"They locked her in?! You must have been going crazy waiting for her!" Jesse was paying rapt attention as Trent continued his story.

**

Trent looked at his watch. 11:20. Sam was late. He drummed his fingers on the dash, trying not to look at his watch again. Finally, he couldn't take it any longer. Getting out of the car, he slammed the door and headed into Gentlemen's Cove.

**

Trent is waiting for me, she thought. Or will he just think I am still mad at him? Sam tried the door for a third time. It was still locked. As her mind was racing she heard footsteps and then the door opened. She turned to see Carter and a fortyish man entering the room.

"Samantha, this is Bill. He was hoping someone could show him a good time." Carter smiled broadly.

Sam motioned him aside. "Mr. Carter, I don't think I'm ready for this," she whispered.

"You're ready when I say you are," he hissed. He pushed her towards the man and closed left. Sam did not hear the door lock.

"Hi, sweet thing," Bill drawled. "Are you ready for some fun?"

**

Trent scanned the bar for a third time. He still couldn't see Sam.

"That's be $3.50," the bartender announced as he placed a beer in front of Trent.

Reaching inside his wallet, Trent asked, "Where is that cute little brunette that was here earlier?"

"Samantha?" the bartender asked. When Trent nodded he continued. "Gone home. If you like her, come back next week. She'll be dancing."

Trent faked a smile. "Sure." Over my dead body, he thought.

**

"Hey, come in here. I think he's had a heart attack or something!" Sam yelled. The 'or something' was the kick to his midsection that Sam had given him. She thought she had heard someone outside and now, the bodyguard had run into the room. From her spot behind him, Sam dropped the lamp over his head, rendering him unconscious. "Now, to find Casey," she said to no one in particular.

Sam moved stealthily through the hallway, trying to stay out of sight. She listened at a few doors, hearing the various sounds of sex. At one door, she heard sobbing. Slowly opening the door, she found Casey. Running to her, she picked her up and said, "we have to go. Now!" Still feeling the effects of the injection, Casey had to be almost dragged out the door. When they reached the hallway, Sam shook her. "Casey! We have to get out of here and I need your help. Someone is waiting for me outside." At least I hope so. "You have to be quiet and listen to me. Understand?"

Casey nodded. Together they moved down the hallway, hiding in the shadows, until finally they were outside. They ran across the parking lot, towards the blue Corvette. Sam noticed it was empty.

"Shit!" she uttered. "He must be inside, and we can't exactly go get him." Sam thought. "Okay Casey, let's find a taxi." Together they ran to the next street, where they were able to flag down a taxi. As they jumped in, Sam breathed a sigh of relief. "Just drive," she said to the cabby. To Casey she muttered, "Now we just need a place to stay."

As Sam was driving her mind was working. She couldn't go to Carlos' place or to Trent's. Where was there a place left? Finally she told the driver, "1432 Lincoln Street." It was a place she never thought she would visit again.

"There is a place we can hide, Casey," Sam told her. "It used to be my old apartment." Feelings were beginning to surface that Sam had fought hard to keep down. But she knew it was their only option. They pulled up to a small house with brown trim. There was a 'For Sale' sign on the front lawn. Sam took a deep breath. "Let's go," she said.

Sam lead Casey up to the front door, and using a key on her key ring, opened it. Sam guided her in, closing the door behind them. Casey looked around the place, finally noticing that Sam had stayed with her back resting on the door. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yes," Sam whispered. "No." Looking around, she took a deep breath. "Something bad happened to me here. I haven't been here since." Sam slid down the door. "It was just over four months ago. I couldn't come back. The people who owned this place didn't want to keep it either, after....it happened. They put it on the market but it hasn't sold yet." Sam hugged her knees. "The trial was just a couple of weeks ago." Her resolve was beginning to break.

Casey went to sit with her and hugged her. She knew what trial Sam was talking about. She had remembered hearing about it on the news. She knew. "It's okay, Sam. After everything you've done for me...." She didn't finish. The two just sat there.

**

"Where is she?"

"I don't know."

"Carlos, she was supposed to be working for you. You don't know where she is?" Trent was standing in his friend's living room. It was well past midnight.

"She was supposed to call me tonight. She hasn't yet." Carlos knew the fear Trent was feeling. He was feeling it too.

"The bartender said she was going to be dancing next week. I can't believe she would do that willingly." Trent stopped pacing and looked at his friend. "Carter must have her somewhere."

"I don't know," Carlos admitted. "What happened when you tried her cell phone?"

"Nothing. No answer."

"Dammit, Sam. Where are you?"

"I'm heading home Carlos to see if she went there. I'll call." With that Trent headed out the door.

**

"She what!?" Carter was positively livid when he found out about Sam and Casey's disappearance. "How did they get away from you?" he demanded. As the bodyguard looked sheepishly at the ground, Carter dismissed him. "Find them," he yelled. "Casey knows too much."

"Here's her purse, boss."

Carter pulled out the contents and sifted through them. "Try this address," he said, handing over Sam's driver's license. Behind it was a business card. "Trent Malloy, Personal protection, Private investigations," Carter read aloud. Looking up he muttered menacingly, "Find them. Now!"

**

Casey had fallen asleep, lying on an old blanket in the middle of the floor. Looking around the now empty apartment, Sam fought to control her overwhelming feelings. I guess I can consider it a mixed blessing because I never would have met Trent, she thought. Trent. He must be worried by now. How could she get in touch with him? Her cell phone was back in the bar, with all her purse and ID. She was lucky she had some tip money on her or they never would have been able to pay the cabby. She wanted to go call Trent but she didn't want to leave Casey. She also knew that Trent would never look for her here.

**

Trent heard the crashing as he went to put the key in the door. Opening it, he found two men, rifling through the apartment. In a flash, he attacked, kicking one of the men across the room. As the other approached, Trent gave him a spin kick. Quickly, the men grabbed each other and ran out the door.

**

"Hi Carlos."

"Sam where are you?" Carlos felt immense relief that Sam was okay.

"Someplace I never thought I would be again. I haven't got much time but there is a big drug deal going down tonight. Casey told me Carter is expecting a shipment at his place about midnight. I am going to lay low with her until after that. He's after us, Carlos."

"Look Sam, we can protect you..."

"I know but Casey doesn't. She's pretty shaky and she's coming down off of some serious stuff, Carlos. Just let Trent know I am okay." Carlos stared at the phone as the dial tone buzzed in his ear.

**

"Honest boss, there was a whole bunch of them. He..I mean they surprised us. But Casey wasn't there."

"Casey? I saw her leave in a cab last night with that new chick," the doorman told Carter. "I didn't know you were looking for her."

Carter took one step, thinking about hitting the man. It wasn't worth it, he decided. Turning he barked out the order. "Find the cabby and find out where he dropped them off."

**

"Well Carlos, now I know they don't have her. They trashed my place looking for her," Trent said in to the cell phone as he walked around the trashed apartment.

"She just called. She didn't tell me where she was just that they are laying low. There is a deal going down."

"Nothing at all where she was?" Trent was relieved yet still worried. He would only feel better when he saw that Sam was okay.

"All she said was that she was someplace she never thought she would be again." Trent felt a little gnawing at the base of his brain. Could she have? No, she wouldn't.

"I'll be right over, Carlos."

**

"The cabby said they were dropped off at 1432 Lincoln Street." Carter looked up at the bodyguard.

"Okay. This deal has to go down tonight. I want you to go and get them and bring them back here. We'll take care of them after that."

**

Sam sat against the door, staring into space. Casey was sleeping again, feeling the effects of not having the drugs in her system. It had been a rough couple of hours but Sam was sure Casey was going to make it. Sam herself hadn't ventured far from the door of the apartment. Now, she thought she had heard noises from outside. As she went to look out of the window in the door, the door burst open, sending her backwards. She instantly recognized two men form Carter's place.

Part 5

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