Mercedes sat on the sofa in Sedar's office, poring over the blueprints for the new projects Sedar intends to build over the next few years. She rolled the prints back up and reinserted them into their tubes, her gaze raised to the wall clock. "I'm off to lunch with Neriman now; would you like me to bring you anything?" Mercedes inquired as she rose and approached him, sitting on the edge of his desk, rearranging his mused hair. He took her hand in his, brought it to his lips, and kissed her knuckles lightly. "Hayir,(no) but I will accompany you downstairs because I have someone I need to introduce you to." He leant back in his chair, his gaze fixed on hers. "Me?" She inquired, her hand resting on her chest in bemusement. "Evet." (Yes) He raised himself from his chair and slid his arms through his suit jacket, giving her a cheeky wink. She stood in front of him, adjusting his collar and smoothing his ash grey, silky tie with her fingers. "You'v

Mercedes was dumped inside a large abandoned building that was surrounded by tall trees, it was cold due to its age-related collapse, and there was no sign of anyone living in the area, no one close enough to suspect she was being held captive in that particular building as it was fenced off and had 'Demolition Warning' signs stationed everywhere.  Through the darkness, Mercedes gradually began to awaken; the side of her head throbbed, and her mouth felt as parched as a desert. She groaned in pain and rolled to her side as the haze in which she had awoken from, began to lift and she was quickly reminded of the assault she had suffered at the cafe. She was compelled to lie on the cold, hard concrete ground, her hands bound behind her back, and her ankle imprisoned by a large chain that was embedded in the wall. She realised was blindfolded, her vision being torn from her, and her screams for help were muffled by a large piece of rag tied around her mouth.

Mercedes's disappearance has now lasted four days. That's approximately 96 hours of full-time, body consuming fear that has everyone on edge. Sedar needed to get out of the house; he was going stir crazy from being cooped up in his house, surrounded by cops. He felt helpless and needed some time away, to gather his thoughts. He jumped into his Corvette and drove to the Logan and Pools Leisure Centre in the city to swim laps. He had to expel the sickening feeling of being doomed that was consuming him entirely. He was unable to sleep for more than two hours at a time and when day turned into night, he couldn't control the verbal outbursts of abuse he would haul at everyone, feeling emotionally drained. He was at a loss for how else to assist other than to throw money at the crisis and he had never felt so worthless in his life.  He was out of his element and it was driving him wild.  On instinct, he sent his Jet to pick up Ezekiel; he

  One hour before the bust...   Mercedes shivered on the ground, her teeth chattering and her stomach muscles contracting as gusts of wind slammed into her like waves crashing against the shoreline. Raising her unbound hands to her mouth, she blew on them. She was taken aback when her captor had untied them, allowing her to eat dinner the night before, which consisted of rice, vegetables, and a fragrant sauce that made her taste buds dance with delight and her stomach sing with gratitude. However, her eyes remained hidden behind the dampened blindfold and she progressed from blowing on her hands to rubbing them up and down her arms. Attempting to eradicate the goosebumps that had etched their way permanently into her flawless skin. "Hello... Are you still here?" she croaked. Only the faint sound of leaves brushing against the ground greeted her. "Please. I'm so.. cold." She whimpered, unsure how much longer he

Mercedes rested beneath a Willow tree, the sun glistening off her skin as the scent of freshly mowed grass lingered in the air, and the warm summers breeze blew through her hair. She lay on her back, gazing up at the sky, forming animal shapes out of the soft fluffy clouds that were slowly gliding through the air. "There!" Alex exclaimed, laughing. "The long-fingered rabbit has made a comeback." "Where? I only see large marshmallow shapes." She laughed, licking her lips and revelling in the sensation of freedom. "It's always been Marshmallows with you." He sighed while he shook his head, irritated that she wasn't paying attention to the shapes forming and taking their game more seriously. "Because marshmallows are so... delicious!" She rolled to the side, giggling, sliding her glasses up, and looked down at Alex with a smile. He returned her gaze with a large grin on his face, turning his head with one eye closed. "I miss this.