Now, you couldn’t just kidnap a cop, they work at police stations, had a partner, generally hang around with other cops and had an attuned sense of danger. So, you had to get creative, find a weak point and use that to your advantage. I give you Erika Sparrow Carter, Fox’s twenty-two years old sister. It was a bright spring morning as I sat in my white panel van, I know such a cliché, and glanced at my watch. “Time to move.” I reversed the van a bit further down the alley and then got out. I put on my sunglasses and baseball cap and open the rear doors. I leant against the frame and waited. It wasn’t a long wait as I soon saw Erika Carter stroll by past herself. Quickly attaching the end of a length of clear piece of tape to my jeans I hurried after Erika and fell into step beside her. “Hello,” I said conversationally.
“Do I know you?” Erika said.
“I don’t think we have met before,” I said putting on my best smile. “But I know your sister.”
“Oh, her,” Erika said as she stopped walking. “Bad luck.”
“You have something on your shoulder,” I said and reached out my hand as if to knock something away. I could see the young woman squint to see what was on her shoulder. As my hand got close, I flicked out and pricked her neck with a small needle that I had palmed and contained a sedative.
“Ow!” Erika said. “What was that?”
“Don’t worry,” I say with a winning smile. “I got it.” I just stood for a couple of seconds then I could see that the drug was starting to have an effect. “You feeling all right?”
“I bit dizzy,” Erika replied.
“Let’s get you to a seat.” I wrap and arm around her shoulder and lead her back toward the van.
“I…feel…a…bit faint,” Erika said.
“Don’t worry.” As we walk, I look around making sure that nobody is talking that much notice of us. They aren’t.
“Who…are…you…again?” Erika asks but her words as slow and she stumbles. I move my arm so that I am taking some of her weight. With my other hand I remove the tape from my jeans and smoother it over Erika’s mouth. She does try and raise a hand to try and block this but the drug is starting to take effect and Erika can only raise her hand half way before her strength fails her and the arm falls back to her side, “uurrmmhh,” Erika mumbles into the tape. I can tell that Erika is getting weaker as we get close to the van as I am taking more and more of her weight. By the time we reach the van her legs are barely moving and her eyelids are looking very heavy.
“Let’s get you inside,” I say more to myself as I take a final look around and thankfully everybody seems to be engrossed in their own little world and not taking any notice of the young woman being snatched off the street in broad daylight. Erika has no control of her limbs at the point and I have to haul her into the van. I jump in after her and then close the door, I turn as Erika moans softly before her eyes close over. The drug should keep her out long enough to make it to the safehouse but why take any chances. Carefully I flip Erika over and onto the open sleeping bag and gather her wrists behind her back. Then I pick up a length of silky black rope and wrap it round her wrist and knot it tightly, securing her wrists together. I them undertake the same procedure with rope on Erika’s ankles and thighs, tying her legs securely together. Before jumping into the driver’s seat, I flip over the top of the sleeping bag and zip it up, just to keep the slumbering and bound woman away from prying eyes. As I pull the van into the flow of traffic, I can’t help but think that the first part of this job had went to plan.
Safehouse Basement
There is an electronic lock on the door into the basement and as I punch in the code, I can feel the squirming around in the sleeping bag over my shoulder increase. “Quit that,” I say as there is a buzz as the electronic lock disengages and I push the door open and turn on the lights. The squirming increases. “Look, I don’t want to drop you down the stairs.” That didn’t do any good either, the squirming continued. At the bottom of the stairs I carry the bag over toa mattress sitting in the corner and deposit young Erika onto it. Even that doesn’t stop the squirming and muffled protests until I unzip the bag and flip it open. That stops both the squirming and muffled protests for a bit, then they begin again once she has taken in her surroundings.
“WWHHUUFF,” Erika is trying to speak but the tape across her lips isn’t allowing it. “MMUURR.” Not the most effective gag but good enough at that moment. I lean down and get close. The squirming and muffled protests stop but I can tell that the effort took it out of her as Erika is breathing heavily out of her nose.
“I will take the tape off if you promise not scream.” Erika is looking daggers at me but nods her head and I help her p into a sitting position. “Quickly is better.” I find the edge of the tape and rip it off.
“OOWW!” Erika shouts. Then without missing a beat. “Why have you kidnap me your creepy old man?”
“Well, to start…”
“My sister is a police officer and she will kick your arse all the way to jail.” I shake my head.
“If you stop talking….”
“If you touch me with those filthy paws of yours my sister will sort you out.” I clamp a hand over her mouth.
“Now, if you will just let me finish,” I say and remove my hand. “I am not going to touch you, my hands are clean,” I hold them up to make that point, “and I am not that old.”
“Why have you done this to me?” Erika asked. Under the circumstances that was not an unreasonable question.
“Your sister is a cop who is due to testify in court tomorrow. My boss can’t let that happen.”
“So, it’s her bloody fault,” Erika spat. “Typical that is.” I sensed some tension in the relationship.
“Look, if you just behave then you will get through this just fine.” I stood back up again.
“How long do you plan to keep me here,” Erika looked around the basement with an attitude of distain. I followed her gaze but didn’t think that it was that bad. My phone vibrating and I stepped away to check the message that had arrived. As I did this, I kept checking on Erika who was keeping quiet but was spending that time checking the ropes around her wrists and legs for potential weaknesses, she wouldn’t find any. After replying to the message, I return and kneel down bedside Erika. “Can you untie me? It isn’t really comfortable.”
“To answer your earlier question, a couple of days and your second is a no.” Erika’s shoulders slumped. “Maybe later if you behave.” That seemed to perk her up. I delve into my pocket and bring out a cloth and a bandana. “Sorry, but I am going to have to gag you again and then blindfold you.” I note the questioning look on Erika’s face. “It looks more dramatic in the pictures.”
“Will you take them off after the pictures?” I shake my head.
“Can’t take the risk of you shouting for help.” I bunch up the cloth and move it toward Erika’s mouth but she clamps her mouth shut and turns her head away in protest. “Don’t be silly.” I hear her expel air through her nostrils in frustration and then she turned her head back and opened her mouth. “Good girl.” I force the cloth into her mouth, which comes with some moans and groans, before using the bandana to cleave gag her to prevent the packing being expunged; tying it securely in place at the back of Erika’s head.
“mmuupphh,” Erika said followed by “hhaauumm.” It was a natural reaction to test out how effective a gag was after it had been applied. I folded a silk scarf into a band and tied it over Erika’s eyes to blindfold her.
“Hold still for a bit.” I take out my phone and snap off a few shots of the bound, gagged and blindfolded young woman. “That’s fine. Feel free to lie down now.” Erika does that. “I am going to leave you to it. Shouldn’t be too long.” With that I turn and leave. I make it halfway up the stairs and then make noise to suggest that I have continued and exited the basement. About ten seconds after that I watch Erika thrash about, trying to get loosen the ropes and knock off the gag and blindfold.
“uummpphh,” Erika makes muffled noises as she struggled on the mattress. Fair play to her for trying, she would eventually get the blindfold off but the gag and ropes wouldn’t budge without some help from someone or finding a sharp edge to rub the ropes against. “mmuupphh.” As entertaining watching the young woman squirm was, I had other things to do. This time I did leave the basement and head back through to the garage. I jumped into the van and pulled out my phone. I selected what I chose to be the best photograph of Erika and sent it to the number that I had been provided with, following it up with a text that read:
YOUR HOUSE. TWO HOURS. COME ALONE
Carter Residence
Using the keys that I had taken from Erika’s bag I slipped into the house via the back door and found somewhere to hid. Taking a glance at my watch I realise that I must have made good time so it could be a long wait. I got settled in. There was the sound of an engine outside and I looked at my watch again. Nothing if not prompt. I stretched my legs and arms and checked that my pistol was ready for use. As I was doing that, there was the sound of keys in the lock at the door opening. “Erika!” a female voice called. “Erika!” the voice got louder and I heard soft footsteps pass my location. I step out from my hiding place after the footsteps has walked past a couple of paces. I cock the pistol and the female figure freezes.
“Hands up and turn around slowly.” The person obeys the instruction and I see that it is the target, Detective Eleanor Fox Carter. She is wearing tight blue jeans, sneakers, a white blouse and a short down jacket. There was a plain light blue silk scarf around her neck and a big over her shoulder. The photograph that I had been given hadn’t done her justice, shoulder length brown hair framing a pretty face with sharp features and full lips. Fox was stop traffic beautiful and I lost concentration for a second until she spoke.
“I assume that you are the scumbag that texted me?” Fox asks. I nod a reply. “Where is my sister?”
“That is why I am here. I am going to take you to her.”
“Why should I go anywhere with you?”
“If you don’t then you will never see your sister again,” I reply. “Now, stop playing for time.”
“Alright then, you seem to be in charge. What do you want me to do?”
“Take your phone and throw it away,” I ask. “Slowly.” Fox reaches into the pocket of her jacket and slowly removed a mobile phone, leans down and slides it away from her.
“Do you have anything in that bag that you could use as stuffing for gag?” The response is a cock of the head a withering look but she delves into her bag and produces two clean lady’s handkerchiefs and without having to be asked balls then up and puts them into her mouth. I nod. “Now use that scarf to gag your mouth.” Fox dumps the bag and slowly Fox removes the scarf, folds it into a band and ties it tightly over her mouth, taking care to remove her hair out of the way.
“mmaasszzeedd,” Fox mumbles. I nod again.
“Almost like you practice.” That comment got a withering look. “Now, take your cuffs and cuff your wrists behind you back. I want to hear the clicks.” Fox pulls out her cuffs and holds them up before putting her wrists behind her back. I hear one click and then a second and I start to relax a bit. I walk over and pat Fox down, hardly chore but it does get a couple of mumbled complaints, I ignore these but find the key for he cuffs and put it in my pocket. I grab Fox by the upper arm. “You have the right to remain silent.” That didn’t go down to well either judging by the look I received. I led her out the same way that I had come in, via the rear door and into the yard. At the end of the yard there is a gate in the fence which I open and led her through. My van is parked close by and I slide open the side door. “In you get then.” Fox stares at me over the scarf that she tied over her mouth with a look that sends a chill down by spine. Then she gets in and I follow, sliding the door open. “Sit on that open sleeping bag.” Thankfully the cop is complying with my instructions so far. I pick you a roll of silver duct tape. “Put your legs together.” Fox blows air out of her nostrils in frustration but complies. This allows me to wrap the tape around her legs at the ankles, just above and below the knees then around the thighs. I don t plan on taking any chances, Fox is obviously a well-trained and I don’t want to make a mistake. Plus, Penelope Griffin would not be amused if something went wrong and Fox walked into court. I don’t have to look; I can feel her eyes looking at me. “Lie down.” Once Fox had done that I flip over the top and zip up the bag. In additional to hiding her form prying eyes the sleeping bag would also help with the thrashing about at the next part. Looking around I find what I am looking for, a canister with a hose and black rubber mask attached and pick it up.
“hhaauuhh,” Fox moaned, “mmoohh,” obviously seeing the mask and making the connection. I turn the valve on the canister and hear the hiss of the gas as I lower the mask toward Fox’s face. As I do this, she shakes her head and starts to squirm in the sleeping bag.
“No point in doing that,” I say as I place the mask over her nose and gagged mouth. There is muffled complaints from behind the gag and mask and Fox shakes her head but she can’t escape the fumes from the knock out gas. I watch with interest as the struggles subside as she inhales more and more of the gas. It doesn’t take long before her eyelids flutter, then shot open and then flutter again. Then there is a last moan and her eyes close over for shut. I gave it another couple of seconds before turning off the valve and removing the mask. After removing the gag from Fox’s mouth, I put the mask back on and use the strap to secure it in place. Putting the valve on at low I leave Fox to slumber for the trip back to the safehouse and jump in the driver’s seat.
Safehouse Bedroom
Once we arrived back at the safehouse I remove the mask and slide the sleeping bag containing Fox Carter out of the van and carry it into the house and upstairs to an empty bedroom. Lowering the sleeping bag onto the bed I extricate Fox and throw the sleeping bag into the corner of the room. I dig out the key and unlock the cuffs that were around her wrists. As I prepare to secure Fox with rope to the bed a low moan escapes Fox’s lips. “Not, yet,” I comment to myself and look around. Fortunately, I had prepared for this turn of events and there was a bottle of chloroform and a soft, thick cloth sitting on the bedside cabinet. Picking up both I unscrew the cap on the bottle and pour an amount of he liquid onto the folded cloth.
“wwhhaahhaa,” Fox mumbles and starts to move her arms weakly as her eyes start to crack open.
“Almost,” I said as I pressed the cloth over Fox’s nose and mouth. I seemed that Fox was just about to regain her senses when I applied the cloth. The sweet-smelling fumes must have attached her senses and given them a kick as Fox’s eyes burst wide open.
"mmmmph!" Fox cried; her protest muffled by the chloroform dosed cloth. She tried frantically to wriggle free of the cloth by shaking her head and flailing her arms, but to no avail. I managed to grabbed her wrists and pin them down with one hand and keep the cloth in place to ensure that the sedative was administered. Fox looked directly into my eyes; it was a look that asked for me to stop. “mmuupphh.” I shrugged and mouthed an apology, Fox was about to learn first-hand just how effectively one could become debilitated by breathing in the stupefying sweetness of chloroform, hopefully it was one that she would take on board, as it was a lesson that soon took its toll. Realising that her descent into dreamland could not be avoided, Fox whimpered plaintively into the cloth, her strength draining and her eyes rolling upward as if searching for some divine intervention. But no such rescue was forthcoming, and the gorgeous brunette sank helplessly into dreamland, her eyelids fluttering arrhythmically before closing over. When I was sure that Fox wasn’t faking it, I removed the cloth and put it pack on the cabinet. After slipping off her down jacket and throwing it on top of the sleeping bag I grab a length of the same silky black rope and use it to bind Fox’s wrists together then raise her arms over her head and secure her wrists to the head board with a length a short length of rope. Taking a couple of pillows a place then under her head to make her comfortable and then leave the room, taking the chloroform and cloth with me. It doesn’t pay to leave that lying around.
An hour later
My return to the bedroom is well timed, Fox is just starting to come round as I enter so I pull up a small wooden chair and wait for her to regain her senses. “Ow, my head hurts,” Fox complained as started to comprehend what was going on. She tried to rub her head before realising that that her wrists were bound above her head. Giving it the obligatory try to test the strength of her bonds, after a couple of pulls and movements Fox seemed satisfied that they bonds weren’t going to break and sighed loudly.
“I could have told you that they were solid,” I said. “Saved you the trouble.” My voice seemed to shock Fox as hadn’t realised that I was there.
“Where is my sister scumbag?”
“That wasn’t very ladylike,” I reply, trying to keep it light. Once again that look comes out and I raise my hands in mock surrender. “Erika is safe. At another location and will stay that way as long as you co-operate.”
“If you hurt her…I swear I will hunt you down…”
“I admire the feistiness but I don’t think that you are currently in a position to make threats.” Fox seems to retreat a bit when I make this point. I suspect that she didn’t want to be knocked out again.
“Will you at least tell me why you kidnapped us?” Fox asked.
“Erika was to get to you and you it…”
“Penelope Griffin,” Fox had put the pieces together quickly. I just nod my head. “That bitch!”
“You really have a foul mouth,” I comment. “Speaking of that.” I stand up and pull a cloth and bandana out from my pocket.
“Come on,” Fox whines. “I will be quiet.”
“I never took you as a whiner,” I reply as I make my way toward the bed. “Thought you were the big tough detective.”
“Look, you don’t have to gag me. I won’t shout or cause any trouble.”
“Not that I don’t trust you but, well you know. I can’t take any chances.” I ball up the cloth and stuff it into Fox’s mouth before using the bandana as a cleave gag to keep that in place. Then I pull out the materials that Fox had used to gag herself in her house.
“mmuupphh,” Fox mumbles and rolls her eyes.
“Be a shame to waste them.” I fold the handkerchiefs into a pad a place them over her already gagged mouth before using the scarf and to hold these in place, tying the scarf tightly at the back of her head. After completely the gagging I sit on the bed. “That should keep you quiet. Anyway, just behave and we will all get through this fine.” As I stand up I give Fox what I hope was a reassuring pat on the thigh before leaving the room.
Safehouse Basement
As I walk down the stairs to the basement, I can hear the sounds of struggle continuing. Fortunately, I have brought something for that. Erika stops struggling and looks around as my footsteps approach and the struggling stops. “MMUUPPHH,” Erika shouts into her gag.
“Alright give me a minute,” I reply as I prepare a fresh cloth with chloroform and place the bottle on a shelf before leaning down. I remove the gag and leave it sitting on the mattress.
“What’s that?” Erika asks nervously.
“Just something to help you relay,” I reply. “Chloroform.”
“You’re going to put me to sleep again!” I nod my head. The look of worry and nervousness on my face has an effect on me. “If you behave you can see your sister tomorrow night.”
“Really,” Erika replies. That seems to have perked her up. Whatever the issue between them was seems to have been forgotten. I smile and nod then I press the cloth over her nose and mouth whilst pressing my free hand behind her head to stop Erika from pulling away. Suddenly Erika’s eyes go wide as the pungent fumes assault her senses.
“When you wake up I will have untied you as well.”
“hhuupph” Erika mumbles into the cloth, shaking her head “mmoohhff.”
“I suppose you could try to fight it,” I say. “But you have a zero percent chance of succeeding. Chloroform has never let me down; you will go to sleep, it’s just a question of how long you decide to let it take.” Erika continues to breath in the fumes and as they have an effect her struggles subside until eventually her eyes roll and her eyelids close. After removing the cloth I am true to my word and remove the bindings that had been restraining Erika and leave the young woman alone in the basement.
The next night
It seemed to be going well, both captives behaved themselves, not that Fox had much choice being bound and gagged but Erika behaved downstairs. The clocked had seemed to tick slowly throughout the day until Fox had clearly missed her slot to give evidence in court. Night had fallen when I go back in to check on Fox with a beaming smile on my face. “Would you like to see your sister?” Fox gives me a puzzled look. “She has been in the basement all this time.”
“UURRGG,” Fox shouts but it is well muffled by the gag but the eyes shoot a furiously look at me and thrashes against her bonds, rocking the bed.
“What can I say?” I shrug. “If you don’t calm down though….” Fox huffs through her nostrils and nods her head. I remove the tape that had been around her legs and then untie the rope that held her bound wrists to the headboard. Fox, with her wrists still bound in front of her and gagged slides off the bed. I go to grab her upper arm but she shrugs it off. “Alright then.” We head down to the basement and I shield the keypad as I punch in the code. “No peaking.” Once the lock disengages, I grab Fox’s arm and she stares daggers. “Don’t get mad. The stairs are steep and I don’t want you to fall.” Fox seems to accept this and I lead her down into the basement. Erika has heard the footsteps and had jumped up and was standing next to the mattress. Almost as soon as she saw Fox, Erika ran as us. I took a step to the side as Erika threw her hands around Fox.
“Eleanor! I am so pleased to see you.”
“mmuurrhh,” Fox moaned.
“Well, I wouldn’t want to interrupt this family reunion. It is late at night and I am going to get some sleep. If you promise to be quiet, I will leave you both here to catch up. But no funny business.”
“We will,” Erika says still hugging her sister.
“mmuupphh,” Fox mumbles into her gag. I nod and leave them in the basement. The door is locked and I head to my room to get a good night’s sleep. In the basement after several grunts and muffled suggestions from her sister, Erika finally took the hint and untie the ropes around Fox’s wrists. That allows the detective to remove the gag that had been on her mouth for most of the day. Fox rubbed her wrists and works her jaw.
“What did I say about calling me Eleanor?” Erika just smiled and hugged her sister again. “We have to get out of here.” Fox put one arm around her sister’s shoulder and looked around the room.
“How are we going to do that?” Erika asked.
“I have an idea,” Fox replied after seeing something sitting on a shelf.
Two hours later
“I can’t believe that they are doing this.” I stomp toward the door to the basement. For the past fifteen minutes there had been a lot of banging and noise coming from the basement. “I would have thought they had learned a lesson.” These girls were about to be bound tightly. I grabbed some rope and aggressively punch in the code for the door to the basement. Almost running down the stairs I hit the bottom and stride toward the mattress. But there is nobody sitting on it and just as a notice this I trip over a rope that has been stretched across the basement. “Wow,” I shout. As I land, I go sprawling onto the floor, then before I can react a large weight falls across my legs and my left arm is grab and held down by my side. At the same time a knee lands in my back and another landed on my right forearm. “What the mmpphh,” my exclamation is muffled when a soft, thick cloth is pressed firmly over my nose and mouth. In my slightly confused state in takes a second for my senses to register that the cloth is damp, then the sweet-smelling vapour assaults my nostrils. I recognise it as chloroform, “hhaauupph,” I mumble into the cloth, “mmohh.”
“Yes, now you get a taste of your own medicine.” As the attack has taken me by surprise, I realise that my attempts at communication meant that I have already inhaled. The fumes are already starting to attack my sense. Next, I make another mistake and start to struggle but I see no other option, I have to get free. Unfortunately, this means that I take in deeper breathes of the chloroform’s soporific vapour. I know that I need to buck off the two women but they have the advantage of leverage and I could already feel the chloroform starting to have an effect. The strength was draining from my limbs and I knew that I was in trouble. I shook my head but Fox kept the cloth firmly in place, there was no escaping the fumes. I continued to struggle but it was no use; I wasn’t going to escape their clutches or the chloroform on the cloth. There was a ring of darkness in my vision that was quickly getting bigger a my field of vision narrowed and I stopped resisting altogether. “I think it’s nap time for the big bad kidnapper,” Fox taunted. She was right. I take one final breath and slip into the darkness with a soft whimper into the cloth.
“Keep it on, make sure he is out.” Erika said.
“Don’t worry,” Fox said. “He is out.” Fox removes the cloth and puts it into her pocket. The sisters then get up and look at their kidnapper for a couple of seconds before they run up the stairs and get to the door. Then, when they reach the door, they pause and look at the digital keypad on the wall next to the door. “The electronic lock,” Fox mumbled slowly.
“What?” Erika said suddenly concerned again as she saw the prospect of freedom dashed.
“We need the code to get out.” Fox shoulders slumped as she realised. Erika hit the door in frustration but Fox knew that it was solid. They turned and trudged back down the stairs.
“What do we do with him?” Erika nodded at the unconscious kidnapper.
“Tie him up I guess.”
An hour later
I groan as I regain consciousness. I go to put my hands on my head but I can’t something isn’t right, I can’t move them apart. Then it all comes back, the noise, the rush down the stairs, tripping and the cloth over my face. A bit more investigation confirms that my wrists are bound behind my back with rope, I glance down and se rope around my ankles and thighs. All of the bonds are tight enough that I won’t getting out of them anytime soon. “Wakey, wakey.” I hear from behind me. I roll over and find Fox sitting on her haunches less then a yard away. Once again, her beauty meant that I pause.
“Nicely done,” I comment.
“What is the code?” Fox asks. I keep my mouth shut. “Well, if you aren’t going to talk then you might as well be gagged.” I shrug my shoulders. Fox bunches up a cloth with her right hand and grabs my jaw with her left. Pressing my cheeks together Fox forces the cloth into my mouth.
“oommoonn,” I moan as she pushed the cloth deep inside. Then she cleaves that in place with a bandana and finishes off the gag by applying the folded handkerchiefs over my mouth and tying them in place with the folded silk scarf.
“That should keep you quiet.” I couldn’t disagree as Fox admired her handiwork before going to join her sister on the stairs.
I wasn’t that bothered as the time passed, I didn’t like being bound and gagged but it was my own fault for being sloppy. I took the pressure off my shoulders and side by rolling around every so often. Then my mind started to work on the current situation, it was stalemate. Nobody knew where we were, somebody had to make a move or we would just sit here forever.
“MMUURRHH,” I scream and start thrashing around a bit. “HHAAUUPP.”
“Calm down,” Fox says. “I am not letting you go.” This time it was my turn to sigh in frustration.
“UUMMHHMM,” I say again widening my eyes.
“I think he wants to talk,” Erika says. I nod my head furiously to confirm. Fox seems frustrated but she gets up and makes her way across.
“This better not be some kind of trick,” Fox says as she starts picking at the knots that hold my gag in place. I shake my head to answer the question. After a while most the gag has been removed and Fox uses her long, slender fingers to ease out the cloth that she had stuffed into my mouth earlier.
“Thanks,” I say.
“So, what do you want?” Fox stood up and loomed over me with her hands on her hips.
“I think that we can come to a deal that benefits both parties.”
“What would that be?” I can tell that Fox is intrigued.
“I will give you the code if we both walk away from this.” I offer. “You forget this ever happened, forget my face.”
“Won’t your boss be upset?” Fox asks.
“That’s my concern.” I was hoping that the fact the Fox missed the first day at court would get me a pass. I could tell that Fox was considering this.
“Wait, he can just chase after us again Fox,” Erika commented from the stairs but I had already thought of that.
“You have the means to incapacitate me for about an hour.” I look at Fox and she seems perplexed, then the lightbulb goes off in her head.
“The chloroform.” I nod. Fox gets up and goes back to find the cloth and bottle of chloroform. She splashes a bit more chloroform onto the cloth to freshen it up before kneeling down and holding the cloth close to my face. I can already smell the fumes and I cough.
“I can trust you to untie me?” I ask, after all I was putting a lot of trust in her. I didn’t want to go to jail.
“I shall keep my word,” Fox replies. “Now, the code.” Something told me that I could trust her to keep her word.
“5729,” I say and before anything else happens the cloth is pressed over my nose and mouth. “mmpphh” I moan into the cloth and shake my head. Although I knew what was coming you can’t fight the instinct to resist the application of a sedative soaked cloth to your face. “hhuurrpp.” I relaxed and tried to take even breaths and inhale the fumes from the cloth. The effects hit earlier this time, my limbs felt heavy and the head stared to pound. My vision became blurry and my head felt filled with cotton wool. The last thing that crossed my mind before I went out was that I hoped that when I regain consciousness I wasn’t tied up.
Two weeks later
After the whole incident with Fox Carter I had thought it best to get out of the city. Let things calm down so that is what I had done. Headed to a small coastal town where I could just hide away for a spell. It was a nice night so I had decided to walk back to the house where I was staying through town from the bar where I had watched the football. There was nobody else around as I took a short cut and turned down a narrow side street. I heard footsteps behind but wasn’t worried about it. Then suddenly I felt the sharp prod of something in my back. “Careful handsome. I wouldn’t want to have to hurt you. Well, at least not yet anyway.”
“Penelope, nice to bump into you again.” I was trying to play it cool but inside my mind was racing. “What can I do for you?”
“For now, just take a nice nap.” A cloth appeared in the corner of my vision and approached the lower part of my face. It was clamped over my nose and mouth and the now familiar smell of chloroform assaulted my senses.
THE END
