Indentured Pervitude, Ch. 08
by Rachael DMM
Tom hefted Wendy's two suitcases onto the scale at the airline check-in counter. They then headed for security, each pulling along their own carry-ons. Wendy had assured him that everything he needed for the week they'd be away was packed in his one small bag. He didn't believe her, but he didn't complain about it. If she wanted to screw with him, there wasn't much he could do about it.
"I'm going to visit the ladies' room real quick," Wendy said as they passed a bathroom. "I'll meet you at the gate."
Tom just shrugged and got in the security line. It wasn't too bad, and it was only five minutes before he stepped into the body scanner. He held his arms up, and the machine whirred. He flinched when an alarm went off - a loud one!
Everyone's attention was drawn to him, and two TSA agents rushed forward to contain him inside the scanner. Other passengers backed away, looking frightened.
"Stay where you are," one of the agents ordered him, his hand resting on a holstered weapon.
"What's going on?" Tom squealed and looked around for his wife.
"Remain calm. Don't make any suspicious movements," the agent said in a steady voice.
Tom didn't know what type of movements might be considered suspicious, so he remained stock still, hands in the air. He noticed two large men in BitWize uniforms hurrying to the scene. The alarm siren was still going off and drawing even more attention.
"Cisero," one of the BitWize goons called to him. "Step this way, then down on your stomach!"
"Wait, what is going on? I'm just on my--"
A TSA guy grabbed him, roughly pulled him out of the scanner, and tried to get him to the ground. If he hadn't been the center of attention before, he certainly was now. His natural instinct was to resist being put down on the floor.
"Compliance, compliance, compliance!" the BitWize goon yelled, and everyone backed off suddenly. Before Tom could assess what was happening, his whole body seized up, pain ripped through his mind, and he felt himself falling. That was well beyond the little zap Wendy had given him, he thought as he hit the floor hard. He vaguely remembered wondering if he had chipped a tooth on the tile.
"Wha...fffiittshhaa...num...da...fooo..." His mouth and tongue weren't working. Or was it his brain that was too fried to form words? He could only catch snippets of people talking around him, but none of it made sense.
"Unauthorized travel attempt... unaccompanied O.P. in violation...seizure and containment... damned leech on society...want me to hit him again?"
Then he heard a familiar voice that seemed like it was a thousand miles away.
"Wait, stop, don't hurt him! He's mine - I didn't realize - it's not his fault - he didn't know! Don't hurt him, please!"
It was Wendy, he was pretty sure. He hoped it was...his vision was too blurry to make anything out. Please let it be her.
"He's with you? Let me see some ID," a gruff voice demanded.
"This is the first time we've ever traveled. Everything is okay - we're going on our honeymoon. I have all his papers right here, and my electronic title to his personhood here on my phone."
Things seemed to be getting sorted out. Tom still couldn't move, couldn't see, and couldn't get the taste of metal out of his mouth.
"He has to be with you at all times when transiting, ma'am, especially at security checkpoints. Unless you fill out an RTA and get it approved at least 24 hours in advance."
"I...I didn't know. This is all new to me. I'm so sorry."
"It should have all been explained to you when you took ownership. This is your first violation, but if it happens again you will be fined. If it happens again after that, your property will be subject to repossession." The alarm finally stopped and was replaced by the murmur of the surrounding crowd gawking at him lying there on the ground like a limp doll.
"Okay, I understand - there's so much to learn. You said something about an RTA?"
"Restricted Travel Authorization. It grants an O.P. limited freedom of movement without their owner being present. Difficult to get when traveling internationally. And...yup...your destination is Italy?"
"Yes, but I was just in the ladies' room - I had no idea it mattered..."
"Well, now you know. Enable."
Tom's sight snapped into focus, the ringing in his ears stopped, and he could move again. He sat up, took a deep breath, and felt his chest to make sure his heart was still beating. Wendy was there peppering his face with kisses, just to add to the humiliation he supposed.
"Your flight will start boarding in five minutes. Head left here, and it's about halfway down on the right. I would suggest you use the app and try to get an RTA submitted before you take off."
"I will," she said and helped Tom to his feet. "Again, I'm so very sorry. And thank you...for...just thank you." She grabbed Tom's bag and put it in his grasp, then got hers and led him away quickly toward their gate. Neither said anything until they were in their seats.
"Okay, that got my heart racing. But we're all right now." She patted his thigh. Tom couldn't tell if that was meant to be comforting or patronizing.
He knew he shouldn't say what he was thinking, but then he was talking before he could stop himself. "Was that your plan?"
"Plan? For what...?"
"To teach me a lesson. To publicly humiliate me in front of all those people. To make sure I know that you have all the power in this relationship now, and I'm just a piece of shit."
"How could you even think that?" Wendy said, aghast. He was probably justified in suspecting her, but she didn't do that intentionally. At least not consciously. "I would never."
"You went out of your way to embarrass me in front of my friends, then made a bunch of rules about...y'know.." he made a jerk-off motion with his hand. "And now I'm getting treated at airport security like I'm some kind of criminal. It's just one insult after another lately. Is that really how you want to start our new life together? Is this your idea of nothing changing between us?"
The plane lifted off, and she used the crew's safety talk as an excuse to stay quiet and think about what he was saying. She couldn't deny there was something to it, But, it was all for his own good...for the good of both of them. The thing at security was a mistake, to be sure, but she needed to pay better attention to her responsibilities as an owner. She didn't want to think of herself as one, but she needed to take it more seriously. Life wasn't normal anymore.
At the same time, she couldn't bring herself to apologize to him. Wendy knew she should say that she was sorry, but she didn't want to give him any leverage that he could use in future arguments. To apologize would show weakness, and give him ideas she didn't want him to have. The ugly fact was that he was her property, and he shouldn't be questioning her like this.
"I guess I was doing my best to be hopeful and put a positive spin on all of this. You put us in a very complicated situation, and I didn't want you to feel bad, or guilty, about messing our lives up as much as you did. I'm just thankful that my parents had the means to save you from something even worse."
Tom was silent as he took that in. Wendy tried not to smile, knowing her counterpunch had landed. He got the message that he was the one who was ultimately responsible, and the only reason he had any freedom at all was because of her. Maybe that would encourage a little more gratitude from him instead of playing the "poor me" game.
"I don't want to fight, Tom. This is our honeymoon. If you'd be willing to drop this, then maybe I'll be willing to give you a handjob once they dim the cabin lights." She spread the airline blanket over his lap and patted it down over his crotch to prove she was serious. That got his attention.
"Okay, yeah, that sounds good." He leaned over and kissed her. "I'm sorry, babe. I just get all...y'know...but I'm not going to say another word. You're my wife now, and that's all that matters...right?"
"Right." Wendy slipped her hand under the blanket, took hold, and waited for the lights to dim.
~ ~ ~
The taxi delivered them to the picturesque Capo La Gala resort. Her father had paid for their stay long before Tom had gotten into trouble. It was ranked as one of Italy's most romantic vacation spots. She knew that was her mother's doing - she was hoping her first grandchild would be conceived on this honeymoon.