Kidnapped Pt. 01

She looks at me, suspiciously, "Yes, I follow a few teams."

I smile at her, "Great. That means you understand the draft." She looks at me like I am an alien. "It's ok, you will see. I think it's time to go see my family. This is going to be so much fun."

While on the family jet, I talk with Kathy, "Have someone upgrade the plane. I like to travel. I need bigger and much more beautiful, this is ugly. The number one thing I want is faster. Being in the air is such a waste of time. I want to get there quicker. Find an expert and let them have fun. The second thing is a bit more serious. I'm not happy with my family. I have a lot of reason to be unhappy. However, if I ever say something that is too cruel, please let me know.

"I like to think I am a good decent person, and I don't want them dragging me down to their level. You don't personally hate them like I do, and I trust you. So, I'm trusting you to warn me if I am about to do something I'll regret. Will you do that for me?"

Kathy smiles at me, "Sure. I think you are a decent guy; you won't need me. Just in case you do, I'll step in. So yes, I have your back."

+++++

We pull up to my childhood home in the family limo. This is a building I know so very well. It is a huge home with everything you could ever need. It has a large staff and is constantly being updated and repaired. Today, like most days, there is a buzz of activity. I'm making many changes, and lots of prep work being done. There are trucks lining one the side of the house and several vans out front.

I had a bunch of people, cleared thru security, brought in to help. I have caterers because of the last-minute demands, and my staff has their own list of work to do.

I arrive unannounced. Kathy and I walk into the house, and I lead her to the right, into my dad's office. Beyond that is an outer room where a group of people that I will be interviewing are waiting. I don't need to look around, I know this office by heart, nothing has changed but the computers. I sit at my dad's desk and have Kathy call the first group in. These people are running Wellington Security. I have the men sit down; they already have drinks.

I introduce myself, "My name is Robin Wellington. You all come highly recommended. I wanted you to see me and hear this directly from me. Security is #1 with me. Don't worry about profits and making money. The accountants and finance people will take care of that. I want you to do what needs to be done. I want to keep all the good people. I see there has been more attention given to profits than doing the right thing. That stops now. Are there any questions?"

Tim, the CEO asks, "Who is my boss?"

I smile at him, "I am. Ultimately, I'm responsible for every company and every employee. So, I'm your boss. However, you will be taking direction from Kathy."

Kathy turns angry at me.

I stop her, "Wait one minute. I know this isn't what you want, but too bad. In the next few hours, you will see the method to my madness. You will understand and probably agree. Humor me for a while. I'm sorry gentlemen, but I have much to do today. Be great and have a nice day."

I shake their hands as they leave.

I tell Kathy, "I want Marty and Dorothy next."

I meet both with warm, affectionate hugs. I take them back into the big room they came from. I take off the sheets from four large boards with magnetic circles on them. There are well over 200 of these, and each has a company name on it.

I tell Marty, "There are eight hotels and resorts on the board. I want you to pick one. The letters are in red to help spot them."

He picks out "The Bug," it's a small resort in the Netherlands, where he is from.

I smile at him again, "I thought so. For the next year, you are the CEO of that resort. I want you to make it much better. Spend all the time you want there. Do whatever it takes. I want to see how much you can improve it. You can stay there and go back and forth, all you want. Just make it great. This is a competition."

I smile again at my favorite chef, "Dorothy, the restaurants are in blue, pick one. Same rules apply."

She picked out "Simons," a Las Vegas steak house.

I hug her again, "I look forward to see what you do. A car will take you to the airport and planes are waiting for you. Have fun."

They both hug me, they're crying, and they walk out together.

I have five more meetings with key company CEO's who are not doing well, we are hemorrhaging money. Four were fired on the spot, they did not impress me. The fifth, I gave him all the power to do it his way. He took his company off the board.

I summon my family to my office. They sit in chairs in front of me and look scared to death. They are literally trembling in their chairs. I say nothing for a while to intimidate them.

I start my semi-prepared speech, "You get one try to answer this honestly and survive. Who killed dad? Anyone that lies to me will die, guaranteed. So, fess up, who killed him or had him killed?"

Mom speaks for her still scared daughters, "No way they are devious enough to kill him. Besides, they love him still. I had the most reason, he had many women on the side. Being honest, I forced him to do it. I suspected he would give you the empire. It would have been dumb to kill him first. As you see, him dying was not something we planned on. We had everything we wanted with him alive. Dead we have you.

"You won't find any evidence of your dad being killed. At least not by us. I really don't see anyone else wanting him dead. He was a pussy cat; I'm who people want dead. I understand you need to look and get your questions answered. Have fun, but it wasn't us."

"Now we have the matter of the kidnapping and torture. You three are going to endure exactly what I did." Kathy's face goes wide with surprise, and she is about to say something. I quickly continue. "I was locked naked in a prison cell. You will be locked naked in a bedroom without anything but a bed. I was given bread and water. You will get no better."

Actually, they will be living off fast food, so no, it isn't quite the same as I had.

I am strong in my delivery, "The windows will be boarded over. You'll get a computer, but your access will be severely limited. You can conduct business. Speaking of business, I have a task for each of you. Let's go into the library."

I lead them into the large room next door with the three big boards with company names on them. Three young women are still sitting in the room. I have them join us.

I explain, "I have a bag in my hand with fifteen bingo balls, one through fifteen. Mom picks four balls, I pick one, and everyone else picks two. We are going to draft companies. They are ranked by our accountant from best to worst profitability with the best companies at the top and the worst at the bottom. You want to impress me, take more from the bottom.

"These three nice young ladies just graduated top of their classes at Harvard, Princeton, and Yale. All of you will pick companies and do whatever you want to make them better. If you modernize or invest in capital expenditures, the returns will be adjusted for that when we calculate a winner. Mom gets twice as many because she has already been running these companies and can handle more. Rewards will include a bonus and more responsibility while losers will get less cash and may be shown the door.

"Marty, Dorothy, and Kathy have all been given a similar assignment. This test will last exactly one year. If the results are inconclusive, I may extend it another year." I reach my hand in and pull out a twelve. "Obviously, I didn't cheat. Start drawing balls. Ok, starting with one, pick the companies you want to run. The small text explains what the company does. One picks first, two second, three third. After fifteen picks, fifteen picks again and then fourteen. We continue until we run out of companies."

I will save you a tedious four hours, we picked our companies.

At dinner, my family was sent to their rooms with a bag of fast food. Kathy thought that was funny. She and I had a more delightful meal prepared by our chefs. I had all the old staff that I remember, eat with us. We caught up on the last eight years. A few had died; that was sad.

After dinner Kathy and I retreated to the east garden, my favorite place to sit. We had a nice glass of wine to relax in the evening. Kathy even had a drink, which is very unusual.

Eventually, Kathy asks me, "Why do I have a company, and why did you split them up between so many people? You know I don't know squat about running a business, right?"

I lean back in my big chair and smile at her, "My number one requirement is not money. I want to make sure they stay legal and are well cared for. I have no doubt you can do that. You have seen your uncle make it look easy. Now it is your chance to show him what you can do.

"What you really want to know is what did I do today and why? I don't know if my sisters or I can run a company, let alone a bunch of them. I know mom has done ok. I want to see what mom does with less on her plate. The three grads are hungry and are my control set. I expect them to kick my sister's asses. What if I had taken control and find out I suck? I just harmed every company. Now, I only damage a few. I then put some highly motivated people in charge of my other operations.

"Marty and Dorothy are also part of my control set. They are experts in their field. With just one location, I expect they will outshine the rest of us. Now I have time to investigate dad's death and decide what to do with my family. Taking away their stuff, their clothes, their money, and making them eat prison food is just the start. Starting tomorrow, they will be naked, just like I was. They get one sheet and one pillow, just like I did. Where I was beaten and ... worse, I allow them to concentrate on my companies.

"I don't forgive them for what they did. I believe mom, though; I don't think she or my sisters killed dad. However, I like the motto: 'trust but verify.' I have not thought much about them. I keep coming back to they are family. Yet, what they did to me... I have thought about slowly killing them with a dull knife."

Kathy is startled, "Isn't this when I'm supposed to stop you?"

I tease her, "Spoilsport. You're right, of course."

I don't know why. I don't know what caused it. I just know that while sitting there in my peaceful garden, I could almost feel my dad. It chilled me and brought me to tears. The weight of his death, all the responsibility, and the fact that my remaining family wanted to kill me. Why are they alive. I remember the pain and agony I endured.

I bring my knees up to me and drop my head to my knees. I cover my face with my arms, and then I cry. I mean really cry. I have no control. No family. I am alone. Nobody to help me and everyone expects me to do as good as my dad. No way I can do that. He worked eighteen hours a day. It's too much for one person to do. I continue crying.

I feel a body next to me, and then I feel arms around me. I feel her long hair falling on my arms. Kathy is holding me in her arms, it hits me, I am not alone. Nobody can see me, not like this. I shake out of my depression. I stop crying and wipe my face with my shirt.

I whisper, "Sorry. This reminded me of my dad, and I got sad. Then I started thinking about all the responsibilities. It overwhelmed me for a moment, I am good now. I need to go inside."

We walk inside and then go to the kitchen to get a snack. Maureen is there, one of the chefs I know well. On seeing my red eyes, she calls me over for a hug.

As she is holding me, she tells me, "You are so much like your dad. About this time of night, he liked a snack. I was just standing here in case you showed up. Sit down and let me talk for a bit, while I make a quick bite to eat for you two."

Kathy tries to object that she isn't hungry.

Maureen uses a mother's voice to tell her, "Sit your ass down!" Then she is nicer. "Robin here was my favorite by far. Easily the nicest, sweetest boy I ever knew. The sisters, they're ok. It's the mother that's a bitch. Never anything nice to say. This one, never anything bad to say. I remember two frogs on my table, that wasn't his best day, but he was kind enough to remove them for me.

"Sweetie, a man is waiting in your office for you. It's important. Kathy dear, you need to stay here. Don't worry, the man is about eighty years old, I think Robin will be fine. Robin, come back here when you're done. Your ... friend will be waiting for you. I'm going to tell her so many good stories about you. Hurry along now."

I find an old man with thick glasses sitting in my office. My dad's old office. He has a nice suit and is sitting patiently, waiting for me to sit down.

Much more enthusiastically than I expected, he says to me, "I'm your dad's lawyer, Bryan Thompson. It's time to make this official. I need you to sign some papers to accept the will that your dad put in place. You do, in fact, own 100% of your father's companies and wealth. That includes some 200 businesses and 2.3 million employees. My company is also your principal business manager. I already know about the deals you made.

"I can't say that I'm happy, but I will deal with it. Typically, you get a summary of all significant decisions you need to make. I will split those up as needed. Are there any spending limits on your co-executives?

I think and say, "Anything under $5-10 million, I want to know. Anything over that, I authorize."

Brian continues, "After processing the list of mandatory items, you may want to look at a list of secondary items that have major effects on a company. These are decisions someone else has made, but you should be aware of them."

I stop him, "For my companies, I want to see all of those but only huge items for everything else."

Brian continues to make notes, then says, "As I understood it, your dad scoured the books of each company, looking for theft and downward spiraling companies. The company execs won't tell you that things look bad, they will hide it from you."

Now Brian smiles, "Your sisters and mother got zero. Your cousins, nieces, nephews, uncles, and aunts all got something. He started accounts for them long ago. We can hold them or release the money. It's significant money."

I instruct him, "It's their money, give it to them so they can live better lives. Include notes to them that they will never get another penny from me or Wellington Industries, so invest well. Give them all some financial advice. Start with the money in your accounts. I want someone to meet with each person, learn their goals in life, and then make a plan for them."

I sign a bunch of papers, and he shakes my hand.

On his way out, he looks at me, "You look just like him at your age. You'll do fine, my son. You made some wise and interesting decisions. We need to talk more about long term goals, but that can wait. You have a family, and I need to go home." He left.

I go back to the kitchen, and I hear laughing from my youngest sister, Kathy, and Maureen. I am not happy to see Valorie. On seeing my cross look, she went to bed.

At seeing my sleepiness, Maureen instructs me, "Your room was remodeled in a princess stage and is still pink. We are putting you in your dad's room. Your mother and sisters are on the opposite side of the house. Her items have been moved out, and new bedding, pillows, and toiletries were replaced with something more in your style.

"How do I know your style? I tracked the last twenty places you stayed in. I looked for similar themes hoping you don't stay at places you hate. We can replace anything you want. The room next door has been set up for Kathy."

Kathy objects, "Woah, that won't do. I can't protect a man I can't see. Move the bed into the other room please."

Maureen laughs, "Wait until you see the beds. They don't move, and there isn't enough room. There are chairs, the floor, the bed. It sleeps about twenty, you will be safe from him. We can look at getting you a cot tomorrow. Does he really need someone in his room with him?"

Kathy is deadly serious, "It's possible that one of his sisters, his mother, maybe someone in this house, and many others would want him dead. He's worth a lot of money. Until we know with 100% certainty what happened, I'm his shadow."

I add some humor, "Guess I am not sleeping naked tonight."

Kathy did not find it funny, Maureen cracked up and went to bed. That is precisely what I did.

Dad's bedroom is every bit as masculine as I expected. Dark burgundy walls, white trim, and molding. Expensive artwork on the walls. They changed several paintings. The furniture is the same. Like Maureen said, it's solid stuff. Big, gaudy, and bulky. I love the dark precious woods in the furniture and the floors.

They must have aired out the room, it doesn't have the typical stuffy smell that I remember. Kathy goes for the shower; I go for the terrace. There is enough moonlight that I can see the endless gardens, grass, bushes, and trees. I love this old house.

When Kathy finishes, she gives me hell for standing in an open window, motionless, for so long.

I take my shower and then want to get in bed. I want to be near the window, Kathy says no, I get the other side. This is growing old. However, all I do is think back to my torture, and I realize I can allow this intrusion in my life.

Holy shit, Kathy is in just a small bra and panty set, Victoria Secret. I know their shit. She is a babe. She is tall, but her breasts are medium size, a big B or small C cup. I can't tell you about her nipples yet. She has a beautiful hourglass figure. The breasts are a nice handful, and her arms are toned and muscular. Not like I am, but she is packing some beef, that's for sure.

She waves at me to stop me from staring. I look away and turn red.

I stutter, saying, "Um. Sorry. You're a woman. Um. I mean. Uh, yeah, you're a woman. A beautiful one."

Kathy laughs at me, "No shit. Nothing gets past you. News flash, I will be a woman tomorrow too."

Frustrated at the teasing, "You know what I mean. I thought of you as my savior, my protector, and never as a woman. However, your new uniform made me realize that you are ... cute."

Kathy says with death in her eyes, "You ever call me cute again playboy, and they will never find the pieces. I am beautiful, charming, stunning, gorgeous, but I am not, nor will I ever be cute. Now go to bed before I feel like killing you."

Oooo, that sounds like a challenge. I send an email to my staff. Yes, I now have a cell phone. It's one of the many accommodations that I have been forced to endure. Kathy has been a cock blocker. That is something that I will need to get around before I go crazy.

I get in the bed and quickly fall asleep. I don't sleep well, getting nightmares still. I wake up at 2:37 AM. I am disoriented, I am not resting on my side. I am in the middle of the bed, Kathy is sitting up, my head is in her lap, she is stroking my hair, and singing something softly. I can only assume that she is trying to soothe me. I sit up, which startles her.

I ask Kathy, "Is it getting better or worse?"

Kathy shrugs her shoulders, "I don't know yet. I know that when I soothe you, you calm down and sleep better. Go to sleep, I'll fall asleep sitting up."

I did fall asleep quite easy and slept well for the rest of the night.

Chapter 3 - I am a Businessman

I am up early for breakfast. Clothes are set out for Kathy and me. She likes this less than I do, but we don't have much choice. We take separate showers and dress for the day. Breakfast is waiting for me as are both of my naked sisters.

Patty immediately complains, "Must we be naked in front of the staff?"

I reply, "I was naked in front of a whole base of your people. Tuff. Deal with it. Oh, that's right, you have no choice."