After some time, Mr. Wong and the women had left Andrea alone, obviously thinking that she would bee too frightened to try anything. However, Andrea, who was not for the first time in her life bound and gagged and who had suffered from worse treatment, had quickly calmed down and started to work on her bonds methodically. The man had tied her tightly, but after a while, she had been able to pick on one of the knots that secured her wrist ties. Soon, she felt the rope loosen. When she had her hands free, Andrea quickly undid her feet tie and the gag. Carefully, she looked through the keyhole. A man was leaning at the opposite wall and so, she sneaked over to the window. The room was in the third floor, but it had a wide sill and the next window that seemed to be open was only some yard away. Andrea decided to give it a try, but before, she took a close look to the desk drawers. There was some money, but Andrea did not intend to steal. Instead, she took the little gun that was lying there and checked if it was loaded. Then, she swung herself on the sill and, clawing to the shutter, she managed to make a big step to the adjacent sill.
When Andrea carefully looked inside, she could see that it was some kind of sleeping room. On a divan, she could see the Princess, obviously dozing. Andrea hesitated for a moment, then, she made a decision. She climbed back to the office, grabbed the ropes and the scarf that had been used to bind and gag her and slung them around her waist. Then, she went back to the sleeping room`s sill and entered the room without a sound.
Looking around, she saw another silk scarf lying on the table. She grabbed it and balled it up in her left. Then, she stepped beside the bed, pressed the wad over the Princesses` mouth and helt the gun barrel to her left eye.
„Mhhmmph? Uuhhmmmph!“
„One sound and you will die“, Andrea hissed, trying to sound as vicious and cold blooded as possible. The Princess quickly stopped moving and Andrea stuffed the scarf into her mouth.
„Good. Now, turn around!“
„Mph!“
The Princess remained calm when Andrea tied her arms at wrists and elbows and secured her gag with the other scarf. Her plan was to use the Princess as a human shield to reach the street, but suddenly, she heard the door open. Grabbing the girl and holding the gun against her head, Andrea waited.
The maid entered, saying something in Chinese. Then, realizing the situation, she petrified. Andrea told her to close the door, then, she said:
„As you can see, I have your Mistress. Now, get to the bed and lie down and don`t try one of your tricks!“
Andrea had not forgotten about the maid`s martial art skills, and so, she watched her closely. However, when she turned her attention away from Princess Jinjin, the girl stamped on her foot. Andrea gasped with pain. In that moment, Lien made a quick move and kicked the gun from her hand. Andrea, too astonished to think clearly, screamed and headed for the door, but the maid kicked away her legs and she landed on the thick carpet. She spun around, only to find Lien pointing at her with the gun.
„You Europeans have never been true fighters“, she said.
Andrea now could see the Princesses`eyes looking at her. Though the girl still was gagged, Andrea shivered from that view.
***
„So, that should teach you to think twice about talking back and not obeying orders“, Madame Yini said with a malicious smile.
„Mph!“
It was the only answer Myra could give. Immediately after they had entered the bathroom, the man had grabbed her and carried her back into the sleeping room where he had dumped her on the floor. Myra had screamed and beaten him with her bound hands, but he had simply grabbed the short chain between her wrist cuffs. Again, he showed that fast reaction and quick moves that did not fit with his rather plump appearance.
He had spun her to her belly, put one foot on her butt and pulled her arms over her head, straining them and sending flames of pain through Myra`s distorted shoulders. The girl`s screams turned into a whimper and tears were forming in her eyes.
„Just behave and the pain will be over“, Madame Yini purred. She was holding the knickers that had gagged Myra previously. Another sharp tug on her arm ties made Myra open her mouth and the Chinese thoroughly stuffed the still damp silk into her throat and cheeks.
„Uuuhmmph! Gghhmmmph!“
„Keep these in, or Yuen will dislocate your shoulders. Do you understand?“
„Mmmmhhmmmph!“
aching from pain, Myra nodded. Immediately after, the pain in her shoulders disappeared. She felt Yuen loosen her cuffs and putting her wrists together behind her back, but before, he took care that this was no longer straining her shoulders.
Madame Yini brought a great number of ropes, each about two yards in length, that she had draped side by side over her left forearm. She handed one to Yuen and Myra felt that her wrists were tied tightly behind her back.
„Mhhmmmph!“
Myra felt the man tie another rope around her forearms, about halfway between her wrists and elbows. This made her elbows get closer together and Myra screamed into her gag and flailed with her unbound legs. Her breasts were brushed by the carpet when this forced her to thrust her chest out.
When Yuen had tied that rope off, he continued by binding her elbows with two more ropes, above and below the joint. Now, her elbows not only met, they were crushed together. Myra grunted with discomfort and almost involuntarily tried to pudh the knickers out of her mouth.
„Uuuhmmph! Nnnngggg! Mhhmmmmph! Uhmph!“
Myra retched and moaned when Madame Yini firmly pushed the gag back in and once more wrapped the bandage between her open lips. She again secured the gag with the belt, however, she wasn`t finished.
„Mhmmph! Nnnggggg!“
Ignoring her pleas, Madame Yini wrapped another bandage over her gag, completely covering her face from nose to chin. Over that, another belt was buckled as tight as she could manage. Myra noticed that this belt had small metal rings attached to it.
However, the girl`s attention was distracted when she was lifted up. Myra could not help blushing when Madame Yini examined her nude body. She did not touch her, but the way she looked at her big breasts made Myra feel even more naked than she was. She thought about kicking at the woman, but with her ankles still cuffed, this was impossible.
Yuen now tied her legs, starting at her feet. For no other reason than to make the girl feel even more helpless, he used much more rope than it would have been necessary. He did not only tie her ankles and knees, but every three inches, her legs now were tightly wrapped by ropes, welding them together from her ankles to the top of her thighs.
„Good. Now, we will immobilize you a bit.“
„Mhhmpphh?“
Myra already felt more than immobilized. She could not move her arms or legs except for some squirming and she knew that she would never get loose. However, her captors proved her that there was more that could be done.
The woman took a long scarf and caressed Myra`s cheek with it.
„Such a fine and smooth silk. Yet, it is also very strong, as you will soon find out.“
She tied a noose around the girl`s neck, ensuring that it was loosely applied and that it could not be tightened by pulling. She let the end dangle like an overlong tie, almost touching Myra`s toes. Carefully, Madame Yini ensured that the scarf was placed between Myra`s boobs. Then, she felt the Chinese woman`s slim hand push between her legs from the backside.
„Mmhhrrrrrr! Uuuhhmmmmmm! Nnnnnnggggg!“
Myra protested with widened eyes as Madame Yini worked her hand through the narrow gap. Since Myra`s legs were tied firmly together, this meant that she had to touch her at her most intimat parts and the girl almost died from the humiliating touch. However, worse was to come when Madame Yini grabbed the scarf and pulled this between her legs by drawing her hand back, working slowly just to increase the discomfort.
„Mmmhmmmph! Uuhhmmmmm! Mhhmmmmmm!“
Myra moaned helplessly and squirmed in her bonds as the scarf tightened between her legs and tried to find a way between her labia. Madame Yini threaded the cloth between her back and her tied upper arms. Then, she and Yuen put Myra to the floor, placing her on her belly. Myra mmphed when she felt the man bending her legs and tying her ankles to the end of the scarf. Since the scarf was very long, he still had some yard left and he made at least 20 knots when he finished off the tie. Myra soon found out that when she tried to stretch her legs, her crotch rope (or rather crotch scarf) tightened and the silk noose pressed against her neck. Desperately, she quirmed and wriggled, trying to find a tolerable position.
„You may have noticed that this tie still allows you some movement. It should not be enough to get free, but you are invited to try and to proof the opposite. However, for one last thing.“
Myra felt her head arched back and Madame Yini threaded a thin rope through one of the eyelids in the belt tied over her gag. The ends were tied to her big toes. It wasn`t applied too tight, but it prevented Myra from lowering her forehead to the ground when she lay on her belly and it also stretched her feet in an uncomfortable way.
Drawing by hugues66
„Just try your best to get free. Every part of bondage you might get rid off, you will be spared next time.“
Again, the trussed up and gagged girl was left alone for many hours.
***
„That`s strange“, Zenobia thought, holding the silver necklace in her hands. When she had come back to the hostel, she had felt too exited to just sit down and wait for Andrea and so, she had asked Miss Hooke for the key and had moved her belongings to the room that ahd until yesterday been Myra`s. On the first view, it looked as if it was empty except for the furniture belonging to the hostel, but when she put her possessions into the cupboard, Zenobia had found some more than strange leftovers of her predecessor.
Wedged between the matress and the bedframe, there had been the said necklace. On the one or two occasions when Zenobia had met Myra, she had always been wearing it. It was of no real value, but obviously it mattered to her. So why had she left it here?
Of course, Myra could just have forgotten it, but on the lowest shelf of the cupboard, she had also found a photo. It showed a young man in a dark uniform and on the backside stood „Private Alan T. Moss“. Beneath, there were two crossed sabres and a date, the 1st of July 1863. Obviously, the soldier had died in the battle of Gettysburg two years before.
„Maybe, it was her fiance or a cousin. But why did she leave such a personal memory behind?“
Zenobia decided to test Miss Hooke and went downstairs where she found the hostel owner in her kitchen.
„Excuse me, Miss Hooke“, she began.
„Yes, Miss Smith?“
As usual, the woman seemed friendly, but Zenobia friendly rejected the offered cup of tea. Instead, she asked:
„Miss Hooke, has Miss Donnell given you her new adress in Sacramento? I found these in her room, and I am sure she is interested in getting these back.“
She gave Vanessa the necklace and the photo and the hostel owner answered:
„Well, no. But she has promised me to send me a letter once she had a new home. If she does so, I will let you know.“
Immediately after Zenobia had left, Vanessa cursed silently. Sacramento! A few hours ago, she had told Zenobia and Andrea that Myra had moved to Los Angeles. Of course, this could have been just a coincidence and no one could judge her for just mixing up two cities. But it was a strange thing and Vanessa had always been cautious. She decided to talk to Mr. Kane about that. After all, Madame Yini needed more girls and perhaps, there was a market for black girls down in the Chinese Empire, too.
***
After a transport that had lasted for some 20 minutes, but had seemed much, much longer to the bound and gagged Jody, the trip had come to an end. She felt that the carpet was put on the floor and soon, she was rolled over and unwrapped. Jody squirmed on the floor and tried to wriggle her hood off. She was covered with sweat and the transport in the narrow cocoon had nearly choked her. Suddenly, Jody heard a man`s voice:
„If you promise not to scream, I will take your gag off.“
„Mmhhhrrrrr!“
With an angry sound, Jody tried to kick in the direction from where the voice had come. She only hit the air and the man spoke:
„Don`t try such foolish things, dear. Besides, I can see your knickers if you do so.“
Grunting angrily, she tried to kick him again, but again to no avail. Now, she heard the voice from somewhere behind her.
„Well, I tried to treat you like a civilized man, but if you refuse to behave, I will call my men back in. Then, we will do our little discussion the hard way and you won`t have to care about revealing your underwear any longer because you will be stripped naked before. The easy or the hard way, it`s your decision. Nod if you promise to behave.“
After some seconds of defiance, Jody moved her hooded head up and down. She then felt him loosen the rope tied over her hood but instead of pulling it from her head, he reached under the sack from behind and undid her cleave gag. Jody spat out the rags that had been stuffed into her mouth.
„How dare you?“, she croaked after some panting.
Instead of an answer, she felt a glass put to her mouth and greedily drank the offereed water. She tried to see something by moving her head, but could only see from the colour of the man`s hand that he was a White. Obviously, he had just hired the Chinese for kidnapping her.
„Let`s start by introducing ourselves. My name is – Tom.“
Jody thought about a fitting insult, but since she was still tied hand and foot, she decided against it.
„Jody. And why have you brought me here by force, - Tommy?“
She deliberately used the diminutive to provoke him, but Tom just laughed.
„Well Jody, Tommy, if you prefare. I ordered to get you here because you seem to be somehow related to a person I am interested in: Princess Jinjin.“
Jody had already thought that her abduction had something to do with the Princess and she saw no point in playing silly.
„I know her from yesterday, when I interrupted some men trying to assault her. Maybe, it were your creatures?“
„You`ve guessed right, Jody. But after you helped the Princess yesterday evening, you went home directly and you did not exchange adresses when you split. So, why did you know where she now lives?“
This took Jody by surprise. Obviously, her kidnappers had observed them from the beginning. Thet meant that Zenobia and Andrea were in great danger, too.
„Speechless, Jody? Well, I am sure you are working with someone who wants to get the Princess in his hands, for whatever reason. But the problem is, I need her, too! And you will help me!“
„But I don`t know more than you do! I can`t help you, I promise, I – noouuhmmmph!“
the man grabbed Jody`s chin and began gagging her again. She squirmed and wriggled, but he managed to stuff her mouth and to bind the cloth between her lips again. Before he secured the blindfold with the rope, Jody got a glimpse of her prison. It seemed to be a small stable and light came in through some crevices in the wooden door.
„I will give you some time to think about the whole thing. Maybe, you want to talk later. After all, if you are willing to help us, we don`t have to visit your friends, too.“
***
Frustration! Myra had used that word ever so loosely when something had not worked out the way she wanted, but now, she understood it`s real meaning. For what seemed ages, she now had worked on her bonds and had not loosened a single knot.
After some frantic squirming and pulling, she had tried to work on the knots. The most obvious point to start were her wrist bonds, but her hands were tied balm to palm and the knots were applied just a few millimetres out of reach for her numb fingers, no matter how hard she tried reaching them. From time to time, she managed just to caress the knot with her little fingers, but she was unable to get a frim grip on it, let alone picking on the knot. A similar problem prevented her from working on her bound legs, for all the knots were applied over her shins, unreachable for her in her bound and hogtied position.
Panting and with sweat dropping from her forehead, Myra then had tried to reach for the scarf that held her hogtied and that went through her naked crotch. After some trying, she was indeed able to keep the smooth cloth between her fingers. With a determined grunt, the girl began to work on the knots and indeed, after a while, she was able to loosen the first, though the tightly pulled silk was bothersome to undo and she had to pause every few minutes to catch breath.
If I can get rid of the hogtie, I can maybe reach for my ankle ties! Then, maybe I can get upo and hop for the door and then-“
However, her upcoming euphoria was soon stopped. She had managed to undo seven knots, but now, she could not pull the scarf close enough to work on the next – and there were 13 more knots in the scarf around her feet. Myra strained her body and finally pulled the scarf deep between her labia and buttocks and indeed, she managed to loosen one more knot. But now, her litheness had come to it`s limit. No matter how she twisted her limbs and her back to the point it hurt, she just could not get any further. Twelve more knots to go, and no chance of getting them undone!
„Mmmhhhrrrrrrr!“
With a moan of sheer frustration, Myra collapsed in her bonds. Then, another hope came up within her. The string that tied her head to her big toes! If she could get that loose, she could maybe move her head enough to wriggle her gag off. She had tried doing so before, but had not been able to get any closer to remove the tightly buckled belt.
With a last effort, Myra tried to reach her toes. When she was lying still, her fingers reached up to her insteps. But when she stretched her hands to reach for her toes, another perfidy of her bondage showed up: with her arms tightly tied together, bringing up her hands meant spreading her arms from her back. But by doing so, she tightened the scarf and her feet were pulled upwards. Myra pulled and squirmed and tried to ignore the pressure between her legs, but in the end, she had to accept that these knots were out of reach, too.
„Mmmmmhhmmmmmm! Uuuhhhmmmmmmmm! Mmmmhhmmmmpphh!“
Myra gave up the fight for the moment, totally exhausted and covered with sweat all over. She was not yet beaten, but now, she just had no power to do anything but breathing through her nose.
***
To Cheng`s surprise, only Zenobia arrived at the meeting point, obviously worried.
„Andrea has not come yet! And Jody has disappeared, too!“
Cheng wondered. He had expected Mr. Wong to keep Andrea, but he had seen Jody leave the street and according to what he had seen during his investigations, she had not come back there. Zenobia continued:
„What shall we do now? Call the police? Or go ton the house once more?“
Cheng shook his head: „If we go to the police, a Black and a Chinese, they will either do nothing or only act when it is too late. And if we go there, we might only accompany your friend.“
„B-but, i-i-if she`s d-dead?“, Zenobia stammered.
Cheng looked at her reassuringly and said:
„I don`t think so. they want to find out who else is behind all that. That means we have to wait until they want to have negotiations with us.“
Zenobia raised from her seat and oppressed a cry. Then, she sat down again and forced herself to speak calm:
„But, I can`t just sit around and wait! She`s my friend! I love her! Can`t we just try to get inside through a window or so?“
„If that were so easy, I would have tried before. That house is a fortress. On the front, there`s only the door we have seen. The windows are barred and according of the glimpse we could get through the open door, the fassade is only closing the court from the street, the real house is behind that. Besides, I am sure that the two adjacent houses are Mr. Wong`s property, too. The doors and the windows are walled. There is no way to get in from the frontside or from the sides.“
Zenobia looked still determined to at least give it a try, but Cheng continued wit a sad smile:
„At the backside, there are only windows in the third floor. There is no water pipe or something like that, just the sheer and smooth walls.“
„But, if we get a ladder, we could-“
„If that would be so easy, I am sure someone would have tried that before. On the ground, some metres around the wall, and at the wall itself, I could also see lots of very thin wires. I am quite sure that they are connected to some bells inside, at least at night. If you touch one of these, the sound will alarm some guard inside. And in the dark, it`s impossible to see all of these wires. No, unless we haven`t learned to fly, we can`t get inside unseen.“
„But what will happen?“, Zenobia blurted.
„Mr. Wong is a man of business. He will not kill anyone if he can avoid it, but he will also not invest more than necessary. That means he will try to get us, too, befor he starts any negotiaitions. Maybe, that`s why Jody isn`t here.“
Zenobia shuddered.
„Y-you mean-?“
„It would be at least a plausible explanation. But as long as we are free, we can act. But since we can`t act the warrior`s way, we will have to think different. Have you ever been fishing?“
Zenobia looked at him as if he had lost his marbles. Then, she understood what the Chinese intended to say.
„You mean, putting a bait on the hook to catch the hungry fish. Well, somehow I am quite sure you are seeing me as the worm and you as the fisherman.“
Cheng smiled slightly.
„I would never dare to call a pretty Lady like you a worm. But indeed, that`s the plan. At least, I am quite sure that they only know about me what Andrea could tell them – and that`s literally nothing. So, if they will try anything, they will try to get you. If they just want to talk, then we have to think of another plan. But if they try to kidnap you, we will be prepared.“
Zenobia, who knew more than she wanted to know about what „getting kidnapped“ meant, looked at Cheng and asked:
„You- you mean, you will hide in my cupboard and will overpower anyone who tries to attack me at night?“
Slowly, Cheng shook his head.
„If we did so, we would just get one or two of Mr. Wong`s henchmen. No, we will let them abduct you. But if they get you outside, I will follow them. They can`t get you through the streets, not even at night and when you are bound and gagged. No, I am sure the house has got a secret entrance. And when they get you in there, they will show me where it is and I will be able to get in and rescue you and your friend.“
Zenobia hesitated. This plan seemed to have more holes than a poor man`s sock and besides, she was not keen on getting bound, gagged and abducted once more in her life. However, there was Andrea. The lovely Andrea who was currently in the clutches of an evil Chinaman! So, she looked into Cheng`s eyes and said:
„Okay. I don`t think this plan is very elaborate, but it`s maybe the only chance we have. Let`s put me on the hook!“
***
Coincidentally, being „put on the hook“ quite well described Andrea`s position, though of course nobody had pierced a giant fishing hook through her belly.
After they had freed the Princess, Mr. Wong, Lien and his servant had brought Andrea down to the cellar, always guarding her at gunpoint. The cellar had no windows and was only lit by an oil lamp, but it was neither cold nor damp. On the walls, shelves filled with all kinds of goods were stored.
They had forced her to strip, but had left her her knickers and her camisole. Then, Mr. Wong had given the gun to Lien whilst he had taken a bale of silk from one of the shelves.
„I hope you appreciate the fact that this is worth hundreds of Dollars“, he said. Then, Andrea was forced to stand with her arms to her sides and with closed legs and Mr. Wong had tightly wrapped he entire body in layers of silk, covering her from her neck to her ankles. When he was finished, Andrea felt that, though the fine cloth cressed her skin, she was held in a vice grip and could not move her arms or legs. Mr. Wong now secured the silk cocoon by wrapping a rope around her body. Then, he thoroughly stuffed her mouth with another large silk cloth. Andrea remained calm, only making small retching sounds as the cloth tickled the back of her throat. Mr. Wong now secured her gag by cleave-gagging her and securing that with a piece of rope, too. Then, he removed a large piece of dusty canvas from the floor, revealing an iron grid that covered a hole of some five feet in diameter.
Andrea`s eyes now widened with fear as he took a short thick chain with hooks on both sides and hung one of the hook to the grid`s bars, leaving the other end dangling.
„Mhmmmmmph! Nnnggggg! Mph!“
Andrea moaned and tried to resist when she was carried to the opening, but she was no match for Lien and the servant, wrapped up as she was. She screamed with sheer horror when they held her over the dark opening, but they just adjusted the dangling hook to one of the ropes encircling her body, when they lowered her into the well, Andrea could feel cold water geting through the silk layers trapping her body.
„Mhhrrrrrrrrrr! Hhhrrrrrrrrr! Mmhhmmmmmmph!“
„They are going to drown me!“, she thought in sheer panic.
Indeed, as the silk got soaked with water, she felt that it became heavier and her squirming body disappeared below the surface, despite her frantic movements. The man now slowly closed the grid, lowering her into the water.
„Mhhmmmmmmph! Uuuhhhmmmmmmm! Nnnnggggggg! Hhhrrrrrrrrrmmmmmm!“
However, when the grid was close, Andrea felt that the hook in her back prevented her from sinking too deep. Despite the wet silk`s weight, the water did not reach higher than her neck.
Then, the Chinese pulled the canvas back over the opening and everything went black around her.
***