Devotion (M/F) (M/M) - A sequel to Deception (Complete)

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wolfman
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Post by wolfman »

Steve drove into the night towards a place of seclusion where the man in the boot would give them answers. Louise dozed beside him, he placed a loving hand on her leg and glanced at her just for a moment, admiring her toned legs in tight jeans and the curve of her waist through the t-shirt she wears.

"She looks so serene, so beautiful. I would do anything for her. He thinks to himself.

They had changed cars twice and stripped the man of anything that could be used to track them. Louise checked Shaw's clothing and found a concealed tracking device in her shoes and one in an earring, both of which were on their way to Glasgow, courtesy of a night train.

They arrive at the modest house just after midnight, a quiet place far from neighbours with a good sized basement. Steve gently shakes Louise's shoulder and tells her softly, "We are here." 

As she opens her eyes, he softly kisses her and says, "I am so glad you are safe."

"Thank you for saving me." She says as she stretches her free arm, her left arm was restrapped on the way during one of the vehicle changes. 

She leans across and kisses him in return. "Since I met you, I have learned how to do things I had never thought possible. I can walk without fear, wherever I go. You have changed my life. Every day, I give thanks for everything you have given me."

"Since I met you, I have opened my heart and allowed myself to feel again. You gave me my life back and I dedicate it to you." He says softly and he tenderly embraces her.

They exit the vehicle and Louise opens the house and takes in the shopping, while Steve retrieves the still sleeping and bound man from the boot. He deposits him in the basement, before retrieving Shaw from the car and sitting her on a wooden chair in the houses living room. 

Steve cuts the zipties and secures Shaw's wrists and forearms to the arms of the chair and her legs to the legs of the chair with several layers of duct tape.



Louise joins him in the living room and passes him a cup of coffee.  "So how are we playing this?", she asks. 

"I will take on the big guy downstairs, see if we can find out who he works for and would you keep the detective inspector company?" Steve says accepting the drink.

"Sure, are the restraints and blindfold nessecary?" Louise asks, taking a sip from her cup.

"Unfortunately, yes. I have no idea how she will react to effectively being kidnapped. She is a trained combatant and whilst I know you could take her under normal circumstances, I am not sure with your shoulder." He says, before adding, "She has been looking for you for a long time, do you want her to finally meet you?" 

"I don't know, for now keep the blindfold on." She says. 

"Good shout." he says, slumping his shoulders, "I had better get ready for our friend to wake up. Hopefully, this won't take long. Don't worry this is a company place, sensor and camera monitor a perimeter out to one kilometre, if any thing comes, we will know." He assures her as he heads upstairs to change.

Louise takes a seat opposite Shaw and dozes off. 



Shaw wakes slowly and her breathing quickens as she realises that her eyes won't open and she fights the instinct to panic when her limbs won't move. 

"Great. In the hands of God knows who. Tied to a chair, to await execution of worse. At least there is no one who will miss me." The realisation leaves a cold emptiness inside her. 

"Unless someone finds my car and reports it stolen, no one will notice anything amiss until tomorrow morning. ‎No one knows where I am, no one is coming to save me. The only chance I have is to help myself." Kate decides. 



"Hello," Shaw shouts, rocking in the chair, "Is anyone there?"

Louise wakes with a start, before gaining her bearings, as Shaw continues to shout. She thinks for a moment before deciding what to do. She stands and silently walks over to Shaw.

She places a hand on her arm and says softly, "No need to be alarmed, Chief Inspector. The restraints are for your own protection. We mean you no harm."

"I am a serving police officer and I demand you let me go right now." Shaw demands. 

"I am sorry, but that is not possible." Louise calmly affirms. 

Shaw bucks in the chair, fighting her bonds, which continue to resist her efforts. Louise tries the physically restrain her but struggles with her arm strapped.

Louise changes tack and steps back away from the bound officer. She takes a deep breath and in a commanding tone she forcefully addresses the officer, "You will remain restrained for the duration of your time here. If we need to sedate you to keep you in line, then so be it  Any injuries sustained by an escape attempt, will not be treated until after your release." 

Louise was shocked by the power in her voice, but even more surprised by the cessation of Shaw's struggles.

"Fine." Shaw says seething, cowed a little by the woman's voice. "Can you at least take the blindfold off?"

"For the moment, it has to stay in place." Louise says firmly. 

She thinks to herself, "How much have I changed in six months? Steve and his love have made me a different person."

At the same time, Shaw is wondering, "Do I know that voice?"



Silence descends between the two like a fog. The only sounds are muffled cries of pain from the basement. Shaw twists uncomfortably in her seat as she hears the man's cries and feels every inch of tape holding her.

"Am I next?" Shaw asks, trying to keep her voice even, as her mouth suddenly feels very dry. 

"What? No." Louise insists, "The man downstairs, is one of the men who was following you. We are trying to determine who he works for."

"That won't be admissible in court." Shaw says coldly.

"Do you see a judge anywhere?" Louise replies firmly. 

"Not with this bloody thing over my eyes, no." Shaw fires back. "You might think the rules don't apply but they do. He needs to stand trial and be convicted."

"For what?" Louise asks pointedly, "For being a passenger in a car, that was deniably following a police officer, but could be argued was just going to the shops?"

Shaw bristles in the chair thinking, "She is right. But I cannot let this happen." She slumps in her seat, her inability to argue the point, heightening her sense of helplessness, as she twists uselessly against the tape. 

"This just isn't right." Shaw says softly, sounding defeated. 

"I know this is uncomfortable for you. However, this is beyond your control." Louise says. 

"I should never have let him go at the hospital. This madness has to stop. All this death, all this mayhem. All down to him." Shaw says bitterly.

"No." Louise snaps, "It is down to my sister." The words burn in her throat and cause instant regret, as soon as she frees them. 

Shaw pauses, "Louise Carter?" 



Louise silently chastises herself and considers lying, but then relents and removes Shaw's blindfold before retaking her seat. 

Shaw blinks rapidly, her eyes stinging from the sudden influx of light. As her vision clears, she finds herself  staring at the woman she has been seeking since her disappearance. Real, alive and here, the same and yet different, stronger, yet wounded.

Shaw continues to stare open mouthed at Louise. "The last time I saw you you were being wheeled into a lift." Shaw says, "I am sorry, I allowed you to be taken by Dr Callard."

Louise pauses, "It wasn't your fault, you can't hold yourself to account for the actions of others." She says, echoing advice Steve had given her. 

"I should have been more careful. I should have stopped him. Everything that happened to you after was my fault." Shaw says, hanging her head. 

"In fairness, he didn't get the chance to do much before Steve burst in." Louise says, "It's  not your fault, but if it were I would be saying thank you."

"But why?" Shaw asks. 

"After Steve rescued me, we became involved and despite some bumps in the road, we have been happy. He has shown me a part of myself I didn't know existed and awakened me in so many ways." Louise shares, with a faraway look in her eyes. 

Shaw appraises the other woman for a moment and nods, "That might explain why you look so different. Toned, more poised, you stand taller and your hair is different too."

"Steve healed me and helped me in a lot of ways." Louise says, not expanding further.

"It must be nice to know someone is always there for you." Shaw thinks ruefully.



Louise takes a deep breath before speaking again  "I heard about the officers who were going to kill you. I am so sorry your life was put in danger because of this."

"As you said, don't blame yourself for the actions of others." Shaw summarised her earlier words.

"If I had come forward to the police, this would never have gotten this far." Louise says softly. 

"Truth is you don't know that. It may have made things worse." Shaw says thoughtfully, "Would have forced all the officers on her client list to rush into action and try to silence you and maybe me sooner. Steve would not have been there to save you and Ryan wouldn't have saved me." 



They let the point hang in the air. Shaw appraises the other woman, "No one else around to shoot me at the accident, did you do it I wonder? It appears that you and Steve are pretty close. Maybe you help him a lot in the field." She thinks. 

Shaw breaks the silence. "Did you hurt your shoulder at the hospital?", she asks, wondering if her instincts are leading her astray. 

"Now why would you ask that?" Louise asks raising an eyebrow. 

"Just a hunch, something about the way you move says soldier, not sure if it is the walk, the stance or bearing. Also you are around the right build for the second combatant and they were clutching their shoulder in a similar way." Shaw explains. 

"You are good at this, aren't you." Louise says. 

"So it was you?" Shaw asks, raising her eyebrows. Surprised she was right. 

"Yes." Louise says, softly but firmly. 

"How? There is nothing in your file about that kind of training?", Kate speaks softly with a hint of disbelief, before it hits her, "Steve."

"He is a great teacher." Louise confirms, pulling a packet of cigarettes and a lighter from Shaw's discarded jacket. She offers one to Shaw. Who nods. Louise places one in the bound officers mouth and lights it for her. 

Shaw takes a deep drag, exhaling smoke through her nose. Louise takes it and whilst she flicks off the ash, Shaw takes the chance to share her thoughts. "You and he saved a lot of lives that day. Including mine and the officers on site. Thank you. Just so you know, we have been told to pin it onto Lombard and his organisation, so you are off the hook."

Offering Shaw the smoke again, Louise asks, "Who told you?"

"The Home Office issued a notice telling us to quell Steve's involvement." Shaw replies, wishing she could use her hands right now, as smoke goes into her eyes. 

"Why would they do that?" Louise enquires further. 

"No idea, probably an investigation into him, would expose all sorts of secrets." Shaw says, taking a long final drag. 

"Probably." Louise says, seeds of doubt forming. She stubs out the cigarette and takes her seat again. 

"Thanks, Louise." Shaw says, openly. "This is not how I expected to find you." She shakes her head.

"What were you expecting, Chief inspector?" Louise asks, curious as to what fate the officer thought she had met. 

"Honestly, I don't know what I expected, a body in a ditch, or found covered in filth in a basement, or in hiding the other side of the world. I expected the worst." Shaw explains, pausing before adding, "Please, call me Kate." 

Shaw hesitates, before continuing "I have a confession to make, when I first was assigned your kidnapping, I viewed you as a case, but the more events unfolded and I found out what you had been through, the more I started to empathise with you and the horrors you must have been facing." She pauses, "As one human being to another, I am sorry for all you have been through."

Louise reflects on all that has happened, her sister betrayal, the abductions, the violence, the death and hurt for everyone involved and the joy and love Steve hs given her and she smiles gently, "It's made me who I am today."

Shaw sits motionless and stunned, "Everything she has faced and she is a new woman, not broken or damaged. In six months she has come alive. How would I have coped?" She ponders. 

"The love and strength, Steve has filed my heart with. Gives me the courage to face anything. Each morning I wake and feel his love. When men took me again, I felt safe. When I freed myself on the boat, I felt him with me. When the helicopter pulled us from the wreckage, I flew with him as my wings, When we stormed the hospital, I felt his hand guide mine. I am utterly his and everything he gives me, keeps me safe." 

Shaw listens silently, each word, widening the empty chasm she feels inside her‎, "What does a love like that feel like? I pride myself on bein self reliant and forging my own path. I fought tooth and nail to get where I am, I sacrificed everything for a career. Now, I am top of my game, but utterly alone. I push everyone away and don't let anyone in."

Louise continues, "But you. You stand tall and have carved out a life for yourself, a woman in a man's world, earning respect from your colleagues. My actions were a nessecity, yours are a choice. You are what every girl wants to be when they grow up. Strong, independent, confident, in command, a hero."

"No, I leap headlong into dangerous situations and I earn commendations and awards for bravery. But after the noise and action of the day, I go home alone in silence. No one would want that." She looks into Louise's eyes, and continues, "You are what little girs want to be. Everything you say I am, you are and you are beautiful, loved, with a Prince charming ever ready to come to the rescue." Shaw says, with a pang of regret.

Kate imagines, the love and warmth Louise must have felt throughout all she has been through and then thinks of the countless operations she has led, where the day ends, alone with a bottle of wine and an ashtray as her only companions. She begins to feel her eyes moisten.

Louise moves to her side and hugs her, softly speaking in her ear, "What is it? What's wrong?"

"You are so lucky to have someone who loves you like that." Kate says softly. "You have been through hell and back and Steve's love has guided you through. During the investigation of your disappearance, I doubted myself and my choices and no one was there for me.  I go through hell every time I deploy for a tactical op. I have no one to greet me and tell me everything will be ok, no face I fight to see again. No love fills my heart. I have no one." The words spill from her trembling lips. "I am so alone.", she says, spent.

A part of Louise melts inside at the sight of Kates turmoil. "You are amazing. I couldn't do what you do without support. I nearly froze in the hospital and I missed a bomb which would have killed dozens, if Steve wasn't there." She pauses, "But to you, that kind of thing is a Tuesday to you. Putting myself through it makes me respect you so much. You stand tall and brave putting your life on the line every day." Louise says, drying shaw's eyes with the discarded blindfold. ‎"And you are not alone Kate, you have a friend.", she says cutting the tape holding Shaw's arms and legs.

The dam inside of her breaks and a wave of tears washes over Shaw as Louise comforts her. "I have cut myself off from everyone that could make me happy."

"The only person who can make you happy is you. You have to realise that you deserve it before you can allow yourself to feel it. Find something to believe in, someone who you trust and look into your heart until you see their beating next to it." Louise softly whispers, each word striking a chord with the officer, Louise helps her to the sofa and hands her some tissues, which are accepted with shaky hands.  

"Would you like some tea?" Louise asks gently.

Unable to speak, she nods. Louise heads towards the kitchen leaving Shaw alone. 

Shaw sees her gun on the cabinet but does not move as she reflects, "I have the freedom I wanted, but that will bring me no peace, where friendship might.", as she dries her eyes.



Louise returns with the tea and sets it down on the table, noting that the gun hasn't moved. She turns to Kate as she is drying her eyes, thinking, "I am glad my instincts were right."
View my latest story, Revelation, here;

https://tugstories.com/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=8719


To view it's prequel Devastation, please click below;
https://tugstories.com/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=7458
Caesar73
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Post by Caesar73 »

This Conversation between Kate and Louise is a really really well crafted and written dialogue. Totally in character - both. Louise and Kate 👍
Last edited by Caesar73 3 years ago, edited 1 time in total.
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wolfman
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Post by wolfman »

Helens world was pain and torment. The beatings were frequent and the discomfort constant. She stood bound tightly to the pole in the basement of the Nirvana resort. Unmoving and voiceless due to the measures her mother imposed. 

"I am going to die here." She thinks, with every part of her being giving an agonised scream in support of her mind. As her tormentor leaves her once again in darkness. 

Following her first beating, her mother left her alone for hours until, someone came to feed her. The bruising to her jaw prevented her from chewing much but she ate what she could. 

Later her mother returned in a rage, screaming about a trap that had failed and a man that was missing. The words flows as fast as the blows she unleashed.

She twists slightly in the ropes that bind her, resolute. "If this goes on, I am going to die, without seeing Louise safe and sound." she thinks in a lucid moment, "I need to speak to mum."



She rests as best she can, bound standing, a large cloth stuffed in her mouth, preventing speech and at least giving her something to bite on through the worst of the beatings. 

But at the moment, it is her worst enemy. Preventing coherent speech, but soon she will be fed and then the cloth comes out and her mouth will be free. 

She waits alone in agonising darkness for the cell door to open. Time is meaningless in this room, minutes languidly become hours until she hears steps approaching the door. 



Adam opens the cell door, dismayed by the figure before him. He sets down the tray and examines Helen. 

Her left eye is swollen shut and a cut above her right bleeds lazily down her bruised and battered cheeks. The all of the parts of her body touching ropes show deep abrasions and he sees dark bruises under her thin clothing. 

Adam unties the cloth covering her mouth and pulls the towel out of it, offering water, which is tentatively sipped, before she turns her head away. 

He takes a cloth from his pocket and dampens it with some of the water and gently cleans her face of the blood, dust and tears. He shakes his head, even cleaned up, she is still a mess.

He brings a spoon full of soup to her lips, but again she turns away. "Come on Helen you need to eat." Adam says softly. 

"I need to speak to my mother." Helen speaks slowly, her voice cracking. 

"I will tell her whatever you need her to hear, but please you need to eat something." Adam says in a reassuring tone. 

"Not until I speak to her myself. I will not eat until we speak." Helen then closes her mouth, twisting and turning her head, preventing feeding. 

"Come on Helen." He grunts as hepins her head to the pole and tries to force her to take the spoon.

"I could force your mouth open and pour this in." he thinks, until his better nature dispels the thought. "I am not that type of bastard."

Adam nods, letting her go, "I will tell her." He picks up the tray and walks towards the door. He cannot bring himself to leave without speaking his mind, "For what it is worth, I am sorry that you are going through this."

A single tear escapes Helen's unswollen eye, "Don't be sorry for me, I brought this on myself." 

Adam looks back at her with sad eyes and nods slightly, before he leaves the cell and locks the door behind him. "God I hate this job."



Dionne sits in her office, reviewing business projections and reports. She stares at them blankly, her mind elsewhere. "The crime scene was well staged and Shaw was being followed by some of my best. I don't understand how this went wrong. One man in hospital and one missing. This is a costly mess. We were so close to a lead on Louise, but now we are back where we started."

The screen demands her attention, but, her mind will not be freed so easily. She counts the cost of the course of events that Helen set in motion, the money was one thing, but so many dead. 

Dionne hates the anger that Helen inspires in her, almost as much as she hates herself for  beatings she has unleashed upon her daughter, when her temper gets the better of her. "Every blow I unleashed was as much at my own failings as a parent, as they were at hers as a sister and daughter. How did I go so wrong with her?" She thinks. 

"So many years hard work, I have an empire and it risks being brought low." She fears, before her dead husbands voice whispers in the back of her mind, "Don't give me that, you would burn it down in a heartbeat to get Louise back safely."

She allows a single tear to fall. "Oh Louise, where are you?" She wonders staring out across the estate in a vain hope she will mysteriously appear.

She runs her fingers through her long blond hair and stretches her neck, considering her other daughter. "That stupid girl." she thinks, as she turns to survey the chateau's grounds.



A soft knock on the door disturbs her musing. Annoyed she beckons the intruder into her thoughts with a curt, "Come."

Adam steps into the room and approaches his employer, looking concerned. "Boss, I have just been down to feed your daughter and well" He pauses. "She is refusing food until she speaks to you."

Dionne clenches her jaw and raises her eyes to the ceiling, "Give me strength." She beins storming towards the door. 

Adam steps in her way, "Hold on."

"What?" Dionne says narrowing her eyes. 

"I don't speak out much, but I have to now. You hired me for your protection. I guard you physically, but now I feel, I must advise on your mental well being. I understand that you are angry with Helen, but this is not the way." He says evenly. 

"How dare you?" She says in a low voice. 

"You are possibly the most intelligent and tenacious person, I have ever met. I worry that if you focus it all on Helen, everything else falls apart.", he speaks quickly, pleading with his employer, "We will find Louise, but beating Helen every time there is a problem will not help and it will not bring you peace."

Dionne considers that, not a few moments ago, she couldn't focus on the company reports or projections which would help her set the course of her empire. Since Helen arrived at the chateau, her anger at her daughter had eclipsed everything else in her mind. "Adam is right. I need to get a handle on my feelings." 

"They say anger let's a person kill," She thinks, "but the first day I knew I could kill was the day I held my child in my arms."

"You don't say much Adam, but when you do, you are on the money." She says allowing her anger to pass through her, "I need to get a grip, can you set up the gym for me. I will get my anger out in there instead."

It never failed to surprise Adam how quickly anger filled her and how quickly the rage ebbed away, once she put her mind to it. "No problem." he said, not letting his words betray his thoughts.

"What did she want to talk about?", she asks, calmly.

"Wouldn't say. Would only talk to you." He says evenly.

"Stubborn as ever." She mutters, then she looks Adam in the eye and asks, "What would you do with her?"

"Cut her off and cast her out, somewhere she can't cause any bother and where you can forget she ever existed." Adam says, offering a way out.  

Dionne nods seeing the path this course of action would lead her on. "I will consider it." She says, thoughtfully as he allows her to pass.



Dionne descends the steps to the cells slowly composing herself before opening Helen's cell door. 

"What's this about you refusing food and making demands if I didn't come down? Do you think you will be able to wrap me around your little finger." Dionne coldly says.

"One way or another, I am going to die in this cell. I wanted to make a final request." Helen speak softly, with her head bowed. 

"Go on." Dionne says sharply. 

"Before I die, I would like to donate my ovaries, to Louise. I ruined her life and her body, but I can at least give her the chance to have children." Helen speaks slowly, in a measured tone and looks her mother in the eyes.

"Do you think she will forgive you?" Dionne asks surprised at her daughters request. 

"What I did was unforgivable. This is not about me, it is about her being able to rebuild her life." Helen says, her voice cracking a little. 

"And what of you after this donation?" Dionne asked curiously whilst wondering, "What is her game?"

"I will face whatever fate awaits me." Helen says with softly, but with conviction.

Dionne listens closely, scrutinising her daughter for any signs of deception. She turns wordlessly and leaves the room closing the door behind her.  



An hour later, Etienne enters the room and removes the ropes and helps her lay on the mattress in the corner of the room before treating her wounds. 

As he leaves her to rest, she thinks to herself, "Mum doesn't want an empire, she wants a dynasty. I have leverage for now, but will need to move quickly."
View my latest story, Revelation, here;

https://tugstories.com/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=8719


To view it's prequel Devastation, please click below;
https://tugstories.com/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=7458
wolfman
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Post by wolfman »

"He is going to be sore in the morning." Steve reflects, as he ascends the stairs leading out of the basement, leaving his prisoner, sedated and unconscious behind him.

He opens the door and catches a fleeting wisp of tobacco smoke. Cautiously he approaches the living room, ready for the worst, picking up a steel pen from the key table in the hall on the way.

Steve peeks around the door to the living room, feeling nervous about what he will find. To his surprise Shaw and Louise are sat side by side. Shaw's head rest on Louise's shoulder and they are both soundly asleep. 

Shaw looks like she has been crying with tear tracks running down her cheeks like the tributaries of the Amazon river.

Silently he enters the room and lays a blanket over them both, not wanting to wake either woman. He takes their used coffee cups and ash tray and enters the kitchen. 

After emptying the ash tray, he begins washing up the used items. As he washes and wipes , he is deep in thought. "I wonder what happened up here. No signs of a struggle, actually the opposite. From the number of cigarettes ends in the ash tray, Shaw was probably free for a little while before they fell asleep."

Steve nods to himself, "Shaw was never really a prisoner, just needed to keep her under control long enough to talk.", he thinks stretching his aching limbs. The aches a testament to the last few days.

After checking on the sleeping ladies in the living room, he heads upstairs and runs a bath, adding Epsom salts and making sure the water is hot. He lowers himself into the tub and lays back, allowing the tension and aches to leech from his body. 

An hour later he showers and dresses before slumping in an armchair in the living room. Steve turns his mind to considering what to do with the information that the man in the basement provided. "No name, no organisation, just a phone number. Not much to go on, but it might be enough."

He leans back in the chair and relaxes his body. He is asleep within a moment of closing his eyes.



Shaw wakes slowly in the early morning light, feeling a comforting warmth beside her. When she realises the comforting warmth is breathing her eyes snap open. 

She sees Steve asleep in the chair opposite and realises she is sharing a blanket with Louise, she begins to remember the previous evening.

She raises a tentative hand to her face and closes her eyes for a moment. "What the hell am I doing? I got drugged, kidnapped, woke tied to a chair, God knows where I am." 

She starts to get up as she remembers the conversation with Louise and the well spring of emotion that followed and her expression softens. "Thank you Louise.", she thinks, as she squeezes her blanket mates hand gently. 

Slowly she pulls away from Louise and out from under the blanket. She heads for the kitchen, retrieving her cigarettes and lighter from the table and ignoring the gun on the cabinet. 



She lights a cigarette and draws the tobacco smoke deep into her lungs, as she gazes out of the window, deep in thought. "I could call the office now and have officers crawling over this place before they wake. I could close countless cases in one go.", she thinks, as she puts the kettle on to make a coffee. 

"I could, so why aren't i?" Shaw wonders as she readies a cup. "You already know why. Your life is a tightrope where every day could be your last and you no longer know why you fight so hard." 

She thinks to herself as she sips her coffee and smokes. "Your life is a battle. One you fight alone. Even when you are part of a team, you stand alone. But last night you let someone in and you aren't used to it."

"Despite the way the evening started, it was nice, I felt like someone actually listened to me as a person not as a job title. Maybe I want more of that and less of the job." Kate steadied herself against the work top, the realisation made her knees go weak. 

Shaw thinks back to the dream she had of kissing Steve and wonders, "He spoke to me, not addressing my title, but me. Maybe I dreamt of a kiss, as some desire to reach out to someone."

She extinguishes her cigarette, as she sips the last of her coffee. "I never talk to anyone about anything. It felt good to open up and right now, I have a little freedom to think, without the pressure of the job for a time."



Shaw puts her cup in the sink and returns to the living room and slips back under the blanket next to Louise and closes her eyes. 

Across the room Steve smiles to himself and thinks, "Glad you didn't go for the gun, but don't get to comfy, that is my spot."



Shaw feels a gentle hand on her shoulder and slowly stirs. She looks at her shoulder to see a man's hand shaking her. Her eyes trace a line up the man's arm to find Steve on the end of it. 

Her breath quickens for a moment, until she remembers where she is. She takes a moment to wake up and realise that Steve is speaking to her. 

"Sorry to wake you Shaw, breakfast will be ready in about five minutes." Steve says. 

"Thanks." She says, feeling like her mouth is full of cotton wool. 

He sets a cup of strong coffee in front of her and returns to the kitchen. She reaches for the coffee as soon as he steps away and tentatively sips it. "Hot and strong. Perfect." Shaw reflects. 

As she relaxes, Louise walks in and sets a plate before her and asks, "How are you feeling this morning?"

Shaw is struck by the warmth in her voice and smiles, "I am feeling pretty good thanks." She says looking, at the plate of eggs, sausage, bacon, hash brown, mushrooms and eggs. "I am not sure I can manage all that." Shaw shakes her head, but prepares to loosen her belt. 

Louise takes a seat next to her with a coffee and a moment later Steve joins them with a plate for Louise and himself. 

As they sit a comfortable silence descends as they are all comfortable engaged in consuming the feast before them. Shaw notices the looks exchanged between Steve and Louise. Not of conspiracy or deceit but of warmth and love. 

In between mouthfuls, Steve says, "I am sure you have questions but, they can wait until after breakfast. It might be a long day and we will need this to keep us on our feet."

Shaw has indeed got questions and is about to ask when she thinks, "I think I can trust Louise, but I haven't got a measure of him yet, best to bide my time."

Steve puts down his fork and looks seriously at Shaw, "The Americans never stopped going to the moon and have a base on the dark side. A riot control weapon has been created, that uses sound waves to destabilise the inner ear and induce vertigo. Every river in the UK powers a clandestine hydroelectric generator, no official record exists of what the power is used for. Six percent of the people on the last US census, do not exist." he pauses, "Not all of these are true." Steve smiles as he picks up his fork and continues to eat. 

Shaw looks at Steve open mouth, "What the hell?", she thinks looking at him quizzically and tentatively resuming her meal considering what he just said. She casts a glance towards Louise who just smiles and winks. 



Louise agrees to wash the dishes, leaving Steve and Shaw to talk. Shaw shifts in her seat, trying to get a read on Steve. "I can't work him out, everything I have seen, screams sociopath, but he seems too controlled. Psychopath perhaps, he is manipulative, hence the misdirection at breakfast. He seems to calculate risk carefully. But, classic psychopaths have an inability to love or form meaninful relationships. I wonder."

"What would you like to know?" Steve asks, warmly. 

Shaw snaps out of her deliberations and scrutinises the man, carefully choosing her opening gambit, "Who are you?" she asks. 

"You already know that," Steve regards her carefully, "Steven Anthony Marks."

She lights a cigarette, "That's just your name, I want to know who you are."

Steve smiles, "I am a former soldier, who now works for a private military and security contractor."

"That is your resumé, not who you are. Who are you? When everything else is gone, your job, your equipment, with the trappings you hold dear stripped away, who are you?" Shaw asks calmly. 

"I am not sure I understand." Steve says feeling a little unsure. 

"I will never be able to arrest you, the Home Office has seen to that. This is the closest I will get to finding out the truth of what has happened and who you are." Shaw remains calm. 

Steve nods slightly, almost imperceptibly, "You may have read my file and know what has happened. You have an idea in your head about me and what has gone on and you want to know if you are right." He pauses, "Why don't you tell me what you think?"

Shaw smiles, "Here goes nothing. I hope he doesn't kill me." She thinks before composing herself to speak. 

"I think you were a soldier, most likely special forces and highly decorated. A perfect soldier, with one sleeve constantly dipped in blood. The tragedy of your parents death broke something inside you and you couldn't continue in service, due to your instability." She lights another cigarette, "You were recruited by a private contractor and over time you shut everything off, until you met Louise. If I had to guess, it was her that set up her kidnapping with you."

She stands for a moment stretching and walking around the room, noting the gun still in place, before continuing, "The messages were formal to start, but your tone softened over time. I think she awakened something in you. Something small that bloomed when you met. I don't know why you let her go, but I am sure, you rescued her from the not so good doctor. My thought is that your feelings for each other blossomed in the heat of the moment and never faded, enriching you both. When Lombard's men took her, your love for her drove you to cut a swathe across the UK to save the woman you love and in the process, the part of you that she healed."

Steve listened fascinated, he has been up against some of the best in the information extraction and profiling business and yet, he had never been pulled apart like this before. 

"In short Steve, you are a well trained operative, who once was broken, but now is whole and will do anything for the love of the person who makes you whole." Shaw sits down and carefully watches Steve.

Steve returns her gaze, "And you are someone at the top of your game, who no longer loves what they do. You feel bound by the constraints of your job and the expectations of those around you. You quote regulations when confronted by obstacles you cannot overcome. Not because they matter, but because they stand in your way.", he allows the point to settle, before continuing, "Throughout this entire course of events, Louise has been kidnapped and held against her will numerous times. However, it is you that has been most helplessly bound. The bonds of your office have made you feel powerless, in the face of what needs to be done, just as effectively as any handcuffs or chains. You feel obliged to endure, but you are no longer certain why."

Kate raises her eyebrows, "How can he know that?" She feels her pulse quicken, and with a slightly shaky hand reaches for a cigarette. 

"Your life has isolated you. Every day you focus on the job and whilst I cannot say why you are so driven, I see that you are as in need of something more to break the chains that bind you. Just as I was when I met Louise." Steve says, sincerely.

Silently, Shaw stares at the space between her feet. Her head is swimming and she feels her eyes moisten. 

Steve feels a gentle hand on his shoulder as he is about to continue. He looks up to see Louise's gentle eyes as she mouths the words, "That's enough." He gazes at Shaw and can see her turmoil. "I am sorry if I pushed to hard. You were dead on by the way."

Shaw looks up with red eyes and in a cracking voice whispers, "No. You put into words, what I have been thinking for a while and it hit me harder that it should have."



A silence descends over the room. Louise takes a seat next to Steve and the pair look with concern at Kate. She is lost in thought, even she cannot keep track of the fleeting clouds, scudding across her mind. 

"I didn't want to upset you. I am sorry. Would you like us to give you a moment?" He says sincerely. 

Steve's voice cutting through the silence brings her back to her senses, "I am ok." she says softly, composing herself. Changing the subject, she asks, "Did your other guest have anything to say?"

"Not much, to be fair, he doesn't know a great deal, no name for his employer, no official company, just a phone number to check in." Steve explains. 

"Is he holding back?" Shaw asks. 

"Not as far as I can tell. He err, he had a rough night." Steve sys sheepishly. 

"I won't ask." Shaw says shaking her head.

"Whose number is it?" Louise enquires. 

"According to our guest, he was contacted via dead drop and given instruction via anonymous email. He was to call the number after confirming my location.", he replies.

"Why you?" Shaw asks, curiously. 

"Not completely sure, but, I would guess that someone connected to Lombard or the people behind his organisation want a word.", he says with a smile. 

"What do you think? Give the number a call and tell whoever answers that you are coming for them?" Louise asks. 

"Maybe." Steve says, before looking at Shaw, "I understand if you want to back out. We can drop you off somewhere and make sure you can get in touch with your people."

"For now, I am in. Call them." Kate says, "There are some lines I won't cross, but it doesn't mean, I will get in your way."
View my latest story, Revelation, here;

https://tugstories.com/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=8719


To view it's prequel Devastation, please click below;
https://tugstories.com/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=7458
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Emma
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Post by Emma »

So much since I was on last! I'm happy to see this story continue...it does look as if no loose ends will be left untied.

No pun intended!
Don's Stories, Posted by Emma, Are Here!:https://tugstories.com/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=5915
Caesar73
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Post by Caesar73 »

This Saga is so much more than the average DiD Story.
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wolfman
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Post by wolfman »

Louise and Shaw offer to clear the cups away and wash the breakfast crockery, as Steve made breakfast.

Meanwhile, Steve is in the living room, stripping and cleaning their weapons. 

His mind wanders as he loses himself in the well practiced routine eager to call the number when Louise and Kate return. "The number appears to be a French mobile, will grab the laptop in a bit. If I can keep them talking, we can find them."



"Shall we do this?" Steve asks as Kate and Louise join him in the living room. 

They nod and Louise takes a seat next to Steve as Shaw retakes the armchair.

Steve boots up the laptop and loads the tracking software. He dials the number on a company phone.  The mobile is loaded with a call routing app which makes calls from it, very difficult to trace after routing through a dozen or more international exchanges.

In the grounds of a French chateau, Etienne's phone rings, "Who is this?", he wonders, not recognising the British number calling him. 

"Good morning.", he answers in heavily accented English.

"Good morning, might I have a moment of your time. I am calling from Harcourt and Kempster. We are trying to trace the last living relative of a Marcus Kimble." Steve opens in a soft Cardiff accent.

"I don't know anyone by that name." Etienne says, impatiently, "How did you get this number?"

"That is the thing, it was listed on the last page of his journal." Steve says.

"Really?" Etienne begins to think through all of the people he knows who might have his number and then thinks of the missing man that they sent after Steven Marks. "Who was he?" He asks cautiously trying to work out the ruse.

"Real estate millionaire, made a very tidy sum selling London flats to international buyers." Steve says trying to reel him in. 

"I have a few properties in the UK, but nothing in London.", he offers. 

"He was probably passed the number from an associate. Trying to sell you something." Steve offers, trying to draw the man in.



As the back and forth continues, Louise listens quietly thinking to herself, "I know that voice."

She listens closely as Steve spins a complex ruse to trick the man into revealing his identity. "Where have I heard that voice before?"

"Is everything ok?" Kate whispers, concerned. 

"Yes, sorry, just trying to catch the conversation." Louise offers, hating to lie to her new friend.

The screen of the laptop zeroes in on a region of Northern France. Louise knows exactly where.

With each word the man on the phone says, her confidence regarding his identity grows.

"It can't be." She says to herself as she sits staring at the phone, numb with the realisation of who is behind the hospital assault. 



Etienne has had enough of this merry dance, "You play a good game Mr Marks, but alas, I tire of your foolishness. Your ruse was amusing though. How is my man?"

"Sleeping it off. He'll live." Steve says evenly. 

"That is something I suppose. We know who you are and we are coming for you Mr Marks." Etienne says coldly.

‎As Steve moves to respond Louise snatches the phone from the table. "Etienne." she says through gritted teeth. "Take that smug look off of your face and put my mother on the line."

"Wha-" Etienne is caught of guard and cut off by Louise as she talks over him, "Now!" She sits quietly seething, as Kate and Steve look on in shock. 

"Er, yes of course, I will get her now." He says, the sounds on the line indicate he is running.

Steve looks at Louise quizically. "Etienne runs the an exclusive French resort based in an old chateau. It is a discreet and secure operation. The chateau is owned by my mother's company.", she explains, with the phone muted.

"How does that explain the soldiers?" Kate asks, dumbfounded. 

"The resorts are exclusive and secure, as well as being very successful. Before, my sister.", the words catch in her throat as she explains. "Before all this, I hadn't spoken to mum for a while and checked how the business was going. It was running very well and she seemed to be expanding her portfolio."

"So she might have been funding Lombard." Steve guesses. 

Louise nods. Waiting for her mother. 

Steve looked at the woman he loved and didn't recognise the look in her eyes. "Why has she never spoken of her mother?", he wonders



Dionne was in her office, having emailed a number of subsidiaries with instructions for the next quarter and was relaxing with a coffee as she surveyed her estate. 

She was disturbed by the insistent knock at the door, "No one knocks like that, normally." she thinks resting a hand on the gun under her desk. "Yes?"

Etienne bursts in, out of breath, holding his phone. He thrusts the phone towards Dionne. He is speaking incoherently between gasps, the only word she can make sense of is "Louise."

She takes the phone and tentatively speaks, "Hello?"

"Hello mum." Louise says, a hint of disappointment creeping into her voice. 

"Louise, I have been so worried, are you alright?  where are you? I will send some one to pick you up." Dionne says elated.

"I am ok thanks, no need to send anyone. I am safe." Louise says firmly. 

"Please let me protect you. Nothing will hurt you again. I just want to see you safe" Dionne says. 

"I have someone in my life who protects me and keeps me safe." Louise says, squeezing Steve's hand. 

"Don't shut me out, Looby. Come back to me." Dionne pleads. 

"Don't call me that, I always hated that name." she says with an edge to her voice, "I am fine as I am."

"All I have done is to find you and keep you safe, I have been so worried about you." Dionne says, sounding hurt. "Don't push me away again."

Louise's eyes flare and Steve watches her face flush red with anger as she begins, "It is a bit late to care now. When I was growing up, you never cared what I did. You put everything into Helen and left me too it." Louise was in full flow and was not about to stop. "Your favourite, the one who got all your love and attention. You gave her everything, money, a car, a job and I didn't even get a phone call every week. Dad was the only one who cared, without him, I might as well have been an orphan."

"That is not true. You were the strong one, smart, self reliant, driven you didn't need me to succeed. Helen was weak and needed much more guidance than you. I wanted Helen to make me proud be, like you always have. You are my daughter and I have always been proud of you." Dionne says, softly, her voice tinged with regret. 

"Well you had a funny way of showing it. Do you even know what she did to me?" Louise spits the words, through gritted teeth.

"Yes, but-" Dionne was cut off mid flow. 

"You knew?" Louise springs up from the chair, enraged, "You knew and you didn't call. How dare you pretend you care about me? You call neglect and denial, motherly love?"

"You turned to drink and drugs and withdrew, I knew you wouldn't want to listen.", her mother explains. 

"You didn't even try. You ignored me as a child and when my life is destroyed, you don't even try to help and now.", she pauses, "Now you claim to want to help and see me safe? What kind of mother do you think you are?"

"Don't talk to me like that I have moved heaven and earth to find you again. I have always had your best interests at heart." Dionne says, defensively. Unused to any one, let alone her sweet, quiet daughter talking to her like this. 

"Don't try to take the morale high round here. First a man in your employ kidnaps me and then you attacked a hospital, putting hundreds of lives in danger, I am just glad no one died." Louise fires back. 

"My men died and when I find those responsible they will pay." Dionne says, allowing her mask to slip. 

"Good luck with that. You are talking to one of those responsible and you will never see me again." Louise speaks, in a low deliberate tone.

Dionne's mind raced, "How is that possible? Were you at the hospital?"

"Yes, Mother.", she says, filling her words with venom, "I was there with the man I love, to save those, that you put in harms way."

"Lombard kidnapped you off of his own back and I was trying to get the man in the hospital, who could give us a clue where you were." Dionne says, feeling pushed into a corner. 

"I practically grew up without you, between your work and your attention to Helen. I don't need you. I am fine without you. I have found someone who listens to me, cares for me and will protect me. Steve lifts me every day and has shown me my true worth. I have never been more aware of who I am, or what I am capable of." Louise says, feeling Steve's hand gently squeeze hers, "He gave me my life back after your precious daughter destroyed it and I will devote the rest of my life to thanking him."

"Louise please you have to understand-" Dionne tries to explain. 

"No you have to understand. I grew up on my own and found my own way, feeling worthless because you never cared. I strived to get your attention and you focused on Helen and now you tell me that you knew what she did and did nothing to help me. Then your people kidnap me and you attack a hospital. You are no mother of mine. You are nothing to me. I never want to see you again." Louise said with a finality that stunned all who listened. 



"It wasn't like that." Dionne says into the dead receiver. She stares at the phone numb. 

"She's lost to me." Dionne thinks, mournfully reflecting "She has never spoken to me like that before. So angry, so forceful. Not like Louise at all."‎

Etienne stands awkwardly waiting, having witnessed the entire exchange. 

"What?", she says impatiently. 

"Er, my phone?" He hesitantly asks. 

Dionne passes the phone to him with and he takes it with shaking hands. Wordlessly, he leaves quickly hoping to find Adam to quell his employers fury. 

"What have I done? My beautiful sweet baby girl. What have I done to you?", she says softly to no-one. 

Her eyes are drawn to a photo on the wall of her, with her husband and the two girls and she feels her eyes moisten, as she stares at the photo she focuses on the daughter that rejected her, before staring at the daughter who failed her. Her blood begins to boil as she rises from her desk and storms towards the basement of the chateau with the framed photo in an iron grip.
View my latest story, Revelation, here;

https://tugstories.com/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=8719


To view it's prequel Devastation, please click below;
https://tugstories.com/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=7458
wolfman
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Post by wolfman »

Louise lay in Steve's arms, the anger of a few moments ago kept at bay, as he holds her close, pinning her arms between them.

For her, in this moment, warmth permeates her body, both from Steve's body against hers and from the love she feels inside. She rests her head on his chest, listening to his heart. Each beat chasing the anger and hurt she feels, a little further away.

Steve whispers softly, "I love you and I am here for you always."

"I love you so much Steve. Thank you for everything." She whispers into his chest. 

"I am so sorry about your mum." he says softly. 

"It's ok. We were never close, I just can't believe her. Ignoring me as a kid because she was proud of me? Who does that? At least now you know why I don't talk about her much." Louise says, with a weak smile.

"I don't think that she will be coming to the wedding." Steve says with a little smile. 

Louise looks at him, confused before laughing, "I think you might be right."

He gazes into her eyes and softly asks, "Are you ok my love?"

She returns his gaze and dreamily says, "Never better.", as she brings her mouth to his for a lingering kiss. 



Shaw, silently rises from her seat and slinks through the kitchen with a wan smile. She steps out into the garden and lights a cigarette, thinking. "I think they need some time alone."

As she gazes across the open ground surrounding the house, she reflects on how Steve and Louise's affection makes her feel, "I want thank kind of closeness. I don't want to be a stereotype any more. I want something new in my life." 

She remembers the idealistic graduate, she once was, looking to make the world a better place and the dreams of her youth that faded years ago. "I could have changed the world." she thinks to herself, exhaling smoke slowly, "I did change it, I made it a better place by putting the worst of the worst behind bars."

She takes a seat in one of the lawn chairs and stretches out. "One of the worst, is inside and free." She thinks, remembering the exploits attributed to his hand, "How many deaths?"

"What evil would have occurred in the fullness of time, had he not acted?" She mused, "I couldn't  arrest him if I wanted to, thanks to the home office. Question is, would I want to. If I were him, would I have acted differently to save the person I held most dear?"

She stubs out the cigarette and watches the last curl of smoke, gently float in the breeze and dissipate. 

"In another life, I would have done all he did and more, in his shoes." Kate leans her head back and relaxes, musing. "I have spent so long trying to find Louise and rescue her, but in his arms, she is the safety person in the world."

The sound of the breeze and the warmth of the sun conspire to close her eyes and she dozes, her head filled with fleeting dreams of a life less dramatic, dreams where she dares to be happy.

She smiles and looks up at the sky, knowing what she must do. 



"I see Kate has decided to give us some privacy. I must admit, I like her. She is not what I was expecting at all." Louise confesses. 

"She is a surprise to us both. I like her too." Steve admits. 

Louise snuggles down against Steve's chest and sighs, "I feel so drained after this past few days." 

"It has been a bit wild, even by out standards." Steve whispers, as he strokes her hair.

"I cannot believe I am related to that woman. Louise says bitterly, "How could she?"

"I am sorry, my love." Steve says softly.

"It isn't your fault. Mum was always a bit odd when it came to Helen and I." Louise says, "she never once said she was proud of me. She always saved her praise for Helen. Every little thing.", her voice trails off and she stares at the ceiling. 

"Sounds like she wanted another version of you and put her energies into that and was too blind to see what it did to you. It must have been awful." Steve says, squeezing her reassuringly. 

"It was like I didn't exist." Louise says numb, "You are the first person who has seen me for who I am and what I am capable of."‎

"You are incredible. I wish I could let you see yourself through my eyes and see what I see, when I look at you." Steve says softly. ‎

"While I have the chance, I just want to say thank you." Louise looks into his eyes, "Thank you for everything. This whole mess and everything we have been through, just makes me realise how much I owe you. You have been there for me, saved me, healed me, shown me that I can do anything. I have never been more sure of who I am or what I want. I want you and I want to be yours utterly. My surrender to you is complete." Louise says.

"I love you so much." Steve says with love in his eyes. 

"I love you too.", she says warmly and then with a glint in her eye and an innocent tone to her voice, she continues‎, "You do realise we have been here since last night and haven't seen the bedroom yet."

"No we haven't yet, have." Steve pauses as he cottons on, "You're right, we should have a look make sure everything is in order. Are you sure you are up to this?"

She nods slowly, "I need this. I need you to make me feel something so powerful it eclipses everything else."

"I understand. As long as you are sure.", Steve assures her, "How is your shoulder by the way?", he asks tentatively.

"Still a bit sore when I move." she says, as she stands. 

He rises to meet her and whispers, "Better at least get that arm bound up tight then."

Louise licks her lips and whispers, "Might be wise to bind them both, maybe my legs too.", she winks at Steve, "For safety of course."

"Of course, we cannot have you rolling off of the bed. It might be wise to blindfold you to, so you can rest of course.", Steve says with a devilish grin. 

"Good idea. I need my rest. You might want to secure something in my mouth too. Just so I am not tempted to chew my way free." Louise replies, with a devilishness of her own as they enter the bedroom.



Steve stands naked before Louise. "She surrenders herself to me as an act of love, but her greatest act of love is just simply being by my side." he thinks. 

Her head is bowed and her silken skin is ready, craving his touch. She is motionless as she waits. She thinks, "He has shown me who I can be, I am his always and in every way."

Goosebumps prick her skin as he steps behind her and guides her arms to her sides. Louise's breath catches in her throat as she hears the soft burr of the bondage tape being unwound out of sight. 

Steve moves close enough for his breath to tickle the soft hairs on the back of her neck. He unwinds the tape and begins to wrap just above her breasts in practiced movements. A few wraps secured, he wraps under her breasts, further trapping her arms as the tape begins to cover her stomach. 

She moans softly as he finishes wrapping her arms, trapping them by her sides. Her helplessness to resist, as he guides her to the bed, has nothing to do with the tape that binds her. His touch is powerful enough in these moments, to render her immobile and weak as a kitten

He reaches from behind her, caressing her cheek, before slowly tracing the line of her jaw with his finger. At the tip of her chin, he gently brings his finger up to press it against her lips. As he traces the soft curve of her lips, she tenderly kisses his finger, sighing softly. 

Tenderly, he whispers, "Close your eyes." She closes her eyes and tilts her head back, shivering slightly,  as she feels the tape cover her eyes and steal her sight.

Steve brushes hair from her shoulder, as he throws an arm around her waist and pulls her close. His lips gorge themselves on the sweet, saltiness of her neck, as he slowly worships her skin. 

A soft moan escapes her lips as his lips withdraw from her neck. "Open." he whispers. She opens her mouth and waits. He takes two cloths from his bag and takes in each hand. Louise smiles, open mouthed as he teases her with the stufing  for a moment before slipping it into her mouth and slowly tying it tightly in place with the other cloth.‎

Louise goes limp as he helps her to lay back. The tension from her body drains away as his palm and fingers caress her left leg from thigh to ankle before he bends her leg at the knee. Tenderly he kisses her kneecap before wrapping tape around her leg to pin her ankle to her thigh. 

She is so lost in the bliss she feels, that she misses Steve binding her right leg.  Steve stands back and admire the woman before him. "She sacrifices her freedom to me as an act of love. I take it as a precious gift and will free her when my worship of her is complete.", he silently pledges.

She lays in waiting, the tape muting sensation where it covers her. She feels the light pressure of his hand as he strokes her stomach. A massage for her muscles, denying her skin his touch.

He leans in tenderly and his lips gently brush her nipple. The uncensored sensation strikes her like lightning, penetrating her, to her core, forcing a gutteral sigh from her throat.

She tenses in anticipation, whilst his hand wanders down her stomach. The electric touch of his fingers, teasing her labia sends shock waves through her body as she lays helpless before his touch.  

Louise bites down on the gag. Steve has found her clitoris and is lavishing it with fleeting brushes of his finger, each touch as precise as a maestro plucking the strings of a harp. 

Her arms strain gently against her bindings, when he leans down, trailing his tongue between her legs and cupping her buttocks in his strong, capable hands. 

All sensation fades into the distance, eclipsed by the flames of passion, being stoked between her legs. 

He places his hands on her knees and she feels her legs part. She feels his body barely touching hers as he holds himself above her. Softly, he whispers, "You are my only love and I am eternally yours. I love you with all of my being and will always be there for you. I devote my life to your happiness."

She purrs, teased by the feel of his breath on her neck as she feels him enter her feminine core. 

Sighing, she grinds her hips into his as tender thrusts, stoke her inner fire to new heights. He whispers again in ragged breaths, "You are the centre of my world, I orbit you and bathe in your glory."

For once, she wishes her mouth were free, so she could tell him the litany of her love, as his words of love, fill her heart with joy. 

"You are magnificent. Some shine, when light falls upon them, you shine, just by being you. You are the light in my darkness.", Steve whispers, quickening his thrusts into her and kissing her neck. 

"You are the beacon in the night, that guides my life. Should you ever become lost, be still and listen for the heart in my chest that beats for you, then follow it back to my arms.", he whispers softly, relishing the feel of her body entwined with his. 

She feels the fire inside, threaten to consume her, as the first flushes of her climax flutter through her body. Feeling the subtle change in her movements, Steve whispers his final words to her, "I utterly and completely love you."

Louise's body is flooded with pleasure as the heat of her climax fills her and dispels all in its path. The ball filling her mouth, does little to hold back the cries of delight, as she howls in ecstasy. 

No longer holding back, Steve thrusts faster pushing Louise deeper into her sea of pleasure, as he releases her mouth from its cloth prison and covers it with his own, tying her tongue up with his. 

The sensation of the kiss, stokes the fires anew as she feels the embers of her last orgasm rekindled and slowly build in heat. 

Their lips are locked and even had she wanted to, they would not part. Her tongue is the only part of her she can control and she allows it a wild dance with her lovers.  

She strains anew against her bonds, thinking, "My body is too small to contain all I feel." They pauses their kiss as Louise's body rocks powerfully, she unleashes a scream, powered by pleasure, love, desire and joy. 

Spent, she lays panting as she feels Steve's climax. In the sensory foggy aftermath, she feels the cool air of the room on her skin as the tape is removed. Distantly, she hears a swish of fabric, as Steve lays a blanket over them both.

As exhaustion, pulls her towards sleep, she sighs, "I love you so much, you are all I need."



When Kate hears Louise scream, she smiles and shakes her head. "Good for you." She chuckles.

She stretches on the chair and gets to her feet. Shaw closes her eyes and breathes deeply, taking in the scents of the afternoon air. Slowly she walks back towards the house, focused on her future.

She returns to the house and retrieves her gun from the top of the cabinet, stowing it back in its holster. She withdraws her phone from her jacket and begins to dial.
View my latest story, Revelation, here;

https://tugstories.com/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=8719


To view it's prequel Devastation, please click below;
https://tugstories.com/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=7458
wolfman
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Post by wolfman »

Steve rose quietly from the bed, not wanting to disturb Louise's slumber. He stepped into the shower and stretched. 

"That was amazing," He thinks to himself. "I hope she liked it too."

The water feels good against his skin, chasing away the wisps of pain and tension from his muscles. He takes a pumice stone and starting at his arms, he scrubs the dead skin from his body, before taking a razor and removing the stubble from his face.

Steve turns the water temperature down to the minimum and revels in the icy jet of water, jolting him fully awake.  He towels himself dry  and returns to the bedroom.

A distant burble of conversation catches his attention from down stairs. Quickly he pulls on boxers, black jeans and grey t-shirt. Silently, He opens the door and stalks to the top of the stairs to hear better. 



"Sorry chief, I am running late for the press conference." Kate says as she sits in the living room. 

"Shaw. Thank God. Where the blue blazes are you?", the chief superintendent asks, pointedly. 

"Shit, where am i?", Shaw thinks as she realises she has no idea, where Steve and Louise took her. 

"I couldn't be bothered to cook last night and some friends invited me over for a take away. We were all throwing up half the night with it and to top it off my car has been stolen. I have only just got up What's going on?", she says sounding tired and annoyed.

"Kate, we have been tearing up half of southern England looking for you. Your car was found at the scene of an RTC last night where all but one driver fled the scene and there were reports of shots being fired. I thought we had lost you.", he admits, relief colouring his voice.

"Your joking." she says feigning surprise, "Are there any leads? What happened?"

"Seems a stolen SUV was used to run a Volvo off of the road. The driver of the SUV seems to have left the vehicle and pulled the driver from the car, leaving the passenger in the vehicle. Your car then pulled up and the driver exited and drew a gun. A German tourer pulls up, the shooter turns and fires then drops. SUV driver then loads the Volvo driver and driver of your car into the German car and then they take off. The German cars plates are fake and we are monitoring traffic footage."

"Anything from the passenger left behind?", Kate asks. 

"No. He was unconscious at the scene and he hasn't regained consciousness as yet." the Chief advised. 

"Was the Volvo stolen?" Kate asks wondering.

"Not reported stolen. It is a rental vehicle, no confirmation if stolen, until we can confirm if the driver took out the rental agreement. We are checking prints but none of the prints found show on our databases." he explains. "I need you to take point on this. When can you get in?"

"I am not sure, still in a bad way, truth be told." Kate says, hoping the Chief understand. 

"Press conference is in the morning, if you can front that. I will handle the investigation till then.", he says, firmly, "You are my best. Between this, the hospital and everything else, I need you. Sorry but you will need to put a cork in it. All leave is cancelled until this is done. "

Kate's lip trembles slightly, she squeezes the bridge of her nose. As she considers her response. 

He continues, "While you are laid up today, I need you to review feeds from hospital and construct a timeline from hostile shooters entering to police firearms clearing the building. I want to know who goes where and when. Then I want traffic footage reviewed to identify all vehicles near the RTC."

Shaw does not her Steve approach from behind her. The first she realises is when he forces a finger down her throat, making her retch hard. Steve then dumps a jug of sodden toilet paper and water on the floor and covers her mouth, as he whispers, "Cough as hard as you can."

As she coughs, unsure of what is going on, the chief speaks again, "Oh shit, I am sorry Kate, I didn't realise you were so rough, I will assign this lot out. Rest up and call me when you can.", before ending the call. 

Shaw drops the phone and pushes Steve's hand away, turning on him she shouts, "What the fuck?"

"He thinks you are still throwing up and too ill. You can probably get a day or twos leeway  now. Sorry for the ambush, had to be spontaneous.", he apologises looking sheepish. 

She shakes her head and chuckles, "Glad I didn't say I had diarrhoea or period pains, who knows where that finger would have gone."

"For that, use your own finger." he chuckles, before turning serious,"We had better wake Lou up. We had better get moving."

"What's the rush?" Kate asks lighting a cigarette.

"If they are tracking your phone, they might have our location, we may not have long." Steve explains. 

"Oh.", she says, looking at the floor, "I am so sorry."

"No worries, we will need to leave the car here. Can you check the garage to see if there is a reserve vehicle? I will get Lou." he says, darting upstairs.



A few moments later, Kate enters the garage and grins at the machine before her. Barely able to stifle a giggle she re-enters the house. To see Louise dressed in skinny jeans and a light blue tank top, her left arm once again strapped. A holdall graces her right shoulder. "How does she look that perfect all the time?", Kate asked herself. 

"Hi Kate. How is it going?" Louise asks warmly, giving her a hug. 

"Not too bad thanks, have had a restful day. How has your day been?" Shaw asks, with a cheeky smile and a conspiratorial wink. 

Realising that Shaw must have heard her scream earlier, Louise reddens slightly, "Sorry about that."

"Don't be, it is nice. I have spent the last six months looking for you and it is great to know you have been safe and happy and found love." Kate says softly, "I am really happy for you."

"Thank you. He has been amazing. We are getting married." Louise says shyly. 

Kate bites her lip, "That is fantastic, have you set a date?"

"Not yet, it is all still quite new." Louise says, beaming the warmth smile Shaw has seen in over a year. 

Steve emerges from the basement with a very large holdall that appears to be snoring. "I am all packed, are we ready to go?"

Louise shrugs the holdall off of her shoulder catching in with a sound of clinking metal, "All set."

Pointing to Steve's holdall, Shaw asks, "Is that the guy from the basement?"

"Yeah, I figure we drop him off on the way. Is there an alternative car in the garage?" Steve asks Shaw. 

"There is." she says suppressing a smirk, "I am not sure about dropping him off."

"Why?" Steve asks, "He will slow us down."

"He should face justice." Shaw says, firmly. 

"You don't know where we are dropping him off." Steve says, with an inscrutable smile.



Steve and Louise follow Shaw into the garage, unable to work out why she was giggling, until they saw the Mitsubishi Evolution in full police livery. "I am driving." Shaw says with a grin. 

"Shotgun." Louise says with a smile. 

Steve shakes his head , throwing his hand up in surrender. He opens the boot of the vehicle before he unzips the holdall and checks the zip ties appied to the drugged man's wrists, elbows, ankles and shins confirming are all secure, "Even if he wakes up, he is going nowhere.", he says zipping and padlocking the bag then closing the boot lid.



Bushes and trees become a blur, as Kate guns the engine and pushes the vehicle hard. The window is open and she seems relaxed in the drivers seat. "Why do you have one of these in police livery anyway?" Shaw asks above the engines roar. 

"Herts police got one on test a few years ago and we commisioned one in case of adoption. Cost them a fortune in fuel every shift. But wasn't involved in a single pursuit.", Steve explains. 

"Really? How come? This would be perfect." Louise asks. 

"That is why. Anyone speeding saw this with blue lights in their rear view mirror and just gave up.", He chuckles. "Oh, pull in here."

Shaw wrenches the wheel and skids to a stop. Steve jumps out and grabs the man from the boot. "Won't be a minute."

He returns two minutes later with an empty bag and a smile. "Let's go."

"What have you done with him?" Shaw asks, sternly. 

"Nothing at all, just left him somewhere that he will be found.", Steve says with a dark smile.



David felt groggy, on his feet but unable to stand straight, flashes of pain raced through his mind. He struggles to make sense of what happened. As the drugs wear off he recalls, "We were sent to track the copper for a few hours, if the target was a no show, we were to torture and murder her. Pin it on him, let local plod do the leg work and scoop him up. Simple, until it wasn't." he tries in vain to stretch, "The car was hit, I woke up in a basement." he struggles to recall, as the pain in his groin returns, "Something about a metal straw, a wasp and bamboo skewers."

He recalls a man's calm voice, "The wasp can only go forward and will sting as it goes. If you are lucky, you will tell me something before it is too deep to pull out."

David thinks to himself, "I only knew the plan for the copper and the number to call when it was done. Thank goodness that was enough for him."

As he returns to his senses, he realises that he cannot move, his arms and legs are secured to a pillory and cloth stuffing and tape silence him. He struggles to release himself but he is stuck. "What the hell?" He asks himself. 



Danny and Jim have been running through the woods for an hour. The brothers often took this route for their daily escape from self isolation. They played cricket for their respective universities and this was part of their regime to maintain top condition. 

"What the heck is that?" Jim exclaims hearing the roar of a sports car nearby. 

"Dunno.", Danny says, "Sounds like it is coming from the old camp ground. Fancy a look?"

They hear the roar of the car again as they reach the camp and begin to search. The camp ground was a simple affair, toilet and shower block and few tables and chairs, a playground for kids and some novelty medieval structures.  

"Jim get over here.", Danny shouts, staring at the man locked in the pillory. 

David looks up, startled by the shout he looks up to see a man, over six feet tall, two hundred and eighty pounds of hard muscle, joined by another equally large man. He begins to moan pitifully and beg them to let him go. His moans unintelligible through the mass of cloth in his mouth. 

"Alright mate, let's get you out of this.", Danny says reassuringly. 

"Not so fast, look at the sign around his neck." Jim says resting a hand on his brothers shoulder. 

Danny tenses, as he reads the sign. 

The neatly written sign around his neck reads, "When my neighbour was in hospital dying of Coronavirus, I robbed his house and emptied his bank account. I did the same to nurses on shift at the hospital."

"Mother fucker.", Danny exclaims in disgust. 

The pilloried man, shakes his head furiously, trying to plead with them to no avail.

Jim picks up a large branch and some broken bricks and turns to his younger brother, "What do you reckon? Practice batting or bowling first?"‎

David's eyes go wide in horror, as the men line up and he feels the wasp move.



Even a quarter of a mile away, the woods are filled with the muffled cries of the man.
View my latest story, Revelation, here;

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Post by Caesar73 »

This story is one of the amazing I ever read on this board! And it keeps going and going! :)
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Post by wolfman »

Harris stared into the tumbler of scotch on his desk, as if he were an ancient seer, seeking inscrutable wisdom. When none was forthcoming, he downed the drink and poured another.

His brow furrowed, as he considered the phone call he had just received. The mayhem of the past few days had drawn unwanted attention from Whitehall. Hence a personal call from the Home Secretary, declaring that a cease and desist order has been issued to law enforcement regarding investigations into Steve. However, he demanded that he cease activities on the British Isles or, the full force of the British intelligence services, would be deployed to stop him and any who assist him.



Harris leans back in his chair with his scotch, recalling the conversation after the ultimatum was given.

"Good luck with that.", Harris says raising his glass, "It is more likely that the sun won't rise.  Steve will not stop until he is ready to and we have the best in the business and we will not abandon him."

"You don't understand-" the Home Secretary begins, cut off sharply by Harris. 

"No you don't understand, this organisation has conducted deniable operations for the UK government on six continents. Jobs your people could not do, for legal, practical or political issues." Harris begins, sharply, "I have operatives embedded across the globe on assignment in support of British interests. If any operation goes wrong, Steve is the man I send to fix it."

"But that doesn't change the fact that-" the Secretary tries to interject.

"The fact that over the last few days, Steve has ended a threat to national security and saved the lives of hundreds of people, in a hospital the police could not secure? I have evidence of a conspiracy to establish a large scale weapons smuggling and militia operation linked to the events in Southampton, which will be turned over to yourselves for scrutiny." Harris says, firmly. 

"But proper procedure was not followed.", the secretary offers. 

"If procedure had been followed, how many people would have died while the paperwork was being signed? How many armed and well trained mercenaries, would have been brought into this country?" Harris enquires, rhetorically,  "We exist to do what your people can't. This is one of those times. Review the evidence, expose the conspiracy, claim credit and your people will be heroes."

The Home Secretary considered this and measured the suggestion against his political ambitions. "What's in this for you?"

"Immunity from prosecution for all my people, option of first refusal on all future outsourcing and a favour, which will be granted immediately and without question upon request." Harris says, firmly with a wry smile.

"What is the nature of the favour?" the Secretary narrows his eyes, concerned. 

"To be determined at a later time, nothing too heavy, a release from prison, access to information or some such." Harris says lightly. 

After a minutes silence, he says, "Done.", the Secretary says feeling like he has made a deal with the devil.



In the aftermath of the call, Harris considered the best use of the favour Steve had earned. The furrows in his brow disappeared, as he smiled. 

He turned to his computer and began to review files on potential new recruits, wondering if he should open one for Louise.



The hotel room was dimly lit by sunlight creeping past the heavy curtains, as Shaw woke. They had decided to check in to a hotel the previous night and meet for breakfast, before they parted later.

She stretches and rises naked from the bed, putting on the small kettle waiting for it to boil. Shaw enters the bathroom and closes the door before putting the light on. The extractor fan starts up loudly and she lights a cigarette. 

She stares into the mirror, as if for the first time looking at her reflection, "A few lines around the eyes, no grey hairs, not bad considering the life I lead.", she notes. 

She hears muted sounds of movement from the next room, over the sound of the fan and smiles, "The happy couple are up." 

Kate checks her phone, and sighs, "Two hundred and twelve emails, twenty appointments, eight texts and a missed call from a possible scam. Could be worse.", she raises her head and stares at the ceiling, "I need space to breath."

She runs the cigarette under the tap and wraps it in toilet paper before flushing it. Kate turns on  the shower, filling the room with steam and sits cross legged under the jet of water. She slows her breathing and closes her eyes. When she opens them again, she knows what she must do.



"So what now?" Louise asks Steve, as he unstraps her right arm, leaving only her injured left arm strapped to her chest.

"We drop off Kate and then I have no idea.", Steve says looking pained, "I want Terry's killer, but that would mean going after your mother. I wonder if now is the time for the killing to stop and for us to fade away."

Louise sits quietly for a few moment, "If it weren't my mother, what would you do?"

"I honestly don't know." Steve says thoughtfully, whilst he begins to untie her legs.

"She gave birth to me, fed and clothed me, but she was no mother to me. If you want to go after her, I will stand by your side.", Louise says, firmly. 

"I know you would, but, every moment we spend pursuing vengeance, is a moment away from each others arms." Steve says, gazing into her eyes. "If we do this, where would it end?"

"I don't know." Louise says softly, tears conspiring to fall from her eyes.

Steve wraps his arms around her and softly kisses the top of her head, "We walk away."

"Are you sure?" Louise asks, her surrender, stopping her from begging him to run. 

Steve gazes into her eyes and sees nothing but love, "Never more so." Steve says , solemnly nodding. 



"So what will you do?" Louise asks looking surprised. 

Leaning back in her chair, Kate finishes the lst of her bacon, "Well, I have to do a press conference this morning and then I will meet with the Chief Superintendent and discuss my feelings towards the job and what needs to happen next." She pauses, nodding with a slight smile, "Depending how it goes, I may hand in my resignation."

"But this seems so sudden." Louise points out. 

"The workload is crushing and the past few days have shown me a few home truths. I have spent my adult life in uniform and sometimes it feels like when I take it off, nothing is left.  I want more from my life.", Shaw responds.

"You won't be able to shoot anyone." Steve says with a weak smile. 

"I will miss that, but I won't miss the paperwork after." Shaw says with a wan smile.

"I wish you luck. I hope you find what you seek." Steve offers, warmly. 

"Thanks Steve,", she says warmly, before asking, "What about you guys? What will you do?"

Louise and Steve exchange a conspiratorial glance before Louise says, "Disappear. Go where no one can find us and put everything behind us."

"We are going build a life together. A life of peace. Get clear of the mayhem and settle down." Steve adds.

"Where will you go?" Kate asks warmly, wondering about doing the same.

"Somewhere hot, maybe Spain, the Caribbean, or America. Not decided yet." Louise says, squeezing Steve's hand.  

"America? Will you be a part of the population that doesn't exist?", Shaw laughs and is soon joined by Steve and Louise. 

As the laughter fades, Steve chuckles, "That's right.", he pauses briefly, "The space station on the dark side of the moon was the lie."

Kate looks at him, "I knew about the riot control weapon and the false population doesn't surprise me. You are wrong about the hydroelectric in the river though."

"Oh really?" Steve says with a glint in his eyes. 

"Yes, you said no one knows what they are for." Kate says raising an eyebrow.

Steve smiles, curiously he asks, "Go on then what are they for?"

"They power an emergency power network for use during natural disasters, or at any time when usual power is disrupted. With them in place, essential functions can stay on line." Shaw explains. 

"Interesting. Makes sense when you put it like that." Steve says, sitting back in his seat. 

"I suppose we should get moving soon." Louise says, with a pang of regret. 

"Yeah, I had better report in." Shaw says, suddenly feeling weary. She looks up at Louise and Steve. "Will I see you again?"

Steve warmly takes Louise's hand, before he says , "When we get settled, we will let you know. It would be nice for you to visit."

"I would like that a lot." Kate says rising from the table. 

The three hug, before reluctantly heading out to the car.
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Post by slackywacky »

> We are going build a life together. A life of peace. Get clear of the mayhem and settle down.

Will they? Is this the end or will there be more?
Thanks for reading. Feel free to comment.
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Post by wolfman »

Steve waves, as Shaw withdraws from sight. Having dropped her of, he and Louise are seated in a  non-descript estate vehicle, outside of Wiltshire police headquarters on the edge of Swindon.  ‎

"I hope she gets on ok." Steve says, regretfully. 

"Me too. She seems nice. I hope she finds something that makes her happy." Louise says unsure of Steve's regrets. "Will we see her again?" 

"I would like that, she is not what I expected at all. I hope things work out for her. Shame we couldn't spend more time with her." Steve pauses, "I saw the way you opened up with her, seemed like you were talking with an old friend."

"She is easy to talk to, I like her. I must admit, when you said to her about us meeting again, I was very happy to hear it." Louise says, warmly. 

"Kate could have made a move against us on any number of occasions and she didn't. Steve explains, before musing, "She reminds me of myself in many ways. Driven, skilled, professional. The only thing she would need to turn her into me, is someone as amazing as you."  

Louise smiles, "I am nothing special."

Steve squeezes her thigh tenderly, "You are more than special to me, you are amazing. Every time I think of you, I want to be a better man. You are the most wonderful person I have never met, you constantly surprise me. He pauses and gazes across at her, "Every day brings me a new reason to love you."

"That is so lovely.", she thinks, smiling across at him, as they drive on in comfortable silence.



"Shall we?" he says pointing to a sign for the M4.

"Where to?" Louise asks, hopeful. 

"Getting out of the UK by air is too risky, our faces are all over the news, by sea is our best bet." Steve says, considering the options for sailing.

"Won't it be the same for sea ports though?" Louise asks, curiously. 

"For the major ports, yes, but I am thinking of a fishing port. Trawlers in and out constantly, captains looking for a little extra on the side and no customs checks. Somewhere out of the way would work well." Steve answers, still thinking.

"How about Lowestoft? Would be good for Holland. Probably best to avoid Southampton, what's left of it anyway.", she says with a cheeky smile.

"Might be an idea.", he says with a grin, "I was thinking, south coast though, maybe try for Spain."

"I could go for some sun." Louise says stretching in the seat. "What will you tell Harris?"

"Not sure yet. I think I will call, when we secure transport and know where we are going." Steve says pulling into traffic. "For that matter, where would you like to go?"

"Where you lead, I follow. I am happy as long as we are together." Louise says warmly. 

"I don't think I have asked what you want in all this. I have just realised that I have forged ahead without asking you. I don't want this to be just about me, with me leading you, behind me. We are equal partners in our future. What do you want to do?" Steve asks, earnestly.

Louise thinks quietly, as a range of emotions play across her exquisite features. "Run and never look back.", she blurts out, "Go where no one knows us and no one can touch us. As long as I am with you, I don't care where we end up."

As he waits for the lights to change at the motorway junction, Steve takes her hand, softly kissing her fingers, "The future is ours, I cannot wait to build it with you." 

When the lights change to green, the vehicle joins the motorway, and merges with the traffic, vanishing, within the twisting snake of metal and glass, headed for the horizon.



Kate lights a cigarette as she walks to the pool car, the county force has loaned her. The spring in her step, evident to all who see her. Her long brown ponytail bounces and dances in the breeze, as she walks. 

Her warm brown eyes, have a shine to them, as she opens the car door, with a smile. She settles into the drivers seat and reflects on the day. 

"Could have gone worse." she thinks, "The press conference went well, for a change. Normally, at least one stuffed shirt acts like he has never seen a woman in uniform before. Today was different. The briefing went quickly and the questions were actually relevant to the incidents of the last few days."

Shaw winds down the cars window and heads out of the car park towards home. "A couple of hours drive and a nice soak in the bath, before bed.", she says to herself smiling. 

Kate thinks back to her conversation with the Chief Superintendent, as she winds her way through country roads and sunlight, dappled by trees and leaves overhead. "He took it well, said that I was one of the finest officers on the force and begged me to reconsider. I nearly said yes, but in the end, I think I have done the right thing." she stretches in the driving seat and takes deep drag on her cigarette, before discarding it out of the window. "Two months notice to think about it and wrap up, then I am gone."



An hour and a half later she pulls into a country pub. "I have driven past this place so many times, I wonder what it is like?"

The pub, "The Cock in Cider", was a small tucked away place with a nice beer garden and a selection of local ales on tap. After chatting to the landlord about the news, she orders a pint of Bishop's Finger ale and a Steak and Ale pie with roasted potatoes. 

Taking a seat outside with her pint, Kate relaxes with a cigarette, in the early evening sun. Tilting her head back and closing her eyes, she thinks, "Feels so good to have the sun on my face. I have lived and worked indoors for so long. I think I want to do something outside." She sits quietly, watching two squirrels chasing ech other around a tree. "I have always wanted to work with animals, maybe a zoo or safari park."

She is still musing when her meal is served, after half an hour in the sun. She wolf's it down with gusto, savouring the meat and pastry covered in a sumptuous and thick gravy. "This tastes so good. I will have to come here again." 

Finishing the last potato, she thinks, "My celebration meal." Her features soften, touched with sadness, "I wish it wasn't a meal for one though."

She orders a bottle of wine to go and settles her bill before leaving. 

The rest of the drive is leisurely, she takes her time and enjoys the rolling countryside and scenery, smiling to herself the whole time.  



"Finally." Kate thinks as she arrives at home and parks outside her house. The evening is refreshingly cool after the heat of the day, as she traverses the garden under a sky, touch with the first purpe flushes of night. 

She opens the front door and drops the bottle of wine, drawing her weapon, knowing something is wrong, but not knowing what. 

She stands still and listens for a moment. The apartment is quiet, she hears the faint burble of the tv next door, but all seems still. 

Her eyes narrow and her nostrils flare as she smells something faint, unwholesome and out of place. 

The coppery tang of blood and the faint stench of human waste, pricks her sense of smell. Slowly she moves through her home, checking each room in turn, "Call for back up!" a voice in her head says, before it is shouted down by a louder voice, "And tell them what, send a firearms team, I have a funny smell in my apartment."

She chuckles nervously to herself. Her sense of unease grows slowly, until finally, she reaches her bedroom. Bracing herself, she kicks in the door to the room and her senses are brutally assaulted. 

The stench hits her like a hammer as she enters the room. Kate's eyes dart around the room, trying to take everything in. 

The blood covering the walls and bed, the body cut to ribbons, covered in blood, gutted like a fish, her limbs and body tightly wrapped in barbed wire, splayed out like a dissected animal, her pristine face frozen in perpetual agony. But everything pales in comparison to the lifeless eyes of Helen Carter, transfixing her, as she feels them stare into her soul.‎

Her body feels numb and her eyes moisten as she lowers her sidearm shakily. "Oh you poor thing, what happened to you?" she whispers softly, her voice tinged with disbelief. "What will I tell Lou?"‎

An impossiby strong arm clamps around her, pinning her arms to her body. She is shaken into action and starts to thrash. The arm holds her in a vice-like grip, as she wildly fights to escape. 

She cries out in dismay, as her pistol clatters uselessly to the floor. Her scream of anguish, cut short by the moist, sweet smelling cloth pressed hard to her mouth and nose. 

Despite all of her will, her eyelids feel like lead and begin, inexorably to close. Inside she screams, as she feels the life she wanted, being pulled away from her. She continues to fight with all of her will, desperate not to succumb to her attacker. Slowly her thrashing turns from frenzied struggles, to muted shrugs and her eyes flutter closed one last time.



Before she passes out, the last thing she senses, is a silky, smooth voice whispering, "I have been waiting for you, I am so glad you are here."



The End?
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Post by Caesar73 »

Dear Wolfman, this was an extraordinary Saga - and brillantly told in every aspect. And you finished this Adventure with a devious cliffhanger! Kate is in trouble, who is her mysterious attacker? Will Steve and Louise come to her rescue? For me everything screams for a sequel, you can´t leave your readers in such uncertainty. And personally I like the development of Kates Character very much - I want to know more :)
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Post by wolfman »

Caesar73 wrote: 3 years ago Dear Wolfman, this was an extraordinary Saga - and brillantly told in every aspect. And you finished this Adventure with a devious cliffhanger! Kate is in trouble, who is her mysterious attacker? Will Steve and Louise come to her rescue? For me everything screams for a sequel, you can´t leave your readers in such uncertainty. And personally I like the development of Kates Character very much - I want to know more :)
Thank you for your very kind words Caesar, there is a lot of story still to be told with these characters and a lot of mysteries still to uncover. I am leaning towards a follow on story set straight after this one and am fleshing out a few ideas for it.

Steve and Louise will return!
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Post by BindPam »

wolfman wrote: 3 years ago
Okay, now you've PROMISED they'll return! :D :D

This was just an incredible story. Very believable characters, in believable situations.

Yes, believable situations. Why wouldn't there be groups like the one Harris operates?

More, please.
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