Chapter Five

                                    

                                          
Phoenix's Point of View:
                          
Worrying is the worse feeling ever. The unknown is a scary thing and I hate thinking about it but the possibilities are endless. So many things could be happening right now to Chester and no one knows how to make the first move. 
                          
Mike's phone goes off, interrupting the silence that hung around us. He and Rob emerged from the bedroom and Mike quickly picked up his phone. His face clearly said it wasn't Chester calling. 
                          
"Hello?...Yes, this is. ... He's not home. ... I'll tell him, thank you. Have a nice day, bye." He ended the call and looked to the ground. "That was the police." 
                          
"What did they want?" Rob quickly asked, his voice filled with worry.
                          
"Jason's out of jail." He said shortly and left the room, locking himself in the bathroom. The rest of the guys and I felt completely frozen. How is he out? Did he escape or was he released?
                          
"Jason? The guy that hired someone to rape Chester? The same guy who hurt him? That Jason?!" I asked quickly, feeling weak in the knees.
                          
"Do you know any other Jason's?!" Brad snapped, his eyes beginning to brim with thick tears that threatened to pour down his face.
                          
"H-how? It isn't possible! Chester's out there somewhere! What if Jason finds him? What if he hurts him?! We need to find him!" Rob said sternly, the paranoia clearly written within his voice. "We can't just wait for him to come back on his own. If Jason finds him-" 
                          
"What business would he have with Chester anyway?!" Mike yelled, erupting from the bathroom. His cheeks were flushed and his eyes were bloodshot. His face appeared fluffy and tears ran freely down his face. "He already broke him and I'm 110 percent sure I broke him again."
                          
"Well you're a dick," I snorted and rolled my eyes. How could Mike even think about betraying Chester like this? The poor guy needs a thousand hugs and more. I couldn't believe I had faith in Mike that he would never hurt Chester. "When I gave you his book that contained his secrets, I trusted you." 
                          
"I trusted me too back then but I know, I've been a dick. I never meant for him to find out-"
                          
"What?! Mike, just stop talking! I can't stand you anymore! Fucking poor Chester! What the hell is wrong with you?" I cried out, letting out all the frustration and anger that I was feeling towards Mike.
                          
"Stop!" Brad snapped at both of us. "Arguing isn't getting us any closer to finding Chester. Yes, Mike, you're a dick right now and you don't deserve to cry over this. You hurt him. He's out there, mentally wounded, and his worst fear could just stumble along and snag him up at any given moment. So get off your ass and help us find him and stop wallowing around in your mistakes. Make it up to him by finding him. We'll need your help. We all need each other." 
                          
"Brad's right." Joe chipped in, breaking 
away from his silence. "We'll all need each other and when we find Chester, he'll need all of us, even Mike. Honestly, I'm mad at both Brad and Mike right now for going behind his back but at least Brad spoke up about this and wants to do anything to find him. Mike's miserable enough, let him guilt himself, he's clearly doing a good job at that." 
                          
"I hope we find Chester soon. He was gone all night and I can't stand the thought of him having to spend another one out there. He must be hungry, sick even." I sighed, shaking my head and looking at Mike. I could see the regret in his eyes. I could also see the Mike that I knew before, the Mike that loved Chester more than anyone else in the world. I can tell he's coming back but after seeing this side of him, I don't know if I want that Mike back. 
                          
Chester forgives too easily, especially towards Mike. I just know he'd welcome him back with open arms immediately. I don't approve of that at all. Mike could simply betray him again and the cycle could repeat. 
                          
Jason's out there and could even already be looking for Chester. We need to search as soon as possible, for ours and Chester's sake. I can only imagine how Chester would feel if he simply saw Jason's face again. He's already hurt, seeing Jason could ultimately lead Chester into a dark place that I've personally never seen before.
                          
"Let's get started than," Rob shrugged, grabbing his phone off the counter and sliding it into his pocket.
                          
"Where do we even start?" Joe asked and looked back to Mike.
                          
"Someone has to have an idea." Brad murmured, also gazing Mike's way. Rob an I turned to him also and I raised my eyebrows at him. 
                          
"I don't know," He mumbled. "We can always try ringing up his mother first, see if he came home." 
                          
"He couldn't have made it there so quickly, he has to still be in California." Brad said, finding the flaws in Mike's first plan.
                          
"Mike, do you have any other ideas?" I asked gently, wanting to get a good answer from him.
                          
"The park?" He suggested. 
                          
"Lincoln Park?" Joe guessed and Mike nodded his head. "Why there?" 
                          
"He went there before when he didn't have a place to stay when he first came to California. Who's to say he wouldn't go there again?" He shrugged.
                          
"Good thinking, Mike. That's actually a great idea." I gave him a soft smile and he just sighed deeply in return. We all piled out the door and into Mike's car that had the most space. We drove off to Lincoln Park, each of us obviously praying to find our friend there before it's too late.