Reading this note, I went to leave the room. Suddenly, there was a burst of light. A woman, whom I vaguely remembered, stood near the window of the apartment. “Don’t question, and don’t wonder. At one point in time, you saved my life. I’m returning the favor now. If this time line continues, and you do as you have considered, letting the time pass, and hope that Tracy comes back, here is what will happen.” The room became very bright, and I looked around. “This is a week into the future, when Tracy comes to your house. . .”

The scene faded into a picture of the outside of my house. A car drove up with Tracy exiting it. She went and rang the doorbell for which Karin came to the door. There was no sound, but Tracy shot Karin, then, going into the house, I saw me. Tracy aimed a gun at me. She shot, and I dodged. The scene continued with her chasing me, until I was finally cornered and killed.

“What does all this mean?” I asked.

“In one week, the kidnappers will reprogram Tracy’s mind. They are attempting to kill you by using the person you love most dear.”

“What must I do? Couldn’t you tell me where she is?”

“No, but I can tell you this much, if you look, you will find her. Your very life now says that you do find her, or that you escaped her safely.”

“I’ll find her.” I stated. I awoke on Tracy’s bed, dazed. Another dream? I wondered. Whether it was a dream of not, I was determined to find Tracy if it was the last thing I’d do. The only problem was that I only had one week, and it was a big city. I phoned all the remaining friends of mine, and had them come to the house. In attendance were Noah, Laura, Andy, Marie, Karin, David, and I.

“Okay, gang. Remember that Capture the Flag game we had, and how I said that it would eventually be important?”

“Yeah, so?” Noah responded.

“Well, here’s where all that hard work comes in handy. We need to find Tracy, and in a hurry. Noah, you and I will sneak into the apartment complex and get Nancy to my office. Marie, I want you to get a job down at the B&O. See if you can’t find out what’s going on. Andy, go in and check on the money flow coming in and out of the B&O. Karin, call a psychiatrist and see if you can get him to come to my office. David, hold down the fort.”

“Check.” All of us said. Noah and I went upstairs and planned our attack on Nancy. Andy and Marie headed for the B&O and Karin called a shrink.

Night came, and Noah and I went to the apartment building, Noah was dressed in black. Putting a hook inside a gun, we shot a hook onto the roof. Noah climbed it and peered in the window. I went inside and knocked on Nancy’s door. She came to it, and I was let in. Pretending I was a vacuum cleaner salesman, I shut the door to vacuum the rug underneath it. Noah dashed in the door and I covered Nancy’s mouth with a knock-out drug. We took her outside, via the rope. I put a timer on the light, and exited through the front door. We went to the office where the shrink was waiting. “Aaron, why didn’t you tell me you were a psychiatrist?”

“I thought you knew.”

"Well, I’m afraid that this will happen to us."

"Oh, I get it. You think I know the future, and you want me to tell you if we were meant for each other."

"Well, kind of."

"I told you, I can’t remember. For all I know it could be just some silly dream." I said, putting my arm around her.

"But what if. . ." She started and I put my finger to her lips.

"Don’t worry about the dream. This is real, and if it is in God’s will, nothing in that dream matters." With that we stayed silent for the rest of the time. She fell asleep on my arm, and I carried her, gently, up the stairs to her bedroom, laying her inside on her bed. I covered her up, and she reacted by clenching the blanket tight. I kissed her cheek before leaving.

At 5:30, Tracy came down all made up, and we used the fake name Rebecca again. I drove us to the Smoking Gun, where we went in and sat down. "Is there any chance that we’ll be in the show?" Tracy asked.

"Not likely, ah, here comes Pat now. Hey Pat!"

"What, I’ve got all I can do with Steve."

"Steve?"

"Black, my cousin. They’re moving into the area, and are currently staying in my house. What’s worse, he wants my job!"

"That’s too bad. When does the next show start?"

"Soon, but Steve’s sister, Laura, is here with her boyfriend, and Steve’s paying me to sit this one out so he can get her."

"Good, because we don’t want to act tonight." We ate our dinner and left before the show started. Going back to the house, we invited Noah and his wife over to play cards. We then went to bed.

The next morning, I went to Tracy’s room and knocked on the door, there was no answer. I tried again. I burst into the room to find Jacie on the bed. Her wig had been ripped off and the make-up washed off. I ran over to her. She had received a blow to the head, and I couldn’t seem to rouse her. I started CPR, and told Karin to call the hospital, which sent an ambulance over immediately. The doctor and I put Jacie on a stretcher and raced to the hospital. "How serious is it, Doctor?"

"It looks pretty bad."

"Will she soon regain consciousness?"

"No, I’m afraid it’s going to be a while before she recovers enough to talk." I left the hospital and went over to the apartment complex. Stacey had not yet returned, and Tracy was not there either. I went into her apartment and found a note on the dresser"

We know who you are, we know where you live

We know of your plan. We have Tracy. If you

call the cops, you’ll never see her again. She’ll

be back, just like the others, in a week.

The Management.

That afternoon, I went into the living room to watch some T.V.. Tracy, however, was bored of T.V., and wanted to try my heated indoor pool. She went into the kitchen and said to Karin, “Karin, you said that if I wanted to use the pool downstairs I could.”

“Yes?”

“Well, I’d like to use it this afternoon.”

“Can you wait an hour for me to warm the water?”

“Sure.” Tracy went upstairs and put her swimsuit on underneath her clothes. In an hour, she went downstairs with a towel, and took a swim in the pool. Now that I think about it, I don’t see why she didn’t use the game. She could have created someone to swim with.

The afternoon progressed, and I was getting worried because Tracy was nowhere to be seen, so I approached Karin. “Karin, have you seen Tracy?”

“I won’t tell.”

“Okay. Is she in the house?”

“Yes, and that’s all you’re getting out of me.” So with that, I searched the house. Not finding her in any off the normal locations, it dawned on me that she could be in the basement, using the pool. I went downstairs and sure enough, she was there.

“So, here you are!” I said.

“Yes, come on in, the water’s fine.” Tracy stated.

“I don’t swim.”

“Oh, sorry. I forgot. Why not just come in the shallow end?”

“No thanks, I just wanted to know where you were. I will sit and watch, if you don’t mind.”

“Not at all.” She commented. I went over to the closet and dug out the beach chairs, and brought it over near the deep end. Sitting down, I put on some shades and leaned back. She swam over to the edge and put her arms on the top of the sides. You didn’t get one for me.”

“Sorry, I didn’t know you wanted one.”

“Oh, I guess that one will do.” She tried to pull herself out of the water, but at last resorted to the ladder which was nearby. All wet, she came over and sat on the end of my beach chair. She wiggled her head and got me all wet.

“Tracy? Would you like to go out tonight?” I asked.

“I don’t know, would I have to wear makeup?”

“Yes, but just think, this would be the last time.”

“Oh, all right. Mind if I lay there too?” She said, motioning toward where I was laying.

“Yes. Not because I don’t like you, it’s just that you’re all wet.”

“All wet am I.” She stated. She grabbed her towel and made an attempt to dry herself off. Returning she asked permission, and I gave it to her. “Adam, do you really like me?”

“Why of course, why do you ask?”

“Well, it’s just that. . .”

“Just what?”

“Well, Tricia told me that you and her were almost … well … a couple, and you claimed you liked her.”

“And I did.”