Food, food, and more food gets stacked sky-high on my plate. I glance up at my mother with an exaggerated, playful glare. "Really, Mom? If I eat any more, I might explode."

She smiles cheekily, her eyes twinkling as she shrugs her delicate shoulders. "Oh, come on, Jade. We can't have you walking around like a stick."

Stacy, sitting across from me and already on her fourth dinner roll, chimes in with a mischievous grin. "Yeah, who would want to date a stick, let alone marry one?" She takes a big bite, crumbs falling onto her plate.

I pick up a piece of cheese and toss it at her. She catches it effortlessly in her mouth and grins back at me, triumphant. "Oh, you little—I'm only 22; I don't need a husband."

Stacy leans back in her chair, a mock sigh escaping her lips as she wipes a few crumbs from her chin. "Yeah, but where else can I crash when I'm bored?"

"You mean get kicked out. Plus, you're one to talk—you're 25 and still single," I counter, raising an eyebrow.

"But ready to mingle," she winks, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

I stick my tongue out at her, and she laughs, stretching her face and sticking out her tongue in return. Reaching for my fork, I prepare to throw it at her. "Ladies, ladies, can we not have a bloodbath in my home?" Jace shushes us, his voice calm but firm.

"Always the peacekeeper, hey Jace?" Victoria calls out, walking in with a delicious-looking cake.

He leans towards her, pecking her lips. "You know me, honey."

She smirks, "That I do."

Looking over to Stacy, we both gag in unison. "Get a room."

Dad walks into the room, smiling with a new beer in hand. "What a lovely gathering we have here, and no blood on the floor yet—what a bonus."

We laugh as he takes his seat beside Mom. Victoria sits on Jace's lap, laying her head on his shoulder. Jace takes a strand of her strawberry-red hair in his hand, playing with it absent-mindedly. I used to be jealous of her hair when I first met her, as it is natural. But I grew to love my hair, especially after I dyed mine. The blue highlights made me look more like myself instead of the drab brown. Now that it fades to a dark blue at the ends, my eyes pop out more, and my complexion looks more even. Makeup is a hassle and takes so much time and money, so I just stick with my trusty lip balm—less to smudge and more time to sleep.

Turning to the two, I raise my eyebrow at them expectantly. "So, first off, when can we have cake?" Mom rolls her eyes, remembering my earlier statement. Ignoring her, I continue, "And secondly, why did you call us all to your humble abode in New York? What is the special occasion?"

Stacy eyes me like I have two heads. "They gave us free food and booze—what else can there be to question?"

Rolling my eyes, I ignore her obvious gluttonous self and return my full attention to my brother. He coughs into his hand, looking at his wife for help. She sighs, smiling at us. "Well, Jace and I have an announcement."

"Obviously," I mumble under my breath.

Victoria shoots me a pointed look. Raising my hands slightly, I nod, and she focuses back on the others around the table. Victoria seems to have adapted well to our glorious family ways. "Well, as I was saying, Jace and I are going to be adding to our own little family."

"You getting a puppy?" Stacy shrieks, her eyes bright with hope.

"No, Stac, we are adding on in another way," Jace says, smiling at his younger sister.

"Then what?...A cat?"

Shaking my head at her intoxicated brain, I decide to fill her in. "They mean a baby, Stac."

Her face brightens even more, if possible. "I am going to be an AUNT!" she shrieks, breaking my eardrums.

Victoria laughs, nodding. "Yes, you are, in eight months." She places a loving hand over her stomach.

My own eyes widen along with my parents'. "When did this happen?" Mom breathes, her voice filled with surprise and joy.

"Ahh," Jace's face reddens, the tips of his ears turning a deep shade of crimson.

"Oh brother, don't be embarrassed. We all know the first time can be difficult, but hey, you got a kid out of it." Jace attempts to smack my hand away but misses. Deciding to turn back to our parents, he ignores my teasing grin.

"Jade, stop," Dad breathes, his voice a mix of amusement and exasperation.

Feigning innocence, I continue my teasing, "What, were Mom and Dad not supposed to know you lost your innocence years ago?"

Jace grumbles into his wife's neck, trying to use her as a human shield from me. "Now, now, Jace, it's okay. She is your younger sister, after all," Victoria soothes, patting his back gently.

"Yeah, Jace, I am your younger sister. Can't you take a little teasing?" I add with a smirk.

"I wish she got married first so I could tease her," he whines, his voice muffled against Victoria's shoulder.

"But if that happened, we might have never met," Victoria counters, her tone soft and affectionate.

He sighs, conceding. "You're right. I can take it."

"Yes, the little boy has now reached kindergarten." My hands shoot up as I cry in triumph.

"On second thought, how about no," I squeal, jumping out of my chair and out of his reach. "Come here, you little rascal," Jace cries, chasing me around the small dining room.

"Never!" I shout, evading his grasp. "Come on, Jace, you're a cop. Why can't you catch a lonely student?" I laugh as he continues to miss, my nimble movements keeping me just out of reach.

He growls, his fingers grazing my sweater sleeve. "All right, you two, that's enough," Mom calls, sipping her wine.

Jace regains his seat, pulling Victoria onto his lap, as I slump into mine, sipping my drink.

"What are you drinking today, sister?" Jace asks, curiosity evident in his tone.

"A lovely concoction called Kraken and orange juice," I reply, raising my glass. He grumbles in appreciation, clinking his glass with mine, peace restored.

"Haha, so Dad, how's work going? Anything interesting?" Stacy asks, her eyes twinkling with curiosity.

He sighs, a weary but content smile on his face. "Same old, same old."

Mom pats his shoulder. "There were all those money laundering cases."

He takes a sip of his beer, his eyes hazy and wrinkled. "Yeah, a group of elites got caught laundering money. That's all I can say on the matter." Sighing, he mumbles, "I wonder if all the elites' deaths are tied to the money laundering cases."

The others don't seem to hear Dad's mumbling, so as a good daughter, I take a sip of my drink and ignore it.

Talk fades out to school and work as the night passes. Checking the time, I push my chair away and chug the last of my drink. "Well, tonight was lovely, but I have one last job to see and a plane to catch tomorrow. It was nice to see you all."

They all stand up, following me to the door. "Nice to see you, Jade. Keep a room open for me," Stacy says, giving me a tight hug.

Chuckling, I nod. "Anytime, Stac."

Hugging my parents tightly, I move on to my brother and Victoria. "It was lovely for you to invite me. Congrats on the baby."

Victoria hugs me tightly. "Anytime, Jade, anytime."

Jace hugs me in a tight bear hug, cutting off my oxygen. He releases me, grinning as I gasp for air. Patting him on the shoulder, I turn to the others, waving one last time and beaming. "Bye, Mom, Dad. Bye Stac, Jace, Vic, and the new little one on the way. See you at Christmas."

"BYE!" they call, waving one last time as I close the door.

Quickly, I exit the building, pulling my jacket tighter around myself as a cold fall wind brushes by, sobering me up. The warmth and joy from the evening still linger, the excitement of Jace and Victoria's baby announcement filling me with a sense of happiness and contentment.

As I look onto the road, waving down a taxi, an eerie feeling washes over me. It's as if someone is watching me, making me shiver and the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. Turning around, I scan the sidewalk, finding no sign of a person watching me. Attempting to peer into the shadows, I snap out of it as the taxi driver calls to me, parked beside the sidewalk and waiting. Taking one last look behind me, I get into the cab, sighing. Must be the alcohol, I think, trying to shake off the uncomfortable feeling.

___

Snapping up in bed, I tap the snooze button before turning off my alarm. Sliding out of bed groggily, I turn on the light, make the bed, and then change into fresh clothes. My second alarm on my phone goes off right on time as I finish brushing my hair. Turning that one off, I quickly head to the bathroom to complete my morning routine, the excitement of the day mingling with the lingering fatigue.

The sounds of the morning news catch my attention from the TV as I brush my teeth. "Another young girl has gone missing last night. The number of serial kidnappings is on the rise, with a striking total of 37 young women and 19 young men disappearing in the past couple of months. Everyone, please stay safe and remember to walk in groups of three at night. That is all for this morning's news. Jerry, what is the weather looking like today—" Exiting the bathroom refreshed, I turn off the TV and put my hair up into a high ponytail before grabbing my phone, bag, and wallet.

More people have been kidnapped. I wonder if that is one of the cases my dad is working on? He wouldn't tell if I asked; his work is confidential to civilians for good reason. How funny would it be if the money laundering was somehow tied to the disappearances? The thought lingers as I feel a mix of curiosity and concern, the tired excitement of the day ahead propelling me forward.

Leaving my hotel room, I make my way to breakfast. I put some yogurt, fruit, and snack bars into my bag, fill up my water bottle, and head to the front desk. Signing out, I wave to the desk lady while munching on my breakfast muffin. Taking a deep breath of the polluted morning New York air, I turn down the sidewalk toward the Child Protection Agency near the hotel.

Ignoring the other people on their way to work, I soak up all my time walking before I have to sit on a plane home. Twenty minutes later, I come face-to-face with the doors of the Child Protection Agency. Taking a deep breath, I gather all my courage and push the doors open. Officers walk by, making their way around. Walking over to the front desk, I knock on the wood to grab the attention of the person behind it.

"Jade Spadek, here for an interview for the analyst job," I say. The man nods, picking up the phone to call up.

A few seconds later, he puts the phone down. "You can go up, third floor, office four." Nodding my thanks, I make my way up, my heart pounding with a mix of nerves and excitement.

___

"It was nice to see you again, Jade. I hope we can have you on the team. We will give you a call when you finish this year of school. Say hi to your dad for me, will you?" The interviewer smiles warmly, extending his hand.

"Of course, I will. He misses his old friends," I reply, shaking his hand politely. He nods at me, and I wave one last time before quietly shutting the door. "Yes!" I whisper, skipping with joy. I tap the button on the elevator, my smile growing as I step inside. This meeting was a success. Thanks, Dad, for being friends with everyone. Now I have more than a great chance of getting a job right when I graduate. Having three possible job offers—what a steal!

Leaving the building in high spirits, I check the time. The interview was only an hour, so that gives me two hours until I have to be at the airport. I look around, taking in the bustling scene before heading down the sidewalk away from the Agency. Knowing this area of the big city really helps, as I know a coffee shop a block away that has the best cake. My skin tingles with contained joy, my mouth salivating as I picture the sweet delicacies awaiting me.

With a spring in my step, I navigate through the morning crowd, the cool breeze tousling my hair. Each step feels lighter, buoyed by the excitement of the successful interview and the anticipation of a delicious treat. The sights and sounds of the city invigorate me, blending into a symphony of urban life that I momentarily become part of. My heart races with a mix of exhilaration and the satisfaction of knowing I'm one step closer to achieving my dreams.

As I near the coffee shop, the aroma of freshly baked goods and brewed coffee wafts through the air, drawing me in like a magnet. I push open the door, the bell above it jingling to announce my arrival. Inside, the warmth and coziness of the shop embrace me, a perfect contrast to the brisk morning outside. I head straight to the counter, my eyes gleaming with excitement as I gaze at the array of cakes and pastries, each one looking more delectable than the last.

Turning onto a crosswalk, I get enveloped in the bustling morning crowd, bumping shoulders with people as they rush to work. A person knocks into me from behind, a small prick on my lower back fading as they pass. Ignoring the person, I continue on my way, maneuvering through the crowd and bumping shoulders with people as I go.

A few steps later, I stumble into the person in front of me. The lady turns around, ready to yell at me but stops, her mouth slightly open. Feeling lightheaded, I stumble again, my legs wobbling beneath me. Panic starts to rise in my chest. My heart races as my vision blurs, and I fall to the ground.

The lady calls out, turning me onto my back. "Someone call 911!" Her voice sounds distant and muffled.

Looking up at the lady, small blurs surround my vision. My breathing becomes shallow and rapid, my chest tightening with anxiety. Her mouth is moving, but no sound comes out, her voice drowned by the ringing in my ears. She looks up as two people come into view, their faces nothing but blurs as my vision cuts in and out.

My mind races with fear. What's happening to me? Am I going to die?

My vision blackens as I feel myself get lifted off the road, panic clawing at my chest. My thoughts spiral, the fear and helplessness overwhelming me. Then, nothing.

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