Mark adjusted the small American flag pin sitting quietly on his black tuxedo lapel.
He walked along the smooth sidewalk near the white picket fence of the huge suburban mansion.
The afternoon sun felt warm on his shoulders as he headed toward the formal welcome dinner.
He was excited to finally see his little sister Sophia after spending two long years overseas.
A sudden soft sound made his boots stop instantly on the gray concrete path.
Mark: Did I just hear Sophia calling my name?
He turned his head sharply toward the quiet side garden behind the thick green hedge.
The silence returned for a second, but his trained ears knew something was wrong.
He stepped off the main pathway and moved quietly toward the glass patio doors.
Behind the clear glass, three figures were moving around in a wild hurry.
An elegant older woman in a rich maroon jacket was holding a young girl tight.
A young man with a white bandage on his arm pressed his palm over her mouth.
The blonde girl was kicking her feet in panic as she struggled against their grip.
Sophia: Mmmmph!
Mark recognized his sister's bright eyes crying behind the thick hands covering her face.
His stomach dropped into a cold pit as he sprinted straight toward the rear porch.
Mark: Get your hands off her right now!
He banged his heavy fist against the reinforced patio glass with full force.
The woman in the maroon jacket turned around with a cold look of annoyance.
She whispered something quickly to the injured young man holding Sophia against the wall.
Eleanor: Mind your own business and walk back to the front driveway, Mark.
Mark: Let her go before I pull this handle off the frame!
The glass door was locked tight from the inside with a solid iron bolt.
Chad pulled Sophia farther back into the dark living room shadow behind the curtain.
Mark looked around the lawn and spotted a heavy iron garden chair nearby.
He grabbed the metal chair firmly with both hands without taking his eyes off Chad.
Mark: I am giving you three seconds to unlock this door!
Chad: You will go to prison if you break into this house, Mark!
Mark raised the heavy metal chair back over his right shoulder with steady anger.
Sophia shook her head wildly to warn him about something in the room.
The lock on the sliding frame rattled as Eleanor stepped closer to the glass.