"Boone, he's waiting up front," said another officer as they passed one another in the doorway.

"Thanks." She said.

She walked around to the front where a man was sitting down on a hard plastic chair. He was young and good-looking. His hands were clasped together and hanging over his restless legs that were bobbing up and down. His eyes told a different story than his quirky grin, darting around the place and scanning for his lawful acquaintance.

He stood up when he noticed Boone was making her way towards him. They smiled and introduced themselves and she thanked him for coming forward as she led him to the questioning room down the hall. The chairs squealed against the hard floor as they pulled them out from under the cold, steel table.

"So, tell me," she said, "what would you like to discuss?"

"I'll give it to you short and sweet for now, if you don't mind."

"Not at all." She said, leaning back in curiosity.

"I was out hunting like I usually do this time of year. Had all my equipment out, packing up what I didn't need."

"What were you hunting, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Duck. Geese. Now I'm not into big game; bears, deer, and whatnot."

"OK. Please, continue."

"Well, I was heading down on the east side of the stream when I felt the ground under my feet kind of... shake? Not like an earthquake or anything. I used to live in California, I know what those feel like. Wasn't too long before I smelled fire. I looked up the hill and all this smoke was in the air. So, I climbed up and walked my way out to the clearing where I saw that building up in flames."

Boone leaned in, placing her elbows on the table while continuing to jot down notes. She noticed a small scratch on his neck just above his shirt collar.

"Did you go up to the fire or call the authorities?" She asked.

"Oh no, I didn't get close to it. Who knows if it would explode again or something. And out there, I get no service. Although, after all this, I'll look into an emergency phone or radio of some kind. But I did see someone." He said.

"Description?"

"Well, not much of one. But I don't think it was William, poor guy. They had long hair and had on some grey pants. Sweatpants, if I had to guess. I think they saw me, too. Looked my way and then just ran in the opposite direction."

"Which direction was that?"

"That'd be North, I believe."

He gave her more small details. The clothes he was wearing and the types of weapons he had. It wasn't long before the chairs squealed against the floor as they were pushed back under the table.

"I have a question," he asked, "What's your visitation policy here?"

"Who are you trying to see?"

"Well, I wanted to see William, if that's possible." He said.

"Can I ask why?"

"Well, to be honest with you, I've met him before. Knew him many, many years ago. Used to date his mother. She passed away around the time he went missing and I just think he could use some familiarity after what happened to him, you know?"

She looked at him with shocked eyes. An old acquaintance from before William was kidnapped. She almost couldn't believe the coincidence. But she also knew that coincidences happened - far more than people would like to admit. She put her notes into the pocket of her jacket and managed to produce a smile.

"I'll see what I can do, Mr. David." She said.

She walked back to where William was being held. Something seemed off about the man's story. She wasn't familiar with him around town, especially for someone who hunts there every year. She wondered why an avid hunter would be out there without any kind of emergency contact, just in case.

She opened the door to the holding room and made her way down to William.

"Hey, Will. You have a visitor here, believe it or not."

"A visitor? Who is it?" He asked.

"A Mr. David. Sound familiar?"

"Not at all. How does he know me?"

"Says he knew you before you were kidnapped. Says it was a very long time ago. If you want to see him, I'll need to be present." She said.

William walked up to the bars and grabbed them. "I think it's best if I meet him alone."

"I'm sorry Will, that's against the rules."

"Angela, please. If it's something from that long ago... I don't want you to be there when I remember it. You shouldn't have to see that."

They looked at one another in silence for a moment. She could see the seriousness in his eyes.

"I'll have to thoroughly search him, no questions about that. And you'll have to be quick about it if you can. I'm going to be right outside the door there, so I'll be able to hear anything loud. Get my drift?" She said.

"Thanks, Angela." He said.

She met back up with David even though her conscience was nagging her to ask him to leave. There was that bias again, ready to burn her reputation as a woman of the law. They exchanged smiles as she escorted him back down to the holding room.

"I'll need to search you, Mr. David, is that ok?"

"By all means." He said.

She patted him, methodically examining as much of his body as she could. If something were to happen due to her bending of rules, she'd lose everything. She worked her way up to his waist from his left leg. Though she had latex gloves on, she felt something on the man's skin. She lifted the shirt a bit only to find that scabbing had formed there. She felt a little nauseated at first, having a weak stomach for such things.

Sometimes she wondered if she had entered the wrong profession. But a nurse sounded much worse in that regard when deciding her future. The scab on his waist was accompanied by three large blisters, an obvious sign of a burn.

"Words of advice: don't lean over a hot stove to get something out of the cabinet." He said with a chuckle.

She returned with her own small laugh, continuing the pat-down and opening the door.

"Five minutes." She said.

He nodded at her and went inside, walking down the hall towards William. It was empty, save for the stone and steel that penetrated every facet of the place's construction. The air was decently ventilated by the barred windows, but the light revealed layers of dust floating about. At William's cell, he saw the prisoner's back. He sat down in the nearby chair, leaning his back against the wall.

"William." He said.

William turned around and looked at the man who sat before him. He had to stand up and walk to the bars to finally believe who was there to see him.

William's eyes began to water as he spoke, "Michael?"