Mrs. Davis hung up the phone, smiling. The hospital had just called, and said that Becca was finally awake. She couldn't wait for Caden, Alyson and Kevin to come home. She heard the living room door shut, so she went into the living room.
"Mom, something's wrong." Said Kevin.
"What is it?" Asked Mrs. Davis, her smile fading.
"Caden wasn't in math class today. Me and Alyson couldn't find him after school. Where is he?" Asked Kevin. Mrs. Davis was worried. Since the accident, Caden's mother was being evaluated to see if she was a fit parent, therefore Mrs. Davis was temporarily caring for Caden.
"Mom, something's wrong!" Shouted Alyson as she came through the front door.
"I know." Said Mrs. Davis.
"I think Kyle Rogers and his goony follower Drew have something to do with it." Said Alyson furiously.
"What are we going to do? Becca's awake and the first person she'll want to see is him." Said Mrs. Davis.
"She's awake? Oh, thank God!" Said Alyson. She threw her backpack on the couch, and grabbed her mother's purse off the endtable.
"Are we going or what?" Asked Alyson.
"I'm driving." Said Mrs. Davis.
"I have my permit." Protested Alyson, "Besides, I need the hours."
Becca weakly lifted her head. She still couldn't believe she was in a hospital. What had happened? Quickly an image flew into her head. Someone had punched her, but who?
"Becca!" Cried Alyson with relief. She ran across the room and threw her arms around the pale little girl.
"Where's Caden?" Asked Becca. Alyson's smile began to fade.
"Don't worry, he'll be here." Said Alyson, hoping that was the truth. Where was he?
THE KIDNAPPER
Weeks had gone by, and still no sign of Caden Vespucci. Mr. and Mrs. Davis had reported it. Becca was now out of the hospital and staying with the Davis'. Where was Caden? Could he have commited suicide because of his sister's accident? What if he did?
"Alyson, I miss him." Said Becca as they walked into the gas station, Becca on crutches.
"I know." Said Alyson, her heart aching. They walked back to the fountain drinks and got themselves some.
"Alyson, see that guy?" Whispered Becca. Alyson looked over to the candy aisle, where a man with blonde dreadlocks was lurking. He seemed vaguely familiar.
"Yeah." Alyson whispered back.
"He was the guy at Lagoon. He wanted me to go with him. He said he'd help me find you guys." Whispered Becca. Alyson shuttered. What a creep. Instinctively, Alyson grabbed Becca's hand as they walked to the cashier. They paid and left. As they walked down the sidewalk, the guy with dreadlocks got into his silver car and slowly followed them. Nervous, Alyson tried to walk faster, and still keep Becca close by. Suddenly, when they were far enough from witnesses, the man screeched the car to a stop. He jumped out of the car and lunged at them. The girls screamed as the man pulled Becca away. The man grabbed Alyson by her hair and dragged them into the backseat of the car. He locked the doors and wordlessly drove away as the girls pounded frantically on the windows, screaming for help. The crutches laid forgotten on the sidewalk with two spilled drinks, the only evidence of the crime.
CUFFS, ROPES, AND GAGS
Fletcher dragged the screaming girls into a darkened room, from a door in an alleyway. Caden lifted his eyes from the ground, shocked at what he saw.
"Becca? Aly?" He croaked, his mouth parched with thirst. Alyson stopped screaming.
"Cade?" She whispered, scarcely believing her eyes. Caden was locked in handcuffs, along with Kyle, Drew, and a small child Alyson recognized as Drew's nephew.
"Now all I have to do is kidnap someone dear and near to Kyle's heart." Mocked Fletcher. Caden gritted his teeth in anger. Fletcher had no right to pull the people he cared so much for into this!
Fletcher roughly bound the girls with coarse rope and used bandanas as gags.
"Listen good. You will bring me four hundred dollars or all these poor kids will be killed." Said Fletcher.
"Four hundred? you said three hundred!" Shouted Kyle.
"I need something for my troubles. Don't bring the cops into this. I've got crooked friends everywhere." Said Fletcher. He unlocked the cuffs Caden and Drew were wearing. The first thing Drew did was punch Fletcher. There was a sharp snap and Fletcher doubled over in pain. Caden tried to unknot the rope tied around Alyson's hands. The rope dug into Alyson's skin. Drew picked up his nephew and ran to the door. He turned the knob, and pulled it open.
$500 BY TOMORROW
"You thought you'd get away, didn't you?" Said a deep voice. Three other men walked into the room and shoved Drew onto the floor. One tied Caden back up.
"We'll do dis da hard way now." Said Fletcher, pinching his bloody nose.
"Jus' Caden can leave. And now da cos' is five 'underd dollars. I wan' it by tomorrow." Said Fletcher. One of the men begrudgingly untied Caden and shoved him out the door.
"Five 'underd!" Fletcher called after him. Two of the men came out with guns and pointed them at Caden.
"Run, or we'll shoot." One of them said. Caden ran like a bat out of hell, regretting that he had left Alyson and Becca behind.
BUSTED
Caden ran back to his mother's apartment, ransacking it for money. All he found was a twenty dollar bill and a quarter. Frustrated, he shoved it into his pocket, sat on his mother's bed, and contelplated a wasy to come up with so much cash.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a pair of sunglasses. He put them on a surveyed the room. He found a beanie. Then, he found Jim's gun. It would have to do. Caden left the apartment in a frenzy.
Shaking nervously, Caden put his hand inside his pocket, where the gun was concealed. He entered the gas station. He looked down at the ground, pretending to be deciding on a candy bar.
That's when someone's hand firmly clamped on to his shoulder. Caden flinched. Crap, he was busted!
COUNTERFEIT
"Caden, where have you been?" Asked Mrs. Davis, embracing the boy.
"Mrs. Davis, I need five hundred dollars." Said Caden.
"What? Why?"
"I just do! There's lives in danger! Alyson, and Becca." Exclaimed Caden. Mrs. Davis stared into Caden's eyes, filled with worry.
"We better go to the police."
"No! They'll shoot them!"
"Caden, come with me. We'll figure something out." Said Mrs. Davis, guideing him to her car.
"They're serious crooks. They killed a guy right in front of us!" Said Caden. Mrs. Davis was unawarely clutching her throat.
"What can we do?" Asked Mr. Davis.
"They want money, right? Well, we copy some hundreds on the computer and give it to them." Said Destiny, bouncing her son on her knee.
"Counterfeit?" Gasped Mrs. Davis.
"It's a good idea." Said Caden.
"But, I'm not good with a computer." Said Destiny. Mrs. Davis and Caden turned their heads toward Mr. Davis.