Present Time

"Can I get another glass of water? Oh, and make sure there's lemon in it this time."

The pretentious undertone in her voice was one I'd fast become used to over the last year, working as a waitress at Crimson Oaks. The restaurant was one that drew in the richer residents in town, with a menu priced high and portions so incredibly small that they were considered worthy of five stars.

"Sure," I said politely, ignoring the snickers of the rest of the guests at the table as I grabbed the empty glasses, "I'll get that for you right away."

Making my way through the rows of tables and towards the kitchen, the soft murmur of the dining room was immediately drowned out as I pushed into the back room. The staff was hard at work – perfectly searing the meat, putting together the meals, and cleaning up as they went along. It was a well-orchestrated system back here, and with the chaos out front, I often found myself envying the people who didn't have to deal directly with the customers.

"Please tell me again why you decided not to book off the night of your birthday?" Lucia asked, sidling up to me with an exasperated look on her face as I leaned against the counter, grabbing a cold pitcher of water. She'd worked as a waitress for three years before being promoted to a kitchen manager, and once I'd started, she'd taken me under her wing – showing me the ropes and giving me a source of sanity during my daily shifts.

"It's not that big of a deal," I shrugged. "I didn't have any other plans, plus, I could use the extra tips from tonight if I want to start enrolling in classes come the fall. Every bit helps."

"At least tell me you're going home to relax once you're done," she pressed, her curiosity fading as a softer expression filled her eyes.

Lucia was all too familiar with my situation. Three years ago, on the day I'd turned eighteen, I'd been left to fend for myself when my time in the foster system had expired. I'd been prepared of course, already having found a cheap apartment on the edge of town and having been saving since I'd been allowed to legally hold down a job. From there on out I'd been on my own. I didn't have any family I knew of, and once I'd graduated high school, with no funds to start at university, I'd taken up a full-time job at a retail market. It was only last winter that I'd applied as a waitress here at Crimson Oaks, quickly earning my serving certifications after I'd been offered the position.

I nodded. "There's a movie and a glass of wine waiting for me at home," I mused, leaning across the counter to grab two slices of lemon before dropping them into the water and placing it on a fresh tray. "But I've still got about an hour left of my shift before I can start thinking about that."

"It'll be over before you know it, and then you'll be able to enjoy what's left of your 21st." Pulling a small envelope out from behind the coffee maker, she slid it towards me with a smile on her face. "And in case you thought I forgot... happy birthday Aspen."

The smile on my face softened marginally as I saw my name scrawled across the front. "Thank you," I said appreciatively, tucking it into the front of my apron so I wouldn't leave it behind, "but I really should be getting back out there."

Once she'd wished me a good night, I balanced the drink tray on my hand and headed back out to finish my shift. Now that Lucia had made me think of the relaxing night I had ahead, it was all that was on my mind as I jotted down orders, delivered food, and settled the bills for my designated section. The minutes seemed to fly by, and as the time on my watch began ticking closer to eight, I started giving away my tables to the other staff when new customers arrived.

It was five after eight when I returned to my last table, pocketing the tip they'd left me as I wiped off the surface and grabbed the last of the dirty dishes. When I reached the break room minutes later, I retrieved my bag from the cupboard I'd stored it in, yanking open the zipper to stuff my apron inside before I grabbed my jacket and headed for the back door.

Despite the early hour in the evening, the sun had long since set and the night sky did little to illuminate the sidewalk as I headed for the train station two blocks up. As I pulled my headphones out of my pocket and turned the volume of my music up loud, I drowned out the noise from the streets as the wind nipped at my cheeks. By the time I reached the station, my nose and the tips of my ears were coloured pink, and when the train pulled up, I managed to snag an open seat next to the window.

As the train began to gain speed – the buildings whizzing by – I tucked my underneath my seat and pulled out the envelope Lucia had given me. Opening it up, the edges of my lips tugged upwards at the sight of the card that had an overflow of balloons on the front.

Happy Birthday Aspen!

Make this year the best one yet, because you deserve it more than anyone ~Lucia

It was rare that I got any form of gift, and even though it was just a kind sentiment, I couldn't help but run my hand over the neatly scrawled words. Flipping it closed a moment later, I tucked it back safely inside the envelope and into my bag.

As the train neared the center of town, more passengers boarded and the narrow walkways were soon filled with people unable to find a seat. This didn't last long however, because once we began venturing further towards the edges of the city – where the run-down streets and the poorer neighbourhoods were located, the crowd started to thin out with each drop-off point we passed.

When we reached the very last stop on the track – my stop – there were only a few people left to get off, including me, an elderly couple, and a man that had been seated a few rows behind me. I watched as the elderly couple headed towards the bus connection the small station had, but as I made a turn to head for the stairs and out towards the streets, I could feel a pair of eyes on me.

A knot of dread twisted in my chest as if on instinct.

There were few things that sent me into paranoia, having toughened my skin through my less than fortunate teen years, but I had also developed a sixth sense to recognize danger. It was dark, the streets weren't all that populated, and knowing that I didn't live in the best area – my apartment still three blocks down the road, I threw a precautionary glance over my shoulder as I turned the corner.

It took only three steps before I saw the man from the train follow my path and my heart spiked with fear. It didn't matter how skilled I was at self-defence, because I wasn't disillusioned enough to think I would be able to take down someone who looked to be twice my age and built like a brick wall.

I quickened my pace, hoping that I had a chance at outrunning him, but when I looked over my shoulder again, all I saw was him speeding up as well.

He was tailing me – which meant that going directly home was not an option.

Cutting across the parking lot of a local mini mart, I sprinted down the next side street, thinking that my change in direction would throw him off course. Not risking a glance back, I pulled my dangling headphones off and tucked them into my pocket as I turned another corner and continued the long way home.

I thought I was safe. I thought I was in the clear.

Circling back around to my block however, it was evidently clear that I wasn't.

The man who'd been following me was standing just a few feet in front of me, and the sound of my boots trampling over the snow-covered road was loud enough for him to hear. I froze, my body flooding with fear as his head snapped upwards, his green eyes piercing and his grin slowly growing to put me on edge.

"There you are," he chuckled, taking a few slow steps towards me, "I thought you'd run off."

I quickly made a move to retreat, but my heart sank when I turned on my heel to see that he was no longer alone. There were three more of them now, all similar in size, but two of them looked closer to my age than the others.

I was surrounded with nowhere to go.

"What do you want?" I yelled, the words paining my throat as they fought to be heard over the howling winds.

My confidence faltered however when I was met with nothing but menacing laughs that tore me down, and feeling completely helpless, I couldn't decide whether to scream or attempt to run.

"What do we want?" one of the younger men said, stepping forward to tower over me. He immediately noticed the way that, while the air was cold, it wasn't the reason why I was shaking so persistently in my boots. "Well, Aspen, I believe the answer to that question would be you."

Hearing my name roll off his tongue caused my eyes to widen and sent a chill straight down my spine. Any notions about getting away momentarily ceased as a myriad of thoughts filled my head. How did they know who I was? Who were they? And most importantly – why were they looking for me specifically?

None of these questions made it passed my lips however, as the man who stood in front of me reached forward to grab my arm. I immediately shrugged him off, stumbling a few steps backwards. An amused expression overtook his face – his eyes scanning over my features as though the idea of me fighting back was unfathomable.

"Give it up, there's nowhere for you to run."

While I knew my chances against the men closing in on me were slim, my mind wasn't wired to just stand there and let them win. That's why, as the man's hand circled my wrist once more, I quickly brought my other arm up, clenching my fingers tightly together before my hand connected with his nose. A yelp of pain left his lips, causing the others to close in on me fast, realizing that things were not going as smoothly as they'd hoped. I felt the man's grip grow slack around my wrist, and my mind – now buzzing with adrenaline, was working in overdrive as everything that followed happened so fast.

Spinning out of the man's hold, I threw another punch to his face, this time my knuckles grazing the skin of his jaw and causing his head to swing backwards. Turning around as I heard another man approaching me, I lunged quickly to the left to avoid his attack. His eyes were lit with anger and rage as they met mine, though the moment he took a step towards me, I spun around, lifting my foot to be level with his abdomen to strike a strong blow.

The two remaining men circling me seemed somewhat impressed that I knew how to hold my own in a fight, though as they eyed each other silently, I could practically hear the words that were left unsaid.

'Get her.'

I gulped, trying to ignore my racing heart as I began to step backwards slowly. My actions caused a sickening grin to curl onto one of the men's lips, while the other seemed entirely focused on the task at hand.

It was the overconfident one that threw a fist first, though with a swift dodge and a knee to his stomach, I managed to avoid his hit. The force behind my attack was low, and with quick determination, he swung again, managing to skim the side of my hip before I could get away. Swaying slightly off balance, I found myself in a position that was perfect for the other man to wrap his arms around my neck, and as I struggled to break free, his hold only tightened.

"Stop moving," he said gruffly, and as the will to fight began to dwindle, I felt his warm breath against my ear as he chuckled. I took in a deep breath, getting prepared to scream, but before a sound could leave my mouth, one of his hands covered my airway. "Don't even think about it."

Closing my eyes, I felt powerless. I could feel the hot sting of tears building behind my eyelids as I concluded that this was it – that tonight would end with torture or death, neither of which were how I envisioned my 21st birthday rounding down to.

Without opening my eyes, I could hear the other men begin to pick themselves up and shake themselves off. Know that it was once again four against one, I knew there was no hope.

"The boss will be here in five," one of them said, having clearly notified whoever they were working for that they'd completed their part of the job.

Just as a low chatter began amongst the four of them about what would happen next, they all went silent.

"I don't think she'll still be here when your boss shows up."

The new voice startled me, and when I opened my eyes, I saw two men not that much older than myself standing a few feet away. They were dressed in all black, and while they didn't have the same rough exterior as the men that had previously surrounded me, the gun holster around their waists caused an ounce of dread to pool in my stomach.

As the hold on my neck tightened, the hand that had been previously covering my mouth fell as the man behind me chuckled. "You're cutting it a little close with the rescue here boys. If I didn't know any better, it seems like you wanted us to have the unfair advantage."

Although I knew I had the freedom to scream for help, any call for help became lodged in my throat as the word rescue stood out to me. What was happening, and why did I just so happen to be stuck in the middle of it?

Even from a distance, I noticed the way that one of the men's eyes narrowed and shoulders tensed as a response. "We'll see about that."

As one second ticked to the next, the two suddenly burst into action, running towards us with intensity burning through their veins. Their attacks were calculated and skilled – their punches powerful and their blows forceful, and when only the man that stood behind me was left standing, I was stuck staring at them, my eyes wide with disbelief.

When their attention turned towards me, I held my breath, bracing myself for what was to come. Shock spread through me seconds later, because instead of targeting me, a punch was directed next to my face, successfully hitting the man behind me square in the jaw. As he stumbled backwards, I was thrown to the side, though I managed to keep my balance as I watched the two men attack the older man with repetitive blows to the face and gut.

My heart was beating erratically as I watched the scene unfold in front of me, but when I snapped out of my state of shock, I quickly realized that I was no longer the main point of attention. Taking it slow at first, I backed away one foot at a time, but once I reached a fair distance away from them, I spun on my heel and made a run for it.

My breathing was heavy and the sound of my feet hitting the snowy pavement was what I focused on – one foot after the other as I didn't dare look back.

By the time I reached my apartment, it took me three times to correctly tap in the security code for the front door as my fingers shook with leftover adrenaline before I heard a welcoming buzz and made it safely into the building. Taking the elevator up to the third floor, I quickly clambered inside my apartment, slamming and locking the door behind me.

Releasing a long-winded sigh, I leant back against the wooden door, my knees collapsing beneath me as I sunk to the floor, trying to make sense of everything that had just happened. The mental images of the men were ones that would be hard to wash from my memory, and knowing that they knew who I was terrified me. I was certain I'd never seen any of them before, and I wasn't someone who frequented social media. I kept to myself, and for good reason.

Despite the fact that my brain was still whirling minutes later, I slowly rose to me feet. A wave of uneasiness washed over me, and hoping some part of it could be rectified by curbing my hunger, I made my way to the kitchen to scour over the few options I had on hand. When I opened the fridge however, the bottle of wine I'd bought for tonight was what caught my eye. I reached for it on instinct, knocking the fridge door closed with my hip as I grabbed a glass and poured myself a generous amount.

The first taste alone was enough to begin to calm the madness inside my head, and as I sank down into the sofa, sipping generously from the glass, I tried to push away what had happened to the dark corners of my mind and just relax.

It was a lost cause however, because even as I begun to feel a faint buzz flowing through my veins from the alcohol, my heart was still beating with fear. I could feel the dull pain in my hip from where I'd been hit, and it was almost as if the stranger's arms were still secured around my neck – holding tight and suffocating me. It was overwhelming, and I hadn't noticed that I had completely zoned out until a sharp, heavy knock on my door broke me from my trance.

I sat silently as the knocking continued, the realization of who was on the other side of that door freezing my movements. Those men tonight had known my name, what I looked like, and where my train let off – so who was to say they didn't know where I lived as well?

"I know you're in there Aspen."

The voice was recognizable, and while I knew it belonged to the person who had ended up saving me, I wasn't taking any chances. He still knew who I was, and if that wasn't a red flag, I didn't know what was.

Moving shakily from the couch, I reached for my phone, bringing up the dial pad as my finger hovered over the number 9. "I'm calling the police if you don't leave in the next five seconds."

There was silence for a few moments, and for a brief second I thought that he'd listened, but when a loud crack reverberated through my apartment, a scream escaped my lips as I saw him break through the door.

"I can't let you do that." He was alone now, his partner nowhere to be seen, and while he didn't seem to want to hurt me in anyway, he'd still broken into my apartment. "You need to come with me. It's not safe for you here now that those guys know where you live."

Although I'd seen what he was capable of and wasn't blind to the gun that rested snug against his hip, I couldn't help the snort that escaped me. "You're crazy if you think I'm going anywhere with you."

My fingers began to dial 9-1-1, but just before I could hit the last number, my phone was lifted from my grasp and the man had locked me against his chest in a loose hold. The initial contact caused me to stumble, but when I saw him pull a needle out of his pocket, my eyes widened in alarm.

"What are you doing?"

"Sorry," he said, though I didn't see an ounce of remorse in his eyes as he plunged the needle into the side of my neck, "but it's for your own good."

The words rang clear in my ears, replaying over and over as I felt my eyes falling shut and my limbs going numb. Before I knew it, all I could hear was a dull ringing in my ears as my surroundings faded to black and I lost consciousness.

a/n: I'm sorry that this is upload is so delayed! I meant to be finished with it as soon as my block party post went live, but school ended up getting in the way, but I had a lot of free time today and finally got around to finishing it. I'm really excited to write this story, as it's such a jump from what I'm used to, but I think you'll all like what I have planned. Thanks for being so patient with me, and don't hesitate to let me know what you think so far!