kyle was on the back burner for now or else I'd be late to school.

 "Gotta head out now. Bye Mom, later Neva," I said false cheerfully, giving them a wiggly finger wave and gliding out of the kitchen. My backpack was by the door and in a practiced move I swiped my cream scarf off of the coat hook, lifted my backpack on one shoulder, and opened the door all at once.

 "Bye honey! Have a good day at school!"

Before I could exit the house, Seneva ran at me, her eyes wide with emotion. "Ainey!"

 "Yes?" I asked curiously, glancing down at her wavy pinkish hair.

 "Where's Ro-Mary?" she asked, blinking up at me.

 "I... I don't know, Neva. I'll try and call her today."

 Seneva twisted her mouth in a wry gesture. "No call. Find her," she said jadedly, and skipped away singing the alphabet. My temples throbbed with confusion.

 "Stupid stalker ruining my life," I grumbled and jetted to school.

~

 By the time school ended, I was exhausted, cranky, irritated from the piles of homework I was assigned, and on the verge of screaming from my paranoia. Maybe it was just my imagination, but I felt as though people were giving me weird looks.

 You're just worn out, my mind reassured me.

 I sluggishly walked through the halls in the direction of my locker as the last of the students ambled out. My mind began attemping to piece together the mystery of my stalker and the connections with Kyle, the disappearance of Rosemary, the fire, the letters, the home invasion, the possessed doll, the injuries inflicted upon Seneva's poor little kitten...

 I let out a strangled yell of frustration. Where was Geek? Why wasn't he at school today? We needed to dissect all the events that occurred this weekend. It was common knowledge that two minds were better than one, and I wasn't sure I could stay sane much longer if I had to piece together this entire ordeal on my own.

 When I turned the corner, my eyes landed on a sight that made my blood freeze. I immediately halted my walking.

 Rosemary. What was she doing at my locker? Was she waiting for me?

 No, she didn't seem to be waiting. What was she... Doing? 

 Wait. What was that? She was shoving something in my locker...

 It's her! My mind screamed. THE STALKER IS HER!

 "Rosemary, what are you doing?" I blurted, my heart racing. She whirled around, eyes wide in shock. Her body began trembling and she drew her hand away from the slot in my locker as if it were on fire.

 "I... I, uh... H-Hi, Ainsley," she greeted me nervously. I stormed up to her, anger fueling my courage.

 "Why haven't you answered my calls? Did you start the fire in the mall? How the HELL could you just... Abandon me like that! I went back for you! I had to be hospitalized from smoke inhalation because of that! And why was there a message carved into your dressing room door? Damn it, Rosemary, tell me! You're my best friend! Are you the one who's behind all of this?" I screamed.

 Rosemary flinched at the fury in my voice. "Ainsley, I can explain..."

 "You better explain! My life is being threatened right now, and by disappearing out of nowhere, you made yourself a suspect," I hissed.

 Her frightened eyes filled with tears. "I-"

 I reeled back from her, my back pressing into the cool row of lockers. "You're not... It isn't you, is it?"

 She shook her head, tears streaming down her face.

 "You're... Being put up to it?"

 She nodded furiously, her eyes darting around in search of something.

 "Who's behind it, Rosemary? I need to know. Rosemary, I need to know NOW," I demanded.

 All of the sudden, her whole body locked up. Her face turned deathly white as she stared at something above our heads.

 "We're being watched," she breathed. Chills ran down my spine and I grabbed her shoulders.

 "By who? Tell me, Rosemary! I can help you!"

 She shook her head numbly. "I'm in trouble. Oh gosh, I'm in trouble," she mumbled, her lips trembling. Her hands flew up to grip my wrists in an iron lock. "Ainsley, please forgive me. Please," she begged.

 I blinked in confusion. "Rose, wha-"

 "I have to go. Ainsley, I have to go," she sobbed, pushing me away frantically.

 "No, Rosemary-"

 "HE KNOWS, OKAY? HE KNOWS!" Horrified, she slapped her hands over her mouth. "I've said too much. Leave me alone, Ainsley, or else it won't end well for either of us," she whispered quietly. Lethally.

 Stunned, I watched as she bolted away from me as if I were the one who was scaring her. My senses were tingling and I ripped open my locker to grab the slip of paper she had shoved into the slat when I found her.

 My hands unfolded it shakily, accidentally tearing off a corner.

 Peek-a-boo, I see you...

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*This is creepier than I thought it would end up being... Oh well. Good! I've thrown out multiple hints in this one, it's absurd. So, now I shall address the issue concerning U.E.L.

 There is an (completely made up) anarchist group called Ultimate Enemies of the Law. Nate's older brother is part of that group, and the Elite group has been ordered to tear U.E.L. down. In order to do that, a lot of people are (most likely) going to be killed. Nate is worried that they'll kill his brother, who is certifiably insane enough to be easily admitted into an institution instead of high security prison. Stuff's about to hit the fan, guys! I think we're almost nearing the end of this story... But I don't know. It's not all planned yet. Anywho, tell me what your thoughts are, my lovelies!