The soft hum of pop music played in the background as Kayla zipped up the front pocket of her suitcase. Her bedroom, usually a place of tranquility, was bustling with activity. Clothes were strewn across the bed—skirts, blouses, and shoes in various stages of packing—while Madelyn lounged nearby, scrolling away at her phone while occasionally butting in to offer some feedback.

“Geeze, Kayla,” Madelyn teased, twirling a flowy skirt on one finger. “Do you really need five skirts for a three-day conference? What if you just wear pants for once?”

From where she knelt beside her suitcase, Kayla shot her a mock glare. She lounged in a cozy at-home outfit: an oversized t-shirt, black leggings, and cotton cream-colored slouch socks.

“I like skirts,” she countered, her tone playful but firm. “Besides, this is a professional event, Mads. I have to look my best. And what better way to present oneself than a skirt and tights?”

Madelyn grinned, conceding with a shrug as she crossed her legs, the fabric of her leggings stretching slightly. “Can’t argue with that,” she remarked, wiggling her sock-clad feet.

Kayla smirked. “Shouldn’t you be packing too?” She shoved a handful of nylons into her suitcase, pressing them down to make room.

“I’m all done!” Madelyn announced proudly, gesturing toward her closed suitcase.

Kayla froze, staring in disbelief before walking over to inspect it. “There’s no way,” she exclaimed, flipping the lid open. Sure enough, the entire thing was packed. 

Madelyn giggled, “I packed last night. Aren’t you proud of me?”

Usually Kayla was the one to be more prepared than Madelyn, her type-A personality was to blame of course. Yet here she was panic packing at the last minute as Madelyn lounged about on her bed totally carefree. Kayla blamed it on the fact that she was up all night planning her trip itinerary. She and Madelyn didn’t have a ton of down time while they were away, but they had just enough that Kayla really wanted to make the most of it. She’d been so busy trying to get that all figured out she had forgotten to pack.



“I’m too busy being stressed,” Kayla responded as she quickly returned to her packing efforts, “but yeah, color me impressed. Hey, since you’re all done why don’t you make yourself useful. Which shoes should I pack?”



Kayla held up a pair of loafers and another pair of black ankle booties. Madelyn got up and inspected the shoes. “Hmm. I’d go with the loafers. They’re totally in right now. You can pair them with a cute little pair of socks too. It’s all over social media.”



“Great call,” Kayla said, reaching for a handful of frilly white socks and stuffing them in her suitcase alongside the loafers.

All that was left was to throw in her toiletries and a few more last minute items and Kayla was finally ready to go. She zipped up her suitcase and lugged it over to the front door as Madelyn followed with hers behind her.

“Ready to go?” Kayla asked, slipping her feet into a pair of comfortable white sneakers.

“So ready,” Madelyn responded as she slipped into her own shoes.

“Great. We’re still more than on time for our flight so that’s good. Oh, and I got us exit row seats by the way so we’ll have tons of leg room to relax.”



Madelyn raised an eyebrow. “Ooh, fancy.”

Kayla smirked. “I knew you'd like that. Okay, let’s go!”

At the airport, the girls navigated through the bustling check-in and security lines. The air buzzed with overlapping conversations, the rhythmic beeping of ticket scanners, and the distant rumble of luggage carts being wheeled across the tiled floor. Nearby, an announcement crackled over the PA system, calling for a final boarding.

As hectic as it was, Kayla loved the airport, she always had. From the travelers saying their final goodbyes, to friends reconnecting for the first time in years, the energy of an airport just went unmatched.

“Hey, Kayla. Smile!” Madelyn said, holding up her phone for a quick selfie.

“I’ll smile when we’re through security,” Kayla quipped, though the corner of her mouth twitched into a reluctant grin as she posed for Madelyn’s photo, throwing up a quick peace sign.

As much as she loved the airport, she hated being late. She also had a terrible fear of ever missing a flight. Thankfully the lines weren't long though, and getting through security was a breeze. Once they were past the TSA checkpoint, they wandered toward their gate, stopping briefly at a coffee kiosk. Kayla ordered a black coffee, while Madelyn opted for an extra sweet vanilla latte.

“Can’t believe you still drink your coffee plain,” Madelyn teased, taking a sip of her sugary drink. “What’s the fun in that anyway?”

“It’s functional, not fun,” Kayla replied. “Hey before I forget, we need to check the flight boards. Did you see what time they’re starting boarding?”

Madelyn waved her off. “Relax, we’ve got tons of time. We’re here like over an hour early. Let’s just sit and people-watch.”

"But..."

"Relaaaaax," Madelyn sang, looping an arm around Kayla's as she dragged her away.

The two found seats near the window and watched as the bustling airport crowd swirled around them. Families corralled children, business travelers tapped away on laptops, and a group of college students played cards on the floor near their gate. It took Kayla a moment, but after settling in she realized Madelyn was right. They had plenty of time and there was no reason to be stressed. It's why their friendship worked so well. Madelyn was the perfect balance to Kayla's uptight personality.

When it was finally time to start boarding, a flight attendant stepped up to the gate’s counter preparing to make the announcements. She had a confident posture, and her long brown hair was immaculately styled. Her makeup was flawless: a touch of rosy blush, a soft pink lipstick, and perfectly defined eyeliner. 

Her uniform was crisply ironed, the navy-blue blazer fitted snugly over a white blouse with a neat patterned scarf tied at her neck. The matching navy skirt ended around her mid thigh, and her legs were clad in sheer black pantyhose that seemed to sparkle as she walked, her modest black heels clicking softly against the carpet.

Her expression was friendly but professional as she lifted the microphone to her lips, her voice clear and pleasant with a Spanish accent as she announced, “Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your patience. Flight 428 to New York is now boarding. We’ll begin with our first-class and priority passengers. Please have your boarding passes ready.”

“God, check her out,” Madelyn sighed longingly, “she’s gorgeous.”

Kayla glanced up from her phone for a moment, taking notice of the flight attendant Madelyn had pointed out. She was right, the hostess was beautiful. The uniform was really working in her favor too, the skirt perfectly accentuating her hips and her legs perfectly shaped by the sheer nylons encasing them.

“Wow, yeah she really is,” Kayla concurred, “I should ask where she got those tights from. They look perfect.”



Madelyn rolled her eyes, “that’s what you’re thinking about?”



“What,” Kayla shot back innocently, “with the amount of hosiery I go through I’m always on the hunt for some rip resistant pairs.”

Madelyn laughed as the two friends returned to patiently waiting for their row to be called. The stewardess they’d been ogling worked her way down the list until eventually calling Madelyn and Kayla’s section. They boarded the plane, finding their seats in the window aisle and plopping down.

Kayla stretched her legs out slightly, feeling the relief of finally settling into her seat. “Ahhh, that’s nice. Window seats are the best. I get to lean against something, and you don’t have to keep getting up every five minutes.”

She gave Madelyn a knowing look. She was referring to the last time they flew together, where Madelyn had two large coffees before the flight and had to keep getting up to use the bathroom.

Madelyn chuckled. “You’ll never let that go, will you?”



“No, but what I will do is make sure we get aisle seats so that even if it does it won’t be a thing.”



“That’s the Kayla Grace I know and love,” Madelyn said as she lowered herself into her seat, “always thinking ahead.”



Pretty soon, once everyone was boarded and the plane was just about ready for takeoff, the flight attendants began moving through the cabin, one of them taking position near their row for the safety demonstration. The flight attendant that had done the boarding calls appeared again, stepping into the aisle directly across from Kayla and Madelyn. She held up a seat-belt with practiced ease, her expression calm and professional as she began to explain the safety protocols. She was close enough now that Kayla could see her name badge which read: Andrea.

Once the flight attendants were done with the bulk of the demonstration, they made their way through the aisles reminding everyone to buckle their seat-belts and make sure their seat trays were in an upright position. Andrea walked over to where Kayla and Madelyn were sitting, addressing them directly.

“Hi, ladies,” her tone was bright and bubbly. “I just wanted to check in before takeoff. Are you both comfortable sitting in the exit row? You’ll need to assist in case of an emergency.”

Kayla nodded. “Yeah, we’re fine. No problem.”

Andrea glanced at Madelyn for confirmation, and she gave an enthusiastic thumbs-up. “We’re good. You can count on us if things get wild.”

Andrea chuckled lightly, but her gaze lingered on Kayla for a moment longer. Her brow furrowed slightly as though she were trying to place something. Then, her eyes widened in recognition. “Wait a second. Are you… Kayla Grace? That reporter for the Hazeldale Tribune?”

Kayla blinked a few times with surprise. “Uh, yeah, that’s me. How’d you know?”

Andrea’s smile grew wider. “Ohmygod, yes! I knew it! I’ve read some of your stories.” She hesitated, a playful glint in her eye. “You’ve found yourself in quite a few… predicaments.”

“Oh boy. Yeah that’s me,” Kayla muttered.

Madelyn burst out laughing as Kayla groaned, her face turning pink. She was quickly earning quite the reputation as a peril prone reporter, even if she had been at it for less than a year now.

Andrea shrugged, still smiling. “Hey, you’ve got to admit, your stories are memorable. Not many reporters end up as part of the headline too...at least not in that kind of a way. I think it’s pretty cool, though that you're like getting so much attention. And some of the work you’ve done to tackle crime in the city is amazing. I mean bravo.”



Kayla smiled. “Thanks. Yeah I mean that is why I do it after all. To help make Hazeldale a better place and all that. Every little bit counts I suppose."

“Well, if you two need anything during the flight, just let me know,” Andrea responded with a bright smile before walking back up the aisle to remind everyone else to fasten their seatbelts.

Madelyn watched Andrea walk away with a grin that spelled mischief. She leaned toward Kayla, nudging her in the ribs. "You’ve got a fan. And she’s super cute. Maybe you should get her number."

Kayla rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide her smile. “Maybe you should get her number. This is a work trip for me, remember? You’re welcome to go crazy, but I need to stay focused.”



Madelyn smirked, resting her chin on her hand. “Well, in any case. That must be cool to be recognized, huh? You’re like a little celebrity now. I know getting tied up on the job is like…kinda whatever, but it’s free publicity at the end of the day. Can’t be mad about that.”

Kayla rolled her eyes, “I wouldn’t call the publicity free. It comes at the cost of rope marks, torn pantyhose, and a mouthful of my own socks most of the time.”



Madelyn giggled, “yeah, I guess that’s true. No such thing as a free lunch or something like that.”



“Something like that,” Kayla mumbled, pulling out her reporting notebook and flipping through it. She didn’t get much time to go through her notes though. A few minutes later Andrea was back, taking her seat right across from Kayla and Madelyn.

“Oh, hi again,” she said with a smile, crossing her nylon clad legs over one another as she sat down and buckled herself in.

“Wait, is that your seat for the whole flight?” Madelyn could hardly contain her excitement.

“Sure is!”

Madelyn beamed. “Ohmygod, how fun!”

Kayla shot her friend a look. “Please don’t scare her off before we’ve even reached cruising altitude.”

Andrea laughed softly. “Honestly, this is a really nice change of pace. Most passengers just put in their earbuds and pretend we don’t exist.”

“And miss talking to such a beauty like yourself? How rude! My name is Madelyn by the way. I mean you already know Kayla of course, but just thought I'd introduce myself formally too.”

Madelyn was in full on flirt mode, and in typical Madelyn fashion it was anything but subtle. Thankfully Andrea was totally into it though, welcoming Madelyn’s flattery with open arms.

"Nice to meet you, Madelyn," Andrea replied, "I'm Andrea, Andrea Acosta."

“So Andrea,” Madelyn continued, “How long have you been a flight attendant for?”



Andrea adjusted the lap belt around her slim waist, her smile never wavering. “About a year now, so not that long really. It’s been a great way to see the world, meet new people, and rack up some interesting stories of my own. Sometimes passengers can be just awful to deal with, but it’s not that bad at the end of the day. Of course, my job isn’t quite as adventurous as yours, though,” she added, nodding at Kayla.

“Yeah, adventurous is one way to describe it,” Kayla smiled.

Andrea tilted her head slightly, curiosity glinting in her eyes. “What made you decide to become a reporter, Kayla? It’s not every day you meet someone willing to chase down shady politicians and end up in, uh, precarious situations.”

Kayla shrugged, her expression softening. “I guess I’ve always been curious about the world around me, always asking questions and trying to figure out how things work, stuff like that. Journalism felt like the best way to turn that into something meaningful—like holding people accountable, shining a light where others don’t want it shone. Plus, nothing feels better than exposing the corrupt deeds of a big time business and watching them shit their pants over it.”

Andrea raised an eyebrow. “Sounds like you've made a few enemies along the way.” She leaned forward slightly, her tone casual but her gaze sharp. “That piece you just wrote about the pharmaceutical company, about the price gouging? You really stirred the pot with that one, didn’t you?”

Kayla glanced at Andrea, her expression softening with pride. “Wait, you read that?"

"Of course!" Andrea beamed, "I mean...please don't think I'm some kind of creepy stalker, but I love your stories. Reading the news is like whatever, but as soon as I see 'by Kayla Grace' I know I'm in for a treat.

Kayla blushed, instictively tucking her hair behind her ear. She did this when she was flustered.

"Well I'm glad you liked it," she finally replied, "it was a fun one to write. I don't think the company or the CEO really liked it, but hey, I had a great time at least."

Andrea nodded. “I mean yeah, you really went after them. Gerald Hayes, right? The CEO? I mean you called him out by name and everything, dragging him through the mud basically!”



“I don’t know if I’d say I went that far,” Kayla chuckled, but enjoying Andrea’s praise nonetheless.

“No, you definitely dragged his ass,” Madelyn chimed in, “I mean the dude was getting hella cancelled all over social media. Probably going to step down and everything.”



On the outside, Kayla was modest, but on the inside she really did feel very proud. She knew she’d done good work, she was an honest critic of herself, but this time she knew she’d knocked it out of the park. And yet, it filled her with a different kind of warmth hearing those praises from others.

Andrea giggled, “Well I’m glad it had that kind of an impact. I love that. The world needs more people like you.”



Madelyn nudged Kayla with a smirk appearing at the corner of her mouth. “Yeah, and less people like rope happy goons, am I right?”

Kayla rolled her eyes.

“And what about you?” Andrea asked, turning now to Madelyn. “What do you do for work?”

Madelyn flipped her hair dramatically, her eyes sparkling. “I’m a model,” she announced in dramatic fashion, “I do work for clothing companies and stuff. It’s not super glamorous stuff, but the free clothes I get are amazing.”

“Wait, that sounds so fun,” Andrea exclaimed, “what brands have you done shoots for?”



“Here,” Madelyn said, handing her phone to Andrea, “check out my social media. You can see for yourself! Oh, and feel free to give me a follow too when you get the chance.”

Smooth, Mads. Kayla thought to herself as Andrea scrolled through Madelyn’s phone.

“Wow, these are great!”



“Thank you,” Madelyn beamed as Andrea passed the phone back to her, “at first I was like, bummed I wasn’t doing work for bigger brands. But at the same time, it’s super fun to do smaller shoots for local companies. I can at least stand by them more that way. You know? Plus, we love supporting small business.”



“Oh, totally,” Andrea responded, “yeah I’m like a huge fan of small-scale sustainability. Why buy big when you can buy local? Or second hand! Speaking of, you see these shoes?”

Andrea kicked her nylon clad leg out a bit, the black heel she was wearing slipping from her foot so that it was just dangling by her toes.

“I thrifted these,” she announced proudly, wiggling her foot around as the shoe dangled precariously, “same with the rest of my in-flight shoes. All thrifted.”



“I love that,” Kayla chimed in, “I’m a huge fan of thrifting myself. Hazeldale has some amazing stores.”

“Oh trust me,” Andrea replied, slipping her foot back into her shoe, “I’m well aware. I live in Hazeldale myself actually. It worked out great actually because lots of flight attendants get placed all over the map, but I was actually placed in my hometown which is perfect!”

Madeyln’s eyes lit up so bright it was like they were solar beams.

“Oh my god,” she exclaimed, “wait, we so have to all hang out after this. Right, Kayla?”



Madelyn looked over at Kayla who was typically a bit more apprehensive about making new connections than she was.

“Sure, yeah that sounds great,” Kayla smiled, genuinely excited to spend more time with Andrea.

“And why wait until we’re back in Hazeldale,” Andrea suggested, pulling out her own phone. “Where are you both staying? Maybe we can grab drinks once we land. I have a layover anyway so I have a bit of free time to kill.”



Kayla hesitated briefly, then nodded. “I do have a conference tomorrow, so I don’t want to be out too late. Maybe we can do drinks at the hotel bar and just chill there. I know the place we’re staying at is supposed to be pretty nice.”



“That sounds great to me!” Andrea’s smile widened as she tapped at her screen. “Okay, just shoot me the deets and I’ll be there. I have some work stuff to finish up after we land, so I'll just meet you when I'm done. Speaking of work, I need to run really quick and do in-flight service. Be back in a jiffy!”

Andrea gave them a quick wave as she stood, smoothing out her skirt and heading up the aisle and toward the back of the plane. Kayla leaned back in her seat, exhaling softly, and turned to Madelyn, who was already smirking.

“Well, well, well,” Madelyn teased, nudging Kayla with her elbow. “Looks like we made a new friend, huh?”



“I think so,” Kayla replied, “I really like her. I mean…okay not like that but like…you know.”

“Oooooh, Kayla has a crush!” Madelyn teased.

“You’re killing me, Mads,” Kayla scoffed before giving her friend a lighthearted shove. “I mean don’t get me wrong, she’s gorgeous, but not really my type. I don’t know if I could actually date a flight attendant, you know? They’re always moving around from one place to the next and stuff. Sounds complicated.”



“Hmmm, yeah maybe you’ve got a point there,” Madelyn slumped back into her seat.

“But, I’m sure she’ll make a great friend,” Kayla smiled. “How about we start there?”



“Sounds like a plan,” Madelyn heartily concurred as she pulled out her phone.

Kayla returned to her notes as both she and Madelyn waited for Andrea to finish up in-flight service. When she was done, she returned and the trio once again struck up their lively conversation.

They learned that Andrea was originally from Mexico and had moved to the US when she was very young. She spoke very fondly of her family, some of which lived in Hazeldale but most of which were still back in Mexico. Growing up she and her parents made frequent trips down to visit, and this is what originally got Andrea so interested in flying. She loved traveling and seeing new places, and as soon as she graduated high school she knew exactly what she wanted to do.

The conversation between the three of them flowed so naturally. Even though they had all just met it was as if they had known each other for forever. Unlike Madelyn, Kayla wasn’t one to warm up to people quickly, but with Andrea she was having no trouble at all. In fact she was excited to get drinks later and continue their conversation.

So much so that as soon as the plane landed and Madelyn and Kayla were able to be on their way, Kayla hustled through the airport so they could get to their hotel as quickly as possible.

“Geeze, speedster, what’s the rush for?” Madelyn called out, chasing Kayla’s heels as she strode confidently through the lobby of the hotel they were staying at.

“I want to make sure we have enough time to get drinks with Andrea,” was Kayla’s response, not even bothering to turn around as she continued on her way.

“Oh, I forgot you’re literally a grandma and have to be in bed by a certain time.”



“I’m not a grandma,” Kayla retorted, “studies show that getting at least eight hours of sleep is proven to…”



“Yeah, yeah,” Madelyn waved her off, “I know, sorry, I was just teasing.”

After reaching their room and dropping off their bags, the duo headed down to the hotel bar as they prepared to wait for Andrea’s arrival.

The hotel bar was a sleek and inviting space, designed with a blend of modern luxury and cozy charm. Soft, ambient lighting glowed from recessed fixtures in the ceiling, casting a warm golden hue over the polished dark wood surfaces.

Kayla and Madelyn chose a table near the window, enjoying the view of the street just on the other side as people walked by, going about whatever it was they had going on. It wasn’t long before a familiar face walked into the bar.

Madelyn nudged Kayla’s arm. “Hey look, Andrea’s here!”

Kayla looked up, and there was Andrea, walking into the bar still clad in her pristine flight attendant uniform, heels and all.

“God, do I need a drink,” she sighed, slipping into the booth next to Madelyn.

“What, did something happen in like the last hour or so since we saw you?” Kayla asked.

“Did it ever,” replied Andrea, “some dude forgot his phone on the plane, so we looked forever for it but nothing came up. We were ready to just tell the guy to forget about it, but apparently he’s some massive business hot shot and claimed he really really needed that phone. So we had to scrub literally the entire plane, per his request, to make sure we didn’t miss it. It’d be one thing to do that for a nice passenger, but this guy was a total prick.”



“Damn, I’m sorry,” Kayla offered her condolences, “I know I was never a flight attendant but my first job was working retail, and so I can relate to asshole customers.”



“Right?!” Andrea was in total agreement, “I mean what gives?”

“Yeah, and Mads over there used to be a barista, so between the three of us I’m sure we’ve had more than our fair share of terrible interactions with the general public.”



“Ughhh, don’t even get me started,” Madelyn sighed as Kayla and Andrea laughed.

And just like that the trio was off and running again with the lively chatter. They sat and drank and talked like this for another couple hours or at least up until the point that Kayla’s phone went off, indicating it was time to wrap things up and head to bed.

The three gals said their goodbyes, at least for now. Madelyn was already busy planning their next get together, but Kayla’s mind was elsewhere. She just wanted to get some sleep before the big day tomorrow! After arriving back at their room, Kayla tossed herself onto the bed kicking off her shoes as she did so and just letting herself sink in.

Madelyn entered the room behind her, shutting the door as she walked over to her own bed.

“I should invite you to these conferences with you more often,” Kayla said, propping her body up onto her elbow as she looked over at Madelyn.

“Oh yeah?” She replied, kicking off her own shoes as she sat down on her bed.

“Yeah, I mean usually when I do these conferences I just kind of keep my nose down and don’t talk to anyone. But with you here, I literally met a friend on the plane. Like what the hell.”



“Just doing my job as your wingman er…winglady in this case I suppose.”

“Sure,” Kayla laughed. “Hey, I’m going to go grab some ice really quick. I’ll be right back.”



“Don’t get kidnapped!” Madelyn teased, crawling under her covers as she pulled out her phone.

Kayla rolled her eyes but grinned, slipping her feet into the hotel slippers by her bed. “Gee, thanks for that advice, I’ll be sure to keep an eye out”

The hallway was quiet as Kayla walked toward the ice machine, the carpeted floors muffling her steps. The ice machine was down by the elevator, but unfortunately her and Madelyn’s room could not have been further away. Thankfully it wasn’t too long of a walk, it’s just that the hallways were extra creepy at night and Kayla didn’t like how eerily quiet it was.

Scooping ice from the machine sounded like a bomb going off in comparison to how quiet the rest of the hallway was. When she finally had enough, Kayla turned to head back to the room and tuck in for the night.

A subtle noise behind her—a faint scuff of a shoe against the carpet—made her freeze mid-step. Her heart skipped a beat. Slowly, she glanced over her shoulder, but the hallway was empty.

Kayla's breath caught in her throat as her eyes darted down the seemingly endless corridor. The fluorescent lights flickered faintly, casting uneven shadows that danced along the beige walls. Surely she was just hearing things. After all it had been a long day and she was exhausted and ever so slightly tipsy.

“Gawd, get it together Kayla,” she muttered under her breath, clutching the bucket of ice a little tighter. She glanced over her shoulder one last time, then started walking briskly back toward her room, her slippers making a soft shh-shh sound against the carpeted floor.

She rounded the corner, her hotel door finally in view there at the end of the hallway. All she had to do was trudge over to it and she was home free. Before she had even made it all the way round the corner though, a pair of hands shot out from behind her. One clamped tightly over her mouth, muffling the startled scream that tried to escape. The ice bucket tumbled to the floor with a muffled thunk, scattering cubes across the carpet.

Another hand snatched her wrist as an arm coiled around her waist, pulling her backward into a firm, unyielding grip. Kayla struggled wildly, twisting and kicking, but the hotel slippers gave her no traction.

“Grrmmmmmph!”

The hand over Kayla’s mouth remained firm, muffling her frantic whimpers as she writhed in the attacker’s grasp.

“Hold her still,” a gruff voice hissed.

The hand over her mouth shifted slightly, loosening for just a fraction of a second. Kayla inhaled deeply, preparing to scream, but the moment her lips parted, something massive was shoved into her mouth.

“Wrrrmmmmmph!”

Her eyes went wide with shock as a dry, dense sponge pressed against her tongue, expanding and filling every corner of her mouth. She gagged slightly, her muffled protests barely audible as she tried to push it out with her tongue.

“Ggggnrnnmph mmmph!”

The taste of the sponge was unpleasant, its rough texture scraping against her cheeks as it pressed her tongue down. She shook her head violently, her glossy black hair whipping about as her glasses tumbled off of her face.

In their place a thick strip of cloth was pulled against Kayla’s eyes, plunging her into total darkness. Before she could react further, she felt a strong arm hook around her knees, lifting her off the ground. Kayla thrashed in their grip, but her efforts were no match for their strength.

Her mind raced as she tried to piece together what was happening and why. Was this a random attack? Or had she stumbled into something far more sinister without even realizing it? Either way, she was being carted off against her will to somewhere, although she had no clue where that would be. With her mouth thoroughly stuffed and her vision totally impaired, she was fully at the mercy of her assailants as they whisked her off.

They didn’t go too far, and before long Kayla heard a door open as she was ushered into a room. She was tossed onto a bed, her body landing with a soft thump as she sank into the plush blankets.

“Mmmmrmph,” She clamored, attempting to push herself up.

At this point her arms and legs had yet to be tied, but that was short lived. Her attackers wasted no time after dumping her on the bed before they were bearing down on her again with ropes in hand. Least, Kayla couldn’t see that they were ropes thanks to her blindfold, but she sure could feel that they were ropes as the coarse fibers dug into her skin as the loops were knotted about her wrists and her upper body forming what felt like quite the complex web.

The pressure against her eyes eased as the cloth was tugged free. Kayla blinked rapidly, her vision adjusting to the dim light of the room. She glared up at her captors, her expression a mix of defiance and fear. The sponge in her mouth muffled her furious cries as her hair fell messily around her face.

“Mmmrmmph!”

“She’s even feistier in person,” one of the men said with a smirk, clearly enjoying her struggles.

Kayla’s eyes narrowed. With a determined jerk of her head, she spat out the sponge, coughing slightly as her mouth finally felt free. “What the hell is going on? Who sent you to kidnap me?!” she demanded, her voice sharp and defiant.

The group exchanged amused looks before one of them leaned closer, his face twisted into a crooked grin. “Tsk tsk, Kayla Grace,” he said mockingly, “you’re in no position to be asking questions now are you? We're the one's in charge now. So just sit back, relax, and enjoy the show. Or should I say, the ropes!"

Kayla clenched her fists behind her back, glaring at him. “If you think you can just—”

Ding!

Everyone in the room froze for a moment at the sound of Kayla’s phone going off. Kayla opened her mouth to protest, desperate to stall them, but before she could get a word out, one of her captors had picked up the sponge she'd spat out and was already stuffing it back in her mouth.

“Mmmmphh! Gnrrrmphh!” she groaned, squirming furiously, her lips unable to close around the giant wad. The rough material scratched her cheeks, and she bit down instinctively, trying to push it out with her tongue, but a firm hand clamped over her mouth, ensuring it stayed where it was.

“Quiet,” the man holding her sneered, his grip like a vice.

The leader stepped closer, reaching for Kayla’s waistband as he snatched up her phone “Let’s see who’s checking in,” he muttered, swiping at the screen. He then read the text aloud.

“‘Hey Kayla, are you almost done? I found a channel that’s actually playing anime, hurry back!’” He snorted. “Looks like your friend is expecting you back. We can’t have that now can we?”



“Mmmmmmmmrmmph mmmmph!” Kayla roared back as the man typed away at her phone.

Meanwhile, back in Kayla and Madelyn’s hotel room, Madelyn’s phone went off with a ding. She picked it up and read the message that had just come in from Kayla.

“Having some trouble with the ice machine actually. Do you mind coming out to give me a hand?”

“Ugh, typical,” Madelyn scoffed, sliding out of bed and stuffing her sock clad feet into her slippers.

Leaving the hotel room she padded down the hallway toward the ice machine. Unlike Kayla, who usually had her head on a swivel given her perilous tendencies, Madelyn had no such instincts yet. She carried on toward the ice machine completely unaware of any potential trouble that might be laying in wait for her.

And laying it wait it was! Right before she rounded the corner, the door to the room that Kayla had been bundled into was flung open. Madelyn only had but a second to turn and see what all the commotion was about before two sets of hands shot out and grabbed her arms.

“Hey what the hlmmmmmph!”

Madelyn barely had time to register what was happening before a hand was slapped across her mouth and she was dragged into the room. Her legs flailed helplessly, her slipper clad feet brushing against the carpet before she was hoisted entirely off the ground. Both of the slippers went flying, landing with dull thuds as her now socked feet wiggled about helplessly.

“Mmmphh! Lmmphh mmphhh gmmmphhh!” she protested, her voice totally muffled under the meaty hand across her mouth.

The door slammed shut behind them as her captors wasted no time hauling her toward the bed. Kayla, still bound tightly and silenced by the sponge in her mouth, gave a muffled yell of alarm, her eyes widening behind the ropes and blindfold as she heard the commotion.

“Hhhhrmmmph!”



Madelyn was unceremoniously tossed onto the bed next to Kayla, landing with a soft thud and a gasp as the air rushed from her lungs. She struggled to sit up, but one of the men was already on her, pinning her shoulders down while another loomed over her, holding another sponge in one hand.

“Open wide,” he sneered.

Madelyn shook her head frantically, her blonde hair whipping across her face as she kicked her legs in protest,. “Oh no you don’t, you wouldn’t fucking darmmmmrrrmmmph!”

Her defiance was cut short as the sponge was shoved roughly into her mouth, her lips forced apart by the oversized wad that instantly dried out her mouth.

“Much better,” one of the men said mockingly, pressing his palm firmly over her mouth to ensure the sponge stayed in place.

“Hold her still,” another instructed, already producing a length of rope.

Madelyn bucked and squirmed beneath their grip, but it was no use. Her arms were yanked behind her back, and she winced as the coarse rope bit into her wrists. Loop after loop, the rope tightened, binding her arms securely before the men moved on to lash her elbows together, forcing her chest to push forward slightly against the snug fit of her sweater.

“Mmmphh! Mmmnnnrrgggh!” Madelyn groaned, twisting against the restraints as she kicked her legs in frustration, her sock-clad toes curling in protest.

Kayla squirmed next to her, her muffled voice attempting to call out to her friend through the sponge gag while one of the thugs held her in place. Though they couldn’t speak, their shared predicament was clear in their frantic glances and futile struggles.

As Kayla watched Madelyn get trussed up beside her, she worked again at the sponge lodged in her mouth, pushing it out slowly with her tongue.

“Bleh!’ She was finally able to spit the wad out once again as it tumbled onto the bed beside her. “It’s one thing to kidnap me,” she started, “but leave my friend out of this!”

“Do you ever shut up?” One of the goons groaned.

"Only when low lifes like you make me," she snapped, her voice dripping with frustration. “Spekaing of which, who the hell are you guys anyway? Just some low-rent thugs, or do you actually have a reason for this?”

One of the goons, a broad-shouldered man with a rough voice, leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. “You talk a lot for someone who’s tied up,” he said with a smirk, "seems like your reputation precedes you."

Kayla rolled her eyes, glancing at Madelyn, who was still wriggling helplessly beside her. The sponge in Madelyn’s mouth muffled her frustrated grumbles as she looked at Kayla with wide, questioning eyes.

“Mmrmmph hhhhrrmph!”

“Look, just cut the theatrical bullshit and all that.” Kayla responded, “if you're going to tie us up like this, the least you could do is give us a reason why.”

The men all exchanged looks with each before one the one with the broad-shoulders, presumably the leader with how he carried himself, finally spoke up. “Fine. You want to know? Someone hired us to teach you a lesson. Seems like you've made yourself some enemies. Figures, given your record as a nosy little snoop!"

Kayla furrowed her brows, her mind racing. “Enemies? You’re going to have to narrow it down. I write a lot of stories, and not everyone’s a fan. Clearly."

The broad-shouldered goon smirked at Kayla, his patience clearly wearing thin. "You know what? I think we’ve humored you enough. Time to shut you up."

Kayla’s eyes widened as he reached toward her feet. He crouched down and grabbed one of Kayla’s ankles, holding it firmly despite her desperate attempts to jerk her legs away.

"Get your hands off me!" Kayla barked, her voice rising with indignation.

But her protests did little to stop the thug from peeling off her thick cotton socks, revealing her bare feet inch by inch.

Kayla’s cheeks flushed with a mix of embarrassment and anger as her sock came off. "Seriously? Was the sponge not good enough?"

“Clearly not,” the thug replied, stretching the sock between his hands before tossing it into Kayla’s lap.

Reaching for her other sock, he pulled this one off too, leaving both of Kayla’s feet totally bare. 

Kayla’s nostrils flared as she glared at him, her bound hands clenching into fists behind her back. "For fucks sake, would you cut it out?!" she snapped, her voice thick with fury.

The leader crouched down, his fingers casually brushing against her bare feet as he plucked up one of her discarded socks. He held it up in front of her, dangling it mockingly like a trophy. "You’ve got a lot of fight for someone who’s tied up," he said, smirking. “I think it’s time you learned some humility.”

Kayla’s eyes widened as she tugged uselessly at her bonds. "Don’t you fucking dare!"

“Hold her still,” the leader barked, his grin widening as he handed off the sock to the thug kneeling behind her on the bed, holding her in place.

The thug didn’t need to be told twice. He tightened his grip around Kayla's midsection with one large hand holding her steady. She thrashed, trying to jerk free, but his grip was unrelenting.

“Get your nasty, grubby hands off me!” Kayla yelled, her voice sharp with indignation.

“Go on,” the leader said, crossing his arms as he stood up and watched on with glee, his eyes narrowing. “Give her a taste of her own medicine."

"Oh no you donmmmmph!"

Her protest was muffled as the thug behind her pressed the bunched-up sock firmly against her face. The soft cotton flattened against her nose and mouth, forcing her to inhale the sharp, unpleasant scent that had built up after a long day of traveling. Kayla jerked her head, scrunching her nose as she tried to pull away, but the thug only held her tighter, his grip keeping her still.

“That’s it,” the leader taunted, his voice low and mocking. “Breathe it in."

Kayla glared at him, her muffled curses barely audible as she squirmed in the thug’s hold. “Mmmmrrmmmph hhhhhhhrmmph ggggmph!"

Kayla could not believe what was going on. These guys were total freaks! What the hell had she done to deserve this kind of treatment? That’s when it hit her. She’d been wracking her mind this entire time trying to figure out just who had hired this bizarre hit on her, and after mulling it over it had to be that pharmaceutical CEO she had written a piece on just the other week.

Her article had exposed his company’s outrageous price gouging on life-saving medications. She’d done her homework, too—digging through documents, interviewing whistleblowers, and uncovering a scandal that went all the way up to the top brass, Gerald Hayes. Per his request, the company had been jacking up the prices, that much was clear after all of Kayla’s digging. The story had gone viral within hours of publication. She was quite impressed with the final product, but apparently Gerald was not!

This all had to be because of him. Who else would go to such absurd lengths to humiliate her like this? She groaned into the socks smothering her face, the thick cotton pressing against her nostrils.

For a brief moment, the socks were pulled away, Kayla's chest heaving as she sucked in a much-needed breath of fresh air.

“You disgusting piece of shmmrmmrrrrrmmph!”

Her insult was abruptly cut off as the sock was shoved back against her face, even firmer this time. The thug’s thick fingers curled around the fabric, pressing it forcefully against her nose and mouth. She coughed and sputtered as she was forced to once again inhale her socks, the stale scent of them nothing short of unpleasant.

The thugs exchanged amused glances, their smirks growing wider as Kayla’s struggles only seemed to entertain them further.

“I don’t know, fellas,” the leader announced mockingly. “She’s really getting into the aroma. Maybe she wants to try a taste next?”

Kayla’s muffled protests erupted anew, her eyes narrowing in pure rage. “Mmmph gnrrmmphmmmph!”

“Oh yeah, definitely,” the thug holding the socks against Kayla's nose heartily agreed.

He pulled the socks away one last time, as Kayla took another deep breath in.

“If you think this is going to intimidate me you’ve got another thing coming. You’re just a bunch of stupid fucking thugs doing the dirty work formmmmrmrmmrmmph nnnnnnnnrrrmph!”



Before she could finish, the thug slammed the first sock between her lips, cutting off her words mid-sentence.

“Yeah, yeah, we’ve heard it all before,” he muttered, twisting the fabric in place with practiced ease. “Something about how brave you are, how we’re going to regret this—bla, bla, bla.”

Kayla’s nostrils flared as she sat there silently, the slouch sock packed firmly against her cheek. Grabbing the second sock, the thug rolled it into a tight ball. With a smirk, he pressed it into the opposite side, cramming it in until there was no space left. The combined bulk stretched her cheeks, forcing her lips to seal awkwardly around the stuffed fabric.

By the time he was done, her mouth was so thoroughly packed it felt like there wasn’t an inch of room left. She couldn’t even shift her tongue—it was completely immobilized by the oppressive mass filling every corner. Her muffled groans were reduced to faint hums, her attempts to expel the intruding material utterly futile against how tightly it was wedged in place.

“There,” the thug said, wrapping layers of tape between her lips and around her head. “Nice and snug. I don’t think she’ll be saying anything for a while.”

“Wwwwwwwmmmrmph mmmph!”

“Okay, let’s stay focused now,” said the leader as his squad rallied around him.

Kayla and Madelyn stared up at them, their arms tied behind their backs but their protests thoroughly stifled. Madelyn’s lips were slightly parted, pressed against the tight wad of sponge crammed inside. Kayla, equally silenced, felt the unyielding pressure of her slouch socks jammed securely behind the layers of tape pulled taut around her face.

The leader gave a curt nod to the rest of the thugs, gesturing toward the bed. "All right, boys. Let’s make sure our little reporter here isn’t going anywhere. And as for her friend—tie her up in that chair. I don’t want them too close together lest they try and escape. The boss wants ‘em stuck in these ropes a looooong time."

Kayla squirmed against her bonds as two of the men approached her. One of them grabbed her legs, pinning her ankles together, while the other began rummaging in their bag for more rope. 

“Mmmphh! Gnrrrmmmphhh!” she groaned, shaking her head as her bare feet kicked futilely against the mattress.

"Hold her still," one of them grunted, wrapping a length of rope around her ankles. Kayla felt the rough fibers dig into her skin as the loops tightened, binding her feet together snugly. Another length of rope was added just below her knees, cinched tight enough to press the fabric of her leggings against her legs. 

Madelyn, meanwhile, let out her own muffled protests as two other thugs hauled her from the bed and dragged her toward a sturdy wooden chair in the corner of the room. 

“Mmmmrrgggh! Lmmmphhh gmmphhhh!” she cried, thrashing in their grip, her sock-clad feet scuffing against the floor as they forced her into the chair.

The men wasted no time, pulling her wrists behind the chair’s back and lashing them together tightly with several loops of rope. Madelyn whimpered as she felt the coarse fibers bite into her skin, her fingers flexing uselessly against the restraint. Another length of rope was wound around her torso, pinning her arms to the chair and pressing her against the wooden frame.

“Mmmphhh! Hhhmmph grmmphh mmph!” she grunted, twisting against the ropes that dug into her sweater and pressed her shoulders back. Her blonde hair fell into her eyes as she thrashed, her cheeks puffed out against the sponge gag that silenced her every plea.

Back on the bed, Kayla glared at her captors as they finished binding her legs. One of them grabbed another length of rope and looped it around her torso, just below her chest, pulling it taut as they wrapped it around her arms and upper body. Each pass of the rope cinched her arms tighter against her back, the loops digging into the soft material of her sweater.

“Mmmrrphh! Lnnngh!” she groaned, writhing as much as the ropes would allow, her bare feet flexing in frustration.

Once her upper body was secured, the men turned their attention to finishing the job. One of them grabbed a fresh piece of rope and tied it to the bindings at her ankles. With a sharp tug, he pulled her legs upward, bending them toward her wrists and securing the rope in place with a firm knot.

Kayla grunted as her body was contorted into a tight hogtie, the strain forcing her to arch her back slightly. The ropes creaked as she struggled, her sock-stuffed mouth producing a series of muffled whines. 

“Mmmmnnngghhh! Gnrrmphhhh!”

The leader stepped back, surveying their handiwork with a satisfied grin. “Perfect. All nice and secure.”

Meanwhile, Madelyn’s assailants were almost done fastening her body to the chair with a myriad of ropes. Madelyn desperately worked her tongue around the sponge lodged in her mouth in a vain attempt to try and make some noise and try and call for help.

Her assailants, noticing this, laid plans to reinforce her gag by stripping off the thick slouch socks from her feet. Madelyn was too busy trying to work the sponge out of her mouth that she didn’t notice this.

Madelyn’s muffled grunts grew louder as she worked her jaw and tongue to force the sponge from her mouth. The ropes pinning her to the chair creaked slightly as she shifted, her toes curling in frustration as she strained against the bindings. With one final effort, the sponge popped free, tumbling onto her lap.

“Someone hellmmmrrrmmmph!” Her protest was cut off as one of the socks was unceremoniously stuffed into her mouth, the thick fabric expanding to fill the space.

“Gggnnrmmph mmmrmph! Her muffled cries grew frantic as the second sock followed, packing her mouth to its limits. The plush cotton material pressed against her cheeks and tongue, effectively silencing her and forcing her to inhale through her nose. Her wide green eyes crossed momentarily as she felt just how thoroughly her mouth was stuffed.

“Ha! Not a chance, sweetheart,” the thug laughed, pulling out a roll of duct tape and wrapping band after band between Madelyn’s pouting lips.

“Hhhhmmmph mmmrrrrggmph!” Madelyn groaned through her gag, her cheeks bulging from the socks packed inside. She wriggled in the chair, her green eyes wide as she glanced over at Kayla, who was now strictly hogtied on the bed.

Kayla met Madelyn’s gaze, her own expression a mixture of frustration and determination as she twisted her wrists and flexed her fingers behind her back.  The room was filled with the sound of their muffled gag talk and the creak of ropes as both women struggled against their bonds. 

Once the thugs had finished securing Madelyn to the chair, finishing with her legs as they tied them off to the crosspiece below, they all stepped back for a moment as they admired their work.

“Nicely done, lads,” the leader pronounced, “now all that’s left is to snap a few pics for the boss and then we get the fuck outta’ here.”



“Pppfffrrrmmmmph!?” Kayla and Madelyn collectively bemoaned the announcement, but there was little they could do as the men circled around them, snapping photos of every possible angle.

When they were finally done, they packed up their things, stuffing ropes, tape, and other supplies into their duffel bags. 

“This went smoother than I thought,” one of them said, zipping up a bag with a smirk.

“Yeah, boss’ll be happy with this,” another replied. “Should be a nice payday too.”

The leader adjusted his gloves and gave a satisfied nod. “Alright, boys, let’s get moving. Don’t want to stick around longer than we have to.”

The group of men grabbing their belongings and then filed out all together, giggling like a bunch of school girls all the while. They were apparently thrilled with their work, despite the fact that Kayla and Madelyn were far less thrilled to be all bound and gagged!

“Mmmmmrmmph,” Kayla mumbled, shifting around on the bed in her hogtie. 

Madelyn matched Kayla’s energy, twisting around in her chair as she tested her own ropes. She found them to be just as unforgiving, similar to Kayla, as the two friends now found themselves totally stuck.

For a moment, their gazes met, and Kayla’s mind raced. There had to be a way out of this. The thugs were gone, but sitting there helpless wasn’t an option. She was not about to spend her entire night hogtied. She scanned the bed as best as she could, her eyes catching on something that sent a spark of hope surging through her.

Her phone!

It was lying just a few inches away on the bed, not that far out of reach really. If she could just get to it, they might have a chance. Kayla shifted her body, arching her back slightly and flexing her fingers in preparation.

“Mmmmmrmmph!” she mumbled, nodding toward the phone in an attempt to signal her plan to Madelyn. Madelyn’s eyes followed Kayla’s gesture, and though she was gagged just as tightly, her wide-eyed look of encouragement was clear.

Kayla took a deep breath through her nose and began inching her way toward the phone. It wasn’t easy; the hogtie forced her into an awkward, almost serpentine movement, her legs kicking slightly as she used her limited range of motion to shuffle forward.

The ropes creaked with every movement, and her muscles ached from the strain, but she refused to give up. Slowly but surely, the phone came closer, and with one final push, she managed to nudge it into a better position with her shoulder. Kayla adjusted her body, twisting awkwardly so she could lean her face toward the screen.

“Mmmmrph!”

Madelyn cheered on from the chair she was tied to as Kayla worked at her phone with her nose. Her movements were awkward and slow, but she managed to navigate to her contacts. After several frustrating attempts, she landed on the name she had been searching for: Andrea Acosta.

She’d decided on Andrea on account of not wanting to create a big scene by calling the cops. She very much wanted to attend the conference the following day, and she feared that if the police showed up it would be a whole thing. The more low-key she could keep things the better.

Meanwhile, over in Andrea’s room, she was very much enjoying the rest of her evening keeping things as chill as possible. After she’d gotten back to her hotel room, she’d promptly kicked off her heels and jumped into bed.

She relaxed against the cushy hotel pillows, scrolling through her social media while the tv played softly in the background. Over the last few years she’d built up quite the following posting photos of her travels and of course, photos of herself. She’d especially noticed that the photos of her in her uniform were incredibly popular with lots of comments about her legs and the nylons she was wearing.

Unlike some of her coworkers, Andrea had always been flattered by these comments. She thought it was cute! At least, when people weren’t like overly creepy it was cute. In fact, from time to time she’d post a cheeky photo to her story just for those individuals.

Like tonight for instance, as she eyed her legs which were splayed out neatly on the bed in front of her. She angled her phone up, capturing a video of her wiggling her nylon clad toes before crossing her legs over each other. After posting the video, within minutes her inbox was blowing up with tons of likes.

She was just about to scroll through some of the comments, but then much to her surprise her phone started to ring. It was Kayla!

“I wonder why she’s calling…” Andrea mumbled, before clicking her screen and answering the call.

“Hey! What’s up?”



“Mmmmmrrmmmrmmph! Hhrrmmmph!”

“Wait…Kayla? Is that you? Sorry, I’m having a really hard time hearing you.”



“HHhhrrrmmph mmmph mmmmmp!”

“Oh my god…are you bound and gagged?!”



“Yyymmmmmph!”



“Holy shit, uhmmmm, okay. Do you need me to call the cops!?”



“Nnnnnmph!”

“No?”

“Mmmmm hmmmph! Cccmmmph hhhhrmmph!”

“You want me to come over there? Is it safe?!”



“Yyymmph! Hhrrrmmph!”

“Okay, hang on, I’ll be right there! I’m going to stay on the line. You’re going to need to tell me where you are and all that okay?”



“Mmmmmph!”

Andrea sprang out of bed with a jolt, quickly slipping her feet back into her heels as she grabbed her phone and rushed toward the door. Kayla and Madelyn’s hotel wasn’t far from hers, a fortunate stroke of luck that allowed her to walk instead of waiting for a cab. Her phone stayed pressed to her ear the entire time as she tried to make sense of Kayla’s muffled directions.

From the garbled sounds, Andrea managed to piece together that Kayla was with Madelyn and that they’d been taken to another room on their floor. The problem was they had no idea which room it was. Their hastily devised plan was simple but risky—Andrea would go door to door, listening carefully for the faint, muffled cries that Kayla and Madelyn would make through their sock-packed gags.

Pushing through the front doors of Kayla and Madelyn’s hotel, Andrea strode with purpose, her heels clicking sharply against the tile floor. She weaved through the bustling lobby, her eyes locked on the elevator ahead, her determination laser-focused. She barely noticed the hum of conversations from the bar or the ambient clatter of glasses. Her only thought was finding her friends and getting them out of whatever trouble they’d managed to land themselves in.

What she didn’t realize, however, was that her presence hadn’t gone unnoticed. A pair of sharp, prying eyes tracked her every move from the bar. Sitting at a corner table, casually nursing their drinks, was the same group of men who had just returned from upstairs after binding and gagging Kayla and Madelyn.

Their idle chatter stopped as Andrea strode past, her confident posture and sharp, professional look commanding their attention. One of the men leaned forward, his gaze narrowing as recognition dawned. 

"Hey," he muttered under his breath, nudging the guy next to him. "Wasn’t the stewardess who was with Kayla and her friend at the bar?”



The entire group looked up, following Andrea with their gaze as she made her way toward the elevators.

“Shit,” another one mumbled under his breath, “it is.”



“Do you think she knows?”



“Obviously she knows you blockhead,” the leader of the group seethed through gritted teeth, banging his glass on the table. “One of you screw ups probably forgot to make sure her phone was out of reach.”

“Wait, but boss weren’t you the one who…”

“Excuse me?!”



“Err, sorry, um…yeah it was probably one of us.”



“Fuck it, we can’t just sit here and squabble about things. We need to make sure she stays out of the way! At least until we’ve finished our drinks and gotten the fuck outta here. If she sets Kayla loose now we’ll be made. Do we have any ropes left?”



One of the thugs briefly glanced inside the duffel bag placed next to him before responding with a resounding ‘thumbs up’ gesture.

“Great, then let’s get a move on.”



Back upstairs, Andrea was hot on the trail in her attempt to locate Kayla and Madelyn. She stepped out of the elevator, her heels clicking softly against the plush carpet as she made her way down the hallway. Her heart pounded with a mix of determination and nervousness as she stopped at the first door, tilting her head to listen. She held her breath, her ear pressed against the wood, but all she heard was the faint hum of the air conditioning.

“Damn it,” she whispered to herself, moving to the next door. She repeated the process, carefully listening for any hint of her friends.

Inside one of the rooms, Kayla and Madelyn were doing their best to help Andrea.

“Mmmrrrph! Hhhrrmmmph!” Kayla groaned, twisting her body in her hogtie as she tried to produce enough noise to guide Andrea.

Madelyn followed suit, wriggling against the ropes securing her to the chair, her bare feet kicking slightly as she tried to add to the racket. “Mmmph! Hrmmmpphh!”

Andrea continued her search, stopping at another door. This time, her ear perked up. There it was—muffled, faint sounds of struggling.

"Kayla, I think I found it!" She quietly celebrated into the phone.

But that’s when it hit Andrea. She had been so busy trying to just locate Kayla and Madelyn that she hadn’t bothered to contemplate the fact that she had no way of actually getting into the room. She had to think fast. Maybe she could track down a housekeeper and use her charm to get them to open the door. Or perhaps she could work over one of the front desk employees. Either way, she needed to come up with something.

Before she could decide though, she heard the sound of footsteps approaching from behind her. She didn’t think anything of it at first, but then a gruff voice spoke out that sent a shiver down her spine.

“Wondering what’s inside that room?” the voice sneered.

Andrea froze, her heart pounding as she turned slowly to face a group of rough looking men. They were neatly dressed in nice suits, but their faces betrayed the fact that these were nothing but a bunch of thugs.

Before Andrea even had a chance to react, or scream, or do anything really, the group jumped at her, grabbing her arms and wrenching them behind her back.

“Owmmmmmmph!”



Before she’d even realized, the thugs had yanked off her neck scarf and as she opened her mouth to scream for help they’d plunged it right into her mouth, packing the entire thing between her lips.

“Nnnnnrrrmmph!”

Andrea’s eyes went wide with shock and disbelief, her muffled cry fading into a soft whimper as she felt the gag settle in. Her scarf tasted faintly of perfume, and the large silky material was enough to fully pack her mouth and stretch her jaw out.

Inside the room, Kayla and Madelyn froze at the sound of the commotion outside. Their muffled cries turned into frantic, high-pitched pleas as they heard a scuffle followed by Andrea’s muffled groans.

It wasn’t long before the door to the room burst open as Andrea was herded inside, flanked by two thugs who held her by her arms as she shoved her forward. Her legs kicked out wildly as she tried to escape their grip, her heels scraping against the carpet as she thrashed about. Her face was flushed with exertion, and her muffled cries were barely audible through the scarf stuffed in her mouth.

“LLllmmmph mmmmmph ggnnnmph!”

One of her heels tumbled from her foot as she kicked out, her blouse all crumpled as part of it came un-tucked from her skirt. None of this stopped her from fighting back against the men that held her. Kayla was honestly impressed with her fighting spirit! There wasn’t any fear in her eyes really, just pure rage at being manhandled.

Despite her spunk, there was little she could do to stop the men from unceremoniously tossing her onto the bed, a quiet squeak emanating from her sponge gagged lips as she landed with a  soft bounce next to Kayla.

"Pipe down, will ya?!," one of them sneered, grabbing her nylon clad ankles and pulling them toward the edge of the bed, her remaining heel falling to the floor with a quiet thump. The motion of Andrea's body being pulled across the bed caused her pencil skirt to hike up well past her rear, exposing her pantyhose-clad rear and the black silky panties she wore underneath.

Andrea’s struggles were relentless, even as another thug grabbed a length of rope and began securing her ankles together. He looped it tightly around her slim ankles, cinching it snugly before knotting it off tightly.

“Mmmphh! Nnnmmphhh!” she growled, continuing to glare daggers at her captors.

Kayla’s gaze unintentionally drifted, her eyes catching on the sight of Andrea’s exposed nylon clad bottom and the way her underwear perfectly framed her...

Focus, Kayla! Now is not the time. She scolded herself, drawing her eyes away.

Andrea was hoisted up for a moment so that more rope could be wound around her upper body. The thugs worked quickly, pulling the ropes across her chest and around her arms, forcing them tightly against her sides. 

“Hhhhmmmph!”

With her arms pinned to her sides, Andrea writhed in frustration, her fingers twitching uselessly behind her back. The thugs weren’t done yet, though. One of them grabbed her knees, holding them together as another length of rope was wrapped around her thighs, just above her knees. As a final measure, to make sure she was really secure, they looped rope from around her knees all the way behind her neck as her legs were pulled up slightly toward her chest.

“Mmmmrrrrgggmmph,” Andrea tutted as the ropes were cinched together tightly.

She was no bondage expert by any means, but even she could tell that these thugs were gifted in their craft. Despite having rope pulled around the back of her neck, they’d managed to secure it all in such a way that it wasn’t painful by any means. Just really restricting. She wiggled her nylon clad feet around as she shifted about on the bed beside Kayla.

“Alright, she’s all secured!” One of the thugs called out.

“Great,” the leader of the group replied, “now get her on the floor. I don’t want her and Kayla getting any bright ideas about helping each other out. Also, make sure that scarf stays in her mouth!”



“On it!”



“Mmmmmmrrmrmmph!” Andrea sputtered as a pair of goons scooted her off the bed and lowered her to the ground, placing her back against the bed.

“Alright, open those lips nice and wide, cutie!”



Andrea just sat and glared at the thugs, not even gracing them with a response as they bore down on her with a roll of duct tape in hand. Holding it between his hands, he approached her face, pulling a long strip out but keeping it attached to the roll. The thug pressed the tape between her lips, bits of scarf peeking out from above and below the silver strip. He then wrapped loads of it around her head.

“Mrrrrmmmph,” Andrea moaned softly as the scarf in her mouth was pushed further back, the sticky tape biting against the corners of her lips.

"There. That should shut her up for good," the thug said, patting her cheek condescendingly.

“Ggggggrrmph!” Andrea shook her head and growled back, her long brunette tresses now trapped beneath layers of silver tape.

“Okay, let’s hope that’s the last of you,” one of the thugs groaned.

“It better be,” the leader of the bunch responded, scooping up Kayla and Andrea’s phones, tossing them far out of reach. “Now hurry up and grab your stuff, boys. We’re getting the fuck out of here.”

Once more, the goon squad packed up their gear and filed out, leaving now a trio of damsels behind them as the door to the hotel room slowly creaked shut. Kayla, Madelyn, and Andrea all just kind of sat there for a moment, their breaths heavy as they heaved through their noses over their stuffed and cleaved mouths.

“Mmmmrmph,” Kayla grunted, shifting her body slightly. 

She wasn’t sure if Madelyn and Andrea realized it yet, but it was going to be a long night. Given how tightly the three of them were tied, there was little to no hope of getting free now. The only hope for them was when the morning finally came and the cleaning crew happened upon them. It was quite a shock for the crew, but they were kind enough to quickly get the three girls untied.

Kayla explained to them, albeit to their surprise, that she didn’t want the police called and that she and her friends preferred it if they could just keep the entire situation under wraps. The housekeepers were skeptical of this, but ultimately agreed.

After some quick showers and a change into fresh clothes, the three women regrouped downstairs in the hotel bar for breakfast. Andrea, now dressed in a soft navy sweater and black leggings, sipped her coffee quietly, her freshly washed hair falling in loose waves over her shoulders. Kayla and Madelyn joined her, dressed in their own cozy sweaters and leggings.

For a while they just kind of sat there, eating their breakfast in silence as they all processed the events of the night before. Kayla had made the call to skip the first day of the conference. She needed a day to recharge after being tied up all night.

"Well," Madelyn said, being the first to break the silence, "last night was... eventful, huh?"

“That’s one way to put it,” Kayla sighed before turning to Andrea, “I am so so sorry. When I called you I just…I mean I didn’t want to make a big scene by calling the cops and stuff. And I just thought that maybe you’d be able to help and…”



“Hey, it’s all good,” Andrea interrupted, noticing how worked up Kayla was getting over things, “really it’s no big deal at all. I’m just glad you both are okay. You had me worried there for a minute!”



“Join the club,” Madelyn chirped with a smile, “ever since Kayla became a full fledged reporter it seems like every week I’m getting a tex being like…hey so, I got tied up again.”



“It is not that frequent,” Kayla rolled her eyes.

She paused for a second, realizing that maybe Madelyn had a point.

“Okay fine,” she admitted before turning back to Andrea. “You’re really okay?”



“Yeah, totally fine. I’ve got that fiery Latina blood coursing through my veins. A little rope isn’t going to be enough to get me down.”



“It better not if you’re going to be friends with Kayla,” Madelyn shot Kayla a wink, who fired back by sticking out her tongue.

Andrea laughed, “all I have to say is, I’m really glad I ran into you two. Ropes and gags aside, I’ve had a lot of fun.”

Kayla smiled softly, the last of her lingering guilt slowly beginning to melt away.

“Well, I’m happy to hear that. Especially after everything that happened. I mean for me it’s like super normal now but you handled everything like a pro. Thanks for being so cool about everything.”



Andrea’s lips quirked into a smirk as she reached for her coffee cup. “Oh, trust me, I’m tougher than I look. And besides, if I can handle flight delays, lost luggage, and cranky passengers on a 12-hour red-eye? A little duct rope is nothing.”

Madelyn chuckled. “Okay, that’s fair. I guess being a flight attendant does build character. Having to deal with shitty passengers and all that.”

Andrea sighed. “Don’t even get me started. I once had a passenger start screaming and crying like a little fucking baby because we wouldn’t let him switch seats. This was an adult man. A full grown adult man, throwing a tantrum like a toddler. Unreal.”

Kayla laughed as the three companions lingered over their breakfast for a while longer. Andrea had another flight coming up later that afternoon, so she couldn’t stick around for too long before she needed to head back to her hotel and get ready for her shift. Kayla and Madelyn walked with her out to the lobby.

“Don’t be a stranger, okay?” Madelyn said, giving Andrea a big hug.

“Of course not,” Andrea replied, pulling away from the hug as she then reached out her arms toward Kayla.

“Thanks for…trying to rescue us,” Kayla said, embracing Andrea with a tight squeeze.

“Hey, any time,” Andrea giggled. “Seriously, as soon as we’re all back in Hazeldale at the same time, we’re definitely getting drinks.”



“Without a doubt!” Madelyn heartily agreed.

“Yeah,” Kayla replied, pulling away from Andrea, “I’d love that.”

Andrea headed out, waving goodbye as she skipped off leaving Kayla and Madelyn behind. But only for now. Kayla had a feeling, deep inside her heart, the same that she felt when she first met Madelyn, that this was a friendship bound to last.