Cassey Tyler Prologue

I sprinted down the deserted road. Everything was silent except for the sound of my running feet. I knew I had a slim chance of escaping, but I had to try. I bolted around the corner of a building and into a thin alley way. Jason and his men were right behind me.

“Give it up girl! You'll never get away!” Jason yelled behind me. I knew he was right, but I kept running.

I felt the adrenaline racing through my body. This was one of those times. One of those life or death situations. My heart beat fast from running, and fear. I had to escape. Just get beyond the alley. That was just how far I had to go. A mire fifty feet. I was almost to the end of the alley way, and so close to freedom, but I never made it to the street. Two men suddenly stepped out of the shadows standing in front of me. I tried to run in between them, but their strong arms stopped me and held me tight as I struggled to get free. I was strong for my age, but I was no match for two full grown men. The men turned me around until I faced Jason. He had stopped running not far away and was walking towards me now. An annoyed expression on his face.

“Where is it?” Jason demanded. He was referring to the tape recorder I had used to record information from one of his top secret meetings. I kept my mouth shut. I wasn't going to tell him that I had thrown it into a bush as I had run past.

“Search her,” Jason commanded. His goons obeyed him without question. The men that were holding me pushed me to the ground on my stomach. I cringed as my cheek touched the cold, wet, slimy ground. Someone began patting me down. Pulling my jacket off roughly and rifling through my loose clothes. It didn't take them long to find the gun on my hip and the earpiece in my ear that connected me to Base. I was unarmed quickly and the search continued. My pockets were emptied of the few possessions I stored in them. Even my sneakers were searched. I thrashed around, kicking someone, but it didn't seem to help me. Someone was holding my arms out to either side and someone else had my legs pinned down. The only thing I could do was scream.

I thought for a moment. Scream and maybe be killed. Be quiet, hope Lizabell notices I'm in trouble, and then maybe die if she doesn't. I had no real choice, as usual. I decided against screaming and put all my faith, and my life, in Lizabell. I thrashed around again, waiting to see what Jason and his goons would do to me next.

“Well?” Jason asked impatiently.

“She was heavily armed for a punk...but no tape,” one of his men replied.

“Where is it girl?!” Jason demanded angrily. It was then that I realized Jason didn't recognize me. My hidden identity was the only thing that was keeping me from being taken by the spies, and most likely tortured to death. If Jason never recognized me I would at least die a quick death.

The men holding me let me go. I quickly scrambled onto my hands and knees. I was about to get onto my feet when a rough hand grabbed the front of my dirty shirt. The hand pulled up and made me stand on my knees with my head pointed towards the person holding me. Despite the hand that was just under my chin I attempted to look down. I couldn't risk Jason finding out who I was. Another hand roughly jerked my head up. I quickly looked up and then sideways. The same rough hand grabbed me under my chin and forced me to look at Jason.

I met the cruel brown eyes and sharp features of Jason. Jason Ritters was a man in his late thirties. He was muscular and stood at six feet tall. He was one of the best spies in the world, and he was my enemy. He was looking at me with annoyance painted on his face. Our eyes locked. The cruel fire behind Jason's eyes burned bright and then cooled with pleasure. The moment I realized Jason recognized me I tried to jerk my head away from his hand, but he held my face still. His hand let go of my shirt, but held my chin.

“Well, well, well. Look who I found,” Jason said pleasantly.

I pulled away from Jason and stumbled back onto my hands and knees. I had to escape. My life was depending on it, especially now that Jason knew who I was. I jumped to my feet and turned, attempting to bolt for the end of the alley way. It was so close, but yet so far. I made it three steps closer to freedom when I was again grabbed by two of Jason's goons. They held me tightly as I struggled for my life. The men held me with ease and turned me around. Holding my arms they kept me restrained. Jason came closer until his face was only an inch from mine. He smiled and then began walking around me and his goons.

“I'm hurt Jocelyn,” Jason started. “I'm hurt you would try to hide your beautiful face from me.”

His voice was smooth, with fake sorrow pounded into it. I heard the soft, squishy footsteps as Jason walked behind me. I could feel his breath on the back of my neck. Every hair on my body stood on end and I felt goose bumps on my arms. I shut my eyes and tried to focus. Tried to think of something I could do to let Lizabell know I needed her. I had no radio, I couldn't scream, I couldn't free myself. I had nothing. I had no way of getting the help I needed. I felt Jason's breath on my cheek. I cringed and squeezed my eyes tighter.

“I've been looking for you for so long,” Jason said dragging out the word 'so' as if he were telling a sad tale. I could feel Jason move. His breath was on my ear, breathing out air that dripped with ice and death. “It will be a pleasure to be remembered as the man who took Jocelyn Collins to her grave,” Jason whispered into my ear.

I pulled my head away from Jason unable to bare the thought of being killed so young. I had my whole life in front of me, and I truly believed it was about to end. Then I remembered what I had to offer if I remained alive. Jason wouldn't kill me, not now at least. He would torture me and then kill me when I told him what he wanted. That is, if he could get the information out of me. I told myself again and again I would die rather than tell anyone the information I had, but I knew I wouldn't be able to hold against torture. Especially not at the hands of Jason.

“Take her to the cars,” Jason instructed his men. Then to me he said. “Happy nightmares Jocelyn. Blaire will be happy to see you again.”

A cloth doused with chloroform pulled over my face. My eyes shot open and I tried to struggle. Remembering what I had been taught I held my breath, but my breath was poisoned with chloroform. Even as I struggled I was growing tired. The men holding me resisted my struggles with ease. From the first moment I knew it was only a matter of time before I would see nothing. I could feel the fearful fire behind my eyes, the fire that was slowly being put out. I gave up struggling as my body became numb. I just stared at Jason with fearful eyes. He smiled at me as I started to drift away. What cruel eyes Jason had. Eyes the pierced right into your soul and filled your body with paralyzing ice. He was like the evil witch from Narnia, except the death he caused was real. I stared at him, knowing that the next time I saw him, it would be on my death bed. A slight movement caught my shortening attention. Through fading vision, I could just make out the dark gun and the long, wavy hair that crept through the darkness like a shadow. Lizabell.

My world turned as black as the darkest night, but there were no stars to keep me company. I was alone in the darkness, alone in my worst nightmares.