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Jessica was sitting
at the bar in Casey’s restaurant waiting for Jo when the message bleep went off
on her mobile phone. The message was from Jo and intriguing: “MEET IN CAR PARK
NOW – MUST SHOW U – VITAL 4 OUR THA PROJXS – J”. Jessica knocked back her vodka
and tonic picked up her jacket and headed for the door that lead to the car
park.
Outside there was no
sign of Joanna although her car was parked on the far side of the car park next
to a white van. Jessica walked over to it, calling out, “Jo, Jo, where are
you?”
As she drew level
with the back of the van her assailant struck. She was dragged from her feet
backward into the van, a gloved hand over her mouth stifling any cry. The doors
of the van slammed shut as she was pushed down on to the floor. The motor
started and the van was moving out of the car park before she caught her first
sight of the two masked men that had grabbed her.
A wad of cloth was
jammed into her mouth as she struggled on the floor of the van. Tape was pulled
across her mouth while her arms were held pinioned behind her. She felt more
tape being strapped around her wrists and then her knees and ankles. The two
men finished their work by blindfolding her with more tape, pushing her down on
the floor of the van.
She was determined to
try and remember as much as she could about the attack. She had already lost
track of where the van could possibly be going but she might hear something as
they sped along. There had been two of them, both wearing ski masks, both
wearing rubber surgical gloves. One had been taller than her the other about
her height. What else? Dark clothing, nothing distinctive.
The van hit a bump.
“Hey, slow down,” called one of her attackers. “No need to rush, the cargo is
quite comfortable back here.”
Jessica, grunted
through her gag in protest; comfortable she wasn’t.
“Now, now, darling.
Don’t get excited.” Was that a
Jessica grunted again
and nodded.
“Good. Daddy’s going
to pay much more if you ain’t hurt, so keep up the good behaviour.”
As the van sped on,
Jessica tried to work out what was going on. It sounded as though she had been
snatched for ransom. Her father was rich it was true but she had never thought
that was a cause to take any extra care. Of course this could have something to
do with that dreadful THA organisation – wasn’t this just what they did? And
what did Joanna have to do with this- it had been her text message that had
lured her into this trap, treacherous bitch!
She kept on listening
for clues as to where she might be going but could make sense of nothing she
heard. They obviously had pulled on to a motorway at some point – they had
driven at speed without stopping for a while. Then they had come off onto
another road which had seemed to be one roundabout after another. Then there
was a slower stretch. Then the van had stopped for a moment – traffic lights,
she thought – before moving off at speed again. After who knows how long, she
felt the van slow and take a sharp left turn. She heard the crunch of gravel
under the van’s wheels and then it stopped.
Her captor spoke
again. “Here we are, darling, journey’s end.” She felt his hands on her legs
and tried to struggle away from him. He ignored her efforts and she felt
herself lifted up and swung over his shoulder. Trying to kick out with her feet
did no good and her muffled cries for help from behind her gag just resulted in
advice from her captor that no one was around to hear but him and he knew what
was going on anyway so why not keep quiet?
She felt warm air as
she was carried inside a building, heard a heavy door slam shut behind them.
They went down steps, 10, 20, 30, turning a corner every dozen or so, two more
heavy doors and then they stopped. She was put down on her feet. Her captor
still held her - with her ankles still bound she would have fallen to the
floor.
Then a woman’s voice…
“Excellent, she seems in good shape. No difficulties, I take it. Well done
gentlemen. Just sit her down and take that blindfold off.”
The van carrying
Joanna and Jane pulled up. Jack got into the back of the van and un-strapped
each of his captives from the benches. He sat them up and freed their ankles
and legs. “Come on girls,” he said pointing a pistol at them, “time to go
walkies. We’ve got a reception committee for you.”
The two struggled to
their feet unsteadily as a result of the effect of the gas and the fact that
they had been strapped immobile for some time.
Jack rapped three
times on the back doors of the van and they swung open. The girls were helped
out of the van by a tall, dark man who said nothing. They found themselves in a
large warehouse-like building, there were no windows and the doors had been
shut behind the van after it entered. They still had no idea where they might
be.
“Let’s get them
inside,” said Jack, grabbing Joanna by the arm. “Come on, move!” he ordered,
prodding the gun against her ribs. The other man pulled Jane along with him and
the two of them were hustled through a door at one end of the warehouse, along
a corridor and through another door that brought them into a brightly lit but
sparsely furnished room.
At the far end stood
a man in his early fifties, bespectacled, balding, moustachioed and slightly
overweight. Dressed in a sober suit with a pale blue shirt and navy blue silk
tie, he looked like a successful business man rather than any sort of criminal.
“Do, come in ladies, do. Jack, Norris, please make our guest comfortable down
here and don’t be rougher than you have to, I suspect that they have had a
sufficiently uncomfortable time already.”
Joanna and Jane were
pushed down to chairs in front of their host.
“Now, you will be
Joanna Wales, I am sure. And you, will be Jane Ellis, personal assistant and
secretary to Ms Brace. Am I right?” The two girls nodded, grunting through
their gags.
“Oh, goodness. I am
sorry, I had quite forgotten. Jack, these ladies are quite unable to speak –
could you please remove their gags. Thank you.”
Jack stepped forward,
and unbuckled the ball gag that stuffed Jo’s mouth. Jo coughed and spluttered
but was glad to be free of the gag. Jane’s gag gave more problems – he had to
cut the torn sleeve he’d knotted across her mouth but soon she too was able to
speak again.
“Why are we here?” :
“Who are you?” : “What do you want?” : “You must let us go!” : “You’ve no right
to do this!” The two girls bombarded their captors with questions and shouts.
But the men just stood their smiling.
“Goodness,” said
their host. “So many questions. Let me answer as many as I can. We like our
guests to understand as much as possible of what is going on. Well, Joanna, as
you may have guessed you are here as a result of your project on THA. Of course
that was a slight subterfuge but nevertheless you are here. Jane, I am sorry
but you were very much in the wrong place at the right time. You weren’t
originally planned for this collection but it would have been most unwise to
leave you behind and, in any case, I do have a role for you in our activities.”
“Oh, I am sorry – I
didn’t introduce myself. My name is Clegg, my colleagues call me Freddie. You
will know me as ‘Sir’ or ‘Master’ but we can cover all that later.”
“Now to explain our
purpose in bringing you here. As Joanna will know we are an organisation that
specialises in abductions. These can be for a number of purposes but the most
common is for the collection of slaves for sale on to wealthy owners in other
countries where it is easier to keep a stable of women than it is here. You two
are lucky enough to be joining our summer collection and after some initial
preparation here you will be ready for the auction that we have planned later
this week.”
“This is barbarous,”
Joanna interrupted.
“Do you know, you are
exactly correct. We have learned many of our methods from the
“Now to get back to
matters in hand. Firstly, yourselves. You are both the type of girl that
attracts a good price at our auctions. All the money is in the
“How dare you….”
began Jane but Clegg cut her off.
“No matter, we
needn’t worry right now, it’s just so that we can get the catalogue details
right. Please do try to cooperate – we have a great deal to do and it won’t
help if you keep obstructing us.”
Clegg smiled. “Well,
Ms Ellis, let’s start with you. My associates here will take you off to get you
started on our plans for you. I am rather afraid that it will involve some
discomfort and embarrassment but I am sure you will be able cope with it.
Gentlemen – if you could take Ms Ellis away, thank you. I’ll stop by to see how
you are getting on later.”
Jack stepped forward
and grabbed Jane by her arm. “Come along, now, don’t make a fuss. We can always
gag you again.” She left with them quietly.
“Now then, Ms Wales,
I think it is time that you and I got better acquainted.” Clegg sat down
immediately opposite the helpless PR executive.
“I can’t think of
anything I’d like to do less,” Joanna, gave a humourless smile.
“Well, of course,
that’s understandable but never mind. In this, as in so much in your future,
you do not really have any choice. Now let me offer a few words of explanation.
As you may have surmised, you are here as a result of the involvement of our
two companies. Your Ms Brace was keen to have us provide you with a taste of
what life is like for those that encounter us and so…”
“So this is just a
way of helping us with our research is it?”
“Oh, no. I am sorry.
That will have confused you. I think that was Ms Brace’s idea – she thought it
would give you first hand knowledge. I have to confess we have taken advantage
of her in that respect. It’s not often we have so much cooperation in
collecting someone like yourself and it was just too much of a temptation to
ignore.”
“And why am I here?
Surely you don’t really sell people?”
“Why ever not?
There’s a market. We identified a product and a way to supply the market.
You’re in marketing, you should understand. We have to worry about our
marketing mix the same as any enterprise. It’s the four “P’s” isn’t it,
product, place, promotion and, er,..”
“Price,” Joanna
interjected – immediately feeling stupid for joining in the lunatic
conversation.
“Thank you, yes. I
can see now why I consulted, Ms Brace’s agency. Well, you see, now ‘Product’ –
that’s young ladies like yourself usually required for sexual or other personal
services.” Joanna shivered at the prospect. “The there’s ’Place’ – well our
customers can come from anywhere in the world so an important part of our ‘mix’
is access to the network of collection points, sales outlets and suitable
transport systems. ‘Promotion’ – more difficult – we can hardly put adverts on
TV can we? This is probably our most difficult area although the Internet is
providing a useful channel for us. And finally as you so rightly say ‘Price’.
Fortunately the markets are buoyant right now and prices are holding up well.
That means we don’t have too many pressures on our costs so we can invest in
improved research and new collection methods. You see its all pretty much like
any other business, you just have to manage the marketing mix.”
“Except, of course,
it’s illegal and, immoral.”
Clegg gave a quiet
sigh. It was hard to see how the conversation was going to move forward if she
kept bringing in these irrelevancies. A moment later, a lithe, dark haired
woman appeared. “Ah,” said Clegg, “Ms. Wales, I don’t think you have met my
trusted associate. Eloise, this is Joanna Wales, a colleague of young Ms
Ellis.”
“Whose clothes you
are wearing…” cut in Joanna.
Elly smiled, “Mmm,
yes. Well, she didn’t seem to need them and we seem to be having such a
business-like day. Since it’s not often we have guests that come in wearing
designer labels I thought I should maybe try these instead of my usual jeans.
What do you think?”
Clegg approved. Elly
was slim but being slightly taller than Jane she carried the long jacket and
the short pleated skirt rather better than Karen’s secretary had. She should
strictly have fastened the blouse right to the throat for a real executive look
but nevertheless the overall effect was appealing.
Joanna wasn’t
convinced. “I think you’ll find that in most offices it’s considered slutty to
wear a black bra under a white blouse.”
Clegg sighed again,
that wouldn’t help.
Elly rounded on
Joanna. “You’ll find out about slutty soon enough and by the end of this
week-end you’ll be glad of any stitch of clothing whatever colour it is.“ She
turned to Clegg, “Can I take this one to join her friend now?”
“Yes, I have finished
with her for now. I fear our conversation was not progressing very well. You
will need to use a measure of persuasion on her I am sure. Just don’t damage
her.”
“Oh, no I won’t.
Least not so it shows.” Elly grabbed a hank of Joanna’s hair and pulled her to
her feet. “Come along, fashion guru, let’s get you out of that dress.” She
hustled the trussed Joanna out of the room but as they left she hissed in her
ear, “and before you go crying ‘slut’, you should make sure your nipples aren’t
sticking out like hat pegs, if I were you.”
Joanna whimpered.
She’d been terrified by the whole experience but she had also found it greatly
arousing. Somehow the whole scenario played to her deepest inner drives and now
Elly had noticed.
Once outside in the
corridor, Elly pushed Joanna back against the wall. “You’re really hot for this
aren’t you?” she smiled. “We’re going to have so much fun.” Elly reached
forward and gripped Jo’s left nipple tightly squeezing it until Jo whimpered
again. “Now you’re going to do just what you’re told, which you’ll really like
and I’ll get off on too. Understand?”
Jo nodded but said
nothing.
“I said, did you
understand?” Elly barked.
“Oh, mm, yes.”
“I think you can do
better than that can’t you. I’m betting you know how this is played. Let’s try
again. Do you understand?”
“Mnn,” Jo whimpered
again. “Yes, yes Mistress,” she said, huskily, bowing her head.
“I thought you’d got
the idea,” Elly smiled, “now let’s carry on down stairs.” She hustled her
captive away.
Mikki sat staring at
her PC. It was evidently going to be one of those days when the creative juices
resolutely refused to flow. She hadn’t been able to talk to either Jo or
Jessica about THA and on top of that Karen had foisted the new trainee on her.
Fresh out of college and eager to please, Beth Dixon was sitting in the outer
office waiting with all the rapt attention of a young
“I’m going down to
the gym for an hour and then I’m going to call it a day,” Mikki called to Beth.
“OK, Ms Swift, Beth
replied. I’ll just finish checking these proofs and then I’ll set up the photo
portfolios for you to review in the morning.”
“Thanks, Beth” Mikki
said. Too bloody efficient by half, she thought.
Mikki grabbed her sports bag and headed off for the gym. One of the benefits of
working at BBB was that they all got the use of the gym in the basement of the
About half way
through two others came in to join her. She didn’t recognise them but that
wasn’t unusual, there were always new people coming and going from the twenty
or so businesses that tenanted the
She put her head down
and got on with burning off the last ten minutes of her cycle programme.
Pleased that she wasn’t more out of breath than she was, she stepped of the
cycle, filled a paper cup from the water cooler and downed it. “That’s my lot,”
she called to the other two who did little more than grunt in reply. Sociable
pair, Mikki thought, grabbed a towel and headed off to one of the shower
cubicles.
She stripped off her
kit and dumped it on the bench outside. With so few people around she wasn’t
worried that anyone was likely to steal anything – it was all pretty old
anyway. Grabbing the shampoo and body wash from her sports bag she turned the
shower to full and stepped under it, luxuriating in the steaming hot water and
she sluiced off the sweat of her exercise session.
She didn’t hear the
other two come into the shower room.
In fact, she didn’t
realise anything was untoward until the shower curtain was ripped back and the
woman who had been in the gym earlier lunged at her. She went to scream but her
cry was cut off as her assailant’s dive pushed her back against the wall of the
shower, cracking her head on the tiled wall and stunning her. Things started
moving in slow motion for Mikki. She saw a hand come up to her face, felt a pad
pressed over her nose and mouth, smelt a sickly, sweet, odour as she inhaled
the chloroform, tried to gasp for breath but only succeeded in sucking in more
of the chemical that was robbing her of consciousness. And then, nothing.
Elly turned off the
stream of water, pushed her now soaked black hair back from her face, and slid
Mikki’s naked and unconscious body from the shower. Clegg was ready to help
secure their victim. Turning over her gym kit he pushed her socks into her
mouth before tying her sports bra across her mouth to keep the gag in place.
The laces from her trainers served to tie her wrists and the strap from her bag
was lashed around her ankles. It wasn’t ideal but it would do and she was going
to be out for quite a while any way.
Clegg grabbed Miki’s
office clothes from her locker and stuffed them into her sports bag.
With Mikki helplessly
tied, the two of them carried her out of the door that lead from the rear of
the changing rooms directly into the car park. Clegg’s car was backed up close
to the door and Mikki was bundled into the boot, together with her sports bag.
The car sped off.
They rounded the
front of the
“Err, no, not just
now I think,” Clegg replied swinging the car around the corner of the building
and on towards the motorway. “Plenty of time for that later and I don’t want us
to be distracted from the package in the boot – it’s a long time since I had an
ex-art student in the back of my car and I want to make the most of it.”
“Oh, gosh, I’d forgotten,” said Elly. “That was your first wasn’t it? What was
her name, now. Oh yes. Miranda.”
“That’s right, a long
time ago now but I guess you always remember the first. Still, no time for
nostalgia. Let’s get Mikki back to the ranch.
© 2007 Freddie Clegg
Download PDF copies of my other
stories at my Yahoo Group :
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/freddies_tales/
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