As mentioned before, the 41 Club was one of the ritziest places in town. It had been opened two years before as Mia's bat mitzvah present - a place where she could invite certain people to grub down and party, and exclude others. It was like a dream come true for the bubbly brunette.

The whole place was like a VIP room; where Gerhardt Bronck could oversee Generation X ruin their futures with underage drinking and substance abuse. But of course Mia never participated in any of this illicit activities.

"I need to get in there," Max said to the bouncer. "I was already in there, but... I had to go get something from my car."

"What's your name?" the bouncer asked, looking at his list.

"Um..." Max hesitated. "Rachel Glasser?" she tried. The bouncer raised an eyebrow, looking down the list. He nodded.

"Go ahead."

Max had no idea who Rachel Glasser was, or why the name was the first that came to her head, but she knew that Rachel wasn't getting into the club tonight. She also knew that she had to save Alec from whatever dastardly things Gerhardt Bronck did to the boys that dated Mia (and therefore compromised her virtue - as all boys were known to do).

Now, Max hadn't exactly been known to frequent the 41 Club, but she was sure she knew where Mia would be. Wherever Dougie was. And she was sure she knew where Dougie was (she had to tutor him last year in American literature) - wherever the girls were.

Dougie Colantonio - short in stature, narcoleptic, and a whole lot of geeky - was a sucker for female attention, much like any other man. And Mia was a sucker for him. And Alec was a sucker for not being electrocuted in the shower. It was like the food chain, or something.

"Mia!" Max said, catching sight of the brunette, clutching Alec's arm like it was a purse filled with... well, however much money it took to keep Mia happy. Mia turned around and smiled brightly.

"Max!" she shouted. Max weaved through the crowd to get to the pair, finally reaching them.

"Mia," she greeted again. "Why didn't you tell me that Gerhardt Bronck was your step-dad?" Max asked with a forced smile on her face.

"Ugh!" Mia scoffed. "I hate it when people define me by who my family is!"

"W-Who's Gerhardt Bronck?" Alec asked. "Am I supposed to know who he is?"

"He's my step-dad - "

"An internationally wanted criminal - "

"He opened this club for me - "

"Wanted in ten countries for charges of first-degree murder, second-degree murder, impersonating a priest, kidnapping, arson, theft, drug dealing, prostitution -"

"Kind of over-protective of me, but a really nice guy when you meet him!" Mia finished. "Right, Dougie?" she asked. Dougie, who'd paled when Max mentioned Bronck, nodded nervously.

"Y-y-yeah, he's a r-real nice guy," he said. When Mia turned her head, he shook his head fervently at Alec.

"There he is!" Mia announced happily, pointing at the third floor of the club. Max and Alec both looked up at the same time to see the man who might very soon be ending Alec's life (or shipping him off to be sold to horny and/or lazy rich people in other countries... something like that.)

As Gerhardt Bronck descended the steps, he really appeared to be something out of a Johnny Depp movie. He could have easily played Dean Corso, or (to a lesser extent) Edward Scissorhands. One of those demonic beings, anyways.

His hair, a very "fatherly" looking salt-and-pepper color, was cut so close to his head it appeared as if he were bald. His eyes, cool and calculating, were narrowed as he searched the crowds looking for his beloved step-Mia.

"Mia!" Max said pleadingly. "You know what happens to boys that date you!"

"Not really," Mia said innocently. "Dad keeps me out of the loop."

"You can guess!" Max hissed. Mia pouted.

"But Alec's my date! He has nothing to do with my dad!" she whined.

"But, if Bronck decides that Alec does have something to do with him, you can get him out of this, right?" Max asked. "You always get your way, remember?"

Dougie interrupted the conversation with a simple, "Nah. Her dad gets his way over her way any day."

Mia's lower lip sunk into an even deeper pout. "Well, that's not fair," she said. "How am I supposed to always get my way if my dad always gets his way?"

"I don't know," Max said truthfully. "I'd suggest you talk to your dad about that." She nodded towards Bronck who was only a few feet away by now.

"Hello, Mia," Bronck greeted curtly. He looked at Alec (who Mia was linked by the arm with) with distaste, as if he were a burnt noodle in a plate of pasta. "Who's this?" he inquired.

"This is Alec!" Mia introduced. Bronck's eyes narrowed at Alec and Alec gulped. Charming disposition or not, he had no chance against a real criminal.

Well, desperate times called for desperate measures, Max decided. She grabbed Alec by the back of the neck and dragged him down to her level - pressing her lips against his almost angrily.

Ten thousand dollars was deposited in a brown folder at Max's doorstep the next morning.

Author's Note: I told you!

If I get four reviews or more (oooh, tricky) by five today, then I'll post the next chapter today. So keep those reviews coming!