MADDOCK HOME

"I know everything," Valerie Hanley-Holden said, opening the envelope she had in her hands. "I know everything about your past as a…lady of the night."

Melissa Maddock didn't respond.

"Is that all it takes to shut you up?" Valerie asked. "Then I wonder…how will you react to this?"

Valerie removed one of the photographs from the envelope and showed it to Melissa. It was from Melissa's past a prostitute, and featured her having sex with one of her clients. Melissa cried out and stumbled back, falling onto the couch next to an unconscious Felicia Bale.

"How did you…how did you get those?" Melissa demanded weakly.

"Surprise," Valerie said. "Your life is over."

Melissa rose to her feet and stormed over to Valerie, snatching the picture away from her. Melissa stared at the picture and began to cry as memories of when she had to sell her body to men to make it through law school flooded back to her.

"No," Melissa gasped. "Where did you get this?!"

"That's none of your concerned," Valerie said, repeating the phrase Melissa had uttered to her only moments ago. "Now, is there anything else you'd like to say before I completely destroy your life?"

"Please, don't!" Melissa cried. "I have no idea what it is that you think I did to you in the past, or what it is that your father did, but I'm sorry. I know that Kevin Hanley is a horrible man, but I'm not!"

"Oh, really?" Valerie asked. "I'd beg to differ."

"Valerie, please! Don't show anyone those pictures!" Melissa pleaded. "I'll…I'll do anything."



EMERALD LAKE

Chris Server and Ricard Branch walked toward the lake, noticing that they were standing on the side opposite of Quentin Blood's mansion. Somehow, it made Chris feel as if his every move was being watched. But he brushed off the feeling and turned to Ric to make sure everything would be going smoothly.

"We can ruin this," Chris said. "We have to show them a sample, and then we have to take them to where the real stuff is."

"I know what we have to do," Ric snapped. "I'm just…I want this to go over smoothly so I don't piss off Quentin even more."

"Piss him off?" Chris demanded. "He's the last person you should be worried about. He blackmailed both of us into doing this, so it's not like I'm shedding any tears."

"But if he gets angry, he could have us killed," Ric reminded Chris. "Or he could have me thrown in…nothing. When that ex-gang of yours supposed to get here?"

"Soon," Chris said. For a while, he had forgotten that the gang he and Ric were doing business with was the very one he had belonged to less than two years ago.

As if in response to Chris's comment, he could see three familiar faces approaching him. All were members of the Marquette Cove gang known as the Vipers. Chris took a deep breath and once again, hoped for the best.

Kelli Anderson poked her head around a tree and noticed three men approaching Ric and Chris. If Kelli didn't stop Chris now, she probably wouldn't get a chance to. Taking a deep breath, Kelli emerged from the tree and started toward him.

"Chris!" Kelli called out. "We need to talk!"



ABANDONED CHURCH

"Alec, we'll explain everything once we get out of here," Vincent Moore said, calming down. "Trust me. What are you even doing here?"

"I followed you…or someone who looks like you," Alec Bale said. "He was...I tried apologizing to you about Jessica. I wanted us to start over."

"Oh man, really?" Vince asked. "Because I wanted to do the same."

"How sweet," Blake said. "Can we get going? Before someone else tries to come and kill us?"

"Alright, let's all get out of —" Vince was cut short as the ground began to shake, almost as if the church had just been struck by an earthquake. He cried out as he was knocked to the ground and pieces of the building began to fall from the ceiling and crash onto the ground. "Everyone out of here! Now!"

Blake Thomas and Julia Mitchell started racing toward the exit, but were stopped when the ceiling above them collapsed. Julia cried out as Blake shoved her out of the way, causing the debris to fall onto Blake, knocking him unconscious.

"Blake!" Julia cried. "Vince, you have to help him!"

"Move out of the way," Vince said, struggling to keep his balance as the church continued to shake violently. He focused on the pile of wood covering Blake and tried moving it with his mind. It took most of the strength Vince had left, but he was able to free a path for Alec and Julia to grab Blake.

"Okay, you're going to be explaining how you did that, right?" Alec demanded.

"Yes, I am," Vince said. "But we have to get out of here."

Vince cleared another path for all four teenagers to escape from the dilapidating church. As Vince worked to contain the path, Alec lifted Blake over his shoulder and dragged him toward the exit. Julia followed with Vince closed behind, but he accidentally tripped over a piece of debris and landed onto the floor.

The fall caused Vince to lose his concentration, which caused all of the debris, currently floating in the air, to crash back down onto them.

"You'd do better at begging on your knees," Valerie said. "Besides, isn't that the position you're used to?"

"Shut up," Melissa snapped.

Valerie smiled and removed another picture from the envelope. "Oops…it looks like I spoke too soon. You're quite experienced in all types of positions. In fact, I'd say you're very experienced."

"What do you want from me?" Melissa demanded, breathing heavily through tears. "It can't be money, your family has more than me."

"I want to see you suffer," Valerie said. "I want to see you lose everything like I did, like you made my family, and like you made my sister!"

"I didn't do anything to you!" Melissa cried. "Can't you see that?"

"Oh, shut your damn mouth," Valerie said, slapping Melissa across the face. "I've had quite enough of your incessant whining. Get a backbone, bitch."

"I'm a bitch? You're the one who's[ destroying my life for no good reason! What are you going to do? Post the pictures all over town? E-mail them to all of my clients? Hand them out at the courthouse before my trials?" Melissa asked, ripping the photograph she was holding.

"All great suggestions," Valerie said. "And I hope you're not stupid enough to think that was my only copy you with the prominent Asian business man."

Melissa cried out and clutched her stomach, stepping away from Valerie and attempting to keep her balance by leaning against a chair. "My baby…"

"Oh, what is it now?" Valerie demanded.

"I don't know!" Melissa cried. "I'm not supposed to be in stressful situations, Dr. Collins told me so."

"A little late for that," Valerie muttered.

"I need to call him," Melissa said. "I need to call my doctor."

"Is that the only thing you know how to do?" Valerie demanded.

"Can't you help me?!" Melissa cried, sinking to her knees. She felt as if the room were spinning, and her entire body felt like someone was stabbing her through the heart. She tried reaching for the telephone resting on the coffee table, but Valerie stepped in her way.

"You're not calling anyone," Valerie said. "Not until I'm —"

Before Valerie had a chance to finish, Melissa's eyes rolled back in her head and she collapsed onto the floor. At first, Valerie thought Melissa was faking, until she saw that she didn't appear to be breathing.

"Melissa?" Valerie spoke, trying to get her attention. "Are you…oh God, Melissa! Melissa, wake up!"



EMERALD LAKE

Chris was shocked to see Kelli approaching him. "Kelli? What the hell is she —"

"Hey, why in the hell is your goddamn gal pal here?" Ric demanded.

"I don't know!" Chris cried.

"Well, get rid of her!" Ric shouted, as Kelli reached where they were standing.

Kelli stopped and smiled at both teenagers, folding her arms. "Hey guys, what's going on?"

"Kelli, this is not a good time," Chris whispered.

"Why not?" Kelli demanded. "Because I interrupted something?"

"Yes, you did," Ric snapped.

"I know," Kelli said. "I know exactly what you're doing Chris, and I could say I expected this from you, Ric. But Chris, you're not supposed to be doing this."

"Kelli, not now," Chris said.

"No, Chris!" Kelli cried. "You've been lying to me and Blake for over a year! I think I deserve to know why you're still selling drugs."

"You know, you're being really stupid," Ric said, stepping between them. "Get your ass out of here before you get us all killed!"

"Yo Chris, what's up?"

Chris turned his head to see Antoine, Darius, and Mark, three members of the Vipers, standing next to him. Chris gulped and tried moving past Ric and Kelli to talk to them.

"Nothing," Chris said. "Just dealing with a little problem here."

"It is not a little problem," Kelli insisted. "Chris, I'm not going to just stand here while you throw your entire life away."

"God, are you really that stupid?" Ric demanded. "Get out of here!"

"Is there a problem?" Antoine asked.

"No, there's not," Chris said.

"Yes, there is," Kelli said. "You're going to have to leave."

"Excuse me?" Antoine demanded.

"You heard —"

Kelli shut her mouth when Antoine pulled out a gun and aimed it at her. "What was that you just said?"

"Antoine, don't!" Chris cried. "I'll get rid of her."

Frozen in fear, Kelli was finally unable to respond. Ric stepped in front of her, trying to move her out of the way, causing Mark and Darius to pull out their own guns.

"Hey, put the guns away!" Chris shouted. "I'll get rid of her!"

Hearing that all three had pulled out their guns, Ric removed his own gun from his waist and pointed it at the gang members as he spun around to face them. In reaction, Kelli closed her eyes as if to shield herself from what was about to transpire.

Her action was a failed attempt, however. She still heard the first shot when it was fired.



LOMAN HOME

Detective Joel Kincaid stumbled into the living room carrying a bottle of Corona, his fourteenth bottle that evening. He stood over his brother, Duncan's unconscious body and poured the remaining contents of the bottle onto his face.

"Here, have a drink on me," Joel said. "I'm going to congratulate you on your latest conquest."

Joel turned his head to look at the woman who was lying on the couch, unconscious as well. Joel walked over to the couch and sat down next to the woman whose driver's license identified her as Lori Racine.

"Hey there honey," Joel said, kissing Lori on her lips. "Ooh…you taste almost as sweet as Kelly did."

Joel reached forward and grabbed the gun that was resting on the coffee table in front of him. He ran his fingers across Lori's thigh and leaned in to kiss her again. Once he pulled away, Joel stood up and aimed the gun at her.

"You've been great, darling," Joel said. "Honestly, I wish I didn't have to kill you. But it's my brother, you see. I've got to send him back to jail…so…so long, Lori."

Joel pulled the trigger, shooting Lori in the forehead. He quickly spun around so he wouldn't have to look at the blood from the gunshot. He dropped the gun onto the floor and knelt next to his brother to check his pulse.

"Oh…you're dead already," Joel muttered. "Well, that sort of takes the fun out of it, doesn't it? But that's okay…I can make my own fun."



MADDOCK HOME

"God, get up you bitch!" Valerie shouted, hovering over Melissa. "You can't be dead!"

Valerie checked to see if Melissa had a pulse. When she discerned that Melissa wasn't dead, Valerie rose to her feet and rushed to Felicia's side. She tried waking up Felicia, but she only succeeded in getting her half-sister to mumble something unintelligible.

"Dammit," Valerie said, grabbing the phone from the coffee table and dialing 911.

"911, what's your emergency?"

"I need your help," Valerie said, speaking quickly. "There's been an accident here 1234 West Hollywood Avenue. A pregnant woman, she collapsed."

"Is the woman still breathing?"

"Yes!" Valerie cried, becoming more frustrated. "I don't know what's wrong with her. I don't know how far along she is either…please just hurry!"

"I'm sending someone over right away, miss," the operator replied. "May I ask who's calling?"

"My name?" Valerie asked.

"Yes."

"My name is…is…" Valerie glanced over at her unconscious sister on the couch. "Felicia Bale."

Valerie finished giving her information to the operator and then hung up the phone. She quickly used the sleeve of her jacket to wipe her fingerprints from the phone before bending over and picking up the torn photograph from the floor.

Valerie shoved the picture into her purse and hurried and out of the mansion, making sure she had the envelope filled with evidence. Leaving the front door wide open, Valerie dashed to her car which she had parked around the corner and jumped inside.

Valerie drove off without looking back, hoping that she hadn't put Felicia into a situation she couldn't get out of.



ABANDONED CHURCH

Before the church's wreckage landed on all four teenager, Vince managed to use all of the energy that remained in him to keep it floating just above their heads. He crawled toward a fallen Julia to see how she was doing.

"Are you okay?" Vince asked.

"No," Julia said. "We're all going to die, aren't we?"

"No, you're not," Vince said. "I want all of you to get out!"

"Vince, we're not going to leave you," Julia insisted.

"I can't keep this thing from collapsing if I don't concentrate," Vince snapped. "And I can't concentrate while worrying about all of you — Alec, get Blake out of here now!"

Alec nodded and dragged Blake to safety. Julia in turn took Vince's hand and looked into his eyes.

"Vince, come on," Julia said.

"No," Vince said. "Maybe I deserve this."

"What are you talking about?" Julia demanded.

"Maybe I deserve to die, Julia," Vince said. "I've done a lot of horrible things this past year. To Jessica and Alec…to a lot of people. Maybe this is me paying for my sins."

"Vince, don't talk like that!" Julia cried. "You're my best friend's brother! She would kill me if I left you in here to die, and I know it would kill her if you died!"

"Julia, leave!" Vince shouted, touching her shoulder and sending her sliding down the church aisle and out of the entrance.

Julia screamed as she landed on the grass outside, while Vince laid on the ground and allowed the wreckage from the church to cave in on him. Julia tried climbing to her feet so she could rush back inside, but Alec grabbed her and pulled her back.

"Julia, don't," Alec said.

"Vince is going to die!" Julia cried. "He saved our lives, Alec! We just can't let him die!"

To his surprise, tears began to form in Alec's eyes. "He's gone, Julia…Vince is gone."