"Damn you. Who are you, and what do you have to do with Vera?" Charles asked, and signaled to the driver to search for Vera. The man got the signal, and immediately exited the car. "I thought you'd burst out of the car, and search for her. Guess you aren't dating after all." She said coyly, and the voice had a striking resemblance to Layla's, but it couldn't be. Layla had been taken by the cops. She was probably in a psychiatric ward sleeping after being heavily sedated. "Who are you, and what did you do to Vera? What do you have against her?" He asked, and the voice laughed. "I must be really insignificant. With all the brainy heists I carried out, you still do not gasp at the sound of my voice." She drawled. "Layla?" Charles asked, and the doubt was rich in his voice. He kept on expecting to hear traces of anger in the voice at him still unable to recognize them, but instead, he heard a pleased chuckle. "Now you know." "What? Layla? You? You were taken by the police!" Charles shouted. "Hmm… was I? I don't remember. Oh! Yeah, I was. I was taken by the cops after you ruined my plans." She said, sounding like she was happy he had ruined her plans. "Then what happened next? Hm… I don't think I want to say. No, no, I don't want to say." "You're a freak." "You're the freak." She returned. "Where's Vera? Tell me now!" He shouted. "Oh come on, you'll move me to tears. Don't shout at me. Speak gently, and I may just let you know in time that I'm just wasting your time, and will never hint at, or tell you where we are." She said, and chuckled madly. "Damn you." Charles said, and ended the call, pushing open the door, and stepping out hurriedly. How had it happened? How had the cops been so careless, to the extent of letting such a maniac loose? Everywhere was dark, and Charles had never wished for the light of day so bad. There they had been, thinking everything was over, not knowing Layla hadn't given up.Vera would be so terrified. She had barely gotten over the shock of being kidnapped by someone she had a soft spot for. What if she intended to really kill Vera, and he couldn't find the both of them? What if he stumbled upon her dead body, and Layla was nowhere to be found? Worries plagued Charles, as he ran through the bushes, searching for Vera. "Vera! If you're there, make some noise!" He shouted, but realized he was probably doing the wrong thing. He was alerting Layla to where he was, and if she had been close, they would either hide or run. He looked around, but saw only grasses, and a large body of water beyond the grasses. Where was he to go searching for her? ~ Vera opened her eyes, as she felt something cold splash on her face, and she began to gasp for breath. What had happened? She tried to recall the last things that had happened to her, but they seemed like a blur. She had relieved herself, then… then what had happened? It took Vera a minute to recall something hitting her neck, knocking her out cold. It had just been the exact way Layla had knocked her out, too. Vera began to feel the tendrils of fear wrap around her heart, tightening with each breath she took. Could Layla have really come after her again? Vera lifted her head, and even though she had expected it, she was still shocked to see Layla sitting in front of her, focused on something. "Scream, and your head will be blown to specks. You'll be long dead before your man can find you." She said, slowly. Vera looked at herself, and realized her hands had been tied behind her back, and were numb from sleeping on it. "Are you awake, or you need more water?" Layla asked, looking at her, and Vera swallowed. "Why are you doing this?" "Because Layla hates losing. She hates it so bad she can't help it. Isn't it woeful? I got just one out of three hostages.""Why are you doing this to me?" Vera asked, bringing herself to sit up, with a lot of effort. "Ha. I know that look. Don't even think of it. Are you telling me you're about to suggest you're special, and I'm after you alone? Dream on. You're just the fish that happened to wander in my net." "You can't just have me believe that." Vera said, and Layla took out a knife, slicing her own hand. The blood dripped down quickly, but she sliced it again. "Maybe everyone in the world just makes me angry." Layla continued to slice her hand, and Vera was terrified. Wasn't she feeling pain? If she was capable of hurting herself, then she was also more than capable of hurting others. "Why are you being naughty, Vera? Why did you have to cost me all my hostages?" She asked, calmly, and looked at blood-stained knife. "Layla… calm down. You need help." "Help, my foot. Take a good look at me, then at Kent. Who needs help more? You see, Kent and I met at the hospital, as patients of bipolar disorder. At first, we hated each other and hated everything— The smell of the hospital, the colors, the nurses who tried to treat us like we were fools… Everything was depressing, then we began to get closer. I liked Kent, but he didn't like me. I just don't get why he didn't like me. We were the same thing. We had similar personalities… Well, let's not dwell on sad stories; I told him I needed to escape, and he joined me. "Maybe if he had known, he wouldn't have joined me in seeking for freedom. If he could see the end, he'd have stuck to the hospital, and its pretty nurses. Because he's dead now. Who killed him?" She paused, then smiled. "I did."