A black car and a young driver were out on the curb, waiting for her with the back passenger door open.

"Where to, Ms. Lockhart?" said the man in front.

"The office, of course, my schedule hasn't changed," she coldly muttered as she set her purse down beside her. She glanced up at the driver to find a young, familiar face, shrouded partly in a mosaic of shadows, and a hellish glow in his eyes. Lauren's face went pale.

"You're not my driver," she whimpered in horror.

"No, I'm not," he simpered, flashing a wicked smirk. "But please bear with me for the time being, Ms. Lockhart."

"I had heard that you had escaped prison," she babbled. "What do you plan to do with me, Caleb?"

"We're going for a ride, that's all."

Lauren thought to lunge for the door. Halfway there, she hesitated.

"You and I both know you're not jumping outta this car, Lauren," Caleb groaned.

"Oh, you just think you're so clever, don't you?" she jeered. "Well, I'm calling the police."

She kept dialing, but the call would not go through.

"How do you like that? Really state-of-the-art signal blocker. You can't even make emergency calls."

"Where are you taking me, Caleb?"

"We're just going somewhere to talk, okay? If you're a good girl, and play nice, we'll both be going our separate ways in no time."

"As if I believe that," she said with a huff. Caleb pulled the car into the parking lot of a rundown motel. He got out and opened the door for her.

"Your palace awaits, your highness," he teased, grabbing her by the wrist and twisting it behind her back as he whispered into her ear. "Don't scream."

He shoved something into the small of her back that felt like the barrel of a gun. She nodded obediently, and let him shove her into the room without making a sound.

"It's funny. I never thought I'd see you so soon. Maybe by the time you were old and gray and needing a walker if you were lucky," she finally said.

The two of them were alone in the motel room with the curtains drawn and nothing visible but their silhouettes and the subtle gleam of the barrel he had pointed at her back.

"And you're proud of that?"

"I didn't ruin your life, Caleb," Lauren scoffed. "You did that all on your own when you got involved with that skanky bitch."

"Is that what this was about? You were jealous of her?"

"Jealous? Why would I be jealous of what's-her-name? Oh, did you think I had actual feelings for you? Please, darling, it was never personal. It was just for a bit of fun. That can't be what this is about."

"You're right. That's not what this is about. You and my dad have gotten close, haven't you?"

"I'm not responsible for your dysfunctional family, Caleb. I don't see how whatever you've got going on between you and your dad is my problem."

"Tell him this for me, okay. I don't think he listens to many people." His voice was sincere and vulnerable. "They're going to try to kill my father at the gala tomorrow night, along with a bunch of other people. You can't stop it. Don't try to stop it. But do whatever you have to do to save my dad."

"Caleb," she started.

"Why shouldn't I just tell the police this?"

"If you try to stop any of this, I'll kill you, Lauren. That's a promise."

"Oh, Caleb, come now. You and I both know you wouldn't kill m—yahhh!" He yanked her by the collar and ripped it, leaving her to clutch the falling fabric as it exposed her shoulder and the edge of her lace bra. Lauren's knees gave out and she crumpled to the floor. He shoved her against the bed, positioning the gun squarely between her eyes as her frantic pupils began to race and she felt her heart pounding through her glistening chest.

"Let's get something straight," he coldly declared. "I'm not the Caleb you used to know. That Caleb is dead. I don't care about my father's money. I don't care about my future. And I don't care about you. No one knows I'm here. As easily as I got to you this time, I can get to you again."

His trigger finger began to squeeze. She searched his eyes for any type of glimmer she read; anything to tell her he was bluffing. His eyes were cold and black and motionless.

"Well, then..."

"Wait!" she cried. Her eyes were wet and a tear had escaped, glimmering in the moonlight as it slid down her trembling cheek.

"I won't tell! I swear!"

She raised her head as she tearfully waited for his next words.

"Good."

"But I don't understand why. I thought you hated your father. Why save him?"

"It's not his time. Until I get to face him, and get him to admit to everything he did. That and how he left my mother to die because he was too cheap to pay for her cancer treatment. No, dying like this would be too easy on him."

"And then?" she reluctantly whispered. "What will you do once you get him to confess?"

Caleb stayed silent. He tucked his pistol back inside his waistband and headed for the door.

"And then?" she repeated desperately. Her bottom lip was still trembling and her tears had drawn lines in her makeup. He twisted the doorknob, pulled it, and shut the door behind him as she cried out his name one last time, "Caleb!"

She slammed her fists on the floor as she sobbed and cursed.

-END OF ACT 4-