To LizzyB22: Well, I've written several Rocket Power fics, a couple Walker, Texas Ranger stories, and some other stuff. Go to my profile page for full details.


The next day, (Sunday), A.J. woke up early. She decided to do a bit of shopping around the neighborhood while she waited for Random to wake up (which could be anywhere between noon and three o'clock).

First, A.J. bought a copy of the New York Times, then bought a doughnut at Krispy Kreme. As she exited Gregory's with her cappuccino, two men in suits appeared.

"We seem to be lost," said one of them. "Can you help us out?"

"Um, I have to go home," said A.J.

The larger of the two grabbed her upper arm. "I'm sure you can, sweetheart."

"Get off me!" A.J. cried, struggling.

The first man went for her throat, but ended up with a fistful of her gold chain. It snapped and fell to the sidewalk. Something pressed against A.J.'s face and she knew no more.

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What just happened? she thought groggily.

Opening her eyes, she realized she was in an abandoned building of some sort. Her wrists were trussed up with duct tape...

I bet this about Carmine's gambling debt. If these guys expect him to pay up just because they have me, they'll never get their money. Wait a minute! They haven't done anything about my ankles, so I can hotfoot it out of here.

A loud bark attracted A.J.'s attention when she made to stand. A slavering, vicious dog was chained on the opposite side of the room. In short, she was (as the old cliche goes) trapped like a rat.

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Random was getting worried. He called Nina's cell phone, knowing that Jonny was out for the day with his wife and their son Vincent. He requested that Nina put Jonny on the line.

"What is it?" Jonny asked, quietly irritated.

"Do you know where Lil' Angel is? I ain't seen her all morning." said Random.

"That's probably because you've been asleep all morning," Jonny pointed out. "She got up around the time I did, told me she was hungry, and I said there was nothin' in the fridge. I gave her some money so she could get herself some breakfast."

"I just got a bad feeling, Jonny," said Random. "Can you help me look for her? Please, man? I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important."

Jonny sighed, told Random he'd meet him outside the warehouse, and hung up.

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The two young men walked through town, checking at all the places A.J. might have gone. Jonny paused outside a Gregory's. A newspaper, a cup of spilled coffee, and a Krispy Kreme bag lay on the ground. Something thin and gold glinted under the paper.

"I recognize this," said Jonny, picking it up. "This is A.J.'s necklace. It looks like there was a struggle. You may be right for once, Random. Something's definitely happened."