This story is incomplete. I posted it at my club as a game of sorts to see how different people would finish it. So far no one there wants to play my little game. After all, this isn't really the normal nsync fan fic fare. If you'd like to write an ending for this story just email it to me. I'd like to put up as many different endings as possbile. I think it'd be interesting to see what people would come up with. Be creative and not every ending has to be a happy one.
She was an easy target— completely trusting, wanting to see the good in everyone; infinitely wealthy, the grand-daughter of a software tycoon; and dangerously public, the daughter of Music Industry golden boy, Justin Timberlake and Hollywood darling, Bethany York.
Never mind her parents wealth. Beth’s father’s endless financial means made her abductors’ mouths water. The public nature of Timberlakes made it easier rather than harder. Getting down their routine was easy for the simple reason that it was expected that the paparazzi be on their back at all times, taking pictures and watching their every move. In the end, it was their comfort in the fact that they were so well guarded that was their downfall. By the end of August 12, 2010, Ashlynn Timberlake was tucked away in the grasp of monsters.
Three days later, Justin Timberlake sat propped up against the wall on the floor of his bedroom. His living room had become a base of operations for FBI. They’d said no cops and he couldn’t shake the plaguing voice in the back of him head that in calling them, he’d killed her.
Beth was zombie-like, going through the motions of playing hostess to the FBI agents she continually referred to as “guests.” It was plain to see that she’d withdrawn into a corner of her mind where she didn’t have to deal and the body walking around was just a shell.
He tried to be strong, for Beth, for Ashlynn, but he felt his resolve crumbling with every passing minute that his little girl wasn’t safe in his arms. The two or three times in the days since she disappeared that he’d managed to slip into REM sleep, all he could hear was Ashlynn crying for her daddy to save her. It was more than he could bear. He kept himself awake at all costs.
He would fork over every cent in his bank account if he had a guarantee they’d return her. But they wanted more than he had. Ashlynn was targeted because of Beth’s father. Justin and Beth’s fortunes combined didn’t come close to covering what these bastards were demanding. Beth’s father’s software empire was worth billions.
Agent Chapel assured the Timberlakes that the kidnappers greed would be their downfall. One million, two million would have been smart but a billion dollars was just plain stupid. That kind of money was a lot harder to change hands.
Justin wasn’t comforted. He began to wonder if these people were really stupid or really smart. It didn’t make sense to ask for so much money without a plan to assure they got their hands on it. And even if Chapel was right and they were just stupid, it was entirely possible that their downfall would be Ashlynn’s as well.
He hadn’t heard from them since the original ransom demand. That had been three days ago. He stomach wrenched every time he thought of what they were capable of doing to his little girl. His head hung low against his chest, too heavy to lift. He wouldn’t even it he could. The room was full of Ashlynn. Yearly portraits hung on the walls, her Blues Clues pillow still rested on the bed from when she’d had a nightmare and climbed into bed with her parents the other night, and the spots of green paint she’d gotten on the wall last week when the dog started chasing her in the middle of a finger painting session had still gone uncleaned.
He didn’t know how long they’d been calling his name but by the time Agent Chapel’s voice penetrated his tortured haze, it was harried and urgent.
“What? What?”
“He’s on the phone. Beth is stalling him.”
“Beth?!”
Justin flew to his feet and made his way purposefully to the living room, which was almost unrecognizable, looking more like a Police Station than the place his baby girl once took her first steps.
Agent Chapel was talking to him but he only caught every other word. His eyes locked on Beth’s. She was loosing it fast and he didn’t know how much longer he had before she snapped. She wasn’t exactly much comfort to him in her semi-catatonic state but if she truly broke he knew he wouldn’t be far behind.
“Did you get all that?” Agent Chapel asked snapping him back and handing the phone to Justin. The blank nod told him he hadn’t but they were out of time. Justin wasn’t ever sure his voice would come out when he opened his mouth.
“Hello.”
“What took you so long, superstar?”
The voice was digitally disguised and Justin had to once again remind his that this was all real.
“I was in the other room.”
“Understandable. I’m sure it takes a while to get from room to room and that palace you live in. I’m sure I’ll be able to relate better in a matter of hours… when I get paid.”
“I want to talk to my daughter.”
“She indisposed at the moment.”
The voice was so smug; so sure it’s owner had already won. Justin felt is stomach wretch again below his rigid countenance.
“You will not see one red cent unless I know she’s ok.”
“Well I suppose a little chat wouldn’t hurt none. Oh, and you can tell your FBI buddies not to bother tracing this call. We could be on the phone for hours and they’d still be running in circles.
“FBI? Wha—”
“Don’t bullshit me, boy. If it weren’t against the kidnapper code, I wouldn’t have even bothered to tell you not to call them. I kinda like the idea, actually. Added risk, added pleasure.”
“You fucking—”
“Now, now… we wouldn’t want to say something we’d regret. Let’s just get on with this.”
Justin heard a click as the device was removed from the phone.
“Daddy?”
He didn’t know if her voice made him feel better or worse. His chest was tight and it was all he could do not to cry like a baby. “Yeah, sweetie, it’s me. Are you ok?”
“Daddy, I wanna come home.”
Her voice was full of something he’d never heard in it before; terror.
“I know, babygirl. You’re ganna be home in no time. I promise. Can you be brave for Daddy?”
“Yes…”
It sounded more like a question than an answer but he’d have to take it. A split second later he could no longer hear the fear-strangled rhythm of her breathing. The device clicked back into place and Justin’s face contorted in anger as the phantom voice began to speak again.
“This must really feel like the witch coming to claim your first born, huh, Timberlake?”
“I swear if anything happens to her, I will devote my life to tracking you down.”
The voice continued to speak as if it’d never been interrupted. “I mean, you have to had sold something to the devil to obtain your lot in life.”
Something was off. All this time he thought they were targeted because of Beth’s father. But this wasn’t just about money. That was becoming abundantly clear. This guy had something personal against Justin, himself.
“Can we just get on with this and cut the chit-chat?”
“Oh right, the ransom. How silly of me.”
The pleasant tone with which the soulless electronic voice spoke was making Justin sick to his stomach. People like this really did exist.
“Alright, here’s the deal. The money obviously can’t change hands physically. I will email the account numbers of ten separate Swiss bank accounts into which one hundred million dollars will be transferred each.”
“What about Ashlynn?”
“Well, that’s up to you, pretty boy.”
“I don’t follow.”
“While daddy-in-law is wiring the money, you will be coming to me. Only you can get your daughter back.”
“I don’t understand.”
“You’ll be contacted with instructions shortly.”
Justin opened his mouth to respond, but the line had been cut off already. He looked up and realized he was on his knees. He didn’t know when it had happened but his body had buckled as if his mental and physical faculties couldn’t share what energy he had left.
The din of the room that had started as son as the line went dead was muffled as all he could hear was his own shallow breathing. He looked over to see Beth sitting dazed on the couch between their mothers. Lynn and Victoria each held one of her hands an whispered soothing words but he could tell that none of them were getting through to his wife.
As if someone had flung open the flood gates, Beth burst into tears and went hurdling towards Justin. He caught her tight in his arms, unaware of his own tears streaming down his pale cheeks. The sorrow riddles moans and sighs the emanated from the pair were unintelligible as they lay in a huddled mass on the floor, hearts breaking wide open.
