Prologue
Manhattan Island, New York City, New York
November 29, 2000
Jessica Rachel Parker, a young girl just turned 15 eleven days before; waited on the stoop of the shabby apartment building for Antonio Vicino, her 18-year-old boyfriend. She ran a hand through her lake red hair, partially from self- consciousness, partially from simple fear. Not just because of Antonio, no, but something else....
The figure in the dark watched, an unseen smile on his face. He had been watching Jessie for a few days now, and he wondered for a split- second; in the back of his mind, why he hadn't yet struck. Usually this would have been over with by now, but he kept hesitating. Oh well, he thought. When X calls back I'll make another excuse. He winced, he didn't like excuses. Shrugging, he adjusted his collar. Then his head snapped up as a distinctly masculine voice sounded. He growled.
"Damn," he muttered. "Him."
"You're late," Jessie whispered.
Antonio scowled, muttered something indecipherable in Italian, and backhanded Jessie in the mouth.
"Ouch!" she cried. The man in the dark alley bristled. He too knew the pain of a slap on the face.
"Shut up, freak. I know," he growled.
"Son of a bitch!" the shadow muttered. Then, as he saw Jessie's ears prick, he knew he was screwed.
"What was that?" Jessie asked, posing the question to no one in particular.
"What?"
"I heard something...Over there!"
Jessie ran over to the dark alley. Little did she know she was being scanned, vertically and horizontally, by the man, as he held onto a pole, upside-down. Satisfied, she walked away. He unhooked his knees and flipped off. Staggering for a second as the blood rushed back to his lower body; he pressed a button on his watch.
"X?", he whispered, "I've got it."
The man on the other line smiled. "Perfect. Receiving data."
He nodded. "I'm coming home now. See ya."
Yes, this had been a good day.
.....@~~~~.....
So, who's Jessie's stalker? Find out in Chapter 1!