Pulling out of the driveway I put the car in gear and head for the highway.
"I cannot believe you did that! What the hell were you thinking, Jessica? Haven't I been nice to you all damn day? Haven't I?! And still you kick me down and try to get away. I thought you had better sense than that for God's sake. There is no way I can ever trust you again can I?"
Of course, I'm not going to get any answer out of her. She's way too concerned with how she's tied at the moment to answer me. Not to mention the towel is doing its job of keeping her quiet.
"Everything I've done since this started has been with your comfort in mind. Did you not understand that? The whole thing is supposed to be fun, Jessica. There is nothing fun about getting kicked into a wall. Nothing. And you'd better hope that by the time this ride is over that I'm in a better mood than I am right now. Otherwise that hogtie you're in will seem like a damn picnic."
It had to be the eyes. Those gorgeous, blue eyes that made me trust her enough to leave her halfway untied in the bath for a few minutes. They looked wary and confused and fooled me into thinking I had her under compliance for the next phase of the game.
She shouldn't have been a sports reporter. She should have been an actress. Well, I won't have to worry about her eyes fooling me for awhile. As long as she's wearing that blindfold there's no way her eyes can fool me again.
I stopped at the all night rest stop about two hours into the trip. The nearly empty lot meant I could check on her quickly without being disturbed. I opened the door and found her still on her stomach the way I'd put her leaving the house. The bonds were still fairly snug but I pulled the rope from her ankles just a little tighter and retied it.
A small moan from under the gag had me tightening that too before I pulled closed the cover that stretched over the storage area. It probably made her hot, but I didn't care. I'd just rather no one find her while I grab a quick bit to eat and a cup of coffee. The day's work and all this travel was starting to tire me out.
My original plan had called for driving all the way to the cabin with no stops. It also had Jess stretched out in a more comfortable position than she is right now. Well, as she's so easily demonstrated since the whole shebang started, plans change.
Right now, I needed to stretch out and grab some energy. So I got my order at the counter and found a private booth to take out the laptop I'd brought in with me. Turning it on, I brought up the rules document I'd downloaded earlier.
Quickly scanning through it, I checked to see that I had stayed largely within the rules so far. I'd broken a small one by untying her legs to use the bath and had paid for it in spades.
Then I noticed something that I'd missed before.
Kidnap victim is encouraged and expected to try an escape attempt as soon as the game begins for her.
Didn't that set a light bulb off in my head the size of a spotlight!
I have got to read these things more carefully. And I would, once I got back to the cabin with Jessica. For now, though, it's time to get back to the truck and get back on the road.
In the lot I released the storage cover and tossed the laptop in the backseat. Jess was still pretty secure so I left her like that. The trip and the rules might be deflating my anger, but that still doesn't mean she shouldn't be punished.
Her head was turned to the side on the floor and I ran my hand over her hair softly. She didn't stir, so I lifted her head and placed a small blanket under to cushion her as she slept.
Getting into the driver's seat I turned on the radio to keep me company for the rest of the trip. The noise and the coffee would keep me awake since I couldn't talk to Jessica.
The next two hours passed in an easy fashion with next to nobody on the road with me. I pulled up to the cabin at about 4:30am. Getting out, I stretched and then grabbed the bags out of the backseat. I left everything just inside the front door and opened the back door to get Jess out.
Reaching down I undid her legs from the tight hogtie stretching them out. Then I picked her up, throwing her over my shoulder, leaving one arm free to handle the doors into the house.
Placing a pillow under her head as I lay her down on the bed, I take a good look at her. Under her blindfold she looks a little flush and her legs give a slight shudder as I run my hands down to rub out the last few hours. After a few minutes I lay a blanket over her when I feel her body relax a little and checked that she was breathing easily enough.
A glance at my watch tells me it's a little after 4am and the day's events have me wanting a nice long sleep. So standing up I give her one last glance and then head for my bed stopping only to slip off my shoes before I fall into a peaceful slumber.
I wake up to find the sun blazing through my window and check my watch to see it's going 9:30 now. A little bit of a wash and stretch has me feeling energized for the day ahead as I peek in on Jess.
She's lying off to her side with the blanket a bit twisted around her. Can't tell if she's awake, but it doesn't matter since I'm going downstairs to get breakfast for her first anyway.
Downstairs I fix coffee for myself and a meal of water, juice, oatmeal and toast for Jess. Something light since I'm not sure how much she'll feel up to eating. Putting everything on a tray I also take my digital camera with me to go back upstairs.
Walking into the bedroom I see her turning over again and getting the blanket even more twisted around her as she does. Snapping off a couple pics oddly turns me on as she continues to struggle for another few seconds.
"Hold still, and I'll get the blanket off."
That gets me a yelp and her head looking for the direction of my voice.
"Just relax a minute."
I lift her legs and find the edge of the blanket to pull out from under her and then sit her up using some of the pillows behind her as she sits against the headboard.
"Bend over and I'll take that gag out."
She does and it takes a few tugs to undo the knot at the base of her neck and then a hand on her stiff jaw to pop it out of her mouth. Laying the towel aside I rub her jaw for just a little bit as she sighs in relief.
"Have a bit of water."
I tilt the cup to her lips and she takes a few small sips before trying a full swallow that sets off a coughing jag.
"Easy now. Not so much this time."
When she gets her breath back I tilt the cup again and she drinks in small sips until the glass is drained.
"How's your throat?'
"Dry"
"Sounds it. If you feel up to eating I have a breakfast here that should help with that."
She shrugs her shoulders as I pull the tray over.
"Try some at least. Its just oatmeal, juice and toast."
"Fine, but I can feed myself if you untie me."
"Hah! After last night don't count on it kid."
"At least take the blindfold off so I can see."
"Uh uh, you'll have to earn it."
"You've got to be kidding."
"Nope. Now, how bout some oatmeal?"
"Fine."
We don't speak again as I help her with her meal and she seems to appear appreciative for it.
"I guess I should say thank you."
"You're welcome. Oatmeal doesn't exactly require Emeril like culinary skills does it."
"True enough, but I hadn't realized just how hungry I was."
"That's why I made the oatmeal. It'll fill you up but go easy on your stomach since it had been so long since you last ate. You won't have to wait so long again if you're cooperative."
She nods her head in response.
"Do I have to earn a bathroom break?"
"I think we can say you've earned one already."
Scooping her up we head into the bath where I stand her up and untie her wrists. Then telling her where everything is I step out and wait beside the door until she finishes. Helping her up I retie her wrists crossing them behind her and wrapping the rope in a crisscross manner and cinching the knot between the wrists out of finger reach.
I carry Jess back to the bed and sit her down and then go for a long length of rope that's on the floor.
"What now?"
"Now, you're going back to bed for a bit. You seem tired."
"Gee, I wonder how that happened."
"See? I miss the snappy comebacks you had last night. Maybe after some more rest, you'll have more of them."
"Pardon me for not being in a snappy comeback mood."
"Well, let's see if a nap can't put you back in one. Shall we?"
Before she can answer I peel a strip of electrical tape and plaster it across her lips. Swinging her legs up on the bed I take the rope I grabbed and her elbow. Working as quickly as possible I tie one end just above her elbow and thread it through the slats on the headboard while the rope pulls her back a bit. Bringing the last of the length to her other arm I wind it around and tie it as I did the last time. Laying her back the rest of the way I place a pillow under her head and step back.
"There's enough slack for you to turn on your side if you want, but you won't be getting out of bed until I come get you. I've got some things to do for a bit so you may as well go back to sleep."
Then taking one more strip of tape I apply it over the first and smooth it out good and tight. Taking one last look at her I step out of the room and head downstairs to go over what comes next and grab a good breakfast.
Sitting down at the table with a new cup of coffee and some waffles I bring up my email and find a message from the Abduction Game Site.
Gamekeeper@abductiongame.net
Subject: Acquisition Progress
Game player:
By now you have had several days to prepare and hunt down your assigned target. Please be advised that we require confirmation of your progress thus far. If you have acquired your target then attach confirming pictures with your next response. Per the stated rules also remember to include the address at which you will be keeping your target for the duration of the game.
Thank you for your prompt response.
If it's an update they want then that's what they'll get. I typed out a short response confirming my acquisition and attached the photos of Jessica that I'd taken before getting her up. After double checking the address was in the response and the photos were correct I shot the whole thing off into cyberspace.
With that done, I used Yahoo to open an IM and send a text message to a poker buddy.
"You told me to go get a girl. So I did. And you won't believe what she's into."
That should get his attention when he checks his messages.
Next I opened the net and decided to Google Jessica to see what I could find. Quite a bit as it turns out. Her sheet has her sports casting job listed but didn't mention that she apparently is a high rising star in the field. Pretty good for a girl. Seems she's into her second year of sideline reporting for the NFL and is seen as a decent analyst.
You'd think she'd have an exciting enough life where she didn't need to play this game. Maybe we'll chat about it later.
Closing down the site, I went upstairs and unpacked the bag I'd brought for her and laid out some new clothes for her to change into. Figuring that her jeans and top must be sticking to her pretty good after being worn for so long I laid out and pair of drawstring lounging pants and a long sleeve t-shirt.
Jessica appeared to be sleeping pretty soundly as she hadn't moved at all since I'd entered the room, so I called her name softly and put my hand on her shoulder. She startled and bucked in the ropes as she came around.
"Relax Jess; it's time to wake up."
She settled down, and untied the rope holding her to the headboard. Then I helped her to a sitting position and prepared to remover her blindfold.
"Hold still a minute."
She nodded and I took a pair of scissors in hand and cut through the tape and bandage pulling it away from her eyes and off her hair.
While she adjusted to the light I swept her tousled hair out of her face and used a brush to tame it back.
"You look ready for a change. If you like you can have a wash in the bath and then get out of these clothes."
I got a puzzled look from her in return.
"I will untie you If you agree to behave and not try to escape."
The war I might have expected to see going on in her head didn't appear. She either hid it very well, or was just too tired to try anything and knew it. So her agreement was quick with a nod of her head.
"That nod is binding Jessica. If you try anything, what happens next will be worse than last night. Understand?"
She mewed through the gag and nodded again and I nodded back.
I bent her over just a bit and untied her arms first and then moved down to her ankles and untied them, rubbing them a bit afterwards to get some blood flowing through. I'd like to say she rubbed her own wrists but she left her arms at her sides which left me to remove the tape from her mouth as well. Not that I mind. When the tape was off I rubbed her wrists and shoulders for a minute too.
"Better?"
"A bit. Thanks."
"No problem. I'm going to run you a bath so you can clean up."
"Fine."
When I return a few minutes later she's standing a bit unsteady holding onto the bed and trying to stretch out.
"Need any help?"
"No, I got it."
"Alright."
She slips out of her jeans and undoes her top giving me a full front view of her lacy undergarments. Walking towards the bath she stops right in front of me and waits till I look her in the eyes.
"How long?"
"Not very long. I'll knock on the door and let you know."
She continues on to the bath and turns to look back at me.
"That's not what I asked."
"I know what you asked."
Holding me in her sights a little longer she stands until she's sure I'm not giving her an answer. She closes the door behind her and slips into the tub.
When she does I let out the breath I hadn't know I was holding and went downstairs for a stiff drink.