Bevis watched the room at large; how they had returned to Caroline and Josaiah's home was a blur. The questions raced untamed through her mind as she tried to find the answers, but nothing seemed to function. A cold dread Bevis hadn't felt in years was drumming at the core of her. She was trying to catch her breath but knew she was breathing. The activity in the room drew her attention; she heard the voices and the words, but nothing made it into the depths of her mind to comprehend what was happening or being said.

When had she last felt like this?

Like a living memory, this feeling rose and ran in her blood; it flowed icily through her veins, twisting her stomach into knots and leaving her feeling helpless, alone and hunted. Walking to the window, Bevis stared at the river and the strong standing trees and let her mind race through memories locked away from decades ago. It was ... her eyes closed on the clogging emotional sensation. She knew the exact moment she had felt like this. It was as though she was back in that space, that time, living at that age ... she would never be able to forget, un-hear or un-see the events of that night. Memories shattered their restraints, flooding her mind and taking her back to a place she never wanted to be again. She wished she could forget but knew in her heart she never would. Inhaling Bevis let them run ...

The coldness of the hospital waiting room seeped into her already wet body, staring blankly at the doorway her parent's bodies had gone through on two separate gurneys with a promise from the medical staff they would do all they could. This trip was supposed to be happy, but now they were lying in hospital beds, perhaps moments from death, and she could do nothing ... nothing but wait. Flashes from the accident appeared through her mind ... her father's sudden need to get off the road and hide his family. The car that appeared next to them out of nowhere, or had it been tailing them and her parents hadn't told her.

Why were they taking this trip anyway?

It wasn't the usual time of year, and wasn't travelling overseas as they always did. It had been sudden; it had been strange that Bevis' father arrived home on Friday afternoon, earlier than usual, and needed to chat with her mother in solitude. She smiled at their code for being left alone. After they had been in his study for a few hours, her mother had said they were going on a spontaneous trip. They packed and left early Saturday morning before sunrise. Looking back, Bevis realised they had been running.

But from what?

From whom?

The sounds of metal against metal came to her mind. It was so vivid she could almost taste it in the air, the screams of her mother as they were pushed off the road, the grunts from her father as he fought the wheel to keep them on the road and alive. Finally, the vehicle raced off the road, at a bend and down the side of a mountain; fortunately for them, a river ran through that part, stopping the vehicle.

The memory of the other car stopping, waiting ... she couldn't remember why they waited, but eventually, they left.

They?

Why did she remember it as "they"?

Keeping that memory in her mind, she moved through it frame by frame. There was more than one person, inhaling she held on to the memory as it began to slip, slowly letting it flow through her; three ... there were three people from the other car; she had seen them as she pulled herself onto the back seat and they never approached their vehicle. Something about how they held their hands behind their backs felt ominous; now Bevis realised they were probably holding guns ... that had been their saving grace, them remaining on the road and no one moving in the car. If they had come near the vehicle, Bevis was sure everyone she loved would have been murdered.

Only after they left, Bevis could remember reaching for the satellite phone her father had insisted they bring with them and calling for help. While fighting the cold wetness of the river, seatbelts holding her parents into their seats and praying that the men didn't come back, she pulled her parents from the wreck. She remembered the smell of petrol fumes was strong, the report said no leak was found, something she thought was strange, at her young age Bevis didn't contest ... back then it was due to lack of knowledge... but now ... being older she wondered if someone was paid off to put an altered version of events in the report.

She remembered checking her parents ... they were both breathing but unconscious; her father had laid her hand on his chest where a necklace held his wedding ring and a disc-like emblem. He had told her to always keep it with or on her before passing out.

Raising her hands to her chest, she felt the familiar chain around her neck, with the wedding ring and the emblem still there. To this day, she didn't know why her father had insisted she keep it. Perhaps it was because of those men who came to the hospital to ask questions about her parents. She had hidden in the nearby supply room and overheard them talking to the nurse. It must have been someone they knew, but she couldn't tell them anything as the doctors were still with her parents, and no updates had been given. Tears filled her eyes as the memories rolled through her, silently coursing down her cheeks ... it had been that way since that night.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

Days afterwards, Bevis felt like someone was following her, watching her, tracking her movements. She had been correct ... they had hunted her until she felt the need to leave her home and go somewhere else.

But who was the "they"?

Perhaps she was asking the wrong questions. Maybe she should be asking who her father worked for, what her father did and why these people felt it necessary to try and wipe out an entire family.

Pulling the chain from around her neck, she ran her thumb over the emblem on the disk. Swiping at her checks, she frowned. Where had she seen this before? Turning it over, she gasped; a small compartment had opened, revealing the tiniest memory chip she had ever seen.

Why had she just found it now?

Had she really been looking?

Perhaps it was the way she ran her thumb over the emblem. Words from across the room penetrated her hazy mind; her gaze snapped to the table where Chelsea, Jake, Josiah, Caroline, and Jason sat, pouring over information and two laptops.

"I think Bev may be able to help with that," Jason said, his eyes watching her every move, "Chelsea repeat that question."

"Um ... okay," Chelsea said, glancing between Jason and Bevis, "who is Jonaraja?"

Bevis cocked her head, turning toward the group, "Where did you get that name?"

"I found it in one of my father's documents from the strong box, but I can't find anyone in the evidence filed by that name," Chelsea said, narrowing her eyes on Bevis, "why? What does that name mean to you?"

"The name is a unisex Hebrew name," Bevis said, "not often used as it means secret keeper," she slowly walked toward the table, speaking as the information came to mind, "...it is bestowed on those who have a natural tendency to keep secrets or to hold close anything discovered."

"Okay … that is interesting," Caroline said, looking at the others at the table, "but what has that to do with the question?"

"Both my parents were named Jonaraja," Bevis whispered, "when they married, everyone thought it funny how the first name of those in love was the same."

Chelsea stilled, "What really happened to your parents?"

"A car accident … or so the official story is," Bevis said, sniffing and looking up at the group, "anyone got a contraption to put this into?"

She held up the tiny memory chip meeting the eyes of each in the group, "My father gave this disc to me on the night we were run off the road."

Chelsea gasped, "Attempted murder," she shook her head, "it's beginning to fit …" nodding her head with determination, "I'm sure we have something to put that in …" glancing at Jake, who still stared at Bevis.

"That's why they named you a boy's name," he slowly nodded, "if someone came looking for their child, they would be looking for a boy … not a girl."

"Bev, what did your father and mother do?" Josiah asked.

"I …" she sighed, "I have no idea, but whatever it was nearly cost them everything."

"Well, we're going to sort out this mess and get whoever it was who wanted them dead," Chelsea said, "no one messes with my best friend and gets away with it."

Bevis smiled at Chelsea's words, "Thank you, Chels," the skin between Bevis' eyes puckered as she whispered, "but then you've always had my back," looking at her best friend. "Do you remember who introduced us?"

"Sure, it was at a birthday party, and my father thought that the two of us may be good company for the evening," Chelsea said off-handedly, but suddenly looking at Bevis, "do you think he knew?"

"Shall we find out?" Bevis asked.

"Sure … let's get this information-seeking party started," Chelsea said, putting her hand out for the memory card.

"In that case, we'll need sustenance," Caroline said, indicating for Candy to follow her, "food and drinks coming up."

Nodding, Bevis remained on the other side of the table, staring at the surface, forcing herself to focus on the breath entering and leaving her body. Once again, she was out of her depth, and these current events were forcing her to reach beyond who she was and what she knew and understood ... again.

Could she do this?

Could she hold on through this rough ride?

What if she didn't survive this?

What if there were things about her parents she didn't like or couldn't live with?

Gentle hands on her shoulders made her jump looking around into the understanding gaze of

Jason.

"It's going to be okay," he spoke softly, "whatever is found or not found, whatever you need to face, you're not facing it alone."

"I know, you're all here for me," Bevis whispered, "thank you."

"Yes, we're all here for you," Jason said, shaking his head, "but I'll be the one holding your hand through it all."

Bevis frowned, looking at Jason confused, "Why would you want to?"

He took her icy hand in his warm hold before looking deeply into her eyes, "It's a simple reason," he said, "one that won't change regardless of what we find or where this … adventure …. takes us," he lifted her hand kissing her knuckles, "I care about you … deeply."

Bevis gripped his hand as tears gathered suddenly, "That is good to know," she whispered, "I cared about you … deeply."

"Good," he smiled, "it's a good place to start."

"Jackpot," Chelsea called, lifting her hands in the air, "we have a complete picture."

"Time to face the music," Jason whispered, "ready?"

"Ready," Bevis inhaled, still clasping his hand as she turned toward Jake and Chelsea, noticing everyone else had left the room, "what do you have?"