The present:
Philadelphia, unknown location, around 0900 PM:
It was already dark as Kirsty parked her metallic blue BMW 7 under a few trees at Spring Avenue, a few hundred meters distance from her target. She got out. With a care, which betrayed her long practise, she checked every part of her gear: the black body armour, the combat knife, the HK MK 23 and the MP5SD-N1Submachine gun.
Kirsty put on her full visor helmet and checked the coordinates she was supposed to come. She was ready. Only one thing left to do…. she went around the car and opened the trunk and looked at its content: “Showtime” she said softly, closed the trunk and vanished among the trees, just a shadow among shadows in the dark.
The terrain favoured her: Trees would cover her approach for most of the time. All her senses were on high alert. The floor plans Gloria had sent her had been most helpful. Surprise and deception were key elements of every successful plan.
And she was sure to have a few surprises up her sleeve – and by know she had a shrewd idea, who was behind all this. If she was the right the person who had hired Madame X had one fault: Her arrogance: Her firm belief that she was cleverer than anybody else.
Philadelphia, unknown location, one hour earlier:
Madame X admired her work, not for the first time. It had been hard work: In a first stage, she had plugged the unconscious blonde both ways. Too bad they had not more time to play, Hayley King´s body was alluring in so many ways: Full firm breasts, long perfectly sculpted legs: The blonde looked like one of those antique marble statues. After enjoying caressing Hayley´s smooth skin for a bit she had manhandled her into a nude body stocking. The tightly knotted crotch rope took care that the two intruders stayed where they were – not that Hayley was in any position to get rid of them
Bondage mittens made Hayley´s hands useless. The Villainess had next rendered Haley´s arms immobile: Tight, cinched rope bands welded her arms tightly together behind her back: Wrists, below and above the joint. A very tight rope harness enhanced her already ample bosom. Madame X´s employer had insisted on nipple clamps too.
Then she had restrained the blonde´s endless long legs. From the toes upwards: Insteps, ankles, mid calves, below the joint, above the knees, mid-thigh and under the groin. Madame could not help herself though: she let her hands glide above Hayley´s soft nyloned soles and above her legs “What a dammed shame” she thought to herself. Madame X turned her on her back and cupped the blonde´s breasts with her hands “You have really a pair to die for Hayley” she told the unconscious blonde, whose beautiful features were calm and relaxed.
The dark haired villainess read the instructions for the gag.
Carrie Ann Moss as Madame X
As all other instructions they were most specific:
A very large pair of knickers – ripe and used.
To get the very large ball into Hayley´s unresisting mouth had been hard work “There is still room for one panty more” the Villainess chuckled as she pushed and prodded one of her own used panties in Hayley´s mouth. Now her jaws stood ajar. The rest had been simple: a silk scarf with a very large overhand knot in it. She had pulled so hard, that the knot almost vanished behind the blonde´s teeth.
Once, twice her handler wound the remaining ends of the scarf across the knot, pushing the knot even deeper in her mouth, till she knotted the remaining ends firmly behind her head. Hayley´s face was now forced into an involuntary grimace.
Next Madame X reached into a bag of cotton wool pleats and produced a large wad which she placed at the centre of the silk scarf that had been folded into a wide band.
She picked up the scarf and centred the cotton wool over Hayley’s packed and cleave-gagged mouth, held it in place whilst she took both ends of the scarf and walked behind Hayley. The cotton wool compressed and the two ends were tied firmly together. Madame X took care that the blonde´s long hair was out of the way then pulled it tighter: as tight as it would go.
Then the Villainess picked up another cloth and folded it into a pad, placing it at the centre of another folded scarf. Madame X smiled wickedly as she lined the folded cloth up with where Hayley´s mouth would be and placed it over where the cotton wool was and then tied the silk scarf behind the blonde’s head, very tightly keeping, viciously compressing every other part of the gag, keeping everything snugly and securely in place; the second scarf was tightened, encasing and compacting all of the material over her mouth. “You know Hayley” she spoke to the unconscious blonde “this thick woollen skiing sock I tie on top of your gag is the icing on the cake. Can you imagine how much my feet sweated in those? I did that only for you!” Madame X took extra care that the sole of the sock rested directly under Hayley´s nose.
Next the hogtie ropes: All connected to the crotch rope. The toes connected to Hayley´s long hair. When she would awake, she would be forced to stare straight ahead.
But the Villainess was not finished though: 30 Minutes later Hayley was hanging literally in the air: A hanging hogtie. Ever the consummate professional Madame X had taken care, that the pressure was evenly distributed and the circulation was not impaired. She checked Hayley´s toes and feet: No, the circulation was intact. But Hayley would be in a world of pain, when she awoke, as her employer had instructed: Madame X wondered once more what Hayley had done to deserve this punishment.
“You better hope that Kirsty shows up on time” she told the unconscious blonde ….
Inside Lynnewood Hall present:
Kirsty was pretty sure, her approach had been undetected: the trees had provided good cover: She carefully scanned the east side of the abandoned building. All was quiet. Lynnewood Hall, a 110-rooms Neoclassical Revival mansion had been erected at the end of the 19th Century, which had been vacant for decades.
After waiting another 15 Minutes Kirsty crossed the free space between the trees and the eastside. She pressed herself against the wall and waited: Nothing. Kirsty looked at her watch: She had 30 minutes left. Next to her left five stairs led to the porch and to a large two winged door. The glass was still intact.
Picking the lock posed not a great challenge. Hopefully opening it would not make too much noise. Gently she pushed the door open. It creaked slightly. The sound seemed very loud in the silence. Carefully she crossed the threshold and stepped into the large room, which once probably had been a ball room. Dust covered the marble floor. Her MP at the ready she moved forward, slowly and carefully checking for sensors or booby traps. On the right side there was a doorway leading into the gallery.
Lynnewood Hall: Grande Hall:
Hayley groaned softly into her gag: Its many layers compressed her lower face like a vice and the stench of the sock under nose was awful. She had come around a while ago. It had taken her a while to understand her predicament fully: That she was literally floating into the air, swaying slightly, her whole body ached, every muscle cramped – and the damned vibrators drove her mad. The weights of the nipple clamps pulled her breasts down “I would never have thought that someday I would plead for being restrained in Crawford´s enhanced restraining system, which had been comfortable at least” the American mused darkly She could blink, but that was about the only thing she could do. A leather clad figure stepped into her field of vision: Madame X.
“Poor Hayley, my employer must really hate you” To Hayley´s surprise the villainess seemed not to mock her. She sounded sincere “You know that there is no way out for you. Let me tell you what will happen, when Kirsty comes to rescue you. She will deliver me the jewels and then she believes I will let you go … but that is not about to happen, it never was” Hayley stared unblinkingly at her “Tomorrow morning your transport will arrive, which will deliver you two to my employer. She has plans for you, I am told – I heard the restraining bags are very very comfortable!”
This announcement got a reaction from the tightly trussed up woman. And Madame X was surprised how much her ineffectual struggles caused Hayley´s contorted body to swing in the air, she had to be really upset. “Save your energy Hayley you will need it” the Villainess told Hayley flatly “It´s no use, there is nothing you can do”
From her observation point, in the doorway which led to the Grande Hall Kirsty had followed the one sided conversation, she had clenched her jaws as she had heard the last part of Madame X´ monologue. She should have known: Crawford - but Crawford and Madame X had made a crucial mistake.
Kirsty stepped out of the doorway onto the stairs which led down to the Grande Hall and strode purposefully forward. In the Hall she stood and applauded mockingly “Nicely played Madame X”
The Villainess wheeled around, her gun already in hand and fired, causing Kirsty to take cover behind a column. Kirsty returned the fire “I was a bit early, so I decided to join the party sooner – nice plan you and Crawford have made, but you know what they are saying? There are no perfect plans but only perfect intentions” She risked a look around the column, another fire burst by her opponent, which hit the column and sent splinters flying.
“Give up Kirsty! If you don´t surrender, Hayley will suffer” Madame X made a move towards Hayley, but a long burst by Kirsty forced her to take cover “One step nearer to Hayley and you are finished” - Kirsty smiled deviously “Why don´t you have a look at your tablet Diana? Yes, don´t look that surprised, I know your real name and more, come, look at the link I sent you!”
It was some sort of stale mate: Kirsty could not come nearer, neither could her opponent make a move towards Hayley “I give you one minute”
Something in the Briton´s voice made Madame X opening the link – her face grew pale “This is a hoax, this cannot be true, nobody knows of her … and how? We monitored your communications”
“As I told you Diana, you and Crawford are not as clever as you think. We have secondary protocols in place – shortly, so you wouldn´t know.”
“What know?” Madame X fumed “I still have Hayley”
“You do” Kirsty countered “But the moment you make one step towards her you are dead”
“And know this: Your sister´s air supply is limited: if you try to break open the trunk you trigger a bomb. So listen carefully: We fight. A good old fashioned hand to hand combat:
If you win: You get the jewels, I will give you the codes to save your sister. Refuse that offer your sister dies and I kill you and take Hayley with me. Your choice”
Madame X weighed her options. Who tells me you will not double cross me?”
“Nobody” Kirsty agreed “But it is the best deal you get – and more than you deserve – I offer you a chance to safe your sister”
“Right then” The Villainess weighed her option “I accept – I will kick your ass”
“Be my guest” Kirsty smiled ominously.
Both Women removed laid their weapons on the floor and met in the centre of the Grande Hall. Hayley had followed the exchange with astonishment – and then with relief. She knew Kirsty would have another ace up her sleeve. Since her field of vision was limited Hayley could not see all. She saw Kirsty stepping into the light. Her long auburn hair fell on her shoulders, she winked at her and took care, that she stood between Hayley and Madame X.
Forgetting her own predicament for the moment Hayley watched as the two women began encircling the other. Each seemed to wait for the right moment. Then with the speed of an attacking snake Madame X threw herself forward with a flurry of kicks and blows. So ferocious was the attack that Kirsty had to give ground, once the Villainess broke through Kirsty´s defence leaving an ugly bruise under her left eye.
The Briton countered with a furious attack herself, but cool and controlled. That Kirsty had laid her hands on her baby sister had thrown her opponent slightly off balance.
The Eyes of the Villainess blazed with fire “How dare you to threaten my sister, bitch!” Kirsty answered with a series of strokes and kicks “Filthy hypocrite” Kirsty taunted her. One kick hit her opponent squarely in the chest, sending her stumbling backwards, but she did not lose her balance. The fight went hither and thither, Kirsty always trying to stand between Hayley and her opponent.
Neither woman seemed to be able to gain the upper hand. Both sweated, both landed hits and got hit in return “This is all you got” Kirsty panted “Your sister´s air supply you know…” With a cry of rage her opponent attacked, losing control, Kirsty stepped swiftly aside, Diana stumbled and lost her balance and Kirsty followed through with a devastating kick which caught her under the chin and send her flying and crashing on the floor.
For a moment Kirsty stood just there panting heavily. Blood dripped from her right brow on the floor, her opponent did not move. Carefully Kirsty moved nearer and looked down on her adversary. Blood trickled out of the left corner of her mouth and her chin had already begun to turn purple where her Kirsty´s kick had hit her. Kirsty´s eyes met with Hayley´s, tears rolled down her lover´s cheeks.
“I will get you” Kirsty whispered “but let me secure that bitch first” From her gear, she grabbed several zip ties and handcuffs – and a large ball gag. Kirsty did not take any chances: She cuffed Diana´s wrists behind her back - zip tied her elbows above and below the joint as tight as possible.
The auburn haired woman removed Diana´s boots and socks. To Kirsty´s surprise Madame X wore pantyhose und her socks. She zip tied her legs at ankles, below and above the knees and the tights and pulled the plastic bands as tight was they would go. Then a devious smile crossed her lips: Her eyes had fallen on two very long zip ties. They would make for an excellent crotch rope. Kirsty´s smile became even more ominous when she spotted the vibrating eggs on the table.
For good measure Kirsty zip tied the big toes of her opponent together, before she hogtied her tightly. And she made sure to make the very large ball gag extra tight – after she had packed her mouth with her own socks “Serves you right” she told the unconscious woman.
Finally she turned to Hayley. She stooped down, and kissed her softly on her sweaty forehead “I will take care of you now” Both women wept. Kirsty looked around and spotted the large wooden table, which had rolls. She shoved it under Hayley´s suspended body, put a blanket on it and lowered the blonde gently down, till her body rested on the table. Hayley sighed, as the pressure on her body receded somewhat.
Kirsty took her combat knife and began to sever the hogtie ropes: The ropes which connected Hayley´s toes to her head went first. Hayley sighed in relief, even more so, as Kirsty severed the hogtie ropes, Hayley´s legs flopped down like dead wood and the blood flooded back. Removing all the ropes took time. Kirsty removed the gag only after she had severed all the other ropes, for good reason: Hayley had screamed into it as her knotted muscled relaxed.
All ropes had left deep indentations on her skin, especially around the waist. Carefully Kirsty turned Hayley on her back and sat her up. Softly she stroked her above her sweaty skin “I will remove the gag now” – finally Kirsty was able to remove the knickers and panties from Hayley´s mouth. Gently she pressed a bottle of water against the blonde´s parched lips. It took a while Hayley trusted her sore jaws to whisper a soft “I am so glad you are here” Carefully Kirsty took her in her arms as sobs shook Hayley´s body and held her tight.
From wide eyes Hayley looked at her lover and flushed “This bitch plugged me – both ways, could you help me up, so I can get rid of them?” Kirsty was torn, between kicking the hell out of Madame X and caring for Hayley. Carefully she helped her up from the table and steadied her. When she was sure, that Hayley could stand alone, Kirsty looked around, till she spotted Hayley´s belongings on a table.
In the meantime Hayley had gotten rid of the two intruders, wincing several times “Can you dress?” Kirsty asked her concerned “Sure” Hayley nodded, but her movements showed that every step was an effort “She looks incredible tired” the Briton thought “no wonder after all she had been through” It took Hayley time till she was dressed. Finally, with a sigh, Hayley slipped her heels on and looked at Kirsty “What do we do with her?” Hayley nodded with utter disdain at the prone body of Madame X who had begun to stir “Feed her to the dogs?”
“I am tempted” Kirsty smiled “But if we feed anyone to the dogs? It´s Crawford” She walked over to the hogtied Madame X, who stared up to her “This is more than you deserve, but this is what we will do: We leave you the means to free yourself and send you the coordinates where you will find your sister safe and unharmed. But you should better get out of here before Crawford´s people arrive – and one friendly piece of advice: Never cross our path again! Let´s go Hayley!” An evil smile crossed the blonde´s lips, she had spotted the second skiing sock on the table “Not before I gave that bitch a taste of her own medicine!” She bowed down and tied the smelly sock as tight as possible over the ball gag “Now we can go Kirsty"
Her lover mustered her concerned:
“Can you walk the distance Hayley?” The American nodded “I can, sure” but Kirsty knew her well enough that this was in part the usual Hayley-King-Bravado, and Kirsty had to steady her. Finally they had reached Kirsty´s car “We have to make a short stop in Trenton first” Kirsty smiled as she started the car – “and we can check in a hotel on the way if you like” Hayley shook her head, smiling tiredly “No, this night I want to sleep in my bed and in your arms, promise me to hold me tight” she looked Kirsty straight in the eyes “I will” Kirsty said sincerely as she started the car.
But Hayley was already fast asleep. She didn´t even wake up, when Kirsty stopped for a short break in Trenton. Kirsty opened the trunk and looked down at the stringently tied up and gagged young woman, staring with wide eyes up at her “You are home, I am sorry I had to do this to you, but your sister left me know choice. Nobody hurts the woman I love”
It was after well after midnight when Kirsty stopped her car finally in the underground garage in Queens. Hayley had slept the whole time. She stroked her softly above her cheek “Honey, we are home!” Finally Hayley opened her eyes, cloudy with sleep “What?” “We are home” Kirsty smiled “You must get up”
Hayley grimaced as she got out of the car and Kirsty had to steady her “Come, it is not far to the elevator” In the bright light of the elevator the marks of Hayley´s gag looked even more gruesome – and if Kristy thought above the rope marks under her clothing …
As they had entered their apartment, Hayley only stumbled along in her wake. Gently Kirsty pulled her heels of her feet and carried her in their bedroom. Carefully the Briton laid her down on the mattress. Her lover was already fast asleep again. Kirsty undressed her and put her PJ´s on her. With deep love she looked down at the peacefully sleeping Hayley and stroke her gently above her cheek “I have to make one call, my love then I come”
Kirsty went into the room, they shared as private study she filled a tumbler with a 16 year old Lagavullin and threw herself into the comfy office chair skimmed through her contacts and dialled a number – with the international calling code of Germany - in Hamburg to be precise.
Hamburg, Blankenese, Villa von der Marwitz early morning:
It was 0800 AM in Hamburg and a mild morning in May, Chris and Anna had just returned from her morning run. They had entered the entrance hall and Anna had already kicked her running shoes from her feet, removed her socks, rubbing her left sole - as Chris´ mobile rang. The blonde locked at the display then at Anna and frowned “It´s Kirsty – it must be urgent when she calls at this hour” Chris took the call.
“Yes Kirsty? What´s up? She smiled. Anna looked at the face of her friend which grew more serious with every second, her smile melting like snow in the sun “What?” Chris almost shouted now and listened “But she is alright?” Chris listened again.
“Okay Kirsty, get some rest, give Hayley a hug from us and we will call you 0600 PM your time” Chris ended the call. Anna had followed the conversation “What has happened?” And Chris told Anna. When she had ended, the Russian asked “What will we do about it?” “We will pay someone a visit” Chris tone was cold and stern “Obviously someone did not get the memo “I will call Sarah”
48 Hours later, an Island in the Mediterranean, late evening:
Elizabeth Crawford was not pleased. All the effort spent for nothing. The team she had dispatched to Philadelphia had returned empty handed from Lynnewood Hall. No Hayley, no Kirsty – and Madame X had vanished from the grid. True Crawford had enjoyed the videos Madame X had sent her very much: Hayley strapped down on the chair, Hayley in the back breaking Hogtie floating in the air. How she had enjoyed her obvious distress! She entered her private suite – and froze. Behind her desk sat a woman, she had never hoped to see again! Christine von der Marwitz – and on her left stood Anna Romanova, her XM 5 assault rifle firmly trained at her,
The smile on the pianist´s face was outright evil. Crawford wheeled around, only to find her exit blocked by the Black Lady, her HK MK 23 aiming right between her eyes “There is no way out” the thief told her calmly, and smiled evilly “Hayley and Kirsty send their best” Crawford turned around “And if you shout, or make another move I don´t like, it will be your last” Von der Marwitz mustered her coolly, her gaze stopped at the scar, she had left at their last meeting “I really thought, I had made myself abundantly clear at our last meeting” her tone was almost conversationally “what would happen, when you threaten anyone or lay hands on anyone I hold dear”
Crawford returned nothing. Just held calmly the gaze of the blonde, to her surprise she felt no fear. She had played a dangerous game – and lost.
The green eyes of the pianist drilled a hole right into her core “You know” von der Marwitz continued in the same cold tone “I could simply put a bullet in your heart, but that would be too easy” and stood.
“After all you put Hayley through I could take you just apart, piece by piece –and believe me, I am tempted – the only reason I don´t dismember you is, that Kirsty and Hayley did ask me not to do it – you should thank them” With a fluid motion the blonde unsheathed both Katanas she wore across her back. The polished blades glittered “You don´t deserve that, but I will grant you the respect I reserve for a fellow brave.
The words of the blonde reverberated in the room. Finally Crawford spoke calmly “If you think this is over when you kill me, you are sadly mistaken”
“The future will tell” von der Marwitz replied – obviously unimpressed.
“Prepare her!” she commanded – so mesmerized had Crawford been, that she sensed the movement behind her much too late. A sharp prick in her neck and all became black.
When she came around about 15 Minutes later she knelt on a cushion on the floor of her suite. She had been gagged with one of her own heavily padded panel gags. Her wrists had been tied behind her back at wrists and elbows – as close together as possible. Crawford´s legs had been welded together at the ankles and under the knees.
“She is awake” a voice stated which she recognized as Anna Romanova´s. Crawford opened her eyes and froze: she knelt facing the door on the floor of her private study. Before her stood Christine von der Marwitz, her emerald green eyes as cold as steel “Good that you are with us again” the blonde stated coldly “We don´t want you to miss the main event” With a mixture of astonishment and now fear Crawford watched as the pianist gripped her Katanas and began a series of kata.
The criminal master mind had never seen anything like this. The blades moved so fast, it seemed as if von der Marwitz was weaving a bubble of steel around herself. Faster and faster became her movements. And then the blades fell down – and stopped only millimetres before Crawford´s - on each side of her neck.
She waited for the coup de grace. But it never came. Instead the blonde let one blade glide into its scabbard positioned herself on her left side, gripped her Katana, the 500 year old blade made by Sengo Murasama firmly with both hands, swung the blade high in the air … “Good bye Mrs. Crawford!” The blade fell …..