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Chapter IX:
Early evening Uthörn, Ellenbogen, Sylt:
The Sun had set. Christine, Kate and Anna sat around the table in the living room. On the table lay the box, Anna and Kate had found in Reinefahrt´s Grave.
Christine had been fairly monosyllabic while they drove back to the Ellenbogen. They had changed in comfortable track suits and thick socks and had a light diner.
“Spit it out, Chris”, Anna prompted, “Something is on your mind, I know it.”
“Different things actually” Christine replied haltingly. “This afternoon, I met with “Sieglinde Gablenz, she did me no harm, she did not touch me. She drugged me, tied me up gagged me with my sweaty socks – and stole my toe rings.”
“My heartfelt condolences”, Anna quipped nonchalantly
“But that was it.” Christine continued, as if Anna had said nothing. “As this is all part of a game you know. Somebody expected me, us, to pay her a visit and she obviously had instructions.”
“Then this strange encounter in Wennigstedt. This man was polite no doubt, but there was something off, as if he knew who I was.” Christine said, with something nagging at the corner of her mind in a place she could not grasp.
“Are you making something more out of it, then it really is?”, Kate asked. “Christine do not me get wrong, I know that you, that we all are a little on edge after the events of the last days.”
"Who wouldn't?” Christine asked, more sharply when she meant it.
“But for the sake of the argument, is it possible, that this was a polite conversation about Chopin and only that? A conversation that on any other day, you would have brushed off?” Kate ventured.
“Maybe”, Christine conceded. “But I had the feeling that I know this man and he surely knew who I was. All gut and no proof, I know.”
“And then your adventure at Keitum. Recovering Peters Material, Anna, you two did a good job, but don´t you think that was a little too easy, as if you were meant to recover it? Someone wanted us to find this material.”
“Chris, you are such a spoil sport at times.”, Anna chided her teasingly. “Look at it this way. We just grabbed the opportunity which presented itself.”
“I'm still not happy, that you did not adhere to proper protocol, my dear Chief of Operations." Christine scolded her, but her tone betrayed her.
Anna registered the mischievous twinkle in the Pianists eyes. "I am so very sorry my dear Mistress of ceremonies." She said, with mock innocence in her voice.
"So you should be. We had a plan and you went against it. I think we need to talk about following protocols." Christine said, in a playful tone, needing something light to lift her from the mood of the day.
"Of course, I broke protocol. How can I demonstrate my commitment to your leadership, honoured Misstress." Anna said bowing her slightly, sensing that Christine needed a release from all the tension.
Those last days had been an emotional roller coaster for her friend after all. So she would do anything to help her.
“Anna, I think, you are in for some disciplinary measures. We'll have words about your transgressions later. Report to my room when we are finished, properly dressed for the occasion!” Christine said, with a cheeky smile and a twitch of her nose.
Kate could not suppress a grin listening to this conversation. “But now to the business at hand you two!” she interrupted her friends.
They had cleaned the box from dirt. It was rectangular, probably 30 x 20 x 10 cm. Kate pointed at one side of the Box. “You have to enter a code there: Six digits. Any ideas?”
Christine and Anna sat struck dumb and merely shrug.
Kate thought for a moment: “Chris, Peter wanted you to find this box. He must have assumed that you would know how to recover the information. Is there a date, a chiffre only you would know?”
Christine pondered the question. Thinking.
Saying nothing for quite a while. She seemed miles away.
Kate and Anna waited. Minutes passed.
Then Chris looked up. Calmly she spoke at last, "There is indeed one ….” She pauses doubting herself, “I don´t think that many people know it. Peter proposed to me, when we were together and we already had set a date.
But then my parents died and everything changed.”
There was suddenly silence in the room. Only the sounds of the sea, wind and seabirds could be heard.
"I knew you had a history with him, but I had no idea." Anna exclaims, softly.
"It is ancient history." Christine said, almost inaudibly, "Not something for every day conversation."
Anna spoke at last, softly, hesitantly, obviously not wanting to hurt her friend: “Oh Chris, I am so sorry.”
Christine smiled, touched by her friend’s sensivity. Then she looked Kate and Anna full in the eye. “You do not need to fear to rip open old wounds. There is more good than bad.” she said in a clear voice, full of fondness.
“Peter's assassination was a shock. It pulled the rug from under me, but I´m determined to bring the person responsible to justice, Peter would want nothing less. It is the last thing, I, that we can do for him.
She took a deep breath, closing her eyes, “So, the date we set was, 06 09 01”, Christine said firmly. Anna typed in the digits. The Numbers changed colour, from red to green.
There was a barely audible click.
Kate, Christine and Anna looked at each other. In silent agreement Christine pulled the box to her. She seemed to brace herself for a moment, then, opened it in silent resolve.
On top lay an envelope, of thick handmade paper, a hue of cream. A name written on it, in a clear strong hand: “Christine”. Beneath that a hard drive and a stack of papers, yellow from age, typed and handwritten ones.
Before proceeding, they put on latex gloves, not to contaminate anything. Christine took the letter, laid it on the table; it was the silent agreement, that this was private.
Next: The hard drive. Kate took carefully the stack of documents out of the box. On top lay a folder of greenish paper, frail from age. Carefully, very carefully Kate touched it and opened it.
Several hand written pages, they looked like an inventory of sorts. “Sorry”, Kate shrugged, “but this is German, I cannot read that, this more your area of expertise, Chris.”
Christine read for a moment in silence, flicked through its content. Then she looked up. Stunned. “Impossible. This is an inventory of the Weinstein-Collections. Musikalien, manuscripts, paintings."
“So nothing really new”, Anna spoke, sounding frustrated, “We already knew that.”
“No, that is not it”, countered Christine. “This inventory is very different from the ones we already know. If this is true, and the collection still exists, this would be like the discovery of a previously unknown intact tomb in the Valley of the Kings.”
“Why is that?" Kate asked curiously.
Christine tipped on one item of the list: "For instance: here a fifth ballad of Chopin, a Mass of Dufay, a Sonata of Beethoven, a Requiem by Beethoven … and more … there have been rumours, but they were never taken seriously, a myth.”
“If this is the real deal, this would be a treasure beyond measure. Anna and I know people who would kill for these autographs. But there is no telling what they would do for a collection such as this.”
She paused then for a moment, stood and returned with three Grand Cru Crystal Glasses for Calvados, with a long thin stem and a bottle with a golden liquid in it.
“A fifteen year old Calvados from the Domaine du Rugueville in Port Bail, Normandy”, she added. Christine took one glass, Kate and Anna the other two. “To Peter!” She intoned. “To Peter!” Her companions replied. They drank.
They sat in silent for a moment.
Christine broke the silence at last: "This was a long day, let us take stock of what we have tomorrow. "You” she pointed a finger at Anna, “You are to report to my quarters, to discuss your transgressions!”
“Understood”, Anna stood playfully to attention. “Okay girls, said Kate, that is a matter between you two. I'll make a few calls and read a good book. Have fun!”
Christine grinned; I know one of us who will surely have fun! “Anna, my quarters in 15 Minutes!
Christine’s Rooms 15 Minutes later:
Anna knocked at the door. “Officer Romanov reporting for disciplinary hearing!”
“Enter”, Christine responded, “Close the door and move your delectable ass inside.
“Yes, Sir!” Anna stood to attention.
For the occasion she had chosen a black spandex suit, black hose and her customary black platform heels. Christine sat behind her desk, obviously reading in some report and not even locking up. Minutes passed. Anna still stood to attention starring at the wall behind Chris.
At last Christine locked up as if acknowledging Anna’s presence for the first time. She stood up, folded her arms behind her and gave Anna, a piercing, even cold look. Anna felt, that Christine could see right through her soul, in that moment.
“Officer Romanova”, Christine intoned in a stern tone: "Do you know why you are here?"
"Yes Sir, yes!"
“Do please enlighten me Officer! And be advised: Flattery will get you nowhere. Is that understood?!”
“Yes Sir, understood Sir! I did not follow protocol and put my comrades in Arms at risk.” Anna still stared at the Wall behind Chris.
“And you did that why?!” Christine’s voice was quieter now, dangerously quiet.
“An opportunity presented itself, Sir, and I grasped that opportunity! Initiative is important, Sir!”
“Officer!” Christine barked suddenly “If I´m interested in your opinion I tell you! Is that understood?”
“Yes Sir, yes Sir, understood Sir!”
Softer now, Christine spoke sarcastically, “I´m glad we cleared that up. Tell me, officer! What are the consequences of transgressions like yours?”
“Punishment Sir!”, Anna shouted.
“Yes, Officer, indeed, Punishment.” “What form of Punishment?”
“Sir that is the decision of the Commanding Officer, Sir!”
“Which is me”, a sinister smile curled Christine’s lips. A cold shudder ran across Anna’s back. Christine was so convincing in that role. She nearly believed her every word.
“Your punishment shall commence at once, turn around, hands behind your back!” Christine commanded. Anna did as ordered.
Christine takes a rope. Ties Anna’s wrists together. The elbows below the joint. The elbows above the joint. A tight breast harness follows, which compresses Anna's pert breasts, from above and below.
Christine ties a rope around her waist and pulls the preknotted rope so tightly between her legs, against her crotch that Anna exhales sharply.
“You enjoy that Officer, do you?” Anna stays silent. Christine barks: “Do you like that Crotch Rope Officer! I did not hear you!”
“Yes Sir! The Officer enjoys this Crotch rope very much, Sir” Anna says stifling a grin, realising that she needs a release of tension too.
“Very well.” Christine continued more calmly now. “Step out of your heels! Do it! Now!"
Anna does as ordered. Christine ties her thighs together directly under the Crotch rope. Then above the knees, below the knees, around her calves and finally around Anna’s Ankles.
Christine standing still behind Anna: “Officer! Do you consider that Punishment enough!”
“No Sir, no! The Officer does not!” “Tell me, what is missing Soldier?” “A gag Sir! “Very well!” Turn around!” Anna shuffles around, not an easy task with tightly tied Ankles.
At last she faces Christine´s gloating, stern face. Christine holds something in her hand and presents it to Anna: “Officer! Tell me what this is!”
“This Sir, this Sir is the sock you wore today!” Anna says, with a groan.
“I´m glad you remembered Officer! Open your mouth!” Christine orders in such a tone, that Anna does as ordered without a second thought.
The sock fills her mouth completely. Now Christine takes something different from her desk. “A ball gag!” Anna thinks. “A big one! Must be 2,5 inches at least.” Christine presses the ball against Anna’s lips; the ball rests behind her lips. “Hold that for me”
Christine stands behind Anna now. Suddenly the straps of the ball gag are pulled tight and the then tied behind her neck. The Ball presses the sock packing even deeper in her mouth. The ball gag is tight, but not cruelly so.
“Thank god I have good control of my gag reflex”, Anna smiles around her ball gag. A sudden slap on her buttocks brings her back to reality.
“Lay down on the bed. So that your Ankles rest on the footboard of the bed. In the middle!” “On the double!”, Christine commands sharply. Anna lets her self fall on the bed and moves into position. “That gives Christine easy access to my soles.” She realises with a mixture of quiet dread and excitement.
At the same moment she feels Christine secure her ankles to the foot of the bed overhanging the board. Then her big toes are tied together. Christine crouched down and fastens this rope to the bottom under the bed, making the merest movement of her feet and her exposed soles now impossible.
Then Christine slowly and deliberately takes a feather, from under her pillow, as Anna softly groans, powerless to escape. This will be a long evening.
