[mishmish]

Here's the first chapter of a new story I started writing. Will be updated as I write. As always, this is a work of fiction and this is not condoned in reality. Enjoy.

Ransom

"At 9:00 PM sharp, log into Skype and connect with user "wehaveyourdaughter" if you ever want to see Sara again", read the text message coming into John Rogers smartphone.* As he read the words, his heart leapt into his throat.* Sara was his beautiful 21 year old daughter.* Was this some kind of sick practical joke?* It couldn't be real.* Rogers quickly dialed his daughter's cell phone number.* Straight to voicemail.* That was unusual, Sara always left her phone on, he thought to himself.* He sent her a text message asking her to call him ASAP.* Minutes went by with no response.* The clock read 8:45PM.* He didn't know what to do.* Should he call the police or wait and see what this was all about.* He prayed to himself that his daughter was ok, just out somewhere with her friends.* He had spoken to her earlier that afternoon and she was fine, at the beach with a group of her friends.* This thought reassured him just a little bit, knowing that just a few short hours ago she had been fine, out in public with others.* Thinking quickly, he dialed up Katherine, one of Sara's best friends.* She picked up almost instantly.* "Hi Katherine, it's John, Sara's father."* Katherine giggled into the phone.* "Hi John", she said a bit loopily.* He could tell by the sound of her voice that she had had a few cocktails that day.* "Is Sara still with you?* I need to ask her something and her phone seems to be off."* "Nope" replied Katherine.* "We dropped her off at her car a few hours ago.* Sooooooorrrry", she giggled into the phone.* Without responding further, John clicked off the phone.* Now, he was panicking.* What had happened to his daughter?* Had she been abducted?* All he could do was wait and hope that this was some sort of deranged attempt at humor.* Deep down, he knew it was not and that something very likely had happened to Sara.
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The minutes slowly crept towards 9:00PM.* At about two minutes to, John pulled out his laptop and logged into Skype.* He searched the username as told and saw that they were online.* He felt his body sweating as he clicked on the "Connect" button.* The computer buzzed as the virtual video phone rang and rang attempting to connect.* Finally, the connection was made and the image of a dark room appeared.* No one was there.* It appeared to be some kind of basement or chamber.* The light was dim and it was difficult to see what was in the room.* He could tell there were objects on the wall but was unable to make out what they were.* "Hello", he said loudly, waiting for someone to appear.* Silence on the other end.* He tried to see more of the room but the dim light and the limited view of the camera made it impossible.*
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As he was straining to see further, he heard a door open on the screen.* It quickly slammed shut, its sound heavy as he heard a deadbolt click into place.* In the background he could hear the sound of chains rattling, the sound of them growing louder as they approached the camera.* Suddenly, two figures came into view.* One was a muscled, heavily tattooed male, wearing a mask over his face to disguise himself, the other a petite woman, her wrists and and ankles manacled, her head shrouded by a tight hood secured around her head.* He could make out the muffled cries of the victim as he*stood her in front of the camera.* He brought a hook down from the ceiling and attached it to the top of*the hood, clicking it in place leaving her shackled and unable to move. *The masked man looked into the camera, his mouth widening into an evil smile, "Thanks for joining me tonight."
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John Rogers felt the rage of a father engulf him, as he watched the hooded girl struggle to move, the chains and hood robbing her of her freedom.* His face reddened at the sight of the girl, clad in a white tank top and shorts, her hair poking out from underneath the hood.* "You sick fuck", he shouted, unable to figure out anything else to do.* The hooded man smiled again, calmly responding.* "I see I have your attention now.* As you can see,*I have your daughter here.**I have done a significant amount of research on both you and her over the past several months.* You were specially selected as the perfect target given your considerable assets and your daughter's striking beauty.* If you choose not to cooperate with my demands, I will have the pleasure of keeping your daughter here for some time.* If you cooperate, she will be released back into your care."* As he spoke, John could not take his eyes off the chained figure behind the man, her cries fading in and out of the background.* Was that actually Sara, he wondered to himself.* It looked like her size and build, but the hood left him unable to definitively identify her.* "What do you want" John asked, in a demanding voice, befitting of a man who had rose from the ranks to run a major finance company.* His voice boomed, as if he were directing one of his underlings in his office.* He figured he would come across as strong and unbowed, he didn't want to show this freak his fear.
*
The hooded man waited a moment, unmoved by this show of strength.* "First, I want to be clear.* We are hidden away here very safely.* Your daughter will not be found easily.* Should I even get a hint that something is amiss or that you*have notified any authority, we will have left here at a moment's notice to another very secure location.* You will not be contacted by me again.* I will not kill young Sara here either.* I will make sure that she suffers endless punishment though.* Punishments that you will not be able to comprehend.* Punishments that will last for days upon end.* Don't make me do that.* Your silence to the outside world is most important.* Second, in exchange for your daughter's release, I want 25 million dollars.* I want it quickly too.* Tomorrow night at this time, you will log back on and I will give you instructions on how to deliver that money.* If you do not have the funds by that time, your daughter will receive her first punishment.**Each passing day that goes by, severity of the punishment will increase.*
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"You have to be kidding me.* I don't have that kind of money.* I am well off but*nowhere near that well off.* It will take me*weeks to try and accumulate those type of funds.* I need more time.* John's heart pounded furiously as he watched the hooded victim jerk around her, the chains rattling around as the conversation between the two men took place.* Hearing what was potentially in store for her was terrifying and her posture and restless motion confirmed this.* The hooded man smiled as he listened to John, hearing the tone in his voice change, no longer confident and forceful, now meek and pleading.* "John, I know you're a saavy businessman.* Consider this your most important transaction of your life.* We'll see you tomorrow night, same time.* In the meantime, Sara and I are going to get acquainted with one another.* "Wait!", John exclaimed.* "How do I know that's Sara?* I want to see her."* The hooded man broke into a big smile.* "How right you are.* I don't want you have any doubts."* He went over to the hooded young woman, releasing the hook from her hood, and dragging her over to the screen.* She wriggled in his grip but his power and her restraints*easily overcame her and in a moment she was in front of the screen.* Her body trembled as he unsecured the hood from around her head.* Slowly, as if revealing a grand meal, he pulled off the hood.* John's, eyes welled up as he saw his beautiful daughter's face, her eyes puffy and swollen, her face sweaty, her hair mussed appear before him on the screen.* The lower half of her face had been covered by what appeared to be several layers of*white gauze tape, sealing her mouth completely.* Her cheeks were puffed out, appearing to have been stuffed full with something.* Sara's eyes pleaded at the screen as she saw her father's face.* Stifled*moans leaked out of her tightly sealed mouth as tears streamed down her face.* "Oh, no, Sara", he exclaimed.* "Don't worry, I'm going to get you out of this."* Sara's eyes*were filled with*fear as her captor held her tightly in his grip.* "Now that you know it's Sara, I trust you will take my orders very*seriously.**You have 24 hours before Sara's*punishment begins.* I suggest you get moving."* With that, the*screen went black as the connection was dropped.* John Rogers sat in front of the screen, his eyes glazed.* He had much work to do and a limited time to do it in.
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