EXTRACT FOR
Abducted and Imprisoned
(Miranda Birch)

An hour or so later, the Volvo slid quietly into the underground garage. 



With a gun at his back, Roger was escorted to a non-descript door. The blonde unlocked it. 



"In," she said. 



Natalie emphasised the order by kicking Roger sharply in the backside. With a gasp he stumbled in, followed by the women. 



There were in a long, dimly-lit corridor, with doors here and there on the far side. 



"Hands behind your back," said Linda. 



Then Roger felt the cold steel of handcuffs on his wrists. Fear gripped his guts like a wrench. Already he had been recaptured. So soon! And by a couple of girls! Except... this surely wasn't standard police procedure... 



"You... you can't do this to me," he said weakly. 



"Oh shut up, you stupid oaf," rasped Natalie. "We can do just whatever we like with you." 



"Drug-smuggling, wasn't it?" asked Linda. 



Roger blanched. So they knew that too. 



"Fifteen years, wasn't it?" Linda continued. 



Roger said nothing. 



"And out in under ten, most likely," said Natalie. "Having lived the life of Reilly inside, at the expense of the State. 



Roger stood silent, gawping at them. What? Had they any idea what it was like inside? He opened his mouth to speak, but the blonde cut him off. 



"This lady's sister died of an overdose," said Linda. "She doesn't look too kindly on drug-smugglers." 



"They should be punished, not pampered," said Natalie fiercely. 



"And I whole-heartedly agree," said Linda. 



"In short," continued Natalie, "we are going to take over where the State left off. Or rather, didn't even bloody start." 



"W-what do you mean?" quavered Roger, getting a word in at last. "T-Take over?" 



"We mean," said Linda, "that we are taking you over. You are no longer a State prisoner. You are now our prisoner." 



"You... you can't do that!" protested Roger. 



"We've done it," answered Natalie flatly. "No one knows you are here and no one ever will. You will be an escapee, missing presumed dead." 



She gave a thin, cruel smile. 



Roger was beginning to feel, and look, scared. These women must be crazy. But they didn't look it. They looked sophisticated and wealthy and seemed to know exactly what they were doing. It was weird. Was there any possible way out, he wondered? 



"you are going to learn what being punished truly means," said Natalie. "You are going to pay for your filthy crimes." 



Roger gulped. Talk about out of the frying pan and into the fire! He had had enough of this bloody lark. And, when all was said and done, you couldn't just kidnap people! He just had to let them know he was not going to play along. 



"I'd like to be taken back to the Prison," he said firmly, and drew himself up. 



Natalie smiled unpleasantly. Linda laughed out loud; a cold laugh, as cold as her eyes. 



"I dare say you would," she said. "you should be so lucky!" 



Roger decided not to press the point. Best to keep going, and try to reason it out with them. 



"How... how long are you going to keep me here?" he asked nervously. 



"For just as long as we want," replied Natalie. "Weeks, months, years. It makes no difference." 



She shrugged. 



Roger's voice was a harsh whisper as he managed: 



"But... but -- you can't do that!" 



Both women just laughed at that. They didn't seem to deem it worthy of a reply. 



Should he jump them, wondered Roger? Even with wrists cuffed, he might be able to overpower them -- head-butt them into insensibility, use his feet, whatever. Wasn't it worth a try? 



As if sensing his thoughts, Linda came right up close to him. He saw then felt her fulsome breasts pressing against his chest. Even in this predicament, he experienced a stab of lust. What he would do to her if... 



"In case you're thinking of trying anything..." Linda whispered into his ear -- and then, swiftly stepping back a pace, the edge of her palm cracked suddenly and without warning into the side of Roger's neck. The blow felled him instantly. Lying there, half-stunned, It felt like he's been whacked with a two-by- four! He felt paralysed all down that side. He looked up to see the voluptuous, long-legged blonde looking down at him contemptuously. 



"I think you ought to know we are both Karate experts. Black belts, as it happens." 



Roger closed his eyes hopelessly. He felt too weak to get off the floor. But by degrees he recovered from the blow he had received. It had indeed been a timely warning to him not to attempt any violent action. 



"Shall we put him away for the night?" asked Linda. 



"Might as well," said Natalie. "We can introduce him to his new regime tomorrow. On your feet, tough guy!" 



Somehow, Roger managed to stagger upright. He was a bit dizzy, and swayed to and fro. The women were looking at him coldly, as if he were an object rather than a human being. 



Then, to his surprise, a steel panel in one of the wall slid up. He was pushed through and found himself in a small passageway. it smelt musty and cellar-like. 



He was frog-marched along the passageway and through a cell-like door. 



"This will do for tonight," said Natalie. 



Roger found himself in a kind of police cell, A small, bare one. Very small, hardly bigger than a wardrobe. Stone floor, plank bed: nothing else. Natalie shoved him on to the boards and he sat down heavily. 



"Sleep well!" she said. 



"Happy dreams!" added Linda. 



The two women swung out of the cell, the light went out and the door slammed. Roger heard a key turn in the lock.