Lila Spencer - Diva in Distress CHAPTER ONE "This is going to be the best birthday ever! ... " Tina Palermo cried out ecstatically as the newly turned nineteen-year-old sat in the rear seat in her mother's minivan""who was driving by the way. "I still can't believe how your sister managed to get two exclusive VIP tickets to see Alisa along with access to the after-concert party!" Lila Spencer still said in amazement regarding one of the newest teen pop star sensations to come out since Rosy Carter. In fact it was Rosy's record label that signed on to help the young pop star's debut album, which after two months on the charts it had already achieved gold status. Alisa was one of those artists who liked to just use their first name, as her last name was not only difficult to pronounce, but not at all catchy with the image a pop star is measured to. After her near fatal drowning at the hands of those vile gamblers, Rachel Palermo fought tooth and nail to acquire those tickets as a sincere thank you to her younger sister for saving her life. And being that the tickets came as a set only, Tina invited Lila to come along since they shared the same taste in music, and was big fans of Alisa's songs. "Now girls ... " the voice of Angie Palermo spoke firmly from up front, " ... remember what we talked about earlier, we stick together during the performance ... no running off somewhere to meet with boys." "Got it, mom ... " Tina replied a bit mockingly, but genuinely, for her mom would turn the car right around, birthday gift or not, if her rules were not adhered to""an action she had carried out numerous times in the past as being the mother to five children. "Look, there it is! ... " Lila said as the Convention Center in downtown St. Petersburg came into view from the highway""the setting of the concert. The show was a one-day venue, so tickets sold out within hours after going on sale""not to mention for the other stops in the state as well. Suddenly, Alisa's latest hit single, "Partytime," began playing on the radio. Mrs. Palermo turned the volume up a little and both girls sang to it with all the enthusiasm of being crazy teenagers. Angie smiled at their silly behavior for she remembered a time when she was their age and acted the same exact way ... CHAPTER TWO After the show concluded, which received such a wild response from the multitude of frantic teenaged fans, Lila and Tina were then escorted by security to the backstage. Before leaving though, Angie had told them that she would be picking them up at site of the party when it was over. Both girls had goosebumps all over at the thrill of meeting an actual celebrity, and one they admired greatly. Reaching the backstage area, Alisa approached them with a glowing smile on her round face. She was an amazingly stunning nineteen-year-old girl (hitting twenty in three months), with long dirty-blonde hair and green eyes, fair complexion, and a curvaceous figure to boot. She wore a white-cropped blouse with long flaring sleeves, tight charcoal gray miniskirt, tan pantyhose, and shiny black pumps with high red stiletto heels, which made her much taller than her petite five-foot-one frame. "I'm Alisa ... it's very nice to meet you both," the pop star said cheerfully while shaking their trembling hands. Tina couldn't find the words to say as she was in complete shock at meeting one of her favorite singers. "Believe me, the pleasure is all ours ... " Lila spoke up happily. "I'm Lila Spencer, and my speechless companion here is Tina Palermo ... right? ... " she nudged at her spellbound friend who continued to stare with her mouth hanging open. "Uh ... right ... hi ... " she finally said shakily. "Relax ... I'm just a girl like you. C'mon, the limo's waiting ... " Alisa announced and began walking off. "Limo?! ... " Tina said excitedly, which broke her trance, " ... there was no mention of a limo!" "That's what VIP passes permit," Alisa said casually, and outside in the parking lot at the rear of the building, a long stretch black limousine was waiting. Stepping inside the spacious interior, Lila enjoyed the feeling of the soft leather seat. "Ohhh ... I could get used to this." After the door closed, the engine quietly started and the vehicle began to move slowly. Lila and Tina sat together at the backend, while Alisa sat across from them. "Wow, this car is totally awesome!" Tina marveled at all the amenities the limo had to offer as there was 19" flat screen TV, small drink bar filled with an assortment of soft drinks, a fancy 10-CD player stereo, and a moon roof above. "Alisa, if I may ask, and I'm not trying to be rude here ... " Lila spoke up carefully, " ... but aren't you concerned about the image you're projecting to your young fan base with the rather provocative clothes you wear?" Alisa smiled graciously at her observation. "Your question wasn't rude at all, and you're absolutely right about the choice of clothes ... but my manager says it's good for business in order to get some of the older fans on board." "Don't be such a party-pooper, Lila ... I think you look fantastic!" Tina said all flattering to the pop star. "You know, if it wasn't for the fact that my mom had to join us for the concert, I would've worn heels and a miniskirt myself today," she grumbled in response to Alisa's enticing attire, which compared to the rather plain outfit she had on made her look more like one of her brothers. "Well, if it'll make you feel any better, you can try on my shoes if you want to, my feet could really use a rest anyway," Alisa kindly offered as she slipped her pumps off and handed them to her. "Really, wow! ... thanks, Alisa!" Tina beamed happily for she really admired her shoes ever since seeing them on stage. After taking off the brown ankle boots she wore, she placed the alluring footwear on her black socked feet, which happened to fit perfectly. "Here, let me open up the moon roof so you can stand better in them," Alisa said and pressed a button, which opened the large partition overhead. Rising up from her seat, Tina's ankles wobbled on the over five-inches of pointy heels. "Boy, I can't believe how you can actually walk in these let alone stand in them during the entire show ... even Rachel would have some difficulty in these heels." Looking out from the top of the limo, Tina was in awe at the view around her as the limo sped along the highway""she could really get used to living the life of a celebrity. Lila joined her up top and both girls screamed out loud excitedly for they were having the time of their life! CHAPTER THREE The little "after-party" was actually more like a press release as there were reporters, music producers, and even some music artists that Lila and Tina didn't even recognize. The setting was at the Hilton hotel in one of the spacious rooms used for events such as this one. The hotel staff was handling all of the catering needs as a delicious spread was laid out consisting of an assortment of both hot and cold finger foods. "I wished we were back in the limo ... " Tina whispered to Lila as she sipped on her diet soda, " ... at least there we were able to talk with her." Ever since arriving at the hotel, Alisa was constantly bombarded with people wanting to ask questions, talk business, and even sharing a little gossip. For someone so young and new in the business, Alisa handled herself quite well as she behaved like someone twice her age. "I'm so sorry for the distractions ... " Alisa said as she returned to her two young guests, " ... seems everyone wants my attention." "That's okay ... " Lila said understandably, " ... you're this big celebrity." "No, it's not ... " Alisa interjected firmly, " ... you won tickets to spend an afternoon with me, and we're going to do that." "What did you have in mind? ... " Tina asked softly with a gleam in her brown eyes. "Not here with my manager in earshot distance ... Let me change out of this revealing outfit first into something less conspicuous, and more comfortable, and then we'll talk ... " Alisa then left very discreetly so she could change without having any of those nosy bodyguards following her every move""the one she thing she despised about being famous was no privacy. "Excuse me ... " someone spoke to Lila and Tina, who they recognized as her manager, Martin Schuler, " ... but has either one of you seen where Alisa went off to?" "She had to use the restroom," Lila responded quickly, keeping a straight face at the often-nosy man. Satisfied with her answer, he walked off meeting with some other people who just entered. * * * A makeshift dressing room was reserved for her down the hall in one of the vacant offices. Alisa was very eager to leave this boring excuse of a party as this was nothing more than a function for her manager to generate more contacts and business for her career. Having Lila and Tina around made her want to just act like a normal teenager and have some fun for a change. And Lila was correct that she did look more like someone who was going on twenty-seven rather than nineteen by the way she was dressed. Entering the modest-sized room, Alisa turned on the lights. All of a sudden, she felt being grabbed from behind! Her adorable green eyes went wide with shock as a gloved hand firmly covered her mouth ... ! CHAPTER FOUR Alisa tried her utmost best at screaming for help, but the thick white napkin that cleave-gagged her mouth hindered any loud sounds from escaping. She also was very uncomfortable as she was wedged tightly inside one of those room service carts with her hands tied behind her back and ankles together with rope. And to ensure that she doesn't propel herself out of the open end of the cart, more rope was wrapped around it, securing her inside. The white tablecloth on top of the cart was placed back down, hiding the frightened captive girl inside. After that, the two men that grabbed her removed the black ski masks they wore over their faces, which revealed them to be nothing more than two teenaged boysl! They both had on white food service uniforms, which were stolen, to better blend in with the hotel staff. "Now, remember ... " the older one of the two spoke softly with a nervous hint in his voice, " ... we just walk outta here nice 'n easy an' don't look at anyone, got it?" The younger one nodded apprehensively for he looked scared doing this risky act. The door opened, and the two wheeled the cart slowly out of the office ... Realizing the awful truth that she wasn't going to get free from the ropes holding her prisoner, Alisa had to think of something to alert someone that she was inside here ... and an idea presented itself to her! She wiggled her bound feet and slipped off her pump that was closest to edge of the cart, then pushed it through the table cloth and onto the floor outside. She prayed someone would notice that before she would be taken away from the hotel ... * * * Lila waited anxiously near the exit door of the convention room, waiting for Alisa to return. She really liked how considerate and down-to-earth Alisa was compared to those stuck-up divas she reads about. The urge to run off somewhere with a bonafide celebrity was just so tempting, that Lila didn't stop to think first at the consequences of doing such an irresponsible act for she and Tina would surely get caught in the end""her parents would definitely ground her until she was like thirty. Of course, Tina doesn't seem to worry much about consequences for she tends to act impulsively when something appealing presents itself to her. Speaking of her impetuous friend, Lila noticed her conversing with some man, and from what she could hear was that he wanted to know if she would be interested in a possible singing career. Lila smirked at his request for that man was basing his proposal solely on her looks. If he actually heard her sing, he would change his mind in a second, as Tina was not the best vocalist around, even though she would say otherwise. She opened the door and peeked her head out into the hallway to see if Alisa was coming back, but all she saw was two men from the hotel staff pushing a food cart away from her. She was about to close the door when she spotted something on the carpeted floor up ahead behind them. Approaching it, she noticed right away that it was one of Alisa's high-heeled shoes. After retrieving it she appeared perplexed as to why it was just lying there. Looking down the hall again, she spotted those two men disappear around a corner, and a dreadful look then came over her freckled face. Taking the shoe with her, she began to follow those men before she would lose track of them for she had a gut feeling that Alisa was in some sort of trouble. Her route had finally taken her to an exit door leading out to the back end of the hotel. Lila quickly hid behind a garbage dumpster nearby, and observed the two men picking up the food cart and loading it into the enclosed rear compartment of a large black pick-up truck. She stared at the license plate number in order to memorize it, when she spotted something of interest just underneath it""some kind of custom-built contraption made up of metal cage-like material and mounted onto the underbelly of the truck, probably used for additional storage. Witnessing them both entering the truck, Lila made a spilt-second decision and promptly approached the rear of the vehicle while staying crouched down. She quickly climbed into that makeshift shelving unit just before the truck began to drive off. Seeing the hotel distancing itself from her rapidly, Lila wondered nervously where she (and Alisa) were headed off to ... CHAPTER FIVE Tina was fuming as she paced angrily around in the front lobby after discovering that both Lila and Alisa were no longer in the hotel, which her only conclusion to explain that was that they somehow had ditched her. The one thing she couldn't understand was why would Lila""her best friend since first grade""do that to her, and on her birthday no less! Just then, the ringing sound of her cell phone broke up her bitter mood and she quickly retrieved it from her small purse. Looking at the caller ID, she saw that it was Lila calling her. "Well hello, backstabber! ... you could just forget ... " "Tina, shut up and listen to me! ... " Lila interrupted loudly as her voice was barely heard over some thunderous noise in the background. Looking more confused now, Tina asked cautiously, "Lila, where are you?" "I'm lying underneath a pick-up truck after two men kidnapped Alisa from her ... " Some loud banging sound was then heard, and the line suddenly went dead. "Lila? ... are you there?!" Tina yelled into her phone, which aroused the attention of the people in the lobby. * * * Lila laid in the cramped metal enclosure with a defeated look on her dirty face for she just lost her cell phone due to the truck driving over a pothole in the middle of the road. The force of the vibration was so fierce that it caused her to lose her grip on it while she spoke to Tina, not to mention hitting her head in the process. With no phone now, Lila had no way of getting help, and she wasn't completely sure that Tina heard her message over the deafening sound of the truck from underneath. Looking out at the road they were presently on, Lila could see that they were now away from the city limits and driving into more rural areas. Every now and then she would spot a car following and would try to get the driver's attention that she was under there, but she was so far in the truck that there was no way anyone could see her. Lila had no choice now but to wait until they reached their final destination, and then attempt to get some help. After driving for about a half-hour more, the truck began to slow down and soon stopped altogether. The engine was finally turned off as Lila felt relieved, but wondered if she would have any permanent hearing damage from all the loud noise she had to endure. Seeing their booted-feet appear on the ground, Lila stayed perfectly still and quiet as they walked to the back of the truck. The rear door was opened and that food cart was placed on the ground not so gently. She could barely make out soft moaning noises coming from inside the cart, which now confirmed her suspicions that Alisa was indeed stashed in there. She waited patiently until they were far enough away, then slowly climbed out of the enclosure. Not seeing anyone around, she stood back up against the truck and stretched her aching muscles after being squeezed into the cramped space for nearly an hour. Looking around, she saw a large dilapidated-looking house nearby. Even the surrounding grounds were not too eye pleasing either as there were piles of junk all around""old furniture, loads of rotted wood, even an old rusted out car. Whoever lived here didn't seem to care about curb appeal at all. The one thing Lila noticed most of all to her dismay was that the place was in the middle of nowhere for she couldn't see any other houses through the multitude of trees all around. So much for getting help ... She then sat back down on the ground, leaning against one of the large tires, and tried to think of what she could do to get Alisa (and herself) out of this precarious situation ... CHAPTER SIX The tablecloth was finally pulled back up, and Alisa tried crying out through the thick gag she had on. "No sense tryin' to scream fer help ... there's no one aroun' to hear ya anyway," the voice a woman spoke up with a southern drawl to it. "Ya did really good bringin' her here ... " she congratulated the two boys. "Thanks, ma ... " the oldest one said dutifully. The ropes blocking the opening of the cart were cut loose and the two teenaged boys that abducted her, pulled the distressed pop star out of her cramped prison, sitting her down on the hardwood floor of the house. "Looks like yer lost one of yer perty shoes ... " the younger one said in fascination of her dainty feet. Tears streamed down her rosy cheeks as Alisa was absolutely terrified of the circumstances she was in. Looking up, she saw that woman whose voice she heard, wearing a plastic clown mask over her face. "Now before we remove that gag of yers, ya gotta promise that ya won't scream, otherwise it stays back on." Alisa nodded 'yes' readily for she really wanted it off. "Like I said, there's no one aroun' to hear yer yellin', 'sept us." The napkin was untied and removed from her mouth. Alisa moved her jaw as it ached from biting down on that cloth. "P-please, let me go ... " she peeped between sobs at her three masked captors standing over her, " ... I'll give you whatever you want ... " "The only thin' we want is fer ya to give my daughter a private concert for she's yer number one fan ... " * * * Fully untied now, Alisa sat on a wooden chair in the basement of the house for it was arranged like a mini-stage as there were folding chairs placed in front of her, bright lights shining on her, and where she sat rested on a raised platform. Her stocking feet were now clad in soft white slippers for that was the only comfort she felt during this insane, but frightening situation. Her two kidnappers stayed with her the entire time, except for the one instance she needed to go to the bathroom where the mother of the household had accompanied her, and helped fixed her make-up afterwards. Footsteps were heard coming down the stairs and Alisa saw the mother again approach her. "In a little while my daughter an' her friends will be arrivin' here soon ... Yer not to tell any of them that yer kept here a prisoner here, otherwise ya won't be makin' anymore CD's ... And no cryin' while ya singin' either, I want my daughter to have the best show ever." "Okay ... " Alisa agreed as she regained her composure, " ... then will I be released afterwards?" she asked figuring that they would since they all went to such great lengths at keeping their faces hidden from her. "Yer'll be home soon enough ... " the woman replied with little sympathy in her ragged voice. CHAPTER SEVEN Lila wasn't sure how many people could be in that house, but it seemed her only option available to her was to sneak inside somehow, and quickly for she also wasn't sure as to the true nature of Alisa's abduction. Just then, the sound of a car was heard, and Lila""while staying hidden behind the truck""watched it approach the house. She wasn't sure if the occupants inside were friendlies, so she just hung back and observed for now. The doors opened and six girls a little younger than her scampered out, running towards the house. The odd thing she noticed about them was that they were all wearing different kinds of masks over their faces, like if they were all going trick-or-treating. "I can't believe Alisa is singing here! ... " one of them yelled out in the distance just as they all entered the house. Lila sat back down in puzzlement, and then it hit her ... Alisa was kidnapped to perform a private show! The masks were required so that she wouldn't be able to identify anybody, which meant then that she should be released unharmed. However, she wasn't positive about that, and didn't want to take the chance of just waiting out here, hoping that they'll bring her back to the truck. The perfect opportunity to gain access into the house was established, she just needed a disguise now ... Another noise was then heard nearby, and Lila turned and saw a lone girl riding a bicycle towards the house. A smirk came over her freckled face as she found her ticket into the show ... * * * The basement was filled with a dozen chattering tween girls, all anxious to see their favorite singer perform in person. The daughter of the house sat in the front row, holding a baby doll facemask""her young face expressed a wide happy smile. The mother peered through the makeshift curtain at the back of the "stage" as she watched the juvenile audience carefully. She closed the curtain and gazed over at Alisa standing next to her looking wide-eyed, while her younger son stood right behind her, keeping his hand firmly over her mouth. "Now, remember what I said before, no warnings' ... " she whispered threateningly at the alarmed teen starlet. * * * "Mmmmmmpppphhhhh!! ... " the girl on the bicycle muttered out through the cloth tied into her mouth. She sat at the base of a tree with her hands bound behind her and around the trunk. The girl wriggled her legs as Lila tied her ankles together using torn up strips of cloth from an old bed sheet she found among the piles of junk lying around. "I'm so sorry that I have to do this to you ... " she said very sincerely at the frightened and confused girl, " ... but I really need to get into that show more than you'll ever know." Finished with her first ever job at tying up someone (she took note at how she had been bound & gagged before as an example), Lila was satisfied that she wasn't going to break free from that. She took the girl's mask and jacket, which she had taken off when subduing her, and placed them on. Lila felt bad about leaving that poor girl tied up like that for it wasn't her fault that Alisa was kidnapped, but this was the only sure way to get inside without drawing any attention. Once she escapes with Alisa, after figuring out how to best accomplish that task, she'll make sure to release her before leaving this place. CHAPTER EIGHT Lila was escorted through the house by one of Alisa's kidnappers who stood near the front door to greet the visitors. Stepping into the kitchen, she quickly spotted a telephone mounted on the wall. She had the urge to rush over to it, but the door leading down to the basement opened and the boy gestured her to enter through. Walking down, she could see a multitude of jittery young girls all seated in their chairs. Lila took the last one at the very back and sat down in it. A large woman then entered on the small stage from behind a crude-looking curtain. "Now, girls ... " she spoke up, which quieted the room, " ... before we start our show, ya'll need to have yer masks on, fer Alisa will not sing unless there on, an' stay on ... " The ones who hadn't put there's on did right away. "That's good ... " she said in approval. "One final thin' I need to ask is that ya'll must swear to the good Lord himself that ya'll keep this special show a secret from yer parents or anyone else, otherwise she'll won't sing fer ya ... do ya promise?" The girls seated all nodded 'yes' in response. "Good ... cause I'll be holdin' yer word for the Lord don't tolerate any sinners ... " Lila let out a hushed snicker for that woman shouldn't even preach about 'sinners.' "An' now, I proudly present ... Alisa!" she announced and stepped off the stage. Loud cheering erupted in the smallish room as music to her first hit song, "I Believe in You," began playing on a portable CD player near the stage. The curtain opened and there stood Alisa, holding a toy microphone in her hand. Lila's heart sank as she started to sing for even though she was smiling, her green eyes told otherwise, as they were fearful and uncertain. The crowd of girls screamed noisily as the song continued to play. Lila needed some kind of distraction to slip back upstairs, and then an idea came to her ... Once the song was finished, Alisa took a small bow at the crowd of screaming girls. "I love you, Alisa!" Lila yelled out, standing up. "I want to hold you!" If Lila was the spark, then the group of young girls was certainly the fire as they made a mad rush onto the stage. Chaos broke out as the two boys hurried over to quell the out-of-control situation""even the mother was having her hands full fighting them off. Alisa, to her credit though, handled the onslaught rather well as she was no doubt used to rabid fans. Lila smiled and dashed back upstairs before anyone would notice. Entering the kitchen, she went straight for the phone and grabbed the receiver. Taking off the mask, she paused for a moment as she noticed there were no buttons to press, only a large round disc with holes in it. She recalled hearing about her parents using those rotary-dialed phones, but that was like twenty years ago""these people were really backward folks. Turning the dial with her index finger, she entered in the numbers, 9-1-1. Waiting anxiously for the other line to pick up, Lila bounced up and down slightly. "911, what is your emergency?" a voice announced plainly on the other end. Excited, Lila spoke up, "Yes, I want to report a kidna ... mmmmphhh!" A hand suddenly clamped itself over her mouth tightly, and another hand hung up the phone. Lila struggled mightily, but the grip holding her was unyielding. "An' just who were ya thinkin' of callin'? ... " the mother said ominously at the startled girl ... CHAPTER NINE The young girl Lila had trussed up was soon found and freed""she was able to catch the last half of the program, which made up a little for the cruel treatment she had to endure. After the show was over, the mother hustled the kids out of the basement by way of the storm door, telling them to play outside in the back. Alisa felt relieved that this "performance" was finally over and was hoping to be released soon. "So, am I finished here now?" she asked carefully, but optimistically. "Not quite yet ... " the mother spoke, and guided her upstairs to the main floor. She led the teen singer over to the living room where her two sons stood (with masks on), and positioned between them was something large covered over with a white sheet. "I need to know first if ya recognize her ... " and with that, the sheet was lifted and Alisa's green eyes bulged out in shock as she saw Lila sitting in a chair, tightly bound and gagged! "I see by yer expression that ya do ... I caught her tryin' to call the police ... " "Please, don't hurt her, she was only trying to help me ... " Alisa begged the clown-masked woman standing next to her. "I tell you what ... " the woman offered, " ... my daughter loved yer show, an' wanted to know if ya can sing tomorrow. Ya stay upstairs in a bed fer the night, no ropes or gag, an' I promise that the little lady here will not be harmed ... " "Alright ... " she responded in defeat at that request, " ... but what happens after tomorrow then?" "Let's just wait 'till then hunny, okay? ... " She looked at Lila with anguished eyes, telling her it was going to be all right. In response, however, Lila looked very fearful back at her as she didn't think they were going to get out of this mess ... alive. * * * Later that evening, Alisa was placed in one of the upstairs bedrooms. It was small, and the bed wasn't very much comfortable as she was used to, but at least her nightly accommodations were much more relaxing as poor Lila's was""she saw them earlier taking her into the shed outside, still tied up and gagged in that chair. Of course, Alisa was just as much a prisoner as well for her nyloned ankle was tethered to a metal chain and fixed to a rusted radiator on one side of the wall. Not seeing anyway out of this nightmare, Alisa began to weep softly while lying down on the musty bed. She prayed to God that He would somehow save them both from this horrifying ordeal ... CHAPTER TEN Alisa was suddenly awakened from her fitful slumber by a soft, gentle touch. She opened her eyes slowly and saw this young girl kneeling down in front of her, looking with astonished eyes. "I-I'm sorry to wake ya up, Alisa ... " she whispered ever so softly, " ... but I couldn't sleep knowing that ya was still here." Alisa then sat up, looking fearful. "Does your mother know you're here with me?" she whispered as well. Shaking her head, she replied, "Mama told me not come see ya, says ya need the rest fer yer voice. I just wanna say that I think yer the absolute greatest." Alisa smiled graciously at the innocent girl, the one decent person in this dreaded house. "What's your name?" she asked. "Nadine ... " she replied happily. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Nadine," she shook her hand, which excited the young fan. "Would you be able to do a big favor for me?" She nodded readily in acknowledgement, "Sure, anythin' ... " "Can you get me the keys that will unlock this lock?" Alisa covered up her manacled leg in the blanket, being careful not to show the chain attached to it for she didn't want to scare the poor child in finding out that her idol was actually a prisoner. "That's one of my brother's locks, why do ya need the keys?" "Because ... " she hesitated for a moment, thinking of an answer that made some sense, " ... I really could this type of a lock in my show, but I need the key for it in order to use it." Alisa cringed ever so subtly in the dark, hoping that the star-struck girl would believe her ridiculous-sounding explanation. "Wait here, I'll be right back ... " Nadine said, and left the room quietly. "Oh, not a problem ... " she responded more to herself wryly of her predicament. Coming so close to getting freed, Alisa hoped that none of the other family members would happen to wake up. Arriving back in a short amount of time, Nadine held a large rack of keys to Alisa. Taking them quietly, she began trying each one into the padlock, until she found the right one, and unlocked it! Happy that she was freed, she looked at the young girl kindly, "Thank you so much, Nadine ... Now all I ask is that you go back to bed, and tomorrow I will sing a special song just for you." The young girl's eyes widen as a big as saucers at hearing that. "Okay, I'll go back to bed ... " And before leaving, she gave Alisa a great big hug, which she in turn returned it very warmly. Standing back up, the young girl walked over to the door, "Ga'night ... " she said quietly. "Goodnight, Nadine ... " Alisa replied back softly, waving her hand gently. Once the door was closed, Alisa quickly unclasped the metal ring around her ankle and stood up. Opening the door slowly, she tiptoed silently through the hall and down the stairs, heading for the front door. She made a promise to herself that if she indeed escaped from here, she will in fact give Nadine a personal show. The air outside was nippy as central Florida did get some chilly nighttime temps during January, and Alisa's skimpy outfit made it feel even more so. Trudging through the uneven terrain in her slippered feet, she reached the large wooden shed and noticed a large padlock fastened on the door as well""she prayed that the key to open it was in her possession. After three attempts, she unlocked it and carefully opened the weathered door. "Lila? ... " she called out quietly into the darkness of the shed. A moaning sound was then heard and Alisa approached it, barely seeing the teen sleuth sitting in the chair. She removed the knotted cloth from her lips and worked frantically on untying the ropes holding her. The long fingernails she sported certainly came in handy as Alisa was able to pry open the tight knots that were made. It wasn't very long at all for Lila to awaken fully, and in a couple of minutes, she was free of the chair! Stepping out of the shed, Lila still looked defeated, "We're still technically prisoners out here in the middle of nowhere ... " Even though they could trek through the forest, it was the threat of wild animals that Lila was really concerned about. "Well, we could drive out of here ... " Alisa responded candidly as she dangled the keys ... CHAPTER ELEVEN Lila didn't even want to ask how on earth Alisa managed to get those keys as she climbed inside the driver's side of the huge four-by-four truck. Alisa took the seat next to her, then looked perplexed. "Do you know how to drive?" she asked for she didn't know how to herself. "I've seen my mom drive a thousand times ... how hard can it be?" Seeing that the vehicle was automatic transmission made Lila more at ease, for driving standard would've been a nightmare. Sticking the key into the ignition, Lila went to reach down for the pedals when she noticed something was amiss ... "Uh, we have a slight problem ... my legs aren't long enough to reach the pedals. I could barely touch them with my foot." Being petite in the large spacious cabin of the truck made everything around big and long. "You could've worn my shoe I had on for the tall heel would've lengthened your foot enough, but one of those creeps that kidnapped me took it for himself as a 'souvenir' ... " Lila exchanged a momentary disgusted look with Alisa at that comment. "What a minute! ... " Lila yelled suddenly, " ... when you were taken, I found your other shoe and took it with me ... and I left it where I had hid underneath the truck!" Alisa immediately opened the door and exited out, while Lila placed her feet on the long seat and began untying her black shoes she wore. In a flash, the teen pop star was back, and sure enough with the pump in her hand. "It's the right one, which I believe is the foot you would use to operate the pedals with." Placing the lofty shoe on her right bare foot (her wool sock was too thick to wear with it), Lila reached down with her foot again, and this time was able to press down on the pedals fairly easy enough. "I never thought high heels would come in handy in a situation like this." Turning the key, the engine roared to life, and Lila tried to remember how to get the vehicle out of the parking gear, since the stick wouldn't budge. A light in one of the upstairs windows suddenly snapped on, and a figure emerged out looking out at them! "Uh oh ... " Alisa said warily, " ... it looks like we woke them up." Getting very frustrated at not getting the truck going, Lila slammed her arched foot down, which happen to land on the brake pedal, and the stick suddenly loosened. She quickly shifted it into "drive," and pressed down on the accelerator. Both girls lurched back as the truck moved suddenly. Turning the wheel, Lila tried to gain control of it as the massive tires dug into the ground, spraying up dirt. The two brothers ran out through the front door in their nightclothes, and the girls saw the older one carrying what looked like a rifle in his hands! "Lila, get us out here ... Now!!" Alisa screamed in panic. The brother stopped and aimed the firearm right at the truck ... straight into the front windshield! "Git outta the truck or I'll shoot! ... " he yelled out. Turning the vehicle away before he could get off a clear shot, Lila spotted the driveway leading out, and headed for it. Alisa turned and saw through the rear window, the two brothers sprinting to another car parked at the side of the house. "We're gonna have some company ... " Lila was fixated on the darkened narrow dirt road for it was difficult for her to maneuver a truck this large with her lack of driving skills, so she kept the speed to a minimum in an effort to avoid hitting any of the trees. Bright lights shining from behind them suddenly appeared as the chase commenced ... CHAPTER TWELVE Alisa looked in alarm as the pair of lights loomed closer and closer. Lila noticed that also in her rearview mirror and wished they were off of this pitiful excuse for a road. Up ahead, she could see the trees begin to subside, and the main road finally coming into view! Lila slammed her foot on the accelerator as they reached the paved road, the rear tires squealed loudly as the truck began racing away. The other smaller car the brothers were in sped right after them. The road was two-lanes, which gave Lila more space to drive particularly since it was deserted of other cars at the moment. Looking back again, Alisa noticed the car gaining on them fast. She could make out one them on the passenger side extend himself out of the window, and pointed the rifle towards the truck. "I think they're gonna try and shoot out the tires!" she shouted. "Hold on! ... " Lila yelled, and suddenly swerved the truck to the left onto a connecting street at an intersection. Alisa held on for dear life as her body jerked from the force of the abrupt turn. The other car was unprepared for that unexpected maneuver and overshot the linking road. Completing the hard turn, both girls suddenly screamed as another car rapidly approached them for Lila was driving on the wrong side of the road! Grabbing the wheel, Alisa turned it, veering away from the oncoming car by a few feet! The other vehicle blared its horn out loudly in protest. Taking back control of the truck, Lila breathed a big sigh of relief. "Thanks ... " she said out of breath. The pursuing car made an immediate U-turn to catch up to the fleeing truck, when it almost crashed into that other car the girls almost hit as it entered the intersection. The two brothers could see the face of that other driver yelling a bunch of obscenities at them as they passed by him. "What's his problem? ... " the older brother asked annoyed. "They're still on us ... " Alisa observed as the headlights appeared shortly after. "There's never a cop around when you need one," Lila said in frustration as she hoped one would spot her speeding on a rural road. She then realized that cops like to stake out main routes, not smaller side streets like the one they were presently on. "I'm almost afraid to ask ... but do you know where we are?" Alisa inquired for she assumed with Lila being a local ... "I haven't got the faintest idea, if that helps any ... " she replied a bit humorously to break some of the tension going on all around them. "I always said I wanted to visit Florida ... just never thought I'd be seeing it in the dark while being chased by a couple of crazed hillbillies." "Welcome to my world ... " Lila stated dryly, and then saw a white sign up ahead, indicating state route 62 to the right. Turning onto the wider road, she sped up again a bit faster this time. "Let's hope Florida's finest are out preying tonight ... " The trailing car still kept pace with the truck. "I'm gonna attempt another shot," and the younger brother said to his older one driving, and stuck his torso out of the window eyeing the speeding truck just ahead of them""he hoped that crazy girl behind the wheel doesn't make any sudden moves again. After passing by a large billboard on the side of the road at over 70 mph, Alisa suddenly saw flashing red & blue lights appear from behind them""it was the most beautiful sight she had ever seen ... The state trooper seemed to be more interested in the pursuing the other car right now for he saw the brother was hanging out the window with the rifle. In a panicked move, he turned it on the cop car, and fired at it! Alisa looked absolutely stunned at witnessing that incredibly bold and stupid act. "I can't believe it, they're actually shooting at the police!" Not wanting those insane country bumpkins to harm that officer, Lila thought of one thing she could do to finally end this wild high-speed chase. "Brace yourself! ... " she yelled out, and with that statement, she rammed her high-heeled foot onto the brake pedal, stopping the massive truck to a screeching halt right in front of her pursuers. The older brother couldn't swerve completely around in time as he was driving too fast, so he ended up clipping the rear end of the truck against their rear fender. The small vehicle then spun out of control and landed into a small ditch on the side of the road. The police car then came to an abrupt stop between the two disabled vehicles. The trooper immediately opened his door and drew out his firearm. "You in the truck, come out slowly with your hands in the air!" he yelled loudly. Alisa smiled and looked at her 'partner in crime.' "Do you feel like getting arrested?" "Sure, why not ... at least a jail cell will feel a lot more comfortable than that cold shed I was planning on spending the night tied up in ... " Lila responded, relieved that this crazy day was finally over ... CHAPTER THIRTEEN After Alisa tried unsuccessfully to convince the authorities that she was indeed who she said she was, one of the night clerks working at the station recognized the teen pop star right away and called up her manager at once""who had been frantically searching for her all day. The charges of reckless driving, as well as driving without a license, were summarily dropped as the two now-incarcerated brothers confessed about everything. The mother was picked up shortly after and arrested as well on a load of charges. Due to the kidnapping ordeal, the rest of Alisa's planned concerts were postponed after she recuperates from her terrible ordeal""her loyal fan base was very understandable as they were just glad that she was alive and well. Martin Schuler recognized Lila, for her significant role in Alisa's safe return, as he awarded her with a sizable check in sincere gratitude, for which her parents gladly placed it in her college fund. Before heading out to her home in Southern California to get some much-needed rest, Alisa arranged a little private show (where she wasn't restrained this time) for a few select guests, and in keeping with her promise, she also invited young Nadine to attend as the guest of honor. The distraught girl had been placed in family services where she will be placed in a foster home, and being at the performance had brightened her saddened mood so much more than anyone trying to help her cope during this difficult time could achieve. It was that accomplishment in helping her that made Alisa realized how much of a responsibility she had as a singing artist, and wanted for her work to benefit others the way it did for Nadine.