"Yeah, I heard," Samara said. "How is she holding up?"
Meanwhile, Megan went to check on Alyssa again. She didn't see her in the previous room she was in. In fact, she didn't see her anywhere downstairs. "OMG! Jess! Alyssa isn't here!!!"
Jessica let out a horrible, piercing gasp. "Sorry, we've got an emergency... Alyssa's not here! I'll get back to you..."
She then ended the call, slammed the phone down on her desk, and turned towards Jessica. "She'd better not be trying to 'sacrifice herself' again... we need to find her. Do we know how she might have got out?"
"I have no idea, but you heard her. She is completely depressed since Jay killed her brother." Megan said. She then called out to Mr. Ryan and Josh. As soon as they hurried into the room, the girls told them about Alyssa disappearing.
Josh sighed, but he wasn't too shocked.
"I was fearing this might happen... but, I haven't seen her leaving. Perhaps you could check inside her room, for any evidence of escape routes... or, at least, clues as to where she might have gone?"
Megan and Jessica both continued checking around both the basement and the house.
Half a dozen policemen checked the Ryan home and found Alyssa in her bedroom at her home. They brought her back to the Nichols home and to her father directly.
Jessica breathed a humongous sigh of relief, dashed over to Alyssa, and immediately threw her arms around her.
"Thank goodness, you're all right! I was so worried about you... but please, don't do that to us again..."
Alyssa nodded and then glanced at her father. "I can't fight anymore, Dad." She said.
Her father sighed and said, "That is why you are being kept here under our supervision, Alyssa. Alec wouldn't want you to just give up."
She shook her head and said, "I don't care anymore."
"Well then, you don't
have to fight," Jessica chimed in. "Nobody
expects you to fight... just stay here where you're safe, and have fun with us. And please, let Megan and I know if there's anything we can do to help
."
Mr. Ryan went on to explain. "She is in a deep depression over losing her brother. It's why she gave up. She wants to be with him." Glancing to his daughter, he asked, "Am I right?"
She nodded then. "Yes."
"I know it's tough..." Jessica responded sympathetically, "but, you have to think of what he would want. If he could see you now, would he want you to just give up? I'm sure he wouldn't: he'd want you to live on for him. So please, try and do your best to honour his memory..."