Note to the reader: This is a dark chapter featuring sexual abuse and mind control. If such things upset you, please read no further.
Brian woke up to the smell of fried bacon and coffee. It took him a minute to reconcile those smells to where he was, laying in bed in Sandy's cottage. Stranger still was the fact that he was still in bed and had not cooked anything. Morning coffee and breakfast were his duties and yet someone else was in the kitchen. He recognized two voices, those of Millie and Sandy, chatting away as they apparently fixed breakfast. He quickly slipped on the overly long t-shirt he found next to the bed and after a quick stop at the bathroom, made his way to the kitchen and peeked around the edge of the doorway.
Millie and Sandy must have heard him coming. Both were standing next to the kitchen table, Millie holding a steaming cup of coffee and Sandy an aromatic plate of fried eggs, bacon and toast. They were looking directly at him.
"Come on in and take a seat, hot stuff." Sandy said, "Just don't expect this sort of thing to happen very often."
Mildred added, "You were excellent last night and performed well beyond our expectations. That sort of thing deserves a reward so today we are fixing you breakfast and giving you the day off. Come on in and sit down. Enjoy us waiting on you for a change while we explain a few things."
Brian slipped into a chair and took a long sip of his coffee. It was strong, black and hot. Just perfect as were the eggs and bacon. After he had a chance to settle into some serious eating, Mildred explained the rules for his day off.
"We are going to give you a day pass to allow you to go into town. You can use Sandy's bicycle for the trip. There is no need to worry about anyone stealing it, that sort of thing never happens here. Your collar will be programmed to show that you have permission to be in town and allowed to go pretty much anywhere you like so long as you do not go near the seaplane or boat docks. We will also give you a paper copy just in case something prevents your collar from scanning properly. You may get some odd looks but no one should bother you so long as you act respectfully to everyone you meet. You can drink or eat anything you like. If there is any payment required, the collar will automatically charge the amount to our account. We will expect you back here by no later than 6:00 pm. We will look after dinner."
Sandy handed him a cell phone. "Here, you can borrow my phone for the day. Millie's number is programmed in and the phone has an unlocked identity for you to use. If you encounter any difficulties, you can give us a call."
Brain did not know what to say. This was so unexpected that he really had no idea of what he was going to do with this free time. He had only see a few brief glimpses of the town on three occasions but the idea of exploring it on his own excited him. For the first time since his arrival he felt the excitement of an impending adventure even if it was just a day in a small town.
"When can I leave?" He asked.
"Just as soon as you finish the dishes and clean up both of our houses, " Millie answered.
Brian was quiet for a bit and calculating just how long all of this would take when the two women laughed and Millie spoke up. " Just screwing with you Brian, the whole day is yours. You can leave whenever you like and by the way, don't ever try to play poker with that face. It was a flashing neon sign that spelled out disappointment for a few seconds there."
Brian thanked the two women and borrowing Sandy's bike, set off for the short ride into town. Aurora's main town was not that large compared to what most North Americas are used to but it still had plenty to look at. Aside from being the port of entry, it was the island's commercial and cultural center. Brian parked the bike near the town center and enjoyed strolling along looking into the shops and galleries. He was only stopped once and asked to show his traveling papers. The scowling older woman who looked at them acted as if he were a thief out on day parole. However, Brian remembered what Millie had said about being respectful and thanked her when she handed the paper back to him.
After a couple of hours, the growling of his stomach drove him into one of the many artfully decorated pubs along the town's main street where he ordered lunch and a couple of beers. The beer was cold and strong with just the right amount of hops. Afterwards,walking back out into the heat of a tropical afternoon the alcohol content really hit him hard. Being a bit confused and not sure where to go next he decided to reclaim the bicycle and just ride around for a bit. However, whoever designed the town did not like straight streets and he found himself completely disoriented and unsure which direction led back to his bicycle.
As he wandered the twisting streets looking for some familiar landmark, he never noticed that he was being followed. He was thinking that he really needed to stop and ask someone for directions and as he turned around to head back to where he had last seen a shop he came face to face with Annie and Valarie.
He did not recognize them at first and was about to ask for directions when, without warning, Annie produced a long, slender knife and Valarie ordered him to turn and place both hands against the wall. He thought about running but before he could, Valarie produced a revolver she had concealed behind her back and pressed it into his side. He turned, faced the wall and placed his hands as directed. There was a sharp sting to the side of his neck and then a slow, sleepy tumble into darkness.
When Brian awoke for the second time that day his world had undergone a sea change. He was no longer in town but instead naked and strapped, face up on a padded table in some sort of naturally lit room. His brain felt foggy and his vision was blurred. He could hear voices nearby but it took a few moments of concentrated listening before he could understand the words. As his vision and hearing cleared he saw two women who he recognized as Annie and Valarie, the two vicious women who had hunted and tortured him during the human fox hunt months ago. He also noticed that his collar was missing.
Seeing that he was awake Annie moved to stand next to him. "Good, you are awake. I need to ask you a few questions. Answer quickly and honestly and you will not be hurt. Do you understand what I just said?"
