Kidnapped

By: Amanda

The hotel room was dark when he entered, something not common but no unheard of either. Assuming that his girlfriend of nearly a year had simply gone to bed early he moved quietly to the bedroom so as not to wake her. When he entered the room it was pitch-black and almost immediately he sensed something was wrong. The room was eerily quiet and his heart start to beat quickly. He could not hear the comforting, soft sounds of her steady breathing, which worried him. Flipping on the light he was greeted by a sight that made his stomach flip-flop. The covers had been ripped off the bed, the bedside lamp was on the floor, a chair was turned over, their suitcases were dumped out and their clothes strewn everywhere. The drawers to the dresser had been thrown out, the glass of the mirror cracked.

“Amanda?” he called out moving towards the bathroom.

As he reached for the doorknob he could hear water running. Pushing the door open he saw the bathroom in a similar state as the bedroom. He could hear the tub running behind the shower curtain and he approached it carefully afraid of what he might find. Taking a deep breath he threw open the curtains and found the bathtub almost completely full, floating in the water was a purple satin robe, a gift he had bottom for his girlfriend just yesterday. Next to the tub was an overturned bottom of her favorite bubble bath and a candle, also overturned.

Reaching over to turn off the tub he left everything else as he found it and ran to the room to phone hotel security. As he was picking up the phone a knock at the door cause him to drop the receiver.

“Amanda!” he cried running to the door and throwing it open.

Instead of his girlfriend, a delivery boy with a yellow manila envelope stood at his door.

“Joseph Fatone?” he asked.

“Yah.”

“Sign here.”

Joey signed his name and shoved a five dollar bill at the boy before slamming the door and tearing open the envelope. Inside was a piece of paper and another smaller envelope. Unfolding the note, his eyes scanned the printed words.

Dear Mr. Fatone,

By now you have no doubt noticed your precious girlfriend missing. I must say she is quiet a pretty young thing and she did put up quiet a fight for someone of her stature. However, 3 grown men against 1 young woman is quite an unfair fight. For now she is alive but I cannot guarantee her safety passed noon tomorrow. Why do you ask? Simple Mr. Fatone , MONEY. I want 5 million dollars or your little princess is gone. If you don’t believe I have her check the other envelope. I am very serious about the danger she is in, you will be contacted with instructions soon.

Dropping the note he ripped the smaller envelope open and found two Polaroid pictures. The first was of two large men struggling to keep Amanda still in the bathroom. She was dressed in purple nightgown, matching the robe and she looked terrified.

“Manda,” he whispered touching the picture..

The next picture almost made him lose all composure.

There was his girlfriend, still in her satin nightgown, bound and gagged to a chair. Her eyes where closed and her head slumped forward. He could see a purplish bruise under her right eye and another red mark above her eyebrow.

Grabbing the letter and the two pictures he ran from the room, beating on the door next-door.

“WHAT?” came the angry reply as the door was thrown open.

“Justin…..they took her,” Joey cried, the tears slipping down his cheeks.

“Joey, what are you talking about?” Justin asked.

Joey thrust the pictures and the letter at his friend.

“Holy shit! Joey did you call the police?”

“These were just delivered,” Joey sobbed, shaking his head.

Justin ushered Joey into the room and ran to the phone.

“Justin what’s going on?” his girlfriend Lara asked as he ran past.

He handed her the letter and pictures, “get the other guys.”

She scanned what she had been given and went completely pale. Bolting from her seat she ran from the room and within a minute came back followed by JC, his girlfriend Ari, Lance, and Chris.

Ari and Lara immediately moved to Joey’s side to comfort him as Justin joined the group.

“Hotel security is on the way, so is management.”

Lance looked up from the pictures and look almost green.

“We gotta pay them.”

“We don’t have five million dollars just laying around Lance, it’s tied up in investments and stocks and things like that,” JC pointed out gently.

Amanda was Lance’s best friend since childhood, he had brought her on the tour last year. That was how she met Joey. At first he had been jealous because that meant less time for him, but slowly he came to except it and support them. A few months into the relationship the couple had started to have problems and Amanda had come to Lance. He had acted as a mediator between the two and ever since they had been inseparable.

“We have to get her back,” Joey sobbed.

Everyone exchanged knowing glances. Joey never cried, the last time he had done it was when he thought he and Amanda were going to break-up.

“We’ll get her back Joe,” Lara told him softly.

……

“alright Mr. Fatone, one last time for me, where were you tonight?” the detective asked.

Joey resisted the urge to bang his head on the table, “I went to visit relatives. Manda was going to come with me but she had a headache, so I kissed her good-bye and left.”

“Did you talk to her between the time you left and the time you came back?”

“I already told you this, she called me on my cell phone about 10 minutes after I left.”

“What did she say?”

“She told me she loved me and to be careful.”

“Were there noises in the background?”

“I don’t remember, the TV I think.”

“Alright, thank you Mr. Fatone.”

Joey was about to ask something when the phone rang. The detective grabbed Joey’s arm before he ran to the phone.

“Remember if it’s him, listen for background noises, anything that could tell us where she is.”

Joey nodded and grabbed the phone. Next to him another detective flipped on the call recording device.

“Hello?” Joey said nervously.

“Joey?” a soft feminine voice asked.

“Oh my god Manda are you okay?”

“Yah, for now,” she said softly.

“what do you mean for now baby?” he asked his voice shaking.

“If you don’t take 5 million dollars, unmarked, and in non-sequential order to the docks where you catch the ferry to the Statue of Liberty by midnight tomorrow, they’ll kill me.”

“Oh god Manda,” he sobbed, “don’t say that.”

“I have to,” she whispered, “If they see any cops they’ll kill me.”

“Manda,” he whimpered.

“I love you,” she whispered.

“I love…..” he was cut off by the click of the phone.

“AMANDA!!!!!!!!” he screamed, “come back, please, MANDA.”

“It’s done, the bank will deliver the money to the front desk in an hour, Johnny had to pull a lot of strings, but I threatened that we’d all walk if he didn’t get it for us,” JC announced hanging up the phone.

“Thanks man,” Joey told his friend quietly.

“Don’t thank me Joe, it was never a question, she’s part of this family too.

“Alright Mr. Fatone, now do you remember the code phrase?” the detective asked Joey as he attached the small wire to Joey’s chest.

“It’s time to go now,” Joey repeated absently.

“Mr. Fatone! Please pay attention, this is serious business, we will not move in until you say that phrase.”

“Yes Detective I understand!” Joey snapped, “do you think I don’t know how serious this fucking is? The life of the woman I love hangs in the balance, don’t you think I know how god damn serious this is!”

Lara laid a hand on Joey’s arm gently, “Joe, she’ll be okay.”

Joey sighed, “sorry.”

The detective nodded, “alright, lets go.”

Joey stood up and walked towards the door as the other four guys followed.

“Excuse me Gentlemen, but only Mr. Fatone is going, there is no reason to endanger more people.”

Chris, JC, and Justin nodded and sat back down, but Lance refused to budge, “Please detective, I need to go, she’s my best friend, like my little sister.”

“Lance, man I promise I’ll bring her back,” Joey said quietly, hugging his friend.

“Bring her back alive,” Lance pleaded.

“I will Lance, I will.”

Ari and Lara immediately burst into tears as they clung to JC and Justin. Joey looked at the group with tears in his eyes, then nodding his head he followed the detective out of the suite.

The suite was silent, except for the sobs of Ari and Lara, for a long time, before Lance broke the silence.

“I can’t just sit here! I’ve got to go after them,” he cried jumping up.

Chris moved to grab him, “Lance, you’ve got to stay here, what if the kidnappers mistake you for a cop and hurt her?”

Lance burst into body wracking sobs in his friends arms, “if anything happens to her it will be my fault.”

“Why do you say that?” Lara asked climbing out of Justin’s lap and kneeling next to Lance.

“If…if….if I had never brought her on this tour she never would have been in this situation,” he sobbed.

“Oh Lance, that’s not true, it’s not your fault, look at all the good things that happened because you brought her. She met Joey and they are happier than they have ever been in their entire lives.”

“Lance, this isn’t your fault,” Ari reassured, kneeling next to Lara.

“I need to call her family,” he said quietly, standing up shakily and walking towards the phone.

The others watched silently as he picked up the phone and dialed.

********

“Alright Mr. Fatone, this is as far as we go, we don’t want them to see us coming, remember don’t try anything stupid, no hero stuff, if you need us, use the phrase. Got it?”

“I got it,” Joey answered.

“Good luck Mr. Fatone, remember we are right here if you need us.”

Joey climbed out of the undercover van and pulled his leather jacket tightly against his body. He glanced around the darkened alley way briefly before starting off towards the dock.

He had gone about three blocks when the docks came into view. He could make out some shadowy figures on the pier and quickened his pace.

As he got closer the figures became more clear and he picked out 3 men, on of which had his girlfriend slung over his shoulder, his large hand resting on her backside.

“Hello Mr. Fatone,” one of the greeted, “I trust you brought us the money.”

“I’ve got it,” Joey answered holding a brief case up.

“Hand it over,” the man told him.

“Give me my girlfriend first.”

“I’m afraid not, the money first.”

“How do I know you’ll give her to me once you have the money,” Joey asked trying to keep the fear out of his voice.

“Well now we have a dilemma, you don’t trust me, and I don’t trust you.”

“Look I just want my girlfriend, I’ll set the briefcase down, and then you give her to me and we’ll walk away.”

The one holding Amanda laughed, “she wont be walking.”

The one next to him elbowed him in the gut, hard.

“What do you mean?” Joey asked stepping closer.

“Stay where you are,” the one in charge ordered.

“Give me my god damn girlfriend and I’ll leave!” Joey shouted.

“Now, Now Mr. Fatone I doubt shouting will get us anywhere,” the leader sneered.

“Look here is the briefcase,” Joey said kicking it across the ground towards them, “please give me my girlfriend.”

One of the men grabbed the briefcase and opened it up, nodding to his boss, “it’s all here.”

The leader nodded and snapped his fingers, immediately the one holding Amanda tossed her at Joey.

He was barely able to catch her limp body as they both toppled to the ground amid the laughter of the kidnappers. Carefully, so as not to hurt Amanda, Joey stood with her cradled in his arms.

“Come on baby, it’s time to go,” he whispered walking away.

He heard the squeal of tires as the police came towards them but he didn’t stop. He kept walking ignoring the sounds of shouting and cursing between the police and the kidnappers. He didn’t stop walking until he arrived back at the hotel 2 hours later, clutching Amanda protectively to his chest.

Even as doctors, police and his bandmates swarmed around him, he held her close, refusing to let go. It took Lance and Justin to finally get him to let go so that the doctors could examine Amanda. He simply sat there quietly, watching her, not talking to anyone, not aware of anyone else except his Princess. His princess was back with him and he was never going to let her go again.

3 Months Later

Entertainment Weekly - Article

The Entertainment Community was abuzz this week as yet another boyband member announced his plans to marry. This time the young man announcing that he to would tie the knot, joining fellow boyband alumni Brian Litrell and Kevin Richardson of the Backstreet Boys and Drew Lachey of 98*, was NSYNC’s own Joey Fatone. Fatone announced on Monday that he would be marrying girlfriend Amanda Brooks sometime next year. Congratulations Mr. Fatone and Ms. Brooks!

*******

“Excuse me, Excuse me, I’d like to make a toast,” Lance announced standing up.

The crowd inside the banquet hall quieted and turned their attention towards him.

“Well it’s been a long road coming, but you guys made it. I’m so happy for the two of you, 3 months ago we didn’t know what was going to happen, but look at you guys now. The two of you sitting there, so in love, engaged to be married, if I didn’t know Chris would make fun of me I’d cry right now. Congratulations you guys, I know you’ll be very happy together.”

“Thank you Lance, that is so sweet,” Amanda whispered as she hugged him.

Joey stood and hugged Lance as well, “thanks man that means a lot to us.”

Joey turned to the crowd, “Well in light of that speech, I was going to wait ‘til later to do this but now is a perfect time. Lance, man you are like a brother to me, and I would be honored if you would be my best man and stand up next to me when I get married.”

Lance was speechless, his mouth moved buy no sound came out. Amanda and Joey both laughed softly.

“Lancers, yes or no?” Amanda asked playfully.

“Ummm, yes of course, yes I’d be honored Joe.”

The crowd cheered and clapped as everyone went back to the party.

Joey took Amanda’s hand in his own and led her off to a quiet corner of the room.

“I love you,” he whispered gently caressing her cheek.

“I love you too Joey,” she replied with smile.

“Can you believe all this,” he asked waving his hand at the room.

“The members of NSYNC know how to throw an engagement party I guess,” she laughed.

Their conversation was interrupted by loud male voices as they were attached by Chris, Lance, Justin and Lara and JC and Ari.

“GROUP HUG!!” Chris screamed as they surrounded the couple.

The room filled with peals of laughter and shouts of joy as the group of friends squeezed, tickled, and hugged each other until they were out of breath.

“I love you guys,” Chris fake cried.

“Shut up you goober,” Amanda laughed punching his arm.

“Hey Joe, keep Oscar De LaHoya away from me,” Chris joked.

“Hey,” Amanda shouted playfully.

“Come here you,” Joey growled pulling her towards him in a loving kiss.

“Awwww,” the others chorused.

“You guys are so cute,” Chris cooed.

Everyone laughed as the couple retreated to their own little world of love and happiness. A place where no one could ever hurt them again.

The End

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