
      Complicated - SR 2


      Author: aria


      Rated: R



      Chapter 4
      At Baxters office, Darien walked in and looked at all the bustling 
      people. You would think that it was 9am from all the activity. He smiled 
      wryly. He had forgotten that everyone worked almost continuously here.
      Darien remembered his way to the lab and immediately headed there. He was 
      slightly surprised at the lack of security but knew that if they were 
      letting him through, it was only because Baxter knew he was coming.
      He took the elevator 12 floors to the lab and walked in to the familiarly 
      sterilized room.
      Jadeite was waiting for him there along with Luna.
      Darien nodded gravely. "Hi." He wanted to get to business and he knew they 
      did as well so he didn't hesitate to produce the slim metal rod from his 
      coat pocket. "Heres the sample."
      "Thanks." Jadeite took a drop from the needle and placed it on a slide and 
      slid it under a microscope. Luna took what was left and handed it over to 
      a man in a lab coat standing at her side.
      "I don't see anything wrong with it. Well have to wait and see what the 
      analysis says."
      "Do you mind?" Darien took a step toward the instrument and took a look 
      himself. Like Jadeite said there didn't appear to be anything amiss.
      Luna questioned him all the while. "So what exactly is the matter?"
      "Serena just doesn't seem like herself."
      "How so?"
      "There have been a few things that have been bothering me. She refuses to 
      talk to me about what happened the day she got kidnapped, she doesnt talk 
      to me period. Shes suddenly developed a talent for cooking and she 
      doesn't use my name. Shes always calling me some new endearment. Its 
      like she cant remember my name at all." Didnt she just call him 
      Darren? He paced around the room. Now that he said it out loud it really 
      didn't make any sense at all. How could he have been so blind?
      Luna and Jadeite shared a worried little look, while Darien kept pacing.
      "I thought I was imagining it at first. But now I really think that she 
      isn't Serena. I mean she looks like her and sounds like her, but that's 
      where the similarities end." He stopped talking when he spotted the lab 
      technician walking back into the room.
      He handed the report over to Luna and disappeared once more.
      Darien anxiously waited while the small woman read it over. She blinked 
      and handed it over to Darien.
      He snatched it from her and scanned it over. Her blood type was completely 
      wrong and the fact that she was totally lacking hCG in her bloodstream was 
      underlined several times. hCG? Why the heck would Serena have hCG in her 
      unless...
      He opened his hand to Luna. "Let me have her file." His voice was raspy as 
      he fought his heart back down into his chest.
      Quickly he raked his eyes over the pages and compared the two. Again his 
      eyes were drawn to the pronounced hCG levels in her bloodstream on her 
      chart. His heart rattled almost audibly in his ears.
      Darien looked up at the two and tried to clear his vision. He knew what 
      that meant but needed to hear it. "What are you telling me here?" He 
      fought for a breath and leaned on the closest thing to him, a desk.
      Jadeite grabbed him as he swayed and set him down on a chair. "Its pretty 
      obvious now, but Serena was going to tell you that she's pregnant with 
      your baby."
      Darien leaned back in the chair and willed the world to stop spinning. 
      "What? How?" he stopped talking and tried to get a grip on things.
      "Well, you see sometimes two people, two people who love each other, get 
      really close..." Jadeite joked.
      Darien jumped up and shoved a fist in his face. "I ought to knock you out! 
      Why the hell didnt you tell me?"
      "She wanted to tell you herself."
      Reality was starting to sink into Darien's numbed mind now.
      Serena was pregnant.
      The woman in his apartment wasnt.
      The woman at their apartment wasn't Serena.
      Where the hell was Serena?
      He managed to croak, "Why didnt she tell me sooner?"
      "She was terrified that you didn't want the baby. Terrified that you 
      didn't want her back. Shes still in love with you Darien."
      She was still in love with him. "I've been such an idiot" He grabbed his 
      coat and threw it on.
      Jadeite chased after him. "Where are you going?"
      "To find out what the hell is going on here!" he waved at Luna as he 
      stormed past. "Thanks Luna. Ill be in touch."
      "You'd better."
      That was the last thing Darien heard as he walked out.
      Darien took a cab back to the apartment. The entire trip back, he couldn't 
      stop thinking about how stupid he'd been. He should have known right away 
      that it hadn't been Serena who came back. Darien dragged his shaking hand 
      through his hair. He did know though, didnt he?
      He thought back and realized that on a subconscious level he did know. 
      Darien hadn't kissed her not once after he first found her. He hadnt 
      really wanted to even be around her. It was as if she was repelling him.
      And the food.
      He told himself that she had finally learned how to cook after they broke 
      up. But Serena never had the time to dedicate to learn how to create 
      culinary masterpieces. She barely got the chance to eat most of the time, 
      dammit.
      Darien had to think of a way to approach the woman masquerading as Serena. 
      He could go in guns blazing, demanding to know where Serena was. Or...
      Darien smiled.
      Or he would try something else.
      The building was beginning to wake up when he walked in. Pete was seated 
      by the door as he usually was during the night shift.
      "Morning Mr. Spencer."
      He went to stand up to open the door for him, but Darien waved him off. 
      "Morning Pete. Dont worry about it."
      "Thanks Mr. Spencer." Pete stood up anyway and quickly walked after 
      Darien. "Uh sir?"
      Darien slowed his quick strides and looked over at the man. "Yes?"
      "If you're looking for Ms Hayes, you just missed her."
      Darien whirled around and started walking back out the way he came in. 
      "Which way did she go?"
      Pete was a little confused by the other man's intensity but he pointed 
      anyways. "That way."
      Darien took off at a fast jog. "Thanks."
      He ran down the sidewalk and looked around. The entire block was deserted 
      except for an old man in a large coat and dingy hat hobbling along.
      Darien studied the man a moment and decided that the thin frame hidden 
      beneath the ragged ill-fitting coat was a woman's, not a man. That had to 
      be her.
      He silently followed behind taking care not to reveal his presence, 
      ducking behind trashcans and hid in alcoves as he did.
      Before long his suspicions were confirmed when 'Serena' took off the coat 
      and hat and threw them into a dumpster.
      Darien shook his head. Whoever she was had to be either new to this whole 
      thing or she didn't exactly know what she was doing. Still it made things 
      easier for him so it didn't bother him all that much.
      He watched as she looked around nervously before walking into a phone 
      booth and placing a call. She spoke quickly to whoever it was on the other 
      end and then hung up.
      The call couldn't have lasted more than a minute, so Darien concluded that 
      she was just checking in with whom ever she was working for.
      He concealed himself behind a stack of empty boxes and watched as she 
      walked past. He assumed that she would be headed back to the apartment to 
      try and beat him back. He hung behind the stack for a while making sure 
      she was completely out of sight before stepping out.
      He took a look at the phone and smiled wryly. He walked over and into the 
      booth. Looking around and seeing no one, Darien reached into a concealed 
      pocket inside his coat and rummaged around until he found what he was 
      looking for.
      Thank goodness he never cleaned out his coat.
      The two tiny microphones were small enough to fit on the tip of his finger 
      and would serve their purpose wonderfully.
      He pulled the receiver off the hook and unscrewed the coverings to the 
      earpiece and the mouthpiece. He placed one microphone in each and screwed 
      them back up.
      "Young man, what are you doing?"
      Darien turned around to find himself being watched by a matronly woman who 
      gazed at him curiously.
      Darien gave her his most devastating smile and rubbed the receiver on his 
      elbow. "Just cleaning the earpiece ma'am. They get kind of icky."
      "Arent you considerate?" she patted him of the back as he climbed out of 
      the booth.
      "Not a problem." Darien sauntered away. Now if the impostor were to use 
      the phone again he would be able to hear what was going on. He just wished 
      he could get a trace.
      Darien crossed the street to a coffee house. Hed have to do that later. 
      Right now, he had to get back to 'Serena' and find out what the hell she 
      was up to.
      A few minutes later he walked through their door arms laden with his 
      favourite breakfast, doughnuts and extra strong coffee. He knew Serena 
      hated it when he ate this sort of thing but he also knew that she did 
      enjoy it once in a while too.
      He took one whiff and knew that the impostor had been cooking again but no 
      matter how mouth watering the smell was, he wouldn't eat another bite of 
      what she offered.
      Darien found her in the kitchen making what looked like some scrumptious 
      looking crepes.
      He dumped the bag of doughnuts and placed the coffee on the small table in 
      the corner. "Morning." he couldn't bring himself to call her Serena.
      "Good morning, sweetie." she turned and saw the bag and coffee. "But I 
      made breakfast."
      "That's ok. Just stop and have some of this." He pulled out a cream filled 
      pasty and waved it in her face. He purposely bought it knowing full well 
      that his Serena hated them. She preferred the jam ones. "Your favourite."
      The woman blinked and then took it from him. She took a huge bite and 
      smiled exaggeratedly, "Thank you its fantastic."
      He simply nodded. "I thought you'd enjoy it."
      She smiled and hid her fidgeting fingers under a tea towel, hoping that 
      Darien wouldn't see. "Well, how about you try my crepes? I made them just 
      for you."
      She brought over a plate piles high with crepes and placed them in front 
      of Darien.
      "Thanks, but no thanks sweetie." Darien nearly choked on the word. He took 
      a bit of a sugary doughnut and smiled at her. "I'm fine."
      She slid the plate closer and wound her arm seductively around his 
      shoulders. "Theyre really good though."
      Darien fought the urge to shove her off of him. "Really, Im quite happy 
      with my breakfast. You have them."
      Darien thought he saw her pale a little before she tipped them into the 
      trash. "Fine. I won't waste my time making you breakfast anymore." she 
      stomped out of the room.
      Darien's lips twisted into a semi amused smile before he leaned out to see 
      if she was still in the hall. She wasn't so he pulled out a baggie and 
      tweezers. He reached into the trash and pulled out a bit of a crepe, 
      shoving it into the bag. He stuck it back into his coat and walked out to 
      the living room.
      "Serena?"
      "Yes darling?"
      Darien fought hard not to roll his eyes. "Have you heard from Luna lately? 
      Its been a while since we've worked."
      Her voice lilted out of the bedroom. "She called last night actually. She 
      wanted us to meet her this morning."
      "Really?" he was actually beginning to wonder if she really did call but 
      she continued.
      "Yes at a cafe in Piccadilly."
      Darien took a long breath. Luna was never seen outside of the office and 
      she never met her employees anywhere but there.
      "Did you want to come with me?"
      "No I cant. Ive got to meet Jadeite for lunch then we're going to race 
      the bikes a few times around the track."
      "Alright. Be careful." she walked out of the room dressed to perfection in 
      Serena's clothes. Darien made a promise to himself to buy Serena a new 
      wardrobe after her found her. He balked at her audacity to wear everything 
      of Serena's even her jewellery.
      Darien probably would have taken them off of her right then and there but 
      he remembered that Serena never kept her real jewels out. What she was 
      wearing now were only paste and rhinestones.
      She smiled at him when she thought his gaze was admiring. "I'll be back in 
      a little while." she stood on tiptoes to give him a kiss.
      Darien turned so she caught his cheek instead of his lips but he did hug 
      her. "See you later then."
      She smiled at him again and walked out the door.
      Darien smiled to himself and entered the hidden room. He pulled out his 
      laptop and connected it to the main computer and booted up.
      He placed a homing device under her collar and when the program started up 
      the little light moving down the street let him know exactly where she was 
      headed.
      Darien pulled out his cell phone and dialled Jadeite. "Hi. I need you to 
      do me a favour."
      ----
      Darien woke up, dreading the ensuing encounter with that woman 
      masquerading as Serena. It had been a few weeks now since he learned that 
      this wasnt the woman he loved. And he had been fighting with himself not 
      to shake the truth out of her.
      Darien had Jadeite track her movements for the past week. Yet there was 
      nowhere specific she seemed to go. Every time it was somewhere different 
      and her trails had no clue who she was meeting with. No one ever saw her 
      make contact with anyone, personally or otherwise.
      This was getting just plain ridiculous.
      He sat and rubbed at his muscles, sore from sleeping on the couch night 
      after night.
      He was running out of excuses for doing so now. Hed told her everything 
      from he had to work late and didn't want to disturb her to the falsified 
      fact that the couch was better for his back than the bed.
      He arched his back against the dull ache in his lumbar region. He wondered 
      how she even believed him. Though she was probably looking for a reason to 
      stay away from him as well.
      The thought had barely crossed his mind when 'Serena' walked out of the 
      bedroom wearing nothing but once Serena's sheerest teddies.
      For a split second he thought it really was Serena standing before him. 
      But then he looked at the purposeful look in her eyes and the feelings 
      died once again into the slow boiling anger.
      He shook the cobwebs from his foggy brain, reminding himself that this 
      wasn't the woman he loved and that she was using him for some unknown 
      purpose. "Morning."
      He tried to keep his smile amiable but he really had to struggle to keep 
      it there when she slithered up to him and ran a manicured nail down his 
      chest in a seductive attempt. "Good morning darling." Smiling broadly she 
      wrapped her arms around his neck and moved closer for a kiss.
      Darien backed out of her embrace and shoved away, hard enough to send her 
      roughly to the couch.
      That was the last straw.
      Darien circled the coffee table and glared at the trembling woman. He 
      could tell that she knew what was coming next. "Ok, Ive had it with this 
      crap. I know you're not Serena. But you don't need to be a rocket 
      scientist to figure that out." he took a step closer when she tried to 
      scurry away. "I won't hurt you. I just want some information."
      She smiled a little, obviously still trying to keep the front. "What are 
      you talking about darling?"
      "Give it up. You don't even know my name."
      "Of course I do!" Her smile withered even more.
      "What is it then?"
      "D...d...dar--"
      Darien stopped her before she went any further. "Let me give you a hint. 
      It's not Darren. Just tell me who you're working for."
      She shook her head furiously. "I can't."
      Darien read the fear in her eyes and somehow knew that the fear wasn't 
      caused by him. "I can protect you. Whoever it is you work for won't lay a 
      finger on you."
      "You can't. No one can." she tried to run again but Darien grabbed her.
      He wasn't about to let his only lead to Serena get away. "Either you work 
      with me on this or Ill have to haul you in for fraud. You have been using 
      Serena's credit cards, haven't you?" He knew she had. Darien watched her 
      buy a new watch with Serena's platinum card just last week.
      A tear slid down her cheek as her shoulders slumped in defeat. "Alright! 
      Im not Serena." she pulled out a cigarette and tried to light it.
      Darien pulled it out of her lips and tossed it to the ground.
      "Come on!" She dragged her hands though her hair and Darien was close 
      enough to notice some roots showing through.
      Bright, acid green roots.
      "Esmeraude?" Darien glared at her and grabbed her by the shoulders. "What 
      the hell is going on?"
      She squirmed out of his grip. "I told him that I wasn't good at this 
      disguise crap."
      "Who?" Darien followed her around the room as she looked for a way out.
      "I told you, I can't tell you."
      "Tell me where she is at least." Darien clenched his fists and waited for 
      an answer. Hed never hit a woman before in his life, yet he'd never been 
      closer either. if anything had happened to Serena...
      "I don't know where she is." came her insolent reply.
      Darien grabbed her again, shaking her until she could hardly stand. "Tell 
      me who has her dammit!"
      Esmeraude tried her hardest to get Darien to release her but failed 
      miserably against the enraged man. "Let me go!"
      "Not until you tell me what the hell you've done with Serena!"
      Just as his temper reached it peak, the doorbell rang. Darien stared at 
      the door for a moment not sure whether or not he should answer.
      When whoever it was started banging on the door and shouting, Darien 
      recognized the voice and dragged Esmeraude along behind him. "I'm coming!"
      He greeted the two with a nod. "Whats up?"
      "Darien what are you doing?" Demando and Jadeite stared curiously at the 
      woman still struggling to break free of his grip. "What's going on?"
      He dragged her aside so that they could enter the apartment. "Nothing 
      much. Just catching up with Esmeraude here."
      The other two men blinked. "Esmeraude?"
      Demando took a closer look and laughed. "Esme what are you doing dressed 
      like Serena?"
      Her lips twisted and she snarled at him rather than answer.
      Jadeite studied the woman for a moment. "Luna's been looking for you, 
      Esme. She was beginning to worry. Why haven't you checked in with her 
      lately?"
      "Shut up Jadeite. Im sick of you all. Im tired of working for such a 
      pathetic organization. Im into much bigger and better things now."
      "Yeah like what?" Darien slung her back onto the couch while the three of 
      them stood over her. "Getting rid of Serena?"
      "Perhaps."
      Demando and Jadeite lunged for Esmeraude at the same moment. "Serena? 
      Youre the one who has Serena?"
      She smiled a smile that was almost feline in nature and very predatory.
      Demando slapped her across the face. "What have you done to Serena?"
      Esme touched her cheek where it was beginning to redden and laughed that 
      shrill laugh that Darien hated so much. "Poor precious, Serena. What makes 
      her so special?"
      The question seemed to be directed at Demando and everyone looked at him.
      "What? What the hell is that supposed to mean?" He went after Esmeraude 
      again, but this time she struck first and punched him in the nose.
      Demando howled in pain and surprise, running off a spiel of Spanish 
      expletives.
      Esmeraude only laughed. "You deserve it after the way that you treated 
me."
      "What the hell are you talking about?" he lunged at her again. But a 
      strong arm stopped him.
      Darien grabbed the closest towel handy and handed it to the wounded man. 
      "Calm down."
      He gingerly held it up to his nose. "Calm down? She just broke my nose!"
      Jadeite shoved him back onto the chair. "Relax, now what is going on 
here?"
      All three men turned in time to see a blur heading toward the window.
      Darien and Jadeite grabbed her legs just as she was about to sail past the 
      pane and held her suspended in mid-flight.
      "Let me down!"
      The two men shared a look and smiled at each other while they simply held 
      her.
      "I don't think so. I think you'll tell us what we want to know and then 
      we'll let you in."
      "You bastards!" She stopped and looked up at the street more than a few 
      stories away sway above her. "Please, let me in."
      Darien shook his head and eyed her coldly. "Now that I know that you had 
      something to do with Serena's disappearance, do you really think that Ill 
      let you go? Or maybe I should let you go." His grip loosened enough to let 
      her slip a little. His voice dropped and turned icy. "Now tell me 
      everything."
      The fear appeared in her eyes now and her breezy manner evaporated. 
      "Please. I'll tell you everything. Just let me in."
      Darien let her slip a little more. "It doesnt work like that. You tell me 
      what I want to know first."
      "Alright!" the panicked scream rocketed through the apartment. "Just don't 
      let go!"
      He snorted his approval and shook her a little. "Well then, talk."
      "I was approached by this guy. He wanted to get Serena for some reason. He 
      wouldn't tell me."
      "Why did you get involved?"
      "I hate her!"
      Darien could feel the hated reverberating through her lithe frame and 
      reacted with much of the same. "Why? What has she ever done to you? You 
      were friends."
      "Yeah right. Would a friend steal a man from you? Would she completely 
      disregard your feelings and make a play for a man you were in love with?"
      Then it dawned on Darien. He looked over his shoulder at the man nursing 
      his nose on the couch. "Serena and Demando?" Was it possible? He and 
      Jadeite looked at Demando waiting for an answer.
      "Don't be stupid. Were friends."
      Darien was curious too. "So there's nothing behind all that 'querida' 
      stuff?"
      He looked a little shocked then he shrugged almost nonchalantly. "Maybe at 
      first. But then I realized I never had a chance against even the memory of 
      you. So I gave up." He tossed the towel to the ground and stomped his way 
      over to the woman dangling from the window. "You mean this is what all 
      this is about? Youre jealous of Serena and my friendship? Dont be 
      ridiculous."
      Esme started kicking now. "Ridiculous? How dare you!" Another long string 
      of Spanish came from her as she fought her way back up into the room. She 
      stumbled over Darien and punched Demando again. "I've been practically 
      throwing myself at you for over a year but no! All you care about is 
      that...that woman!"
      Jadeite separated them and stood in between. "You two can settle this 
      later. Who has Serena and what does he want with her?"
      Esmeraude clawed her hair out of her face and answered, still staring 
      daggers at Demando. "I don't know and I didn't ask why."
      The three men turned and looked at her, incredulously. But it was Demando 
      that spoke up at the woman's insane actions. "What? Youre stupid enough 
      to take a job anonymously? You don't know what you're getting yourself 
      into!"
      Darien was intrigued by this sudden passionate spiel from him. Was it him 
      or did Demando actually seem to care for her? He looked at Jadeite who 
      shrugged at him. He looked just as confused as Darien was.
      Demando grabbed Esme's arm and dragged her, none too willingly, towards 
      him and murmured something to her in Spanish.
      Jadeite nodded at Darien and they headed over to the balcony to give them 
      some time to talk.
      Darien stood there and watched as the two in the room demonstrate the 
      legendary Latin passion. He was surprised that there werent more things 
      being thrown around.
      Darien looked away and leaned on the railing. Interestingly enough he was 
      missing his little tiffs with Serena. How sad was that?
      Feeling a little misty and more than a little determined to find her, he 
      looked over at Jadeite expecting the overly perceptive man to be staring 
      at him. Instead he was staring intently into the window.
      "You can read lips can't you?" Darien realized this before the words even 
      left his lips.
      "Of course. Im not staring at the glass for my health you know."
      "Well what are they saying?"
      "They are discussing the absurdity of the situation."
      "Yeah what of it?"
      Jadeite grew silent for a moment and concentrated on either the words or 
      the translations. He turned to Darien. "He confessed his feelings for her. 
      Demando is in love with Esmeraude."
      Darien took a deep breath and felt relief coming over him. Perhaps now 
      that Esmeraude got the insane idea out her head she would help them.
      They stood out in the evening chill a while longer waiting for some sign 
      from the couple that it was ok for them to come in once more. And when 
      Demando waved them in the two were arm in arm smiling as if they hadn't a 
      care in the world.
      "I take it things are better now?" Darien rubbed at his bare arms, briskly 
      ridding himself of the gooseflesh threatening to erupt.
      Esmeraude exuded such happiness that Darien had to smile with them. That 
      was one problem out of the way. Now for the big one.
      "Now Esme, can you tell us anything about who has Serena? Or even why they 
      have her?" Darien had been wracking his brain over all the possibilities 
      and he couldnt come up with a concrete reason why someone would have her 
      kidnapped.
      The brilliant smile faded into what looked like gut wrenching guilt. She 
      shook her head, "I dont know who has her. I told you I took the job 
      anonymously just to get back at her." Esmeraude grimaced and held onto 
      Demandos arm tighter. "I feel so guilty."
      Darien turned away when he wanted to throttle her and remind her that she 
      should feel guilty. She was part of the reason Serena was taken. He balled 
      up his fists and stood for a moment contemplating his next move. "Tell us 
      everything that you know. Where you got the contact from, who you talked 
      to, how you communicate," he waved his arms around. "Whatever you can 
      remember."
      They all sat down as she began to speak.
      ----
      Serena woke up in a soft bed surrounded by sweet smelling pillows. For a 
      moment she thought that everything that had happened was a horrible 
      nightmare. She stretched and opened her eyes and gasped at the throbbing 
      in her head and at what she saw.
      This wasn't her room. This wasn't even a hotel room. It was much too 
      magnificent to be a hotel room.
      She was up and on her feet in a flash. Her head was swimming and she could 
      barely see straight but she was determined to get out of there.
      The bed was enormous and set with lace and a flowing white muslin canopy 
      that flowed in the same slight breeze that stirred the same material that 
      veiled the windows. The walls were a natural warm beige stone that Serena 
      concluded was also what made the cool floor that chilled her bare toes. 
      There was a plain oak vanity that had a porcelain washbasin and pitcher, a 
      brush and her jewelry. She quickly snapped them up and shoved them into 
      her dress pocket. There were vases filled with fragrant flowers of every 
      color and description and expensive looking fake prints of famous masters 
      hung on the walls.
      But for all the luxury designed to make one feel at home, Serena felt like 
      a trapped bird.
      Serena pulled her hair back and wound it into a bun, keeping it out of her 
      face. She crept to the door and tugged on it experimentally.
      Locked.
      She looked around the room and found three windows. Two were barred and 
      the last showed a view of the ocean and the fact that she was up on a 
      cliff. It dropped off almost directly under the window. The ledge was 
      sloped and there wasn't much hope of scaling it and whoever trapped her in 
      here knew that. Serena watched the waves crash into the cliff face 
      morosely before turning back into the room.
      She sat back down on the bed and thought back, trying to remember what had 
      actually happened.
      Serena closed her eyes. The last thing she actually remembered was talking 
      to Darien. Then she remembered the reason she had to talk to him.
      She ran her slender fingers over her stomach as if to make sure her baby 
      was all right. She felt well enough besides the bump on her head. Assured 
      that everything was well with her body. Serena tried to remember what else 
      had happened.
      She had been mugged, then she was pulled off a roof and then the next 
      thing she knew she was here.
      Serena couldn't really remember the faces of the men who had taken her. 
      Everything had happened so quickly that she didn't get a chance to see.
      She kicked herself for making it so easy for them to get her. She was such 
      an idiot!
      "Argh!" Serena got up and paced the room some more. She caught a look at 
      herself in the mirror and sighed. She was still in her disguise.
      Serena pulled the wig off and tossed it onto the bed. She had to find a 
      way to get out of here. There was no telling who had her or what they 
      wanted to do with her.
      Of course locking her in a room was one clear sign that whatever they 
      wanted her for wasn't all that great.
      She looked for her bag but it was gone and the rest of the room was devoid 
      of anything of any use to her.
      "Damn!" She took another look at the door and it's lock. It looked simple 
      enough. She hadn't noticed any cameras around the room at all when she 
      looked things over.
      Taking another careful look around, she grabbed one of her pumps that 
      looked as thought they had been carelessly slung off of her feet when she 
      was locked in.
      Sure that no one could see what she was doing, Serena flipped back the 
      grip on the heel and pulled out a lock pick set that was concealed inside.
      Lucky for her they hadn't found that.
      Smiling to herself, she went to work on the door and within moments she 
      had it swinging open.
      Hopefully the rest of her escape would be just as easy.
      She tiptoed through the old building, noting that the walls were a dull 
      stone. The light shone brightly through the large windows that lined the 
      hall brilliantly, lighting up the otherwise drab interior.
      Serena took in her surroundings. It looked as though she was somewhere 
      exotic; Spain or perhaps she was still in Italy. Wherever she was she was 
      damn sure that she didn't want to be there.
      Softly lilting voices floated up through the open foyer and Serena quickly 
      ducked back into the room.
      There had to be a better way to escape than this. She looked around again. 
      Without any of her tools there really wasn't any way to get out.
      Serena sat back on the bed and sighed.
      Shed just have to bide her time and wait it out.