Jenny's outfit was simple yet stylish, consisting of a white button-down blouse tucked into a patterned pleated skirt that fell just above her knees. She accessorized with a pair of black flats, and dark knee-high socks that hugged her slim calves. She loved wearing these socks. They always added a playful touch to her otherwise professional ensemble. Today was chilly, and to keep the rest of her legs warm she had on a pair of thin, nude colored nylons that you could just barely tell where there.

The front door jingled as Jenny looked up and saw Kayla making her entrance. She was just as stunning in person as she was in her photos online. She looked around the coffee shop for a brief moment, and then made eye contact with Jenny. A bright smile lit up on her face as she gave the intrepid snoop a wave making her way over to the table now with her bag in hand.

As Kayla Grace approached the table, Jenny couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and nervousness coursing through her veins. Kayla was everything Jenny aspired to be: confident, intelligent, and impeccably dressed. She had long black hair that fell in straight down and past her shoulders, and she wore a pair of stylish round glasses that only added to her sophisticated appearance. From her attire, Jenny could tell that Kayla was comfortable in her own skin and took pride in her unique style.

Kayla's outfit consisted of a black sweater that she wore over a white button up, tucked neatly into a pleated patterned skirt that hugged her curves. Her ensemble was completed with a pair of black tights and a pair of cute yet cozy loafers. Her frilly white socks bunched up around her ankles. From the many photos Jenny had seen of Kayla, this was a very common looks of hers.

As she sat down opposite Jenny, Kayla flashed her a warm smile. "It's so great to finally meet you, Jenny. I've heard so much about you and your work. I was thrilled when you reached out and wanted to meet." Her eyes sparkled with genuine enthusiasm.


Kayla was truly honored. She took pride in her work, she really did, but she still definitely considered herself an amateur. Even she had lots to learn! Still, she didn't want to let Jenny down. She had definitely accumulated some tips and tricks throughout the years so far, and was excited to share them with her newfound friend.

The two girls chatted for hours, regaling their adventures and sharing tips and tricks back and forth. After a while, the tone of the conversation switched to one of the most important yet annoying aspects of being a reporter these days...and that was getting nabbed. Kayla was the one who had kicked things off.

"So tell me," she asked Jenny, "do you seem to have the same rotten luck I do? You know, in getting tied up and stuff?"

"Do I ever!" Jenny replied, "I haven't quite earned the same reputation as my mother or you yet, but boy am I on my way. If you have any advice for staying out of trouble..."

Kayla laughed.

"That's what I thought," Jenny said.

"I was hoping maybe you had some advice," Kayla said.

Jenny shook her head, "seems like we're at an stalemate then. Cuz I've got nothing!"

Kayla took a sip of her coffee, "well, I don't know about you, but I've learned a few things over the years. For one, always be aware of your surroundings. You never know when someone might try to grab you. And if they do, don't fight it. Go with it. Try to figure out who they are and what they want. You might be able to talk your way out of it."

Jenny nodded thoughtfully. "That makes sense. I've heard stories of people who've been able to charm their way out of dangerous situations. I guess it's all about staying calm then."

"Right," Kayla said, "that's exactly it. I mean the goal is to stay out of peril completely, of course, but when the inevitable happens, just keep your cool. Struggling too hard usually makes it worse. I've definitely learned that the hard way. As for charming your way out...well, let me know if you have any luck with that, because I sure haven't! Still, doesn't hurt to try."

"Got," Jenny said, writing all that down. "I have another question for you, and you don't have to answer that's totally fine. I just...I mean I've heard the stories and all but like...is it true they usually..."

"Gag me with my socks?" Kayla said, lifting up her loafer clad foot and waving it around.

Jenny giggled. "seems like you don't mind."

"Oh I mind," Kayla said crossing her legs and smoothing out her tights, "but it doesn't seem like there's much I can do about it now. I've kind of just accepted it as my fate. It's a lot better than having a dirty old rag crammed in my mouth that's for sure!"

They both laughed, before falling silent for a moment. The conversation had taken a turn neither of them had expected, but they were both grateful for it. It felt nice to be able to talk about these things with someone who understood what it was like.

"Do you need anything else?" Kayla asked Jenny. "I was going to get a refill real quick."

"I'm okay, thank you," said Jenny, "this cafe is super cute by the way."

The small, cozy cafe was tucked away in a quaint corner of Hazeldale. The walls were adorned with paintings of snow-capped mountains and skiers gliding down the slopes, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. Soft, golden light filtered through the windows, casting a warm glow over the wooden tables and chairs. The air was filled with the delicious scent of freshly brewed coffee and pastries baking in the oven.

"Yeah, isn't this place super cute? It just opened last week. In fact, they gave me this coupon too for a free cup of coffee. Not only that, but you can also redeem it for a free pastry too."

"Wow, that's awesome!"

"I'm surprised this place isn't more busy," Kayla said, "I bet that's because it just opened. It'll get super busy in no time. I plan on coming here all the time."

As Kayla was lavishing her praise on the cute little coffee shop, Jenny couldn't help but notice the strange customer base. She was taking Kayla's own advice and trying to remain aware of her surroundings, and a quick scan of their environment revealed something that gave Jenny a knot in her stomach. Kayla could quickly tell something was wrong with her new friend.

"What's up?" She said, "you've got this...worried look. Are you okay?"

"Yeah I just, I'm getting a bad feeling about this place," Jenny said in a hushed tone. "Take a look around."

Kayla paused. Casually looking around the cafe, doing her best not to be obvious about it. She could instantly tell what Jenny was talking about. The cafe wasn't very full, but at the tables that were occupied there were sat a few pairs of very burly looking men. They wore outfits consisting of lots of leather, and they had these really mean looks on their faces. Sure, they were all sipping on dainty little lattes, but it was definitely a strange sight.

None of them had a laptop out or a book or anything else you might expect a patron at a cafe to have with them. They just kind of sat there, talking in hushed tones to each other. Even the barista, was a burly looking individual. As Kayla stole a quick glance at him, she noticed he quickly looked away from her. Had he been staring?

"Shit," Kayla muttered, "this is definitely some bad news bears..."

"What do we do?" Jenny asked. "Is this a trap?"

"Could be," said Kayla. "Just stay calm. We'll be fine. Let's just pack up our things and head out."

Jenny nodded, as the two girls stood up and started clearning off their table. Turning to the exit, they were able to take their leave when they realized that the men in the cafe had all stood up and started making their way toward them. One of the men had stayed back, locking the front door and cutting off their only escape.

Kayla sighed. This was just her luck, of course.

"Oh for crying out lommmmph!"

Two of the thugs lunged at her, grabbing her arms and yanking them behind her back. A hand was slapped over her mouth too, keeping her quiet as the men tied her wrists together with ropes.

Jenny was grabbed in tandem, but she remembered what Kayla had told her. She stayed calm, not putting up a fight and just doing her best to relax. The men pulled her arms behind her back as well and roughly cinched her wrists together with the coarse rope. Kayla took notice of Jenny's poise, realizing her words of advice had paid off. She gave her new friend a big wink behind her hand gagged mouth.

Jenny smiled, proud that she had been able to pick up on things so quickly. At the same time, she was surprised at how soon she had needed to put those skills to the test. Was this a usual thing for Kayla?

"Let's leave 'em in the storage room!"

"You got it."

The girls were hauled off to a large supply closet. Usually you would keep kitchen and cooking supplies in here, but seeing as this cafe was more than likely just an excuse to lure Kayla in and kidnap here, the room was empty save for the metal shelving that lined the walls.

Kayla and Jenny were brought inside and then lowered onto the floor. Their ankles were crossed and tied along with lots of rope tied around the rest of their legs at different points all the way up to their thighs.

To put the finishing touches on their predicament, the men grabbed a few rolls of duct tape and tearing off a few strips they slathered them over the girls mouths.

"Mmmph," Kayla muttered, silenced by her tape gag.

"Mmmmmmph!" Jenny mumbled too, rough tape was not very kind to her skin.

"Let's go let the boss know we got her."

Leaving the room, the mean headed out, slamming the door behind them.

Kayla looked at Jenny, who was very calm and collected. She stared back at Kayla with full confidence.

"Hmmmph mmmmmph."

"Mmmmph!"

Jenny knew exactly what Kayla was trying to say, mainly because she was thinking the same thing herself. They needed to find a way out of here before those men returned. Kayla wasted no time, springing into action. Because of how they were tied, she was able to easily move herself around. She shuffled her body over to Jenny, not caring how haphazardly her skirt was flying up. She had much more important things to worry about right now than flashing anyone!

She turned herself around, placing her back to Jenny's as she attempted to undo the ropes tying her together. Jenny did the same. They worked feverishly, trying to get themselves untied as fast as possible before...

"Hey! What's going on!"

...their assailants came back.

"Mmmph!"

"Hmmmmph!"

They were caught, red-handed, and the men were not happy. They grabbed Kayla, and wrenched her away from Jenny.

"Nnnmmmmph!" She yelped as she was roughly dragged across the cold floor, one of her loafers coming off in the process.

"Let's make sure you two don't cause any more trouble!"

"Mmmmph!"