Tigress

The diamond necklace on the mannequin looked familiar. She placed her palm on the window that separated them and leaned in closer, then even closer.

Hmm...

Oh my God!

It suddenly dawned on her where she had seen it!

Around the neck of her best friend that she was traveling with!

Shauna!

She and Ashley had decided to vacation together in Columbia.

The sights had been amazing and the people too. But, now Ashley wasn't quite so sure.

Frantically, she dialed her cell number.

It rang at least 15 times with no answer.

Ashley was totally perplexed as to how her girlfriend's diamond necklace could be hanging on a pawn shop mannequin.

She rushed inside the store determine to find some answers.

The dark atmosphere of the shop was cold, uninviting

and somehow sinister.

She approach the counter hesitantly,

hello?

Ashley had a creeping, crawly feeling come over her that she couldn't shake. But gathering her courage she spoke again.

Hello?

Is anyone here?

LEAVE THIS PLACE NOW!

Cried an arresting voice, filled with wrath.

LEAVE NOW!

Ashley was pale with fright, she nearly jumped out of her body.

But with the thought that her friend might be in trouble, it gave her the strength to face the person behind the voice.

The place was dimly lit but she could see a slight figure lurking in the darkness.

I, I just need to ask you a few questions, Ashley stammered.

It's about the diamond necklace hanging on the mannequin in the window.

I need to know how you

obtained it.

Did she sell it to you?

Are you deaf? The voice said,

didn't you see the sign on the door?

We're closed!

Ashley's kickboxing instincts

begin to stir. She was a kickboxing instructor at a local gym and far tougher than she looked.

Well, replied Ashley the door wasn't locked.

Furthermore,

I am not leaving until I get some answers!

Now come out this instant or I'm calling the Policia! I will make sure they thoroughly investigate how you came by the diamonds. And I intend to wait right here until they arrive.

WAIT RIGHT THERE!

Wow!

Ashley thought, this dude must be on voice steroids!

Abruptly, she heard a sound and seen a small figure standing at the counter, his head barely clearing it.

Ashley walked towards the figure who stepped back

to see her more clearly.

Why!

You're just a little old man, exclaimed, Ashley! She seen him discreetly putting a microphone away inside a drawer.

Oh!

So that's what made me think that perhaps you were King Kong!

Ok, what is your name and how did you get my girlfriend's diamond necklace?

My name is of no consequence to you and we purchase the diamonds. And that is all you need to know.

Now, if I were you I would turn around and leave!

Leave! Ashley said, well, that's not going to happen.

WHAM!

Ashley felled to the floor, her consciousness fading. A tall oriental, robust man was leaning over her clasping a slap jack.

What!

What did you do that for?

That wasn't necessary cried the small man stepping from behind the counter. Is she dead Akeno?

Now we're really gonna have trouble. It's one thing engaging in human trafficking but murder!

Don't worry about it said, Akeno, she isn't dead and what possess you to put those diamonds in the window anyway.

Listen shorty, if you screw up my operations you might not live to tell the tale.

My name isn't shorty, it's Miguel!

What shall we do now?

When she wakes up, you know she will run straight to the Policia.

Yes, said, Akeno, that is why we are going to sell her on the black market.

Normally I would keep her but I need some fast cash. Now remove the diamonds from that mannequin and lock the door.

Miguel locked the door and returned with the diamonds.

Akeno said, grab her legs and lets take her to the rear entrance.

They tied Ashley up and place her inside a limousine with dark tinted windows.

Akeno followed in his own vehicle,

the limousine pulled up to a ocean pier where a ship was waiting and the doors opened.

Out stepped two husky looking male Columbians wearing black bandanas that covered their faces. They removed Ashley from the limo just as Akeno arrived.

Akeno barked an order,

get her aboard that ship now!

The trio drew curious glances from people as they almost dragged Ashley aboard the ship. But, they probably assume she had too much

to drink.

Akeno bellowed, take her below deck and tell Santiago to come up here and pay me my money for her!

Pow!

A bullet suddenly went whizzing by Akeno's ear.

Pow! Pow, pow, pow, pow

Pow!

His presence was rudely greeted with a hail of bullets, one striking him in his right leg. Akeno screamed in agony, drew his Sig Sauer 45 magnum revolver and returned fire.

I've been set up cried, Akeno,

you dirty bastards!

He staggered back towards the gangplank managing to escape any further injury despite the barrage of fire.

He threw open the door to his car, and crawled in bleeding profusely.

Meanwhile, the Columbians

had scurried below deck still carrying Ashley.

The loud gunfire had woken her and she was now struggling with her captors.