The Entity Pt. 07

A long silver serving station ran along the inside wall, a small rail to push your tray along jutting from the steam tables, silverware sitting out in trays and an ancient soda fountain waiting for service.

"No camera's in here. We can get all the way to the end of the hall," Buck whispered.

Linda noted the pristine appearance and wondered if it would be going back into service any time soon. Walking past a waiter's door she glanced in a round portal at eye level and saw a completely new, modern kitchen for serving hundreds at a time. Bags of potatoes and flour could be seen in a corner and red lights on refrigerators indicated they were running.

At the end of the dinning room Buck stopped again and whispered, "We're going to cross the hall to a door beside the elevator. They haven't put cameras in the stairwells yet."

Like a trio of cat burglar's, they tiptoed across the hall and disappeared through another door that Buck opened with his set of keys.

"Do you know what floor your grandfather was on?"

Tammy was lost in the wonder of the place and drew a blank when Buck asked his question. Linda nudged and whispered, "What floor? Your grandfather."

"Oh, right. I think he was on the third or fourth floor. Either one will do. I bet they all look the same."

"Come on."

At the first landing Buck explained that it was the only patient floor left. That one floor up, the third floor, was surgery on one side and staff apartments on the other. And that the fourth floor was closed. He didn't know what was there.

"We can try and get into one of the rooms so you can see it. That's about the best I can do."

"Is there anything else to see, Buck?" Tammy leaned in and planted a kiss on his cheek. Buck was sure it was the first of many he would be receiving that evening and glanced nervously at Linda.

"Well, there's a roof garden. There are no cameras up there. We can go see that."

"Great!" Linda exclaimed making her curiosity known to Tammy.

Buck's heart pounded like a big bass drum and it had nothing to do with being caught.

Stepping out into the cool night breeze, Linda and Tammy took in their surroundings as Buck explained.

"They put a big patch of real grass up here, kind of like a pool. See those white tables?"

They could barely make out ghostly white shapes in the darkness that sat among the shrubbery along the outer edge of the roof.

"Those are umbrella tables that sit around the grass," and he pointed to a dark kidney shape in the middle of the open space.

Grabbing Tammy's hand again, he pulled her away from Linda toward the grass. Laughing he started explaining, "I brought my girlfriend up here once, we did it right in the middle -," Buck stopped realizing what he was saying.

Linda ran past Tammy in bare feet and grabbed Buck's arm, pulling him along, "You naughty boy. Does Christine know you have a girlfriend?"

Buck stopped short of stepping on the grass and knelt, untying his boots and pulling them off as Linda back peddled onto the grass, grinning at him wildly, urging him to follow.

Tammy ran past sans sandals and hung on Linda's shoulder, grinning at Buck as he finally pulled off his second shoe and white socks followed.

"Follow my lead," Linda whispered.

As Buck took his first step onto the grass, Linda raised a hand and stage whispered, "Stop!"

Buck stopped, balancing on one foot before stepping back off the grass.

Linda crossed her arms across the font of her body, hooked the edge of her top, and pulled it over her head, suddenly standing topless beside Tammy. "You can't come on the grass with your clothes on, Bucky."

Buck's confused expression turned to a goofy grin as he started undoing the buttons on his shirt, his hands bouncing back and forth between buttons and his belt, not sure which to undo first.

Tammy pulled her own top off and stood in a white bra that shone like a beacon, egging Buck on.

"You get naked," Linda whispered as she made a show of undoing her jeans, "I need to find something."

Tammy wined, even as she pushed her jeans over her hips, "Why do I have to get naked?"

She watched Linda's receding figure as she ran up to Buck, stopped and they both spoke, and she ran on, disappearing toward the end of the roof they hadn't explored yet.

Seeing that Buck was down to his boxers, Tammy pushed her jeans to the grass and stepped out of them. Deciding that was enough for the time being, she watched as Buck stepped onto the grass, Tammy snickered; thinking Buck looked, well, buck naked striding in her direction. Tammy could tell he was expecting action as he bobbed along.

He grabbed for Tammy as soon as he got close enough and she made a show of squealing and running out of reach. Buck lunged and she taunted, "Not till our friend gets here. You don't want to miss the show do you, Buck?"

Buck just stood, hands on hips, manhood at the ready and grinned. "You forgot something didn't you?"

Tammy made another show of girlish giggles, hooked her thumbs in the waist band of her thong and slid it to her ankles.

Tammy straightened, feet slightly apart, hands on her hips mirroring Buck and asked defiantly, "What did you say your girlfriends name was, Buck?"

Caught off guard, he stammered and finally answered, "Andrea."

Linda came sprinting by with something in her hand. Holding it between the pair she said gleefully, "Look what I found." Her hand held a coil of yellow rope she'd found in a utility closet beside the bathrooms.

Buck's grin returned when he recognized the coil of rope. Reaching for it, Linda pulled it away and said, "This is for you sweetheart," her voice low and sultry, "We're going to get real kinky!"

"Go get one of those chairs, Christine."

Tammy ran to one of the umbrella tables and struggled with a heavy white wrought iron chair. She plopped it down heavily in front of Buck and pointed. "There you go, big boy."

Buck hesitated until Linda leaned in and kissed Tammy, a hand coming up to fondle one of her breasts.

As he sat he complained, "Its cold!"

"That's okay, Bucky," Tammy whispered in his ear as she leaned over his shoulder, assuring warm, soft brushes of their skin, "We'll get it real warm real soon."

Once Buck was secured to the chair, Linda looked around the grass and found Tammy's panties. Taunting Buck with the small lacey garment like a red flag in front of a bull, she whispered, "Do you like these, Buck?"

Buck nodded eagerly and said, "Yes."

Linda walked closer and held the wisp of material under Bucks nose and watched his eyes roll. Leaning in she whispered, "Open wide."

Buck hesitated and Tammy walked up beside Linda and ran her hand across her back before leaning down to kiss the side of Linda's throat, then leaning further. Buck's mouth fell open and Linda quickly stuffed the lace garment into his mouth. Pulling up the free end of the rope tied around a chair leg that held one of his feet in place, she wrapped the excess around Buck's head several times and knotted it in place across the lacey gag.

Buck pulled against his bonds and moaned unintelligible words into his gag. Linda stood; arms crossed, covering her chest, watching Buck as Tammy walked around trying to find her clothes.

Tammy pulled on her jeans and whispered to Buck one last time, "Think about this big boy, the next time you decide to cheat on, Andrea."

Linda leaned down and whispered in the other ear, "Night night, Bucky."

With that she produced one of Buck's white socks that hung pendulously from her tight grip, brought her arm back and hit him on the back of the head with a sharp thud. Tammy watched his eyes roll and his chin drop as he slipped into unconsciousness.

"We've gotta get going," Linda said glancing at her watch.

"What did you hit him with?"

"A bunch of nuts and bolts I found with the rope."

"But why did I have to get naked," Tammy wined playfully as she hooked her bra and pulled her top over her head.

"You loved every second of it!" Linda answered.

"But did you have to use my panties?"

"I'm not wearing any."

Stopping for their shoes, Linda rifled Buck's pants for his car keys and the heavy ring of keys to the building.

*****

Tom turned over in bed and checked the time. Midnight. He wondered why Linda hadn't checked in.

Rolling out of the bed he padded to the bathroom before returning to snuggle against his wife. He was somewhat surprised when she responded in kind and was soon lost in her arms, his concerns for Linda sliding off the bed along with the covers.

*****

Scanner Bob pulled up at the dark cabin. Leaving Allessandra's sleeping form in the car he got out to explore.

Gaining entrance he made his way to the garage. Finding a small lighted button he pressed it and was rewarded with light and sound as the garage door came up.

He pulled the car in, retrieved his duffle bag and a small grocery sack, and headed for the kitchen. Searching among the groceries he found what he was looking for.

Checking to see if Allessandra was still asleep, he continued exploring until he found a narrow door that opened onto a dark stairway leading down.

Finding a light switch, he descended to the fruit and wine cellar. The stairs ended on a concrete floor. A wall covered with an elaborate wine rack that ran the length of the cellar, faced him. Looking to his right he saw a furnace unit. To his left was a work bench.

Stepping around the stairs he was faced with a concrete wall with another door. Stepping through the door he smiled broadly at the dirt floor and walls of the small fruit cellar.

Using a hammer, the only tool he found on the heavy wooden work bench, he hammered the long piece of metal into the dirt floor where it trapped a heavy chrome ring. Giving it a tug, he was satisfied and went to roust Allessandra.

She staggered a little from the Mickey Bob slipped her in a cup of coffee when he stopped at the convenience store. He wasn't sure if she'd run, but he'd taken the chance, noting her increasingly agitated state.

Six night time cold pills had been enough to knock her out.

She stood in the middle of the small dirt room, a dazed expression on her face, and made no move to protest as Bob unclipped the strap at the back of her dress, pulling it over her head to keep it clean.

Stooping at her feet, he pulled a lock out of his pocket, and put it in place. Lifting first one foot, then the other, he removed her spike heels.

She started to turn slowly, her feet making small movements as she took in her surroundings, slowly waking up.

His voice was soft and smooth, "There you are my, Dear."

He didn't reach out to stop her fall when she finally became tangled in the chain that was now locked tightly around her ankle.

He stared down at her beautiful naked form sprawled on the dirt floor and said, "You really must be careful, Dear. You don't want to hurt yourself.

Allessandra just stared over her shoulder, too shocked to speak. No sound emanated as small rivers of tears streamed down her cheeks to land in the dark dirt.

Her mouth opened as Bob turned on his heel, flicked the light switch off and slammed the door shut.

She couldn't find her voice as she heard the clump of his feet on the stairs she'd come down. Another slam and Allessandra's body started to quake knowing she would never see the light of day again.

Chapter 20

CNN – In an unusual move, republican hopeful, Kerry Richard's, has decided to ignore completely, recent allegations of sexual misconduct, and was back on the campaign trail today in California. When pressed by a somewhat aggressive press corps, his only response was no comment. Many sources feel Kerry is making a mistake and recent polls seem to confirm it as his numbers continued to drop.

*****

Linda held a finger to her lips as she pushed on the safety bar that should open the steel door onto the fourth floor. Stepping back, she inspected the door again. Pushing harder, she finally gave up and motioned to Tammy that she should follow.

Stopping on the third floor she heard a satisfying click and pushed the door open gingerly. Glancing through the small crack, she pushed further to expand her field of vision.

Unable to see a camera she indicated with her hand that Tammy should wait. Before Tammy could protest, Linda slipped out of her sandals, through the heavy door and quietly clicked it shut behind her.

"Great," Tammy whispered finding a perch on one of the stairs to wait.

Linda pressed her body against the heavy door as she scanned the area around the elevator. Not finding a camera, she stepped out far enough to look to her left.

She was greeted by another heavy steel door and a small, institutional plaque that said simply 'RESIDENCE'.

Deciding that was staff quarters she leaned out again to look to her right. She was rewarded with a view of a semi-dark hallway that ran to the end of the building.

Probing the darkness as best she could with the low lighting she could barely make out what appeared to be a small camera, its glowing red light shining brightly in the darkened corner at the end of the long hall.

"Shit."

Her fingers rapped lightly on the door and she heard a click as Tammy pushed it open enough for her to slide back in.

Holding a hand up, indicating Tammy shouldn't talk, she led the way down to the second floor. She pushed the door open enough to see a brightly lit hallway and hear the low sound of people murmuring somewhere. She gently slipped the door closed and indicated Tammy should follow.

When they arrived at the first floor Linda noticed the stairs continued and indicated Tammy should wait.

Five minutes later Tammy started fidgeting. Another five minutes and she decided she had to go look for Linda. Starting down the dark stairwell; she almost fell when she ran into someone, a small gasp escaping before a hand clamped down tight over her mouth.

"It's me," she heard a soft whisper.

Taking Tammy's hand, Linda squeezed it in reassurance and pulled her back up the stairs.

They didn't speak until they made it back to Buck's pickup.

"We have to get back to the office. Tonight," was all Linda said as she wheeled the cumbersome vehicle around and found the lane.

It was after almost two in the morning when they arrived back at the club. Leaving Buck's truck on the street, they locked the keys in and sauntered back to the entrance of the club. The pounding music could be heard through the front entrance as they retrieved Linda's car from the valet.

"I'll tell you when we get on the road."

As they rolled north, leaving LA behind, the speedometer indicating ninety, Linda glanced at Tammy and saw she was fast asleep. Lifting her foot off the gas, she drifted into a long sweeping curve and accelerated hard as she and the Jag became one.

*****

"Have you tried to call her this morning?"

The Captain appeared genuinely concerned as Tom sat tenting his fingers across the desk.

"I came in at six this morning to do some research. No, I haven't tried yet."

"The hell with her beauty sleep," exclaimed the Captain, punching the speaker button and a speed dial code on his desk phone, in one fell swoop.

At first he didn't recognize the groggy voice that answered. "Is that you, Linda?"

Fully awake, realizing what she'd done, Tammy nudged Linda off her chest and covered the phone. "It's your, Captain," she whispered.

Tom and the Captain just looked at each other as they listened to the whispered exchange.

"Yes, Captain."

"Linda, our wonder girl," the Captain boomed, "Where the hell have you been?"

"Los Angeles. The Waverly Hills Clinic," was the husky response. "We got in at six this morning."

Tom just turned his palms up and shrugged.

"But you're okay?"

"I was till you woke me up, Captain."

"Well, I'm sooooooooo sorry. And when can we expect her Highness to find time to come into the office?" The Captain heaped on the sarcasm and waited.

"Give me an hour, Captain."

"You've got thirty minutes, Woo," the captain boomed before clicking the phone off.

"Who answered the phone," the Captain's chuckle belying his feigned anger at Linda.

Tom just smiled and went back to tenting his fingers.

*****

She was dreaming she could fly when Scanner Bob threw the door open to find her still sprawled on the floor where he'd left her the previous evening.

"Come on girl," Bob said cheerily. It wasn't until he said it a third time and slapped his thigh, making a smooching sound with his lips, that Allessandra realized he was talking to her like someone calling the family mascot.

She'd spent the night on the floor, given no other choice. The room was completely dark, like walking into a cave without a flashlight.

While chilly, it hadn't been cold, but every itch, scratch or scrape she felt on her bare skin, she was sure was a spider, roach or worse.

She must have fallen asleep sometime. Given the filthy state of her entire body, including her face, it must have been a fitful sleep.

In her explorations she discovered the chain was too short to let her get to the light switch.

Still sitting on the floor, leaning on an arm, she looked up at her captor and said defiantly, "What the fuck do you want, asshole."

Bob paid no attention and addressed her with his best doggy speak. "Now, now. Be a good little bitch and daddy will give you some water."

Allessandra suddenly became aware of the thick cotton ball that had invaded her mouth during the night. Licking her lips she started spitting when she drug a dirt covered tongue back into her mouth.

"What do you want me to do, Mr. Johnston?" Her voice was neutral, which Bob misread as resignation.

Smiling real big, Bob brought a stainless steel bowl from behind his back and set it on the floor at his feet. "Come on girl," he said, pointing down at the bowl, his eyes bright, a big smile, "Come on girl. Here's your water."

Allessandra pulled her arms around and leaned forward to stand. Before she could, Bob's shoe swept her hands to the side and she rolled into the dirt again.

"Bad doggie," Bob bent at the waist and shook an accusing forefinger at Allessandra's prone form, "Bad doggie. How silly to think dogs can walk. You know how dogs drink."

Small puffs of dust rose as Allessandra breathed, almost panted, into the dirt floor, tears puddled turning the soil to mud. The harsh tone of Bob's voice made her jerk.

"Bad dog," Bob reached a hand into a fall of dusty hair that ran down spreading across her back. Grabbing a handful at the base of her skull he lifted forcing her to either get up on all fours or lose a hand full of hair. "Get up bitch, and drink your water right now!"

Spittle shot from Bob's mouth and a long clear line of drool shot toward the floor as he dragged Allessandra across the dirt floor, her hands and knees trying to keep up. Dropping her face in the bowl he yelled as loud as he could, "Now drink you bitch!"

Allessandra could hear it in his voice. This was someone visiting from the other side. Someone in free fall. Allessandra's survival instinct kicked in and she struggled to raise her head out of the bowl. Up on her hands and knees again, she bent her neck and lowered her face, her tongue running through the water pulling up a few drops.

Bob was ecstatic, "That's a good doggie," he said, his voice singsong as he reached down and patted Allessandra's bare rump.

The smell hit her and she suddenly realized she was lapping water from a real dog dish. The previous families' mascot. Fido or Rover. Skipper or Spot. She knew Mr. Johnston had simply picked the dish up off the floor and run some water in it. She didn't care. She wanted to live.

She became instantly alert when Bob's shoes disappeared and she felt his hands shifting her rump slightly to one side.