The quaint coffee shop was bustling with its morning business when Jaclyn Emeralds walked in, her heels clicking on the tile flooring. People concerned with getting their mochas and breakfast were sitting impatient at little circular tables, reading the morning paper. Waitresses were hustling about in uniforms, taking orders and carrying dishes of food on large silver platters to their tables.

Emeralds surveyed the café, looking for a man with short blonde hair and a suit, like he normally wore. Spotting him, she strolled over and sat on the chair opposite him, grinning. He was watching her with a weary yet genuine smile on his face and a cup of coffee in his hands.

"You called?" Jaclyn said in her usual smooth, feminine voice.

"Yeah, I called. I haven't heard from you since I pulled you out of Panama, and we have a few things to discuss." Don Self, a Homeland Security agent replied.

"Such as?" Jackie asked.

Don hesitated and surveyed her. She was as beautiful as ever, with her long brown hair curled delicately today. She wore a shocking blue satin blouse under a black dressy fall jacket and jeans to match. Her fact was flawless and unblemished, her makeup light and natural, apart from her eyes. Her breathtaking baby blues were framed with dark, dramatic mascara, giving her a young, stylish look. She was an exceptionally beautiful woman, though she was only just eighteen. As though her angelic features weren't enough, her prefect hourglass figure made her easily the most beautiful woman in most rooms.

"I want to tell you a story, Jackie." Don said.

"A story?"

"Uh huh. About a beautiful 18 year old girl who was smart and pretty and funny but was always hunted by The Company, the same people who killed her parents."

"Sounds horrible." Jackie said dryly, with a grin.

"Oh, it was." Don continued with a quick smirk. "And then there was this guy. This Homeland agent; and all he wanted was to keep her safe from The Company, ever since she was fourteen."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yup. And then, one day, when the girl was supposed to be in her hotel room in L.A., this Homeland agent found out she wasn't there. And he was worried sick about what had happened to the girl for a full week until he got a call from her saying she's hopped a flight to Panama, and needed help to get back to the U.S."

Jackie nodded and looked at the floor.

"So the agent helped her get back, made sure her tracks were covered and then called her up and invited her to a quaint café, hoping she'd explain why the hell she needed to be in Panama so bad that she didn't tell him about it," he finished, looking into her beautiful eyes.

Jackie looked up at him and said, "I'm sorry, Don."

Self just continued to look at her expectantly.

"I tried to call a friend of mine. He didn't pick up, which was weird for him, so I waited a day and called again. This time the operator told me that his phone wasn't in service. I got a little suspicious, so I used my laptop and tried to track the signal of his phone. The last time the signal pinged off a tower was in Panama. This guy never mentioned going to Panama for anything so I started to suspect kidnapping. When I waited an extra three days and still heard nothing from him, I knew it was time I tried to track him down myself."

"You could have asked for my help."

"Don, if I told you, you would've been forced to send agents down there and probably would have got him killed. It had to be me."

"How did it go with finding your friend?"

"I found him and I was right. He was being held, Don, by The Company."

"Why'd they need him?"

"I don't know. I didn't stick around to ask. But I tried to break him out."

"Alone?" Don asked.

"Yeah. But I got caught, and I paid my price for intrusion."

"What'd they do to you?"

Jackie sighed and said, "You were going to find out soon enough, so…" She pulled up the sleeve of her jacket and showed Don long cuts and large bruises covering her arms.

Don groaned and took her arm in both his hands and began examining it.

"Damnit…" he mumbled angrily under his breath.

"I managed to get out, and that's when I called you. Again, I'm sorry."

Don continued carefully looking at her arm and assessing the damage. "What happened to your friend?" he asked.

"I dunno." Jackie said, sadly. Don could tell she was worried sick.

"What's his name?"

Jackie hesitated before she said, looking up at him, "LJ Burrows."