Pounding music echoed through the warehouse. Bright lights flashed with the beat, illuminating the building.
A bar ran down the far wall and the lights behind the hundreds of bottles of liquor and beer taps glowed an electric blue. Bartenders fixed all drink combinations possible, mixing and delivering with elaborate moves and tricks entertaining the crowd.
Two tall intimidating bouncers stood at the open door, allowing only those with passes inside.
The D.J. cranked the music up and the bass seemed to shake the foundations. Hundreds of people covered the majority of the open floor, dancing and socializing.
"Marie!" yelled a curly blond haired teenage girl grabbing her friend, "there are some really hot guys over there! Let's get 'em to dance!"
"Where?" asked Marie looking around the room.
"At the bar!" she exclaimed pointing to two tall muscular boys with their backs against the counter looking at the girls.
One boy had short spiky brown hair, and pale skin. He wore a dark blue button down shirt, khaki pants, and brown shoes. The other boy had long black hair and tanner skin than his friend. He wore a white button down shirt, dark jeans, and black shoes.
"Hmm, they are cute, and they're looking at us!" said Marie smiling at them.
She looked at her friend, "One thing, Alex, I call the one with the swishy black hair. "
"Deal!" she giggled.
The two girls hurried toward the bar and sat at some stools next to the boys. The bartender came up to them asking if they wanted a drink.
"I don't have any money, " said Marie with a frown.
"Me either," sighed Alex.
As if on cue, the boy with black hair stepped next to Marie and the boy with brown hair stepped next to Alex.
"I'll be more than happy to buy you a drink," he said with a smile flashing his bright white teeth, "What would you like?"
"Sex on the beach," she answered with a smile.
The boy handed the bar tender the money and told him a sex on the beach and a beer.
"Thank you," Marie smiled sweetly batting her eyelashes.
"My pleasure," he said as he sat next to her, "so what's your name?"
"Marie, and yours?"
"Richard"
"Well its nice to meet you, Richard, " she said offering her hand for a handshake.
"The pleasure is all mine," he said as he took her hand and gently kissed it.
Marie blushed and looked at the floor.
The bartender sat the drinks on the counter and the two turned and picked up their drinks, sipping on the liquor.
"Now, I know you aren't twenty-one," chuckled Richard.
"Is that a bad thing?" she asked innocently, " I used my fake to get my wristband."
Richard laughed, "Not at all," he leaned next to her ear and whispered, "I'm only nineteen myself"
Marie giggled, "I'm eighteen," she whispered back.
"Aren't you in my history class? Professor Florek, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 10?" he asked
"Oh my god, yes! I am! You sit across the aisle from me!" Marie exclaimed.
"Small world," he laughed.
They both glanced over to Alex and the spiky haired boy; they were making out and nearly lying on the bar.
Richard looked to her, "Would you like to dance?"
"I'd love to," she answered finishing her drink.
Richard stood up draining the last of his beer.
"Wait, what time is it?" Marie panicked.
Richard looked at his watch, "Nearly five thirty, why?"
"Oh my god! My dad left for work at five! He's going to know I wasn't home!" she exclaimed her hands on her head.
She quickly stood up and looked up at Richard.
"I'm so sorry, I wish I could stay. I really do."
"Would you like me to walk you home?" he asked
"I live a long way from here, I had to take the subway, I'd hate to make you go out of your way," Marie said sadly.
Richard laughed, "It's no problem, I really want to. Besides, you shouldn't be riding alone on a subway dressed in that, some guy might grab you."
Marie laughed, "See you later Alex!" she said tapping on her friend's shoulder.
"Bye girl! Be careful! Text me later okay?" said Alex.
Marie nodded at her blond friend and walked with Richard out the door into the crisp morning air.
They laughed and talked, walking the three blocks to the subway entrance.
"…and that's where my dad works, " said Marie pointing to a large building to their left.
"Wilson Weaponry and Technology, huh? Nice," Richard laughed.
"Yea he's the head of the company, my great grandfather founded it."
"That's really cool."
They reached the subway entrance and Marie paused.
"I hate subways," she sighed.
"Don't worry, I'm here," Richard said sweetly taking hold of her hand.
Marie smiled and they walked down the stairs into the darkness.
"….she lives uptown, you have the address."
"Ah a rich, spoiled, whinny teenage girl. This should be fun," sighed a man running his fingers through his short black hair.
"Actually, she is a strong athlete, so she will give you a little more of a challenge. I couldn't hire just anyone for this particular job."
The man raised his eyebrows behind his mirrored sunglasses, "Interesting."
"I will wire you the first part of your payment once you have the girl."
"Sounds good."
"Do whatever is necessary to retrieve her, but do not kill her."
"Will do," he repliedhanging up his phone and slipping it into his pocket, pulling out the picture of his target.
The girl was fair skinned with crystal blue eyes and long strawberry blond hair. He quickly put the photo away as the train stopped letting more passengers on board.
A few businessmen heading to work and several teenagers heading home from the clubs walked onto his car. One girl managed to catch his attention.
Her long reddish golden hair reached down to the middle of her back and her light blue eyes glistened. She wore a tight strapless white top, a short waist high pink skirt, and black stiletto heels. She was holding hands with a tall young man and they sat directly across from him.
He allowed himself a small smile; he knew this was quite possibly the girl he was after. All he needed to do was tail her to her house to be one hundred percent sure. The last thing he needed to do was compromise the plans by kidnapping the wrong girl and alerting the authorities.
The train pulled to a stop and the two of them stood up and exited the car with a few others.
Richard and Marie hurried up the stairs hand in hand and walked quickly towards her house. Unaware they were being followed.
The tall muscular, black haired man followed the two teens down the road toward the richer part of town. A few blocks away from the station, he slipped behind a tree as they stopped in front of the spiked black gate in front of an elaborate, two story mansion.
A cobblestone, circular driveway with a large fountain in the center, sat in front of the large mansion, and two white marble stairs leading up to the landing of the entryway. Dark oak French double doors sat under a large white archway held up by white marble columns. An ornate crystal chandelier could be seen through the large arched window that sat above the doors. Old-fashioned French lanterns hung on stonewall on either side of the doors.
To the left and right of the of the archway were arched, French windows encased by a stonewall, above the windows were small balconies with white railing with double French doors leading into bedrooms with old-fashioned French lanterns on the outside walls.
The mansion stretched further to the left of the driveway, but was blocked from view by large palm trees and other exotic landscaping.
His attention switched back to the lovebirds.
Marie giggled at something the boy whispered in her ear and she handed him a small piece of paper with her cell phone number.
"I'll call you when I'm on my way," said Richard.
The boy then gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and said goodbye walking back towards the subway station.
Marie watched the boy walk away until he was out of sight and turned around and slipped through the gate and into the mansion through a side door.
The man pulled a slip of paper from his pocket and compared the address on the paper to the numbers on the tall gate. Finding they matched, a smirk crept onto his face.
"Got you."