Well, it had definitely been a hectic morning. Not only had my friends and I told the police about David, but we had also discovered a new fragment of information. Well, I guess fragment wasn't the best word, since it could open up a whole new mystery to solve for us. But, of course, Anonymous was blackmailing us into not solving this one, too. 

    Hopefully, we would be able to figure out a way to get around it, because figuring out how the original Team Of Mystery disappeared would pinpoint us to the real Anonymous and it could bring up new possibilities in the mystery of the Death Disc. I mean, we pretty much already know that Anonymous blackmailed the original Team Of Mystery and was also a contributing factor in their disappearance, which meant they most likely had been trying to solve the mystery of the Death Disc just like us. 

    Well, as you can see, there is nothing simple to this mystery anymore, technically now housing the mystery of the Death Disc, the mystery of who Anonymous is, and the mystery of how the original Team Of Mystery disappeared. Although, these mysteries were all connected to each other in one way or another, so they were basically the same mystery. 

    Solving one would likely solve the others. How convenient, I think to myself, pushing aside loose strands of hair away from my face and eyes. 

    My room was now downright silent, save for the ticking of the clock on my nightstand. My parents were out eating lunch together and my cat was away sleeping downstairs. I knew that the peace and quiet would only be momentary and wouldn't last the whole afternoon, so I quickly went to work. 

    We still weren't close to figuring out who Anonymous was and we still didn't know the details of what the Death Disc was or what it did, so maybe I could do some investigating on my own. 

    I grabbed my laptop computer from my dresser in the front of the room and did a few searches on Google. My first search read: Howard Finchman murder. Learning the full details of what happened to Howard Finchman could bring up some very valuable clues to as who killed him. Maybe it would even shine light on the identity of Anonymous? That is, if Anonymous even killed Howard. That part was still cloudy to the current Team Of Mystery. 

    Now, whenever we referred to ourselves as the Team Of Mystery, we had to use the word current, because we now knew we weren't the only ones with that name. This hasn't officially become annoying yet, but it surely would eventually. 

    When my search went through, I put all my focus into gathering clues to as what happened to Howard that summer morning just a few weeks ago. It would be hard, but with enough research and investigation, maybe I would be able to figure something out.

* * *

After about an hour of doing research on various sites across the internet, I had gathered all the information I needed. I took a look at the notepad I had written all my notes on and tried to make something out of it. 

Howard Finchman's Death: 

-    Left home at 7:00 A.M.

-    Worked for the newspaper until 9:00 A.M.

-    Died at around 10:00 A.M.

-    Cause of death: blunt-force trauma or suffocation?

-    Body found in woods on August 27 at 11:00 P.M. 

-    Phone of deceased not yet found

    My friends and I already figured that Anonymous had killed Howard, so that he could be the one to blackmail us into not solving the mystery of the Death Disc, but a few things were still unsure to me. 

    After looking through the different websites that came up when I searched his name up, many of them had different sides of the same story. Some of them said he died due to suffocation, some of them said he died due to blunt-force trauma. But, how could his death be such a cloudy subject? It was almost as if two different sides of the story had been told to the public through the police and no one was sure which one was right. 

    Well, I guess that's enough research for one day, I think to myself, closing my notepad and discarding it on my bed. I closed my laptop computer, but before I could stand up all the way, my laptop made a binging sound. 

    I opened it back up and a colorful message was present in the top-right corner: NEW MESSAGE. I clicked on the message and read it cautiously. 

From: Anonymous

To: Gwen Xing

Well, it looks like you just don't want to listen, do you? But, I kind of like the stubbornness in you. It makes you a powerful weapon...and I'd like to have you on my side. Meet me at the address below at 11:00 tonight. I'll see you there, but until then...auf wiedersehan. 

17492 Goffer Rd. 

    "Wow, it looks like I've got a date," I said to myself, discarding my laptop on the bed for good and picking up my phone to call Astrid. Someone had to know about this. 

* * *

As everyone knew in the Dark Falls Town, news spread like wildfire, as said by Astrid herself. And it wasn't any different in this case, because all of my friends had arrived at my house within the hour. It's not like I didn't want my friends there, but the less people that knew the better. But, now all of my friends knew, so Anonymous would most likely know they were here...eventually, I mean. 

    It was now 3:00 in the afternoon, the intensity of the late-summer sun waning as my friends and I sat in my room, ready to discuss what would soon go down tonight. 

"So, what are we going to do about this? I mean, do we even do anything about it?" Sam asked, pacing around the room, while the rest of us sat. 

    "We can't just let her go alone," Astrid exclaimed, obviously incredulous by what Sam just proposed in his question. 

    "Look, guys. Anonymous is most likely depending on me to come tonight. He probably thinks I'm the weak link of the group and that he can...can somehow persuade me to j-join him," I said in disgust, hoping that it wouldn't be a big mistake to go see Anonymous tonight. 

    "Yes, but if you see Anonymous, he or she isn't just going to let you go roaming around talking about it. Maybe we shouldn't let you go. I mean, this could be really dangerous," Astrid mused. I didn't know where her concern was coming from – either from a place filled with sympathy or a place filled with concern towards losing a member of the Team Of Mystery...that could be used to fight Anonymous with – but I knew she still cared about me either way. 

    "Yeah, well...whatever we do I'd like to have the last say on it," I said in a demanding tone. I knew that my friends were going to try and talk me out of this, but I needed to go. Desperately. With what had happened between Tanner and I this morning, doing something like this would hopefully take my mind off of it. 

    And, just like that, the flashbacks came. 

* * *

After I had left Tanner's house last night, I hadn't really felt like going home. It wasn't really the fact that I didn't think I would be safe driving home by myself. It had been more of the fact that I didn't want to spend the night alone. 

    I had waited in my car for what had seemed like forever as I waited for Sam and Astrid to leave. But, it had only been about ten minutes before I had the opportunity to see Tanner without anyone else interrupting. Positive thoughts, positive thoughts, I told myself as I walked down the driveway leading to Tanner's front door. When I had finally reached his front porch, I rang the doorbell and before I could even think of running back to my car, Tanner opened the door. "Hey," I had said to him, showing off my fake smile by stretching my lips. 

    "Yeah, hey. Umm...what're you doing back here?" Tanner asked curiously, but also as if he thought I was crazy. I could tell by the look in his eyes, too, that he was surprised to see me back here. 

    "Oh, uhh...I guess I just didn't want to be alone on a night like this," I replied, but by the new expression on his face, I could tell he didn't understand what I was saying. But, neither did I. 

    Maybe you had just been frazzled that night, I keep telling myself. But, I knew that I hadn't been. I might have been scared, but I guess going to Tanner's house was my way of getting the comfort I needed. Astrid was too hypothetical and cold with her sympathy and Sam and I hadn't been on the best of terms since we had had that fight in the computer lab on the first day of school. So, that left Tanner. But, maybe that wasn't such a bad choice...with going to Tanner, I mean. 

    "Well, okay. Umm...did you want to come back inside?" Tanner asked politely, the soft, cloudy look in his eyes suggesting that he knew I wanted that, so before I could even answer his question, he opened the door further and let me in. 

    Tanner then led me to his living room, where he gestured for me to sit down. He left to go get us drinks and I was left alone with my thoughts in his living room for what felt like an eternity, but had only been about three minutes. Though, when Tanner returned, he had two dark-red drinks in his hands. Wow, I guess Tanner did know how to throw a party, I thought to myself as he put the drinks on the table. I picked up the dark-red drink and swirled it around a little before asking Tanner something. 

    "Wine, really?" I asked, smiling happily as I took a small sip. It would surely push away my dark thoughts about tomorrow. 

    "What? I heard it gets rid of nerves. That's why you came, right?" Tanner countered, a huge smile apparent on his face, too. I guess wine really did work. I took another small sip, continuing to swirl around the contents inside the glass, careful not to spill even a single drop of it. I needed all of it. Every. Single. Drop. 

    "Yeah, that is why I came. But, Tanner...I think I need to tell you something," I said, fidgeting with my hands. 

    "No, you don't need to tell me anything. Just drink up. Oh, and if you need something a little bit stronger...I have other alcoholic beverages too," Tanner cooed, putting his hand on my knee to steady me as I started laughing and almost spilled my wine. 

    "Actually, I think that would be good, too," I replied, watching Tanner as he went to retrieve the "stronger drinks". 

    So, that's pretty much how the night took a different turn. I still didn't know how much I had to drink that night, but Tanner certainly had a lot, that was for sure. But, if it was because of how much we had to drink or because we were both nervous about going to the police station – which I still didn't know – we kissed. And, then Tanner took me upstairs. 

    That's how I had stayed at Tanner's house all night. I had woken up dizzy and out of it, but seeing Tanner in bed next to me was enough to get me to scream. Loud enough that Tanner woke up, too. And, not to mention that my head had rested on his chest all night. 

    "Whoa, what the hell happened last night?" Tanner asked me, sitting up in bed. He was bare-chested and his brown, "cotton-candy" soft hair was ruffled. And, I surely didn't want to know if he had his underwear on or not. If what I remembered from that morning was correct, I had started hyperventilating like crazy and needed to stand up right away. I guess I just needed to get away from Tanner's bed as fast as possible. 

    "I don't know, but you're leaving. I'll tell Astrid and Sam that you're already at the police station. Just leave. I'll meet you there," I said, barely able to get the words out as I entered the bathroom and locked the door shut. I looked into the mirror and saw that my silky black hair was messed up as well. 

    I was still unsure of what exactly had happened, but stuff had definitely happened. That's when I came back into reality, hundreds of thoughts about Tanner roaming my mind and threatening to push me farther into a state that I didn't want to go back to.

* * *

    "Are you okay?" Astrid asked as I came to, concern evident in her tone of voice. 

    It took me a moment to regain my composure and ability of speech, but eventually answered her question, "Yeah, I'm fine." It might not have been much of an answer, but everyone understood the position I was in right now. Even though that wasn't why I was so uneasy, they still held concern for me. 

    "Well, so what are we going to do? It's your decision, Gwen," Sam spoke, stopping his pacing to see what my decision would be. A heavy silence fell upon us as I made up my mind, but it didn't last too long. I had already made up my mind. 

    "I want to meet Anonymous tonight," I blurted out soon after. I didn't have a doubt in my mind whatsoever. That was my decision and it was final. 

    "Okay, well I'll see you tonight," Sam paused before replying back, as if he had been hoping I would say I didn't want to see Anonymous. I mean, I couldn't blame him. This would be so dangerous and it could very well be a trap. But, I was so done with Anonymous and I just wanted to end all of the suffering he had put me through...as well as my friends. 

    Sam quickly drew me into a huge embrace, but then left my room. Astrid did the same thing. But, before Tanner had a chance to leave, I grabbed his arm and pulled him back. As you can probably guess, I have to talk to him about this morning.

    "Tanner, I think I need I talk to you," I uttered, my gaze hardening and becoming colder by the second. 

    "Remember the last time you said that?" Tanner asked rhetorically. A small smile began to spread across his face, but I had to stop it. I mean, sure I liked Tanner...in that way. But, we were drunk last night. Just because stuff happened didn't mean we were all of a sudden in a relationship. 

    "Yeah, well...that's actually what I kind of wanted to talk about with you," I mumbled, my voice shaky and unstable. 

    "Yeah, I'm all ears," Tanner replied, crossing his legs nervously. It was obvious that he wasn't looking forward to this conversation. 

    I took two deep breaths before speaking. In. Out. In. Out. I can't really expect myself to bring up this up with him, can I? Well, I guess there's no turning back now.  

    "Yeah, umm...well, if I don't just blurt it out, I don't think I'm going to be able to get it out, so here I go. I think you're getting the wrong feeling about us. I'm not in any shape or form right now to go into a relationship, so I think we just need to keep things between us at a friendship level," I blurted out so fast, I wasn't even sure Tanner could understand. 

    "Well, I guess I probably shouldn't tell you that I wasn't drunk last night, then," Tanner also blurted out, standing up. He walked over to the door leading in and out of my bedroom and opened it, but turned his head before leaving. 

    "I'm sorry," he said to me, before rushing out the door. I tried to stop him, but by the time I reached the ground level of my house, Tanner was already gone. It wasn't like him to do this, that was for sure. His personality had somehow changed in the last few weeks. I mean, all of our personalities have changed, but his...has maybe changed for the worst. 

* * * 

When it came time for my suicidal mission tonight, I was in no condition to do what I had to do. I had balled my eyes out for the whole afternoon, hoping what Tanner had said might not have been true, that last night had just been a mistake – a drunken mistake – and that he didn't have feelings for me. 

    You see, it would make things a hell of a lot more complicated if he did, and I definitely didn't need that right now. None of us did. Especially with what could happen tonight. Even when my parents arrived home from work and asked what I wanted for dinner, I told them I didn't want to eat. That's how depressed I was. 

    My mind was not in the right place right away. I couldn't possibly achieve what I needed to achieve tonight. That's why I was taken aback when my phone buzzed with an urgent text from Astrid all of a sudden. I scooped it up in my shaky hands and read the text from her: You ready? Meet a few blocks away from the address at around 10:00 tonight. 

    I pushed loose strands of hair away from my eyes and threw my phone across the bed in anger. I really didn't want to do this tonight, especially if it meant helping my friends. By "friends", I mean Tanner. 

    "Just take a deep breath," I tell myself. I sat up in my bed and for once, tried to calm down. I could feel even more tears rising up inside me, but luckily I pushed them back. Luckily. I definitely didn't need my parents asking why I was such a mess right now.

    Who knows? Maybe Tanner and I could patch our relationship back up. It would surely take a lot of work and it would take a while, but I was willing to do it for the satisfaction of being his friend again. 

    No doubt about it. 

    After my disturbing thoughts finally went away, my stomach began to growl. I guess I was hungry after all. I hurried downstairs just in time to eat dinner and as I filled my irritable stomach up with food, I tried to forget about tonight. I attempted a try at relaxation and all was good until I realized the clock read 8:00. It's almost go time, I think to myself. 

    I quickly cleared the table for my parents and told them I was meeting up at Astrid's. 

    As I rushed out of the house, I noticed a dark figure lurking just beside my house. I snuck to the back of my house, but I guess my eyes had deceived me, because no one was there. But, just to my dismay, my phone buzzed. I pulled it out of my back pocket and read the text. Chills ran down my back as I read it, and I almost began to hyperventilate, my chest bobbing up and down rapidly. 

From: Anonymous

To: Gwen Xing

Don't get too freaked out, but I have a surprise for you tonight. Don't tell your friends or I don't come at all. See you there, Gwen. Hope I haven't scared you too much. 

    "Wow, it looks like my date likes to scare people. What a shocker," I spoke out loud, momentarily pausing my walk to check my surroundings. No need to let my guard down on a night like this. 

    I slide my phone back into my pocket and continue my walk to Astrid's house. Her house is only a fifteen or twenty-minute walk from mine, so it shouldn't take that long and I should be there before the clock even strikes nine. 

    "You can do this," I say to myself in a motivational tone. I just hope our plan of discovering who Anonymous is tonight won't backfire on us like it did with David, or else I would lose everything tonight. It definitely wasn't good to anticipate your own death, that's for sure. 

    Eventually, I make it to Astrid's, but it seems Astrid is already on her way out. She notices me and comes over to hug me. I hug her back, though the smile across my lips isn't real at all. 

    "So, I told the others to meet us at my house. I know it's not even 9:00 yet, but according to MapQuest, the address is an hour away from here, so we better get going," Astrid explained to me. You know, she always had a thing for taking things into her own hands. It used to surprise me, but it doesn't surprise me anymore. It was too predictable at this point. 

    "Good thing you checked then," I replied back, my voice lazy and unenthusiastic. 

    "Yeah, you're not kidding," Astrid muttered, probably sensing that I wasn't at all ready for tonight. I mean, she definitely didn't know about my sobbing this afternoon, because I had covered my red-rimmed eyes up with make-up, but she did know that something was up. 

    Maybe tonight would clear up all of my sorrow, though. If we truly discovered who Anonymous was, there would hopefully be no more suffering. 

    Hopefully. 

* * *

Sam had arrived with his car about fifteen minutes later, and Astrid and I got in. Tanner was sitting shot-gun next to Sam, so Astrid and I sat in the back. The weird thing was that a new smell was evident in the car – Tanner's. I guess when you became close enough to someone you could scent them out. As weird as that sounds, it was true. 

    I definitely wish I could un-smell him, though. So much drama had occurred within our group this weekend, and I guess I've just been bottling in my emotions. But, that was never a good thing to do, since it only made your reaction worst when you finally let your emotions free. I wonder what my reaction would be like; a violent outburst, a downward spiral leading up to a bad decision?

    As Sam drove to the address Anonymous had sent me, I was left alone with my thoughts. There was hardly any chatter in the car, maybe the occasional whisper here and there, but other than that...it was a fairly quiet drive. 

    We drove along the main roads for about thirty minutes, but then we were lead down a quiet, dark, winding road. Trees overshadowed the asphalt and created an array of black patterns and silhouettes across the car. It appeared, as we kept driving, that the road led down a hill due to the downward drive. 

    It also appeared we were taking the scenic route, because colorful and vibrant flowers began popping up everywhere. A sign on the left side of the road pointed out that this road ran along the Dark Falls Woods – the place we had tried trapping Anonymous the first time around. 

    "It looks like we're taking a trip down memory lane," I said, pointing out the sign to the rest of my friends. The expressions that overshadowed their faces afterward made it obvious that they, too, remembered the place. 

    The rest of our drive was crowded with awkwardness and at one point I just wanted to meet Anonymous already, if it meant getting out of this gods-damned car. 

    I mean, out of everything that had happened this weekend – talking to the police about David/Caine's death, Astrid and Sam's argument, which Astrid had explained to me while we waited for Sam to arrive at her house, and the stuff that happened between Tanner and I – maybe it wasn't good to be on the wrong side of things. 

    Anonymous probably already knew that some part of me didn't want to be part of the current Team Of Mystery anymore, so maybe he would let me help him. I could perhaps help him and then double-cross him in the end to save my friends. It would surely solve at least one of our problems. 

    But, then again...how could I do something like that to my friends? They would never forgive me, especially if it didn't work in the end. Even if they didn't forgive me, though, I would still be helping them. 

    Well, I would just to have to wait to make up my mind, because as the car slowed, it was evident that we had arrived. As I looked out the car window, I could see a cabin hidden in-between the trees. Shaky breaths were now threatening to escape my throat, but I was in too much of an awed state to breathe right now. But, when my face began to change color and my mind began to whir, I let out a sharp breath. 

    "It's going to be okay, Gwen. You can do this. I know you can," Astrid sympathized from outside of the car, urging for me to come. I took another deep breath and opened the car door, slamming it closed behind me. 

    Sam and Tanner volunteered to scout out the cabin, which was certainly not enough to make me feel better, but the consideration and sympathy was nice. That left Astrid and I to set up the surveillance equipment and later on we would set up the trap inside the cabin. You know, when I was "ready", according to what Sam and Astrid had said. 

    As I handed Astrid the tripods to set up, I thought heavily about what I do tonight: trap Anonymous or make a deal with him? And then of course, double-cross him eventually. 

    "Umm...Gwen, I kind of have to ask you about something. I mean, Sam and I both know that something happened between you and Tanner this morning. You guys have been acting so awkward towards each other and I guess I just kind of want to talk it over with you," Astrid said, starting the conversation of hell, as I would call it. 

    "Astrid, just don't. I really don't want to discuss it right now," I responded, my emotions displayed on my face as I was lazy and didn't feel like masking them out. 

    Astrid nodded and went back to work setting up the cameras. Apparently it was a hard job, because I had to wait every few minutes for her to set up the last camera I had handed to her, before giving her the next one. By the time we were done, fifteen minutes had definitely come and past and around two dozen cameras had been set up – all different shapes and sizes, but also different types of cameras, too. 

    We had set them up all around the front flank of the property and we were now headed to the back to set up about a few dozen more cameras. As soon as Sam and Tanner were done with scouting the property, they would work on concealing our surveillance equipment, without ruining our footage of course. It was a hard job, doing all this I mean. If it didn't pay off in the end, it would've been a waste of time. 

To get to the back flank of the property, Astrid and I walked through the woods to avoid being seen by any wandering eyes, which might not have been the best idea in the end since the ground was covered in thorn bushes and sharp grass. As Astrid walked to the back of the propety and I followed her, at one point she pulled back a thorn bush to avoid being scratched by it, but forgot that I was behind here and the thorns whipped my leg. Now, an array of cuts were visible down my legs and it seemed to ooze black blood, if I wasn't mistaken. I mean, I had to have imagined it...but it had seemed so real. 

    But, that wasn't the only weird thing that had happened that night. As I looked up at the sky, the stars seemed a little bigger than usual, like they were shining more. And the moon...oh my God, the moon!

    "Astrid, look!" I shouted at her, pointing at the moon above. She looked up at it just like I had, and awe began to spread across her expression. This wasn't a wrongful expression, because the moon...it was glowing green in color. This had to be a hallucination, but then again how could it be? It's not like we had been poisoned by Anonymous or anything like that. 

    "Just keep moving," Astrid told me, grabbing my hand. 

    I guess she didn't want to investigate. But, as we neared the back of the property, my phone buzzed like it had earlier. I was beginning to resent my phone because of Anonymous' frequent texting. But nonetheless, I pulled my phone out of my back pocket and turned the flashlight app on, so I could see what the text read. I sighed as I saw who it was from, but read it anyway. 

From: Anonymous

To: Gwen Xing

If you leave Astrid right now, I'll lead you to a place where your life will change. Take fifty steps to your left and your surprise will be waiting for you. Don't tell anyone or someone dies.  

    "You coming, Gwen?" Astrid asked, gesturing for me to follow her. For a split second, I almost thought of stepping forward, but I had to follow Anonymous' directions. Something bad could happen if I didn't.

    "Uhh, actually...Astrid, I thought I might take a walk through the woods. I'll meet you back at the property. I just need to clear my head with all that's happened with Tanner and stuff," I insisted, but I wasn't really looking for an answer as I turned the other way and began to follow Anonymous' instructions. 

    Foot to heel. That's how I would count my steps. One step. Two steps. Three steps. Ten steps. Twenty steps. Fifty steps! I was standing about fifty feet from where I had just left Astrid, but Astrid wasn't within looking distance, so I was good. Anonymous' surprise had to be somewhere unexpected, so I looked down at my feet and saw what I was looking for: a patch of ground covered in leaves. I knew this had to be the spot Anonymous had intended me to end up at, so I pushed the leaves aside. 

    I gasped, though, when I saw what had been hidden under it. A hand was evident above the dirt that most likely concealed the rest of the body it belonged to. There was a note in the hand, too. Anonymous must have planted it there. I picked up the note and read it aloud to myself, making sure no one was around to hear what I had to say. 

    "If you come with me, Caine's body will be returned to his family, but if you choose to stay with your precious little Team Of Mystery, his body will never be found. From Anonymous," I read out loud to myself. 

    I looked up for a split second to brush stray hair away from my eyes, but I saw a glimpse of someone hiding behind a tree as I did so. When they noticed I saw them, they ran. Oh my God. That had to be Anonymous. This could be a trap, but I had to unmask this freak somehow. And right then and there, my instincts took over and I ran after Anonymous. I desperately tried to avoid thorn bushes, but it was kind of hard when you were running through the woods, especially when it was dark. 

    After running after Anonymous for straight six minutes, I needed to catch my breath. Not only was my chest tight, but my calves were killing me. After settling down for two minutes, I started to run in the same direction I was headed before, but a hand pulled my arm back and forced me to meet their eyes. My breath caught in my throat when I saw who it was. It was evidently a man by the strength in their grip and by the way they were built. Other than that, though, I couldn't tell who they were, because they were covered in black from head to toe – black shoes, black sweatpants, a black shirt and hoody, a black ski mask without eye or nose-holes, and black gloves – but I didn't really feel like pulling their ski mask off. 

    I didn't know what to do at this point now. My head was racing with thoughts and possibilities of what to do and my heart was hammering against my chest. Eventually, I just screamed, because it seemed like the most rational thing to do. I screamed so loud that Anonymous had to cover his ears with his gloved hands. But, it seemed he had had enough of my insistent screaming because Anonymous grabbed pepper spray out of thin air, it seemed, and sprayed it in my face. 

    It burned my nose and eyes as I continued to scream, but I screamed louder this time, that was for sure. The burning sensation began to spread to the rest of my face, as Anonymous became unpatient. I knew this, because I was thwacked in the side of the head with one of his mighty gloved hands. He was definitely sick of my screaming. 

    The force of his slap sent me crashing to the ground, and I was dragged by Anonymous to some unknown location as my face continued to burn. At one point, my head skipped across a rock and I was knocked out by the force of the hit. But, before that, as I had been dragged across the forest floor like a ragdoll, I couldn't help thinking that this was the end. That wherever Anonymous was taking me would be the last place I would ever see...ever live...because Anonymous was surely going to kill me.