8:42 PM

Saturday, December 23, 2006

Rachel felt claustrophobic and wanted badly to leave the confines of the small bedroom, but she couldn't summon up the courage or energy to do so.

Because Alec knew.

He knew her vulnerability now, and she couldn't face that knowledge.

She didn't need to go out yet. She hadn't been hungry in two days, and besides, Alec obviously didn't know she was awake yet. He would have come to bother her if he did. He was just like that. Annoying, nosy.

She was bored more than anything. She padded silently to the window, looked out. No snow. No sun. Just an inky blackness that weighed heavily on the building. She couldn't even see the ground from the window, that's how dark it was. Apparently Alec's employers didn't believe in outdoor lighting.

Rachel peered around. There was a miniscule connecting bathroom with a fancy shower, a toilet, and a sink. Looking closer, her stomach twisted into a knot. He's prepared it for me. Around the basin of the sink sat various female shampoos and deodorants. An extra toothbrush and toothpaste lay next to his and his razor. She clamped a hand over her mouth.

This is sick.

She knew the closet held her clothes, and she knew that for the rest of her stay she'd be sleeping in this bedroom. Hopefully Alec will sleep on the couch. I don't think I could hack sleeping in the same bed as him. God, no.

Rachel estimated that she'd been in this room, counting her sleep, for about nine hours. There was a shiny black digital clock on the nightstand that read the time.

She hated this room with a passion. Everything reeked of Alec Rocher. Not that he had a necessarily bad smell, but she'd grown to detest his scent because it meant he accompanied it. And he was an asshole, a chauvinistic murderer with a stone-cold persona.

Or was he? Rachel wondered. Because if he was he wouldn't have been so compassionate towards my circumstance.

Here we go, she thought. Back to this old subject.

She forced it from her mind as her attention caught the closet door. Curiosity catching the best of her, she quietly pulled open the door, moving slowly in case it squeaked. She was successful.

Inside were not only the plethora of clothes she had chosen, but also a few of Alec's. The closet was large enough to climb inside, so she did just that and moved about the cool clothing.

Something hard hit her cheek. She turned to see one of his suit jackets, with a heavy lump in one of the pockets. She reached inside, dreading but anticipating what it could be.

It was a notebook. Rachel curiously flipped through it, seeing most of the usual notes. Do laundry, call Martin, meeting at six-thirty. She turned a page, and she couldn't help but draw in her breath at what she saw.

Rachel Redford

Fifteen/sixteen years old

One brother, Chris, one sister, Gina, loves much, good relationships w/both

Dog Atticus, loves much

Close to parents but not normal teen w/arguing, distant

Decent grades but seems as if smarter than average

Likes music/books/movies

Mature

Walks in woods every day approx. 4:00—take notice

Untrustful

Boyfriends, relationships—none obvious

Loner

Then she saw, in different handwriting;

Alec-

Your notes are good, extensive. She'll be an easy target. Here's what you need to do:

1: Set a date for the kidnapping

2: Prepare your place for her, have knives, rope, cuffs, whatever on hand just in case

3: Set guy outside her house to watch her brother

4: Kidnap her, whatever tactics necessary

5: Let Nolan know you have her

6: Kill Nolan

7: Kill her

"Oh my God," she sank to the floor, sobs rising in her chest and burning her throat. "No, no, no…"

The pad fell from her hands and she was shaking badly now. She barely heard the door open, never saw Alec push away the clothes hiding her from view.

But she saw his face bobbing in front of hers, his eyes reflecting concern and curiosity, his green orbs meeting hers, then following her hand to the notepad resting on the floor. Then a nod.

He lifted her up by her elbows and carried her out of the closet. There he set her on the bed and kneeled in front of her.

"Calm down," he ordered. "Stop crying." He went back to the closet and retrieved the book, thwacking it against his thigh. When he came back, she was rubbing her face with her sleeves.

There was a pregnant pause as her last sobs dissipated. She lifted her head and looked at him. He looked back at her and the top corners of his lips were tilted into a small smirk.

He was amused.

Without delay, Rachel hit him square in the nose. He fell to the floor from the impact of the blow and without hesitation she ran to the door.

He swore and followed after her. She made it out the front door and got down the hallway.

Elevator, elevator, get to the elevator and you're safe.

She made it to the elevator and saw Alec running towards her down the hallway. Swearing, she frantically hammered the down button with her thumb. It closed, just in time. She heard him yelling as she shot down the floors.

Thank you, Lord.

Rachel was calming down as she stopped on the bottom floor.

Get outside, which'll be easy because nobody is ever downstairs, then either find a place to hide while Alec searches, run, or find a car. This is a woody area. If you can hide in the woods, you'll have a chance.

As the doors slid open, her eyes met a pair of sickeningly poignant ones.

They were bright blue. And casually surprised.

"Oh, shit," she whispered to herself. She tried to dart past him, but he threw out an arm and trapped her in the elevator. Rachel tried to slide underneath his barricade but he moved his body and she ran evenly into his chest.

"Excuse me!" she said nervously.

"Rachel Redford," Jackson made his way into the elevator, pushing her back with him. He shut the doors and they were headed back up.

Nonono, wrong way, go back down!

"Now, what would you be doing all by yourself in a big building like this?"

"I was—just getting some air," she insisted. "You know. I was kind of cooped up for a while."

"Yeah," he nodded, raising an eyebrow. "And Alec said this was fine?"

Lie. "Uh--" LIE, Rachel, dammit! You'd be able to do it any other time with ease! "Yes. Yes, he said I could."

Jackson pushed her roughly against the elevator wall, and it shook a little bit. The back of her head slammed against the mirror and colors danced in front of her eyes for a moment.

He gripped her chin tightly and sneered into her face. "I don't think that's true, Rachel. Do you want to know why?"

The elevator had stopped.

"N-no…"

"Because I can always tell when I'm being lied to," he snarled into her face. She felt his breath, his spittle on her cheeks. Her stomach twisted in repulsion.

The doors slid open. He pushed her out, and she landed into a pair of arms. Rachel looked up.

It was Alec. He twisted her arms behind her back and she screamed in pain.

"And because of that," Jackson pointed out innocently, stepping back into the elevator and pushing the down button. He winked at Alec. "See you later."

"Was that a good taste of liberation for you, Rach?" Alec hissed into her ear. "I hope so. Because now you're going to pay for it."

A/N-o.O, the evil cliffhanger. Hope this chapter was sufficient. New one extremely soon. Please review! The more reviews I get, the quicker I update, I promise! It inspires me!