Temptation Protocol Pt. 03

Chapter 13: Resolution

Lucas stalked the halls of the Citadel looking for a cafeteria or lunchroom, anything. He'd only been searching a few minutes before he ran into Mattie again. She was with a rather portly and sickly looking man, who seemed perturbed that Lucas had interrupted.

After awkward greetings, Lucas asked, "Where can I find some food? We're starving."

Mattie chuckled, "Certainly, there's a cafe one floor below."

The larger man spoke next, "If that will be all?"

Lucas got the picture. He left the unlikely couple and found his way back to the elevator banks. While he walked, he searched for other exits, ways to escape, anything. Lucas arrived at the elevators and pressed the call button. He needed a plan and fast. He saw how upset Sarea had been, how crushed she was. Lucas knew then that he'd have to find another way to get close to the man who'd made him this way: Dominic Westerson. Before he'd bonded with Sarea, he'd have done anything, anything, to get to that man. Now, feeling what she felt, knowing what it might mean to make it permanent, he realized there were some boundaries he just wouldn't cross.

The elevator dinged and the doors slid open. Empty. Lucas entered and pressed the next floor down: 45. The doors clanked shut, and the sense of dropping turned in Lucas's stomach. His mind still turned over his options. He'd have to fight their way out, and even then it seemed like they were dead. If he could get the inhibitor off of Sarea, she was a capable figher in her own right. Maybe if he found where her deck was -

The doors opened and Lucas's world toppled over.

In front of him, speaking in low tones with Alexia, the woman from the landing pad, was Westerson. He was older now, obviously, and wore a trimmed salt and pepper beard. New mods blinked across his temple and arms. He kept his hair high and tight and wore a fashionable pea coat over a simple button down shirt. His brow was furrowed in response to something Alexia had just said.

"Ms. van Hutton, please. We can push it further. Imagine having the mayor in your -"

Alexia hushed him with a raise of her hand and turned a smile toward Lucas, "Lucas, my dear, have you met our esteemed Doctor Westerson?"

Lucas's mouth was a desert. He swallowed to get some saliva back into it before responding, "No, I'm sure I haven't."

Westerson eyed Lucas up and down. A hint of recognition appeared on his face, causing Lucas's heart to thud into his ears. He said nothing, however, and extended his hand for a handshake.

Lucas had unwittingly clenched his fist so hard that his nails left imprints in his palm. He forced himself to take hold of Westerson's hand and shook it briefly.

"Pleasure to meet you," Lucas said.

"The pleasure is mine," Westerson said.

Alexa spoke, "Dr. Westerson, Lucas here is about to form a permanent bond tonight with your formula! Are you excited, Lucas?"

Westerson's mouth scrunched into a point in distaste before he put another smile on. Lucas's face turned crimson.

"Yes," Lucas stammered, "Yes, I am. I was just coming to get us some food."

Alexia put her hand before her mouth and laughed delicately, "Indeed, you will need your strength. Both of you. If you'll excuse us?"

Alexia stepped to the side and gestured for Lucas to exit the elevator. He had stayed where he was the moment he saw Westerson. Lucas forced a chuckle out and stepped between the two of them into cafe. Westerson and Alexia moved into the elevator where Westerson immediately resumed their hushed conversation.

Lucas turned and watched them as the door closed. Fuck, fuck, fuck, Lucas thought. This changed everything. He wasn't just close to Westerson, he was on his doorstep! And he hadn't recognized him. To be fair, Lucas had had many modifications since his time as Westerson's scrubber. Lucas absent mindedly picked out a few dishes for Sarea and himself. His mind reeled from this new discovery, but he was resolute.

He had to go through with it now. Sarea had to understand. And even if she didn't, well, he hoped it wouldn't come to that.

Chapter 14: A Proposal

By the time Lucas returned with the food, Sarea's stomach was rumbling loudly. That didn't bother her, though. What did was what she felt over the bond just a few minutes before. Lucas had changed. Something had stunned him. Sarea's stomach had dropped when it happened. It could only mean bad news.

Lucas gave her a cursory hello before he set the bag on the coffee table and pulled out rice, chicken masala, and, to Sarea's great surprise, salads of spinach and romaine. Greens like this were hard to come by under normal circumstances - the breadbasket of America had been lost to fallowed fields decades before.

Lucas, seeing her surprise, said, "I know. I was surprised, too. Fine living for slavers, eh?"

Sarea smiled at his joke in spite of herself. "I suppose so," she said, "Did something happen while you were out?"

Lucas froze, salads halfway out of the bag, for a second. Setting the food down, look of resignation came over his face, and he said, "Yes, I met someone from my childhood that I had not expected to see for a long time. Did you feel something over the bond?"

"Yes," Sarea said, fear tinged her words, "Who did you meet?"

Lucas stared at her in excruciating silence, then he raised his hand, palm towards Sarea, and stood up. He pulled out his phone and connected it to the room's television, swiping through a few shows before choosing a loud, trashy reality show about saving failing restaurants. He cranked the volume until Sarea winced at the noise.

Lucas took a seat closer to her, their legs touching. Sarea's body responded by blood flowing between her legs. She was slick, again, and frustrated. Will I always be like this around him, she wondered. Lucas began unpackaging the food with a smile.

He leaned over as he took the lid off the salads and said to her, almost too quietly to hear, "I have a proposal for you."

Sarea caught on quickly and acted as he did. She opened the rice and laid plates before them both. Her stomach twisted with nerves. She turned to him and said, "What might that be?"

Lucas dished himself rice and masala, careful to keep his salad from touching the sauce. He whispered back, "The man who made me a Scrubber, who took me from my parents, he's here. I just saw him. He's why I'm here, why I've done all of this."

Dread filled Sarea's stomach, erasing her hunger. "Oh no," she whispered, her face crestfallen, "Please no."

Lucas sighed as he scooped some rice and chicken onto Sarea's plate, "I know, but like I said, this is a proposal, you can say no."

Sarea picked her plate up and stirred the food on it with her fork, "What's the proposal?"

Lucas took a large bite of masala and rice and chewed slowly before responding, "Bond with me, tonight -"

"No, no," Sarea interrupted, "Not that."

Lucas sighed and took another bite. He said, "I don't see a lot of other options here. Would you rather be dead than bonded to me?" Lucas eyed the camera, "Laugh, now, like I'm flirting with you."

Tears in her eyes, Sarea laughed. The black sphere lingered above them, always watching.

"I can't do this," Sarea said.

"I know, but I have to," he said.

"You don't, though."

Lucas faced Sarea, "We will not get out alive."

The bond cooled in both of their minds, both by the effect of the drugs wearing off, and by the somber mood both of them had taken. Lucas must be terrified, Sarea thought. The emotions and energy she had felt from him had always been strong, even when his passions seemed to rule him. Now, though, she felt only sorrow from him.

"Do you really believe that?" Sarea whispered through her fake smile, "Or do you just enjoy fucking me enough to make a slave out of me."

Sarea felt his white hot anger in her mind before she saw it on his face.

"You don't know me, yet," Lucas said through gritted teeth, "So I'll let that one go. I'm doing what I have to do to survive. I've worked my whole life for this."

"Well, find someone else, then. Let me go," Sarea said.

Lucas turned his eyes back to the TV and said, "This is a test of me more than it's about capturing you, Sarea. There's no path where this doesn't happen and we get out alive."

Sarea fought to keep her face neutral. Fury and sadness mingled in her mind. She knew Lucas felt it.

"Well, I don't have to just bend over. If you want it, you'll have to take it," she said, "I won't walk into slavery freely."

Lucas glanced at her, "Fine."

"You know, if I didn't have this inhibitor, I'd be gone from here by now. Just take it off, I'll do the rest," she said, her voice raising.

"I don't know how! And even if I could, I wouldn't," Lucas leaned conspiratorially close, "We have to bide our time."

"Easy for you to say."

Lucas stared intensely at Sarea, "Here's a promise. When I can, when I am able, you will be free. I will not let you be kept."

Sarea matched his gaze, her smile faltering. Her plate of food was untouched. She took a big bite of the chicken masala. Surprisingly, it was flavored well. While she chewed, Sarea stole furtive glances at Lucas, who kept his eyes on her. He was as stoic as ever, the bond showing her what, in this short time, she'd come to understand was honesty. He's hot enough, she thought, I wouldn't mind the physical part, but being a slave isn't on my bucket list. She took another bite and turned over another thought, But he's a killing machine, and if he thinks we won't make it, what chance do we have?

"You can make me go, but I won't go willingly. I won't," Sarea said.

Lucas sighed, "Fine. Fuck."

He turned away and began to devour his food, "Eat up, we'll need our strength, I'm sure."

A curtain of resignation fell over Sarea. She studied Lucas's face, then lowered her eyes to the ground. He seemed sincere, honest. Maybe he was right, maybe there was no way out. Wasn't this bond preferable to death? She wasn't so sure.

Chapter 15: Last Ditch Efforts

The afternoon passed in tense silence, interspersed occasionally with brief arguments. Sarea was going through the five stages of grief, Lucas saw, and going through them quickly. Not him, though. Once Lucas realized Westerson was in reach, his mind was made up. He had meant what he said to Sarea though. He would free her, first chance he got. If he could free her, that is. He hadn't seen or heard anything about a cure for permanence.

Lucas had stolen furtive glances at Sarea when he thought she wouldn't notice. If he was being honest, leaving his morals behind, she was stunning. She was petite, half his size it felt like, and deadly. He believed her when she said she'd have them out in no time without the inhibitor. First order of business was getting that off, somehow. Well, no, the first order of business was the permanence.

The doorbell's soft chimes tinkled promptly at 5:45 pm. Lucas tagged the keypad to open the door to reveal Sten and a woman Lucas had never seen before. The woman was androgynous in the extreme: tall and lanky but with curves in the right places and small, perky breasts barely covered by her thin, fishnet blouse. A cowl skirt hung above thigh-high leggings and elegant heels. Her hair was cut short on the sides with a shock of blue and black that curled up on top of her head.

Sten had dressed up for the night, it seemed. He wore a three-piece suit and more cologne than he needed. He also wore spectacles, round-framed and fancy.

"Where's she at, big guy?" Sten said, peeking his head into the apartment.

"In her room," Lucas replied, stepping out of the way to let the new couple enter.

Sten walked past and hollered, "Time to go, honey!"

As he did this, his partner introduced herself to Lucas.

She put her hand in his and spoke, her voice delicate and soft, "I'm Alana, Sten's first bond."

Lucas raised his eyebrows, "Ah, nice to, uh, meet you."

"The pleasure is mine," she said with a smirk.

Sten walked down the hallway and banged on the only closed door, "Come out, princess!"

Lucas asked Alana, "Is this a special occasion? I expected us head down alone and take care of it."

Sten, overhearing, called out from the hallway, "Oh no! The whole gang will be there. Even Alexia wanted to come! We get a little rowdy on new initiations!"

Sten banged on the door again. Lucas heard it whirr open, followed by a grunt. Sten fell like a sack of potatoes. Sarea sprung over him and out into the living room. She was not wearing the prescribed outfit, and her eyes made it clear she intended to fight.

Sarea launched herself over the couches, targeting a heavy kick into Lucas's solar plexus. Lucas raised his hands to defend, but there was no need. Alana plucked Sarea out of the air and held her by her hips and her neck. Lucas dropped his hands to his sides in disbelief. It hadn't looked like Alana had any mods at all, but here she was, holding Sarea up like she weighed nothing. Sarea struggled and kicked.

"Put. Me. Down. Bitch," Sarea gasped.

Alana raised an eyebrow, "Bitch?"

With barely any effort, Alana launched Sarea through the air. Sarea collided with the wall with a crunch then fell in a heap. Lucas rushed past Alana and slid to his knees next to Sarea.

"Sarea! Are you all right?" Lucas asked.

Sarea groaned, then gasped deeply. The wind had been knocked out of her.

"Ow, fuck. Ow," Sarea muttered.

Sten appeared above them, collar and handcuffs thrust out in front of him toward Lucas, "Cuff her, man, and let's go."

Sarea looked between the cuffs and Lucas. Her eyes begged him not to. The bond flared with her desperation. Though the bond had diminished substantially throughout the day, the intensity of Sarea's resistance and sadness pressed in on Lucas's own thoughts. Lucas took the restraints and hesitated a moment. Westerson came to the forefront in his mind again. Memories of what the man had done came rushing to him-his mother's screams, his dad bleeding out on the floor-and he gently closed the cuffs around Sarea's wrists.

"I'm sorry," Lucas said.

"Yeah, right," Sarea replied, defeated.

"Aren't ya gonna say thank you to my girl?" Sten said as Lucas lifted Sarea to her feet.

"Oh, uh, yes," Lucas turned, "Thank you, Alana."

"It is my sincere pleasure."

Sten eyed Sarea, "You didn't dress the part, kid, but that's ok, the clothes don't stay on long anyways!"

He roared with laughter as he led the four of them out into the hallway, to their fate. Each step was heavy for Lucas. With every step, Lucas questioned who he was, who he'd be if he went through with this. Yes, he thought, it has to be.

Chapter 16: Permanence

Sten and Alana navigated through the hallways and foyers toward the bonding rooms. Sarea's side throbbed where she had hit the wall. It had been a rough twenty four hours. She'd slept some, in the afternoon, but her dreams were plagued with tonight's encounter. When she woke, she had vowed to fight. Little good that had done. Without her mods, Sarea was helpless. Fury rose within her again as she recalled how Alana had toyed with her.

Sarea adjusted her wrists in the handcuffs. The collar's metal was cold on her skin. She felt its constraining touch with each nervous swallow. Sarea didn't know what to expect, other than that she planned to fight. The group approached an intersection. Sarea walked beside Lucas, both of them behind Sten and Alana. At the intersection, Sarea bolted down the hallway.

Sten turned and shouted, "Lucas, get your girl!"

Lucas grunted as he gave chase. Within seconds, he'd scooped her up and over his shoulder. She pounded her fists onto his back and tried to knee him in the crotch, but it was to no avail.

"We'll carry you then!" Sten hollered.

Lucas, for his part, was somber. Even as she wriggled on his shoulder and fought him, Sarea felt through the bond that this didn't excite him. None of that mattered though. No matter what he felt, he was still carrying her to be bound.

"Sarea, please," Lucas said quietly.

"Please yourself!" Sarea shouted.

Before long, they arrived at the bonding area. It was a large room, painted blood red, with sconces of gas lamps providing ambient, flickering firelight. Along the wall were the "stations". Some had beds, others massage tables, others crosses or spanking chairs. There was a wooden workbench to the side or behind each. Sex toys hung above the wooden benches: dildos, butt plugs, whips, leashes, gags, and lube. Below the bench itself, refrigerators containing every strain of Disiac. Lucas stopped when they walked through the door.

"Wait, the public room?" Lucas said.

"Oh yeah, baby!" Sten replied.

Sarea didn't understand. She could only see a few feet in front of them, through Lucas's armpit. A chorus of voices of all genders greeted the group.

"What the fuck is going on?" Sarea asked.

Lucas ignored the question, "Can't we be in the private rooms?"

"No way, man. You're about to break her, and yourself. We love to watch that shit. Like I said, it gets," Sten gestured at the other beds, where people were already fucking, "Wild."

Sten gestured to a massage table with stirrups and restraints, "This is your table here, lay her on it."

"No!" Sarea cried. Her struggle took on a renewed ferocity. She kicked and punched. She bit Lucas's shoulder until he bled. He dropped her on the massage table. Sarea immediately tried to get off and run, but the gang had already surrounded them. Hands pressed her back onto the table and held her down. Another group, Log among them, were tearing off Lucas's clothes.

Within a few seconds, Alana and another woman with blue hair and forestwood skin had produced a pair of scissors and removed all of Sarea's clothing except her thong and brassiere. Another set of hands, Damon's and another member of the gang whose name Sarea had not yet learned, pulled Sarea's arms above her head. They took her wrists, removed the cuffs, and affixed new restraints to them, pulling her arms back and until they made a V. She fought against the restraints, but they were solid, and her arms could rise only a few inches.

In the struggle for her arms, Sarea hadn't noticed her legs being tied into the stirrups. When she tried to move them, the restraints gave nothing at all. The stirrups pushed her knees up near her chest, which in turn tilted her pelvis. Her pussy and ass were exposed for ease of use, covered only by her sheer thong.

"Fuck you!" Sarea yelled at her captors. They laughed in answer.

Sarea looked wildly around the room for help, turning her head and squeaking on the leather massage table. The gang and their partners were already engaged in carnal delight. Alana had her tongue in another woman's mouth, another woman had Log's dick in two hands. Her eyes landed on Lucas. The rest of the gang and onlookers were badgering him for his clothes. Lucas clung to his underwear and kept telling everyone to fuck off. Finally, Sten yanked it away, exposing Lucas's large, half-hard cock. He was completely naked, now. His sheen of sweat caught the light.

Sten walked over to him, "It's time. Choose a strain."

"Just give me the normal one, normal permanence," Lucas stammered, "I want to get this over with."

"Ho ho ho, I don't think so. Normal is fine, but I think this lady needs to be a bit more submissive," Sten said.

Sarea's heart beat in her temples, "No! No! Fuck you!"

Sten put his face next to hers and whispered, "One more outburst and we'll gag you!"

Sarea spit in his face.

A smile crept across Sten's face. He retrieved a red ball gag. Sarea thrashed left and right, keeping her mouth closed. Someone's hands, she couldn't see whose, held her head in place and plugged her nose. The gag filled her mouth when she opened for a breath.