Lila Spencer - Field Trip Intrigue CHAPTER ONE It was a cool, bright November Saturday morning at Hamilton High School as a large group of students were assembling out in the empty parking lot next to a yellow school bus. "I don't mind at all having to get up early for this field trip, but did it have to be so cold?" Lila Spencer complained a bit, hugging the maroon sweater jacket she wore a little tighter. "It could be worse ... " Ashley Emerson chimed in, standing right next to her chilly friend, " ... your cousin, Katie, is waking up to even chillier temperatures this time of the year over at Snowden University. At least the weatherman said it would warm up later today." The brief mention of Snowden caused a momentary pause to the two dudettes, as the hair-raising events of the summer still lingered, and their dear friend who was laid to rest there ... Their solemn mood was cut short as a blue Honda Civic suddenly pulled up right near them, and exiting from the passenger side was the third member of their troupe. Tina Palermo looked more like she was going to another photo session at the modeling studio rather than taking part in a class field trip. The ravishing Cuban was clothed in black cropped leggings with what would assume to be a red top underneath the short leopard print faux fur jacket she had on, for her white ankle-socked feet were clad in shiny red pumps with a 4-1/2" stiletto heel. "Boy, Tina ... do you ever dress appropriately for any function outside of hanging at the strip mall, or going to the movies?" Lila asked incredulously, even though she already knew her vivacious friend so well. "Hey ... if I'm going to be forced to go along on this school function on my weekend, then I'll dress any way I want," the pretty brunette said a bit snooty for she wasn't a morning person at all when it came to her weekends""the cup of hot coffee she sipped slowly was her antidote in keeping awake. "You know, consuming large amounts of caffeine can stunt your growth," Ashley informed her, as the cute, brainy blonde now stood almost as tall as Tina with her lofty heels on""she was currently in the middle of a growth spurt. "That's why high heels were invented, for the vertically challenged like me," Tina responded wryly, taking another swig of her rich cinnamon flavored coffee. She then waved to her older brother, Joey, as he began to drive away after dropping her off. Lila eventually ignored her two friends' little rant as she was scanning around the ever-growing group of teenagers loitering around in the chilly air. "Looking for Chris? ... " Tina said more as a statement, noticing her friend's anxious look. "The bus will be leaving here in ten minutes sharp as Mr. Harper doesn't like to be kept waiting," she responded fretfully at how anal Jonathan Harper can be when it comes to schedules. He was perhaps the most orderly person in all the school, as evidenced by his near perfect work performance, something his students""and even some of the faculty""found really annoying at times. "You know, Chris ... he's not much of a morning person himself," Ashley said in jest to her uptight friend. "If he ends up missing the bus, then I might have to bow out of the trip," Lila said softly as she didn't want to be left out without her boyfriend. "Oh, no ... " Tina interjected vehemently, " ... if I had to drag my butt out of bed and took the time to look good, then you're going on this bus even if Ashley and I have to carry you bodily on board." Ashley winked at her outgoing friend, giving her the support in administering that deed should it be required. Before Lila could respond to Tina's idle threat, her blue eyes looked delighted as she saw a familiar pick-up truck approaching slowly. The vehicle stopped short of the three girls, and a handsome dirty-blond haired boy stepped out of the passenger side. Lila walked over to greet him. "I almost thought that you weren't going to make it ... " she said relieved, wrapping her arms gently around his waist. "Well, I thought we wouldn't when Zach insisted on stopping at Earl's Diner first for some coffee and a muffin," he thumbed over at his big brother sitting behind the wheel, chomping on his breakfast as he looked out through the rolled-down window. "Man, Tina ... you're looking every bit as hot as your sister," Zach said excitedly towards her, for he went to high school with Rachel, and always cherished how she looked. The sultry brunette smiled favorably at him, always appreciative of the comments she receives from her appearance. Just then, Mr. Harper emerged with an enthusiastic look on his round, bespectacled face. "Okay everyone, time to be getting on board ... We want to make it to the highway by eight." He then noticed Tina standing next to him, and gazed down at her with a rather disapproving look. "Does your mother know what you are wearing, young lady?" "Why yes ... she helped me pick it out last night, because she knew you'd like it," Tina replied back sharply, which drew low whistles from everyone around at that obscene remark. "Keep that tone up, Miss Palermo, and I might not let you come on this trip at all," he pointed his stubby finger at her, and then stormed off to where some of the kids were standing. "That was my intent ... " she spoke softly more to herself. "Yeah ... you also got Rachel's attitude down perfectly," Zach commented on how much alike the two sisters were. "And just think, I've got another on the way after me," Tina replied, referring to her baby sister, Olivia, who was still in grade school, but was already priming herself to fill into her big sister's stylish shoes. Zach waved goodbye, as the group of teenagers started heading for the bus. CHAPTER TWO The school bus traveled at an even speed along Interstate 275 South towards its destination of Coral Castle, located just south of St. Petersburg. Coral Castle dates all the way back to 1735; it was built and operated by the Spaniards. Right along the western gulf shore, it was used as a port for ships of the infamous Armada, and other various trader ships in the gulf region. In the decades since Florida became part of the United States, Coral Castle""and its small surrounding community""have become an historical landmark for the state, as its legacy and culture have been preserved so that visitors can experience what life was actually like some two hundred-fifty years ago. Mr. Harper is an American history teacher, and every two years, he plans this special trip to students to give them a first-hand lesson in early American life that no classroom or textbook can teach. * * * Inside the bus, the mood was quiet as kids listened to their iPods, read something, or just looked out the window. Ashley and Tina sat together near the rear of the bus, and two seats in front of them were Lila and Chris, cuddling next to each other quietly. Ashley was one of the students who stared out the window, while Tina was bopping her head listening to music on her pink iPod Nano. Moving her head away from the window, Ashley turned to Tina and tapped her on the shoulder. "What? ... " she said slightly annoyed as she took off her small earphones. "Why don't you have a boyfriend?" Ashley wondered curiously as she never asked that question before. "Is this because of Lila?" Tina asked seeing the glum expression on Ashley's face. "Sort of ... I mean look at you," she referred to Tina's wild sense of style. "Any boy in school would probably give their right arm to go out on a date with you, and yet you're still dateless like me." "I know I could get a boyfriend if I really wanted one ... " Tina explained to her, " ... but boys don't seem to interest me as much now, plus I don't want to be just 'someone's girl', and be like their trophy girlfriend." "But I thought all pretty girls wanted that?" Ashley asked in confusion, especially Tina's strange comment regarding the opposite sex. "Some do, but not all ... Take Rachel for example, she too could've dated anyone of her choosing, but she mostly stayed out of the dating pool in high school, and now already in college, she's seeing someone more mature who genuinely cares for her ... that's what I want too someday." "Then why do you dress the way you do?" Ashley asked, still not quite getting what her friend was trying to clarify. "Because I'm confident, pretty, and I want to express myself as femininely as possible ... and it's not about attracting guys. Any girl can do that." "Speak for yourself ... " Ashley grumbled softly as she crossed her arms over her chest. "So, this is what it's about ... you wanting to have a boyfriend," Tina said as it all made sense now. "Boys don't really pay any attention to me," she sounded disheartening. "The same thing I told Lila before ... if you don't send any signals out to them, they're not going to notice you, and dressing like me really sends the wrong signals if you're looking." "Yeah, but Lila had someone who was already interested in her," Ashley continued sourly. Tina exhaled in mild frustration, but kept her cool. "Tell you what, when we get to the castle, I'll give you some pointers on making yourself appealing to boys, and not the ones here." Ashley smiled warmly as she knew she could always count on Tina when she needed help from her expertise. Looking closely at her, Ashley could still make out the very faint scars on her porcelain-smooth face from her torturous encounter with Ben Russell, but fortunately she made a remarkable recovery, and was able to continue her employment with the modeling agency. Tina kind of got the sense of what Ashley was thinking when she noticed her staring at her face. She then wrapped her arm around her brainy friend and held her close, happy that she was still around to give Ashley advice whenever she needed it. * * * "I've read so much about this castle," Lila said, leaning against Chris while staring out the small window. "Good, then you can give me a history lesson on it," Chris replied jovially. "Chris Marlin ... what would your sweet mother think if she knew that you relied on me with your schoolwork?" Lila pressed tersely at him. "You had to bring my Mom in again ... " Chris said woefully. "Ever since she's made you a part of the family, the two of you are like this now ... " he crossed his two fingers in a gesture of their closeness. "Your mother has good judgment in girls, as does her youngest son ... " she said wryly, causing Chris to chuckle lightly at her clever remark. "I guess I have to say that you're the one with the good judgment as everyone around seems to admire you." "That's because I'm so lovable," she said teasingly, and then quickly realized that she was beginning to sound just like Tina. Holding her closer, Chris kissed the top of her head softly, smelling the sweet aroma of lilacs in her thick Auburn hair. The two young lovebirds then quietly enjoyed each other's company for the duration of the smooth ride ... CHAPTER THREE The weather at Coral Castle wasn't that much different back at the school, as a steady breeze from the gulf kept the temperatures cool enough for everyone to still wear their jackets, which now made Ashley upset by that for she wore a floral skirt with her outfit""Lila wisely wore jeans, her preferred choice for Autumn. Ashley shivered slightly in the cool air of the castle as the students all assembled with Mr. Harper leading them. "I don't know why you're upset, Ash ... " Tina said as she walked right beside her. "You have on the right type of outfit to attract guys," she said, referring to Ashley's skirt, flowing gently in the breeze. "Well, if wearing this helps me with getting a boy, then the discomfort will be worth it," Ashley said determinedly, despite her present sour mood. "I know I've said this before, but you have really great legs, and a pair of heels will only enhance them fuller," Tina added, noting the cute purple ballet flats Ashley wore on her nyloned feet. "And I don't mean the ones I like to wear," she noted as her own towering stilettos clicked audibly against the large stone blocks of the castle grounds. Ashley smiled sheepishly at Tina, knowing how much her fashion-conscious friend has been dying to give her a makeover since middle school. "Let me work on the confidence part first, then we can talk about my appearance later," Ashley offered as she was the type that didn't like to move very fast when it came to change. Tina smiled happily upon hearing that as she could just imagine how gorgeous her shy friend could really turn out. * * * Coral Castle has been restored numerous times to preserve its original look for generations to witness. Lila marveled at the architecture""the Spanish influences greatly enhanced it, giving it a sort of Renaissance look to it. Inside the large room at the entrance, a tall dark-haired man approached the flock of teenage kids. "Good morning ... " he said clearly, making sure that everyone could hear him. "My name is Manuel, and I will be your guide for today. If you'll please all follow me, I will show you to the main hall." "Isn't this exciting?" Lila chirped next to Tina as they made their way further through the interior. "Yeah ... a real thrill," the brunette answered mockingly, as Tina's idea of an exciting time would be shopping for more of her trendy clothes. "C'mon, admit it ... this has got to be a little interesting. I mean, it's part of your heritage," Lila buttered her up, trying to get some kind of positive signal from her. "I've heard all about this castle from my grandfather ... he even took me here when I was eight. So, please excuse me if I'm not as enthusiastic as you are," Tina noted without being condescending to her more academic friend. The group then stopped inside in what could be described as an awe-inspiring circular room with a high vaulted ceiling, tapering up to a point in the center. Authentic torches were lit all around, providing adequate lighting to see the incredible detail in the intricate stone work. It really did feel like you were in the 18th Century when this place was first built. A number of other people were assembled around the massive room as multiple tours were also being conducted at the same time. " ... as you know, the castle was perhaps most famous as the staging area for the ambush assault on renowned pirate, Fenn Shyser, in an attempt to retrieve the legendary treasure of Atlantis that he stole. But sadly, the treasure was never found as it is still lost to this day." The three dudettes gave a cursory glance at one another, knowing full well what really happened to that treasure from two years ago. During Manuel's enlightening monologue of the castle's history, the group moved next to one of the other tours present. Ashley took a quick glance over at the other group, and her green eyes settled on one person in particular""a tall handsome teenage boy, who also took a notice on her. Her first impulse was turn away, but she remembered what Tina said to her right when they got off the bus regarding making eye contact. Still gazing at him, Ashley gave the good-looking boy a slight smile at him, and he in turn, smiled right back at her. Reacting to her instincts, Ashley then turned away in awkwardness, not knowing what to do next. She hadn't really expected someone to actually take an interest in her. When she finally did have the courage to look back up, she noticed that the group he was with was now gone. Peering urgently over the heads of the other kids around her, she could find no trace of where he went off to. The shy girl cursed at herself silently for panicking the way she did, guessing that he thought she was some dumb blonde. She dared not tell this to Tina, for her fiery companion would probably make a scene by dragging her away from the tour in an effort to find that mystery man. CHAPTER FOUR After touring around the expansive castle all morning, the tour settled for lunch at an old tavern type of eatery. The dudettes all sat a cozy table, getting ready to dig into their meal, which fortunately served normal food, and not what the locals back in the day ate here. Ever since her encounter with that boy, Ashley still didn't mention it to her two friends, figuring that it wasn't meant to be since she hasn't seen him since. "So, why aren't you sitting with your lover boy?" Tina inquired to Lila wryly as she sat with her pumps off to rest her feet for the afternoon hike in them. "Chris didn't want to be seen sitting with just girls, and I wanted to sit with you guys, so we compromised," Lila replied, seeing her boyfriend hanging out with some of the other boys, making loud noises and acting like delinquents as guys normally do. "So, Ash ... I've noticed a number of cute boys here," Tina then directed her attention to Ashley, who sat quietly, sipping her diet soda. "Have you made any eye contact like I told you, or did you just chicken out?" Lila looked a bit surprised at Tina's inquiry, as this was the first time she was hearing this. "What's this about attracting boys?" she asked Ashley, who looked a bit bashful in response. "Is this another one of your interventions again?" Lila then asked Tina with a bothered look on her freckled face. "Ashley came to me for help, and I just gave her some good advice, like I did with you when you were so uptight about Chris," Tina replied a bit heatedly at looking like she did something wrong. Lila gave Tina a sympathetic look as to say she was sorry for her candid behavior. "So, did you check out any boys?" she asked Ashley just as eager as Tina. Being besieged on both fronts now, Ashley bowed her head down as she hesitated for an answer, but then realized that she might as well come clean. "Actually there was this one boy, but he ... " "Excuse, me ... " a gentle-sounding voice suddenly spoke, politely interrupting Ashley's confession. All three of them looked up and saw this tall, dark, and incredibly handsome boy standing over them. "Is this seat taken?" he asked Ashley""who sat there petrified as she gazed at him""referring to the empty seat next to her. Tina gently kicked at Ashley's leg with her socked foot, which prompted the cute blonde to acknowledge him. "No ... it's free ... " she said so quietly that Lila and Tina almost didn't hear her. The boy then gently sat down. His features were rugged, yet still soft. He had that classic Mediterranean look, which complimented his smooth voice. He noticed the three girls looking starry-eyed at him, and felt a bit awkward by that. "I didn't mean to interrupt your meal ... " he said with an accent that sounded like a mixture of Italian and Greek, " ... but I wanted to speak with you ever since I saw you at the main room," he then said directly to Ashley, who still looked stunned by his presence. "Wait a minute ... this is the guy you chose?" Tina blurted out, a bit surprised that someone of Ashley's type could land a total hottie like him. "Tina, please!" Ashley suddenly said forceful, causing the pesky Cuban to quiet down as she realized that she overstepped the line. "Allow me to introduce myself, I am Nikolas Parnassus, and it is a pleasure to meet you, Miss ... " he said warmly, extending his hand out, while Ashley still sat there silently transfixed at him. Lila took note of the exquisite ring he wore on his long finger. Tina went to kick at her again, but refrained this time. "Her name is Ashley Emerson," she said for her. "Miss Ashley Emerson, you grace me with your presence," he then said, and gently grasped her hand, kissing it softly. If sitting next to him made her nervous, then that kiss would've sent her into orbit as a part of her with no inhibitions wanted to jump out of that chair, and smother his face with kisses. But she wasn't Tina, or Lila, so she just sat there, blushing at him instead. Feeling pressured to say something, Ashley finally did after a few awkward seconds. "T-thank you ... Nikolas ... " she stammered awkwardly, " ... it's very nice to meet you." "Ahh, Nikolas ... where're you from?" Lila asked, wanting to get to know this admirer of Ashley a little better. "I'm from a very small country next to Greece, called Genovia," he answered politely. "It is a beautiful country on the shores of the Adriatic Sea, but not quite as beautiful as you ... " he then said to Ashley, who really blushed this time. Even Tina, who would normally think that line was corny, couldn't help but be captivated by the dashing boy, despite her earlier admission to Ashley about her feelings towards males. "I am visiting America on holiday, and enjoying your amazing country," he continued. "I am the heir to the throne when I become of age, which would be many years from now," he said with an air of modesty in his voice. "But enough about me, I really want to hear about you." "Hold on a second ... so, you're like a prince?" Tina asked him, which Nikolas nodded humbly back to her. Ashley tried to find the words to say that could compare her meager life with that of royalty she was in the presence of. "There's not much to say only that I'm fifteen, I go to high school with my friends ... Oh, I'm sorry, this is Tina Palermo and Lila Spencer," she suddenly introduced her two friends who still gazed at their debonair guest. "A pleasure, ladies ... " he quickly said to them. "My life is pretty unremarkable," she then said, leaving out all the crazy adventures she experienced with her two comrades these past two-plus years. "I do not believe a girl as exquisite as you could have such an unremarkable life," Nikolas said with such sincerity that not only did it make Ashley blush, but it did for Lila and even Tina as well. This guy was a first-class charmer ... Ashley was so speechless from his heartfelt compliment that she just continued to gaze into his dreamy brown eyes ... "Pardon me ... " a voice suddenly spoke, breaking the wistful mood at the small table. They all looked up to see a genial middle-aged looking-man with graying hair, and a deep olive complexion. "Nikolas ... I've been looking for you," he said to the boy with a tone of worry in his heavily-accented voice. "I'm sorry, Uncle ... " Nikolas replied ashamed, " ... but this is the girl I told you about from this morning," he referred to Ashley, looking humbly at their visitor. "Lukas Tarkapol ... " he introduced himself, " ... it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, ladies." "I'm sorry, but my Uncle likes to keep a close watch on me," Nikolas said with some resignation. "Nikolas, please come ... " Tarkapol extended his hand out to him. "Forgive me, ladies ... but we really need to go now." Ashley looked distressed at seeing Nikolas having to leave suddenly, just when she was being swooned by him. Rising from his seat, he nodded charmingly at Lila and Tina, then moved close to Ashley like he was about to kiss her again. The feeling of his face so close to hers, caused Ashley's heartbeat to race in exhilaration, for these were sensations she never felt before. "Meet me at the castle spire in one hour ... " he whispered so softly into her ear, and then stood up, leaving with his Uncle and two other men standing idly by. Once the foreign entourage left the tavern, Lila snapped herself out of her daze, and looked at her still starry-eyed friend. "So, what did he say?" she inquired with breathless anticipation. "H-he wants to meet me later ... at the castle spire ... " Ashley replied still in bemusement from the whole surreal experience. "Wow ... have you ever met a person so charismatic before?" Tina spoke, still a bit dumbstruck herself. "Hey, what's going on here?" Chris asked as he approached the table, taking the seat that Nikolas just occupied a few moments ago. "Oh, nothing really ... just a boy that wanted to talk with Ashley," Lila said nonchalantly to her boyfriend. "Really? ... That's great!" he said to the cute blonde with a cheerful look on his face. "Is he from another school?" "You could sort of say that ... " Ashley replied longingly, still staring at the doorway that Nikolas left out of""already anticipating her meeting with him again ... CHAPTER FIVE The past hour had to be the longest ever for Ashley, as the normally shy girl was a bundle of nerves at seeing Nikolas again after their all too brief meeting at lunch. She still couldn't believe that someone as worldly and sophisticated as he could ever be interested in a simple girl like her""her logical mind couldn't make sense of it. "Wow ... the view is breathtaking up here!" Lila said in amazement as she stood in the tallest spire at the castle, which offered a spectacular panoramic view of the Gulf of Mexico. The wind was howling even more so at this high altitude, making it feel even colder, but the gorgeous surroundings was well worth the chilly discomfort. Chris and Tina also appreciated the scenery, but Ashley was too distracted as her mind was elsewhere. "Would you calm down, Ash ... " Lila said, " ... he said he'd be here, and he will ... pining over it won't make it happen any sooner." "I'm sorry ... " she finally said, still a bit jittery, " ... it's just that I haven't felt quite this way since Peter Fincher asked me to dance with him at the middle school dance." "Oh, I understand ... " Tina chimed in, " ... Nikolas is like a thousand times better than plain ol' Peter. You definitely scored a bullseye, Ash." She still couldn't believe that shy little Ashley landed herself a prince! Stepping away from the others, Lila headed for the other side of the circular walkway to get a view of the countryside at the opposite end of the castle. On the way there, something on the stone floor caught her gaze, and she looked down seeing what appeared to be a ring. Bending down to retrieve it, Lila's blue eyes suddenly widen as she instantly recognized it as belonging to Nikolas""she remembered it vividly on his finger at the tavern. "What you got there?" Tina asked as she approached her from behind. Taking a look at the piece of jewelry herself, her brown eyes also enlarged. "Is that Nikolas'? ... " she asked in surprise. "Yes ... and what troubles me is why its here and he's not," Lila replied with a disturbed look on her freckled face. "We should tell Ashley that he was here," Tina spoke up, and went to walk off towards her, when Lila suddenly stopped her by grabbing her arm. "Wait ... this is very suspicious. Nikolas wouldn't just leave this lying around, it's probably a family heirloom or something, and I don't want to upset Ashley in her emotional state just yet," Lila said quietly, as the wheels were beginning to turn in her head. "Well, what do you have in mind then?" Tina asked, wondering what her snoop friend was thinking. "Let's try and find Nikolas' uncle, and see if he knows anything, and if not, then we'll talk to Ashley." "What about Chris, are you going to tell him what's going on?" Tina then asked carefully, still keeping her voice down. "I might as well tell Mr. Harper then," Lila replied wryly, knowing that her boyfriend would do everything possible to talk her out of snooping, for she gave him his word last Christmas that she would give up the detective business, but there are some things that you can't stay away from ... Seeing Ashley and Chris approaching them, Lila quickly pocketed the large ring in her sweater jacket. "I'm getting a little too chilly up here now, so I'm heading back down," Lila said for that was actually the truth. "Me too ... " Tina added, feeling nippy herself despite the warm fur jacket she had on. "But what about Nikolas? ... " Ashley wined as she was getting cold herself, " ... I don't want to risk missing him, and then regret it for the rest of my life." That was probably the lamest line Ashley had ever said, but it was proof at how completely smitten she over him. "I'll stay with you," Chris offered kindly, causing a smile on the blonde's face. "That's a good idea," Lila replied happily as getting Chris not to follow her was no longer an issue. "Tina and I will be at the gift shops." Walking away from their friends, Tina hurried up over to Lila in her heels. "We are going to the gift shops still, right?" she asked anxiously, wanting to check it out ever since seeing them during the tour. "Don't worry, you'll still have time to shop," Lila responded knowingly, not dreaming of keeping Tina away from her favorite recreation. CHAPTER SIX Finding Nikolas' uncle among the multitude of visitors proved to be a little harder than first suggested. Walking by the gift shops, Lila had to practically keep Tina at bay as the Cuban girl was drawn to them like a magnet. Fortunately, Lila caught sight of the smallish man with his two companions at the other end of the small plaza. Running over before they would lose sight of him, the girls stopped right in front of him. "Mr. Tarkapol ... " Lila said, remembering his strange name, " ... have you seen Nikolas lately?" The middle-aged man gave the teenager a disquiet look on his olive-toned face. "No, I haven't ... Why do you ask?" he said with a measure of concern in his voice. "We think that he might be missing," Tina spoke up, a hint of dread in her tone. "I'm sure that he's with that friend of yours ... the really cute blonde girl," he replied, easing his anxieties. "We were just with her, and while waiting for him, I found this ... " Lila took the ring out, and held it up for him to see. Tarkapol's dark eyes grew wide in astonishment at seeing his nephew's prized possession. "Where did you find this? ... " he asked carefully in a hushed tone. "Up at the spire, but we saw no sign of him at all," Lila responded, trying to be helpful. Tarkapol gently took the ring from Lila's hand. He looked very nervous and fearful now. "Thank you ladies for bringing this to my attention. Tell me, have you told anyone else about this?" "No ... we came straight to you first," Tina replied. "You did very well," he said approvingly, "I do not wish to involve your authorities of the whereabouts of my nephew just yet. You see, Nikolas has a habit of running off whenever it suits him. He's such a rebellious boy, gets it from his mother." "But surely he wouldn't just drop this ring unless something did happen to him," Lila said forebodingly, feeling in her gut that Nikolas was in some sort of danger. "And quite right you are ... " Tarkapol agreed. "That is why we are going to handle this in finding out what happened to him." "If there's anything we could do to help, we would like to be involved," Lila offered readily. "You see, our friend really likes your nephew, and we'd hate to see her get upset if anything bad happened to him." "She's extremely sensitive," Tina added. "Actually ... there is something you could do to help," Tarkapol spoke in thought. "But not here in front of all these people. Please, come ... follow me." He then led the two junior snoops away from the plaza and down some steps to the lower portion of the castle grounds ... * * * "What's down here?" Tina asked with trepidation in her voice, as the subterranean surroundings looked a bit creepy. Sounds of water dripping resonated eerily in the distance. "Where you girls will be staying," Tarkapol then said sinisterly as he turned to face them. Lila looked completely shocked at him, realizing in an instant that he knew more than what he was letting on. Without warning, the girls were seized by Tarkapol's men standing right behind them, wrapping their strong arms over their waists, and placing their hands over their mouths. Muffled cries echoed as Lila and Tina were then carried away deeper into the lower level ... CHAPTER SEVEN Chris didn't mind at all staying with Ashley in waiting for her new friend, as he can relate when he finally had the courage to speak with Lila during the Christmas toy drive, but mother nature had taken its toll on him as he was really cold now for he didn't feel his ears anymore. And he could imagine how Ashley was coping in the frigid air as she was dressed even lighter than him. He could clearly see the discomfort on her face, which was now paler than usual, but her eyes still looked determined though. "Ashley, I don't think that he's coming ... " he finally said to her, placing his hand gently on her shoulder. "But, he still could ... " she said in obvious desperation as she was fighting back tears now. "It's been almost an hour since we've been here ... I'm sorry, but maybe he had something pressing to take care of. Let's go back down, and maybe we can find him there instead." Ashley smiled weakly at his suggestion, knowing that he was right. "Thank you for staying," she said happily at him as she tried to raise her dejected feelings. "It was my pleasure ... " he said warmly. "Now let's go find Lila and Tina. I'm sure they're probably enjoying their time at the gift shops." * * * In all the times that Lila had spent being held captive, this was most likely the worst predicament she had ever faced. She and Tina were crammed tightly inside a very small room, like a closet. They were bound securely hand and foot, and their mouths were gagged with strips of cloth, tied firmly in back of their heads. Lila tried to see if she could break free of the bindings holding her wrists together behind her back, but they were very strong. She realized by the feeling of them against her soft skin that they were plastic ties, and that made her feel even more suspicious of Nikolas's uncle, for no one just happens to carry around plastic zip ties, unless they intend to use them in a manner that her and Tina were mixed up in. She feared that he was responsible for Nikolas' disappearance, but why? ... She cursed at herself for falling right into his trap like that. When will she learn to trust her instincts more, like her cousin, Katie, does. The air inside the tiny enclosure was getting stuffier by the minute, and Lila wondered fearfully if they would run out of air to breathe first. Fortunately, there was wide enough crack at the bottom of the wooden door, which allowed air from the outside to sustain the both of them well enough. Both girls were positioned facing away from each other, and since banging against the locked door to alert any help hasn't work so far, Lila wanted to see if they could at least remove their gags, as it would help with their strained breathing, and provide them with a better chance at someone coming to their rescue as their full combined screams could practically shatter glass. But in order to accomplish that, they needed to be facing each other first. "Eeena ... " Lila tried to speak clearly through the cloth she bit down on. "Ooov ower oo eee ... " Tina seemed to understand Lila's gag-talk, and the distressed brunette attempted to shift her petite body around, while Lila started doing the same. "Ooooww! ... " Lila suddenly cried out in pain as she felt a pointed object jab itself hard in her denim-clad leg. "Ake auf ose dan shews," she said irately at her friend for stabbing her with those killer stilettos. Tina was so attached to her precious heels that she would wear them to bed if it was socially acceptable. Grumbling low in response to her fellow captive's order, Tina wiggled her bound ankles to remove the pumps, thus exposing her socked feet to the chilly stale air at the bottom of the door. Back to the task at hand, Tina managed to rotate herself onto her back, and turned her head towards Lila. Lila also succeeded in getting on her back, and the two prisoners now faced each in other in the near-pitch darkness. Feeling each other by their faces, Lila's nose brushed against Tina's cloth gag pressed tightly across her cheek. Moving her suppressed mouth over to that spot, Lila tried to grab hold of the other's muzzle using what teeth were exposed from biting down on the sodden fabric. After several attempts, Lila could not get a good hold on it as the cloth used was just too wide. Frustrated that that didn't work, she tried to move her bound hands over to her friend's face in another attempt, but the confined position she was in made that task all but impossible. With no other choice available now, Lila began screaming out as loud as she could, as Tina joined her. With the joint effort of banging against the door, and crying for help, the frightened girls maintained hope that someone will eventually find them, but the question was how soon ... CHAPTER EIGHT Arriving down at the gift shops, Ashley could not find her friends at all, and what made Chris even more worried was that none of the clerks recalled seeing them. "Where could they have gone off to if they didn't go shopping?" Ashley exclaimed, knowing how much Tina adores shopping, and some of the quaint shops had items of interest to her. "Let's go find Mr. Harper and see if he knows anything," Chris suggested as he ran out of ideas to find them. "First Nikolas is a no-show, and now Lila and Tina have apparently vanished," Ashley wondered skeptically. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say that something sinister is going on around here," she added, as Ashley's own intuitiveness started to kick in. Being in the company of Lila during all their crazy adventures had rubbed some of her instincts onto the brainy girl. "Lila wouldn't go off snooping around somewhere ... she gave me her solemn promise," Chris stated with assurance. "You don't know Lila like I do," Ashley replied knowingly to her friend's boyfriend. "If there's something suspicious going on, you can bet that she'll be in the middle of it ... promise or no promise." Ashley then had a troubling thought if something awful happened to Nikolas, and Lila somehow got wind of it. "Well, if that's the case ... " Chris said agitated at his girlfriend's reckless behavior, " ... then we better continue looking for them ourselves." The two teens walked out of the plaza, and headed back towards the castle ... * * * After their throats were sore from all the screaming they did, Lila and Tina quieted down to rest for a moment""yelling out constantly can take a lot of you. Tina began to sob softly as their dreadful experience was taking its toll on her""only a select few got to see the more vulnerable side of Tina Palermo, and this frightening circumstance presented that. Lila patted her hand on Tina's leg in an effort to help ease her friend's anguish. She managed to still stay in control of the situation, no matter how terrifying it was, as she continued to think of a way out of this. Trying something that she hadn't thought of before, Lila bent her knees towards her, and using her legs as an anchor, she began to push herself up slowly with the aid of the wall as a guide. After several excruciating seconds of heaving herself up in the tight space, the junior sleuth was finally standing on her feet! Hopping to the door, she reached over with her bound hands and grabbed hold of the old-fashioned iron latch to try and open it. Her ragged moaning through her gag indicated that it still wouldn't open. Hearing her friend still weeping, Lila nudged her leg with her brown loafers to get her attention. "Eena ... et uff," Lila said all muffled""she hated having to try and articulate her words with her mouth all stuffed up. Tina understood what she wanted her to do, and the winsome teenager tried the same technique as Lila did, except she had trouble keeping her feet planted firmly as the thin socks she had on caused her feet to slide on the smooth stone floor. Coming to assistance, Lila moved herself in front of Tina, placing her leather shoes against Tina's small feet, thus giving her adequate support. After she was now upright herself, the two girls both had their backs to the heavy door, and began striking their bodies against it repeatedly to try and unlock it. After several tries, Lila moaned in pain as her back felt sore from all the pounding she exerted on it. Tina, however, didn't seem to mind it much for her soft fur jacket provided adequate enough padding against her back as she kept at it while Lila took a short rest. Tina eventually stopped also, resigning that they weren't going to get out this way. As both girls leaned against the door, they heard a faint sound in the distance. "Haaaaa eeeeeee!!" they suddenly began yelling into their muzzles, trying to alert whoever may be approaching. After a few urgent screams, Lila suddenly quieted down, and took a hard listen to the strange noise, as it grew louder by the second. Realizing that it wasn't a person at all, it sounded awfully familiar ... Just then, the sensation of water began to seep through under the door. Tina cried out in distress as it was biting cold against her socked feet. Lila, too, began to whine as she could tell in alarm that the water began to slowly rise in the confined space they were in. Judging by the constant sound from outside the door meant that the deluge wasn't stopping anytime soon. If they didn't get out their prison fast, they would most likely drown as a result! CHAPTER NINE Bending down behind Lila, Tina waited anxiously while Lila tried to get a good grasp on the gag with her bound hands. The cute brunette kept fidgeting during the arduous process as she can feel the cold water reaching her knees now. "Will you hold still for one minute," Lila spoke out as her mouth was already freed with Tina's assistance. Tina moaned fearfully, echoing Lila's feelings on the new dilemma they were now in. The cloth fixed in her mouth was on quite tight as their captors wanted to ensure that they wouldn't remove them. Lila's came off rather easily as Tina's long fingernails was able to grasp the thick cloth more successfully, while Lila's attempt for her friend took longer than anticipated ... and her constant squirming wasn't making it any easier or quicker. After a few more tries with her short, neatly-trimmed nailed fingers, she finally managed to reach under the rigid cloth, and began pulling. Tina pulled back as well as she felt the sodden fabric move slowly past her trembling full lips, and then it was completely off, dangling around her slender neck like an oversized choker. After taking a big breath of air into her starved lungs, Tina broke out in tears as she sloshed around in the water, pressing herself against one side of the cramped space. "Why is it filling up ... with water?" she asked between sobs as she was on now the edge of hysteria. "I'm guessing that this lower level we're in acts as a reservoir when the tide comes in, so as not to flood the castle being so close to the gulf," Lila explained logically in a way that Ashley would, as the Auburn-haired girl tried her best at keeping a more level head during this crisis. "We're gonna die this time!" Tina yelled out, no doubt referring to their all too close encounter with death when they were tied to that wooden boat as it slowly sank into that murky swamp. But that ended well when that hunter happened upon them. This time, the situation looked extremely grim for no one would be caught outside as the rising tide would only drown them ... just like what will happen to them soon enough. Just then, another idea came upon the clever snoop. "Tina, I need you to listen to me!" she barked at her scared friend, trying to keep her in focus. "The water is rising at a slow rate, so it may be possible to halt it long enough for the tide to recede." "How, by placing our tied-up hands over the bottom of the door?" Tina replied mockingly at Lila's far-fetched idea. "No, by using our shoes to do the job ... " * * * Chris was really beginning to get worried as there was no sign of Lila anywhere within the castle grounds ... it was like she just vanished off the face of the earth, which he prayed was not the case. Ashley had tried to call both Lila and Tina on their cell phones, but to her added anxiety, there was no answer on either, and that was when the circumstances began to take a serious turn. "We should tell Mr. Harper that Lila and Tina are missing and have him call the police," Ashley had finally announced to a distraught Chris, as he seemed to agree with her. If the girls were somehow snatched by force, then getting the police involved right away could make all the difference in finding them ... alive. Nikolas' little no-show no longer mattered to Ashley now for her priority was locating her two best friends. Chris was amazed at how she took control of the situation as it seemed that shy little Ashley actually handles herself quite well in a crisis, which made him feel a bit better being that he was still a bundle of nerves. Ashley's gut told her that Lila and Tina were indeed in some sort of trouble, but she sensed that they were somehow much closer than anyone would've guessed. Walking over one of the numerous steel gates imbedded in the stone ground, it lead down to the lower level where ... * * * ... Lila and Tina sat in a small pool of water with their backs to the wooden door, which kept them trapped inside. Like Tina, Lila was able to kick off her shoes off, and she wedged her brown leather loafers into the narrow space under the door, covering about half of the opening where the water was slowly seeping through. To help with the other half, Tina also placed her pumps next to Lila's footwear, but had to place them on their side due to the tallness of the heels, and as such couldn't cover quite as much area as Lila's shoes could. So, as an added assist to keep the water from raising any more, the girls used their own bodies as part of their makeshift dam, which did successfully keep the water level from getting much higher. "I-I can't ... feel my toes anymore ... " Tina said shakily as her body trembled slightly in the freezing water. "If we ... don't get out ... of here soon ... " Lila responded just as erratically as her friend, " ... the exposure of the water ... alone will do us in from ... the hyperthermia already setting in." "It looks like ... no matter how hard ... we try to stay alive ... it's all for nothing ... in the end," Tina replied with a resigned tone, accepting their fate now. Lila quietly agreed with her, even though a part of her still refused to give up. She was, after all, a Spencer, and they weren't quitters in the face of adversity. Resting her head against the door, she reflected on everything that's happened to her in her young life before it would end in this wet tomb she was imprisoned in. Just then, something caught her attention ... a sound different from the low constant resonance of the water pouring through. Listening more carefully, it sounding like sloshing, as if someone was wading through the water outside! Tina also heard the strange noise, and another that followed. It sounded like someone talking in Spanish. "Nos ayudan, estamos atrapados en el interior!" she cried out in response to what she believed she heard. "Hold on, que vienen a por ti," the voice, which was distinctly male in tone, spoke over the rushing water. "What did he say?" Lila asked her Hispanic friend anxiously, as her Spanish was still very rusty. "We're going to be saved!" Tina burst out in tears of joy. CHAPTER TEN The search for Mr. Harper proved harder than it seemed as Ashley was beginning to loose her patience. "Did everyone just decided to leave and not tell us?" she asked all flustered now. "I don't think so ... I did spot Roger Canton and Frank Neuner just a few minutes ago, so they must all still be here," Chris said, trying to ease Ashley's rising tension. Just then, a ringing sound was heard from Ashley's purse, and she quickly retrieved her cell phone. "Hello? ... " she said right after flipping it open. Her green eyes grew wide at what she was hearing on the other end that it started to make Chris even more nervous than he already was. "They found them!" she blurted out to him. * * * Entering the office of the head administrator, Ashley and Chris were so relieved to see Lila and Tina sitting down on a bench with thick blankets wrapped over them, and warm slippers over their small feet. They rushed over and sat down between them. "What happened to you two?" Ashley asked at the unexpected presence of the blankets. "We were locked in the lower level of the castle when the tide began filling it up," Lila explained rather simply, still thankful to be out of there. "Nikolas' uncle had us tied up while we were in there," Tina said gloomily. "We would've died if someone hadn't heard us through a small air vent." Ashley cuddled closer to Tina as she was still shivering from her near death experience. Likewise, Chris also held onto Lila tightly, relieved and annoyed that his girlfriend was safe and sound. "But why would he do something like that?" he asked, alarmed that a dangerous person was running loose at the castle. "I'm sorry for not telling, Ashley ... " Lila turned and faced her blonde friend, " ... but I found Nikolas' ring up on the spire while we were waiting for him, and I thought about investigating it first through his uncle. I had no idea that he was apparently involved with Nikolas' disappearance." Ashley looked upset at not being told about this, however, she had time to scold her snooping friend at a later time. "Why would his uncle do any harm to him?" Ashley asked, finding that to be very strange since he was family. "Maybe it has something to do with his rise to the throne ... " Tina blurted out, then looked at her two friends, realizing that she said something smart for a change. "That's gotta be it!" Lila exclaimed. "But what's his motive for doing something like this? ... " she pondered wistfully. "Who cares!?" Ashley roared out, rising up to her feet. "Nikolas is in trouble and we need to find him right away." "We can't go anywhere ... " Tina said dolefully, " ... we have a mild case of hyperthermia, and Mr. Harper had called in some paramedics to take us to the local hospital to check us out." Ashley looked a bit heartbroken at hearing that for different reasons. "But I can't do this by myself ... " "I'll help you, Ashley ... " Chris spoke up suddenly. Lila looked at her boyfriend with an air of regard for his assistance. "Besides, I want to make that person pay for what he did to my girlfriend ... and Tina." Tina smiled appreciatively at him for being thought of in all this. "But where are we going to look? ... This castle is huge," Ashley stated frustratingly. "With some help from our fellow classmates ... " Chris replied with a confident tone. CHAPTER ELEVEN With all the students from Hamilton High dispersed around the castle, Chris put the word out from his cell phone to be on the lookout for a foreign-looking middle-aged man with two men dressed in dark suits. Fortunately, their appearance was very conspicuous, and if they were still present on the castle grounds, someone should be able to spot them. About fifteen minutes after placing the call for assistance, Chris' phone rang as he and Ashley also began looking out the sinister threesome. "Talk to me ... " he said eagerly into his phone. "I think I may have spotted the men you're looking for ... " Holly Marks said carefully on the other line. "Where!? ... " Chris asked suddenly, thrilled that his idea worked. "Over at the docks ... It looks like they're all getting into a small motor boat, with another person." "Thanks a lot, Holly ... you've been a big help." Chris ended the call while Ashley looked positively riveted at what he had to say. "She said that they're apparently taking a boat ride at the docks, and they have a fourth person with them." "That's got to be Nikolas with them!" Ashley gasped. "They may be planning to drown him or something!" "We should inform the castle security about this, and let them ... " Chris' sentence was cut short as Ashley suddenly ran from him, heading in the direction of the shoreline. "Girls ... are they always this snoopy, or is it just the ones I hang out with?" he muttered softly to himself in annoyance, and began to follow after the fleeing blonde. * * * "Will you two hurry up and get him on the boat!" Tarkapol yelled impatiently at his two associates as they carried an unconscious Nikolas into a small motorboat. The aged foreigner looked carefully around making sure that no one was watching them. Once his nephew was securely on board, he stepped in the aquatic vehicle with a look of apprehension on his face. "I'm sorry I have to do this ... " he spoke softly with a hint of regret to his sleeping nephew, " ... but I could not pass up an opportunity to have a high position in the palace." He referred to the offer made by the royal family's chief rival, the Archduke Cullengrad, which he would ascend to the throne if the sole heir would to die before claiming the crown. The Archduke promised Tarkapol a lofty position in his cabinet, one that would grant him power and wealth""something that he would lack if Nikolas ended up ruling. When the opportunity to travel to America presented itself, Tarkapol saw the perfect chance to dispose of Nikolas, claiming an unfortunate accident in a foreign land. Everything went according to his plan, until Nikolas met that American girl, and was smitten over her. He panicked when Nikolas suddenly vanished in an effort to meet with her, but fortunately one of his men spotted the young man on the castle spire before his rendezvous. It was a close call spiriting him away after he was rendered unconscious by an injection, but those two snooping girls""friends of that other one""stumbled upon Nikolas' ring, suspecting that something bad happened to him. That was another close call, but they were gullible enough to buy into his 'concerned' story, and fell right into his hands rather easily. He suspected that they were already drowned by now ... another casualty in his quest for self-gratification. Tarkapol watched anxiously as one of his men started up the motor, while the other untied the thick rope holding the boat to the dock. He would tell Nikolas' mother the sad story that her only son died tragically while on a boating excursion""the choppy waters caused him to lose his balance and he fell over. Since Nikolas was not a very good swimmer, he drowned rather quickly as rescue came unfortunately too late. He smiled to himself, knowing that story would work for no one expected Nikolas' own uncle of murdering him""he would have to do his best at acting distraught when he returned home, which was something he could do as needed. "Someone's coming!" the driver yelled over the roaring sound of the motor. Tarkapol turned to the dock, and gasped at seeing that blonde American girl running towards them. "Get us out of here!" he yelled back, trying to still stay calm. "But she's seen us ... " the other man spoke worriedly. Tarkapol gestured with his thumb at him, and the man stood up, stepping off the boat. Ashley noticed that and stopped abruptly. Before she could turn around, the man grabbed the skinny teen girl and hauled her up from the wooden dock. Ashley began screaming out loud as she was being dragged over to the waiting boat, helpless to stop him. The goon carrying her placed his meaty hand over her mouth to stifle her piercing cries as much as possible""the last thing they needed was curious bystanders showing up. Ashley was then thrown inside right next to the slumbering Nikolas""her back ached from the impact with the hard flooring. "You wanted to see Nikolas again ... " Tarkapol said menacingly at the startled girl, " ... now you can be together at the bottom of the sea." Panic was etched in her big green eyes as his words meant that he was deadly serious, for he almost succeeded in killing Lila and Tina earlier. "Just sit back and enjoy the ride," he then said mockingly at her with a slight chuckle. Ashley laid there completely powerless to stop them as her abductor sat right over her with a watchful gaze in his rugged face. She then looked over at the sleeping boy, totally unaware that his life was about to end soon. She held his hand in her hers and squeezed tightly, as his warm touch brought some comfort to this otherwise terrifying situation. * * * Chris chased after Ashley as swiftly as he could, but the winsome blonde was just too fast for him. He considered telling her later to try out for the track team at school with her amazing speed. When he finally reached the docks, he stopped suddenly and his mouth was wide open at seeing Ashley being carried against her will into a motor boat. After a few short seconds of standing there in shock, he began to head for it, but it was too late as the small vessel started to speed away out into the open waters of the gulf! CHAPTER TWELVE Chris acted fast as he suspected that Ashley and Nikolas won't be coming back from their little boat ride, and time was of the essence if their lives were to be saved. Running along the narrow boardwalk along the rocky shoreline, he came upon another set of docks, and saw passengers disembarking from a motorboat docked. He ran over there quickly, catching his breath upon his arrival. "Excuse me ... " he said panting at the boat driver, " ... I need you to help me save my friends ... they're in grave danger." The younger-looking man gave the teenager a puzzled look, wondering if this was some sick prank they often like to play. Noticing his suspicious look, Chris pointed towards the water as he spotted the speeding boat in the distance. "They're over there!" Giving him the benefit of the doubt, the man grabbed a pair of large binoculars and set his gaze at the distancing craft. "Wait a minute ... those don't look like tour guides," he said in reference to the boat that was being used, and the driver not wearing the required uniform that he was wearing. "Please ... my friends are held hostage on board and I'm afraid that they're going to be thrown over to drown," Chris pleaded urgently at him. The driver then had a slight smirk on his face. "C'mon ... get on board." Chris excitedly climbed in, happy that he believed him. "I was hoping to see some excitement for a change!" he yelled cheerfully, and started up the motor with a loud roar. "Hold on ... I don't want you falling overboard yourself," he screamed over the deafening noise and raced away from the dock. * * * Ashley remained frightened lying next to the still passed out Nikolas""she hoped that he was awake now as she could really use his help in getting themselves out of this mess. After years of dreaming about falling in love with someone, this was not the romantic fantasy she had in mind. Being a good swimmer, Ashley wasn't particularly alarmed at being tossed into the sea, but Nikolas would sink immediately, and she wasn't sure if she had the strength to keep them both afloat. Of course, her situation had taken a turn for the worse when one of her captors began to bind her hands behind her back with a plastic tie! Panic had now started to take over the usually collective girl as her drowning would now be assured. "Boss ... I think we're being followed!" the driver suddenly yelled out. Tarkapol looked towards their rear, and sure enough another motorboat was gaining on them. "We have to throw them overboard now!" he bellowed as Ashley cried out in terror in response. Nikolas was lifted by one of the men and dragged over the side of the speeding boat. Ashley tried to get up in an effort to help her newfound boyfriend, but Tarkapol kept her seated down by holding her small shoulders. She turned to see their pursuers, but they were still not close enough to offer any assistance. It was now or never if Nikolas' life was to be saved. Turning her head, she reached over and bit down on Tarkapol's hand viciously, causing the foreign man to release his grip on her as he cried out in pain. Using her bound hands, Ashley catapulted herself forward and kicked the other villain hard with her long legs across his face. The blow was enough to let go his hold on Nikolas as the boy was dangling over the side of the boat now! Infuriated by the assault, the burly man stood up and went to strike the frightened girl, when suddenly, the boat made a sharp turn to avoid the other boat now upon them. The abrupt shift caused the boat to turn on its side just enough for that man to lose his balance and fall right out into the blue water. Fortunately, the turn caused Nikolas to be placed back on board and landed right on Ashley. Being trapped under his weight, Ashley was completely immobile to do anything now. "Yowwww!!" the cute blonde screamed as Tarkapol grabbed her long hair and began pulling her towards him. "You get to die first!" he yelled at the teen girl writhing in pain. Another volley of twists and turns almost caused Tarkapol to be thrown over himself. "Try and keep the boat steady for a moment!" he screamed out, but then his dark eyes widen in shock at what he saw approaching. "You fool! ... Watch out for the ... " * * * Chris watched in horror as the small boat rammed into a line rocks jutting from the water, and capsized over as a result of it. The young driver was already on his radio calling in for help as he raced over there to try and rescue any hopeful survivors. CHAPTER THIRTEEN Ashley held her breath after falling into the cold water as she struggled furiously to free her bound hands. Looking around the clear water, she spotted Nikolas floating nearby still unconscious. Thrashing her still-freed legs, Ashley managed to swim over to him. She nudged him with her body, hoping to revive him before they would both drown. As if her silent prayers have been answered, Nikolas started to move and quickly woke up in a panic at being submerged in water. He apparently took a good gulp of water in as he started to choke. He then saw his beloved looking positively frightful. Regaining his control somewhat, he grabbed Ashley and swan up to the surface, which was no more than ten feet. Both of them took in big breaths of air into their starved lungs""Nikolas began hacking loudly as he tried to expel the water he swallowed. The rocks in which the boat crashed into was close enough for the couple to reach, which was fortunate as Nikolas struggled to stay afloat while, at the same time, holding up Ashley with her hands tied. Grasping the jagged rocks, Nikolas pulled a soaked Ashley up onto them, placing her out of harms way. He continued to cough up water, which concerned Ashley as to his well being. "It's okay ... " he finally spoke to her in ragged gasps, " ... I think I'll be alright." She smiled happily and went to kiss him, but was interrupted as Tarkapol began swimming towards them. Nikolas looked very angry towards his uncle as he realized that he was behind all of this. As his uncle began to reach the rocks, Nikolas reached out with his foot, and pressed his shoe on Tarkapol's head, pushing him down into the water. Ashley noticed the look of blind rage on his handsome face, and it scared her that he may actually try and murder his uncle. "Nikolas, don't!" she pleaded out loud. "Killing him won't you make you any better than him." He then turned to Ashley and softened his gaze at her realizing that she was correct. He then released his hold on his uncle, and Tarkapol began to cough loudly from almost being drowned. "Are you two okay?" a voice called out in the distance, and Ashley saw that it was Chris on another boat heading towards them slowly. Ashley looked positively elated at being rescued that she didn't mind it that she was still bound. Nikolas held onto her tightly, not wanting to let go after what they've been through. CHAPTER FOURTEEN Now it was Ashley and Nikolas' turn to be wrapped in thick blankets as they both sat inside an ambulance, waiting to take them to the local hospital for a routine check up. "Boy, won't Lila and Tina be surprised to see us," Ashley said in reference to her two snooping companions presently being treated there. Tarkapol and his two cronies were taken into custody by the local police, and were held handcuffed in the back of a squad car, waiting for the FBI to take over the investigation. "I'm very sorry that your own uncle tried to drown you like that," Ashley said sullenly as she could tell that Nikolas was still in disbelief by everything that has happened. "You were incredibly brave to help me," Nikolas then said to her with sincere admiration. "You are a very remarkable person, Ashley Emerson ... and I feel that I'm not worthy of courting you." The normally shy blonde smiled at him, surprised to hear that someone as good looking as him felt that he was beneath her. "Well, I couldn't let the first boy to take a real interest in me just slip away," she said confidently as she began enjoying this new sensation""now she was beginning to understand how Tina feels. "But you and I are from two very different worlds, from different continents even," he said, trying to rationalize the difficulty of making it work between them. The old Ashley would agree with that assessment, but the new Ashley just didn't recognize the logic Nikolas was conveying to her. "Why don't we just take it one day at a time and see where this really goes," she said in response. Still reeling from the heartbreaking loss of Jennifer Fowler, Ashley regarded Nikolas suddenly coming into her life as a way to help her more emotionally, and a new start for her to be happy again, which Jennifer would've wanted for her. Nikolas slowly moved his head towards Ashley, closing his eyes. Her heartbeat suddenly raced at his soft gesture, but made no attempt to stop it. She also edged over to him with eyes shut, meeting his lips to hers in a tender, passionate kiss.