A Woman Abducted · Part 2 (2/2)
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In the morning Enid tried the shower. Both performed their toilette with combs and brushes from the wash-basin cupboard. Breakfast came on a tray delivered and later taken away by the African. “Who is she?” asked Enid after the girl had gone.
“Who knows?” was the answer, “Someone from one of their African connections? Perhaps an illegal immigrant being provided with faultless documentation. They can do these things."
Adele was restive. This morning she was wearing her tailored blue skirt and an expensive long sleeved white blouse. Her matching jacket was hanging on the wall next to Enid’s raincoat. “And today they’ll want to talk to me. Possibly you too. And soon I’d say. It’s going to be a difficult day. I’d like to know when it’s all going to start.”
As if to answer this the door opened and three people came in. First, the stout firm woman of yesterday. Today she was wearing a neat belted blue stripe dress that could have been tailored to fit her. She looked like the matron of a hospital. With her came two others, strong, solidly built ladies with square determined faces. Both were wearing belted grey uniforms such as the African girl had worn.
The lady in charge had Enid’s handbag, which she placed on the bed near her.
“Good morning ladies,” she began, “I trust you slept well. We’ve got a lot of work to get through.”
Adele was on her feet facing them. “I’ve got a good idea what your organisation is. Just who’re you?” This to the boss lady.
The woman laughed, “Around here, I’m addressed as Ma’am. You can call me that if you want to speak to me. I’m Madame behind my back I believe. One thing’s certain, I’m in charge here today. And I repeat, we’ve got a lot to do. So, you two’ll stand ready we’ll get on with it.”
Adele was already standing. Enid stood up and the two uniformed women stepped behind each, crossed their wrists and began to bind them with ropes from a bag one was carrying. Neither thought of protesting.
“And you’ll both have to be blindfolded,” said Ma’am, taking two black hoods out of the bag. These were draped over the two captives' heads and shoulders. “Your glasses should be OK Enid, these’re loose fitting. Just don’t move your head too much.” The pair could not see a thing.
Hooded and bound, the two lady captives were guided out of the room. They were steered along what seemed to be a couple of long corridors. Finally they heard a door close behind them. The hoods were removed.
They were in a long room about fifty feet long and twenty wide. There were a series of horizontal windows high up on one side. At one end were tables around the walls with computer screens along their entire length and office chairs at intervals. At the other were locked filing cabinets and storage cabinets. In the centre, near the computers, were two very solid looking wooden chairs. There was a table between these two items, containing what looked like medical equipment.
A couple stood near the computer equipment. The woman, thin and wiry, perhaps in her mid 50’s with a narrow face with a sharp chin and greying hair. She wore glasses and a short white medical coat. The man was taller, also thin but younger, possibly little older than Enid herself. He too had a narrow face, a high forehead and a full head of hair, just starting to go grey.
These two looked at the bound newcomers. They appeared interested and not unfriendly.
Madame took charge. “Put them down,” she said pointing to the heavy chairs. Enid and Adele were forced to sit in the wooden seats. Leather straps were used to secure them to the solid upright backs.
The white coated woman spoke, indicating Enid, “Why’ve you brought the young lady?” Enid was flattered.
“There’s a few things I’d like to find out about this young lady, as you call her,” said Madame, “And we’ll do her first. If you’d kindly prepare her.”
The thin woman pulled on a pair of rubber surgical gloves, rubbed Enid’s neck with a swab and took a prepared needle out of a sterile box. The librarian looked concerned. “Don’t be alarmed,” she was told, “It’s quite harmless, and painless. It’ll simply put you to sleep.” And with that she deftly injected her.
Enid began to lose consciousness.
She woke up over an hour later. She was back in the room where she and Adele had spent the night. Once again she revived on the bed with her folded glasses next to the pillow. Dimly she could remember a voice speaking to her, questions being asked and her replying. Just what had they got out of her?
She sat up, then stood and looked around. How long before she saw Adele again? And what of her pledge to get them both released together?
And as if to provide an answer to this the door opened. The thin man from the long room where she had been questioned came in. He came in and sat on one of the beds and indicated she should sit on the other.
“I thought I’d come in and see how you were,” he smiled, “They’ll be busy with Ms Helmsbach for quite while yet.”
“Ms who?” Enid queried.
“Adele Helmsbach,” he explained, still smiling, “Your room-mate. “More correctly, Adele van Helmsbach I believe. A big name in international finance. Perhaps you’ve heard of them?” Enid hadn’t, but decided to let it pass. “Anyway,” he went on, “At one stage she spoke quite firmly about you both being let go together. I’m here to talk about that.”
“Well yes,” this was something Enid wanted to talk about too.
He continued, “Whatever is done, it’ll be done on the understanding you’ll say nothing whatsoever about what you’ve seen during your stay here.”
“Otherwise, you’ll kill me, I suppose,” Enid was not one to mince her words.
Again a smile, “Nothing so crude. You’d simply vanish. Never to be seen again in this country.”
Enid was puzzled. “What’d actually happen to me?”
“If we wanted to get rid of you, you’d be bound and gagged and moved to a place west of here that has it’s own private airstrip. From there you’d go, still under restraint, to where? The Middle East, the Far East, Latin America? There are magnates out there, fantastically wealthy, well educated, they’ve had the best of schooling. Many have their own private libraries and they'd like nothing better than a trained, well educated, reasonably attractive, English speaking librarian, such as yourself, as part of their household to look after it.”
Enid was astonished, “I’d be in charge of some multi-billionaire’s private literary collection?”
“Not in charge Enid. You’d be part of the collection. Just as the master might like to indulge in the classics from time to time, he'd also have his pleasure with the custodian as well. And if you could provide intelligent conversation, so much the better. Something of a hetaira you might say. There’re men out there who’d pay many tens of thousands for a woman such as yourself.”
Enid was flabbergasted. To be a chattel, just like the books she processed, staggered her. And she wondered how correct the statement that men would pay a fortune for her was. Very flattering, if true. Coming back to earth, she spoke “Well then, to avoid a fate like that I’m required to say nothing about this place?”
“You and Ms. Helmsbach both. She won’t. She can’t. There’s too much she’d prefer to keep hidden that would come to light if she spoke in public.” He paused a while and then went on. “And what about you? Will you keep quiet?”
“Well,” she began, “It seems if I don’t, I’ll end up on some potentate’s estate as a tame librarian-cum-sex-slave. Which does sound more interesting than some of the things I do but since I don’t speak Arabic or Spanish, I’d better give it a miss. I might add,” she looked around at her surroundings as she said this, “I haven’t been badly treated while I’ve been here.”
She looked directly at him. “But how is it you know so much about me being a librarian? That truth drug or whatever it was you used on me back there?” He nodded. “And my private social life. I suppose you learned about that too?” Again he nodded.
He spoke, “It was Madame’s, Ma’am’s doing. She pressed the questioning. Why, I don’t know. It didn’t benefit the organisation.”
She gave a short laugh. “Then you’ll know there wasn’t much to learn. My sex life’s been pretty limited these last eight years,” another laugh, “Perhaps it’s the job I’m in. Or perhaps it’s my fault. I’ve always preferred not to take up with someone I can’t talk to on an intellectual level.” She had been aware for some time that this man might fit that category. How many men would use the word hetaira?
He looked sympathetic. “I gathered so. You came across as bored, unhappy and frustrated.” He became serious, “Tell me, when did you last have a love experience?”
Mischievously, she replied, “You mean, when did I last have a fuck. And the answer is nearly a year ago.”
Enid was not a prude. She did enjoy the company of men. And this man had been right when he spoke of unhappiness and frustration. A feeling was building inside her. Here, she considered, an opportunity was offering and she felt the need to rise to the occasion. She was not going to let it go. Why should she let it go? The predatory female was in full control.
“Very well then,” she spoke, a woman with her mind made up, “Let us become lovers. You say yourself that Ms. van Helmsbach is not likely to be back for some time and I can assure you that the mattresses on these beds are comfortable. Perfect for our purpose.”
She stood up in the space between the beds. He stood too. Impishly she smiled, “If you try to withdraw now, I shall be very displeased.”
He also smiled “No gentleman would ever refuse a lady’s request of that nature.” As one, they both turned, faced one of the beds and began to undress, each piling their clothes neatly. This last was not lost on Enid who mused privately that tidiness was one thing they had in common.
Naked, their footwear also removed and carefully placed under one of the beds, they turned and again faced each other. She took off her glasses and put them safely under the bed. They embraced. They kissed. “Darling,” murmured Enid, “I don’t know about you but for me it’s been so hellishly long. Too bloody long.”
“It hasn’t been all that frequent for me either,” he responded, “Despite what you might think there aren’t many love opportunities here.” His member began to stiffen and rise, she became very moist. They kissed again. The next two hours were utter bliss for both of them.
Three hours later Enid was alone in the room. There had been some changes. The beds had been made and things tidied generally. She was reading a magazine her companion of a few hours before had brought at her request. It was a quality publication she noted.
Idly she wondered when she would see Adele again. And it was well past midday, she would have liked something to eat.
And as if in response to her thoughts the door opened. In came Adele and the blue dressed woman whom the staff called Ma’am and who it seemed was Madame behind her back. Both looked serious. Adele’s wrists were tied behind her back. Her companion untied her and addressed herself to the other occupant.
“Well Enid,” she began, “You’ll be pleased to know we’ve completed our business and you’ll both be going home at the end of the day.”
“Alright.”
“And I’ll tell you now you’ll be bound, gagged and hooded and taken back in the car, much the same as how you were brought here only not drugged.”
“Alright,” again.
“And you’re never to say a word about this place or anything you’ve seen here. Otherwise….” She was interrupted.
“I know. Otherwise I’ll go on a one way trip to Latin America or wherever and it’ll be as if I never existed. I fully understand and that’s alright too.” Enid sounded both serene and unconcerned.
“Just so long as you do understand.” Madame frowned and turned. She glanced at Adele “I don’t have to tell you anything, do I?”
An expressionless look on her face, Adele nodded. “Well then, I’ll bid you two ladies adieu and bon voyage. You’ll get a late lunch in a few minutes.” She turned and walked out of the room. They heard the door locked behind her.
Still serious, Adele commented, “No need to upset her. She could get us both shipped off to heaven knows where.”
“Nonsense. She wouldn’t dare do that to you, would she?"
“You seem to have become well informed since I last saw you. Has that man from the big room been around here? You know you’ll never see him again?”
“Well I understand he’ll be driving the car that takes us back to the City. He’s not stationed up here you know. He lives not far from both of us.”
“Indeed? You are well informed aren’t you? Well then. The only thing left for us to do is to sit and wait for this lunch that’s supposed to be coming.”
Both women sat on the bed side by side. Their gaze wandered to the suit jacket and Enid’s trench coat hanging on the wall. “I don’t think it’s really necessary for them to tie us up and gag us for the return trip,” said Adele, “But if they do we’d better be wearing those. And you’d better tell them not to forget your handbag.” Clearly she was a practical woman.
Meanwhile Enid pondered the events of the last twenty hours or so. Certainly a change, but for the better? She wondered.
A Woman Abducted · Part 2 (2/2)
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