After years in the shadows, it returns...
(Author's note: Part 1 was written in 2012, while all the parts after 2 were written in 2017.)
While she enjoyed the briskness of the powdery snow that crunched underneath her boots, two figures entered the room that she had picked. They set up the device without a rush, knowing full well that in due time, their treat would return to the room and her curiosity would drive her to want to investigate. Alie was completely unaware of the events that were planned for her that evening and the two only hoped that she would be well worn out so that there wouldn't be too much struggle.
As Alie made her way back to the ski lift for one more run down the mountain, her furtive green eyes caught sight of movement in the window that overlooked the peaks. Her room. There was movement inside! There shouldn't have been. With a knot forming in her stomach that perhaps someone had broken in and was making off with her valuables, Alie quickly removed herself from the small crowd of people waiting for the chairs to come 'round and made her way back towards the hotel.
One of the figures happened to glance out and saw the unmistakable strides of the tall young woman. A sound that didn't register on any earthly language slipped from its lips causing the other to freeze momentarily. "She's coming," said the watcher to the second still away from the window. "She's coming quickly."
Although the two in her room were well versed with every language in the known universe, the language that they spoke was telepathic with a few grunts here and there when there wasn't a word in their own tongue. Under a heightened awareness that the room occupant was coming back to the room much sooner than intended, they quickly looked around to see where they might blend in. Though the two were dressed in hooded robes, this was only to hide their alien-like skin from the rest of humanity.
"We could blend," said the second to the first. "She will be more interested in her suitcase and things she brought with her than in checking the room. We could even leave the door open as though we've fled.
A third figure suddenly materialized from the doorway. He beckoned to the two and they moved fluidly across the floor. The door stayed open as the three slowly became one and then the one slowly slipped backwards into the wall across from the open door. Just in time too as the elevator door chime sounded and Alie's hurried footsteps were heard in the carpeted hallway.
"Is it set?" The question came from Third, asking First and Second. Though First and Second were a merged part of First, their minds still functioned separately even though they were able to communicate without sound.
"Just barely," replied Second. "I saw her returning and I believe First got all of the tripwires set throughout the device. She should be well restrained by the time her curiosity gets the better of her.
"And if we all just wait, we'll be able to hear," muttered First with a bit of sarcasm that got an almost imperceptible kick from Second. Third glared at First as they all settled into an inaudible hush. They all smelled her fear, but this was normal. Had they not been seen, she would have entered the room a great time later, exhausted from her day's exercise, and her faint into sleep would have been easier. Now, the sleep would come only after...
"What did they do? What did they take?" Alie's voice was heard after several moments. She wasn't really talking to anyone in particular, but just the sound of her own voice in the room seemed to calm her own nerves. Her heart pounding in her ears seemed deafening and she half looked around to see who else had heard. If she had known how to look through walls, she would have see 3 sets of hungry eyes staring back at her.
After assuring herself that none of her belongings had been disturbed, she turned to walk out of the door before she saw it: A small wooden thing had been set onto the small stand between the set of drawers and the tv stand. It almost looked like a miniature version of a Star Trek Star Gate, but it seemed far too small for anyone or anything to go through. Stepping to the door to look both ways and seeing the the hall was clear, Alie went back to the device for a closer look.
She shut the door behind her, completely unaware of the 3 separate figures came out of the wall. Had she been less curious about the device and more aware of her sixth sense which clearly detected the trio, she might have seen. As it was, her curiosity ruled that moment. Alie knelt in front of the stand and then noticed that there was the faintest of writing on the sphere that sat between the two arched gates. She bent down to look and made out the words.
"Look through here..."
When she studied the round thing closer, she noticed that there was a small hole in the letters "e" from the word "here". Tentatively she set her hands on the base, but nothing was happening. Alie raised the thing to her face so that she could look through the two holes and immediately, there was an audible puff of air that sounded from somewhere. Suddenly the thing in her hands came alive! Tendrils came from the sphere and shot out either side of her face. She'd taken her glasses off to view the lettering closer and it was a good thing she had. The tendrils encircled her head and clamped the remainder of the sphere onto her head.
With a shriek of surprise, Alie jerked backward as if to try to get away. Her grip tightened on the gates to try to pull the thing off of her head and that's when she heard a second puff. The gates disintegrated in her fingers and yet became like a glove that she was in. Her fingers became interlaced by some sort of current and then her arms became raised above her head. It was at that moment that she became aware by hearing that there was movement on either side of her.
"Who's there?" Her question was a combination of shriek and shout. Had she used a little less volume, she would have heard the response. As it was, in the small room, she'd momentarily deafened herself with the shout. She would have kicked out if she knew where her assailants were, but the thing on her face had securely kept her from seeing anything. A hand or something clapped over her mouth and nose. The scent was incredibly sweet and intoxicating all at the same time. She couldn't figure what was going on but was vaguely aware that her consciousness was slipping away. Her conscious realization was that her clothes were being taken off...
When she came to, Alie was able to open her eyes. She was no longer in her room and if she was, there were pools of water that had been moved in. As it was, there was an aura similar to an underground cave, complete with the sound of water dropping into a pool somewhere behind her. As she turned her head to locate the sound, she discovered that something or someone had braided her hair into three different strands. One strand kept her from looking to the right, the second to the left and the third, downward.
There was the opening of a door and for the second time, Alie saw that she was naked. It was very apparent this time because across the room from her was a mirror. She was able to see the three ways her hair had been braided and yet, she was unable to to see who had opened the door.
"I see you are awake." The voice was low, melodious, and almost seemed to whisper through the air. "First will be notified immediately." The figured turned to leave again, the door remaining open and then he paused. "My name is Second, and you may have already met Third." The sound of footsteps receding into another cave was heard and though the stone walls made everything echo, Alie knew that the door was to her left because that's the direction the light was coming from.
"She's awaaake!!" The low voice thundered through the caverns making Alie jump. It hadn't seemed as though the figure had traveled that far, but the sound of his shout had made her jump nonetheless. As the sound of his voice faded through several echoes, two sets of footsteps were heard hurrying towards her. One seemed to be coming from right in front of her, the second along with the first to the left.
Alie looked back to the mirror of her and noticed she was spread eagled though upright. She couldn't see what type of things her hands and feet were tied to and as she scrutinized her hands and feet she suddenly realized that she wasn't tied at all. Tied or not, she could not move her limbs and it seemed as though she were floating in midair. A shadow fell across the room not quite blocking all of the light. As her eyes looked to the left, a motion in front of her caused her to jump. She would have jumped backward were it not for being ensnared.