Abducted

Chapter 4 – More Questions

Back in her room, Emma looked at the clock. 12 noon. She had been in the 'interview room' for less than two hours! It was hard to believe. So much had happened.

She went to the bathroom, started to run the water for a bath, and slipped off her robe. She stared in the mirror at her soft, white body, the whiteness of her skin marred by angry red marks on her breasts, torso, thighs and buttocks. She found the jar marked 'Bath Balm' and applied the ointment liberally to her wounds as instructed. Immediately, she felt the stinging pain lessen as the balm worked its way into her sore skin. Gratefully, she stepped into the bath and immersed herself.

As she lay soaking, Emma tried to take stock. She didn't know where she was, but it was obviously a long way from home. There seemed little prospect of escape, but they seemed careful not to allow her out of the room without a blindfold. Did that mean they were worried about her seeing something or someone who might help her? She stored the thought.

Emma pondered her situation. This was no initiative test, she thought bitterly. She couldn't get used to the idea that this could be happening to her, and at the end of the twentieth century. Surely she would have been missed by now, at least at work. How long before they raised the alarm and started looking for her? Would they find any clues?

She was promised another session this afternoon. There was much she needed to know, and she needed to concentrate and get her mind in order. How long before they started her 'training'? She had no real indication as to what the 'training' would consist of, but she felt that it was certain to be unpleasant, and that her freedom would be curtailed still further.

The bath and the balm eased her pain considerably. As she dried herself, she noticed the weals appeared less angry. She patted them gently with the towel. When dry, she dressed in a simple skirt and blouse, and sat in a comfortable armchair to contemplate.

Shortly after one o'clock, the two oriental maids appeared with her lunch trolley. Remembering Yasmin's instructions, Emma didn't try to get any information from them. Gratefully, she noticed that a half-bottle of Sancerre 1993 had been supplied. Emma would have liked something stronger; a large gin and tonic might have settled her shattered nerves, but it was probably better, she reflected, to keep a clear head. She poured a glass of wine – an excellent vintage, and served at just the right temperature, cool but not chilled – and picked at her lunch without much enthusiasm. A plan was beginning to form in her mind. She secreted another bottle of water inside a small cupboard, together with a couple of bread rolls, and some fruit. She ordered steak (rare) for her evening meal.

Yasmin watched, unseen behind the two-way mirror.

After the meal had been cleared away, Emma started looking through the books installed in a bookcase along one wall. She noticed several which seemed to relate to slavery and submission, sadism and masochism. She had heard of one, 'The Story of O', and started reading. As she read, her worries increased. Was this the sort of regime to which she would be subjected?

Suddenly, at precisely 2.30, the door opened and Yasmin entered. Emma, surprised, looked up from her book. "On your knees, Slut!" barked the older woman. "When I enter a room, you will get down on your knees, and stay there until given permission to rise!"

Emma obeyed immediately. "I am sorry, Madam. I didn't realise."

"That's it, and spread your legs. Lower your gaze; look at the floor, not at me. Place your hands behind your back, to accentuate your breasts. No keep your back straight, and your head up, but lower your gaze. Yes, like that. That is the posture you will adopt in future when I, or anyone else in authority, enters your room."

"Yes, Madam."

She picked up the book Emma had been reading. "Yes," she said, "you'll find this useful, Slut. I would also recommend these." Yasmin selected another three books from the shelf, and laid them on the table. "Try these when you have finished 'The Story of O'. They will give you a greater understanding of the journey you are about to make."

Emma thought to herself that she would do anything possible to avoid making that journey, but for the moment, it was important to obey Yasmin and to try to gain her trust.

Yasmin seated herself in an armchair. "Very well, Leila," she began, "you may rise now and be seated. You have some more questions?"

Emma got up from her knees, and sat opposite Yasmin. "Thank you, Madam," she said, careful to keep her eyes lowered, in what she hoped was a sufficiently submissive pose. "If it would please you, Madam, could you tell me about my training? When will it start?"

"As soon as we have the results of your tests."

"Tests, Madam? What tests?"

"Everyone in the palace who is sexually active is tested each month for sexually-transmitted diseases, including HIV. Anyone new is considered 'unclean' until they have been tested. It is a serious offence to have sex with an unclean person. Samples were taken while you were under sedation, and we should have the results in a day or two. You will then be assigned a trainer, and your lessons will start."

"I see, Madam; I wondered why you told the guards that I was unclean. Now I understand."

"We need to be careful with new arrivals," continued Yasmin, "especially in your case, because of your partners."

"But I have only two, Madam."

"Yes, but one – Max I believe – is married. He has sex with his wife, and you were not his only mistress."

"What?"

"Oh yes. Only last week he took his secretary to Amsterdam on business. They booked separate rooms, but only used one bed."

"Bastard!" exclaimed Emma under her breath.

"We believe," Yasmin went on, "that she has another regular partner as well. And your other lover – Peter – spends every week in London, where he also has a regular girlfriend. We didn't have time to establish what she does at weekends when Peter returns to Edinburgh."

"Him too!" muttered Emma. "Bastards both!"

"The system is not foolproof, of course, because of the gestation period for some diseases, but it has been remarkably effective so far. In my twenty years here, I can only remember one outbreak of syphilis, which was rapidly controlled. The cause was discovered – one of the guards admitted to using a prostitute while on leave in the capital. He was castrated and dismissed from the force – as was his 'copain' of course. I believe his 'copain' later killed him, in revenge for the loss of his virility. No-one blamed him, and he was never prosecuted."

Emma continued to be astonished at the matter-of-fact manner in which Yasmin talked of these atrocities, and shuddered.

"Please, Madam, of what will my training consist?" she asked, hesitantly, not sure she wanted to hear the reply.

"It would not be proper to go into detail now, but you will not find it pleasant at first, until you have learnt how to suffer pain and humiliation, and even to welcome them. You will learn how to treat a Master correctly and properly, and come to understand the beauty of true submission to your Master's desires."

"How long will it take, Madam?"

"That depends, of course, on how well you learn, but probably between three and nine months. I have already explained that you have one week each month free from training, during your period. In addition, you will be released every fifth or sixth day, to recover and contemplate what you have learnt. Training takes place in special training rooms; during your rest days you will be brought back here."

"And will I always be in solitary, Madam?"

"For the present, yes. As your training proceeds, the rules will be relaxed, and you will be allowed to mix with the others, and spend your allowance."

"Allowance, Madam?"

"Yes, of course. When you have completed your training, and assuming His Highness is happy with you, you will receive a monthly allowance of four thousand US dollars, to spend on anything you wish – clothes, jewellery, books, anything you decide. That will increase periodically, depending on your performance. Your Master will expect you to look your best at all times. It is also most important that you keep your mind active; you are expected to be a companion, not just a toy. During training, of course, your allowance is lower, only one thousand per month. The first thousand will be credited to your account one month from yesterday. In addition, all the clothes, jewellery, etc. in this room are yours. Some came from your flat, but we have added a few extras, which I hope you will like."

"Thank you, Madam. I haven't yet investigated them all, but the person who chose them has very good taste."

"Why thank you, Leila. I co-ordinated it myself," replied Yasmin, smiling. "I'm glad you approve. I hope you will learn to be happy here."

"But, Madam, surely they will miss me at home, and at work. Will they not be alarmed at my disappearance?"

"For the moment, no. Your mother received an e-mail to say that you were going abroad for a few days. Your office had a phone call on Wednesday morning, purporting to be you, and explaining in a very weak voice that you had a bad dose of influenza. Very soon, however," continued Yasmin, smiling, "many people will be searching for you, including the Fraud Squad, Europol and Interpol!"

Emma started. "Why, Madam? Why Interpol?"

"Well, your company will shortly discover a large hole in their accounts, amounting to nearly two and a half million pounds sterling." Yasmin checked a record in her folder, and continued, "Two million, four hundred and eighty-two thousand, five hundred and eighty-four pounds and twelve pence, to be precise!"

"What?" gasped Emma in surprise.

"I'm not sure of the exact details," Yasmin went on, "but they will trace it initially to a bank account opened by you, with an account name very similar to one of your company's major clients. By the time they get there, however, it will all have disappeared into several numbered Swiss bank accounts, all of which are now empty."

Emma gasped. "And they will think it was me, Madam?"

"Oh, yes. Enquiries will show that you left your flat early on Wednesday morning and drove to the Airport for the early morning flight to Paris, on a ticket you booked a week ago. From there, they will probably be able to trace you to Zurich, Vienna, Budapest, and finally to Belgrade, after which the trail will go blank! It's all been very carefully planned! It took a little time to find some-one sufficiently like you to use your passport."

In spite of herself, Emma was impressed at the lengths to which they had gone to cover her tracks.

"Oh yes, and one other thing," continued Yasmin, smiling, "They will be able to trace one hundred thousand pounds to a bank account held by your friend Max. It would be interesting to hear how he explains that to the police!"

Emma was surprised at her reaction. Yes, it quite amused her to wonder how Max would react. He could be very pompous at times; this would prick his pride! Served him right for two-timing her! She smiled.

"I see the thought amuses you, Slut! That's good; we'll make a good slave of you yet!"

"Am I allowed any contact with the outside world, Madam?"

"For the present, no, none at all. In a few days, we will install a computer terminal in your room, and you will be able to access the internet. It will be barred, however, to prevent any information flowing out. It is pointless to try to access your e-mail account – we have changed your password. We will monitor it for you, and let you know about anything we regard as important. I will also arrange for the internal phone to be re-connected. You will have access to only two numbers. If you need to see me, or have urgent problems, dial 200. My office is manned at all times. For general requirements – room service, etc. – dial 210."

"Thank you, Madam," replied Emma, with a resigned expression.

"Do not be down-hearted, Leila. We hope you will soon learn to be happy here. We will cater for all your requirements. In time, you will meet the other girls and I trust you will make some good friends."

"How many women does His Highness have, Madam?"

"Currently forty-six, not counting his two official wives, of course. In addition, there are two trainees – yourself and another girl who has been here about six months now. The women are spread around his three palaces, but thirty are here permanently. This is his favourite retreat, perhaps because his wives never come here," added Yasmin, smiling.

"Forty-six, Madam?" asked Emma, with a puzzled expression. "But I thought I was Number 29!"

"You are the twenty-ninth recruited since His Highness succeeded his late father, my Master, nearly ten years ago. Before that, His Highness already had his own small court, but those women had his father's prefix. Also, he inherited, and decided to keep, some of the younger women from his father's court. When he took charge, he augmented his court by about twelve in the first year, but since then he has restricted himself to no more than two or three every year."

"May I ask, Madam, were you abducted too?"

"Yes, twenty years ago, from London. I understand your apprehension and your fear. Please be assured that we do not wish to harm you. We simply want to train you to fulfil your destiny. Pain and discomfort are an essential part of the training, but you will find much pleasure as well."

"I'm frightened, Madam!"

"That is natural and understandable. Mainly, you are frightened of the unknown. As you learn more, the fear will recede. Believe me."

"Yes, Madam."

"I will leave you now. Shortly, two women will come here to take some measurements; obey their instructions, but do NOT try to get information from them. That should not take more than twenty minutes and the rest of the day is free for you to amuse yourself. To-morrow, at 10 in the morning, I have booked you a session with our physiotherapist. It is most important that you keep supple and fit. She will also help with aches and pains. Following that, you will see our resident beautician and manicurist. She will help you to look your best at all times. You will be collected at 9.55."

"Thank you, Madam."

Yasmin left, locking the door behind her.

Emma started to plan. She knew had to try to escape before her 'training' started. She wasn't sure how long that gave her, but probably no more than two days, until the results of her tests were known. She had no clear idea where she was, except that it was not in Europe, but started to put clues together. 'His Highness' (whoever he was) had nearly fifty women in his harem. She did some mental arithmetic. Fifty women, at four thousand dollars per month; that came to about two and a half million dollars per annum - just for 'allowances', not counting all the other costs! This man was seriously rich; that had to mean either oil, or crime, or both.

She thought about the clothes in her wardrobe. They were predominantly suitable for a hot climate. In addition, the entire palace seemed to be air-conditioned – she heard all the time the faint hum of the system.

What other clues could she glean? His Highness had two official wives.

She thought back to the two meals she had had, and the menus; the prolific but subtle use of spices reminded her of a Lebanese restaurant she had once visited with Peter. It suddenly stuck her – there were no pork, ham or bacon derivatives on either menu, or on the tray of cold meats supplied for breakfast.

Oil – heat – harems – multiple wives – lack of pork. It HAD to be somewhere in the Middle East.

Her musings were interrupted by a knock on the door, and in walked two women, about thirty years old, smartly dressed in matching white overalls. "Good afternoon," said the first, curtly, in a strange foreign accent, possibly Eastern European, thought Emma. "We need some measurements. Take off your clothes and lie on the bed."

Meekly, Emma complied. One woman wielded a tape measure and called out the numbers for the other to record. Emma was astonished at the number of measurements, and had difficulty in restraining herself from asking questions. They measured the circumference of her ankles, knees, thighs in two places, wrists, elbows, upper arms, neck, and finally her head, first around the mouth, then the forehead, and finally from her chin to crown. Her arms were measured, from armpit to wrist, and her legs, from the sole of her feet to her crutch. They asked her to stand up and extend her arms above her head. They then measured the full distance from the tips of her fingers to the floor, then from the top of her head to the floor. She extended her arms sideways at right angles, and they measured the full distance from the tips of the fingers of her right hand to those of her left. Finally, they took some body circumference measures, bust across her breasts, bust below her breasts, waist and hip.

"OK. That's all. You can get dressed now," announced the first woman. She and her colleague departed without further comment.

Emma slipped into a bathrobe, and looked around the room again. No windows. She tapped the walls, trying to get some hint as to which might be an outside wall, but to no avail. 'Even if I had the tools,' she thought bitterly, 'I've no way of knowing which wall to tunnel through.'

She looked closely at the grille covering the air-conditioning duct. 'No use – even if I could get the grille off, I'd never squeeze through there,' she mused. Similarly, in the bathroom, the ventilation ducts were far too narrow to contemplate their use as a means of escape. It would have to be the door! If she could surprise the maids bringing a meal, she might be able to get out of the door and lock it behind her. She might have a chance of finding a way out before they were able to raise the alarm. It was a slim chance, but she had no alternative.

Unseen eyes watched Emma all the time. "She's plotting something," said Yasmin. "I'm certain of it!"

But how, and when, to attempt an escape? If she was right about being somewhere in the Middle East, Emma did not want to risk a full day in the open air, with no shelter from the sun. On the other hand, it might be essential to have some daylight to help her get her bearings, and perhaps find somewhere to hide. She seemed to recollect from school geography lessons that night fell very quickly, and earlier than in Scotland, in summer at least. About five o'clock in the evening would be good. If she were to arrange to have tea brought to her at about five o'clock, it might be possible to make an escape, and find somewhere to lie low until darkness fell. Possibly, if she was only bringing a small trolley for tea, they would just send one maid, and that would assist her escape; she would only have to cope with one potential hindrance. After that – goodness knows! It all depended on what she would find out there. Hide, and wait for darkness to fall? Then wait until early dawn, and try to find a large hotel with British or American guests? Failing that, a Western company headquarters? Even without proof of identity, surely someone would believe her story.

Emma began to feel better, having organised the glimmer of a plan. She looked at her watch, and saw that it was 4.25pm. Emma wondered if the phone had been reconnected yet, as Yasmin had promised. She picked up the receiver and heard a dialling tone. She dialled 210. Within seconds, a soft feminine voice answered, "Yes, Miss Leila, how may I help you?"

"Hello. Would it be possible to have some tea sent to my room?"

"Yes, of course, Miss. English tea?"

"Please. With milk, but no sugar. And a bottle of mineral water if possible."

"Right away, Miss. Anything else?"