Thanks again for reading my story so far. It will not just be Jayden, there will be branching story lines with multiple characters. Please review my story or PM what you think, what I need to change, etc. Thanks!

Norman Jayden

Sunday, April 12, 2012

4:30 a.m.

Manhattan Area

"Shit!" Norman screamed as he flew through the streets of Manhattan in his car, "Amanda Blake could be anywhere in the whole city of New York! How in the hell am I going to find her. Alright, think Norman!" But the thought most prominent in his mind was the last name of this new person of interest. It couldn't be…..could it?

"Ok, so Amanda goes to Hunter College, dates Tyler Barns, who lives here…" Jayden says looking at his ARI HUD, "… and I've found numerous Facebook pictures showing what locations the couple frequents. They never leave a 20 mile radius. Now, by extended logic, with locations of apartments within the radius, yet close to the college and Barn's apartment, she lives in one of…..4 places. 4 fucking places. DAMMIT!"

"Wait….'Talent is something rare and beautiful and precious, and it must not be allowed to go to waste', it's a quote from 'The Cricket in Times Square'. That's it; her apartment is in Times Square! Which of these is…..The Baltimore? That's it!" Jayden said, finally figuring out his destination. "271 W 47th St, New York, NY." Yet the only address running through his mind was 852 Theodore Roosevelt Road. Oh the memories.

Jayden arrived at The Baltimore within the hour. He rushed into the apartment complex and rushed up to the desk. "Now this kind of place would have a guest list" Jayden thought.

Norman decided to take the direct approach with this doorman, "Norman Jayden, FBI," he said flashing his badge, "I need to see Amanda Blake immediately, if not sooner. Her life may be in danger."

"Sir, I wish I could help you, but she literally just walked out the door. At about 4:25." It was now 4:40.

"Where was she going?" Jayden asked.

"I don't know, but here, take a room key. I don't want to cause trouble. She's on the second floor, to the left."

Jayden bolted off up the stairs. He reached her room, and fumbled open the door as quickly as possible. In the apartment he found a mini calendar, showing a meeting at a coffee shop named "CyberBeans" at 4:45 a.m. He also found what appeared to be a work shirt that said "The German Coffee House", which, ironically, was not the other coffee shop. Someone's looking for a new job.

So Jayden knew where she would be, well generally. She's either still at the meeting or at her job, with a spare work shirt. He left the room, politely thanked the doorman and rushed to his car. Two minutes later, he was at the CyberBeans Coffee Shop. He showed Amanda's picture to every person in the café, and got nothing but blank stares. Except for from the general manager.

"Yes, yes, I know her. She had a job interview here about, oh ten minutes ago. Why, is she in trouble? Or in danger? Oh I hope…"

"She'll be fine, sir." Jayden said reassuringly, "I'll see to that."

And with that, the kind FBI agent left to save another life, at another coffee shop, three minutes away, named the German Coffee House.

Norman arrived with haste, just as he left, and rushed in to the coffee house, which was prepping for business. This made him wonder why the other coffee shop was open at such a god awful hour of 5:00 a.m. Then again, he'd been up since 2.

"Amanda Blake, has she arrived for work?!" Jayden said flashing his badge.

Puzzled stares. Again. And again the general manager came to the rescue, saying, "She's out back on the phone."

So Jayden did what he's been doing all day, rushing. What a great fucking day he's been having. And this time, he was glad he did.

"HELP ME! HELP!" He heard coming from the alleyway.

In it, he saw a young, beautiful women, mid-20's at best, being attacked by a slim figure in a shady mask with a dark black hoodie. He had a knife. A rather large one

"Shut the fuck up, you stupid bitch! Die with dignity!"

Could this be the Butcher? This scrawny little punk, who is trying to sloppily murder this woman, a brutal, calculated genius? Jayden thought not, but ever since the Origami Incident, he knew he was no judge of character.

So, in this split second between life and death for this girl, who may or may not be the daughter of Carter Blake, Jayden reacted. He lashed out with a right hook, catching the murderer off guard, hitting him square in the jaw. The man fell with a thud, his weapon sliding and hitting a dumpster. Amanda ran around to the front of the shop and hid. The attacker rebounded quite quickly, Jayden being caught off guard this time, being tackled to the ground. The killer proceeded to pound Norman's face in, Norman only catching about half of the punches before they landed full force. Luckily, Norman was able to throw a lucky and unexpected right hook, again catching the attacker in the jaw, rising to continue the assault. The murderer threw a punch, and Norman was able to duck it, striking the killer twice in the stomach with a left jab. The killer retreated in pain, falling back onto the dumpster, giving Norman time to draw his weapon. He lined up a kill shot to the chest, and as he was about to pull the trigger, he hesitated, remembering the time holding his fire saved an innocent, confused life. In that split second, the attacker retrieved his weapon from the ground by the dumpster, throwing it, hitting Jayden's hand, sending his service piece spiraling out of the alleyway, and the killer's weapon landing on the ground. Jayden recoiled in pain, his hand slightly bleeding. In one swift motion, the murderer power slammed Norman into the ground and grabbed his homemade, serrated weapon and pressed it to Jayden's throat. And then a shot rang out. The attacker fell backwards with a thud. Jayden turned around to see Amanda holding his smoking service weapon, and when he turned back around, the attacker was gone.

"Whe…whe…where'd he go?" Amanda asked Norman. This was the first time he heard her voice, well, minus her cries for help.

"I don't know, but you need to come with me. You're in danger. I'm Agent Norman Jayden, with the FBI. You can trust me."

"Ok…..ok…just take me somewhere safe."

"Don't worry, I will."