Bryce Crenshaw stepped out of the silver Mazda Miata. He smoothed the
wrinkle from his black suit and allowed the chauffer to take his car
into the parking lot. He was determined to find out what exactly was
up his former employer's sleeves, and what he had done with Jess. A
small thought scared the shit out of him, what if she was dead?? No
that would be impossible, he thought to himself. Or was it?

He pushed all his thoughts to the back of his head and concentrated on
making everyone believe that he was the distinguished young bachelor
Monty Ratcliffe III, son of the wealthy and eccentric Montgomery
Ratcliffe II, owner of the biggest investment company in the mid-west.

"Your coat Mr. Ratcliffe?" a servant came up to him.

"Here you go," Bryce said softly handing the young man his black coat
and scanned the room for his host. He had no idea how he looked like,
but the momment he saw him, he would know. The only catch is that his
former employer might know him as well, however unlikely.

Bryce apporached a waitress who was standing alone in a corner,
holding a tray of expensive tidbits and appetizers. "Excuse me, would
you kidnly point out where my host might be?" he asked her quietly.

"Of course, he is the man dressed in the white suit, talking with
Senator Robertson and his wife," the young lady answered him politely.

"Much obliged," Bryce smiled as he made his way to the bar to get some
champagne. "Can I have a glass of Asti ?" he asked the man at the bar.

"Make that two!" another man exclaimed as he stood beside Bryce. He
was a handsome man in his late twenties, conservatively dressed in a
black tux. "I don't believe we've met, I'm Aaron Stanton, Mr.
Mallgoth's finace manager."

"Monty Ratcliffe," Bryce replied smiling as he shook his hand. Now he
knew who had hired him. The prominent Preston Mallgoth, entrapreneur,
wealthy, no fabulously wealthy, and horribly power hungry. "Tell me,
Mr. Stanton, why has Mr. Mallgoth suddenly thrown a party?"

"He wants to inform some investors on a possible investment that will
pay off billions I'm told," Mr. Stanton replied.

"Hmm, that would explain my father's interest," Bryce grinned. "It was
a pleasure meeting you Mr. Stanton, but if you excuse me, I must find
the nearest bathroom, care to inform me where?"

"Go through that hallway, right next to the den," Stanton informed
Bryce as he got his drink and left.

"Thank you very much indeed," Bryce muttered as he hurried to the den. 

The hallway was dimly lit, as he silently walked through, finally
reaching then den. Bryce took out a small decoding device and
attachted it on top of the electronic lock and the device began trying
random codes onto the lock. After a few minutes the door opened
quietly and Bryce slid inside. He swiftly moved to the elegantly
carved marble desk and put his gloves on, then sit himself before the
computer terminal.

He quickly tapped into the security system around the estate and tried
to locate Jessie. He looked into the blue prints, and found that there
were storage areas underneath the basement areas, and the only way it
seemed to get down there was through a freight elevator, but he was
certain he couldn't just waltz inside and say, oh I'm just about to
rescue the girl you are trying to get information from.

"Great then what the hell do I do??" Bryce muttered angrily as his
mind furiously tried to find another way in. Suddenly there were
footseps and Bryce held his breathe as he quickly exited the program. 

"I'll be at the den Stanton,"a voice called out as small beads of
sweat formed on his temples. 

Bryce looked worriedly for an exit, a window, another door, anything! 
In franticness, he ran into the bathroom and quietly shut the door as
the mysterious Preston Mallgoth entered the room in his expensive
white tailored Armani suit. 

Preston Mallgoth smiled evily as everything was going according to
plan. He had the good Doctor, the thief was probably dead lying in a
ditch somewhere, and pretty soon he was going to be even more
fabulously wealthy. The middle aged man chuckled softly thinking of
his own shrewdness. 

Unknown to him, Bryce was still inside the bathroom where he was
trying to make his escape and make a return at the party. But how?? He
took out a pocket flashlight and moved it around the bathroom. Luck
was shining upon him as a door appeared. *halleluia,* he thought to
himself as he opened the door and found himself outside in the hallway
again. *Guess, I did use the bathroom afterall,* he grinned inwardly
as he quickened his pace back into the party.

Jessie stared at the dark ceiling and felt extremely tired. She was
nauscious felt like a fever was penetrating her body. The room was
cold, clammy, and humid. It was like someone chocking her, the air was
so dense and heavy that every breathe she took was making her feel
even more dizzy.

She wondered if anyone would ever find her. She wondered if Bryce
would find her. No longer being able to stand the overwhelming
nauscea, she slipped into a deep sleep, inwhich something happened,
something that triggers the memories embeded in the back of mind. 

She was another cave, it was also cold, dark, and damp. She was
shivering from fear and the fact that she was drenched. The wails and
moans from the other prisoners could be heard, and each scream made
Jessica even mor determined that she was going to get out of this
place alive.

"Are you alright?" a soft voice asked her.

"Who are you? What do you want???" she asked meekly, not trusting
anyone.

"I just wanted to see if you were alright..." the voice replied
cautiously. "Sorry if I disturbed you..."

"NO!" Jessica said a little to strongly. "I mean I'm sorry I acted so
defensively. Its just that I've been through some ordeals the past few
days..."

"No need to apologize, I was being unsensitive, " the voice told her.
"I'm Brynne Crenshaw, theif and notorious liar extrodinaire, at your
service!"

"Jessica, daughter of Lord Bannon of Wessex," she said as the boy was
silent. "Err did I say something wrong?"

"Oh no!" he quickly replied. "Its just that I didn't know I was
infront of royalty, mi'lady.."

"Well," she laughed. "Do you have an ingenious plan to get us out of
here thief??" she asked softly, with a hint of nervousness in her voice.

"I'll get you out of this," Brynne swore to her, "and if there's one
thing that I am, is stubborn."

"I appreciate the effort Brynne, but hopefully with what I've got
planned I can get myself out of this.." Jessica replied as she got
Brynne curious. 

Suddenly two guard arrived and opened the lock on Jessica's cell. They
grabbed the fiery haired maiden and dragged her out, and she defied
them all the way. With all the struggling she did they didn't even
notice that Brynne took their keys.

"Lady Jessica, how nice to see that you are looking wonderful this
morning, " Mallgoth chuckled as Jessica entered his dining chambers. 

She stared at the man with such hatred, that the blood in her veins
felt like they were going to burst. Her face got hot and flushed as
she was forced to sit down across Mallgoth who was eating a big piece
of chicken and sipping his wine.

"Wait and see, my father will get you!" Jessica told him as he laughed
manically at her expense.

"My dear, oh your father will get me alright, but not in the way you
intend, hope you are worth to daddy-dearest as much as I am going to
ask for, we'll see how much he really cares for you..."Mallgoth said
strongly as he suddenly grabbed her long red hair and yanked it hard.
"So if you want to live to see your father I suggest you treat me with
a little more respect..."

Jessica sneered and spat straight into his eyes. 

He didn't hesitate and slapped her hard across the face. "You witch!
You will soon learn that I am not a man to toy with. You two send her
back into the dungeons!!!" He motioned for the two guards to drag her
back into the cell. 

Jessica stood up and left Mallgoth's chambers, and was being led back
into the dark halls to the dungeon when she finally thought it was
time to act. She suddenly kicked one of the guard in the side of his
stomach, then kneed him in the groin sending him tumbling to the
ground in pain. The other guard was about to hit her when someone hit
him in the back and he fell to the ground unconcious.

"Brynne!!" she exlclaimed and hugged her rescuer in relief. 

"JESSIE!! JESSIE!!!!" a muffled voice called out in the darkness. 

The image of the boy disappeared and she opened her eyes but all she
could see was darkness. Jessie was shivering all over as she tried to
remember what was happening.

"Hel..help!!" she struggled to scream, but exhaustion washed all over
her. Jessie could barely even keep her eyes open, but she was
determined to get out of there alive.

Bryce burst into the pitch black room and saw Jessie's faint figure on
the ground trembling uncontrolably as he rushed and scooped her into
his arms. She was burning! A wave of panic swept Bryce as he slowly
carried her out of the dark room.

"I'm so cold..." she murmered as her eyes drifted and her world turned
into blackness once again.

(c) Nix C. 1998