Author's Note: As of June 14, 2011, this story will be edited and fixed (but will stay posted on Fan-Fiction. Thanks to my wonderful Beta Zeugirdor, this story (and Fortress Manhattan) will have a lot of problems solved and improvements as well. I hope you enjoy this story! Thanks for reading and enjoy!

"Where are you headed to, Miss?"

"To the Railway Apartments on 34th Street; it's just down the road."

"Okay, got it. Hop in."

The seventeen year old Nicole Anderson carefully set herself in the taxi cab in the backseat. It was a black stormy night, and rain poured heavily over the glossed road, as if to create a flood. It seemed that the alleyways of New York were completely abandoned. Very few cars dared to move across the slippery surfaces of the roads. The young girl looked out the window, twiddling her thumbs with anxiety. She focused on the road as it blurred past. The raindrops tapped on the windows of the cab as Nicole watched hundreds of them splatter.

If there were two things she found wrong with this, they were that she was in a taxi cab alone and riding during a dark, rainy night, but the situation that she was in left her little choice. It was impossible to walk in the rain all alone; it would have been more dangerous in various ways.

Nicole began playing with her curly dark-brown ponytail to ease her nervousness. She wore a black leather jacket over her gray shirt, midnight-black jeans, and jet-black tennis shoes. She also wore a silver dragon pendant attached to a metal chain around her neck for good luck.

"So, Miss," The old taxi cab driver broke the silence, "Isn't it a little strange to be by yourself over there?"

Nicole looked at the driver, trying not to stare at his topaz eyes that were reflected from the rear-view mirror. "Well…um, I had a job interview that ran longer than I expected and…I just couldn't get a ride from any of my peers." She replied, trying to sound as formal and professional as she could.

"Really? What about your parents?"

"Uh… they couldn't arrange any…"

"Did you try calling them?" The driver asked.

Nicole shook her head. "They told me to get a cab ride."

The driver gave a curt nod and focused on the road ahead of him. "Darn this weather! I can't see a thing!" He muttered.

Nicole watched the windshield wipers swipe across the window rapidly, trying to keep them clear. A strange feeling came to her, but she couldn't tell what it was. A flash of lightning lit the cloud-covered skies and a clash of thunder roared, startling Nicole.

The driver chuckled. "You're a bit jumpy, aren't you?"

Nicole gave a weak smile and nodded.

"It's alright, there's nothing wrong with being paranoid, since you become more aware of your surroundings and all."

Nicole shrugged her shoulders. "I-I…suppose…"

The taxi came to a red traffic light and halted. Nicole looked out her window to see a nearby sign that beamed under the street lights. The picture was of a very detailed steam engine train. Over it was the word "Railway" and under the image was the word "Apartments".

"Make a turn over here, this is my stop." She informed the driver, pointing at the sign.

"Right then." He responded.

The bright red traffic light quickly turned to a cool green and the cab took off.

Nicole's heart skipped an entire beat. "Um…my stop was over there."

The driver nodded. "Yes, it was over there, wasn't it?"

Nicole frowned. "Um…is there a problem?"

"Nope, not at all."

Nicole's twiddled her thumbs even faster, uttering no words. Her heart began to beat out from her chest. Something was either out of place, or she was in a dream.

But she never recalled sleeping in the cab.

The cab made a sharp turn to the right, entering a straight and narrow alleyway. Finally, it came to a slow stop.

"What's going on? This isn't my stop, I demand a-!" Nicole couldn't even finish her sentence, let alone even breathe.

The old, pale taxi driver was no longer there. The man that took his place wore a fine red suit with a bright scarlet tie, slim black gloves, and a dark-red ski mask to hide his identity. He faced her, smiling wickedly at her. "What's the matter, chéri?" He asked in a thick French accent, "Cat got your tongue?"

"B-B-B-But…" Nicole stammered, "Wasn't that other guy just right there a few seconds ago?"

"Whatever you do, don't open the back trunk." The man let out a sinister cackle.

Nicole gasped in shock. "You…killed him? But how did you…and what-? Ah!" Her train of thought was scattered everywhere across her mind, quickly losing focus.

The man's arms reached out towards the girl. His pale-blue eyes narrowed. "Hold still, petite chat, this won't take long."

Nicole let out a scream, but the man's gloved hand covered her mouth in seconds. Then she felt him pull her towards him and moaned in pain as she felt a sharp pinch on her neck.

If there were three things she found wrong with this, they were that she was in a taxi cab alone with someone she didn't know, riding during a stormy night, and could do nothing at all to save herself from a kidnapping.

Then she faded into unconsciousness.