We become actors without realizing it, and actors without wanting to.

Hearing a loud buzz, Kate shook her head a few times before she was finally able to open one of her eyes. At first her vision was blurry, and her mouth felt like she had been eating sand, but she was relieved to know that she was still alive. Closing her eyes again, she went to rub them and discovered she had been restrained. Glancing down at her hands, the after effects of the tranquilizer gave her the illusion that they weren’t really connected to her at all, that they belonged to someone else. Shaking her head again, she closed her eyes, took several deep breaths, and gave herself a moment to reorient. Opening her eyes, she took a quick look at her surroundings.

It seemed that she was sitting in a large high back chair. Her hands and legs were restrained by large leather straps. Looking up, her suspicions were confirmed…she was sitting on what looked like a huge electric chair, used in prisons for executions. Her blood chilled when she realized that the chair was fully active. It had been placed on a raised platform, so that she had a clear view of the rest of the room.

"Heh, so you decided to join us. Somehow I knew you would. All you dykes stick together." Gregory’s face positively glowed with satisfaction as to how things had turned out.

Shifting out of the shadows, he gave Kate a better look at what he was doing to her friend. Kate also noticed another figure slumped in the corner. A large bruise was forming close to the person’s temple. Long dark hair trailed down the shoulders of the injured person, startling Kate with how much they could almost pass for Jessie.

Turning her attention to Laura, she quickly scanned her for injuries. Her brow furrowed when she reached Laura’s ankle. Squinting her eyes, she nearly vomited when she realized what she was seeing. Where there had once been a neat little quarter moon with a shooting star running through it, there was now a half dollar sized area where the skin had been removed. A trickle of blood seemed to be suspended in its journey towards the surface of the table that her friend was strapped to. Suddenly all sensibility left Kate as she began to thrash against her restraints.

"LET GO OF HER YOU BASTARD! Turn her loose now!" Kate screamed at Gregory.

Strolling over to his captive, he bent over slightly to catch her attention. "Or what? You’re gonna hurt me? Girlie, in case you haven’t noticed, you can’t get anywhere near her or me. Give up the heroics Katie McBuddy. You piss me off enough, and it only gets worse. Either I’ll cut bigger pieces off of her, or I’ll kill her outright. Now if you will excuse me. I’m more interested in keeping her alive for a while, so I need to bring her something to eat. She is diabetic you know…HA!"

Kate glared at him, unwilling to back down. Gregory chuckled again, and after removing his gloves, left the chamber to bring Laura some broth. He realized with a bit of chagrin that if he hadn’t smacked Star for gagging earlier, she could be handling the grunt work right then. Climbing the stairs to the kitchen, he decided to check in with Baby Doll while he had some down time.

Jessie stretched, the absence of her lover seeping into her subconscious. Reaching across the bed with her long arm, she bolted awake when she realized that the sheets were cold, and had more than likely not been slept in. Slipping out of bed she quickly put a robe on, and ventured out into the main room to see if she could find Kate. She didn’t find Kate, be she did find a note.

*Jessie, this is potentially bad. Please print the directions, call both the local authorities, and the detective from LA. Wake April and tell her what’s going on…Laura may be in trouble. Love you, Kate.*

Dropping the note, Jessie went to the computer to see what Kate was talking about in terms of directions. The screen was blank. Frantically Jessie pulled out the keyboard and started touching keys. The quick restart activated, and the directions and map that Laura had downloaded from the satellite tracker reappeared. From there Jessie was stumped as to how to print the image.

Heading for April and Laura’s room, Jessie knocked on the door and listened for a response. Hearing nothing, Jessie opened the door and stepped in. April was sprawled face down across the bed, her arms wrapped around what Jessie presumed was Laura’s pillows. Stepping closer to the bed, Jessie placed her hand on April’s bare shoulder. With a shout April literally flew out of bed and grabbed the front of Jessie’s robe, flipping her onto the bed, and straddling her while she pinned her to the mattress. Jessie gasped, and pressing her own Marshal Arts skills into play used her longer arms and legs to her advantage and flipped her naked nemesis back over and pinned her arms above her head.

"April stop! It’s me Jessie!" Jessie shouted at the struggling woman.

"Jessie? What are you doing? Where are Kate and Laura?" April mumbled, oblivious of her state of undress.

Embarrassed Jessie turned her loose and threw a sheet over her. "They’re gone. Judging by the note that Kate left and the map on the computer I would say they’ve gone after the cat. Kate seems to think Laura is in danger. She wants me to call the cops, but I need help with the computer."

Finally realizing that she was undressed and that she had been straddled by one of the world’s most popular actresses, April had the good graces to blush. Grabbing Laura’s robe, April slipped it on and headed for the computer, grabbing the phone on the way.

"Jess, I’m sorry I jumped you. I’m an ex-Marine, and I was trained to jump at an unfamiliar touch. Sorry I’m not dressed either, but we don’t exactly wear clothes when we sleep." April blushed again.

Sitting in front of the computer, she sent the print command and waited while the map and directions made their way onto the paper. Handing the printouts to Jessie the two of them scanned them carefully to see if they recognized the location.

"Why is Laura in danger if she’s just going after the cat?" April asked.

Scanning the map again, Jessie was surprised to see that she recognized the area that the satellite had focused on. When she had been a child her father had taken them to warehouses in that same area to process apples. As far as she could remember the warehouses had long gone without use, but Jessie knew they were still there. A creeping feeling of warmth and déjà vu washed over her. Looking at the computer screen, Jessie could have sworn she saw her dead brother’s face staring back at her. He was smiling, but his expression was one of urgency.

Turning to April she explained. "Gods April. They really are in danger. I think Gregory may be involved, so we need to find them right away."

"Shit! What about the cops Jess? And that detective guy?" April was visibly upset now.

"We’ll call them from the car. Quick, get dressed and let’s go." Jessie nodded her head towards the bedroom.

Voicing her agreement with a grunt, April dashed for her bedroom to change. Not willing to let any possibility get past her, she took a moment to rifle through their dresser drawers and came up with a small caliber dart gun, and several boxes of darts. She and Laura had confiscated the gun from one of the troubled kids who had passed through their life not long before. Although it was only a dart gun, it had the look, feel and deadly accuracy of a real handgun. The darts that it fired were meant for a target made of thick fiber. They were essentially the equivalent of a .22 caliber bullet with feathers and a point. April knew that beyond a shadow of a doubt between her military training, and the fact that someone was threatening her soul mate, she would have no problem using the gun to its optimum efficiency.

Joining Jessie in the driveway, they both realized that it would be necessary to use Jessie’s car to reach their destination. Not exactly the most discreet, but it was the only option. April sent Jessie to bring the car in from the visitors parking, while she gathered a few more supplies. By the time Jessie returned April had a rather large pile of equipment including ropes, a climbing axe, water, flashlights, blanket and a large first aid kit. Inside the first aid kit she had added Laura’s medication and some emergency protein bars. After checking with Jessie to make sure the big red car had emergency flares in the roadside kit, she was satisfied they were ready.

The two women were largely silent as they approached the freeway. Traffic was light, since it was still a couple of hours before dawn. Their combined anger and fear were being fueled by the response that Jessie received from the police and the detectives respectively. They had been told under no certain terms that they were to stay home and wait for word, and to stay far away from the location. The detective handling the case from LA told them that he could mobilize a team combined with the local authorities in approximately three hours.

Slamming the phone shut, Jessie glanced at April. "Screw them! I’m not waiting. Laura and Kate could be dead by the time they get there. We’re not waiting."

April considered Jessie’s harsh response for a moment. "How come a big actress like you has suddenly grown such large huevos? I would have expected total cooperation from you."

Jessie debated what to tell April, and decided under the circumstances the truth was the best plan. Taking a deep breath, Jessie resigned herself to the fact that now was not the best time to keep secrets.

"Not all people fit into neat little boxes April." Jessie began cryptically.

"Duh, Jess. But…" Jessie stopped April with a raised palm.

"I’m sure you’ve heard some of the stories about my childhood, and the problems my family had." Seeing April nod, she continued.

"After my father was killed, and my mother and brother were taken out of our lives, Michael and I were sent to live with relatives. When I reached high school, I became somewhat of a pain. Rebellious, in trouble all of the time, on the road to self destruction." Jessie signaled to change lanes; idly noticing the sun would be coming up by the time they reached their destination.

"I was one of the best con artists around. I used my looks to get what I wanted, and manipulated and controlled people to my each and every whim. Once I started acting, both in school and on the streets it seemed like I had it made. When Justin Graves, and subsequently Gregory came into my life, I was thoroughly primed to become one of the biggest stars, and the biggest bitches on the planet. Chew people up and spit them out. Then Gregory began to show his true colors. While I was a manipulative, conniving bitch, Gregory was downright evil. He decided early on that I was no longer going to control my fate or my actions, he was. Suddenly I saw myself for what I really was, and it made me ill. I threw myself into my work, trained my body to withstand Gregory’s poor treatment, and steeled my mind against collapse. And the rest as they say is history." Jessie took a deep breath, and trained her gaze to the road ahead.

"What about your mother?" April asked quietly.

"When she resurfaced, and I knew I had the ability to afford her care, I had her moved to the hospital near my home up here. It was my way of doing penance for my sins you might say. And it offered me occasional refuge from Gregory’s abuse. If it wasn’t for Katie, I would probably have killed myself by now." Jessie sighed.

"Well Jess, we all have a past, and I promise we won’t ever let our knowledge of yours color how we feel about you now. For my part, I’m glad you’re really tough, because I don’t think I could get through this without your help. I have no idea what we are going to do when we get there, but the two most important objectives are for us not to get killed, and to make sure that neither Laura or Kate get killed either." April sat up straighter, her anger turning into resolve.

"I’m with you April. Let’s go rescue our girls, and the hell with what the authorities have to say. Besides, I don’t think there is anyone else on this planet that knows Gregory’s mind like I do. At least I hope that’s still true." Jessie’s brow furrowed with concern.

Continued in Chapter 37