Sky vs. Spies

Fiction by Frank Knebel

Chapter 12

Joanna Dorrin hung up the phone and surveyed her four prisoners with a faint and definitely unfriendly smile. On the couch, Donna and Myra were still hand-gagging Julie and Copper respectively. Across the coffee table, Deputy Amy Cole glared over her tape gag as the dark-haired spymaster picked up a nail file from the table and calmly smoothed the edge of one fingernail. Summer Smithers nervously watched Donna’s and Myra’s undisguised lust as they embraced the other two captives.

     “Shall we gag them again, Auntie Jo?” Donna asked eagerly, running a hand over Julie’s side. “They make such cute noises when we play with them like that.”

     Joanna filed at her nail for a moment then looked up at the two couples.

     “It is growing late,” she said, “and we want to be up early tomorrow to be ready for Mr. Ryder. I think that it is time for their night gags. Once that is done, put Captain Atkins in my room. I believe that a bed has been prepared for her there. The others you may divide between yourselves as you wish.”

     “Okay, Auntie Jo,” Donna answered. She reached onto the glass-topped table and picked up a white cloth strip with a large knot in the center. “Be a good girl and take this now, Captain. It isn’t nearly as bad as the gag you had all day.”

     She took her hand away from Julie’s mouth and forced the knot between her teeth. Myra did the same to Copper as Donna tied the ends of the cloth at the back of Julie’s neck.

     “These gags with permit freer breathing for the night, ladies,” Joanna announced. “We must have you all alive and well, at least to begin the morning’s work tomorrow. Of course, I would not expect to sleep very well tonight, any of you. I’m sure that my nieces have very exciting plans for you.”

     Julie spoke around her gag. Though she could not speak clearly she obviously said: “You’ll never get away with this.”

     Joanna finished with her nail and brushed away some filings. She smiled at Julie.

     “We shall most assuredly get away with this, Captain. Your friend Mr. Ryder agreed that they had little choice. He has demanded the return of all four of you in trade for the recordings made by your spy balloon. So he shall have you, at least apparently. And as for worrying about your friends, you well might think about the plans I have for you.”

     Amy glared at her again and mumbled something into her stifling ball and tape gag. Joanna bent over her and took Amy’s chin in her hand, forcing the helpless Deputy to look directly into her face.

     “Such loveliness wasted on the police force, my dear.” She turned to her nieces. “Make certain that our pretty deputy is well entertained tonight.”

     Donna ogled the naked, voluptuous Amy.

     “You can count on it, Auntie Jo. I’ll see to it myself.”

     Myra took Copper by the hair and turned her face to Joanna.

     “How about Miss Ryder here?” Myra asked. “Shouldn’t we do something special for her too?”

     Joanna laid the nail file on the table and took Copper’s chin in her other hand.

     “Yes,” she said. “You and your uncle have been major obstacles to our work here. And the best way to get back at him is through you, I think.” She turned to Donna. “Do as you wish, as long as they’re all presentable in the morning.”

     Donna and Myra stood, pulling their captives to their feet.

     “Let’s go, ladies,” said Donna. “The only way for you to get to our rooms is to hop. So let’s get to it.”

     She and Myra applied synchronized slaps to the behinds of both women. Copper and Julie began hopping awkwardly toward the hall. Joanna watched them with amusement.

     “Carry on, girls. I must see Rowlands about the guards.”

     They had almost reached the hallway. Donna stopped and had Myra hold Julie for a moment while she stopped Joanna for a short conference.

     “Auntie Jo,” Donna whispered, “we had some trouble today from Bradford about how we were treating the women. I don’t know if we can count on him.”

     Joanna nodded thoughtfully.

     “And Duncan told me that Rowlands seems to have a soft spot for the deputy. We’ll rely on Duncan if need be. And I doubt if that man Klee has any scruples. He may be useful too.”

     The whispered conversation did not last long, but it was time enough for Amy to turn herself so that she could reach the nail file Joanna had left on the table. The deputy deftly passed it from her right hand, which was crossed over her left, to her more hidden hand and closed her fingers over it. She turned to Summer and found the beautiful rancher looking directly at her. Summer nodded. Amy looked back just as the conference ended. Joanna walked into the hallway leading to the kitchen while Donna and Myra herded their prisoners toward the bedrooms.

     Amy took what comfort she could in the fact that, though they were naked, bound and gagged prisoners, at least they now had a chance.

Sky Ryder looked around the little circle at the others. Sheriff Winchell, Deputy Harry Tyler, his foreman Fred Merrill, and Sergeant Connie Wade were all looking at him intently.

     “You think it’ll work like that, Sky?” asked Tyler

     Sky shrugged.

     “It’s our only chance. We have to assume they’ll be too alert to let anyone follow me.”

     Sheriff Winchell gestured toward the covered bundle near the radio.

     “We’ll have to be fast after they get hold of what they want, Sky. Real fast.”

     Sky nodded.

     “I know.” He looked at his wristwatch. “But we have only a few hours and, unless you can think of a better plan pretty fast, we’d all better use them get some rest before we start.”

     Winchell shook his head.

     “No. I wouldn’t like to try.” He looked at Tyler. “Come on, Harry. We’ve got to get things ready if we’re going to get even a little rest.”

     Sky ushered the two lawmen to the door. He shook hands with them both.

     “I know how much Amy means to you both,” the rancher said. “With luck we’ll have her back tomorrow.”

     “You’ve got a lot riding on this too, Sky,” said Winchell. “Good luck.”

     “And good hunting,” added Sky as the two stepped out onto the porch.

Bradford sipped his coffee and set the cup on the table in front of him. Across the table, Rowlands was reading a baseball magazine. Bradford stared into his cup for a moment.

     “You think this’ll really be Robinson’s last year?” he said.

     Rowlands looked up.

     “Huh?”

     Bradford took another sip of coffee.

     “Listen, Hal,” he said earnestly. “Let’s get out of here while we can.”

     Rowlands laid the magazine on the table. He ran the tip of his index finger around the rim of his own coffee cup.

     “You think things are that bad?” he asked slowly.

     Bradford’s face was still calm and impassive, but there was urgency in his voice.

     “Ten men, Hal. We’ve lost ten men on this job. Now we’re going to try to swap those women hostages for that Air Force stuff with five of us against Ryder and the Sheriff and all his deputies. And you know what the other men are worth.”

     Rowlands nodded wearily.

     “Duncan’s worthless. He’s got a yellow streak a mile wide. I’d bet he’s the one who lost his head and pulled out on Wilke today. Klee’s not much better. I don’t know much about Lynch, but that’s sure not much to have going against Ryder and the Sheriff.”

     “Exactly,” said Bradford. “And what is this secret stuff we’re trying to get hold of?”

     “Search me,” Rowlands said with a shrug. “The Dragon Lady said it was a new gadget they use for tracking weather systems. She said that some foreign government would pay a lot for it, but that was probably a lie.”

     “She’s crazy too. And her nieces are even crazier.”

     Rowlands nodded.

     “I know. Crazy and perverse too. But they’re paying a lot.”

     Bradford checked his watch.

     “Klee and I go on guard in about three hours. When it’s time, wake me up and we’ll clear out. Klee’ll sleep through it. We’ll be miles away before sunup.”

     Before Rowlands could reply the door to the outside opened and Duncan, bundled up in a thick jacket, entered.

     “What’re you doing here?” asked Rowlands irritably. “Your shift isn’t over.”

     “Lynch and I need some coffee,” he replied. He took two mugs from the counter and crossed to the pot on the stove. “It’s cold out there.”

     Duncan poured coffee, glancing wistfully at the closed door leading to the living room. “Sure wish I could see what was goin’ on in there.” He lowered his voice. “The boss and her nieces had all four of those women bare-ass naked and all tied up.” He smiled and shook his head. “That’d be somethin’ t’ see. And now they’re takin’ ‘em t’ bed.”

     Rowlands looked disgustedly at Duncan. Bradford stood up.

     “I gotta get some sleep before my shift,” he said. He looked at Rowlands. “Think about what I said.”

     Rowlands nodded. Bradford left by the door Duncan had entered.

     “Wouldn’t ya like t’ see what they doin’ to ‘em?” Duncan said with a leer.

     “You’re quite the ladies’ man, aren’t ya, Duncan?” Rowlands asked sarcastically.

     He did not hear Duncan’s reply, lapsing into deep thought as he sipped his coffee.

“There,” said Myra, as she finished her work. “Nice and tight for the night. Snug as a bug and twice as horny, I hope.”

     She looked down at Copper on the bed. The blonde was hogtied again, her nude form faced to the middle of the bed. The much less mouth filling cleave gag was still in place.

     “Whu’re ‘oo ‘onna ‘oo?” grunted Copper.

     “Oh, I’m not going to do everything, Copper,” Myra said sweetly as she untied the halter top fastening at the back of her neck. “We’re going to do this together. We’re going to have a night of pleasure with each other.”

     She let the halter fall, baring her own sizable and shapely breasts. She ran her hands over them, massaging them then playing for a few seconds with her hardening nipples.

     “Won’t that be fun?” she whispered.

     Copper made a face.

     “ ‘A’un ‘oo ‘ad eduh?” she mumbled.

     Myra removed the halter and slipped her shorts and panties off together. She slid into bed, taking the helpless Copper in her arms.

     “I never get enough,” she sang in a husky whisper.

“Well, ladies, I hope you’re enjoying the accommodations so far,” said Donna.

     She began knotting a rope that led from Summer’s ankle bonds to the post at the foot of her bed. The lovely rancher was on her side at one edge of Donna’s bed, facing the middle of the mattress and fully stretched out by the line Donna was finishing and another line that led from the back of her chest loops to the post at the head of the bed. Summer had to turn her head as far as she could to look over her shoulder at her captor. Her gag, like Amy’s, had been changed to a thickly knotted cleave gag to allow for easier breathing for the night.

     Across the bed from her lay Deputy Amy Cole bound stretched out exactly as Summer was, only resting on her opposite side so that both prisoners faced the middle of the bed.

     “I can’t tell you what a pleasure it’ll be for me to sleep between you two tonight,” Donna continued. “Just to think of all those lovely breasts and other goodies that’ll be within easy reach.” She leaned over the bed and stroked both women on the breasts. She giggled. “I get all hot and bothered just thinking about it.”

     Amy glared briefly at the blonde, but was careful not to hold the glare for too long, lest Donna take it as a challenge. Behind her back, Amy was sawing at her wrist bonds with the nail file she had taken from the coffee table. She was making good progress, and the last thing she wanted was to draw Donna’s attention enough for a careful inspection of her prisoner.

     “My cousin’s only woman enough to handle one girl, and the girl has to be all tied up,” said Donna in a mock confidential tone. She stooped over the chair to the dressing table and picked up a number of ropes piled there. “So I’m going to see how she does with things evened up a little.”

     She put a finger to her lips.

     “Shhh,” she mock-shushed her two captives. She giggled again. “I know I can count on you two not to give it away. This’ll just be our little secret.”

     She quickly stripped off her bandeau top, cut-offs and panties. With the ropes in hand, she left the room. Summer looked eagerly at Amy. The Deputy nodded and sawed harder at her bonds.

Joanna Dorrin pulled the hogtie rope very tight so that Julie’s hands and feet almost touched. But she was not through yet. She fashioned a blindfold from a scarf and bound it over the officer’s eyes. Then she threaded a rope around the blindfold tie near the knot and connected that to the rest of the hogtie. Julie mewed in discomfort as her body was forced to arch toward the center from both directions. Joanna regarded her helpless prisoner with cool amusement.

     “I shall soon add a rope through what you American women delicately call your ‘private area’ as well, Captain,” she announced. “It will not be connected to the hogtie ropes, but it should add sufficiently to your discomfort. Now, shall we begin the questions?”

     Julie tried to say something around the cleave gag, but Joanna pressed her hand over Julie’s mouth to prevent it.

     “Now, Captain Atkins, from the condition of the balloon lines, it is obvious that you have recovered the instruments attached to it.”

     She did not remove her hand from Julie’s mouth. Despite the cruel hogtie, the helpless woman managed a slight nod.

     “Good. Would you be so good as to tell me where they are now?”

     She took her hand from her prisoner’s lips.

     “I ‘own oh, uh ih I ‘ig, I ‘oon ‘ell ‘oo,” Julie struggled to reply.

     “Commendable spirit, Captain,” Joanna said, slapping Julie’s bare behind. She tipped the bound woman onto her side and slipped a doubled rope around her waist. “Just between us, I know that Mr. Ryder has them, but I do enjoy going through the motions of this.”

     She fed the free ends of her doubled rope through the ‘lark’s head’ to complete a rope belt around Julie’s waist. She then pulled the ends tight and, with difficulty, passed them between Julie’s closely bound legs. She pulled this line tight, noting with satisfaction Julie’s reaction to having her the ropes drawn through her crotch. After anchoring the free ends at the back of the belt, Joanna examined the helpless woman again, running a fingertip along the new rope at her waist and down into the dark thatch between her legs.

     “I like the look of the white rope exactly dividing your pubic hair. You are a beautiful woman, Captain. I shall enjoy your discomfort, and discomfort, as I told you earlier, is the key.”

“Oh, come now, Miss Ryder. Don’t struggle so much.”

     Myra raised her head from Copper’s breasts and looked her captive in the eyes.

     “You can’t possibly escape or fight me off. Why not just relax and enjoy yourself?”

     Copper was about to attempt a reply when she saw the door to the room swing quietly open. Donna, carrying an armload of rope, appeared. Thinking that Donna had come to bind her more securely, Copper glared at the brunette beside her. Myra looked back, puzzled. Copper raised her eyes to Donna. Myra realized too late that someone was behind her.

     “Surprise!” Donna called softly as she sprang on her dark-haired cousin, pinning her on the bed. As Copper watched, fascinated, the two wrestled beside her, Myra alternately protesting and giggling as her cousin gradually gained the upper hand.

When the ropes around Amy Cole’s wrists finally parted, the comely deputy could not suppress a gagged exclamation of delight. She could see the excitement in Summer’s eyes across the bed. The rancher tried to turn and look over her shoulder to see if any of their captors had returned. Amy was keeping watch on the closed door as well. She reached up to begin cutting her upper arm bonds. Her legs would be next. When she had freed herself and Summer they would have to find some clothes and a way out of the house. They had not escaped yet, but it was a beginning.

“There.”

     Donna tied the ends of the knotted cleave gag behind Myra’s head, gave her a light swat on the behind and stepped back to admire her work. She had managed to bind her cousin’s wrists behind her and tie her ankles together side by side. Myra rolled over on her back and looked up Donna. Even in the darkness, Copper could tell that Myra’s glare was a good-natured one. The brunette seemed to be smiling around the cleave gag. She mumbled something at Donna.

     “Oh, of course that’s not all,” said Donna. “I’m going to tie you a lot more before I’m done.” She looked at Copper. “Confused, Miss Ryder? You can probably tell that Myra and I like to play games with girls who’re all tied up. But we also like this game too. Myra likes it more than I do, but we play this from time to time.”

     She picked up another rope and started tying Myra’s legs just above the knees.

     “You see, my cousin has some of the good girl in her. And everyone who’s ever read one of those girl detective mysteries knows that every now and then the good girl gets captured, sometimes with a friend. So this’ll give Myra a chance to play that game. You two are the girl detectives who’ve fallen into the hands of the evil gang.”

     She finished with Myra’s legs.

     “Sit up now, Honey, so I can do the rest.”

     Myra slid her feet off the bed onto the floor so she could sit up as Donna searched for a long piece of rope. When she found it, Donna began making loops around Myra’s arms and body. Myra closed her eyes and hummed softly into the gag.

     Donna eyed Copper appreciatively.

     “Myra told me how much she enjoyed your little game in the pool today. You’ve got great breasts, and she told me how much she’d like to play tied up with you. We’ll start you off face to face, but later on we’ll reverse. She also told me how hot she got this afternoon thinking about you and your friend tied like that in the car trunk.”

     She knotted the rope ends behind Myra’s body.

     “All ready to be a nice captured heroine?” Donna asked her.

     Myra turned to Copper and made an exaggerated helpless expression with eyebrows raised in the center and pleading eyes.

     “Isn’t she cute?” asked Donna with a giggle.

     Donna helped Myra back into bed. The brunette rolled over to face Copper, grinding her breasts into the little blonde’s. Donna moved the remaining ropes from the chair onto the dressing table and sat backwards on the chair, facing the bound beauties on the bed resting her chin on top of her hands on the chair back.

     “All right ladies. Action!”

Amy sawed at Summer’s ankle ropes as the rancher struggled to disentangle her arms from the ropes around them.

     “This’d be a lot easier with some light!” Summer whispered.

     “I know, but we can’t risk it,” Amy replied. “I’ll help you out when I’ve finished with your leg ropes.”

     “What are we going to do then?”

     Amy pulled the cut ropes from Summer’s ankles and moved up to her knees.

     “Find the others then get out of here.”

     “But we can’t run out in the desert at night naked!”

     “We’ll find some clothes somewhere. There.”

     She severed the knee bonds and pulled the rope ends free. Summer had managed to slip the loosened body loops over her head. She was free. She swung her legs off the bed and stood up. She wobbled for a moment and steadied herself with a hand on the bed. Amy was gathering up ropes.

     “What’re you doing?” asked Summer.

     “We may need these.” On tiptoes, Amy crossed the dark room and slowly, noiselessly opened the door. The hall was dark too. From the next room came sounds of gagged women struggling. Amy signaled summer to follow her.

Copper was amazed at Myra’s agility while bound. The brunette managed to roll the hogtied Copper slightly onto her back, and seemed to be pressing her body at every point at once: knees, pubic mounds, bellies, breasts, and faces. Their gagged mouths met in some form of kiss as Myra groaned into the knotted cloth with the exertion of bound lovemaking. Copper tried to avoid the kisses but, being hogtied and much less mobile, she was only partly successful. There was no use telling her to stop, so Copper kept trying to slide away, wondering how much longer Myra could keep it up.

     After a few minutes Donna stood up.

     “Ready to switch?” she asked her cousin.

     Myra nodded eagerly. Again, she swung her legs off the bed. Donna helped her scoot herself down the mattress a bit. Myra tipped herself over. Her face was now opposite Copper’s crotch. Donna leaned over to help put Myra’s feet on the other end of the bed. Copper was staring into the dark thicket of Myra’s pubic hair. The girl groaned, wondering what she would have to do to satisfy her captors. Then over Donna’s shoulder she saw the door quietly opening.

     “This ought to be a lot more inter---“

     Donna could not finish the sentence before Amy and Summer were on her.

Copper tied a scarf over Donna’s eyes.

     “There,” the girl whispered. “Now you two can play a great game of ‘Captured Girl Detectives.’ And it’ll be fair, ‘cause you’ll both really be trying to get free.”

     Amy looked curiously at Copper.

     “ ‘Captured Girl Detectives’?” she asked.

     Copper nodded. “That’s what they were making me play when you two interrupted us. Thanks for the interruption.”

     Amy, Copper and Summer looked down at the two bound girls on the bed. They had tied Donna as Myra had been bound: hands behind her back, arm and torso ropes, ankles and knees. The gags that the cousins wore now were no comfortable night gags. Their mouths were packed with cloth and wrapped with a couple scarves each. Both women were hogtied and bound together face to face. As a final security measure they were blindfolded as well.

     “I was never so glad to see anyone,” Copper whispered. “How’d you two manage to get loose?”

     Summer pointed to Amy. The Deputy held up the metal nail file.

     “I managed to get hold of this,” she said. She looked down at the writhing cousins. “It may have been a perverse little game, but if they hadn’t played it, we wouldn’t have been left alone for so long and I might not have been able to use it.”

     “Thanks, girls,” said Summer, giving the bound girls a swat on the backside in turn.

     Amy put a hand on the doorknob and turned back to Copper and Summer.

     “You two look for some clothes while I check the rest of the house.”

     The two began opening drawers.

     “And keep it quiet!” Amy whispered.

     The two nodded and continued their work. Amy opened the door quietly and looked out into the dark hallway. She took a tentative step, then began backing into the room.

     Copper looked up from the dresser drawer she had been searching.

     “What’s going on, Amy?” she whispered.

     Amy did not reply. She raised her hands as the door swung open.

     “Well, well, what have we here?” said a woman’s voice.

     Summer and Copper turned. Joanna Dorrin, holding a .38 police-style revolver, stepped into the room. Behind her were Rowlands and Duncan, both with pistols pointed at the girls.

     “Very enterprising, Deputy,” said Joanna. “I assume that you are the one responsible for this little episode.”

     Hearing her voice, Donna and Myra began mewing onto their gags.

“Take care with our friend the Deputy,” Joanna warned Duncan as she began knotting the ropes holding Copper Ryder’s hands behind her.

     Duncan seemed to be having difficulty keeping his tongue from hanging out as he tied Amy Cole’s wrists behind her back.

     “Oh, I’ll take good care of her all right,” said Duncan. He pulled hard on a knot, causing Amy to straighten up. He took advantage of her slight backward movement to press against her from behind. As Joanna took another rope and moved on to tie Summer’s hands, Duncan took a longer length of rope and reached around her, brushing his hand against one of Amy’s breasts. She looked back at him in disgust, but said nothing as he looped her arms and body.

     Rowlands lowered the gun he had been pointing at Summer and took a step toward the bed.

     “What are you doing, Rowlands?” asked Joanna.

     “I thought you’d want me to untie your nieces.”

     She looked at the two helpless, naked beauties bound face to face on the bed.

     “No. That will not be necessary.” She answered his surprised look by continuing: “They have committed the grievous error of underestimating an enemy. A night spent like this will be a valuable lesson to them.”

     Both girls mewed in alarm.

     “I shall come back soon and change their gags to knotted scarves though,” she added.

     Rowlands picked up a scarf and made a gag for Summer. Joanna turned and watched Duncan continuing to work on Amy. The man never missed an opportunity to fondle his beautiful captive. Amy looked at Joanna squarely, saying nothing.

     “What about these three?” Duncan asked eagerly. “Gags for them too?”

     “Of course. Then we shall take them to my room. Hogtie them all, and blindfolds too, I think. We must keep them from any more displays of cleverness. Sunup is not very far away and our pretty guests must be well rested for their friend Mr. Ryder.”

     Duncan pushed a knotted scarf into Amy’s mouth and pulled the ends behind her head. He quickly tied a knot then rested one hand on Amy’s shoulder. The other hand was hidden.

     “Let’s go, Deputy,” he said.

     Amy gave a little yelp from some kind of lascivious touch he gave her from behind.

     “Enough of that,” Joanna said sternly as she knotted Copper’s gag. “Our prisoners must be well cared for, if we are to get what we want for them.”

     She gave Copper a little push. The petite blonde led the way out of the room escorted by Joanna. Amy and Duncan were next, followed by Summer and Rowlands. Rowlands stopped to turn off the light, but could not help smiling at the Donna and Myra, naked and bound on the bed, before he did. He swung the door shut.

Sky Ryder headed north in the Hummingbird, noting that he was just passing the general area where he had helped foil Julie’s abduction in a laundry truck a few short days before. He was on the same type of mission again. In the seat beside him, tucked into a knapsack, were the instruments he had recovered from the fallen Air force balloon, which he hoped to trade for the freedom of Julie, Copper, Summer and Deputy Cole. But could the woman with whom he had spoken on the phone be trusted? How could someone who betrayed the country be trustworthy? In the end, he had no choice. He had to win the hostages’ freedom before… His right hand dropped to his revolver in the holster by his side.

     He continued north for several minutes. It was an hour past sunrise and the morning light was already strong enough to spot the two cars parked a few yards off the highway below. One car was black, the other dark gray. There were three men standing by one of the cars.

     Following the instructions the woman had given him over the phone, Sky prepared to land.

Sky stopped the plane some thirty yards from the cars. He climbed out of the cabin, pulling the knapsack after him. The three men waited patiently beside the black car. Sky got a look at them as he disembarked. They looked vaguely familiar, though he had seen them only briefly and at a distance during the attempted ambush at his ranch. One of them, a stocky, mustachioed man, stood slightly in front of the others, indicating that he was the leader. The other two men were taller. One was very lean with a narrow, sneering face that reminded Sky of a ferret. The other was strongly built with the grave, impassive features of an Indian.

     Sky took the knapsack in his left hand and swung it up on his shoulder, keeping his right hand free to use his pistol if needed. The man with the mustache took a step forward.

     “You got the goods, Ryder?” he asked.

     Sky used his right thumb to point to the package on his left shoulder.

     “Right here.”

     “Bradford.”

     The big, impassive man took out a pair of binoculars and scanned the sky to the south, then the land.

     “No planes and no sign of dust on the road,” he reported, lowering the glasses.

     “Klee,” said the leader. “Check the plane.”

     The ferret-faced man was careful to keep his distance from Sky as he walked to the Hummingbird. The big rancher half turned, not wanting to expose his back to the man.

     “We fell for that trick once,” said the mustachioed man, with the hint of a smile. “So we have to check it out.”

     “There’s nobody in the plane,” said Sky.

     Klee looked inside. He turned and shook his head, then started back to join the others.

     “All right, Mr. Ryder. You know what to do next.”

     “Hey, Rowlands,” said Klee. He pointed to the pistol on Sky’s hip. “Are we gonna let him keep that?”

     Rowlands looked steadily at Sky for a moment. He shrugged.

     “He can keep it if he wants it. As long as he knows what’ll happen to his niece and the others if he tries to use it.”

     “I brought what you want,” said Sky, patting the knapsack. “And I’m not fool enough to try to shoot it out with all of you.”

     Rowlands nodded. He started to turn to the car, but stopped to look back at Klee.

     “Maybe you’d like to try to take it away from him.”

     Klee looked at Sky. The lean man nervously licked his lips, then shook his head.

     “Nah. Let him keep it. Let’s get going.”

     Rowlands turned with a little smile at Bradford.

     The three men got into the black car, Klee driving. Sky put the knapsack on the front seat of the gray car and, after checking the back seat, got in behind the wheel. The black car led the way back to the road and headed north. Sky followed.

Duncan entered the living room from the direction of the bedrooms. The drapes over the glass doors leading to the patio and pool were drawn, and Joanna Dorrin stood in the center of the room sipping coffee from a fine china cup.

     “They’re in Donna’s room,” said Duncan, jerking his thumb over his shoulder to indicate the direction. “Both of ‘em tied nice and tight. You want me t’ stay in there and keep an eye on ‘em?”

     Joanna put the coffee cup into the saucer she held in her left hand. One corner of her mouth rose in amusement. “No. That should not be necessary if they are properly secured.”

     Duncan smirked.

     “Oh, they’re plenty secure all right. I hogtied both of ‘em and used the balls to gag ‘em, then I taped their mouths too. They won’t make any trouble, and they sure look nice.”

     The corners of Joanna’s mouth rose a bit more at his transparent lust.

     “Very well. I must check my nieces’ preparations. Go on out and join Lynch on guard.”

     “Yes, ma’am.”

     He strode into the front hallway. Joanna put her cup and saucer on the glass-topped table and went out the patio door, closing and covering it behind her. She was no sooner outside than Duncan’s head reappeared at the hall doorway. Seeing his boss gone, he hurried back across the room to the hallway leading to the bedrooms.

     Amy and Summer lay on Donna’s bed. Both brunettes were nude and thoroughly hogtied: hands bound behind their backs, ropes about their arms and torsos, and their legs, bound at the ankles and knees, bent back and connected to their wrist ropes. Neither hogtie was extreme, but the ropework was quite secure and immobilizing. The knotted cloth strip night gags had been replaced by the balls on rope covered with white adhesive tape, but the women were not blindfolded. Two pairs of eyes, Amy’s clear blue and Summer’s soft brown, looked up as the man entered. Summer lay quiet and unresisting, but Amy continued to writhe and wiggle even after Duncan was in the room. His pale, dissipated face broke into a sickly smile.

     “Is everybody comfortable, ladies?” he asked mockingly.

     Amy said something short and defiant into her gag. Summer turned away.

     “I’m so glad. I want to do all I can to be a good host to you both.”

     Though the words were probably chosen to have the same chilling effect as Joanna’s or her nieces’, coming from Duncan they sounded almost comical, like a child’s imitation of dialogue in a gangster movie.

     Amy said something else into her gag, then growled briefly at the man. He chuckled.

     “I owe you something, don’t I, Deputy?” He unbuttoned his suitcoat and took off, tossing it onto a nearby chair. “Well, I think that it’s time to pay you back.”

     Both women looked up. Though his words had failed to intimidate them, the removal of his jacket made his intention very clear.

     “And when I’m done with you two…”

     He looked about, as though searching for something. Seeing the closet, he stepped over and opened it. Inside were several of Donna’s dresses, some newly returned from the cleaners.

     “Ah. Just what I need.”

     He tore two thin plastic cleaning bags from clothes on the hangers. He strolled over to Amy and pressed the plastic over her face. Amy mewed and protested into the covering. He took it away, leaving the Deputy gasping for breath.

     “Some fun first, then eliminate the witnesses,” he said.

     Both women looked at him. Summer shook her head and pleaded into the gag. Amy looked directly at him but was unable to completely hide her fear.

     “Which of you first?” mused Duncan, reaching up to loosen his tie. “Maybe I should make you watch me with your friend, Deputy. Then we’ll put everything in the bag.”

     He laughed.

     “First a few more ropes on the Deputy here, then we’ll get down to business.”

Klee parked the black car in front of the house. The gray car, driven by Sky, was not far behind. Rowlands, Bradford and Klee got out of the lead car. As Sky climbed out and pulled the knapsack across the front seat with him, he heard Rowlands telling something to the other two. All three of them waited. As Sky worked he looked around. The house was well hidden in a large stand of good-sized pines. At the opposite end of the house, a man, apparently a sentry, stood on the roof of what appeared to be the garage.

     “This way, Mr. Ryder,” said Rowlands, indicating the front door.

     Sky hefted his pack and followed Rowlands, the other two men remaining outside. His guide led him through a small entry hall and into a spacious living room. The furniture looked comfortable and fairly expensive and there were glass doors along one side of the room that obviously opened onto a patio. Seated the couch was a rather tall, dark-haired woman drinking coffee. At his arrival, she put the cup and saucer down on the glass-topped coffee table in front of her. The leaning over gave Sky a good view of the woman’s cleavage, which was well displayed by her low-cut, form-fitting black dress. She crossed her shapely legs and gracefully stretched out an arm to indicate one of the easy chairs across the table.

     “Good morning, Mr. Ryder,” she said cordially. “Please have a seat and be comfortable. Shall I have Rowlands bring you some coffee?”

     “No thank you,” Sky replied stiffly. “This isn’t a social call. We have business to do here. The not very nice business of selling out your country.”

     “I do not think of this country as particularly mine.”

     “That’s pretty obvious.”

     “Oh, do not mistake me for an ideologue, Mr. Ryder. The enemies of the United States hold no charms for me. They are merely paying us well for our work here.”

     “What’s he talking about?” interrupted Rowlands.

     Sky looked up at the man.

     “Didn’t you know, Rowlands?” he asked. “This is about embarrassing the U. S. and making the other side look good in the eyes of the world.”

     Before he could reply, Joanna broke in.

     “You may go, Rowlands.”

     He hesitated. As she watched him, she realized that Rowlands’ hat was not in his hands.

     “I said you may go, Rowlands,” she said, slightly louder.

     Without answering, the man turned and walked to the front door. When he had gone, Joanna looked appraisingly at Sky.

     “I have perhaps underestimated you, Mr. Ryder. Thanks to you I have very few good men left, and now you cause one of them to doubt our mission.”

     “I do what I can,” said Sky. “Since you sent him away, I presume that you have some other way of keeping me from drawing my gun and forcing you to return Captain Atkins, my niece and the others.”

     “How perceptive of you.”

     She rose. Sky quickly stood also. His hand dropped to the grip of his revolver.

     “Draw your pistol, if it gives you comfort, Mr. Ryder. I have no weapon. My movements are merely for your enlightenment.”

     Sky kept his hand on the butt of the revolver. Joanna slowly opened the drapes.

     To his horror Sky saw his niece Copper and Julie Atkins sitting at the edge of a swimming pool. They were at the diving board end of the pool, indicating that the water was deep. Both women were nude, bound and gagged. Beside both sat concrete blocks with ropes tied through the openings and leading to their ankle bonds. Standing behind Copper’s block was a beautiful, bikini-clad brunette. Behind the block next to Julie was an equally beautiful blonde also in a bikini. As one, the two young women pushed the blocks to the edge of the pool. The ends of the blocks were over the edge. Only one small push would be needed to make them drop into the water, dragging their helpless victims with them.

     “You have a weapon, all right,” Sky said grimly.

Rowlands found Bradford standing by the car.

     “What’s up?” the big man asked as Rowlands hurried out.

     “Plenty,” said Rowlands. “The Dragon Lady’s got us involved in sellin’ secrets to the Reds. I never signed on to do any treason.”

     “Me neither,” said Bradford. “What’re we gonna do?”

     “Get out of here. You drive. Where’s Klee?”

     “He’s around the house standing guard near the patio.”

     Rowlands hesitated.

     “It’s every man for himself now.”

     “Let’s go,” said Bradford, running to the driver’s side of the black car.

     Rowlands jumped in the passenger door, closing it only after the car was in motion. Bradford swung the vehicle around the circular drive and headed back down the lane from which they had just come a few minutes before. They were barely onto the narrow path when two men in khaki uniforms appeared to the right of the drive.

     “Deputies!” shouted Bradford, pointing at them.

     Men in similar uniforms were approaching in the trees to the other side of the lane.

     “Looks like the State police,” said Rowlands drawing his pistol.

     Ignoring commands to halt, the car leaped ahead. Rowlands fired at the deputies on his side. He saw wood fly from a tree near them, and one of the men appeared to stumble. The deputies and troopers both opened fire on the car.

     “Keep goin’!” Rowlands yelled.

     A State police car loomed on the opposite side of the lane ahead. In an effort to stop the fugitives, the police driver turned his car sharply to the left, blocking nearly the whole lane. But Bradford also turned his vehicle to the left, putting the driver side wheels onto the narrow, grassy shoulder. Long before the police driver could shift into reverse, the black car was past them. Another police car appeared ahead, but Bradford maneuvered back to the right and got by them as well. The policemen fired a hail of bullets at the fleeing men, but the black sedan continued on its way.

From his post on the garage roof Lynch heard the roar of a car engine and shots being fired. He climbed from the garage onto the higher roof of the house. Below him to his front he could see uniformed men cautiously approaching the rear of the house through the pine grove. He aimed his pistol and fired at the closest pair.

     “Hey, Bradford!” he yelled. “The cops are comin’.”

     He turned and saw more men coming toward him from the side and front of the house. He took aim and fired.

Deputy Andy Rivera ducked back behind a thick tree when the bullet glanced off a smaller pine to his right. Deputy Harry Tyler took cover a few feet away.

     “You all right, Andy?” called Tyler.

     “Yeah, I’m okay. Can you see him?”

     Tyler looked at the house. He heard the man yell then turn and look in all directions. He began firing at someone well to the deputies’ left. Tyler raised his rifle and sighted. He squeezed the trigger. The man stopped shooting and stood very still for a moment before plunging headfirst from the roof.

Joanna Dorrin looked onto the patio, as though somehow that would explain the gunfire around them. Near the pool, Donna and Myra were also looking around, confused and indecisive.

     Joanna turned back to Sky Ryder.

     “So you have brought the police, have you?” She paused and looked at him. She raised an eyebrow and smiled very slightly. “I suppose I should have expected no less from you.”

     She grabbed the handle of the glass door and stepped out onto the patio. Donna and Myra looked at her entreatingly.

     “What do we do, Auntie Jo?” asked Myra.

     Sky Ryder ran to the door, his pistol in his hand.

     “If anything happens to them---“ he began.

     The gate in the wooden fence on the other side of the pool flew open. Klee appeared, also with his gun drawn.

     “The place is swarming with deputies!” he shouted, his eyes wide with fear. “They got Lynch!”

     He stopped when he saw Sky Ryder.

     “Drop it!” the tall rancher commanded.

     Klee fired twice wildly. Sky heard glass break behind him and fired once in reply. Klee fell face forward onto the stone patio. Deputies Tyler and Rivera appeared at the gate.

     Sky turned back to Joanna. She held her hands out to him, palms outward.

     “I would be a fool to continue the violence now,” she said slowly. She turned to her nieces. “Release them from the blocks.”

     The two scantily clad girls reached down and unsnapped the clasps connecting their prisoners’ ankle bonds to the blocks.

     Sheriff Winchell followed Tyler and Rivera through the gate. Deputy Barnes, Deputy MacKeever, Fred Merrill, Dispatcher Sue Kendall and Sergeant Connie Wade were close behind.

     “Where’s Summer?” cried Fred.

     “Check the house, Harry,” ordered Winchell.

     “Right, Sheriff.”

     Followed by Rivera, MacKeever and Merrill he went through the glass doors.

     “Sue, you and Connie can take care of our prisoners here,” continued Winchell.

     “It’ll be a pleasure, Sheriff,” said Sue, drawing some handcuffs from her belt and heading straight for Donna.

     “A double pleasure,” added Connie taking handcuffs from Barnes and looking at Myra.

Duncan had removed his shirt and unbuckled his belt. He was just unbuttoning his pants when he heard the commotion and shooting. Cursing under his breath, he refastened his pants over his sleeveless white undershirt. Taking the gun from his coat, he went to the door and stumbled outside.

     “What’s going on?” he demanded of a man he supposed was Bradford. “You’re getting’ in the way of my fun!”

     Only when the big man turned to face him did Duncan see that it was not Bradford. Without thinking, he raised his pistol. The big man had a rifle at waist level. He squeezed off a shot that dropped Duncan where he stood.

     Fred Merrill took a few steps forward and kicked the revolver from Duncan’s lifeless hand. After checking for a pulse he looked up.

     “Summer! Summer, are you here?”

     He was relieved to hear a chorus of gagged mews coming from one of the bedrooms. Following the sounds he looked through a doorway and found the two women.

     Summer lay hogtied on her side on the bed. Amy was tied to a chair that had been pulled out from Donna’s dressing table. Both women were naked, but appeared unhurt.

     “Summer!” Fred exclaimed as he crossed to the bed and knelt beside her. Gently, he peeled the tape from her face, and untied the ballgag and helped her get it out of her mouth.

     “We’re all right, Fred,” Summer gasped. “But we almost weren’t. That man was going to rape us both then smother us with plastic bags. I just don’t know… If you hadn’t come…”

     She began to cry, unable to continue. The big foreman put his arms around her.

     “It’s all right, darlin’,” he said softly. “I’m here. He can’t hurt anybody now.”

     Deputy Tyler appeared at the door. He watched Summer weep softly on Fred’s shoulder for a few seconds. Amy Cole yelled into the ball and tape gag. Tyler smiled at Merrill.

     “Take care of her, Fred. I’ll get Amy loose.”

     Tyler was smiling, though he tried hard not to show any teeth, as he crossed the room to Amy. He reached into his pocket and studiously unfolded his pocketknife as Amy watched him balefully over her gag.

     “Nice to see you, Amy.” He looked at Summer and back to her. “Had ‘em just where you wanted ‘em, eh? What was your plan?”

     Amy narrowed her eyes more and made a growling sound into the gag.

     Tyler bent over and began peeling the tape from her face.

Joanna Dorrin and her nieces, all with their wrists cuffed behind their backs sat in patio chairs under the watchful eyes of Sue Kendall and Connie Wade. Winchell and Sky waited as the deputies and troopers checked the house and grounds. Through the open gate they could see the sheet covered bodies of Lynch, Klee, and Duncan lying in the yard. Deputy Bob Falk and a State trooper sergeant walked from the lane toward the patio, waiting for an ambulance to pass in front of them before they could cross the drive and report to Winchell.

     “There’s good news about one thing, Sheriff,” said Falk. “Tom Willard’s the only one of our men to be hurt at all. One of them shot at him, but the bullet hit a tree. A chunk of wood broke off and hit him in the arm. The Doc’s looking at him now.”

     “None of our men were hurt either, Sheriff,” reported the trooper sergeant. “But two of them got away. Too bad that they sprung the trap a little early.”

     Winchell shook his head.

     “I really wanted all of them,” he said ruefully. “But these things can’t be helped. Just as long as none of our people got hurt, it’s worth it.”

     Sky Ryder nodded.

     “You said it, Winch. Getting all the women back is the most important thing.”

     Fred Merrill emerged from the house.

     “They’re almost ready, Sky. Amy’s uniform and Julie’s clothes were in the house, but Copper and Summer had to take some of their clothes.”

     With a slight nod he indicated the three prisoners. Sky strolled over to them.

     “It’s a good thing that you didn’t try to harm Julie or Copper,” he said to Joanna. “I suppose I should thank you for that.”

     Joanna looked at him coolly.

     “It was to our advantage to minimize our criminal liability at that point,” she said with a shrug.

     “Did you really intend to do away with them?” Sky asked grimly. “Apparently your man inside meant to kill Amy and Summer.”

     “Duncan was a fool,” said Joanna. “Anything he intended was without my orders or my knowledge. But perhaps I should exercise my women’s prerogative and remain mysterious about what might have happened.” She eyed him appreciatively. “I would like to ask a question of my own. How did you discover our location and set this very expert trap for us?”

     Sky gestured to Fred Merrill.

     “My foreman trailed you here yesterday. The Sheriff and the State police managed to surround the place at a safe distance.”

     She gave him a reproachful look.

     “So you never really intended to trade the instruments for our hostages, did you?”

     Sky smiled and shrugged.

     “We’d have gladly traded them for the girls. Would you care to see?”

     She nodded. He helped her to her feet and escorted her inside to where the knapsack lay on the floor near the coffee table. He lifted the pack, placed it on the table and opened the flaps.

     “You were welcome to it as far we were concerned.”

     The pack was a jumble of bent and twisted metal, broken glass and protruding wires.

     Joanna sighed and shook her head.

     “To think that I stand here arrested and handcuffed over a package of junk.”

     “The spy business is like that some days,” Sky noted dryly.

     The four women hostages emerged from the bedrooms. Julie and Amy had their own clothes again while Summer and Copper wore slacks and blouses belonging to Joanna and Donna respectively.

     “Good as new, Sky,” Copper announced as they crossed to Sky. Seeing Joanna, Copper’s face darkened. “Well, if it isn’t the Countess DeSade again. How’s it feel to be the one who’s tied up for a change?”

     Summer added:

     “And I’m sure you won’t mind if we put our heads together and try to think of some humiliating sexual ordeal for you.”

     Sue Kendall stepped inside the living room.

     “The cars to take the prisoners are here, Mr. Ryder.”

     Joanna Dorrin bowed to the women.

     “You will excuse me, ladies.” She turned to Sky. “And to you, Mr. Ryder, until we meet again.”

     Sue took Joanna by the elbow and guided her back onto the patio. Sergeant Wade and two troopers were already escorting her nieces through the gate. She and Sue followed them.

     Sky and the women strolled onto the patio. Fred Merrill looked hopefully at Summer Smithers. She smiled and ran to his side.

     “Oh, Fred!” she exclaimed burying her face in his shoulder. “You’ve been just wonderful through all this.” She pulled back a few inches and lowered her eyes. “You’ve always been wonderful about most everything. I’ve just been a fool not to notice it.”

     “Well, I’m glad you finally did.” He put a finger under her chin to raise her eyes. “I also hope you noticed that I think you’re wonderful too.”

     He put his arm around her, and together they walked through the gate. Amy Cole followed, glaring comically at Deputy Tyler who was leading a swarm of smiling male deputies.

     “Seriously, Amy,” Tyler was saying. “All tied up with no clothes on, you had them overconfident for sure. But what was your plan?”

     “Oh, Harry!” Amy exploded as the other men laughed.

     Winchell, Julie, Copper and Sky were left alone. Julie looked up at Sky.

     “Well, Sky, it looks as though I’ve got to thank you again,” she said. “And for more than just bringing my mission to a successful conclusion.” She paused. “I once thought you’d ruined my life, but instead I owe it to you. Twice, in fact.”

     “Most folks around here have thanked Sky for something, Captain,” said Winchell. “A lot of them more than once. And that includes me.” He put out his hand. “Thanks, Sky.”

     “Saving a few lives before breakfast is all in a days’ work for Sky,” said Copper breezily as the two men shook hands. “Why I’ve seen him---“

     Sky put his hands on his hips and bent over his niece in a mock glare.

     “And what have I told you about sticking your nose in things where you don’t belong, young lady? You may enjoy being rescued before breakfast, but it’s hard on the rest of us.”

     “Breakfast!” cried Copper. “I’m glad you reminded me. Being bound and gagged all night does wonders for a girl’s appetite.” She slipped her arm through Winchell’s and began pulling him toward the gate. “If we hurry we can still get to Jeb’s in time for the special.”

     She led the Sheriff out into the yard. Sky turned to Julie.

     “Some breakfast for you too, Julie?”

     She nodded.

     “I’ll need some fortification to write my report for General Wheeler. A truthful report.”

     Sky took her in his arms.

     “If you have any trouble with him, I’ll help. During the war, he and I had to stretch the truth a bit for our reports now and then.”

     She laughed, then looked into his eyes. They kissed.

     “Maybe you should just tell him you’re needed someplace besides the Air Force,” said Sky.

     “Am I?” she asked softly.

     He nodded.

     “Permanent duty too,” he added.

     They kissed again. Copper’s voice came from beyond the fence.

     “Come on, you two! I’m hungry!”

     They smiled at one another and went out through the gate.