Aftermath

Mary sat there in stunned silence as her entire conversation with John from that morning played out on the channel for the entire world to hear.

As she sat there, stunned into numbness, the TV report continued on its wanton path of destruction; A realization started to dawn upon her, a profound feeling of being lost so deep in the woods that not one path led her to freedom.

She vaguely regarded the shapes of John and Peter as they materialized on the TV post the audio clip to answer the new line of questions that the reporters threw at them. Instead they beat a hasty retreat defending their lack of a retort with the usual 'No comments' statement.

Mary felt suddenly alone in this world. Alone and helpless. She sat there for a bit, not moving, just staring into space, not regarding the knocking on her door, the incessant knocking that ceased and then resumed after a bit.

Then she was brought back to reality by a loud splintering noise as the door broke open and in came a man wearing black, his face covered by a ski mask.

He was followed by a man wearing similar attire. They accosted Mary who didn't look like she was willing to put up much of a fight. One of them quickly injected her with something and she fell into a deep stupor.

Last Mary remembered she was falling away from the light, down a deep deep hole.

Her next recollection was that of a pale light glowing somewhere above her. She tried to open her eyes wider but the light seemed harsh so she kept her eyes half open. She tried to say something but her mouth was muffled with a cloth.

As she became coherent, she realized that she was restrained in a cot in a small room, bare except for the cot she lay in, a table with a side lamp on it that was producing the pale glow and a chair near the table.

At that moment she was alone in the room.

She could feel that her mouth was dry and she was spread eagled on the bed, bound by her wrists and ankles.

She tried to scream but realized it would probably be pointless. She just lay there benign, contemplating her fate.

The events of the last few days flashed in front of her eyes as she realized that something was terribly wrong with the whole picture.

This wasn't a game anymore, she knew that the person responsible for blackmailing them was behind all this. But who was it and why had they kidnapped her? That part she would probably have to wait to figure out.

Eventually the door to the room opened and one of the men still wearing the same attire and the mask entered the room.

He regarded Mary for a moment then walked over to her and signalled to her to keep quiet. He then removed her gag.

"What do you want from me?" growled Mary angrily.

"Not from you."

"Then who, John? His Father?"

The man stayed quiet. Not saying anything he gagged her again and then walked over to the table. He poured some water into a glass and brought it over. Removing her gag he let her drink and then not bothering to gag her again he deposited the glass back on the table. He then sat there looking at her, staring into her eyes intently, making Mary very uncomfortable.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" she said cringing a bit.

"You are beautiful."

"Why the fuck have you kidnapped me?"

The man clammed up again, walked over to her, gagged her and left the room leaving Mary screaming into the gag.

She did not see him for a while after that and eventually, exhausted at struggling against her restraints, she fell asleep again.

She was woken up by a hand shaking her awake.

It was the same man. Mary could tell because his eyes were blue and his voice was distinctly mellow.

"Eat." He said, removing the restraints from her wrists and allowing her to prop her back to the wall behind the cot.

It was a salad and Mary ate hungrily, not bothering to say anything until she had finished.

"How long do you intend to keep me here?" asked Mary

"As long as it takes." Said the man simply, taking the plate from her and tying her up again.

Mary started to sob gently, frustrated at her situation.

It seemed to melt the man a little for there was a visible change in his eyes and his body language.

"Crying won't help you. You need to be strong for what is to come."

He said patting her on the head and leaving her again in solitude.

Another long period of solitude later he appeared again with food and water.

Mary felt like a gazelle trapped in a cage, being kept alive to be sacrificed in the end.

As before she gulped down the food quietly and meekly lay down to allow him to tie her up again. But this time he didn't. He just sat there regarding her as a wolf regards its prey.

She stared at him defiantly, daring him to say something, which he did after a while

"You really are beautiful."

"Fat lot of good that's gonna do me" said Mary disgustedly.

"You shouldn't be that way. You should hope. It's what keeps us going."

"Well I don't feel very hopeful given my present circumstances."

"Well, I can give you something to go on but first you have to promise something."

"What do you want?"

"A kiss"

"You have got to be fucking kidding me right now. Do you really think I would kiss you!"

"Yes. I do. How else would you know what is going on outside this room?"

"How do I know what you would tell me is true?"

"I will not tell you. I will show you" said the man producing a pen drive from his pocket.

"Then show me first. Then I will kiss you."

"Ok, we have a deal. But know this that if you fall back on your deal, I will make things a little difficult for you."

He stepped out and came back with a laptop. He plugged in the pendrive and showed Mary a bunch of news articles.

"Pasternackis family goes into hiding, Zanster Inc stock plummets"

"Search on for John Pasternackis' missing paramour"

The next article brought Mary to tears.

"Mother of Mary Iverson interviewed, remains hopeful that she will be found"

Accompanying the article was a picture of her mother with a very worried look on her face.

Mary broke down and started sobbing uncontrollably. Meanwhile the man closed the lid of the laptop and immediately restrained and gagged her.

"Maybe later when you're done crying" he said as he tied and gagged her again.

"Such a beautiful face. Those tears simply ruin it" he said as he left Mary in solitude again.

Mary had no sense of whether it was day or night. She slept fitfully again and woke up with the urgent need to answer nature's call. She started to scream and the man must've heard her for he came inside.

He removed her gag to allow her to speak

"I need to use the washroom." She said

"Sure" said the man untying her and leading her to a door set in the wall of the room behind Mary's cot. Mary hadn't noticed that door before.

"You scream or try anything and it won't end well for you" said the man brandishing a knife.

Mary didn't intend to try anything. She quietly went and then returned timidly to allow him to tie her up again.

"How are you feeling today?" he asked

"Better?" he asked hopefully

"The fuck you think?"

"I'm thinking we made a deal and its time for you to honor it."

"Why don't you just get it over with"

"Now now don't be like that, I am a gentleman, you'll see. You might even like it."

He came over and lay next to Mary. Then taking her in his arms, he kissed her longingly and tenderly. Mary drew away disgusted but he simply smiled and got up again.

"That was simply wonderful. You re lips are so tender."

Mary glared at him angrily.

"Such anger in your eyes. Such passion. I wonder what being loved by you must feel like."

"Get the fuck away from me!" growled Mary.

He was about to say something when he got interrupted by his phone which was on silent. He quickly gagged her and left her alone once again.

To Mary this was her new world. Purgatory. She was paying for her sins. She had sinned when she had allowed herself to fall in love. She had sinned when she had allowed herself to dream of a better life, a life with a man who probably loved her as much as she loved him. To her the dream was the sin.

One more sleep cycle later, she saw the man once again. He was simply sitting there looking at her intently waiting for her to awaken.

"Why the fuck do you keep staring at me?" she wanted to shout but could only mumble.

He removed the gag to allow her to speak.

She shouted that line at him.

He just looked at her amused at her outburst.

"You look so beautiful when you sleep. How could I not?"

"You fucking pervert. Stay the fuck away from me."

"But don't you know what is going on?" he asked teasingly.

"What do you want in exchange now, another kiss?"

"Oh I think that what I am about to tell you will warrant more than that. Why don't I show you and you decide what you would like to give me in exchange."

"Do whatever you want I don't fuckin care anymore."

He stepped out again to bring in the laptop. This time he played some news clips for her.

"Pasternackis industries taken over by Ballantine And Co."

"Peter Pasternackis relinquishes post of Chairman, calls it a day."

"Still no sign of missing Paramour Mary Iverson. No leads in her case. Police sceptical."

"How the fuck is that supposed to make me feel better?" she asked

"Because of this" said the man showing her one final clip.

It was a clip of John sitting in a café overlooking a river. He got a phone call. Mary could hear the entire conversation as it played back

"Hello?"

"Do you want her back?"

"Who the fuck is this?" John was looking around agitated as he said this.

"This is somebody who can reunite you with the love of your life."

"You bastards, what have you done?"

"She is fine John, but you need to calm down. And you need to stay calm for her sake."

"Oh my God, where is she, please just tell me. What do you want."

"You need to go away John. Go far away from the madding crowd. Forget about your family. You need to stop existing."

"Why! Why the hell are you doing this? Who the hell put you up to this?"

"Do the smart thing John. Save a life."

"You already know that I'm listening. What do I need to do?"

"Go back to your hotel. There is a package there. Collect the package, go to your room and await further instructions."

The clip ended and the man closed the laptop lid.

Mary broke down again

"Oh my God John. Oh my God" she said sobbing uncontrollably.

"You know I do feel for you. Under different circumstances I would have sympathized with you."

He let her continue to cry for a bit until she finally stopped crying and lay back in the bed, numb once again.

"Now for our deal. What will you do for me?"

"Do what you want. I don't care."

"Are you sure that is what you want?"

"Just do what you have to and get the fuck out of here."

He walked over and tied her hands again. Then he took her in his arms and lay with her for a bit. Mary lay still not moving or reacting.

He slid his hand inside her top and raised it to reveal her bra. He then unclasped it to reveal her breasts.

"Exquisite" he mumbled as he took a nipple in his mouth and sucked gently.

In spite of her revulsion Mary felt a tinge of arousal as it had been so long since her last sexual encounter.

He slowly, tantalizingly licked her nipple, allowing it to become taught with desire.

He then tried to kiss her but she wasn't very welcoming so he gave up and got up to go. Mary didn't even look at him as he covered her up and left the room again.

Mary had no idea how much time had passed when he returned with food, water and a cell phone. He threw the phone on the table and allowed her to eat, sitting there, regarding her wantonly as she gulped down the food.

Suddenly the phone rang and he whispered into it. Then he gave the phone to Mary. It was John at the other end..

"Mary? Is that you?"

Mary's eyes lit up and she was suddenly full of energy.

"John. Oh my God John is that you?"

"Yes Mary its me, how are you, are you ok?"

"I'm fine John, oh my God, where are you."

"Mary I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I got you into this, but I want you to know that I'm fixing this. We will be together soon."

"Please John, you have to get me out of here."

"I will Mary. I will."

The man snatched the phone from her hands and then grunted something into the phone. He then threw the phone on the table and bound her again.

For some reason he looked grumpy.

Mary didn't say anything, she just lay there thinking about John, a sliver of hope rekindled inside her.

"You look different today." Finally said the man.

"That's what you look like when you're happy. It is amazing. Truly amazing." He added.

Mary didn't say anything.

"You do understand that this latest piece of information came at an attached cost."

Mary glared at him again.

"What do you want now? You wanna fuck me? Go ahead you slimy bastard."

"No. I want you to fuck me" he said.

He walked over to Mary and lay on top of her. She averted her gaze from his and looked to one side. Undeterred he kissed her on her neck, gently, tantalizingly. He kissed her on her neck and trailed his kisses down to the cleft of her breasts. It was just as well that he was still wearing that mask for Mary felt that if she were to see his face it would haunt her forever.

He raised her top and unclasped her bra again to reveal her shapely breasts once again. He took them in his hands and gently suckled on either breast, gently thrusting his now hard cock into her crotch. She could feel his hardness thrusting into her pussy but she just lay there still, staring at the wall instead of at him.

He trailed his kisses down her stomach to her navel and then further down. He lowered her skirt below the navel as he trailed kisses down her belly.

He lowered it to the point where he could see her pubic hair and then lowered her skirt uptil that point.

He then took off his shirt to reveal a well toned body, sinewy but strong. He stood up to take off his pants and his underwear to reveal a very hard and very erect penis, taught with desire and begging to be serviced.

He then lay back on top of her and continued to kiss her all over her body and lick her breasts. Then he lay to one side and slid a hand down her skirt and her underwear.

Gently with his forefingers he made her wet as he played with her clitoris, slowly massaging it into submission.

At this point Mary was experiencing a gamut of emotions, revulsion, desire, disgust and lust all at the same time. His foreplay was gentle like John's and try as she might to pretend it didn't affect her, his foreplay was arousing her for it reminded her of John.

He then slid down her panties and raised her skirt completely to reveal her pussy glistening in the pale glow of the lamp with her juices.

He went down on her, licking her gently, allowing her to get more wet as he licked the lips of her pussy and her clitoris with a flicking motion.

He accompanied the tender licking with digging his fingers into the outside of her thighs and trailing them down her thighs firmly but not too firmly so as not to scratch her.

This latest move made Mary convulse involuntarily and that was when he knew he had her.

He started to lick furiously and try as she might she could not control herself. A moan escaped her mouth as she convulsed with pleasure.

This simply spurred him on and he continued to lick her pussy whilst running his fingers along the inside of her thighs and on the outside.

Mary started to thrust involuntarily for she was on the verge of coming and she couldn't control it anymore.

She finally came and he could tell for her entire body went rigid for a second and then broke down into shivers of pleasure as she came repeatedly, her pussy overflowing with her orgasmic juices.

He stopped to look at her with his penetrating blue eyes, as if to say that he had conquered her. Mary just stared back helplessly like a defenceless animal trapped in a cage with no choice.

Wordlessly he then entered her and started to thrust gently at first, allowing her to relax her muscles and taking all of him inside her.

She couldn't help it, it was instinct and it had taken a hold of her.

She started to meet his thrusts by moving her hips gently as she allowed the ripples of pleasure to radiate from her vaginal muscles to the rest of her body, taking over her entire being, making her feel pleasure like only John had provided her.

He continued relentlessly, thrusting sometimes gently, sometimes urgently, allowing her to orgasm multiple times. Each time she came, he allowed her to quiver with pleasure before he would continue to thrust again and again and again.

Mary had completely lost control and in that singular moment in time, he was her master pleasuring her like no other moment in her life.

He masterfully made love to her, suckling her breasts at all the right moments, arousing her and allowing it to peak at all the right moments.

He would stop in between because obviously he must have been feeling like coming too but he would stop and allow the feeling to subside before continuing again.

Wordlessly they fucked for about an hour in which he made Mary come five times.

Finally he pushed and thrust one final time until he shuddered with ecstasy and came inside her, filling her pussy with torrents of cum, which unknown to Mary, was something he had been saving himself for a few days now.

He collapsed beside her, not saying anything, not looking at her as she too looked the other way ashamed at the way she had allowed him to take over control.

Finally he got up and got dressed, then untied her and allowed her to visit the washroom before tying her up again and leaving her tied up and gagged in the cot, broken and without spirit.

Mary must have lay there dead inside for 2 days or 3 years, the concept of time was lost on her. To her every passing moment was torture for she had lost coherence. White, black, yin and yang it all seemed the same to her.

She didn't want to blame herself for her present predicament. Falling in love with someone wasn't a crime. All she did was love John. But all this punishment had made her think about her choices in the past few days. Was sticking by John the right decision or the wrong one. Would he still want her back if she told him what her captor had done with her.

Or maybe she didn't care.

As she lay there, the door to her room opened once again as her captor emerged. He seemed to be agitated and as he came in the kicked the chair aside and stood next to the table, hands resting on the table surface, head down.

Mary didn't say a word, she just lay there staring at the ceiling.

Turning around he affixed her with his blue eyes, a fire in them.

"I have some good news for you." He paused to get a reaction from Mary but she continued to lay there, not moving at all.

"I am here to take you away. Soon you will be free. But your freedom is to come at a cost."

At this Mary turned her head to look at him directly locking her eyes with his.

"What more can you take away from me? You took away my life, you took away my soul. Now you want to take away my freedom." Her voice cracked as she said the last few words.

"I am truly sorry. But it has to be this way. You had made your choice when you lay in bed with the devil."

"The Devil! John the Devil! You people are the Devils! We were happy. We weren't harming anyone."

"It has nothing to do with you. Its just bad timing. What can I say wrong time wrong place. Happens all the time. So here's what's going to happen next. I am to take you away from here and you will be a good girl. You will not struggle or make any noise and will come with me quietly. It would be in your best interests to do so."