Today is Saturday. It's halfway through April, so there's about six more weeks of school. Who knows what I'll be up to during the summer?

Mark is coming by today to give me the "tour". But since I have a broken ankle, he's not going to make me walk anywhere, so he's just coming to explain the rules of being in the agency. I sure hope I haven't broken any.

When the doorbell sounds around ten in the morning, Shauna opens the door to reveal Mark, dressed in his usual navy blue suit and red tie.

"Good morning, Natalie." He straightens his tie as he walks through the door. He sits on the couch next to me and says, "So I'm here to explain things to you and answer any questions you may have."

I nod, motioning for him to continue.

"First off," he says, "I'll explain what we do as an agency, and then I'll go over some rules.

So, whenever a murder happens, we always go to inspect it. We look for clues relating to the identities of the members of The Red, and the style the victim was murdered in. We assess the situation, and try to find as many clues as possible. The police know about our agency, which is why they let us through to check things out. However, no one else knows, in an effort to remain discreet and keep our information safe. Once we're positive who The Red is, we'll share our observations. But as of now, we prefer to kept things private.

You've probably noticed that we all live on the same street. We do this to stick together, so we can easily gather upon action by The Red. But you can't reveal anything about any of this. Lie if you have to. Try to avoid any subjects that might end in giving clues about the agency. Do you understand so far?"

I nod again.

"Now for the rules," he continues. "No exposing the agency. That's basically the only rule. But we have rules that help enforce this rule. No close relationships. If it gets to the point where someone might ask to come to your house, you must back off."

Well, I don't think Kian would ask to come to my house anyway.

"Try to spend most of your time inside your home," he continues. "Extra activities increase your time exposed to The Red. For all we know, they're hunting us down. And you can't be making friends and telling them about anything, okay?"

"Okay," I say.

"That's basically it. Now I'll show you how to use the inspection tablet."

He pulls out a tablet just like the one Caylen had when I first saw him. He shows me how to record my observations on it, and how to keep it safe from hackers, and all of that good stuff.

"You got it?" Mark asks while he stands.

"Yes, I think so," I say.

"Then I'll be going. Have a nice day, Natalie."

"You too."

He walks out the door, leaving me sitting alone in the living room. I pick up my crutches and make my way to Caylen's room. Inside, Caylen is sitting on his bed, staring at nothing.

"Hey," I say softly.

He looks up. "Hey."

"You okay?"

"Yeah. Danny wasn't a close friend, but I just feel really bad."

"Maybe we should do something to take your mind off of it."

"Yeah... I think Shauna was planning a trip to the store. Maybe we could walk there for her."

"Yeah. Let's do it."

Caylen and I suggest this to Shauna, who thinks it's a great idea. So Caylen and I walk slowly out the door, with me on crutches.

The store is on Main Street, meaning we'll have to go back there. Unfortunately. But, it's the middle of the day, so we should be okay. Most murders by The Red happen at night.

A question pops into my head as we walk.

"Caylen?" I ask. "What's Rob and Shauna's last name?"

"Payne. You didn't know?"

"Well, no one told me." I smile.

"It's okay," he says. "I didn't know at first either. I had to ask."

"You don't go by that name, do you?"

"No."

"What's yours?"

"Dakota."

I don't say anything for a second, but then I say, "If it doesn't bother you too much, could you explain how your parents died?"

Caylen takes a deep breath. "They died the same night as your parents. The agency was trying something new. Sending people after The Red. They all got killed. I found out soon enough. They couldn't really say that your parents and mine both got in a car crash. They told me when I went into the agency, a few days after."

"I thought you came from the coast," I say.

"I did. They made everyone move closer together after that incident. The Red have affected mostly this town ever since. I think that mission was what gave us away."

"Oh." So he was eleven when he went into the agency. "Thanks for telling me," I say.

"Sure."

We're getting closer to Main Street, and I can see the store up the road. I feel my pocket to make sure I still have Shauna's grocery money.

Finally we make it to Main Street. We stop in front of Danny's house and look up at it. The place we were having fun at a week ago. I can hear the cars on the busy street behind me. The store is only a few buildings to the right of the house.

My mind plays through the memories of that day. The excitement, the fun, the shoe tripping, the terror. It seems a little far away now.

"We'd better go, Caylen," I say, turning to him.

But he isn't there.

"Caylen?" I call, turning in a circle. Once I'm returning to my starting point, I come face to face with someone. And it's not Caylen.

All I see is a hat and some sunglasses before something - probably a burlap bag - is pulled over my head. I scream, but a hand comes over my mouth. The person is pushing me. I don't know where, but I can hear the whizzing cars getting closer...and closer.

I try to beat the figure with my crutches, but they are ripped from my grasp and I'm forced to stumble over what must be the curb. I try to scream again, but my cries are muffled by the figure's hand.

I'm going to die! I think. Again! But as roadkill!

Suddenly, I'm falling to the ground, probably about to get run over by cars. I can hear hushed voices, but not much over the roar of traffic. Soon, a different pair of hands grabs my shoulders and pulls me up. These hands feel smaller and more careful.

The new set of hands pulls me to my feet. One hand stays on my shoulder while the other lifts the bag from my face.

And then I'm looking into a pair of deep blue eyes, sparkling like the lake water. The owner of these eyes is wearing a familiar navy blue hoodie.

It's Kian.

He looks at me with extreme worry, his eyebrows practically touching each other.

Before I know what's happening, tears start spilling from my eyes. "What just happened?"

Kian pulls me into a hug. "Please try to make it through a weekend without dying."

I put my arms around him. "I don't do it on purpose."

And then I remember something. I pull away from Kian and exclaim, "Caylen!"

"He's over here," Kian motions to a heap on the sidewalk.

I hobble over to the heap that is Caylen and pull him up. Kian comes up behind me with my crutches.

"Why were you here?" I ask. "And what just happened?"

"Listen," he says. "I was working at the store. And please, it's better for everyone if you don't know what just happened."

"Kian?" I say, tears still streaming down my cheeks. "Was that The Red?"

"I don't know, Natalie," he says. "But I want you to stay indoors from now on, okay?"

"I.... Okay."

"I've gotta go." He looks hesitant to turn, so before he can leave, I pull him into another, tighter hug.

"Thank you," I whisper. I don't know why I don't badger him about what just happened. Maybe it's because I know I won't get an answer. "I hope you don't have to save me anymore."

"Me too." Kian lets go of me, and nods before turning back towards the store.

"What just happened, Natalie?" Caylens voice is shaky. I wish I had an answer.

"I don't know," I say. "But we need to hurry home, and never come back."