Chapter One

Max Grey let out a long sigh as he glanced at his watch, seeing that it was close to five in the afternoon. He'd been sitting on his ass in the nondescript black Tahoe for the last eight hours, keeping a close eye on his mark. It wasn't something he preferred to do, but it was a necessity when it came to his line of work.

After all, preparation was vital to his survival. One slip up could result in his very untimely death and he planned to be around for a long time. Besides, he prided himself on his work ethic and the efficiency required to get the job done right. It wasn't exactly a career path he would have chosen for himself when he was growing up, but he'd always believed in using his talents where it best suited him.

He'd discovered those very talents when he was a teenager since his parents couldn't be bothered to give him the home and life any kid deserved. If his father wasn't beating him during one of his drunken tirades, then his mother was shoving him off to anyone who would take him. Instead of staying around, Max had gotten the hell out and started living on the streets.

After just a few months, he'd become accustomed to that way of life. Stealing became a necessity and everyday was a fight for survival, whether it was over meal from a restaurant dumpster or a bed for the night in a grimy alley. Max had learned fast to toughen up and not be intimidated by all the other vagrants and criminals that walked the streets at night. He'd learned to fight and intimidate, rather than allow himself to be weak and a victim.

It didn't take long for him to build up a reputation for himself, quickly becoming the one person thugs called on when they had an unsavory job or a score to settle with a rival gang. Max never made the mistake of choosing sides, knowing it could get him killed in an instant. He simply went in and did what was required—vandalism, burglary, arson, torture, even murder. He drew no lines in the sand, each job bringing him more wealth than the last and notoriety.

He could have easily retired by now, which was quite a feat considering he was only twenty-five years old. And while a life in paradise—which was something he'd never allowed himself to dream about when he was a kid—was possible, he still enjoyed the thrill of his next assignment.

Not many people had a job where they could make their own rules.

But Max did, and it left him feeling liberated.

"The mark should be coming out at any moment, if she continues to stick to her schedule," Timothy Dawson spoke softly from the driver's seat.

Max nodded at his glanced at the other man before returning his gaze to the sprawling university campus. Normally, he preferred to work alone. Partners provided variables, which was something Max didn't like. He liked to know who or what he was dealing with, only taking risks when it was absolutely necessary. His employer had been insistent though, even offering to provide additional compensation for Max's cooperation.

For the most part, Dawson wasn't so bad. He kept quiet and followed orders, which was something Max liked in a partner.

"We'll follow her and grab her as she comes out of the library," Max said, knowing on Wednesday nights she walked to the local library to study. He knew everything about her—her schedule, which restaurants she liked, even which fabric softener she used. He'd been watching her every move for the past three weeks, wanting to memorize every facet of her life.

Knowing his prey was the only way he'd survived for this long.

Max's phone began to vibrate in his pocket just as the mark emerged from her dorm, making her way down the sidewalk. He didn't even glance at the screen before he answered it. "Grey."

"Is everything still on track?" A man's silky voice asked from the other end of the line. Max tried to hold in his sigh as he recognized the voice belonging to his current employer. It wouldn't have annoyed him so much if he hadn't felt the need to call constantly for status updates.

"You'll have the mark in the next few hours."

"I would prefer if I had her sooner."

"You'll get her when I give her to you. You're paying me to do my job so let me do it."

"I'm also paying to you bring my package to me in a timely manner," the voice said. "If you can't handle the job, then I will find someone else who can."

"Go ahead," Max challenged. "And then you can wait another three weeks to get her. But by then, I probably would have already warned her and you would never get within ten feet of her."

"You wouldn't do that. I would destroy you before you ever got that chance. I hired you because I was told you were the best."

"And I am."

The man let out a long sigh. "The plane takes off at ten. Make sure you're there with my package"

"Make sure you have the rest of my money."

"I have it. And Max?"

"What?"

"She's a fighter. Do whatever is necessary to make sure she cooperates with you."

Max rolled his eyes as he disconnected the call. "Arrogant son of a bitch."

Dawson wisely kept his mouth shut as he pulled the Tahoe into the library parking lot, keeping it hidden beneath the canopy of trees, providing them with a little cover. Slinking down in the passenger seat, Max kept his eyes on the main entrance of the library, refusing to let the mark sneak by them.

"Nancy, the library will be closing in five minutes."

Twenty-one year old Nancy Drew glanced up at Mrs. Perkins, the kindly librarian, giving her a tired smile. "Thank you, Mrs. Perkins. I guess I lost track of time."

"You poor girl. You're working yourself to the bone." Mrs. Perkins put a hand on her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. "No one would fault you if you gave yourself a little bit of a break, you know."

Nancy closed the laptop, shoving it into her backpack as she shook her head. "There will be plenty of time to take a break once my finals are over. I just have to get over this next week and I'll be free."

"Maybe so, but if you keep going at the rate you're going, you'll only get yourself into an early grave." Mrs. Perkins arched a brow as she looked sternly at Nancy. "Then what good will that college degree be?"

Nancy couldn't help but smile at the older woman, knowing she was just concerned about her well-being. It wasn't something she was particularly accustomed to, having a mother figure in her life since her own mother had died when she was only three. The kindly librarian had quickly filled that role, since Nancy first walked into the library almost four years ago. Every day, it had been like clockwork—Nancy coming in at five every evening, only to leave when the library closed at seven. She was never a minute late to arrive or a minute early to depart.

She was in her senior year at Emerson College, pursuing her journalism degree. While it would have been natural for her to continue in criminal justice, given her experience as an amateur detective, she'd found that she could combine her two loves—investigating and writing. Every now and then, she would take on a case or two as a favor to local law enforcement requiring her skills. But she'd stopped letting it consume every aspect of her life, wanting to focus on earning a college degree. It was something she'd always yearned to accomplish, and she knew her father wanted it for her as well.

In one week's time, she would reach that goal.

But only if she aced her finals.

Standing up, Nancy slung her backpack over her shoulder before giving Mrs. Perkins a hug. "Don't worry about me, Mrs. Perkins. I plan on being around for a very long time. After all, I've already gotten an offer to work for the Tribune. There's no way in the world I'm going to let that opportunity go."

"Just take care of yourself, dear. I suppose I will see you here tomorrow at five?"

"On the dot." Nancy walked to the door, giving the older woman a small wave. "Good night, Mrs. Perkins."

"Good night, Nancy."

Pushing the door open, Nancy stepped out into the warm May night, not missing the scent of rain in the air. Glancing up at the sky, she saw grey clouds sprinkled throughout. She just hoped it held off until she got back to her dorm, thankful that it was only a few blocks away from the library.

Making her way down the stairs, she set off down the sidewalk. There was very little traffic in the university town, which wasn't odd considering it was the middle of the week and most students were doing the same thing she had been doing at the library. She could have stayed back at the dorm to study, but she'd always loved the atmosphere a library presented. Besides, if she'd allowed herself to study in her room, she would have been distracted by the commotion from the dorm building. She couldn't understand it, but there was always that one person who seemed hell bent on distracting everyone else from their studies. It never seemed to fail.

As she walked down the sidewalk, Nancy kept her eyes on her surroundings, alert for any sudden surprises. She supposed that was ingrained into her brain from all of her detective work, being wary of everything. While she knew it wasn't wise to walk alone—especially at night—she'd been doing it ever since she was a freshman. Besides, if anyone ever tried anything, she had a can of mace and plenty of fighting skills.

"Excuse me, miss?"

Nancy whirled around, instantly cursing herself for not realizing that someone had been following her. Her blue eyes widened as she took in the man in front of her. He couldn't have been much older than she was, with dark hair that fell over his ocean blue eyes. He was well-built, his muscles showing through the black t-shirt he wore. He was looking at Nancy with an almost embarrassed smile. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you."

Nancy shook her head, giving him a shaky smile. "No, it's okay. My mind was elsewhere when I should have been paying attention. Did you need help with something?"

"Actually, I was wondering if you had a phone I could borrow. I seem to have left mine back at my apartment, and a buddy of mine was supposed to meet me for drinks." He held out his hand. "I'm Max, by the way."

"Nancy." She took his hand and shook it, surprised by his gentle grip. "So, how exactly do you manage to leave your apartment without your phone? I thought that was impossible."

Max shook his head sheepishly. "I must have had my mind on other things as well."

Moving her backpack across her shoulder, Nancy reached into the smallest pocket to retrieve her phone. Unlocking the screen, she handed it to Max. "Here you go."

"Thanks. I really appreciate this." Max took the phone and dialed a number, frowning as it must have gone unanswered. "I wonder where he could be. He's not answering his phone."

Nancy smiled as Max disconnected the call. "Maybe he forgot his phone, too," she teased.

Max smiled, chuckling as he returned her phone back to her. "Look, I'm sorry for scaring you. I guess I'll let you get back to what you were doing."

"It's no problem, really."

"Thanks for letting me borrow your phone, Nancy."

"You're welcome, Max. Good luck finding your friend."

"Yeah…thanks."

Flashing him one last smile, Nancy turned around and began walking towards the university once more, her phone gripped tightly in her right hand. She'd barely walked a few feet before she felt strong arms grip her from behind, a hand covering her mouth to silence her surprised scream. Her phone fell from her hand and shattered on the unforgiving concrete. Instinct took over and she instantly began struggling with her captor, fighting with everything she had as she felt herself being dragged backwards.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a black Tahoe pull up to the sidewalk with a squeal of brakes. Nancy knew immediately what was happening—she was being kidnapped. Her brain quickly registered that she only had a matter of seconds to react, knowing that once she was in the vehicle, it would be next to impossible to get away. Her hand went to her pocket, desperate to retrieve the mace she kept there as her assailant continued to drag her towards the SUV.

Finally, she managed to dislodge the slim tube from her pocket. Releasing the safety button, Nancy turned it and aimed it towards her attacker's face, ducking her head before she managed to spray herself in the face. Her attacker roared in anger, immediately letting her go as he brought his hands up to his face, wiping away at the offending chemicals.

Nancy wasted no time as she took off, wanting to put as much distance between herself and her attacker. She just needed to get back to her dorm and then she would be safe. She could call the police and let them handle the situation. Gripping the mace even tighter, Nancy put on more speed—she was just one block away.

All of a sudden, she was tackled from behind, the mace dropping from her hand as she was brought down against the concrete. Her head bounced off the concrete, pain instantly blossoming in her head as she briefly saw stars. She let out a cry as her arms were wrenched behind her back before the unmistakable sound of a cable tie being tightened around her wrists secured them in place. She felt herself being hauled up as a hand once again clamped down over mouth, preventing any screams as she was dragged back once again towards the waiting vehicle.

Still, Nancy fought with her last remaining strength, even though her head was threatening to spilt open. She dragged her feet along the sidewalk, making it harder for her kidnapper to move with her. Cursing softly, he tightened his grip on her and practically carried her to the Tahoe, shoving her into the backseat.

Nancy's eyes widened in shock as the doors closed behind her and Max loomed over her, yellowish liquid running down his face as he glared at her. "What the hell are you doing?"

"My job." Max grabbed her feet, quickly slipping another cable tie around her ankles and securing it tightly. "He was right about you, after all. You are quite the fighter."

Nancy tried to scoot away from him as the vehicle took off down the road, throwing her against the door. "Who are you talking about? What do you want from me?"

"You'll find out soon enough." Reaching into the bag at his feet, Max grabbed a towel and wiped at his face, cursing under his breath.

"Where are you taking me?"

"You ask too many questions."

"Tell me!" Nancy yelled, anger coursing through her body. Anger was good—she could fight with anger. It was a better emotion to deal with than the fear that was threatening to consume her. This wasn't some random kidnapping; that much she knew for sure. This was a professional job which could only mean that something much worse was awaiting her wherever they were going.

"Shut up and behave yourself."

"Or what?"

"I'll drug you."

Nancy glared at him, saying nothing. The last thing she wanted was to be drugged on top of being helpless. As long as she was conscious, she could formulate a plan and find out where she was being taken. Maybe she could even find some way to get free and get some help.

"Good girl." Max rummaged through his bag, smiling when he came up with a handkerchief and a small bag. "Let's make sure you behave yourself, shall we?"

Swallowing hard, Nancy tried to push away from him as he leaned across her and shoved the rag into her mouth before tying it off tightly behind her head. Grunting in frustration, Nancy watched as Max stretched the opening of the bag between his hands. She knew at once what he was going to do with it—once it was on her head, she would be effectively blinded and at his mercy. She would have no hope of getting away once he did it.

Nancy tried shaking her head back and forth, making it harder for him to get it over her head. Letting out a growl, he backhanded her savagely, her head ringing once more from the second blow in a matter of minutes. Jerking her body forward, he put the black sack over her head and shoved her back against the door, closing her off in darkness.

Well, I'm back…I just couldn't stay away from you guys for long!

So, this was an idea what was tossing around in my head, among others. There will be plenty of action and suspense, not to mention a little romance thrown in for good measure. I am still debating if the Hardys will be in this one, which I know will probably alienate a good portion of my usual readers.

I apologize for any mistakes—I am going at this one beta-free this time.

I hope you continue to take the ride with me!

Until next time!