Enjoy!:
Chapter 6: Day 1
Manly Dan waited as Lyrica paused.
Then, she finally said: "you're Patrick, aren't you? Why do you have Rosalind?"
Manly Dan chuckled. "Patrick? Do you think he could've pulled this off on his own?"
"Then…who are you?"
"That's not important," Manly Dan said. "But what is important is that I have Rosalind and if you want her returned to you alive, you'll have to do as I say."
Lyrica paused before saying: "I'm listening."
"First off, do not tell anyone about this call, especially the police! If you do, Rosalind dies! Next, do you see a package in the seat next to you?"
There was some shuffling on the other end. "Yes," Lyrica said a few seconds later. "But it's kind of small."
"You will not open that package," Manly Dan said. "But once the taxi arrives at Candy's house, you will get out of the taxi with the package and your luggage, but you will not do anything else until I call you back."
"How do you know where I'm going?" Lyrica asked. "And how do I know that you really have Rosalind and you're not some scammer?"
Manly Dan snorted. "We have our ways of getting information. And if you want proof, I can send it to you. But if you even think about going against my orders, remember what'll happen to Rosalind." He hung up, walked over a door on the wall adjacent to the command center, and opened it.
On the other side was a kitchen. And in the middle of that kitchen was a round table where six unmasked ninjas sat, playing a game of poker while four others were at the sink and the stove making food.
Manly Dan pointed to three of the ninjas at the table. "Bring Rosalind to Patrick to have her proof of life photo taken. And be sure to let Patrick know about this before you go get the girl."
The ninjas he had pointed to put on their masks and jogged out of the kitchen.
Manly Dan closed the door behind them and sat at the table to join the poker game.
Meanwhile, in the living/buffet room of the mansion, Mabel, Robin, Maggie (Lee's sister), Amanda (Alicia's sister) and Jules (Sekhmet's brother) were at the upper balcony.
"Guys, we need to do something about Wendy," Mabel said. "Ever since her father was separated from us, she's been sitting in the back corner of the buffet room not talking to anyone."
Jules scowled. "Well, what are we supposed to do? Go up to her and day: 'Hey, sorry that your father was killed today. Now why don't you stop sulking and join the rest of us in being scared out of our minds?'"
Mabel shook her head. "No. Besides, I don't think that Manly Dan's dead. The ninjas probably would have told us if he was."
Amanda crossed her arms. "Then what do you suggest we do?"
"Get her father back."
"And how do you expect us to do that?" Maggie asked.
"We ask Patrick to give Manly Dan back," Mabel replied.
Amanda frowned. "I'm not sure that that's gonna work."
"It will if we appeal to his emotional side," Mabel insisted. "Just because Patrick is a vampire doesn't mean that he doesn't have a heart…I think."
Robin stroked his chin as he thought. "I do like the idea of getting Manly Dan back, but if we simply ask Patrick, he's gonna say no."
Mabel sighed. "Then what do you suggest."
"That we find out where the kidnappers have Manly Dan and break him free."
Jules scowled. "That's even worse than asking Patrick."
"If we want to save Manly Dan from the torture the kidnappers are undoubtedly giving him, then we need to fight fire with fire!" Robin said. "Besides, what's the worst that could happen?"
Suddenly, the door at the bottom of the right stair case swung open and three ninjas made a beeline for a girl Mabel recognized to be Rosalind.
Two ninjas grabbed each of her arms and yanked Rosalind to her feet.
"Wait, what's going on here?" a panicked Rosalind asked.
The third ninja ignored her and tied a burlap bag over Rosalind's head. The two ninjas who held her arms then proceeded to drag her towards the door while the third followed.
"No, wait!" Rosalind cried. "I didn't break the rules! I didn't do anything wrong! Why are you taking me? Why are you taking me?" Her continued screams were slightly muffled by the burlap bag, so she began to kick her legs as she was dragged.
But it did no good because the two ninjas holding Rosalind effortlessly dragged her out the door and the third followed behind, slamming the door shut behind him.
For a few seconds, nobody made a sound.
But Jules broke the silence when he said: "That…is the worst that could happen."
Rosalind continued to scream, kick and cry as she was pulled along, but the ninjas had no trouble of dragging her along.
After about a minute, the two ninjas holing Rosalind stood her upright, but still held onto her.
A few seconds later, the burlap bag was untied and yanked from her head.
After blinking a few times, Rosalind looked around the room she was in.
In the center of the room was a counter where Patrick sat and a camera was on a tripod a few feet in front of him.
On the wall to her right was a mini command center where an unmasked ninja sat, facing the computer screens.
She also saw two doors: one on the wall at the opposite side of the room and the other next to the mini command center. The fist door mentioned was slightly open while the second one was closed.
Patrick jumped off the counter. "Hello, Rosalind. Have you been enjoying your stay?"
"Wh-what do you think?"
Patrick smiled. "Perfect! Anyway, I need you to hold this while I take your picture." He pulled out a current edition of the New York Times and tossed it to Rosalind.
But she couldn't catch it because the ninjas still held her.
Patrick scowled at the ninjas. "Let go of her!"
The ninjas did as they were told and walked over to stand next to Patrick.
Rosalind picked up the newspaper. "Why do I need this?"
Patrick smiled slyly. "For your proof of life. Now face the headlines toward the camera and smile for the picture! Just kidding…don't."
Meanwhile, Lyrica paced back and forth on the front lawn of Candy's house with her luggage laying nearby on the grass.
Suddenly, another taxi pulled up and Elton Jr. got out of it. He walked towards the front door, but paused when he saw Lyrica. "Is everything okay?" he asked.
"Oh—uhhh yeah. Everything's fine. I'm just…waiting for a…important call! Yeah, that's it."
Elton shrugged. "Okay. Be sure to let me know if you need anything." He walked into Candy's house.
Suddenly, the flip phone in Lyrica's pocket vibrated, indicating a text. She opened the phone and saw a picture of Rosalind holding today's copy to the New York Times. The caption under the photo said: If you fail, she will pay the price with her life.
Lyrica gulped.
The flip phone vibrated again, this time indicating an incoming call from a blocked number.
Lyrica answered it immediately. "Hello?"
"Did you see the picture?" the distorted voice asked.
"Yes."
"So you know this is not a joke?"
"Yes."
So you'll do whatever I tell you to do, no matter how crazy it sounds?"
Lyrica hesitated before answering. "Yes."
~Jameer14