“I had a feeling this was how it was going to go.” Taren says. “Kidnapping… not my best idea.”

“I’m not kidnapped. I just came to get my purse back.” I remind him.

“That’s what you think. But truly, I have trapped you for… for a bit if an exchange.” He suddenly jumps down from the trash cans he was sitting on and raps his hands around me, holding a knife to my throat. “You purse back…” he whips it up from off the ground- “for that necklace.”

“No.” I say firmly, pushing him off of me. Brian or Luke, Luke or Brian…

“That chain is worth more than you know,” He continues, “but would be of virtually no use to you.”

“Want to bet?”

“Young India, I’m asking you a favor.”

“And I am saying no.”

“Confident, firm. Two traits I admire and hate.”

“You make no sense.”

“Only to myself I do.”

“The necklace is mine.”

“You will stay here with me until you give me your necklace.” He says, holding me up against the wall of the building by the collar of my shirt. “You have two weeks. If you don’t give it to me by them, well, you’ll find out.”

“I am not the kind of person to be afraid.” I say, shooting a hole in him with my eyes.

“We’ll see.” He says, and disappears into the shadows once again.

As I try to fall asleep, I remember the day Luke left.

“I- I have to go.” Luke said. “Now.”

“When will you be home?” I asked.

“I won’t be.” He said, putting an arm gingerly on my shoulder.

“Why?”

“I can’t tell you. But give this to Lana.” He handed me the chain necklace. “Tell her I said happy birthday.” And with that, he left.

And the night closes over me.