Chapter Four: In between times
Monday
The alarm rang and Sally woke up, turned it off as fear seemed to wash over her and for a second she was not sure why; then it all came back to her, the violation, and the stranger every detail of the weekend. She looked at her clock realizing she had not set the alarm, but it had been set for her and correctly, how did he know what time to set it for?
Her thoughts were all jumbled as she got up, trying to figure out what she should do, feeling like she was operating like a robot in automatic mode, she went to the kitchen to start the coffee then went into the bathroom to take a long shower. She used this time to think, first of all she just wanted to make this all go away, wanted it to be a bad dream. That was not possible it was real, there were aches and pains all over her body that told her in fact it was very real. The hot water flowed over her and she thought about what she should do next. She should go to the cops of course. Why wouldn’t she? He had to have left a bunch of fingerprints. She thought about his threats to watch her every move. She contemplated calling out from work but in the two years she had been there she had never called out, and she was not sure she wanted to be in her apartment all day anyway. Sally lingered in the shower a bit longer letting it heal the sore parts of her body and provide a much needed solace for her mind. She finished and dried off and put on some loose comfortable house clothes, and walked into the kitchen, made her coffee and toast. Setting it down on the table she went looking for her laptop, Mike had kept it from her this weekend but when she went in her room, there it was on her dresser. She brought it back to the table with her and set it down.
As she went to sit down her eye noticed something in the window sill that made her look up, then her whole body went stiff, it was a blue carnation in a vase on the windowsill with a note attached. It seemed as if he was here in the room and not just a symbol of him. She felt off balance yet again, frightened. After a taking sometime she shook her head, NO! how could he do this to her and not even be here. She should just ignore the note, not read it. Ah but what would that accomplish?
Sally sat down in her chair and just looked at the note, a part of her knew she was going to read it but her fighter side wanted her to just trash it all. She opened the computer and looked for the nearest police station as well as the nearest to her work, she would not give him the satisfaction of reading his stupid note! She found the info and typed it into her phone. The whole time she had been sipping her coffee, and struggling to not look at the note as if making eye contact with the flower was giving in to the man himself. In time, she gave up, she was curious after all! She picked it up and took a deep breath, turning the note over and reading what was written in a print that was very much like him; very pointed and straight. Every “I” dotted and every “T” crossed precisely and perfectly. It simply said:
Sally, my love. Do not go to the cops, I would be most unpleased with you
and that would make our next encounter that much more strenuous
than I intend it to be. You are just as lovely as I imagined and it has been a
pleasure to get to know you. Remember I will be back, and whenever you see
a single blue carnation you will know that I have been where you are and I am thinking
about you. I will be back for you.
Sincerely Yours.
Sally sat and stared at the note shaking. Next encounter??!! He was coming back? But when? What if she did go to the cops? She should, of course. Pretending in a way that today was a normal day with just a small errand to run She got ready for work , walked to the bus stop, got on the bus, and got to work. She shoved the weekend out of her mind, but still had a hard time focusing on the task in front of her if anyone had asked her how long it took or what she was wearing, she would not have been able to tell them or carry on her end of any conversation beyond one word answers. Luck for her no one talked to her on the bus.
If Sally had known he was watching her through binoculars the whole morning she would have been even more unnerved. He had a view of her bedroom and the living room, the kitchen was out of his line of sight however, so it was a good thing she spent a minimal amount of time in it. He had watched her wake up and register the lack of restraints, had seen her face when she had seen the carnation he had left for her. He had watched as curiosity and repulsion fought with each other over what to do with the flower. The looks, the pointed ignoring of the object by being busy on her computer, the glances of interest, until finally the desire to know outweighed the hideous author and she read the note.
He was relived she had chosen to read it. It was a gauge for him to see if she was more submissive or more stubborn. A stubborn women would have just tossed it, in that case he would either have to step up training or abandon it all together, but no she had chosen to read his words, to see what he had to say and while she may hate him, be scared of him, she was teachable.
He followed in his car behind her checking each stop along the way to be sure she did not get off and go to the cops before work. He was pretty sure once at work she would stay till closing, but he wanted to be sure she would wait till evening. He watched her enter the building from a close by parking spot and then drove off to his home to get to his business.
She was almost to work when she stopped took some deep breaths and tried to coach herself on acting normal. There was no one at work she was close enough with to share this with. There was no one she was close to now that she thought about it. She had a random thought wondering why she locked her front door if this stranger can still get in what difference does her locking it make. She shook her head steadied herself and proceeded the short distance to work. Determined to be normal she looked at the receptionist.
“Hi,” and stopped mid-sentence, there it was; on Laura’s reception desk mocking her, a blue carnation in a vase
.
“Sally?”
“Umm Yeah sorry, Hi Laura, hey where did the flower come from?”
“I don’t know, it just showed up with instructions that it was to go on the receptionist’s desk for someone special. Weird Huh?”
“Yeah, weird.”
“Sally you okay? You look like you had a rough weekend.”
“Oh I am fine, just did too much and did not get enough sleep. I will be better tomorrow I promise.” Sally smiled and walked off to her cubicle, not sure but felt like she must be 3 shades paler than normal. He really knew how to get to her!
She sat down and started looking over the days tasks. She had a desk job working for the state which was neither glamorous nor horrible. It was a job, steady, with benefits and just what Sally liked she did her job and was pretty much left alone, except for the paperwork being pushed from one division and back and everything have to be in triplicate, the job was perfect for her.
Once at her desk her thoughts flittered back to the flower, she absently turned her computer on checked her emails, but she could not stop thinking: He knew where she worked and where she lived. He had said he would be watching her. Didn’t he have a job? Why was he bothering her? The phone on her desk rang breaking her out of her funk and forcing her to put on a cheerful face and see what the person on the other end wanted. The morning was spent on the various tasks and the required small talk around the office, a card was signed for a sick co-worker she barely knew, poor thing had cancer. All the while her mind flittered back to what action if any she was going to take. She wondered why she was contemplating not taking any, she did not like him but going to the cops seemed so bothersome. Then to have to put words to everything that happened was not the most appealing thought at the moment.
She had lunch delivered and ate at her desk. She had forgotten her book, but she had other things on her mind. Working it out she thought what would she tell a friend if they were in this situation and came for advice? Why she would insist they got to the cops and would drive them there. This was no different. She had decided, she had to go to the cops after work, she could not live like this. She checked her phone to reassure herself that she had the information and decided she would go to the one closest to her house. She told the story in her head, and even wrote down a few key points she wanted to be sure to cover. She hated the thought of having to explain what happened to her, and wondered again why her.
While Sally worked Mike arranged his day and week, first he called the cleaners and arranged to meet them at Sally’s apartment at 1pm to clean the apartment he explained he wanted it detailed, curtains, couch, dishes everything and in two hours. They were sending 4 people maybe more he was paying well.
His second order of business was to get information for this week’s pick up from the Institute. He logged into his secure chat, and typed:
“Do you have the information requested?”
He waited a bit, he knew the receptionist saw it right away and would then contact the person he needed to chat with and that usually took a few minutes soon the reply came back.
“Yes, This is a job for a man named Cyrus, you may remember him you brought his first wife here for education.”
“Vaguly, Persian right?”
“Yeah, he trusts you and wants you to bring his second wife with the understanding that this is a bodyguard detail as well as bringing us the girl.”
“Why is the bodyguard important? I need to know what I am getting into. You know that means arming the pilots and crew right?”
“Yes, something they pay well for. Why the bodyguard status is this: Cyrus had a daughter who was married off and within a year his daughter died at the hands of her husband. Cyrus found out that the same man was arranging a marriage within six months of his daughter dying. He felt disrespected by such a short grieving period and that the man was unfit to be a husband. Cyrus found the family of the girl and offered a better arrangement. He wanted to keep her out of the hands of his former son in law. Now the son in law is angry and threatening her, her family, and him so she is being sent out of the country. She is fifteen and is coming to be educated not trained so much.”
“So is she cooperative or will she try to convince me to let her escape?”
“Yes she is cooperative, she knows she is coming to learn how to run a household and entertain guests from different regions as an accomplished hostess as well as read and write Farsi and English, and not to be used. She will be wearing the niqab, or, so you will have to have someone search her well. She has not been touched by a man yet so they will be suspicious of you, but you handled his first wife who was not so agreeable at the time that is why you were requested.”
Mike was not a fan of the niqab. They could hide anything under it. He had been in Arab countries enough to know the difference between the niqab and the burka although few Americans did, or bothered to. He texted the pilot and told him to get a female crew member that could speak Farsi fluently, and that this would be a bodyguard as well as transportation job. It was the pilots job to get the crew and inform them. It was a rolling crew, but a flight like this required four pilots and 8 crew members. 2 pilots and 4 crew members would be awake and working while the others rested at all times usually the shifts were 8-10 hours depending on the flight time. No one flew tired, tired meant mistakes. Other than having two female crew member who could speak Farsi, the crew would be picked from 20 people who worked with mike. If a crew had flown on the last pick-up they did not fly on this one. They were paid a salary then extra every time they flew, more if it was a bodyguard situation as this was.
If the flight was leaving from San Francisco the institute would have taken care of all the arrangements, but the crew that flew out of Colorado was his responsibility, paid for by the institute. Usually this crew worked with him sometimes he loaned them out to other transportation experts that were living nearby, but he liked having the same crew members rotated in and out and knowing who would be on board.
“Okay I will leave tonight hopefully by 10 make sure the papers are in order at the airport, we will stay the required 24 hours for rest and tell Cyrus I will pick up his wife Thursday 10am local time. We will get to San Francisco at 7 pm Thursday local time and we will bring a cab in unless you want someone to pick her up.”
“No a cab is fine.
“Okay then. See you in four days. I assume my pay will be in the bank in 24 hours.”
“Of course, Mike we appreciate you consulting with us.”
His consulting firm was on the up and up taxes wise. He was not sure what the law would say about his “Transport” business. He ensured the safety and delivery of women from their guardians to The Institute. These women were all signed over to the institute by their families and/or Husbands for specific educational purposes. Some of those were to learn how to serve sexually and some were taught how to run a prominent household well so as to boost their marriage prospects. It was an etiquette school on steroids. These girls every movement was orchestrated usually. Some husbands wanted freaks and sluts and sent their second or third wives here to become the household party favor. In addition there was an actual very good private education component which again was prescribed and approved by the female’s guardians.
The school for boys was across the city and he had done some guarding of boys being sent by their dominate partner to learn how to serve them better. Usually his services were required because the Master did not trust his sub/property until they was trained, once trained they usually flew home unaccompanied. The families were of all races, but it did bring him to the Middle East and Asian countries often.
Mike was worried about his progress with Sally. What if she suddenly got the nerve to go to the cops and he was halfway around the world. Sigh it was a risk he would have to take sort of. He called a flower shop and arranged for one blue carnation to be delivered to her every day at different times through Saturday at different places, her doorstop with no note no vase, outside the police station on the ground, even left at her bus stop, random places to make it appear he had his eye on her.
When it was time he left to meet the cleaners at Sally’s apartment, just in case she was successful in going to the cops he need it all cleaned he made sure the sheets were changed out with ones he had bought on the way and took all the bedding on the bed to a cleaners close by where she could pick them up. When he came back to supervise the cleaners and to add cameras to the house. His vantage point was good at his little apartment, but had blind spots and he wanted to be able to check in on her while he was gone.
After that he made arrangements and waited for Sally to get off so he could follow and see what happened.
Sally had decided to go to the cops and when the work day was done, there was no more sign of blue flowers so she hopped on the bus resolute in her decision. She had picked the station that was closest to a bus stop and also was the one closest to her house. Determined that this was the correct choice she got off and proceeded to walk the short distance. She had convinced herself that he would have no way of knowing, really. He was bluffing. She was scared for no reason. Once in the station the cops could take care of this right? There were fingerprints. There was evidence, this would work out.
She rounded the corner to the main entrance and started up the front stairs, when she saw it. A single blue carnation with a note taped to it. She stopped dead in her tracks, No! There was no way! With shaky steps she approached the carnation laying on the ground and picked it up and flipped it over to see the note. In the same handwriting it simply said:
Are you making a good decision, pet?
Sally walked quickly back down the stairs with the carnation and note in hand. She was on the verge of tears, NOOO!! This could not be happening her head was screaming. She leaned against the building and told herself to just breathe, she threw the carnation down on the ground. When she got herself under control she started to think, he could have left that this morning, he knew where she lived, where the closest police station was, there was no way he knew she was there now, and the police could help right? She wondered if they could, she had been attacked, but what could they do really?
Well there was only one way to find out so Sally got her nerve up again and walked into the police station and asked to speak with someone, preferably a female cop. They asked her to fill out forms, but she insisted on speaking to a lady cop first. The first cop seemed bothered but went to see who was available. The door opened and Sally glanced back taking in the bike messenger waking in. Her heart skipped a beat and her breath seemed to leave her when she saw, he was carrying a blue carnation. The messenger rang the bell and waited with his paperwork setting the flower on the desk. Sally gathered herself and tried to breathe. He Knew! Sally mustered her courage.
“That is a pretty flower.” She pulled it closer to her and smelled it looking at the card while she did so. “ The bike messenger was uninterested, but Sally saw what she needed to. The handwriting. It was him.
“Can you sign please, I am in a hurry”
“Who is this to?”
“The station”
“huh, that’s nice”The cop said to no one in particular, and looked up as the door chimed and saw Sally walking out as fast as she could out the door. He shrugged and went back to doing whatever it was he had been doing.
Sally knew she was in trouble. He was watching her. He KNEW. He had warned her. What was she going to do? Sally made her way home not really registering the walk back to the bus stop or the ride back to her apartment. She wondered if he was going to be there. When was he coming for her? Sally looked at her situation logically and wondered what in reality she could do. If he was watching her, and he seemed to be, then moving was out of the question, he would just follow her. Entering her apartment things seemed different. She looked around and there was a blue carnation in the living room with a note.
Sally, I took the liberty of having the place cleaned professionally. You may pick up your old blankets and sheets at the cleaner indicated on the receipt tomorrow, in the meantime I have provided new ones for tonight. Please do behave yourself between now and then.
Sally was too tired mentally from the whole ordeal to even be mad, she made dinner and went to bed early and done in by all that had transpired.
Mike had in fact been watching the whole time. He saw Sally exit the police station the first time then enter it again. The bike messenger had been sitting by his car waiting instructions and when she went in the second time. Mike gave the bike messenger the note and flower and told him to get a signature and to put the vase down close to the girl with the card facing her. He had wanted there to be no doubt in her mind who the flower was from. He was disappointed his first message had not hit home, he thought that the first one would be enough. The messenger reported what had happened and got paid for his time and a nice tip, Mike was relieved she had not talked to the cops, even though he had taken care of the possibility. It was disappointing to him that the messenger was needed at all. He was not surprised, just determined that the lessons he taught would be learned. He needed to shop for his next visit and plan it out. He had planned on stretching the training out, but he thought maybe he needed to speed up his plans.
Today was Monday, pick up was on Thursday, and they needed 24 hours between landing and flying again so they would leave Tonight, fly into wed., sleep, pick up cargo Thursday, fly home, deliver cargo, home, sleep. Depending on how tired he was on Saturday he may look in on her without her knowledge. He hoped the Institute understood when he asked for a month off to spend with Sally. They had other transportation experts, but he had a certain reputation with the more difficult ones, they always came into the institute meek and quiet after 24 hours with Mike. It made the Institute’s job easier.
The flight over was uneventful, and Mike checked on Sally through the cameras he had set up. There were several times he wished he was not working, but working on her. Ah well enough time for that. Traveling had become a chore, it could be exhausting, but he did like the different lifestyles. During his stay he went and walked around taking in some local sites, but mostly slept and waited until they could fly out again, with their cargo.
At the appointed time a Mercedes drove into the hanger with. Mike wondered absently if it was bullet proof which seemed to be the new thing with this class of client. The driver got out and opened the door behind his and the client emerged. As he walked toward Mike the driver was going around to the other side. The husband seemed protective of his charge seemingly unconsciously positioning himself between Mike’s line of sight and the young charge he had yet to see.
“Hello, I am Badi,. I am grateful you will be accompanying my lovely wife. I do ask that you please be careful. The man who wanted her, is very angry, I do not know what he will do.”
“We will do our best to keep her safe, and bring her back to you an educated and well-rounded woman.”
“Yes of course, she will not cause any problems but there is one thing.”
“What is that?” Mike was getting mentally ready, the ones who told him it would be easy, their women were cooperative always caused suspicion with Mike, if they were so good, then why ask for him, why use the Institute at all?
“She is scared of men. She is very shy. Please be aware of that. I have talked to her she understands that she is going to get an education, and there will not be any sex till she comes home, but she is still leery. Any sudden touching and she will probably cry.”
“Ah thanks for the heads up. She will be fine. Mike motioned over the female crew member who was also Persian. He had her wait for his signal by the plane as business was done by the males first then the females came when called.
“Shiva here will be with your young bride, she will search her, and when we board it will be her and Azar who will tend to her. Both girls are Persian, and know Farsi, and have been trained at the institute so they will be able to answer questions.”
Badi seemed pleased at this extra arrangement, there was a reason he asked for Mike, he had heard stories of the other transporters, Mike was all business. He waved his hand without turning around. Quickly the child and the driver appeared at his side.
“Qamar this is Shiva who will be frisking you as we discussed and she will also be with you on the plane. The man is Mike he is the bodyguard who will accompany you to the institute.”
Switching to English Badi then turned to Mike “Mike, Shiva this is my bride please be careful with her.” He patted the girl’s head much like a father would and gently pushed her toward Shiva.
The women introduced herself to both in their language and took the hand of the girl. The two went off to the side and Varisha checked her for weapons then they boarded the plane. Mike hung back with the husband to allow the ladies time to get settled and to answer any last minute questions. After goodbyes were said Badi singled the driver. Swiftly the door to the back seat opened and Badi climbed in.
On the plane Mike let Qamar sit in a different section of the plane so he did not make her so nervous, she seemed ready to bolt if he looked at her, so he wanted her to relax. He left orders that only female members of the crew were to approach her and to make sure she slept, slipping her a drug if necessary.
She was obviously high strung. As it turned out once Mike left her alone and all the men disappeared she seemed to relax and even talk to the women a bit, soon drifting off to sleep. Again he checked on Sally when the time changes were correct and she had not really done anything since Monday. He knew her carnations were getting to her, because he would see them in the trash that was good she had to be thinking about him then.
The flight was smooth and getting through airport security was easy since everything had been sent on ahead and checked so they just verified the ID’s and processed the passports. In the cab on the way to The Institute Qamar was nervous, but not obnoxious. Mike wanted to calm her down, but figured there was not much he could do being a male, and given her upbringing so he left her alone and the trip from the airport was very quiet. He texted the Institute to let them know they were on their way.
Once inside the teachers came out and took Qumar to her new room, which was bound to be very luxurious given her family and Mike sought out an instructor friend.
The instructors had a separate wing when they were off duty so Mike went to his room first, and was in luck.
“Oren hey how are you?”
“Hey Mike! You on a delivery?”
“Yeah just dropped her off. How’s the life?”
“Hey I get paid for being a bastard and fucking women, it’s a good life.” Oren laughed
Mike smiled It was a life he had enjoyed once and the pay was not bad as he recalled, although he got paid a lot more as a consultant/body guard.
“ I got a project coming up, a custom job for me. I just taught her some basics, but she needs more time. Besides her basement suite is not done being built yet.”
“Oh, Mike, you gotta let me in on this!”
“Maybe you can come watch her sometime once she is at my house while I am on a job, but Oren, no touch, just look, If I let you.”
“Man Mike we used to share them all.”
“Yeah call me sentimental.”
“I need to not be disturbed next weekend is that possible? I was going to wait another week, but she did not behave.”
“Why not send her here? We can get her obedient in no time while your basement is being built.”
“Oren, I like the mind games I like watching them struggle with their new reality and coming to terms with it in one defeat after another, that I am their new world. I want my own special touch, my friend and I don’t want anyone else touching her till I say.”
“Poor girl, your touch is rough.”
“Ah she will be perfect once I get her under control.”
“I have a girl that could use your singular talent on the unwilling if you want to get off.”
“Not this time, Oren. Thanks though. I am going to equip myself with some new objects I saw in the store and then hop a plane home, I gotta check on my project.”
“All right, well maybe next time.” Oren missed training girls with Mike. They made a good tag team.
Mike spent time at the store going over the severity of Sally’s transactions and picking out just the right methods of punishment. By the time he was done he was excited about the next weekend with his project.
On the flight home he thought of Sally and all the new things he and bought to try out on her.
Once at his base of operations, Mike slept, checked on Sally, she was asleep, but her bedroom light was on….nightmares perhaps? Mike knew that was probably true, but wished there was another way to get inside a person’s head. They seemed to always have nightmares. On the way from the airport he has stopped by, used his key and placed a few carnations here and there in the apartment just to make sure she remembered there was no getting away and that there would be a time for atonement. He was going to teach her who was in charge on Friday. Mike went shopping for food and other odds and ends to make sure he was ready.