ENIGMA

Prologue

I groaned quietly as my eyes slowly fluttered open. My brain throbbed and protested to the light even though it was a dull yellow hue. I tried to lift my hand to pinch my eyes, but they were tied down. My breathing became ragged as I looked around and realized I was fastened to a chair.

"Help!" I screamed and the sound echoed off the concrete walls of the room. There were no windows and just one door. The place smelt of dirt and stagnate water. Dark splotches covered the floor in pool like stains.

"Somebody, help me!" I cried out again. The thick ropes burned my arms as I tried to wiggle them free. I couldn't stop the tears gathering in my eyes. I closed them and tried to think back to how I got here.

It was Saturday night, and I was at my boyfriend's parent's masquerade ball they hold each year for a local charity. I was nervous as all hell because it was the first time, I would be meeting his parents. It had been going well until my boyfriend had needed to step away for a minute. He left me with his best friend so I wouldn't be alone.

I remember going to the bathroom. A bald man appeared in the mirror behind me. He covered my mouth with a cloth before I could scream... then nothing.

My eyes snapped open as I looked down and see I was still wearing my ballgown. Thank goodness for that. I've seen way too many movies where they stripped the hostage down to their underwear to humiliate them or discourage them from running away.

Wait, am I a hostage? Why would I be? I'm an orphaned waitress. No one is going to be looking for me. I have nothing to offer these people. Unless they're sex traffickers... fuck.

The door in front of me opens and the bright light behind it causes the man entering to appear as if he's a shadow. He snapped the door shut quickly behind him and I blinked so my eyes could adjust to the changing light.

As the man became clearer, I gasped at the familiar face in front of me that wore a smug smile.

"Hello, Annalise."