The abduction of Dr. Clementine Mueller

The day started quite normal for Dr. Clementine Mueller, archeology professor and director of Sunset City's Metropolitan Museum of History. She woke up as usual at 5am, changed into her jogging outfit, put on her sneakers, and stepped out for her morning run would wake her up and energize for a day. She took a breath on the porch and checked her watch: the hour long run would bring her back home in time for the yoga class that her neighbor next door ran at 6:30am.

It was still dark outside. The sun would not rise for another hour, but she liked running before dawn. She enjoyed the morning air, still crisp even if the spring warmed the weather up slightly. It would be another foggy morning, so she stretched a little and dove into mist, starting her routine.

Dr. Clementine Mueller had moved to Sunset City from the East Coast as a young researcher. The job at the museum and the opportunity of an academic career seemed very attractive at the time, and she knew she made the right choice. It gave her the opportunity to participate in ground breaking findings around the world, a stellar career, and the international fame that came with it. Money wasn't bad either, and it allowed her a measure of independence even she didn't count herself at rich. She prized her independence, especially in the wake of her failed marriage. The price she had to pay for moving to Sunset City, she thought.

Clementine Mueller never counted as a beauty, neither in her youth nor later in life, but many people, of both genders, found her presence attractive. Her German-Brazilian heritage gave her dark skin, blue eyes, dark curly hair, and an hourglass figure. She was now in her forties, her dark hair started to turn grey years ago and, unlike other colleagues of hers, she applied the same scientific rigor in personal life as she did to her research. A lifetime of healthy eating and disciplined exercise gave her a lithe, toned body. And a careful and educated cultivation of esthetic principles meant that she was always well-dressed.

The work at the museum brought her in touch with the moneyed elite, and the Sullivans prided themselves of being at the top of donors list. So, inevitably, she got sucked into the orbit of Ariel and Dora, becoming and prized and constant presence at the social events that they hosted. And since LiquidChip provided some of the most advanced and expensive research equipment for the museum, it was only natural that she developed a personal relationship with Geraldine. And so were a myriad of other professional networking connections. But what Dr. Mueller's social life really was about remained a mystery for everyone.

When a van pulled next to her, a couple of blocks away after she started running, Dr Mueller got startled. When the van opened its doors and a gloved hand covered her mouth, silencing her, she tried to struggle helplessly. And when she got pulled into the car and got immobilized with zip ties, it set in motion an entire series of events. But first, someone had to discover she was missing.