Author's note: Hey thanks for the great comments and don't worry tv-luvin-hottie, there will be some certain moments later but i like to keep some suspense :) Please reveiw
They arrived at a large hotel right in the centre of Manhattan, the poshest most expensive hotel around. It had been hired for the week to host a series of masquerade balls for the rich and famous, in order to raise money for a number of different cancers. The previous night had been the Friday night, Saturday night, tonight, would be the last one hosted. Kevin Heifer was one of the actors contributing to the organization of everything, him and his daughter had turned up every night this week encouraging people to donate more.
They walked into the building and through to the ball room where it had been hosted. It instantly took Vivian, Kate and Sam's breath away. There was a stairway coming from both sides of the front wall joining to a much larger stairway leading down to the main floor, there was a balcony that surrounded the whole hall. The staircase rails where a dark wooden colours, a massive crystal chandelier in the centre followed by lots of other little ones scattered around the room. At the other end of the ballroom was a large set up stage where the band would be set up, according to the magazines it was one of the best jazz bands that had been heard in America. For a regular person to attend this would be 'a once in a lifetime experience'. They were guided by a guard to where a distressed Kevin Heifer was waiting, he was sitting at the bottom of the stairs with a couple of other men, his head hung low. Wearing a kings outfit.
Jack and his team approached the famous actor when Jack introduced himself.
"Kevin Heifer, it's good to meet you I only wish it was on better terms. My names Agent Jack Malone I'm with the F.B.I missing persons unit. Here is the rest of my team Agents Danny Taylor, Caitlin Valentine, Samantha Spade, Vivian Johnson and Martin Fitzgerald."
Mr. Heifer stood and held his hand out to shake Jacks. "Thank you for coming so quickly. I appreciate it"
"It's no problem. Firstly we are going to need to ask you some questions, they may not be easy to answer but we need to know as much as we can. My other agents will also question a few of the guards that were on the doors last night, I assume they are the same ones that will be doing tongihts shift?"
Kevin nodded
"Right also need to talk to her friends, do you know where I can contact them?"
"They are probably in the restaurant area, they're staying around here waiting on any news, there's just the two of them. Linda and Carly."
"They were with your daughter last night?" Jack asked
"They've been here every night so far"
Jack turned to face his team "Alright, there were two exits from this room, one in the far back corner over there, go down a corridor it leads straight out to a back alley, the guard that was on that one is a Warren Jones, Danny I want you to take him, Sam the other guard covered the second exit, which leads to the foyer, speak to him, he's Hank Lee. Vivian and Kate I want you to speak to her friends and Martin Check the cameras, there's none covering the actual exits but there are some covering the area's around it. I'll question Mr. Heifer. Anything interesting come some me immediately"
They all separated their own ways to find who they needed to interview.
Jack turned back to face the actor.
"Mr. Heifer can you think about any enimies you may have?" Jakc began
"I'm an actor, I've supported some organizations, I haven't others, I've employed some people, fired others"
"Alright I seem what you mean. What about your daughter any troubles there, school, friends, boyfriends?" Jack questioned
"I don't think so, she doesn't really talk to me about that stuff, I think she talks more about that with her friends then me. I'm not really sure how to talk to her about that kind of stuff you know. You have children Agent Malone?"
"Two daughters"
"You'll know what I mean then"
"Their not quite old enough for boyfriends yet, and ones on the mend from a fractured leg"
"Ah, well it's all for you to come. You see Rosie's mother passed away a few years ago and since then we've sort of drifted apart slightly and now all I can think about was the last conversation we had. We were talking about her going to college, and we had this argument over the stupidest thing and now all I can think about is how I never said sorry."
"Well I'll do my best to make sure you get the chance" Jack said
"So can you remember the last times you saw Rosie?" Vivian asked Linda
She nodded her head "I was in the toilets, some one had split a drink down the front of my dress and we went in there to clear it up" Linda explained
"What time was that?"
"Erm a little gone one I think. Then she said she was going to check on Carly. She'd been upset her boyfriend broke up with her a few days ago and Rosie wanted to check she was alright"
"Did Rosie have a boyfriend, or maybe any troubles with any other friends"
Linda shook her head "Rosie hasn't had a boyfriend for a good couple of months, and as for other friends, it's just the three of us. We do everything together"
"So you can't think of any one she may have fallen out with?"
"No, she was a nice person and everyone that knew her loved her."
Vivian jotted down her notes. Obviously some one didn't love her she thought to herself.
"Has Rosie seemed distracted to you at all lately, maybe missing classes or not seeing her friends as much?" Kate asked the second friend
Carly thought about it for a moment before answering. "She has seemed a little off over the past few days but I'm not sure"
"What ever you can tell us is helpful, no matter how small you think it is" Kate insisted
"Well there was this guy that she had been seeing, only like friends and she'd only met him a couple of times. But she said he's started to freak her out, like call her all day continuously. Then he turned up at school the other day, waiting for her outside of school"
"This guy have a name?" Kate asked
"I don't know, Rosie didn't like talking about it, but he looked old. I mean older then our age"
"Old?" Kate asked wondering what her definition of old was
"Yeh like thirty something maybe"
Great thirty's old now Kate thought to herself, she was only a couple of months off thirty herself and was dreading having a double digit age starting with three instead of two.
"How about his looks, did you see what he looked like?"
"No, not really he was pretty far away and I didn't really pay much attention."
"Is that all you can remember, what about the last time you saw her?"
"It was just after she came out of the toilets from helping Linda with her dress, and we spoke for a couple of minutes then she got a phone call. It lasted for about ten seconds no more, then she said she had to deal with someone out the back and that she'd be back in a few minutes, but she never came back. I just assumed that she'd hooked up with some one"
"Do you know who was on the phone, or which exit she went out of?" Kate asked quickly trying to speed things up.
"No, she didn't say who it was, but she left out of that exit over there" She pointed to the exit which had the guard Danny was interviewing.
"Can you remember exactly what time she went down through this corridor and into the alley." Danny asked the guard
"Yeh it was around one thirty, she asked me to let her out. I let her pass, she went down though the corridor out into the alley where a car was parked and never came back"
"What car?" Danny asked again
"Well I didn't actually see it but I saw the red lights shining on the wall from it, but it could have been a van or something like that"
"But you didn't see anyone else down there or follow her?"
The guard shook his head
"Alright thanks"
Martin looked at the third camera set outside the back alley showing one of the entrance/ exits to one end of the alley. He fast forwarded the tape until he saw something unusual. At 1:34am a black stretched limo speeding out of the alley, then skidding round the corner and out into the street. He re-winded the tape then played it again, the time frame fit, possibly his kidnapper. He paused the tape to write down the plate number but there wasn't one.
Jacks team all arrived back to him at the same time give or take a few minutes, Martin was last to arrive. Danny Kate and Martin all wanted to say what they had first, but one got in the way of the other.
"Jack guess what…" Kate started.
"Yeh The guy I was talk…" Danny interrupted.
Kate stared at him "Hey, I started first"
Then Martin came up behind the both of them "Jack I checked out the tape" he stopped when he noticed Kate and Danny staring at him.
"What?" Asked
"You interrupted us" They said in unison, realising they said us they changed it "Me"
"Okay, well then ladies first" he said smiling at Kate
"Thank you" she shone him a smile back then pulled a teasing face at Danny. "Alright I was talking to one of her friends, Carly, and she said that lately Rosie had been hanging around with a man around thirty something, any way lately he had been calling her a lot, like continuously everyday. And last night just before one thirty Rosie got a call that lasted about ten seconds before she told her friend that she had t go and deal with some one and that she'd be back in a few minutes, but she never returned. So I'm thinking her kidnapper may be this guy" she said hopefully.
"Yeh well any way what I was trying to say goes with what Kate just said. The guard let Rosie out around one thirty am, she walked straight down the corridor and out into the alley, where he saw the red lights of some kind of vehicle…"
"That would be a black stretched limo, sped out of the back alley, skidded round the corner and out into the street." Martin finished Danny's sentence.
Jack finally got a work in between his employees "We got a name for this guy or a plate number for the limo?"
They all fell silent which was the exact opposite to what he was expecting.
"I'll take that as a no then, what about you two?" he looked to Sam and Vivian
"No, Linda was in the toilets wiping clean her dress when Rosie left her before leaving the ball" Vivian informed
"And my guard was on the other end of the room, so he can't remember seeing the girl all night" Sam finished
It fell silent whilst Jack was thinking when they heard a ringing coming from Kevin Heifer's cell phone sitting on the stairs. Jack had already connected a tracer to his cell encase the kidnapper called.
Kevin looked worried, he had no idea whether to answer his cell or what to even say once he had.
Jack noticed this and went to instruct him on what to do "Alright if it is the kidnapper, try and keep him talking for as long as you can, the longer he's on the phone the better chance we have of tracking him down."
Kevin nodded then pressed answer followed by loud speak.
"Hello?" he answered
"I have your daughter, now if you love her as much as you claim you'll listen up carefully to what I have to say" There was a moment of silence
"I'm listening" Kevin replied
"Good, now first things first, do not call the cops, I repeat do not call the cops. If you ever want to see your daughter alive again I suggest you arrange four million dollars to be collected from your account and put into a small suitcase, which will be left at the corner of the bar near the far corner exit at your masquerade ball tonight, drop it off under the green plant in the black pot at exactly midnight, where I will pick it up. Once I have the money I'll release your daughter" The phone went dead.
Kevin looked up to Jack "Did you find him?"
Jack shook his head after looking at the computer he was working on "No, all we know is he's somewhere in Manhattan."
"What's the chance that we'll find my daughter?" Kevin asked the team
"With most ransom calls there's a very high chance that we almost always catch the kidnapper" Vivian said trying to ease the actor's nerves.
"That's not what I asked, what's the chance that you find my daughter?"
"Mr. Heifer I need you to listen to me" Jack began
"Just tell me Agent Malone"
Jack closed his eyes and told the man the truth "In most case scenarios the victim is dead before the ransom call is even made. Now I know that's not what you wanted to hear but if your daughter is still alive then me and my team will do our best to find her and bring her back to you"
Kevin sat on the stairs again for a moment taking the information in. There were lots of people passing them, bar tenders filling the bars of alcohol and champagne glasses. The band was setting up on stage, the hotel owners were going round checking everything was in place reading for the evenings ball.
"What are you going to do now?" Kevin asked sounding hope full that Jack may have an answer
"My team and I are going out to find costumes to come back tonight and find your daughter"
The rest of Jack's team looked at one another then back to him.
"However Mr. Heifer" Jack continued "We will need some help from you"
"What ever I can do" he replied
"I need all of our names put onto the guest list so we can get in tonight without causing suspicion of entering through the back, and I will need an address of somewhere I can get costumes for four of my agents"
"Why only four?" Danny asked
"Because Martin's acting as a security guard with me, you Sam, Viv and Kate all get to dress up"
"I'll volunteer as a security guard" Kate said placing her hand in the air
"Yeh and me" Danny copied
"No I want you two with Sam and Viv walking across the floor, mingling with the rich and famous try and spot anyone that looks out of place"
Kate sighed, these kind of things weren't really what she was into, same went for Danny. Vivian and Samantha however loved the idea of being a proper lady for a night wearing the big gowns.
Martin smiled at Kate when he saw her sigh, he couldn't wait to see what his colleagues looked like.
Danny sat at the counter in a costume shop, browsing through little face masks that were in the glass case, he had already found his outfit, it was just basically how you would imagine a man would dress for an evening out in the early eighteen hundreds, the tailed blue jackets, the tight cream tights, with white socks rolled up to halve way up his shin, the black shoes with the silver buckles, the tight white shirt and some kind of blue velvet hat which had a black feather sticking out of the top. He was in one of New York's top costume shops, it was the one all the celebrities would use, Kevin paid for the shop keeper to open up late for them and rent them all costumes.
Vivian was already dressed in hers, it was a dark green and black velvet dress, she had the long sleeved arms, the puffy shoulders, quite a loose puffy top halve which then exploded into a big wide bottom half, like the proper old basket skirts that would stick out quite far all the way around. Then she had a little eye mask on a stick which she would hold in front of her eyes as she walked around the ballroom. Sam dress was similar to Vivian's in that it was a long sleeved dress, but it didn't have the puffy shoulders or top half and it was a deep red. The sleeves joined onto a corset waist then again like Vivian's she had the large basket like skirt. Now they were just waiting for Kate, who's only problem was getting something to fit right. First the sleeves were too long, the dress was too short, the corset was way too big. Until finally the man came out from the fitting room and smiled and clasped his hands together. He had a French accent
"Do not fear, Cinderella shall go to the ball because we have one that fits perfectly!"
"But Cinderella doesn't want to go to the ball" Kate called out from the changing room, really emphasizing on the doesn't want part.
Danny looked at his watch which read quarter past eight, they had to be there between half past eight and nine.
"Yeh and if Cinderella doesn't shift her ass we won't be there in time anyway" he shouted through to her.
"That's fine by me" she shouted back. "I look ridiculous"
The French man made his way back into the changing room and pushed her out.
The three other agents looked gob smacked at the sight before them. Kate looked at their opened mouths and turned to go back into the changing room "See I looked ridiculous" she whined. The owner grabbed her and stopped her from disappearing again.
"No, honey. You look absolutely beautiful" Vivian complimented her
"Yeh, what were you whining about, that dress is gorgeous" Samantha added
"You do look pretty damn hot" Danny said with a sided cocky grin
Kate rested her hands on her hips "Is that meant to be a compliment to me off Danny Taylor?"
"Yeh alright make the most of it, it doesn't happen often" Danny pointed out.
Kate stood there in her dress, sure she agreed it was the most beautiful she had ever seen but no way did she feel comfortable. It was a white dress, strapless, a tight corset top which had a lace cover and little sparkly gems across the top, then at the bottom of the corset it blossomed out into lots of layers of white fabric, making it as wide as Sam and Viv's. She looked into the mirror and smiled at the dress, I suppose it's only one night she thought.
Vivian tossed her an eye mask. This one wasn't on a stick it had a elastic bank around the back so she wouldn't have to walk round holding one she could just pop it over her head.
"Right then, can we go?" Danny asked bored out of his head, this was not his thing at all.
"Ah, no, no. Before the ladies leave for the ball I must do one more thing.
The French man fiddled around for a moment then brought out a box of make up and hair tools.
"Ah come on man, how longs this gonna take?" Danny asked
"Don't worry my friend, you've obviously never seen a French man at work before" and with that the owner began on the ladies make-up and hair. He curled Kate's long brown shiny locks then applied some dark shimmery brown eye shadow followed by the mascara, black eyeliner and a bit of lip glass. For Vivian he left her hair because it was already perfectly straight then he used the black mascara and eyeliner, a bit of dark red lipstick and instead of eye shadow he applied a bit of glitter to the end of either eye. Sam he curled her hair then twisted it round and up so a few strands fell down across her face then the rest hung loosely, he added some gold eye cream, and light brown eye liner, followed by a bright red lipstick to bring out the colour of the dress.
The man swivelled back on his chair and looked at his master piece, he smiled
"Ladies, you look ready for a ball"
He shone a mirror in front of them and they all gasped at how different they looked, and they were good gasps. Danny couldn't believe how pretty they could actually be, he knew all of them were already pretty but tonight they looked amazing, however he wasn't going to tell them that, they'd think he was a big softie else. They made their way to the door, then Kate ran back and grabbed her long black coat and pulled it over her shoulders. The all looked at her.
"What? I just don't want anyone to see me on the street, or at all for a matter of fact until we get there and everyone looks the same" She said
"Fine" Vivian said
They left the shop where a large black SUV was waiting to pick them up. They climbed their way into the car and within minutes of driving they had arrived at their destination. They looked outside of the window and saw a long red carpet leading to the entrance, a red rope either side keeping all the photographers from getting too close to the guests.
"Hey, is that Bruce Willis?" Sam asked pointing to a man climbing out of a limo in front of them
"Looks like" Danny said.
A minute later and the SUV moved to the end of the red carpet.
"At least nobody will be able to tell we not actual guests with the masks on hey" Kate said lighting the terrifying atmosphere.
"I say we get out and walk straight for the doors, who's with me?" Danny asked
"I am!" Kate agreed
A man from the outside in a tuxedo opened their door and helped t he ladies out, then Danny climbed out from the front.
Danny and Kate linked arms and practically power walked to the front doors.
"Names?" A large black man with a list of names on a clip board prevented them from going any further at the minute.
"Danny Taylor and Caitlin Valentine" Danny said quickly, he wasn't liking the attention in this kind of situation.
The man realised who they were "You mean you're the F.B.I?" he whispered
Danny nodded.
"In you go then, by the way Agent Malone told me to tell his team that your 'equipment is waiting round in the staff changing room"
Danny nodded a thank-you and they entered. The two waiting in the foyer for the other two agents who took their time making their way down the carpet, the actually looked like the famous.
Once they made their way inside they went and found the staff changing room, there they found a guard standing with a box of weapons and holsters.
"No this is my kind of thing" Danny said picking up his own gun. He took his jacket off and slipped on a shoulder holster, the jacket on top and the gun in the holster.
Kate pulled up her dress up to her thigh discreetly as possible attaching a leg holster to her upper leg, and inserted her gun, there nobody would see it. Samantha and Vivian did the same.
Kate looked into the mirror; she could only see her face, well part of it. Her eyes were surrounded by a small mask. It was the same size as an eye mask a person would use in bed but with two little eyes holes, enough of a hole to show off the French man's make-up. it was white with a lace matching her corset top. She took a deep breath and followed the rest of her team out towards the ballroom.
Jack and Martin Stood near the bar slowly walking around the room keeping an eyes out for anything suspicious, they wore the same clothes as the other security guards. Black boots, tight black top saying security on the back in white, black combat trousers, then a hip holster holding their gun. They felt pretty comfortable in their clothes, except Jack who had started to grow a bit of a belly. Martin looked up seeing two woman and Danny approaching the stairs, he nudged Jack to let him know they were here. Jack's breath was taken away when he saw the blonde, Samantha, she looked astonishing. She how ever wasn't the one Martin was looking for. The first three agents made their way down the stairs and still there was no sight of Kate.
Kate stood at the top round the corner she slipped off her coat and dropped it into a corner, she was wearing a little silver bracelet where a little microphone was attached, something her team mates had all attached to one another, something Jack had left them in the box. She also had a little earpiece in and she could hear Vivian's voice.
"Kate where are you?" she asked
Kate raised her wrist and spoke into her bracelet "I'm coming down now"
Kate walked down to the bigger set of stairs where the lights shone instantly into her face, she covered her face, then the lights dimmed down away from her and she could see much better now.
Martin looked back up to the stairs where he saw another woman, the fourth agent, he gasped as soon as he saw her. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen in his life. However Martin wasn't the only man's attention she caught as she began to make her way down the stairs.