The Cross of Coronado (Pt1)
Chatterley Manor, United Kingdom
The engine ticked as it cooled. There was silence inside the car. Maddison B. Gates tapped out a rhythm on the steering wheel. She felt nervous, like sitting outside the headmaster’s office at school. There was only a handful of people that intimidated her and Lady Sarah-Jane Chatterley was one of them. “You alright Doctor Gates?” Maddison turned to her left and looked at her researcher, technical expert and friend Holliday Goodlove and nodded.
“Just trying to work out how we are going to explains this to her Ladyship.” There was a nod toward the large and imposing stone house that they were parked outside.
“It could have happened to anyone.” Maddison screwed up her face. Yeah, probably not. She supposed it was time to make a move. They would be expected having buzzed to get in at the entrance gates from the main road, well country lane. It wasn’t that long of a drive from the gates to the house. Maddison got out of the car and stretched her lithe and athletic physique. All that running, climbing and walking in the field helped to keep a girl in shape. Tall, at a little over five feet eight inches in her bare feet Maddison was something to look at with emerald green eyes, sharp features and a smile that was permanently set to mischievous. Her mane of red hair was secured in a French bun. This was a professional meeting so she wanted to look smart. Black pant suit, a green blouse and black heels finished her outfit. Well, almost. A silk scarf around her neck and subtle jewelry completed the ensemble. Opening the rear door Maddison took out and slipped on her long overcoat and fedora hat. All of her clothes were tastefully expensive and expertly tailored. Walking around to the passenger side Maddison held the door open as Holliday struggled to get out of the car with her crutches.
“How is the ankle?” Maddison asked looking down at the heavily strapped left ankle.
“The pain has almost gone,” Goodlove replied after getting herself up. “Just a bad sprain.” Goodlove wore a black skirt that stopped just above her knee, thick tights, large red platform boots, a red rollneck sweater with a brown suede jacket over that. Maddison had never really seen her wear anything else. All of Goodlove’s outfits seemed to be a variation on the same theme. Her brown hair was cut in a short bob with her big, hazel eyes behind thin rimmed spectacles. Goodlove was a pretty young woman, even if she didn’t believe it herself.
“I suppose we should get this over with.” They approached the large wooden doors, footsteps crunching on the gravel drive. Maddison offered Goodlove a helping hand on the uneven surface. On each of the set of double doors sat a brass lion’s head with a large ring in its mouth. Reaching up Maddison hammered the old knocker on the door and took a step back. When the door opened, they were confronted with a man wearing a suit and a weary expression. “Jenkins. How are we today?”
“Fine. Thank you for asking Miss Gates.” Jenkins opened the door fully and invited them to enter.
“Doctor. Doctor Gates,” Maddison mumbled under her breathe as she entered behind Goodlove. They were in a large entrance area with an imposing wooden staircase taking up one half of the width. In all the times that Maddison had been here she had never actually been up those stairs to the upper floor of the large house.
“Lady Chatterley is waiting for you in the study. Can I get you some refreshments?”
“Orange juice.”
“Coffee.” They pair made their way through the house casting admiring glances at the decorations, paintings and ornaments that adorned the walls and tables. “Is that new?” Goodlove asked nodded toward a blue and red vase.
“It can’t be,” Maddison commented as she walked by, making a mental note to examine the vase in more detail on the way out. When the found the study, the door was slightly ajar. Despite that the pair stopped and exchanged a look.
“Are you two going to stand there all day?” a female voice called from inside the room. How did she know? Maddison mouthed at Goodlove. The reply was a shrug. Maddison opened the door a little further and peered in. The main lights were out and the heavy drapes had been drawn across the large window that overlooked the extensive garden. The only light were small pools and cones created by several lamps dotted around the room. Including one next to Chatterley’s desk. Was this a bad omen? Did the darkness reflect their benefactor’s mood? Taking a deep breathe Maddison pushed the door open and entered the room. She held it open for Goodlove to enter. “Take a seat. Curtains. Open.” As the pair headed for the desk there was a whirring noise as the heavy drapes started to move slowly apart. Letting an ever-expanding beam of light spread over the room. By the time that Maddison and Holliday took seats on one side of the desk the room was bathed in natural light. “Lights off.” There was now silence in the room. It hadn’t escaped Maddison’s attention that Lady Chatterley was standing behind them. She walked between the two seats, spun round and stood looking from one seated woman to the other. Maddison took in Sarah-Jane Chatterley as the woman leaned back on her desk and crossed her arms. She had never asked the woman how old she was. Chatterley could have been thirty-five having lived a good life or fifty-five with great genetics. As far as Maddison was aware Chatterley didn’t have any living relatives and the archeologist had no idea where the woman’s money had come from. They had meet for the first time several years before at an event at Cambridge University and had exchanged numbers. Maddison hadn’t thought about the woman again until a telephone call eighteen months ago….
“I had it in my hands,” Maddison didn’t want to look up at Chatterley, she had a look that could get a little intense. Chatterley sighed and then smashed her palms on her thighs in frustration.
“You are one of the most capable people I know Maddison. What went wrong?” Maddison squirmed slightly in the chair.
“I mean, it was all going to plan.” Maddison looked at Goodlove for support.
“Indeed, it was,” Holliday confirmed with a nod.
“Then this snooping journalist got involved and…”
“A very pretty snooping journalist,” Holliday interrupted. Maddison gave her friend a look and knew that they had lost her for the next minute or so as Goodlove’s mind drifted off somewhere else.
“Her looks really weren’t anything to do with…” Maddison noted the look on Chatterley’s face. “I had better start at the beginning.
Forty-eight hours earlier, La Casa Grande Rodriguez, Bueno Aires
“Doctor Gates, a pleasure to meet you.” Julio Rodriguez reached out, took Maddison’s right hand and gently kissed the back on it. “It seems that your beauty may match your intellect.” Maddison took the compliment and nodded an acknowledgement. It seems that Julio was a charmer in addition to being a billionaire and a dealer of stolen antiquities. Allegedly. They were standing on the edge of a dance floor that had been set down especially for this occasion. A charity ball in the hall of the Rodriguez residence. Think a Bueno Aires version of Blenheim Palace. Just as the pleasantries finished the band cracked up again. A tango. “May I have this dance?” This wasn’t in the plan. She was supposed to be discreet. Dancing a tango with the host was not discreet. Especially in the outfit that she was wearing. A spectacular full length, off the shoulder dark silver dress with a slit on the skirt that exposed her long and toned legs when she walked. The dress hugged her curves in all the correct places. Her mane of auburn hair fell loose and in waves to just below her shoulders.
“Of course,” Maddison replied with a smile. She gave her purse to the suited and booted thug with a crew cut who seemed to be a constant presence by Rodriguez’s side before taking the main man’s hand and allowing herself to be led to the centre of the dancefloor. The crowd seemed to part for them and Maddison soon found themselves the centre of attention with all eyes on them.
“This is the Argentinian version Maddison,” Rodriguez whispered in Maddison’s ear as he took her in an embrace and made to lead. “I hope that you are up to it.” He winked. Maddison replied in kind. Not that ballroom dancing was her thing but she knew how to work it on the dancefloor. She knew the traditional Argentine tango fully supports improvisation and emotional interpretation in time with the music, so she would she where Rodriguez lead and play it from there. He moved and Maddison followed, Rodirguez knew what he was doing and used the beats and flow of the music from the orchestra to influence his movements and footwork. Maddison was equal to Rodriguez’s abilities and matched him. They both got lost in the music and produce a dynamic, sensual, playful, romantic, improvisational, elegant, graceful, refined, captivating, alluring and mysterious performance. There was a round of applause when then finished, holding the final pose as applause died out. Maddison looked around and noticed that the rest of the dancers had stopped to watch them. “I hope that we get a chance to catch up later. However, for the moment I must…” Rodriguez paused, trying to find the correct word, “mingle.” He raised a questioning eyebrow.
“That would be the right word,” Maddison replied breathing heavily at the exertions of the dance. “Look forward to it.” The crew cut sporting thug appeared and handed Maddison her purse before turning and following his boss away. Maddison scanned the crowd as she headed toward the bar. There were a lot of powerful and famous people in the crowd, including the US Secretary of State and the German Foreign Minister. At the bar she caught the eye of a barman and order a cocktail. She needed that combination of alcohol and fruit juice.
At the same moment, a young woman was standing just along the bar looking, no staring, at Maddison B. Gates with wonder. Trying to pluck up the courage to approach. “Alright, alright. Here we go.” As Delanie approached the woman was still catching her breath from the efforts involved in dancing the Tango, a very vigorous Tango at that. This meant that her breasts heaved ever so slightly, drawing the eye. Delanie Burkhardt stood at five foot four inches tall in her bare feet. Her long blond hair was tied back in a ponytail, bright blue eyes and freckles. “That was very impressive dancing, very…very…vigorous.”
“Thank you,” Maddison replied and took a mouthful of the drink that the barman had just put down on the bar in front of her.
“Big fan. Read both of your books.” Maddison smiled and nodded. “What brings you to Bueno Aires?”
“A little bit of business. A little bit of pleasure,” Maddison replied being non-committal. “Sorry. Who are you?”
“Delaine Burkhardt. Reporter with Global Associated Press. I am covering the visit of the Secretary of State…”
“Excuse me,” Maddison picked up her glass and moved past the reporter, “just noticed someone that I have to talk to.” Delanie Burkhardt watched Maddison Gates strut away. Geez! She could watch that ass and hips all day long.
“I think that I am in love.”
“Pardon?” The barman asked. Delanie blushed, raised a hand and then moved away.
La Casa Grande Rodriguez, Bueno Aires
After slipping away from the party with nobody noticing Maddison slipped the communication device in her ear from her purse. “You there Goodlove?” The archaeologist glanced around as she made her way up the main stairs of the large house making sure that nobody was following her.
“Picking you up loud and clear Doctor Gates.” Holliday Goodlove was sitting in the back of a truck about half a mile away monitoring various things on the bank of monitors in front of her. “How are things looking?”
“Clear for now,” Maddison replied.
“What was going on earlier? Your tracker went a bit weird.”
“Would you believe I was dancing the tango with our host?”
“I thought you were being low key?” Maddison hung her head at that comment.
“Well, I could hardly…” she bit back the response. “I am at the top of the stairs.”
“Right and then you are looking for the third door on the left.” Maddison walked along the corridor like she belonged and stopped at the door. She hadn’t expected this. It couldn’t be that easy. She reached out for the handle. “No, not the door.” Goodlove’s voice was like teacher telling off a pupil.
“You don’t have visuals.”
“Correct.” How did she know? “Run your hands around the frame and look for some kind of switch or lever.” Maddison clasped her purse between her knees so that she could both hands to run her fingers around the frame. Halfway down the right side of the frame she found something and pushed it. There was a soft click and a hidden panel in the wall to the side of the door popped open.
“Got it.” Maddison pulled the panel wide enough to entered and stepped inside. It was totally dark until the lights popped on. They must be motion activated. Behind her the door swung closed and clicked. “Only one way now.” Walking down the corridor Maddison came to a solid steel door with an electronic lock. The archaeologist took a small black box from her purse, activated the magnet and attached it to the electronic lock on the door. “Over to you.”
“Will be as quick as I can,” Goodlove said. Although there was nothing to tell Maddison what the box was doing or the progress being made, she stared at it intently.
“Come on. Come on,” Maddison mumbled as she looked nervously down the corridor at the panel, expecting it to open at any moment. Then there was a click and the green light came on. “Bingo!”
“Should be good to go now.” Maddison pushed open the steel door and hurried inside. Inside the room Maddison ignored the various display cases and headed straight for the back wall. There was a painting.
“The Just Judges by Jan van Eyck,” Maddison gasped. “That has been missing since nineteen thirty-four.”
“Just stick to what we came for,” Goodlove cautioned.
“Alright.” Maddison removed the painting to reveal a safe. This was an old-fashioned security measure. Luckily Maddison had the combination. “Twenty-three. Four. Twelve. Fifty-one.” The door clicked, Maddison pulled it open and smiled. “Looks like Chatterley’s intelligence was correct.” Maddison took the item that she had come for and stashed in on her person before closing the safe and rehanging the picture. “Time to go.”
La Casa Grande Rodriguez, Bueno Aires
Hurrying round the corner whilst glancing over her shoulder Maddison received a shock when she bumped into another body. Once she recovered Maddison found herself looking at her host for the evening. “Maddison. Where are you going in such a rush?”
“I was just keen to get back on the dancefloor,” Maddison replied after regaining her composure.
“Can I ask why you are up on this level of my house?” Rodriguez raised an eyebrow. “Get lost trying to find the toilet?”
“No, no,” Madison replied. “Just admiring the place. Lovely house you have,” she said putting a hand on Rodriguez’s arm. There were sounds of muffled complaints that Maddison instantly recognised a heavily gagged woman being dragged. Rodriguez stepped back so that Maddison could see a bound and gagged women being dragged between two of the suit wearing, crew cut sporting thugs. Then things clicked in Maddison’s head and she placed the woman’s face. It was that reporter, Delanie something or other, from earlier. Her wrists were obviously tied behind her back and loops of rope could be seen above and below the young woman’s breast, pinning her arms to her back. Delanie’s cheeks bulged unnaturally with packing and a scarf had been cleaved in her mouth to prevent the packing from being spat out.
“I think there is something of mine that you have. Give me it back or your friend gets hurt.”
“I have no idea what you are taking about.” Maddison decided to bluff it out. An evil smile crept over Rodriguez’s lips.
“There is a motion alarm on the painting.” Maddison tried not to react. Hearing footsteps behind her she found two further crewcut suits blocking that means of escape.
“What painting?” Acting all innocent.
“Shoot her in the kneecap Jose.”
“Wait! Wait! Wait!” Maddison shouted holding up her hands for calm as Crewcut Jose pulled out a black pistol. “She is not my friend. Hardly know the woman. Met for the first time tonight.” Nobody else said anything.
“UUMMNNOO!” Delanie screamed as Jose jammed the pistol into the back of her right knee.
“Alright. Alright.” Maddison’s shoulder’s slumped as she reached round and removed the Cross of Coronado from the specially designed pocket in the small of her back of her dress. Slowly and reluctantly, she handed the artifact over to Rodriguez.
“That belongs in a museum,” Maddison stated as Rodriguez admired the item up close. “Are you going to let us go now?” Rodriguez laughed silently and then nodded over Maddison’s shoulder. She had been here before. On several occasions. “I don’t suppose it would do any good to ask not to be tied up?”
“Take Miss Gates and her new friend to one of the spare bedrooms and make them comfortable.”
“It's Doctor. Doctor Gates,” Maddison mumbled under her breathe as one the thugs from behind her grabbed her upper arm and dragged her off down the corridor.
La Casa Grande Rodriguez, Bueno Aires
“mmuuhhpp…uummpphhh…oohhmm…” Maddison mumbled as she squired around, searching for a weakness in her bindings. She rolled over and came face to face with Delanie Burkhardt who was lying next to her on the double bed. Maddison was concerned the younger woman hadn’t quite grasped the seriousness of their situation. Rodriguez was not going to just let them leave. “uummppff…uurrmm…mmammoouudd…” Delanie raised a questioning eyebrow. Maddison groaned in frustration. She wanted the reporter to roll over so that she could look at her bindings. See if there was something that she could pick at with her nails.
“Are you tied up again?” Goodlove’s voice burst into her head.
“uummhh…hhuummhh…” Maddison replied.
“Must be a big gag. I can’t understand a word you are saying.” Maddison rolled her eyes. Yes, it was a large gag. Rodriguez’s goons had stuffed not one, but two cloths into her mouth and then used a scarf to cleave gag her and prevent the packing from being expunged. That was followed up by a second silk scarf folded into a band and then tied over her mouth. Maddison had tried to rub off the scarf but it was tightly tied and felt like it was welded in place. Then they had tied her wrists behind her back with rope. Very securely they were tied too. The rope had been tied wrapped around the wrist on half a dozen occasions, cinched and then knotted away from prying fingers. Her arms were pinned to her back with rope that had been wrapped around her body and then her legs were tied together in four places with rope, at the ankles, just below and above the knees and then around the thighs. A thoroughly professional job. Once tied to their satisfaction the thugs had dumped the two bound and gagged women on the bed. Despite a good hour of squirming and thrashing Maddison had made no headway on getting free.
“Your tracker has you somewhere in the east wing of the house,” Goodlove continued. “Should I try and sneak in?”
“MMOOHH!” Maddison called into her gag. That would be too dangerous. It would be a complete disaster if Goodlove got nabbed as well. They could only hope that something else happened.
La Casa Grande Rodriguez, Bueno Aires
Another hour of frustrated attempts to get free passed when the door opened and Rodriguez, Jose and another thug walked in. Their host walked in and smiled at them before sitting down on the edge of the bed. “Well, that is the party finished and the last guests have left the property.” A sad look came over his face. “That means that we have to take care of you. Can’t have you staying here. That could be a bit awkward.
“mmoohh…uummpphhh…oohhmm…” Maddison and Delanie mumbled in unison.
“Don’t worry ladies. I wouldn’t do anything as crude as kill you.”
“UUMMPPHH!” Delanie exclaimed.
“I said I wouldn’t do anything as crude as kill you. Not in my makeup. However, I have made arrangements for you to go on a little trip to somewhere that you can stay out of the way for…well, until I say otherwise.” Another chorus of moans and groans from the two bound and gagged woman. “That doesn’t sound appreciative. Do you know how much this is costing me?” He smiled and got up from the bed before nodded and Jose and the other rent-a-thug. Jose approached and grabbed at Maddison’s legs. He got a firm hold and despite Maddison bucking and thrashing around easily pulled her down and then hoisted her over his shoulder and into a carrying position. The other thug did the same with Delanie and the two of them started to walk out of the bedroom. They hung a left and Maddison had a good view of Jose’s buttocks as she swung slightly from side to side as the man walked down the corridor. They were some bumps and groans as they went throw a door and then down a several flights of stairs. They were through another door and Maddison felt the temperature drop. She looked around and then suddenly they were outside. The other thug with Delanie over his shoulder continued to follow. Trying to peak at where they were going Maddison saw the outline of a vehicle, like a van or truck look ahead in the darkness.
“Where are you going?” Goodlove said into Maddison’s ear.
“aaee…oonntt…hhoo…” Maddison moaned as she felt Jose take a couple of steps. “OOHHMM!” Suddenly, she was falling through the air and she landed with a thump onto something heavy and made of fabric. The landed knocked some of the wind out of her. There was a similar thump followed by a groan to her left as Delanie was deposited next to her in a…Maddison looked around, a laundry basket. They were in a large laundry basket almost full of sheets and table covers.
“uummgg…” Delanie grumbled as more sheets were dumped on top of them to disguise their presence in the basket. Then there was a thud as the doors of the van were closed and the van pulled way. Where were they going?
Holliday Goodlove sat behind the wheel of the unmarked van and looked at the tracker. There was a strong signal from Maddison and it was moving, coming toward her location. “Are you alright? You are moving toward me?” The response was a barely audible mumble. “Alright. No need for that language.” A car went past. Then a bus. Thiry seconds later a laundry van. Goodlove looked at the tracker. According to that Maddison has just gone past her. “The laundry van!” Gunning the engine Goodlove pulled in behind the laundry van and got close enough. What to do now though? Then she came up with a plan. It wasn’t a great plan. Hell, it wasn’t even a good plan. It was in fact, probably a bad plan but it was all that she had at the moment. She had to get ahead of them. Her phone was on a holder on the dashboard and she leaned over and zoomed out on the map of the area. Thinking about the route that they would take she pulled off from behind the laundry van onto a different street and floored the accelerator into the floor of the van. “Hang on Maddison.”
Fifteen minutes later Goodlove was sitting looking at the tracker on the screen as it got closer. A mixture of really fast driving and ignoring red lights had gotten her ahead of the laundry van. She was now sitting at a junction waiting on them. The road that the laundry van was on lay in front of her with an embankment leading down to a park below on the other side. Timing would be key. Putting the van in gear she waited until the last second and as the laundry van came into view mashed her foot onto the accelerator. The van launched forward across the road. “This was not a good idea!” Goodlove screamed just before she rammed the laundry van. The force was so much that it toppled the laundry van over onto its side and it lay on the edge of the road, half over the drop down the embankment. In the collision Holliday had banged her head on the steering wheel and she looked up to see that there was a large dent on the front of the laundry van. It sat on the edge for five seconds before it started to tip over the edge. “Oh. No!” The van overbalanced and toppled down the embankment. As Holliday took off her seatbelt and hopped out of the van there was a series of crashes as the van flipped down the slope. Holliday looked over the edge at the damaged van. “Doctor Gates!” She scurried down the embankment and slid to the front of the van. The two men in the cab groaned and were covered in blood. “Wear your seatbelts in future boys.” Then she made her way to the rear doors of the now battered van. As she did Holliday turned her ankles in a rabbit hole. “AARRGGHH!” Her walk became a shuffle come hop. She hauled open the door. “Doctor Gates!”
“uumm…mmhhnn…” a very muffled response from somewhere. There were four large laundry baskets in the rear of the van and a lot of sheets strewn around.
“Doctor Gates!” Another muffled call and Holliday started to dig through the laundry, eventually finding a pair of squirming, bound legs. Fortunately, the mass of laundry had protected Maddison during the tumble down the embankment. She continued to dig until she uncovered all of Maddison. “Doctor, a pleasure to see you.”
“mmiihh…uummhhh…mmooaa..” Holliday leaned into remove the gag when she heard movement from her right. She paused. Maddison shrugged and then suggested that Holliday remove the gag. The sound again. Holliday moved off and started digging.
“Who is this?” Goodlove asked seeing the second bound and gagged woman.
“oocchhtt…uuggss…aatter...mmuuhh…,” Maddison grumbled.
“mmuupphh…nnhhmm…” Delanie mumbled as the last piece of laundry was removed from over her person.
“Let’s get these ropes off you,” Holliday said. “My you are very pretty.” Maddison resigned herself to waiting for her turn to be freed for her bindings. “Oh, sorry I didn’t mean to um…touch…that was an accident…I really was just trying…um…loosen he rope around…”
Chatterley Manor, United Kingdom
“That is an interesting tale,” Chatterley offered now that Maddison had finished filling her in on the events of their trip to Argentina.
“Delanie Burkhardt,” Goodlove cooed, “a very pretty reporter.”
“What do we do now?” Maddison asked.
“They will try and sell. That is when we make our move.” There was a glint on Chatterley’s eye that told Maddison that she knew something that they didn’t.
Adventures of Maddison B. Gates (Archaeologist) (MF/F)
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mrjones2009
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Adventures of Maddison B. Gates (Archaeologist) (MF/F)
Last edited by mrjones2009 9 months ago, edited 1 time in total.
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mrjones2009
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Trying something with a slightly different tone. Yes, the Henry Jones Jnr references are deliberate!
A very exciting new heroine [mention]mrjones2009[/mention] love the set up, the characters: The Villains and the Heroes. A bit Indiana Jones, a bit Lara Croft. And that clumsy Assistant? Lovely!
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mrjones2009
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An Introduction to Doctor Maddison B. Gates (Part 2)
Historic cruise ship on the Mediterranean
“Remember Maddison. Low profile. Don’t get spotted. They will know why you are here if Rodriguez or someone in his entourage come across you.”
“I get the idea Holliday.”
“That is what you said last time and you ended up dancing a tango with the target…” Maddison sighed and switched off from the voice in her ear and stopped to take in the view. They were on a cruise ship somewhere in the Mediterranean. The subtle breeze off the ocean was welcome relief from the hot sun beating down from the sky, especially with someone with her complexion. Maddison wore matching linen blouse and trousers that hung loosely around her frame, massive sunglasses and wide brimmed hat. Partly for protection from the sun, partly for protection from being recognised. Chatterley’s source had told her that Rodriguez had arranged the exchange for The Cross of Coronado to take place on the cruise ship. What the Cross was being exchanged for Maddison didn’t care, she just wanted the Cross. She continued to walk around the decking of the ship nodding politely at strangers that walked past. They had been at sea for two days and were due in port late on tomorrow. It made sense to make the exchange before arriving in port so that either party could disembark. Yes, still no familiar faces. Just as she thought that Maddison noticed a young woman with blond hair stop as the two got closer. The young woman was wearing khaki shorts and a light blue blouse and her eyes were behind sunglasses but Maddison could almost see them go wide and then search left and right for an escape route. The face was familiar, very familiar. Just as Maddison put it together a member of the crew dressed in traditional sailing whites emerged from a door and the young woman took the opportunity to dive through it and into the interior of the ship. “Why you little….” Maddison doubted this was a coincidence and bustled through the door after the woman. As she entered the darker interior of the ship Maddison whipped off her sunglasses and caught the movement of a leg disappearing through a door. She marched after the leg along the corridor and through the door. The door led to the ship’s bar. A pair of legs were visible in a booth where the face was obscured by the person holding up a menu.
“Nice legs,” Maddison commented as she loomed over the person.
“You really think so…” the person dropped the menu and then caught the expression on Maddison’s face.
“What are you doing here?” Maddison squeezed into the both and scurried round so that she was sitting close to Delanie Burkhardt. Maddison wanted to be able to see who entered the bar. Their thighs touched and a bolt of lightning shot through Delanie.
“I was needing a break…” Delanie stopped when she saw the look of disbelief on the archaeologist’s face. “Can I get you a drink?”
“Are you stalking me?” Maddison looked at the young woman.
“No. Absolutely not.” Delanie shook her head. “Co-incidence.” Best not to mention that she had asked the paper’s contact to flag Gate’s passport.
“No way Jose.” Just as Delanie finished Maddison shot out a hand, grabbed the menu and hid her own face with it. “What are you doing…”
“Shush!” Maddison hissed. She felt ridiculous but Rodriguez’s henchman Jose had just walked into the bar. He took he booth next to them and started a conversation in Spanish.
“Was that Delanie? Does she look nice…” Maddison’s head slumped forward as Holliday’s voice popped into her head.
“Shush.”
“I didn’t say…” Delanie started before a look form Maddison cut her off. The two of them sat in silence as the conversation in the next booth continued for two minutes before the two men got up and left. Maddison peaked round the side of the menu as Jose left the bar. She dropped the menu onto the table and jumped to her feet. As she went to move away a hand reached out and grabbed her wrist.
“My reporter’s instinct tells me there is something going on here.” Maddison took Delanie’s hand and gently removed it from her wrist.
“Listen. This is dangerous. Stay out of it. Remember where following me got you the last time.” Maddison warned as she hurried after the man with Delanie staring at her as she left.
Half an hour later
“Almost there.” Maddison glanced around as she played with the lock on the door to the Regency Suite. She had followed Jose to hear and he had slid something under the door before leaving. There was only one person that Maddison could think Jose knew and could afford the suite. Julio Rodriguez.
“Are you sure this is a good idea Doctor Gates?”
“Will you get out of my head Holliday!”
“Sorry, I was just…”
“I know, I know but we need to know if the Cross is here. If I can find it then we can stash it somewhere for safekeeping until we dock tomorrow.”
“I have a bad feeling about this,” Holliday commented just as Maddison heard the click of a lock disengaging.
“Too late now.” Maddison eased the door open and slipped inside. It was the middle of the afternoon and the blinds were open so there was no issue with light coming in from the large windows. “Next time I am going to ask Chatterley to splash for this place.” She was standing in a large living area with two large couches and a coffee table, at the far end was a dining table with four chairs. Four doors led off the main room. “Where would I hide a looted Conquistador era Cross?” Maddison started to search the cabin. “It must be onboard somewhere.” The main cabin didn’t produce anything. The first door was a toilet. Nothing. Second door an unused bedroom. Nothing. Third door. A study. Nothing. “Behind door number four…” The main bedroom with cases sprawled around. “Looks like this is my last chance.” Maddison began to search again, opening cases and drawers until she heard something behind her and slowing turning around found herself looking at Julio Rodriguez. The tall man was pointing a pistol at her mid-drift.
“Miss Gates. It is a pleasure to see you again.”
“Doctor. Doctor Gates,” Maddison mumbled under her breathe. “I wish I could say the same.”
“Ah, this is your famous dance partner,” A female voice said. What with the gun and shock and anger of being discovered Maddison hadn’t registered the presence of another person. She switched her gaze to the where the voice had come from and found herself looking at a handsome looking woman in her early forties wearing a plain green sundress and a wide brimmed hat. The woman had long dark hair that hung loose around her shoulders and a dark complexion. “Maria Rodriguez.”
“A pleasure to meet you,” Maddison replied with a forced smile. “Now, if you will just excuse me…”
“Did you get caught snooping again?” Holliday always interrupted at the worst moments!
“Not so fast.” Rodriguez jabbed the pistol at Maddison as she tried to move. “Freeze.” Maddison rolled her eyes.
“Did he just say freeze?” Holliday asked in Maddison’s ear. All three people in the room stopped for a couple of seconds.
“What do we do with her?” Maria asked. “Throw her overboard?”
“Wait…” Maddison raised her hands and took a step back, “let’s not get hasty here.”
“How good a swimmer are you?” Goodlove said in her ear. Maddison had to bite back a response.
“We just need to keep her out of the way until the exchange. A splash and someone overboard will create attention.” Rodriguez replied. “And we don’t want attention.”
“Stash her in the hold somewhere then,” Maria suggested.
“How are we going to get her below?” Rodrigue asked out loud. It was true. Even with a gun on her or bound and gagged Maddison would create enough of a disturbance to get attention.
“You are lucky that I am here querido,” Maria winked at Maddison as she walked across to a case and flipped into open. A quick rummage and Maria pulled a cloth and a small, dark coloured bottle from inside the case. “A little chloroform will sort that problem for us.”
“There is really no…”
“You want the chloroform or the bullet?” Rodriguez asked. Maddison’s shoulders slumped and she nodded. Better unconscious than dead.
“Sit on the bed,” Maria said as she folded the cloth into a pad and poured some of the chloroform onto the pad. Maddison perched on the edge of the bed and Maria took a seat beside her. Before Maddison could react, Maria clamped the white pad over her nose and mouth with one hand and placed the other hand at the back of her head.
“mmrrppmm…mmpphhmmpphh!” Maddison grunted into the cloth. Despite the fact that Maddison knew it was coming the strong, sweet-smelling vapor still shocked her, the dampness of the cloth and the sickly odour of chloroform smothering her senses all at once. This wasn’t a new experience for Maddison, she had been rendered unconscious before. “mmpphh…hhuurrpp…” Maddison moaned into the thick cloth covering the lower part of her face, trying to take deep even breathes and not panic. That was indeed what she did until she started to feel the effects of the soporific fumes from the cloth take effect. Her vision started to swim, the chloroform working its way through her system. Her arms and legs felt strange, not of her body, out with her control. Her body weakened. Her strength sapping, slowly, with the seconds. God, her head, t was getting hard to keep her eyes open.
“uuhhmm…mmmuuhhh...” Maddison mumbled, into the stifling, cloying cloth that was blocking her access to fresh, clean air, her view of the world now totally out of focus. “mmmppphhhmmm.... Her arms fell to her sides, limp, and she felt herself slump against Maria.
“Good girl,” Maria whispered into her ear as she helped her lie down on the bed whilst expertly keeping the cloth in place.
“mmoohh...mmpphhh...” Maddison moaned, as the last of her strength ebbed away, her eyelids flickering open and closed. Julio tapped a message into his phone as Maddison became too weak and disorientated to resist the forthcoming forced slumber. With a soft moan into the cloth Maddison’s head lolled off to one side and Maria removed the cloth.
“She had help escaping the last time.” Maria ran her hands over Maddison’s inert figure and after taking a little too much time finds the communication device in her ear. She holds it up for Julio to see.
“Whoever was on the other end can’t be that far away. Tell Jose and the security detail to search the ship.” Standing up Maria drops the device on the floor and stomps on it. A minute later Jose enters with a large sack and without words walks over to the bed and starts to pack Maddison into the sack. It was an awkward, tight fit. Imagine a camper cramming a large sleeping bag into a compression sack. With Maddison folded into the sack Jose pulled the drawstrings closed and hefted her up, throwing Maddison over his shoulder like a sack of laundry. He started carrying her away but Rodriguez held up a hand. “Tell the team to search the ship. Looking for a woman in her twenties, brown hair, glasses, probably has some tech with her so laptop bags, that kind of thing.”
“Sure thing boss,” Jose replied with a nod a set off. Maria followed after grabbing some items from the draw.
Cabin of Gates & Goodlove
“Bugger!” Holliday exclaimed. She turned to look at the door, expecting it to burst open at any second. “Okay, okay, okay. What to do?” Holliday tapped her right foot on the floor, she always did that when nervous and she was trying to think things through. “Probably better to move.” Quickly, she stuffed her two laptops into their carrier bag and slung the bag over her shoulder. Grabbing a hold-all she opened the door and looked both ways. The coast looked clear. Stepping out in the corridor Holliday closed the door over and decided to turn left. As she started walking, she quickly realised that she wasn’t sure where she was going. “I need a plan.”
Lost in thought Holliday turned a corner and saw two men wearing suits and sporting crewcuts standing looking around. Trying not to draw attention to herself Holliday stopped and slowly reversed around the corner. Once round the corner she turned and scurried back the way she had come. There was a crosswalk approaching and caught a glimpse of a woman stepping through. “Delanie.” She would recognise her anywhere. Were those footsteps behind her? Hurrying up Holliday went round the corridor and saw a door close. A glance over her shoulder and the two men in suits were walking down the corridor. Not having an actual plan Holliday scurried down to the door that had closed and she banged on the door. No answer. Knocked again. A nervous glance at the crosswalk.
“Alright! Where is the fire?” Delanie said from inside the door. “Minute.” Another knock. Just as a suited leg appeared Holliday heard the door open and without waiting for an invitation bundled her way into the cabin and closed the door behind her and lent on it. “Holliday?” She turned and pressed a finger to her lips. “What are you up to? Did Maddison send you?”
“No,” Holliday whispered as she turned around. Taking a step forward Holliday tripped on a shoe and crashed into Delanie. They ended up a tangle of limbs on the floor with Holliday on top of Delanie. Red faced; Holliday didn’t know where to look. “Uuumm…” The two women took a second to untangle themselves and stand up. There was a slight awkwardness.
“To what do I owe the honour?” Delanie had a smile on her face.
“Doctor Gates is in trouble,” Holliday blurted out.
“What do you mean?” Delanie was suddenly concerned. After her unexpected visitor had explained Delanie grabbed her purse and hat and headed for the door. “They will be expecting you so best you stay here whilst I look around.”
“Try places below decks…be careful…” The door to the cabin closed. “So pretty, so brave…” Holliday swooned rather than sat down on a chair.
Below deck, an hour later
Maddison groaned as she started to regain her senses, slowly. Her head pounded but she forced herself to open her eyes. As her groggy eyes cracked open, blurry shapes of shadow and light came into focus. She was in some kind of storage room in the bowels of the ship. There were boxes lying around both individually and in stacks plus there was a distinct smell of oil and grease. The walls were painted off white and pipe and cables ran everywhere. “mmpphh…hhuutt…” Maddison noted the door in the corner and instinctively tried to get up before realising that she couldn’t from her position on the floor. “grrggddhh mmoohh uuhhct.” Maddison groaned, both surprised, and unsurprised at discovering that she was bound and judging by her inability to form words properly, gagged. Cold steel around her wrists old her that cuffs were placed around them, trying to move them forward there was a clinking noise as the metal of the chain between the two cuffs hit something solid. “mmoohh…” Her wrists were cuffed the other side of a pipe, she couldn’t move. A glance down informed her that her ankles were tied with rope. There were further loops of rope around her legs in three positions, just below and above the knees and around the thighs. All very tight, knotted and well-tied. “uummppff…” The gag. Mouth stuffed with something soft and silky. Using her tongue Maddison investigated, the fabric had a taste as well, flowery. “oohhmm…” Silk scarves! That was it. A couple stuffed in her mouth and another folded into a band and tied over her mouth to prevent the packing being expunged. Maddison tried rubbing the scarf from her mouth but it was almost welded in place. Then she tried shuffling up and down, trying to find a weak point in the pipe. Again. Nothing doing. “AARRGGHH!” she screamed in frustration. Not getting free of her own accord. All she could do know was wait to be rescued. God! She hated this bit!
Below deck, an hour later
“I don’t suppose you have seen a beautiful, tall woman with long auburn hair…it kind of cascades down from her head…she has deep, green eyes that you can lose yourself….” Delanie caught herself and looked at the short man covered in dirt and grime. He looked perplexed. Maybe he didn’t speak English. The man shrugged before turning and walking down the passageway. Delanie looked around. It was more cramped down here than above decks. She had been looking around for almost two hours and nobody she had asked had seen Doctor Gates. She had checked a couple of cupboards but no stunning archaeologists stashed away. Walking along the passageway Delanie tried a door. It was locked. She sighed in disappointment. The next door opened “Doctor Gates.” Nobody inside. The next door was locked again. The fourth door opened and.
“MMMPPPFFFHHH!” a muffled cry filled the room. Delanie stepped into the room and looked around.
“I found you Doctor Gates.”
“mmeesshh…uummppfff…” Maddison strained against her bonds but Delanie just stood there for a couple of seconds taking in the view. “vvuuhh…uunneeii…uumm…”
“Yes, oh…sorry…” Delanie knelt down. “Let me just get these rope…” As the young reporter started to pick at the knot on the rope around Maddison’s ankles a figure approached Delanie from behind. “MMPPGGHH! OOHHMM!” Maddison screamed into her packed mouth, trying to warn the young reporter.
“I am going as fast as I can…” Delanie replied, oblivious to the oncoming danger, “if you stop squirming and be quiet that would hhEELLMMMPPFFF…”
“mmhhuumm…” Maddison groaned as she watched Jose grab Delanie from behind and clamp a thick white cloth over the reporter’s nose and mouth.
“MMMPPPFFFHHH!” Delanie screamed into the cloth. Maddison looked on with interest and had to admit that the young reporter put up a hell of a fight against her larger assailant and the chloroform that was obviously on the cloth. However, the outcome was inevitable and after Delanie had inhaled enough of the fumes, Maddison could see the reporter’s struggles subside, then her eyes lost focus and glazed over. The end came quickly then as Delanie went limp and sagged into Jose’s arms. The man grinned from ear to ear as Delanie moaned into the cloth just before her eyes closed. He then let go and let the young woman fall to the floor.
Below deck, an hour later
Delanie looked at Maddison. The bound and gagged woman glared at her over the band of blue silk over her mouth. The young reporter head was a little sore and she was lying on the cold steel floor of the room that they were in. Her wrists were tied behind her back with rope with more rope wrapped around her ankles, just above and below the knees and around the thighs. Her mouth was packed with sift fabric and something, she surmised a silk scarf to match Maddison’s gag, was tied tightly over her mouth. These people who liked to tie up women really went to town with the ropes! Delanie could tell that Maddison wasn’t best pleased with her. Caught like an amateur sleuth and knocked out by a thug wielding a chloroform-soaked cloth. What a cliché! “mmoozziiee…uuhhmm…” Delanie moaned and shrugged her shoulders as much as he bonds would allow. She then spent a solid three-quarters of an hour trying and failing to wriggle free of the ropes. It didn’t work. All that accomplished was an increased heart rate and a sheen of sweat. The bonds remained firmly in place.
As she watched the younger woman squirm disinterestedly Maddison caught something that reflected light on Delanie’s head. Was that a hairpin? “mmupphh…mmeerree…” Maddison signalled with her head, suddenly alert. A questioning was the response from the bound and gagged reporter. “mmoovvrr…uummgg…” Maddison tried again.
“oohtt…oouuhh…aayymmhh…” Delanie shrugged again. Maddison rolled her eyes and stamped her feet. Then she pointed her toes at the bound reporter and flicked her feet toward herself. She twisted around and tried to show Delanie her hands.
“mmuupphh…mmuupphh…”
“aahhoohhmm…” Delanie’s eyes lit up as she got what Maddison was getting at and started to crawl across the floor until she was next to the secured archaeologist. With Maddison restricted in movement by the pipe and Delanie by the ropes it took some time and a lot of contortion but eventually Maddison held the hairpin lightly between the thumb and forefinger of her right hand. Now all she had to be was concentrate and pick the lock on the cuffs rather than drop the hairpin. This could be their one chance of escape.
Above deck, an hour later
It was a dishevelled pair that slipped through the door and into Delanie’s cabin after managing to get free of their bindings. It had taken Maddison some time to pick the lock of the cuffs around her wrists but she had managed it by feel alone. As they entered the cabin Holliday rose from the chair that she had been sitting in and approached them with arms spread wide. “I am so glad that you are safe.” Maddison open her arms to accept the hug but Holliday slipped by her and embraced Delanie.
“Thanks,” Maddison mumbled as a clearly uncomfortable Delanie tried to extricate herself from Holliday’s crushing embrace.
“What do we do now?” Delanie asked as she peeled Holliday off her. “They are bound to come looking for us.”
“I think that it is time to have a chat with The Captain.”
The following afternoon
“Looks like I have a story for the paper,” Delanie was beaming. “My first byline and probably close to the front of the paper as well.” A crowd of passengers had gathered to take in the show. Once they had explained the situation to The Captain, he had radioed ahead to alert the local police who were there to meet the boat. Then he had allowed them to stay in his cabin until they reached port.
“Congratulations,” Holliday said as she stared at the reporter. “Maybe we should get a drink to…"
“We have other things to do Holliday,” Maddison interrupted, giving her friend a colleague a stern look. They all watched as Julio Rodriguez, Maria Rodeiguez, Jose and another two goons were led down the gangway in handcuffs by local police. The Cross of Coronado safe in her bag Maddison couldn’t resist a wave as Julio growled at her. “I wonder who they were here to meet?”
Two figures watched from the shadows a safe distance way. A tall man wearing a Panama style hat stood beside a dark-haired woman wearing a flowing dress and sandals on bare feet. The man seemed amused by what he had just witnessed. “I like the look of this Maddison Gates. Her reputation is well deserved. Brains and bravery. Also, her beauty may even surpass yours my dearest Astra.” The woman snorted a derisive response. “Did we recovered the artifact before the authorities arrived?”
“Yes,” Astra replied.
“Good, good,” the man wrapped an arm around the woman’s waist and started to lead her away before attention spread out from the main event. It wouldn’t do to end up having to answer questions at this point in time. “She could prove to be a worthy adversary.”
“Do you want me to take her out?” the man laughed gently as shook his head.
“Astra, I admire your dedication and thoroughness but that would cause a scene. I assume that Gates has no idea what the other artifact was?” Astra nodded. “Then we have nothing to worry about. I suggest that we enjoy the remainder of the cruise.”
Historic cruise ship on the Mediterranean
“Remember Maddison. Low profile. Don’t get spotted. They will know why you are here if Rodriguez or someone in his entourage come across you.”
“I get the idea Holliday.”
“That is what you said last time and you ended up dancing a tango with the target…” Maddison sighed and switched off from the voice in her ear and stopped to take in the view. They were on a cruise ship somewhere in the Mediterranean. The subtle breeze off the ocean was welcome relief from the hot sun beating down from the sky, especially with someone with her complexion. Maddison wore matching linen blouse and trousers that hung loosely around her frame, massive sunglasses and wide brimmed hat. Partly for protection from the sun, partly for protection from being recognised. Chatterley’s source had told her that Rodriguez had arranged the exchange for The Cross of Coronado to take place on the cruise ship. What the Cross was being exchanged for Maddison didn’t care, she just wanted the Cross. She continued to walk around the decking of the ship nodding politely at strangers that walked past. They had been at sea for two days and were due in port late on tomorrow. It made sense to make the exchange before arriving in port so that either party could disembark. Yes, still no familiar faces. Just as she thought that Maddison noticed a young woman with blond hair stop as the two got closer. The young woman was wearing khaki shorts and a light blue blouse and her eyes were behind sunglasses but Maddison could almost see them go wide and then search left and right for an escape route. The face was familiar, very familiar. Just as Maddison put it together a member of the crew dressed in traditional sailing whites emerged from a door and the young woman took the opportunity to dive through it and into the interior of the ship. “Why you little….” Maddison doubted this was a coincidence and bustled through the door after the woman. As she entered the darker interior of the ship Maddison whipped off her sunglasses and caught the movement of a leg disappearing through a door. She marched after the leg along the corridor and through the door. The door led to the ship’s bar. A pair of legs were visible in a booth where the face was obscured by the person holding up a menu.
“Nice legs,” Maddison commented as she loomed over the person.
“You really think so…” the person dropped the menu and then caught the expression on Maddison’s face.
“What are you doing here?” Maddison squeezed into the both and scurried round so that she was sitting close to Delanie Burkhardt. Maddison wanted to be able to see who entered the bar. Their thighs touched and a bolt of lightning shot through Delanie.
“I was needing a break…” Delanie stopped when she saw the look of disbelief on the archaeologist’s face. “Can I get you a drink?”
“Are you stalking me?” Maddison looked at the young woman.
“No. Absolutely not.” Delanie shook her head. “Co-incidence.” Best not to mention that she had asked the paper’s contact to flag Gate’s passport.
“No way Jose.” Just as Delanie finished Maddison shot out a hand, grabbed the menu and hid her own face with it. “What are you doing…”
“Shush!” Maddison hissed. She felt ridiculous but Rodriguez’s henchman Jose had just walked into the bar. He took he booth next to them and started a conversation in Spanish.
“Was that Delanie? Does she look nice…” Maddison’s head slumped forward as Holliday’s voice popped into her head.
“Shush.”
“I didn’t say…” Delanie started before a look form Maddison cut her off. The two of them sat in silence as the conversation in the next booth continued for two minutes before the two men got up and left. Maddison peaked round the side of the menu as Jose left the bar. She dropped the menu onto the table and jumped to her feet. As she went to move away a hand reached out and grabbed her wrist.
“My reporter’s instinct tells me there is something going on here.” Maddison took Delanie’s hand and gently removed it from her wrist.
“Listen. This is dangerous. Stay out of it. Remember where following me got you the last time.” Maddison warned as she hurried after the man with Delanie staring at her as she left.
Half an hour later
“Almost there.” Maddison glanced around as she played with the lock on the door to the Regency Suite. She had followed Jose to hear and he had slid something under the door before leaving. There was only one person that Maddison could think Jose knew and could afford the suite. Julio Rodriguez.
“Are you sure this is a good idea Doctor Gates?”
“Will you get out of my head Holliday!”
“Sorry, I was just…”
“I know, I know but we need to know if the Cross is here. If I can find it then we can stash it somewhere for safekeeping until we dock tomorrow.”
“I have a bad feeling about this,” Holliday commented just as Maddison heard the click of a lock disengaging.
“Too late now.” Maddison eased the door open and slipped inside. It was the middle of the afternoon and the blinds were open so there was no issue with light coming in from the large windows. “Next time I am going to ask Chatterley to splash for this place.” She was standing in a large living area with two large couches and a coffee table, at the far end was a dining table with four chairs. Four doors led off the main room. “Where would I hide a looted Conquistador era Cross?” Maddison started to search the cabin. “It must be onboard somewhere.” The main cabin didn’t produce anything. The first door was a toilet. Nothing. Second door an unused bedroom. Nothing. Third door. A study. Nothing. “Behind door number four…” The main bedroom with cases sprawled around. “Looks like this is my last chance.” Maddison began to search again, opening cases and drawers until she heard something behind her and slowing turning around found herself looking at Julio Rodriguez. The tall man was pointing a pistol at her mid-drift.
“Miss Gates. It is a pleasure to see you again.”
“Doctor. Doctor Gates,” Maddison mumbled under her breathe. “I wish I could say the same.”
“Ah, this is your famous dance partner,” A female voice said. What with the gun and shock and anger of being discovered Maddison hadn’t registered the presence of another person. She switched her gaze to the where the voice had come from and found herself looking at a handsome looking woman in her early forties wearing a plain green sundress and a wide brimmed hat. The woman had long dark hair that hung loose around her shoulders and a dark complexion. “Maria Rodriguez.”
“A pleasure to meet you,” Maddison replied with a forced smile. “Now, if you will just excuse me…”
“Did you get caught snooping again?” Holliday always interrupted at the worst moments!
“Not so fast.” Rodriguez jabbed the pistol at Maddison as she tried to move. “Freeze.” Maddison rolled her eyes.
“Did he just say freeze?” Holliday asked in Maddison’s ear. All three people in the room stopped for a couple of seconds.
“What do we do with her?” Maria asked. “Throw her overboard?”
“Wait…” Maddison raised her hands and took a step back, “let’s not get hasty here.”
“How good a swimmer are you?” Goodlove said in her ear. Maddison had to bite back a response.
“We just need to keep her out of the way until the exchange. A splash and someone overboard will create attention.” Rodriguez replied. “And we don’t want attention.”
“Stash her in the hold somewhere then,” Maria suggested.
“How are we going to get her below?” Rodrigue asked out loud. It was true. Even with a gun on her or bound and gagged Maddison would create enough of a disturbance to get attention.
“You are lucky that I am here querido,” Maria winked at Maddison as she walked across to a case and flipped into open. A quick rummage and Maria pulled a cloth and a small, dark coloured bottle from inside the case. “A little chloroform will sort that problem for us.”
“There is really no…”
“You want the chloroform or the bullet?” Rodriguez asked. Maddison’s shoulders slumped and she nodded. Better unconscious than dead.
“Sit on the bed,” Maria said as she folded the cloth into a pad and poured some of the chloroform onto the pad. Maddison perched on the edge of the bed and Maria took a seat beside her. Before Maddison could react, Maria clamped the white pad over her nose and mouth with one hand and placed the other hand at the back of her head.
“mmrrppmm…mmpphhmmpphh!” Maddison grunted into the cloth. Despite the fact that Maddison knew it was coming the strong, sweet-smelling vapor still shocked her, the dampness of the cloth and the sickly odour of chloroform smothering her senses all at once. This wasn’t a new experience for Maddison, she had been rendered unconscious before. “mmpphh…hhuurrpp…” Maddison moaned into the thick cloth covering the lower part of her face, trying to take deep even breathes and not panic. That was indeed what she did until she started to feel the effects of the soporific fumes from the cloth take effect. Her vision started to swim, the chloroform working its way through her system. Her arms and legs felt strange, not of her body, out with her control. Her body weakened. Her strength sapping, slowly, with the seconds. God, her head, t was getting hard to keep her eyes open.
“uuhhmm…mmmuuhhh...” Maddison mumbled, into the stifling, cloying cloth that was blocking her access to fresh, clean air, her view of the world now totally out of focus. “mmmppphhhmmm.... Her arms fell to her sides, limp, and she felt herself slump against Maria.
“Good girl,” Maria whispered into her ear as she helped her lie down on the bed whilst expertly keeping the cloth in place.
“mmoohh...mmpphhh...” Maddison moaned, as the last of her strength ebbed away, her eyelids flickering open and closed. Julio tapped a message into his phone as Maddison became too weak and disorientated to resist the forthcoming forced slumber. With a soft moan into the cloth Maddison’s head lolled off to one side and Maria removed the cloth.
“She had help escaping the last time.” Maria ran her hands over Maddison’s inert figure and after taking a little too much time finds the communication device in her ear. She holds it up for Julio to see.
“Whoever was on the other end can’t be that far away. Tell Jose and the security detail to search the ship.” Standing up Maria drops the device on the floor and stomps on it. A minute later Jose enters with a large sack and without words walks over to the bed and starts to pack Maddison into the sack. It was an awkward, tight fit. Imagine a camper cramming a large sleeping bag into a compression sack. With Maddison folded into the sack Jose pulled the drawstrings closed and hefted her up, throwing Maddison over his shoulder like a sack of laundry. He started carrying her away but Rodriguez held up a hand. “Tell the team to search the ship. Looking for a woman in her twenties, brown hair, glasses, probably has some tech with her so laptop bags, that kind of thing.”
“Sure thing boss,” Jose replied with a nod a set off. Maria followed after grabbing some items from the draw.
Cabin of Gates & Goodlove
“Bugger!” Holliday exclaimed. She turned to look at the door, expecting it to burst open at any second. “Okay, okay, okay. What to do?” Holliday tapped her right foot on the floor, she always did that when nervous and she was trying to think things through. “Probably better to move.” Quickly, she stuffed her two laptops into their carrier bag and slung the bag over her shoulder. Grabbing a hold-all she opened the door and looked both ways. The coast looked clear. Stepping out in the corridor Holliday closed the door over and decided to turn left. As she started walking, she quickly realised that she wasn’t sure where she was going. “I need a plan.”
Lost in thought Holliday turned a corner and saw two men wearing suits and sporting crewcuts standing looking around. Trying not to draw attention to herself Holliday stopped and slowly reversed around the corner. Once round the corner she turned and scurried back the way she had come. There was a crosswalk approaching and caught a glimpse of a woman stepping through. “Delanie.” She would recognise her anywhere. Were those footsteps behind her? Hurrying up Holliday went round the corridor and saw a door close. A glance over her shoulder and the two men in suits were walking down the corridor. Not having an actual plan Holliday scurried down to the door that had closed and she banged on the door. No answer. Knocked again. A nervous glance at the crosswalk.
“Alright! Where is the fire?” Delanie said from inside the door. “Minute.” Another knock. Just as a suited leg appeared Holliday heard the door open and without waiting for an invitation bundled her way into the cabin and closed the door behind her and lent on it. “Holliday?” She turned and pressed a finger to her lips. “What are you up to? Did Maddison send you?”
“No,” Holliday whispered as she turned around. Taking a step forward Holliday tripped on a shoe and crashed into Delanie. They ended up a tangle of limbs on the floor with Holliday on top of Delanie. Red faced; Holliday didn’t know where to look. “Uuumm…” The two women took a second to untangle themselves and stand up. There was a slight awkwardness.
“To what do I owe the honour?” Delanie had a smile on her face.
“Doctor Gates is in trouble,” Holliday blurted out.
“What do you mean?” Delanie was suddenly concerned. After her unexpected visitor had explained Delanie grabbed her purse and hat and headed for the door. “They will be expecting you so best you stay here whilst I look around.”
“Try places below decks…be careful…” The door to the cabin closed. “So pretty, so brave…” Holliday swooned rather than sat down on a chair.
Below deck, an hour later
Maddison groaned as she started to regain her senses, slowly. Her head pounded but she forced herself to open her eyes. As her groggy eyes cracked open, blurry shapes of shadow and light came into focus. She was in some kind of storage room in the bowels of the ship. There were boxes lying around both individually and in stacks plus there was a distinct smell of oil and grease. The walls were painted off white and pipe and cables ran everywhere. “mmpphh…hhuutt…” Maddison noted the door in the corner and instinctively tried to get up before realising that she couldn’t from her position on the floor. “grrggddhh mmoohh uuhhct.” Maddison groaned, both surprised, and unsurprised at discovering that she was bound and judging by her inability to form words properly, gagged. Cold steel around her wrists old her that cuffs were placed around them, trying to move them forward there was a clinking noise as the metal of the chain between the two cuffs hit something solid. “mmoohh…” Her wrists were cuffed the other side of a pipe, she couldn’t move. A glance down informed her that her ankles were tied with rope. There were further loops of rope around her legs in three positions, just below and above the knees and around the thighs. All very tight, knotted and well-tied. “uummppff…” The gag. Mouth stuffed with something soft and silky. Using her tongue Maddison investigated, the fabric had a taste as well, flowery. “oohhmm…” Silk scarves! That was it. A couple stuffed in her mouth and another folded into a band and tied over her mouth to prevent the packing being expunged. Maddison tried rubbing the scarf from her mouth but it was almost welded in place. Then she tried shuffling up and down, trying to find a weak point in the pipe. Again. Nothing doing. “AARRGGHH!” she screamed in frustration. Not getting free of her own accord. All she could do know was wait to be rescued. God! She hated this bit!
Below deck, an hour later
“I don’t suppose you have seen a beautiful, tall woman with long auburn hair…it kind of cascades down from her head…she has deep, green eyes that you can lose yourself….” Delanie caught herself and looked at the short man covered in dirt and grime. He looked perplexed. Maybe he didn’t speak English. The man shrugged before turning and walking down the passageway. Delanie looked around. It was more cramped down here than above decks. She had been looking around for almost two hours and nobody she had asked had seen Doctor Gates. She had checked a couple of cupboards but no stunning archaeologists stashed away. Walking along the passageway Delanie tried a door. It was locked. She sighed in disappointment. The next door opened “Doctor Gates.” Nobody inside. The next door was locked again. The fourth door opened and.
“MMMPPPFFFHHH!” a muffled cry filled the room. Delanie stepped into the room and looked around.
“I found you Doctor Gates.”
“mmeesshh…uummppfff…” Maddison strained against her bonds but Delanie just stood there for a couple of seconds taking in the view. “vvuuhh…uunneeii…uumm…”
“Yes, oh…sorry…” Delanie knelt down. “Let me just get these rope…” As the young reporter started to pick at the knot on the rope around Maddison’s ankles a figure approached Delanie from behind. “MMPPGGHH! OOHHMM!” Maddison screamed into her packed mouth, trying to warn the young reporter.
“I am going as fast as I can…” Delanie replied, oblivious to the oncoming danger, “if you stop squirming and be quiet that would hhEELLMMMPPFFF…”
“mmhhuumm…” Maddison groaned as she watched Jose grab Delanie from behind and clamp a thick white cloth over the reporter’s nose and mouth.
“MMMPPPFFFHHH!” Delanie screamed into the cloth. Maddison looked on with interest and had to admit that the young reporter put up a hell of a fight against her larger assailant and the chloroform that was obviously on the cloth. However, the outcome was inevitable and after Delanie had inhaled enough of the fumes, Maddison could see the reporter’s struggles subside, then her eyes lost focus and glazed over. The end came quickly then as Delanie went limp and sagged into Jose’s arms. The man grinned from ear to ear as Delanie moaned into the cloth just before her eyes closed. He then let go and let the young woman fall to the floor.
Below deck, an hour later
Delanie looked at Maddison. The bound and gagged woman glared at her over the band of blue silk over her mouth. The young reporter head was a little sore and she was lying on the cold steel floor of the room that they were in. Her wrists were tied behind her back with rope with more rope wrapped around her ankles, just above and below the knees and around the thighs. Her mouth was packed with sift fabric and something, she surmised a silk scarf to match Maddison’s gag, was tied tightly over her mouth. These people who liked to tie up women really went to town with the ropes! Delanie could tell that Maddison wasn’t best pleased with her. Caught like an amateur sleuth and knocked out by a thug wielding a chloroform-soaked cloth. What a cliché! “mmoozziiee…uuhhmm…” Delanie moaned and shrugged her shoulders as much as he bonds would allow. She then spent a solid three-quarters of an hour trying and failing to wriggle free of the ropes. It didn’t work. All that accomplished was an increased heart rate and a sheen of sweat. The bonds remained firmly in place.
As she watched the younger woman squirm disinterestedly Maddison caught something that reflected light on Delanie’s head. Was that a hairpin? “mmupphh…mmeerree…” Maddison signalled with her head, suddenly alert. A questioning was the response from the bound and gagged reporter. “mmoovvrr…uummgg…” Maddison tried again.
“oohtt…oouuhh…aayymmhh…” Delanie shrugged again. Maddison rolled her eyes and stamped her feet. Then she pointed her toes at the bound reporter and flicked her feet toward herself. She twisted around and tried to show Delanie her hands.
“mmuupphh…mmuupphh…”
“aahhoohhmm…” Delanie’s eyes lit up as she got what Maddison was getting at and started to crawl across the floor until she was next to the secured archaeologist. With Maddison restricted in movement by the pipe and Delanie by the ropes it took some time and a lot of contortion but eventually Maddison held the hairpin lightly between the thumb and forefinger of her right hand. Now all she had to be was concentrate and pick the lock on the cuffs rather than drop the hairpin. This could be their one chance of escape.
Above deck, an hour later
It was a dishevelled pair that slipped through the door and into Delanie’s cabin after managing to get free of their bindings. It had taken Maddison some time to pick the lock of the cuffs around her wrists but she had managed it by feel alone. As they entered the cabin Holliday rose from the chair that she had been sitting in and approached them with arms spread wide. “I am so glad that you are safe.” Maddison open her arms to accept the hug but Holliday slipped by her and embraced Delanie.
“Thanks,” Maddison mumbled as a clearly uncomfortable Delanie tried to extricate herself from Holliday’s crushing embrace.
“What do we do now?” Delanie asked as she peeled Holliday off her. “They are bound to come looking for us.”
“I think that it is time to have a chat with The Captain.”
The following afternoon
“Looks like I have a story for the paper,” Delanie was beaming. “My first byline and probably close to the front of the paper as well.” A crowd of passengers had gathered to take in the show. Once they had explained the situation to The Captain, he had radioed ahead to alert the local police who were there to meet the boat. Then he had allowed them to stay in his cabin until they reached port.
“Congratulations,” Holliday said as she stared at the reporter. “Maybe we should get a drink to…"
“We have other things to do Holliday,” Maddison interrupted, giving her friend a colleague a stern look. They all watched as Julio Rodriguez, Maria Rodeiguez, Jose and another two goons were led down the gangway in handcuffs by local police. The Cross of Coronado safe in her bag Maddison couldn’t resist a wave as Julio growled at her. “I wonder who they were here to meet?”
Two figures watched from the shadows a safe distance way. A tall man wearing a Panama style hat stood beside a dark-haired woman wearing a flowing dress and sandals on bare feet. The man seemed amused by what he had just witnessed. “I like the look of this Maddison Gates. Her reputation is well deserved. Brains and bravery. Also, her beauty may even surpass yours my dearest Astra.” The woman snorted a derisive response. “Did we recovered the artifact before the authorities arrived?”
“Yes,” Astra replied.
“Good, good,” the man wrapped an arm around the woman’s waist and started to lead her away before attention spread out from the main event. It wouldn’t do to end up having to answer questions at this point in time. “She could prove to be a worthy adversary.”
“Do you want me to take her out?” the man laughed gently as shook his head.
“Astra, I admire your dedication and thoroughness but that would cause a scene. I assume that Gates has no idea what the other artifact was?” Astra nodded. “Then we have nothing to worry about. I suggest that we enjoy the remainder of the cruise.”
[mention]mrjones2009[/mention] with Maddison B. Gates you created a wonderful new character. I liked her first appearance - but this one was even better in my personal opinion. And that devious cliffhanger at the end? Nicely done! I can hardly wait for Maddison´s next adventure.
Thank you for posting. Please gender tag your stories.
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mrjones2009
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No problem, straight the point [mention]Veracity[/mention]
Thank you!
Thank you!