Suzy Santos had snuck into Erica Weston´s office, unaware of the impending danger. The pretty young Latina started going through file drawers, looking for anything that would shed some light on where her professor had gone. Meanwhile, the “Security guard’ & Cynthia Prescott were forcing Janeen Martelli down the hall. Janeen then saw a chance. She suddenly elbowed the guard in the ribs & pushed Cynthia out of the way! Janeen took off down another hallway
“Damn her! Go find her!’ Cynthia yelled as she got to her feet gathering up the rope.
Suzy had heard the commotion & looked down the hall. Nothing. She then walked down the corridor.
“Janeen?’ she whispered loudly “Janeen? Is that you?"
Suddenly the guard clamped a hand over Suzy´s mouth from behind!
“Mmmmppphhh!!! Grrrrmmppphh!!!!"
“Settle down Chica." The man hissed. “It looks like another one caught!" The guard then found her cell phone. “I don´t think you´ll be needing this."
Meanwhile Janeen had got to a small room on the other side & hid behind a desk. Her heart was pounding as she got out her cell phone & tried to call Melissa. Then horror swept over her. Her cell battery was dead! She put the phone down, closed her eyes & wondered how she would escape.
“Look what I just found!" the guard said to Cynthia as she rejoined him.
“Well well Suzy Santos. I knew it. Now just one more."
“Cynthia?" Suzy said behind the man´s hand. To say the least she was shocked.
“No Miss Martelli, but a sure way to lure her out of hiding."
“Miss Martelli!" Cynthia shouted “We have your friend Miss Santos, if you ever want to see her again, you best show yourself…. now!"
The guard then tightened his grip over Suzy´s mouth. The young Latina could only squeal behind the hand.
“I´m giving you to the count of three!"
“One!…..two…..."
Janeen then showed herself as Suzy closed her eyes.
“Here I am, let her go… she doesn´t know anything…..owwww!!"
Cynthia then grabbed Janeen by the hair & pointed her gun at the brunette.
“Do you think I´m stupid! Both of you know way too much & I think it´s time to teach you both a lesson on minding your own business." Cynthia snapped as she tossed some of the rope to the guard. “Nice & tight."
“Don´t even think of screaming." He warned as he jerked Suzy´s hands behind her back. Cynthia then did the same to Janeen
“I´m going to enjoy this." Cynthia sneered as she started to tie Janeen´s wrists together behind her.
“Oh I´m sure you will." Janeen replied gritting her teeth as Cynthia took pleasure on making it as tight as possible
“You two won´t get away with this, especially you Cynthia!" Suzy added as the guard had finished tying her up. Suzy was tied tight as she tried to move her wrists. “Where´s Miss Weston?"
“Okay, that´s enough talking." Cynthia added as she took out two knotted white rags from her pocket & tossed one to the guard
“Gag her, we're taking her with us.."
“No you're no..mmmmpphhhh!!!" Suzy tried to say before the rag cut off any speech.
“What about her?" the guard asked, tightening the knot on the gag
“As for Miss Martelli here….." Cynthia sneered as she quickly cleave-gagged the brunette with the other rag & tightened the knot “Wait a minute,I got something else in mind."
“Mmmmpphhh grrrmmpphhhh!!!!" Was all Janeen could muster as she shook her head.
“Like what?" the guard asked
“Put Miss Martelli in the van & keep an eye on her, but lock that one in a back room some where. Looks like you´re going to be kidnapped Janeen." Cynthia sneered at her prisoner.
“Why not both of them? She knows us.."
“I have my reasons. If these girls want to play detective, well I´ll leave a little clue for Miss Ferguson. I´m sure she´ll be showing up shortly. But we´ll be long gone."
With that, the guard forced the two bound & gagged co-eds down the hallway.
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Melissa Ferguson was busy going over some notes about the things going on. Nothing had made sense. It all had to do with Erica´s disappearance she thought, but how did those men that kidnapped her, know what she knew? She shook her head & then looked at the clock. Janeen & Suzy had been gone for over an hour & neither of them had called. She decided to give them a try, at least maybe it would give her some comfort. Trying Suzy´s number first. Melissa got no answer, Janeen´s phone didn´t even ring in. Something was wrong, Melissa felt. She had to go over to the offices. If her friends were in trouble, she had to help them, even it meant all three of them ended up in trouble. As the co-ed was grabbing her things, her phone rang. She looked at the caller ID with a shocked look. It said Erica Weston!
“Hello…Erica?…..hello….????"
If it was Erica, she had hung up. Was she in trouble? She just decided to go find her friends, unknowingly to her, already caught by Cynthia Prescott & her security guard friend.
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Inside a small office, Suzy struggled with the tight ropes around her wrists. Her ankles were tied as well. She squirmed valiantly but she had little success, as the knots wouldn´t budge. Suzy looked around. She had to get out of there, but how? Cynthia & her goon were kidnapping Janeen. They had left her there to be discovered. There had to be a reason she thought. Maybe Melissa would find her, but then again, maybe not. She then thought that Melissa could easily be captured as well. She looked at the clock on the wall, it had been at least a half an hour that she had been in there. She was mad at Cynthia, but powerless to do anything about it at the moment. Suzy just sank back against a wall, when she suddenly spotted something shiny on the desktop. Easing her way up onto her feet, Suzy then started to hop over to the desk. The pain shot through her ankles as she made it over to the desk. Her determination had paid off. It was a letter opener! Backing up to it, the young Latina tried to grab it with her fingers. After several tries, Suzy had positioned the letter opener on one of the knots. It was hard work & sweat immediately formed on her forehead. Suddenly Suzy heard footsteps coming toward the office. Her heart was pounding again, was it Cynthia & her goon?
“Mmmmppphh!!!! Grrrrmmpphh!!" Suzy tried to yell behind the tight gag. She then heard a familiar voice, Melissa´s!
“Mmmmmssssss!! Mmmnnhhhrrr!!"
“Suzy? Is that you?"
“Mmmmpphh!!"
Just then the door opened & Melissa rushed to her friend.
“Suzy, oh my God! What happened? Where´s Janeen?" Melissa asked, freeing the gag from the young coed´s mouth. Suzy then gasped for a breath
“Cynthia Prescott & some goon did this. They kidnapped Janeen."
“Cynthia? You´re kidding right, I don´t believe it." Melissa answered as she started to free her friend´s hands
“Believe it. They grabbed me & then took Janeen, but why, I don´t know."
Soon Suzy´s wrists were free from the ropes & she rubbed them for circulation & then worked to free her ankles.
“This is too strange….I just got a phone call from Miss Weston, or I think it was her."
“Miss Weston….what?…where?"
“It was right before I got over here, but she hung up before saying anything. My caller ID told me it was from her. I knew you guys were gone long, so I decided to check up on you."
“Well thank God she called you when she did, or you would have been like us."
“But why did Cynthia take Janeen?"
“The only thing she said was that she was leaving a clue for you. Something about wanting to be detectives."
“Sounds like she wants to play a game with us."
“I think you´re right Melissa, maybe to find Janeen & hopefully Miss Weston."
“Oh man, this is just getting too deep."
“Let´s look around & see if we can find the clue that Cynthia left."
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Janeen Martelli found herself in the back of the van, still gagged & bound. She was blindfolded as well. She could feel the vehicle move fast, taking the corners even faster. She was trying to put up her usual brave front, but deep down she was scared to death. She scolded herself for taking on Cynthia by herself, only to see some big goon grab her. She also thought of Suzy getting captured as well. She was thinking that she & the girls had stumbled onto something big, maybe bigger than Erica´s disappearance. Just then the van stopped. She heard one the doors opening & then closing. Her pulse rate quickened as she heard footsteps & then suddenly the door open.
“Mmmmppphhh!!!!! Grrrrmmmppphhh!!!!" Janeen tried to say.
“Save your breath Martelli, nobody´s going to hear you." Sneered the familiar voice of Cynthia Prescott.
“Just leaving another clue for your two friends."
Janeen could only wonder what is was & where were they?
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“It´s gotta be here somewhere Melissa." Suzy Santos said as she went through papers on Erica´s desk.
“Maybe we should check Cynthia´s office again. Think, what clue would she leave."
“I don´t know…. something to do with….That´s it! Melissa, a map!"
Suzy hurried over to another desk & saw a street map of the city. Opening it up, the young Latina, then saw a red magic marker hilighting an area of the city. There was also a note attached.
“That´s it!" Melissa beamed “Good work Suzy, you found it, what does that note say?"
“Guess who it´s from."
Both girls agreed it was Cynthia who had left the note.
“Good work girls. If you ever want to see your friend again, you´ll come to that spot on the map by tonight for clue number two."
Suzy closed her eyes & then looked at Melissa.
“Don´t worry, we´ll get Janeen back. Come on let´s go."
As the girls were leaving, a familiar face showed up. Erica Weston!
“Oh my God!" Melissa shouted, “Are you allright? What happened to you?"
Erica then pulled a handgun on the girls.
“I´m perfectly fine, but as for you two….if you know what´s good for you, you´ll get back inside."
Melissa & Suzy could only look at each other in stunned silence…..
To Be Continued...