Where's my money? (SHARPii & DetailedRuss)

He sat in his office looking through his "book".

Business was good for him; he'd built up his empire through fear and a shrewd business mind. Money came in initially through English stocks and when the time was right he moved it all to America. The exchange rate had been kind to him and he was a very wealthy man but it wasn't enough.

The poor were easy to manipulate, he'd loan them money as they needed it to survive. Most bargained and sold off a TV or family heirloom here and there and could keep up with payments. Those who didn't.. he'd give them a month and if you didn't pay after that.. well.. you didn't want to know.

He read down the list.

The book itself was the size of a notepad and cost around $2. The contents were priceless. Details of every money going in, every money going out and the calculations of the interest he was earning on every transaction. One name stuck out.

Mr Wheaton had borrowed $10,000. He never asked why, he didn't care. He was late on his payments by two months. He looked at the back of his book for his address. Got it. He felt it was time to pay Mr Wheaton a visit and 'reclaim' something that was his.

RE: Where's my money? (SHARPii & DetailedRuss

It had been a long day and since her father had been off on business, it was even longer. Since he was gone, she had to do a lot of work around the house. Her mother passed away when she was just a baby and since then, she kind of took on a lot of responsibilities when she got older; it was a great help since it was just her and her father. They had always been in a financial bind and wherever her father got lots of money from, she never did question it; she never wanted to.

For the moment, Astrid was laying on her bed, doing her reading homework for English. Her class was reading Animal by George Orwell and it was an advanced English class for Juniors and they had to finish the entire book by Thursday. It was Monday. That was her major homework at least. Math had always come easy for her, her father was a History buff so that never caused problems. As for science though, well it was relatively easy with fairly simple homework assignments but it wasn't like Math. Sometimes, it took a while before she understood anything. Unfortunately right now, they were on their Chemistry unit. The identification of chemicals and elements were easy and one would think that the equations would be no problem for her but it was beyond difficult. For now, she'd read. At least the book was interesting.

After reading a couple of the chapters, Astrid got up and went to downstairs to the kitchen. She tied her medium-auburn red wavy hair into a messy ponytail and walked to the fridge, pulling out some ingredients to make a sandwich. She was wearing a simple black tank top and blue jean shorts, on account of a semi-hot day. The weather was lovely enough to wear that kind of clothing. Sitting up on the counter, she turned the radio on and began to make her sandwich, listening for any radio contests. Any chance she could, she tried to score tickets for concerts or any other goodies they were giving away if it was any of the bands she liked.

"And now we are back. That was 'New Perspective' by Panic at the Disco! For all you fans out there, if you're the lucky caller number five, this will be your chance to win four concert tickets and VIP passes to their latest concert, here in the wonderful sunny city of L.A.! So start calling at..." Astrid grabbed the phone in a quick haste. Forget her sandwich. This was Panic at the Disco. She had to win!

Dialing the number, it seemed it took forever all out of the anticipation but then someone answered.

"Hello?" She answered. "Did I win!?"
"You are our lucky caller number 5! Congratulations you have one four tickets and VIP passes to Panic at the Disco!"
"No freaking way! Are you kidding?"
"Not at all."

Once she knew that she for sure had won, she hopped off the counter, squealing and cheering, not caring if she was making the radio guy go deaf. She had just won tickets to see her favorite band. Along with VIP passes; she was going to meet them. She did her lame happy dance which was jumping up and down and throwing her arms up in the air. It was allowed. This was huge!

RE: Where's my money? (SHARPii & DetailedRuss

He pulled up in the driveway of the address he had for Mr Wheaton. Having earned the money he had, he had expensive tastes. He drove a silver Aston Martin DB9. He fancied himself as an English rogue and driving around in a 'James Bond' car definitely helped.

It was a largeish house, two floors but no other car on the driveway. He couldn't see any movement inside yet and it was time to rattle the cage. He stepped out and close the door behind him and walked up the pathway while straightening out his suit. Even though it was a hot day there was no reason not to dress snappily, right?

RE: Where's my money? (SHARPii & DetailedRuss

When she was finally able to calm down, she put the phone back to her ear and cleared her throat. "Sorry about that. Are you still there?" How she prayed her crazy happiness didn't make him hang up. She had been dying to see Panic at the Disco live for so long since she ever heard of them and now she could. For free! It was a good day for the innocent poor.

"No no, I haven't left. Clearly you're really happy."
"Clearly! I have been dying to see them. Thank you thank you thank you!" She almost screamed again. "When can I pick them up?" He explained to come to the station at four to pick them up. Of course he himself wasn't on air right now. He was when she first called but if he explained where to pick them up on the radio, anyone could come and get them. After getting the information, she thanked him again for the zillionth time and then hung up, writing down the info. She hopped back onto the counter and looked at the time. It was 2:55. Very soon, she'd be able to get her tickets and it'd be an amazing week. If only her dad was here she could tell him all about it.

For now, she continued making her sandwich, to happy for words.

RE: Where's my money? (SHARPii & DetailedRuss

He stood at the door and tried to look through the glass of the door. It was frosted glass so he could only make out objects and nothing solid. He knocked on the door loudly and waited. Some days he had the patience of a saint. Most days he didn't and today was one of those days. He knocked again on the door, this time even louder.

He grabbed his notebook out of his pocket to remind him who he was seeing. With the amount of money he was loaning these days it was easy to forget who owed him what, but with his notebook he wasn't going to forget easily. $10,000 wasn't much for him in the grand scheme of things but it was a little bit more than pocket change.

RE: Where's my money? (SHARPii & DetailedRuss

At first, with the radio on so loud, Astrid didn't hear a thing. But when she got off the counter, not even anywhere close to finish eating her sandwich, she turned the radio down a little bit to call her friend, but it was then she heard a loud knock. Raising a brow, she had no idea who it could be. Maybe she and her friend had telepathy or something and she already knew Astrid won tickets. One could hope. If only it really was.

Skipping to the door--the one that had no peephole--she unlocked it and opened it and leaned on it a little bit, looking at the man in a very nice suit. Oh no, one of those annoying door-to-door salesmen. "Sorry, not interested in what you're selling. Try three houses down. They buy anything they can if it's slightly free the first time." She laughed, fixing to close the door.

RE: Where's my money? (SHARPii & DetailedRuss

He steps forward and places his foot in the way of the closing door, making her stop with an abruptness that would surprise anyone. He smiles and looks down at her "Don't worry sweetheart.. I'm not selling anything..". The girl couldn't be older than sixteen and there was a youthful innocence in her eyes, a cute thing indeed which softened his exterior just a little.

His English voice was deep and unmistakeable; he wasn't sure if her eyes were lighting up at hearing his voice but his lips curled upwards as he thought she did. Although California was very multicultural there wasn't many English around this part of the states and he liked to play on the stereotypical cockney accent "What might your name be, darlin'?"

RE: Where's my money? (SHARPii & DetailedRuss

Suddenly, when the door stopped to close, she turned and saw a foot sticking in and then up at the man. Raising a brow, she turned and opened the door again but only slight because he was a little...too persistent. "Okay....excuse me for my mistake. I apologize." His accent took her off guard a little bit. Not many English folk at all in California, that she knew of, that is. Biting her lower lip, she stayed close to the door. What kind of stranger asked a person's name? It was rule something of the 'Don't talk to strangers' handbook. But she was safe in her house because, well if he had any manners, he wouldn't just barge in. That wouldn't be very kind of him and it would suddenly make his whole attire fake.

"Um...Astrid Wheaton. Is there something you need...Stranger?" She was forward and blunt. To her, he was a stranger. Even if apparently her father had made a deal with him, she was unaware of it. He was a well dressed and sharp strange but a stranger nonetheless and if she knew anything, it was to never trust one.

RE: Where's my money? (SHARPii & DetailedRuss

"Wheaton.." he repeats back to her as he looks up and down her in just her simple tank top and jeans shorts.. Such a young girl and such a young body.. With his reputation in the city he wasn't short of girls wanting to throw theirselves at him.. a combination of the English charm and the lots and lots of money but this girl was something different. Was she too young to be impressed by money? She was almost close enough to touch.. a probable virgin body with youthful charm and a fighting spirit he could already sense. If he could only just...

"Does Mr Wheaton's live here..?" he asks, snapping completely out of his wandering mind and getting right back onto business "Is he home?"

RE: Where's my money? (SHARPii & DetailedRuss

"My dad? Yeah he does but he's away on business right now. Why?" Her mind was reeling as to what possible connection her father could have with an English man who seemed to be very wealthy and probably wouldn't dare associate himself with a man like her father. Her father was a great man but why would a rich man be friends with a poor man? It's not like it could never happen but he just didn't seem the type, regardless of how 'nice' he was being.

"How do you know him? Are you two friends? If so, that is awfully..." He had looked her up and down so she looked him up and down but not in the same way. "Strange." She finished, looking at him as if he was beneath her.

RE: Where's my money? (SHARPii & DetailedRuss

He smirks, she was definitely smart. "We.. work together. Granted I'm one of the managers but your Dad is definitely a hard worker". He winks. He could tell she was proud of him and he could work with that. As soon as she let him in he could try and look around for something to take that would work as a payment for his debts; anything would work and he was hoping his charm was working on her.

"Can I step in? He asked me to check up on you as he's away for a long time this trip.. You know how it is.." He had no idea if that was true, it was a gamble that he was going to take to try and keep up the nice guy image. He found that people that trusted him would be more naive..

RE: Where's my money? (SHARPii & DetailedRuss

Astrid's brow raised again; she wasn't sure whether to believe a single word that was coming out of his mouth. "You know it's odd but my dad never mentioned you before. Never mentioned a rich-ass guy like you from work or anything. So how do I know what you're saying is true?" She asked softly, closing the door even more and almost being more than half way out of the door way. There was no way he was getting inside. She'd have to be a fool to believe and that the was the last thing she was. Her father definitely raised her right, even in the absence of a mother.

"I don't think you should come in because to be honest, I don't believe you are who you say you are. You may dress the talk, but you sure don't talk the talk. Given I've never heard of you, I think you should get back into your James Bond wannabee car and just drive away and pretend you never got talked down to by a sixteen year old girl? Can we agree on that?" The attitude was definitely coming in but mostly because, he was wasting her time and she needed to make sure she finished some of her reading and some house work before she went down to the station. Those tickets were very important. More than him.

RE: Where's my money? (SHARPii & DetailedRuss

He was about to lose it when he saw the certificate on the wall. Employee of the Month at Jones and Co.

"I understand Ms Astrid, we take security very seriously at Jones and Co.. Would you like me to call the office to reassure you..? But I think you should calm down.. I'm not sure your Father would be happy hearing how rudely you spoke to one of his bosses? I'm not too involved in his day to day work so that's perhaps why he didn't mention me. I think we should step inside and calm down if that's okay with you?"

His voice calm, his face reassuring, his facts plausible. If this didn't work he would definitely lose it and he didn't want to hit a sixteen year old this morning.

RE: Where's my money? (SHARPii & DetailedRuss

While Astrid still wasn't too sure about all this, she let out a small sigh and she finally stepped out of the way and opened the door wide enough for him to come in. Shutting the door after he was, she left it unlocked though in case something were to happen. "You can stay right by the door." She said sternly, moving from away from him and crossed her arms over her chest. "So what is it that you need?"

Looking back at the time, she saw it was almost 3:15. The station was at least twenty minutes away. She'd have to leave soon because she'd be walking and if she wanted to get there in time for her tickets, she'd need to leave. This guy better leave soon. There's no way I'm letting my tickets go just like that. I finally won. She thought to herself, sticking her hip out a bit as she put her weight on one foot.

RE: Where's my money? (SHARPii & DetailedRuss

He walked through the door and stood where she told him to for the moment. "You sound like you're in a hurry for something? Do you have to be somewhere?" He looked around the room and peeked into the lounge. Nothing expensive worth 'taking' in there. He was running out of options.

"I was just sent to check on you.. you eating properly..? doing your school work..?" he smiles, wandering into the lounge without her say so and looks at the books laid out on the table. "George Orwell, huh?"

RE: Where's my money? (SHARPii & DetailedRuss

"Kind of." She murmured, letting out a huge sigh when he walked from the door to the lounge. "You just--Ugh..." she groaned, walking into the lounge and she looked at the books and nodded. "Yeah. We have to read the entire book by Thursday. You being here doesn't exactly help with that." She muttered. picking up all her things, she put them in a nice and neat orderly pile and looked at him. "I'd offer you something to eat or drink but I really don't want to." Flat out, she spoke.

"So, now do you mind telling me what you need? You seemed like you needed something far more than just to check up on me, which I still don't believe. In fact..." She grabbed his arm and pulled him over by the door and let go. "Stay." Putting her arms out in a straight way, ensuring him to stay where he was standing. Who would have though an adult could be such a pest. Well that was only because she needed to leave.

RE: Where's my money? (SHARPii & DetailedRuss

"I was just sent over here by your Dad to check up on you.. he cares about you alot, right?" And if you have to go somewhere do you want me to give you a lift? You don't fancy a spin in my wannabe James Bond car?" he smirks as he gives her a wink.

There wasn't anything here to take, nothing tangible was worth it. He couldn't rough up the father as he was gone. All that was left was the daughter. She was a gorgeous young girl and impressionable. His James Bond car had obviously had an effect on her to mention it in the first place and if he pushed her right buttons then she'd be his for the taking.

"Just stuff your bits and pieces in your backpack and we'll get going.."

Before she had even had time to argue, he'd pulled out his cell phone, had turned around and was talking various bits of business on the phone already..

Astrid looked at him, shaking her head all the while he talked. "No thanks, I'll take my chances walking." She muttered. "I have to get my bag from my room. Can you be like a good dog and stay?" She asked, putting her arms out again, to make him stay. Without even getting an answer, she nodded and she walked upstairs and went to her room and grabbed her cell phone and bag and put it on her shoulder and then walked downstairs. She went into the kitchen and grabbed the remaining half of her sandwich that she started and walked to the door. "So now it's time to say goodbye!" She opened the door and practically pushed him out, walking out. "Arrivederci!"

Locking the door, she walked onto the sidewalk in the opposite direction of his car and she ate her sandwich as she walked to the Station. She was so excited. She would get her tickets and then she'd be unstoppable! On the way she started singing 'But it's Better if you Do' by Panic at the Disco, well more like humming.

He was furious. Outwitted by a little girl. He sat in the drivers seat of his Aston Martin and tried to work out what happened. He was used to getting what he wanted. He had wanted repayment. She'd denied him and he was getting more furious by the second.

He put his key in the ignition, turned the engine on and starting revving. He saw which way she had started walking and span the car round and sped to catch up with her. In a matter of moments he had caught up with her and pulled the window down, crawling slowly at the same pace as her until she noticed him.

"That guy...what a creep!" She muttered to herself as she continued walking. The station wasn't far and hopefully she'd make it in time. Her mind was reeling of images of her at the concert and then even meeting the bandmates. Oh, to be in the same room as Brendon Urie, to be able to meet him and take a picture with him, it was like a dream come true. A dream that was slowly being dashed away by that creep.

Looking to the side of her, she saw him, driving at the same speed as she was walking. "What don't you give up?" She snapped, beginning to walk faster now, all in the hopes of losing him.

"Come on Astrid, I'll give you a lift to wherever you want to go." he yells as he keeps the same speed she walks. "You shouldn't walk the streets alone, it's dangerous.." he mutters ironically.

A plan was formulating in his head. If he couldn't get money from Mr Wheaton then he'd take the thing most important for him and bargain him for her life. It wouldn't be too bad, she might even learn to love him after he 'looks after' her. He looks behind him, the chloroform rag on the back seat from the last 'person relocation' he undertook.

He was still incredibly fishy and she didn't trust him and this was probably going to the be the most huge mistake of her life. She kept walking, trying to ignore him but his persistanceness was driving crazy, so to shut him up, she rolled her eyes and waited for him to stop the car. She got to the other side and she sat down in the passenger seat and looked at him. "Happy?"

He nodded as he reached in the back for something. He was sure she didn't know what until she had the rag over her mouth making her pass out almost immediately. He smirked almost evilly as he turned around in the road and started driving towards his mansion.

Even if he was stopped by the cops, she'd had a long day and she really needed a nap. At least this nap was going to keep her asleep until she woke up in one of the bedrooms at his mansion and he was sure she wouldn't remember much before that.

Astrid didn't know what happened. One minute, she was sitting in the car and the next, she was waking up in some room. Sitting up, she looked around and swallowed hard. "Where am I?" She murmured to herself, getting out of bed slowly. Looking around, she bit her lower lip, sitting back down on the bed. Looking for her bag, she saw it wasn't with her. And...she didn't get her tickets. This was not good.

He looked on the webcam he had set up in the room, looking at the young girl in the room. She was young and innocent and he liked that. He'd let Mr Wheaton know that he had her daughter soon but not yet. He'd have his fun first.

He toyed with her, turning the heat up on an already hot summer's day; but filling the room with a comfortable bed and various soft toys over it. The room was locked from the outside and there were no windows. She'd let her get used to the room first, then visit her..