It was a little chilly as the afternoon fell. It crawled inside the bathroom of the police station making Sam cringe. She went in to wash her face not just once. She was upset, with a powerful lump in her throat. Again, the urge to vomit terrified her and she felt that the world was moving fast around her. The light flickered, altering her even more. Her breathing raged and she wet her face again. When she looked in the mirror, she saw her father watching her, with a malicious smile on his face.

"You're not right, Sam".

Sam wanted to sarcastically answer such a stupid question; however, she didn't have the energy to do so.

"I don't know what to do"...

"You know that, Sam".

Sam looked at Billy, angry. The feeling of déjà vu was evident. She had already this conversation some time ago, during the first appearance of Ghostface in her life.

"It was to be expected that even the original Ghostface would repeat his dialogues".

"Sam," Billy sat up and walked up to his daughter, reaching into her ear to whisper. "I warn you from now on. This new Ghostface will not be like the previous ones you have faced".

"Does your homicidal mind tell you that?"

"You mean our criminal mind." Billy looked at Sam's hair and looked back into her eyes through the mirror. "You know something isn't right. And that terrifies you a lot. You're scared that something will happen to Tara".

"I never expected Ghostface to kidnap someone," Sam said, looking down at the sink in sadness. "And even less so to Tara"...

"I was also surprised by that. The original Ghostface would never do that." Billy seemed proud of his words knowing that he was referring to himself.

"But... Why would he do that?" Sam was looking at a neutral point, identifying the possibilities.

"I would say that he is looking for something else. If he only sought to eliminate them, he would have killed Tara today".

"But, he would have told me now that he called me"...

"I think you know why he didn't tell you his reason".

Sam lifted his face to meet his father's.

"Yes. I think I do suspect it".

"Time is of the essence, Sam... Tara's life is at stake. Ghostface is waiting for you to join the board".

Sam then picked up her phone and opened the chat tray of a household name: Gale Weathers.

Billy smiled at the sight of his daughter's actions, like a truly proud father.

"I'm glad you've grown up, Sam".

She did not respond to her father's compliment. She was focused on leaving a single warning message to Gale.

"Ghostface is back. Be careful, Gale."

Just as she was about to post Tara's thing, a message from someone else interrupted her: her mother.

"Hi Sam. How are you? Call me soon. I want to talk to you."

"I have to tell you about Tara. Actually, I don't know how...

Billy looked worried. He sighed one last time before walking as if coming out of the bathroom. Sam could see his figure in the row of mirrors. Arriving at the last mirror before the door, Billy Loomis stopped to give his daughter one last piece of advice.

"You know the rules of this game, Sam. Be careful who you talk to and who you trust"...

And from there he continued on his way until he disappeared.

Sam didn't see her father leave. His words echoed in her mind. Her decisions were crucial to the game and she had to do well.

She left the bathroom and found Mindy and Chad on the couch in the waiting room ready to leave.

When they saw her, they both stood up.

"You took a while," Mindy looked worried.

"I had to vent a little," Sam lied matter-of-factly.

They didn't ask any more and left the police station. They decided to stay in Sam's new apartment. However, Chad and Mindy went to their house before to check on his things. Sam met at her apartment first and bumped into Danny's familiar face upon arrival.

"News?" Danny was really worried.

Before answering him, Sam analyzed her from head to toe. She noticed that his boots were muddy and his jacket was somewhat dirty.

"We've left the missing alert and Kirby's going to do the lab work on it." Sam didn't want to miss the opportunity to ask about his appearance. "Why are you so dirty?"

Danny chuckled embarrassedly.

"Ah, this... I fell off the motorcycle. These rainy days have left the streets quite slippery," he replied nervously.

"I see," she said, opening the door of the apartment and entering suspiciously.

"So, Ghostface again?" Danny stood in the doorway, his hands in his pockets, doubtful of Sam's actions.

"Unfortunately, yes. Bad weed never dies," she said, going into the kitchen.

Sam was surprised to find a baker with half a few brownies on the kitchen counter. She looked at Danny for answers.

"And this?"

"Honestly, I have no clue".

Sam examined them a bit. She hadn't noticed them in the morning.

Chad's and Mindy's footsteps could be heard coming up the stairs, carrying their bags to stay there.

Mindy staggered in with a heavy gray suitcase and pushed Danny in the process.

"Soooorry..."

Chad followed her, holding back his laughter at his sister's mockery and left his things on the furniture.

Danny, in a sarcastic way, asked the newcomers.

"Sleepover?"

Chad went ahead of his sister.

—Sleepover Call: The Core Four must survive Ghostface.

"But... Tara is missing," Danny murmured.

Mindy's wires peeled and she lashed out at Danny.

"Tara's not dead. What are you implying? You're still on my blacklist, Machete".

Danny hated being called that nickname because of his typical black dress, with all the bad boy looks.

"I'll call you later Sam," Danny said. He wasn't going to tolerate another comment from the Meeks.

"Ok. Bye, Danny". Sam was busy counting all the knives in the kitchen.

Danny left, and Mindy sprawled on the couch with her brother.

"That guy has never given me a good feeling, Sam.

"No one gives you a good feeling, Mindy," Chad said, turning on the TV on the news channel, and next to the conventional phone hoping to find some signal from Tara.

"Good point," Mindy saw Sam going back and forth in the kitchen and went there. She noticed the brownies and stole one without Sam noticing.

When she saw Mindy eating one of the sweets, she was immediately scared.

"Mindy! I don't know where those brownies came from. They were here when I arrived".

The girl immediately spat the pastry into the sink.

Chad, hearing the commotion, calmed them both down from the couch.

"Those brownies were given to Tara. Do you remember Alfie Gunner? He is a chubby guy who has been madly in love with Tara since they were put in the same classes. He was always giving her those little gifts.

Mindy cursed and grabbed some of the brownies again to put in her mouth.

"That boy discarded from the list of suspects".

"How are you so sure?" Sam asked.

Mindy turned to see Sam making a gesture showing that the answer was quite obvious.

"That boy doesn't fit in Ghostface's robe"...

Sam didn't know what to say. She decided to head to Chad.

"That guy gave gifts to your girlfriend, and you are very calm?" Sam was indignant at the matter of fact with which Chad had recounted. "Weren't you jealous? "

"Sam," Chad turned to Sam from the back of the couch, "the relationship I have with your sister is based on mutual trust. I trust Tara. I'm not afraid that she will have the idea of changing me for a guy who gives her this kind of gifts. Besides, if she felt confused, she would tell me to better understand the situation," Chad returned his gaze to the TV, but continued talking. "In addition, we have already spoken with Alfie about that. The gifts were no longer like before".

"Doesn't that seem suspicious to you?"

"That a somewhat insecure guy tries to conquer a very beautiful girl like Tara, knowing that she has a boyfriend? Not much actually".

"And the fact that it has disappeared?"

"Sam. He was the one who told me that Tara hadn't arrived to the test".

Mindy was the one who spoke next.

"That's no guarantee. He could have known from the beginning that Tara was going to be attacked".

"Exactly".

"The list of suspects isn't very long for now," Mindy stood up to express her short analysis to the two who sat across from her. "For now, according to Stab's chronology, the next killer should act alone, so the odds of hitting the culprit are lower".

"You know that's not certain. Last time it was three Ghostfaces when there should have been two," Chad said, crossing his arms in disbelief.

"But of the three of us, only two wore Ghostface's robe..."

"But Mindy the detective was the bad guy too".

"Don't get sidetracked, Mindy," Sam chided with a round of applause to regain attention on the main problem: Tara's disappearance.

"The Gunner boy is ruled out for the reasons I said a while ago. Machete is at the top of the list of suspects for me. He has more points than the rest of the suspects".

Sam raised an eyebrow indignantly. She didn't agree with Mindy's stance.

"Who else is on your list?"

"For now, only Danny and—" Mindy sighed fearfully at what she was going to answer. "You, Sam".

Sam was stunned by Mindy's suspicion.

"I would never hurt Tara! I risked my life for her and swore to protect her. It's bland that you believe that".

"Sam... "

"Tara was kidnapped by someone else!" Anger was beginning to take over Sam again. "Who knows what that bastard, who kidnapped her, wants! "

Again, the urge to vomit. A bass drum was booming in his head and the light bothered his eyes.

"Sam! "

Then Sam realized that she was unbalanced. Gradually, sanity returned to his mind.

Tears began to stream down his cheeks.

"Do you think I kidnapped Tara because I'm losing my mind?" "

"Sam. I don't say for sure. But I don't take it out of my possibilities either... "

She began to cry. She adored Tara so much that she thought she would never be able to hurt her, but even she couldn't discern what was real and what wasn't. That damn switch was able to activate, forcing her to place her father's legacy on her shoulders and face: Ghostface's black robe.

"It's too early to jump to conclusions," Chad said, his eyes on his phone. He was checking Stab's social networks and forums for some new clue. "We need to know more about this Ghostface to get a better idea".

Mindy took a sip of the coffee she had prepared. She had a grimace of displeasure because it was very bitter.

"I don't want to be that psychopath's knife sharpener again. But yes. I have to say that we need him to show up soon if we want to find Tara".

Chad tensed up on the spot and his hands began to shake.

"Girls... Look at this.

He showed them a Stab forum where there was a very strange photo that made their blood run cold: a skin with a bleeding cut. The caption read: Day one, cut one.

The photo was of a user named GhostMaster96 and had a Ghostface mask stained in blood as his profile picture.

Mindy denied the possibility that this photo was about Tara's skin.

"He must be just an attention-grabbing idiot."

"Chad, send the link to the post to Kirby," Sam ordered immediately. "Let's hope she can track down that idiot to get rid of our doubts".

"And if—" Chad clutched his head with his fingernails, desperately, "that idiot decides to torture Tara?" A cut with each passing day. But why? He has no reason to do so. Or is he really a sadistic psychopath".

"I don't think this Ghostface is like the old ones, guys," Sam declared, serious and sure of her father's statement. This time it will be something very serious and I hope that everything goes well as the previous times.

"What if it's a sect?" Mindy, as always, fantasized about the possibilities.

"We'd be so fucked up," Chad scratched his arms in despair.

Sam's cell phone rang suddenly and again everyone froze. The screen clearly said the word "Mom" giving them back their breath.

Sam answered and called her mother. She got no answer, she could hear slow breathing on the other side.

"S-Sam...

"Mom?" Are you ok?

Sam stood up from the panic that invaded her. Chad and Mindy immediately knew something was wrong and contacted Kirby and the police, going out into the next room to avoid raising suspicion.

"Sam... "

"M-mom?!" Sam repeated between muffled sobs.

"H-help me, Sam," then she recognized the voice. It wasn't her mother.

"Tara!" Tara are you okay?! " Sam couldn't believe what she heard. It was a relief that Tara was still alive.

"Sam... I don't know where I am. Please get me out of here." Tara's voice was raspy, as if she hadn't drunk any liquid all day.

"Don't worry, Tara! We're going to get you out of there safe and sound".

Again, the receiver rang of something turning on added to artificial breathing, very strong and crude. Tara was heard sobbing and groaning in fear.

Hello again, Sam.

"You're a fucking son of a bitch, did you know that?" The fury began to eat away at her. "What do you want? Where is my sister and why do you have my mother's phone? What did you do to her?"

If I tell you that I skinned your mother a few days ago and left her body lying in a dump, would you believe me?

"Damn psychopath. Leave me alone once and for all! I swear that when I find you, I will make you suffer so much that you will implore me to kill you. What do you want?!"

Sweet words for my ears. You do good honors to your father.

There was a metallic sound and a moan from Tara.

I want to end everything you love.

"S—Sam!! Tara cried in pain.

Then the call abruptly cut off.

The Meeks brothers heard the entire call from the other room, and their faces were worried.

"The police were going to trace the call. It looks like it was made right here in New York".

"My mother is also at risk. If he didn't end her by now".

"That is the murderer," Chad declared without thinking, receiving a penetrating look from Sam and Mindy, ordering him to shut up in the face of such a crazy possibility.

The next few minutes passed very slowly, filling the group in the room with uncertainty. The next call to Sam's phone came from Kirby. She answered quickly. She feared the worst. Mindy rubbed her back to comfort her.

"Kirby?"

"Sam. I'm sorry." Kirby paused, an officer reporting unintelligible words on the other end of the line. "We didn't find anything on the site. Also, guess where I am. On the cursed altar of the Kirschs. Here is where that call was made".

A mixture of emotions hit Sam. At first, she feared for her mother, but when Kirby told her that they had not found anything, it seemed strange to her.

"Is there no one?"

"We're looking for footprints or something. A hint, but...

There was an interruption. An officer had called her because he had found something.

"We found your mother's cell phone. We will look for footprints or something. I need your approval to do a search of your mother's house.

"Do it, Kirby. I want to know where that bastard hides. My mom lives in Brooklyn. I already sent you the exact address in a message".

"Leave it in my hands. We'll go there right away. Send me the address as soon as possible." Kirby could tell she was busy. "Stay safe. Don't go out".

"Got it, Kirby. I trust you".

"Sam," voices could be heard behind Kirby. "Are you armed? Or do you want some police backup sent to your apartment? "

"Don't worry. I have the necessary protection".

"Sam, one more thing," Kirby looked very serious in her words. "Don't forget to take the medicine. This can be very strong for you".

"Wait a minute, how do you know that?"

"I had to ask your doctor for information. I am sorry".

Then she said goodbye and hung up to continue doing her job. She put the cell phone in a test case and continued her search for more clues.

Sam got up and put the phone aside. She went to her closet and extracted his .32 caliber pistol from its case to the surprise of Chad and Mindy.

"I see Tara was able to keep the secret," she joked. "We need to protect ourselves well from now on".

"You're not the only one with that idea," Chad proclaimed, pulling a hammer from his suitcase. On the other hand, Mindy pulled a taser out of hers.

Sam smiled as she saw her friends ready for anything. The three of them had learned to survive their circumstances and that would keep them together.