â€œ I ...am terribly sorry. Maybe a fair warning , i only have panic attacks because of my slight past problems. Anyways ...donâ€™t think they hinder me that much â€¦.I was just what is the word unstable? â€œ  Alyssa stammered, Jacob was worried, she was practically speaking gibberish and he began to worry that Greg might be right. He knew this was going to cause a big stink, just bringing an outsider into the group on such a delicate investigation, but now she was saying that she was 'unstable' and that really worried him.<br/><br/>"Hey it's Ok....don't worry about it, Greg can be a real dick sometimes." Jacob said, making a small joke about Greg coming out with himself exposed. They both giggled and then he watched as she drank from the water bottle he'd given her.<br/><br/>"I wish to wonder when exactly are we taking off, and if i mind asking did you hear an odd metallic sound, sort of like sharp nails against wood. Maybe iâ€™m more insane or something but i have a weird feeling about that.â€ She asked, still a bit shaken.<br/><br/>" 'You wish to wonder'... " Jacob thought to himself, "Who the hell talks like that? Was she this weird, the first two dates they'd been on?" He wondered to himself, he of course didn't say it aloud but the thoughts still played across his face. " No.....I didn't hear any sound....." He finally said aloud but his mind was racing at the her casual usage of the term 'insanity'.<br/><br/>"Listen, you sit here for a bit and get some more air, I am going to go inside and talk to Greg, OK?" Jacob said as he got up and walked back inside. Once the large security door had closed behind him, it locked from the inside, without a key Alyssa would be locked outside until someone opened the door for her, but Jacob wasn't thinking about that, his mind was concerned with the dilemma at hand.<br/><br/>Greg had finally put his 'Johnson' away and was now drinking an energy drink at the briefing table; Shanna was seated next to him causally rubbing her husband's shoulder trying to rub his tension away. Al and Brandi had finished off their joint and were still giggling at how ridiculous Alyssa had sounded when she'd tried to make a quip earlier and the entire groups attention turned toward Jacob as he reentered the room.<br/><br/>"She Ok....well I guess she's ok..." Jacob said the look of embarrassment washed across his face.<br/><br/>"For fuck's sake Jake....I am sorry about freaking out, but seriously??? WHAT...THE...FUCK?" Greg angrily growled. His eyes were honestly concerned but not more concerned than angry.<br/><br/>"Well Greg...Maybe just maybe she isn't used to seeing some 40 year old dude's porno scale penis waggling at her! You shouldn't be judging her, man."  Jacob did his best to defend Alyssa's honor, but to be honest it was a half-hearted attempt. He was just as worried as Greg was now, especially having heard her just use the terms 'Insane' and 'Unstable' so nonchalantly just seconds ago.<br/><br/>"Hey man, I've seen that thing a hundred times and I still get freaked out!" Brandi added in, her eyelids reduced to stoned slits but her wit was obviously still razor sharp because Shanna and Al started to laugh.<br/><br/>"Yeah well, I got news for you....My big ol' dick ain't gonna be the scariest thing where we are going, in case you forgot! " Greg's temper started to flare.<br/><br/>"Geez man, she said she can handle it ok?" Jacob snapped back<br/><br/>"OOOOh yeah cause that's the thing about anxiety disorders, right? You can totally predict and control them....OH WAIT A FUCKING MINUTE THAT ISN'T THE THING ABOUT ANXIETY ATTACKS THEY COME ON WHEN YOU LEAST WANT THEM TO, THAT'S WHY IT'S CALLED A FUCKING 'ATTACK'!" Greg barked sarcastically. "She's not coming....I'm sorry but I am not willing to jeopardize this investigation just so you can play 'boyfriend and girlfriend'...it's just too important to start getting reckless now, I am sorry Jake, but you're going to have to tell her to go home." Greg finished with resolve, no one at the table objected so it was obvious to Jacob that the rest of the team agreed.<br/><br/>"Fuck that! I am still 'Team Leader' I decide whom the investigation team is comprised of and I say we allow Alyssa another shot! Jesus Greg, Branice is a fucking heroine junkie, and we let her on the team; just because Alyssa had a bad first impression doesn't mean we have to jump to a snap judgement." Jacob pleaded.<br/><br/>"Hey! I keep my shit on the down-low, and I only use so that I can get into the trance that gets this team RESULTS!" Brandi jumped in on her own defense but her eyes were still very glassy and she only ended up falling back into her seat and giggling along side Albert.<br/><br/>"Look, Jake....The simple truth is that, Yes you are still the team leader for this mission, but I am the financial-backer and if you want to do this investigation at all, you'll go back outside and tell her she can't come....End of story." Greg said flatly.<br/><br/>" Oh is that so? Well the Crenshaw house is in MY NAME, in case you forgot! So it isn't the end of the story, it's just the beginning and if you don't like it, it'll be a 'story' without you!" Jacob's own temper was starting to show, and Albert could swear that he saw a dark shadow flicker from behind Jacob and move toward the rear door exit; but he said nothing, because he wanted to see how this argument was going to turn out. (*The dark spirit which follows Jacob has gone to torment Alyssa; it has absorbed enough negative energy from the conflict to physically manipulate things on this plane of existence.)<br/><br/><br/>"Ooh yeah? What are you gonna do Jake? You gonna drive up there in your shitty Mustang and do the investigation with your little girlfriend ...with no equipment or food?" Greg threw his hands up into the air out of exasperation.<br/><br/>"Yeah, maybe I will....I have my own digital recorder and handheld camera! Hell , that's all we had when we started out anyway, back then we didn't need all these fancy gadgets!" Jacob slammed his hands down on the table hard enough to dishevel the map and planning implements.<br/><br/>"Fuuuuuck that too! If Jakie's going than I am going too! I guessed I'd rather live on fruit roll-ups and Mountain Dew in a haunted house than stick around here and film you two fucking!" Al added in, clapping his hand over Jacob's shoulder.<br/><br/>"Yeah...no offense Greg, but I think I'd rather take my chances in the Crenshaw place with Jacob's whack-job girlfriend than sit around here. Besides, Al is my dope dealer and I'm almost out of 'gear'." Brandi said, raising her hand to show alliance to Jacob's cause.<br/><br/>"Fine....Fuck you two too! Go up there on your own coin!" Greg said angrily, folding his hands over his chest, like a pouting child.<br/><br/>"Greg, sweetie....You said this would be our second honeymoon! I was really looking forward to fucking like filthy animals all over a haunted house....You know how turned on I get around spooks!" Shanna pleaded rubbing her hands over Greg's super tense shoulders.<br/><br/>"Well...What's it gonna be Greg? You gonna let your nymphomaniac wife go with me and Brandi and Al to the coolest haunted house left in this country all by herself....OR....." Jacob left off, hoping it was enough to change his business partner's mind.<br/><br/>"Ooooh shit....I swear to God, Jake.....If she fucks this thing up I am never going to forgive you...." Greg finally relented. Shanna did a cute little cheer when she saw her stubborn husband finally give in. " I will do all that nasty shit you like OK.....Woohoo!" Shanna whispers into Greg's ear which brought a smile to his face.<br/><br/>"Geez Where is she anyway.....Oooh man, Jake that door locks when it closes...Did you leave her locked out there?" Greg suddenly asked.<br/><br/>"Oh shit....Alyssa!?" Jacob said as he took off toward the rear exit again. !Gwah