AN: OMG! I can't believe it…8 reviews? That's gotta be like, a record, or something (at least for me). Thanks to jcriminal714, tommys21, ilovetommy - I really love your username ;o), Elizabeth Busa - love your name too :o), Chloe – hmm, there's an idea, Shannon, for always making me laugh, star08, and tampabay15. I'm blowing off studying for my trig final, but I flunked the class already (so I'm going to post as much as I can within the next day or two, since I haven't posted anything in a long time). Hope you like it!

Disclaimer: If I owned Instant Star, Jude and Tommy would be married, Stuart and Victoria would still be together, Georgia and E.J. would be back, and Sadie would be toying with both Kwest's and Liam's affections (I know Liam's evil, but you gotta love that accent ;o)!)

Chapter 11: First Contact

The next day, Tommy came in and got right to work, just like he always did. Except today, Tommy wasn't as focused on his work like he usually was. His mind was on Jude, and how she'd simply vanished into thin air. No clues, no idea who could have taken her. Around mid-afternoon, just when Lisa, the secretary, distributed the mail to everyone, she was puzzled to see a envelope with one word scrawled in red: "IMPORTANT" She went to Georgia's office, and knocked.

"I'm sorry to bother you, Georgia, but do you have any idea who this envelope is for?"

Georgia muttered, "I'll call you back," and hung up the phone. She looked curiously at it, and shook her head.

"No, I have no idea," Georgia responded. "Maybe it's Tommy's or Kwest's."

"I'll bring it to them," Lisa offered eagerly. She'd had a crush on Kwest for the longest time, but he hardly ever noticed her. And little Tommy Q? Even now, he was just as irresistible, and the fact that he still pined for Jude just made him even more attractive.

Lisa hurried out, hoping to catch them before they went out for a mid-afternoon coffee. It was their custom, since both usually worked late into the night.

"Uh, hi," Lisa blushed as she found them, hard at work. Tommy and Kwest were busy laying a track, and didn't even hear her come in.

"Lisa, right?" Kwest asked, trying to be polite.

"Yeah," Lisa blushed, as she struggled to remain calm despite Kwest remembering her name.

Tommy nudged Kwest and smiled, silently teasing him for being the object of Lisa's affections. Kwest just glared back at Tommy, then his expression changed instantly as he looked back at her. He was about to say something, when Tommy interrupted.

"Was there something you wanted?" Tommy said, pointing at the soundboard and then at his watch.

"Yeah, I got this in the mail today, but I don't know who it's for." Lisa finally managed to get it all out.

Kwest took the envelope, and turned it over, trying to find the return address. Seeing none, he said, "Man, is this yours?"

Tommy reached over and studied it. A few seconds later, Tommy said, grinning,"I don't know, but let's find out."

"I don't know about this," Lisa said, worrying that whoever it was for would be upset if he/she found out it was opened.

"It'll be OK," Kwest reassured her, and Lisa melted. "Whatever you say, Kwest." She spoke the last word softly, and smiled to herself as she relished the sound of it spoken aloud.

But Kwest had turned his attention back to Tommy, who had gotten it open and was looking at it as eagerly as a child ripping open presents on Christmas morning.

"What is it, man?" Kwest asked.

Tommy's expression faded, and he pulled out some pictures of Jude, tied up in various positions. First, on a chair, where her clothes looked like they'd tried to be wrenched from her body. Jude's hair was hanging out in small wisps, and there were bruises all over. Second, Jude was lying down, almost completely naked, and the three were horrified to see that she'd had bruises on her back, her front, and her sides. Her ribs were slightly visible, which they took to mean she hadn't eaten in a while. Third, there was a picture of Jude, playing a guitar. Her hands were raw and red, and it looked like she'd been playing for hours on end. Her callused hands, once rough from playing the guitar so much, had been used to the point where her calluses were open and bleeding, and had not been completely healed yet. And still, whoever had done this to Jude, had forced her to play even more.

Lisa stood back up, after leaning over to see what was inside. She couldn't begin to describe the shock she felt.

Lisa's POV: Who would do something like this? I don't know Jude very well, but I'd never have the nerve to do this. It must be someone she hurt, or someone who's trying to get back at her for something she did. I don't know what to think.

Kwest's POV: OMG, poor Jude! She must be suffering right now. All alone, no one to save her. Who's behind this? We've got to find out, before it's too late. Judging from the looks of it, Jude can't go on much longer like this.

Tommy's POV: Whoever did this to MY Jude is dead. I don't care how long it takes, what I have to do…I'm getting her back, and no one can stop me. Jude, if you can hear my thoughts, hang in there, I'm coming to get you.

After a few moments in silence, Lisa spoke. "Is there a note?" she said, her voice wavering a little.

Kwest looked inside. "Yeah," he said, his face paling as he saw what was written on it. "$1 million, or she gets it."

Tommy looked grim as he pulled out his cell and dialed a few numbers: "Andrew, you were right. We just got a ransom note." He paused, then answered, "We'll get down there right now." He hung up, and said, "Let's get to work."