"So what is going on? Where is Jason?" Chuck asked. He knew that whatever was going on that it was not good.

Adam told the boys about the charges against his uncle and how they were trying to prove his innocence without telling them about the past events. The boys listened attentively, but were still confused as to why Adam called them out at nine o'clock at night. And they soon asked that question.

"Well, I need your help. I need someone to ride with me to meet with someone," Adam said to his friends.

"Why doesn't Jason ride with you?" Craig asked. They had been in this situation before and it got them all in trouble. Everyone knew that Jason and Adam were close. They also knew that Jason was very protective of Adam.

"Because Jason is not involved. I am sorry, but I can't tell you anymore about it," Adam replied. He knew he could not tell them the whole story until he had made his trip. "I need your help. "

"Let me get this straight. You want one of us to go with you to some unknown place to meet some unknown person for some unknown reason," Craig said sarcastically. "Not to mention, sneak behind my best friend's back AGAIN!"

"Basically that is it. I can't make the trip safely alone because I can't drive that far," Adam said. "And this trip is going to save Jason in the end."

"How is this trip gong to save Jason?" Chuck said, crossing his arms.

"He is going to find out the truth about someone that he really trusts," Adam said pleadingly. "And save girls that we do not even know from a life of torment. Now are you with me or not. One way or another this car is going to Los Angeles."

"I didn't even notice that you got the Trans Am going. I guess I am so used to the van. It looks great!" Craig said walking past the car.

"It runs just as good. If you go, I will let you drive it," Adam said, seeing a weakness.

"Oh no! Not again!" Craig said flinging his arms into the air. "Not one of those Adam Kramer's famous adventures that gets us into anything but trouble."

"I have never got us into trouble," Adam shot back.

"No just almost burned alive and a trip to the hospital. Remember?" Craig said recounting what had happened at the church camp when they sneaked out to get Alyssa against Mr. Kramer's wishes.

"As I said, I will go alone. I have already broke my punishment for the fight by leaving the house so I have nothing to lose," Adam said leaning up against the car.

"Fine, you just go alone," Chuck said as he went back towards his car with Craig. Maybe if they did not go along with Adam, he would just go home. But they were wrong.

"Fine, don't tell anyone you saw me," and he went to the Trans Am and started the ignition. He was about to put it in gear when he heard a peck at the window. He rolled down the window to hear what Craig and Chuck had to say.

"Okay. I will go with you. Mom is out of town for a meeting in San Francisco until the day after tomorrow. I have to be back," Craig said getting into the passenger side of the car. "Chuck, just tell the office that I was sick all night with the flu and that I will be back soon."

"Also do not tell anyone where we are at or it will foil the whole plan. You really need to trust me. I know that it is asking a lot, but we have been best friends for most of our lives. I really need for you to trust that I am doing what is right for myself and Jason," Adam said to Chuck.

"I know that you must have a good reason not to tell me everything and you would never do anything to harm Jason. So I will trust you only if you promise to tell me the whole story when you get back," Chuck said in a soft tone.

"I promise. Remember, you have not seen or heard from me," Adam said as he pulled away. He wanted to get to Los Angeles as soon as he could. With that the lights of the Trans Am faded into the night, leaving Chuck with the burden of keeping his whereabouts secret from the Kramer family.

Meanwhile, no one had really noticed Adam's absence until it was bedtime. Everyone assumed that Adam had went to bed early. They did not even notice the missing Trans Am when James left. Probably because it was dark and the van had hidden the car in the past. Jason had crept quietly into Adam's dark bedroom. He did not want to wake him after he had such a bad day. He made his way to the bathroom and turned on the light. Jason forgot his jogging shorts so he turned his attention to the bed. It was empty. He walked over and turned on the light to an empty room. He glanced around and spotted the keys with a piece of paper under them on the desk.

Jason read the note to himself. "Jason, I have to get out of this house. Please do understand and do not judge me. There is something that I have to do for my own piece of mind. Just trust me. Take care of Ol' Blue. He will need an oil change in about 800 miles. Love, your brother forever-Adam.

In anger, he threw the keys across the room and crumbled the note in his fist. His father came to see about the disturbing sounds he had heard in the room. Jason quickly told him about Adam. They both ran down and saw that the car was gone. Jason walked a little distance of the driveway and saw the black marks from where the stationary car was started to drive on down the driveway. When a car is not ran for awhile, it could get carbon buildup in the engine. When started, it can leave a black spot along with the big black cloud that can escape from the exhaust pipes. Jason grew even angrier knowing that his brother sneaked out of the house and schemed his departure. He knew that he had to find him and figure out what was going on with Adam. He went inside. His father was already calling Chuck. Chuck denied even seeing him and said that Craig was home sick. Mr. Kramer related the phone call to Jason, who became even more frustrated. Mr. Kramer went into his office and called the police. They took it as a runaway report and said that they would put out the word. But that did not make Mr. Kramer feel any better. After calling everyone he could think of whom Adam may go to, he convinced Jason to get some sleep and that they would search in the morning.

"It will be hard to find him since he doesn't want to be found. Adam will turn up," Mr. Kramer assured Jason. Jason tied to object, but he was quickly directed to bed. But Jason could not sleep, with his brother somewhere out there in the night. He remembered about the notebook and went immediately towards Adam's closet. He did not care about Adam's privacy anymore. He started to read through the stack of notebooks that held Adam's deepest secrets over his childhood, determined to find out the truth.

Meanwhile, Adam was on his way to Los Angeles. He showed Craig an address and together they found the street on a map that they bought at a gas station. They drove up to the two-story house in a nice suburban area. It was early morning by now. Adam sat out in the car and gathered his strength. He asked Craig to wait in the car as he walked up to the nice white house. He knocked at the door and waited anxiously for a reply. It wasn't long until he heard someone look out the eyehole in the door and unlock the door. There standing in front of him was two women. Two women still dressed in their nightclothes and were very shocked at his presence. The two women were no other than Maria and her mother.

"Adam! What are you doing here?" Maria said, hugging her cousin. Adam trembled in her arms.

"I have to talk to you," Adam said looking her in the eyes. He retold the story of the girls' statements, his encounter with Bill and James' defense plan. She looked at him very disturbed. He could tell she was not happy about what she was hearing. Her mother was also upset as well.

"So you want me to testify against my father?" Maria asked Adam. She was still visibly upset.

"I will do it right along with you. We have to stop him before he does this again," Adam pleaded with his cousin. Her mother remained quiet as Maria looked to her for guidance.

"It is your decision because you are the one who has to live with the results," she said as she sat down.

Maria sat down on the couch. She was visibly upset and very confused.

"I really thought that that part of my life was over," Maria said, still in shock. "I have a new life now."

"I know, but it is time to stop running. I can't do this anymore. I kept my promise to you and I drove all the way here to tell you that I have to tell the truth, with or without you," Adam said tearfully. "I can't take this anymore and I don't want them to pick those girls apart. I don't care if she was a run around, she did not deserve to be raped."

Maria remained silent in deep thought. "You are right Adam. But he is my father. I left that part of my life a long time ago. I don't want people to look at me like that!"

"But you did nothing wrong. You have nothing to be ashamed over," Adam recanted back. "This is putting a wedge between my father and brother and I can not live a lie anymore."

"I am sorry for that Adam," she said as she reached over and hugged him. "But I just can't do it. I am not ready to revisit my old life at this time. I do understand that you have to tell the truth for yourself and I will release you from our promise to do that. But please just leave my whereabouts secret."

"But Maria..." Adam said in frustration. But Maria put her finger up to his lips.

"Adam, I love you with all of my heart, but I just can't do that. I just want to continue with my life," she said with tears in her eyes as well. "You do what you have to do, but please just leave me out of it."