Sisters 5

»Seems you are getting reunited with your little sister«, Hitoshi announced as he saw the van rumble up the bumpy road to their hideout. He put up his mask and then removed the cloth hood and the blindfold from Michiko so she could see Akiko, too.

However, it was only two men who entered. They wore masks, but Michiko could see that most obviously, they were Maltese. One of them held a cloth to his eye and the other one walked with bowed legs and seemed to suffer from some pain between his legs. Both also sported some bruises and after needing some time to cope with their appearance, Hitoshi asked:

»What the fuck happened?«

***

Since Samantha had been too upset about what Akiko had told her, Isabelle had done the driving towards Michiko`s flat. Samantha had given them a brief conclusion of Akiko`s story, but of course, they wanted to hear it from herself.

When they had reached the house, Akiko greeted them at the stairs. She looked excited, but obviously unharmed. Samantha hugged her friend and the Japanese raised an eyebrow as she saw Isabelle and Cordelia in their skimpy outfits.

»Oopsie!«, she said, but she immediately became serious again and let them inside the flat. The three women saw a mess in the corridor, complete with a shattered shoe shelf and clothes lying everywhere. Akiko told them what had happened.

The man had grabbed her from behind, but he hadn`t known that Akiko didn`t despise everything that was traditionally Japanese. She loved Anime, eating Tempura – and Martial Arts. So, after her initial shock, she had reacted quickly and stepped on the man`s foot. His grip had only weakened a little but the kick had only been for distraction, as Akiko had now crouched and managed to use the man`s impetus to throw him over her shoulder.

His accomplice stormed from the sleeping room, but Akiko dodged him and managed to land a blow to his side that made him stagger. His colleague was trying to get to his feet, but she hit his temple with the sole of her Doc Marten`s. With a howl, he held his eye and tried to withdraw.

»Kiiiaaah!«

The other man stood opposite to Akiko and she saw that he was neglecting his cover. So, she landed a kick where it hurt the most. The man grunted and pressed his fists between his legs. Akiko knew that now, she had lost the element of surprise and got ready to fight off another attack, but the men stumbled towards the still open door and down the stairs. Moments later, Akiko had heard the engine of the vanishing van.

»Wow!«, Samantha commented and Akiko smiled wryly.

»Maybe, you want to call me ›Killer Crêpe‹ now!«

Then, the corners of her mouth dropped and for a moment, Isabelle and Cordelia saw the teenage girl she was.

»They have Michiko! I mean, they haven`t said anything, but she is neither here nor at the embassy! I phoned there and the other secretary told me that she left yesterday evening and hasn`t reacted to any call ever since!«

Akiko shuddered from the thought that when she and Samantha had sent Michiko selfies after selfies and had thought that her sister was just angry, she had in reality been in the clutches of these men. Isabelle looked around and said:

»Either your sister put up even more a fight than you or they were looking for something! Do you know if something`s missing?«

»You mean, except for my sister?«

They quickly looked around, but except for some money and jewelry, everything seemed to be there, though they had emptied the laundry drawer and thrown the garments all over the room. Cordelia asked:

»Is there – is there a reason anyone might want to kidnap you? I mean, ransom, blackmail?«

Akiko shook her head.

»I don`t think so. I mean, I have more money than Samantha – no offense!«

She apologetically looked at her friend, but Samantha just took Akiko`s hand and pressed it. Their mother had worked hard that both Marceau sisters could go to the Lyceum and both Isabelle and Samantha had sometimes been bullied by the rich kids, but Akiko had never been rude to Samantha.

»Anyway, our father is an assistant director at the Honda company at Kyoto. We are quite wealthy, but not that rich. Papa could perhaps scratch together some 100 Grands!«

Of course, that was quite a sum, but would some criminals stage a kidnapping at Malta, just to get the daughters of someone who lived in Japan? Isabelle was sure that since Michiko had been kidnapped some 16 hours before, there was at least a third person involved. Committing a serious crime to just get enough for everyone involved to buy a new middle class car didn`t sound very likely to her.

»In addition, Papa isn`t that influential either. I mean, who would kidnap us just to get a discount on a new Honda?«

Akiko`s voice had become a bit shrill and she was fighting down her tears. Samantha closed her into her arms and Isabelle suddenly got up.

»Have you got a photo of Michiko?«

»Of course!«

Akiko took her cell phone and handed it to Isabelle who looked on a young Japanese woman. She showed not too much resemblance to Akiko and Michiko definitely fit the cliché of the modest Japanese woman – but she was pretty. And so was Akiko, though her Punk style distracted from that fact a bit. Isabelle felt a cold shiver run down her spine.

»Linh!«

Cordelia looked at her with widened eyes. It took her no second to understand what Isabelle meant: the woman that had left them bound and gagged just hours before had pretended not to be Linh and she had behaved different, but there had been too much resemblance to just call it a coincidence! And Cordelia knew all too well how Linh had made her money: by abducting pretty girls and women and selling them into slavery.

»What shall we do now?«, Akiko interrupted their thoughts. »I haven`t called the cops since I wanted to wait for you and you«, she pointed at Isabelle, »are a cop, but-«

Isabelle put her hand on Akiko`s shoulder.

»You are right: I am a cop and we will find your sister! But before – do you think you have something to wear for us that is a bit less – showy?«

Akiko looked at Isabelle in her sleeveless, belly-free top and the hot pants and there was a glimpse of her former smile at the corner of her mouth.

»In some of my Anime, you would look just perfect! But anyway – my drawers are your drawers!«

***

Motionless, his arms crossed in front of his chest, Hitoshi had listened to the report of Aaron and Hank. Then, he said with a voice that sounded threatening though he still didn`t show any temper:

»So, you failed to grab a little girl and most likely, the Police will already be searching for a white van.«

None of the men dared to answer Hitoshi`s view. Hank still held the cloth to his eye that had swollen considerably and Aaron wished that he could just get to the fridge, get an ice pack and put that on his hurting balls. Hitoshi added:

»In other words, you have failed!«

Hitoshi stopped the two men from protesting by raising his left hand. By doing so, he spread out the little finger with the missing phalanx.

»You see this? I failed once and since it was just a minor mistake, this was enough to prove my loyalty!«

His Japanese accent grew stronger and he literally barked at the two men who anxiously exchanged looks. Did Hitoshi expect them to cut their own fingers, as a sign of repentance? The Yakuza lowered his hand and let out a despicable grunt.

»I am afraid you two have no sense of honor. But I hope that at least, you are still interested in getting paid and in avoiding arrest. So, you will now get rid of that van and then wait for further instructions!«

Both Hank and Aaron still had their guns, but none of them considered it a good idea to defy the angry Yakuza. And so, they quickly left and drove off. Hitoshi said towards his silent compatriot:

»They are no longer of use for us. Now, the Police knows their faces and we can`t need men who are incapable of overpowering a little girl.«

The other man seemed a bit uncertain how to react and so, Hitoshi added:

»I will grant them their lives, but we will leave and never call them again. Once we are at a safer place, you will call your local contact and see if he can send more capable men!«

Michiko had overheard the conversation with mixed feelings. Of course, she had felt relief that Akiko had managed to escape, but she was still in the clutches of these men, bound, gagged and nearly naked. When Hitoshi approached her, she moaned and squirmed in her bonds.

»Work with experts one time!«, Hitoshi sighed as if Hank and Aaron had been delivery boys who had brought the wrong pizza. Then, he formally bowed towards her and added:

»I apologize for the inconveniences, Michiko-san, but I will have to get you ready for a rather unpleasant ride now!«

»Mmhhmph! Nnnnggg!«

However, Hitoshi was deaf towards her pleading. Instead of the cloth blindfold, he pulled the black hood over her head again, taking care that he didn`t disarrange her gags. Then, he freed her from her bonds completely, but Michiko felt a hand grabbing her arm, obviously that of his silent accomplice.

Again the rope went around her neck and was knotted at her throat, left so loose she still could breathe without problems. This time, Hitoshi added two knots in the double rope and when he let the ropes dangle, one was in front of her navel, the other at the level of the top of her thighs.

Again, Hitoshi threaded the rope ends between her legs and through the noose at the back of her neck. He pulled the slack out and then, the ends were brought under her armpits. Michiko cringed as the rough hemp tickled her, but she got even more upset when she felt Hitoshi touch her breasts. However, he just did so to thread the ropes through the mesh formed by the two knots. Then, he said towards his henchman:

»A hand, please!«

Each man now grabbed one of her arms and with the other hand, he pulled on the rope.

»Mmhhmmmmmm! Uuuhmmmmm!«

Not only did the ropes chafe her armpits, the mesh between her breasts also widened and the ropes brushed over her breasts. In addition, the pulling on the ropes tightened the grip of the ropes between her legs. However, worse was to come as they slung the right rope around her left upper arm and vice versa and then pulled again. Michiko groaned as her arms were brought closer and closer together, forcing her to arch back her shoulders and to thrust her boobs against the ropes that rubbed over them. Only when her joints met, they tied the ropes off and Michiko felt that she could not move her arms or separate them from her body without bisecting herself in two.

Though Michiko could only flutter with her fingers, they then threaded the ropes through the second mesh, forming a second rhombus that framed the girl`s navel. then, they tied her hands palm to palm.

»Nnnnggggg!«

The ropes held her in a vice grip. Elbows weren`t meant to meet behind the back, and yet, they did and Michiko could do nothing to change the straining position. Her arms were almost immovable and pressed against her back and now, the double strand between her legs cut deep into her soft flesh and her pubic mound. She felt that the lower knot of the second rhombus now pressed directly on her clit which felt irritating at the slightest move.

Carefully, they now made her sit down and Michiko twitched and groaned as the sitting position made the crotch rope cut even deeper into her whilst her silk panties did little to protect her. Then, the dangling ends were brought over her shoulders and she had to bend her legs. They tied the ends off under the backs of her knees, forcing her to sit with her upper body pressed against her thighs and her chin resting on her knees. Again, the girl twitched as Hitoshi – or his colleague – brushed over her sides.

»Ticklish and helpless – a bad combination!«

He continued to tickle her for a while, causing her to twitch and flail with her unbound lower legs, mewing and gasping through her thick layered gag. When he let her go, Michiko panted heavily and fell helplessly to her side.

The next thing she heard was that something was put beside her and then, there was the sound of a zipper. Then, the girl was grabbed and she felt that she was jammed into a big sturdy suitcase. She barely fit in and she screamed through her gag, but the men had no difficulties in holding her down.

»Luckily, distances on this island are never very long, Michiko-san. And when we are at our new hideout, you will get your promised washing!«

Michiko`s desperate moans grew even more muffled as he closed the lid and pulled the zipper close.

***

At Michiko`s flat, Isabelle and Cordelia had meanwhile told the girls about what had happened to them and also given them a summary of what had happened back in France (and, in Cordelia`s case, in Germany before). It had been a bit embarrassing for both, but after what had happened, Samantha and Akiko needed to know who their supposed enemies were.

Isabelle felt a bit guilty she hadn`t mentioned Mike, but perhaps, it was better to wait for him to call her if he had found out something about Linh`s death – or her escape. She meanwhile wore some of Akiko`s more decent clothes: a white T-Shirt with some anime figure on it and a pair of black leggings. Both items were a bit too tight for Isabelle`s comfort, but it was better than her previous outfit.

Cordelia had decided that Michiko wouldn`t mind if she took some clothes from her drawers. Unfortunately, she was five inches taller than the Japanese and so, the black pleated skirt was quite short on her and the white blouse was a bit tight around Cordelia´s C-cup breasts. Akiko could not understand Cordelia`s concerns.

»With legs like yours, I would wear no skirt at all!«

Though she had been assaulted by two men, Akiko was not fearful but instead determined to find out where Michiko was. Somehow, nobody had mentioned calling the Police again, but somehow, they all waited for what usually happened during a kidnapping: the kidnappers would call and tell them their demands.

They all twitched when suddenly, the landline phone rang for real. The others gathered around the phone when Akiko picked up the handset. A male voice could be heard and Akiko suddenly grew pale.

»It`s our father!« she whispered, covering the mouthpiece with her hand. Then, a prolonged conversation in Japanese followed. To their surprise, it sounded as if the two were rather having small talk than talking about Michiko`s abduction, though Akiko looked quite strained. Finally, she hung up and the others looked at her expectantly.

»H-he didn`t know anything! And I – I couldn`t tell him! I just couldn`t! He was so relaxed and friendly and he asked me about Michiko – I mean, she always was his favorite. Perhaps, because she looks more like Mom than I do!«

That sounded so sad that Cordelia wanted to hug the girl, but Akiko raised her hand.

»Thank you, but no, thank you! I won`t cry for my sister as long as there is reason to fight for her!«

Both Isabelle and Cordelia were impressed by the girl`s inner strength, but Samantha destroyed the pathos when she asked:

»Isn`t that from the Manga we watched last month?«

»Yes, admittedly!«, Akiko said, obviously a bit disappointed about her ruined moment, »but in a story with White Slavers, doppelgangers and maybe an undead criminal, perhaps, the anime world isn`t the worst reference!«

She opened her arms and stepped towards Cordelia who looked a bit puzzled. With a forced smile, Akiko said:

»Samantha destroyed my heroic moment – now, I need a hug!«

Cordelia took the girl in her arms and when Akiko cuddled against her, she felt that the girl was indeed fearful and close to tears behind her tough and more than slightly weird facade. Isabelle meanwhile collected the facts, thinking loudly:

»At least, we know now that the kidnappers haven`t contacted your father yet. However, they must assume that you told him!«

Akiko, who was still in Cordelia`s embrace, raised her head from the other`s breasts and said, her forehead wrinkled:

»There was a strange thing when Papa phoned. Usually, he asks about how I am and things like that, but today, it was just small talk and a few set phrases. It was just as if he didn`t want me to tell him anything but how I like Maltese food or who won in the J-League.«

She continued by telling them that despite her father indeed was a bit more fond of his career-oriented and easy to care elder daughter, he and Akiko also had a very cordial relationship. Since their mother had died in a car accident when Akiko had been just six months old, he hadn`t married again and his daughters were all the family he had.

»But today, it was as if I was talking to an acquaintance. Somehow, I even had the feeling that he didn`t really care about us at all!«

She grimaced, once more fighting down her tears, but then, she knocked on the adjacent sideboard and said with determination:

»Okay, girls, what are we going to do now?«

»Call the Police«, both Isabelle and Cordelia proposed in unison, but Akiko suddenly had a glance in her eyes that made her really look like one of her favored anime Warrior Princesses.

»No! I kicked the ass of two of these bastards and I will not just sit here and wait for occasional updates from some officer instead of trying to find Michiko! I will search for her, whether you help me or not!«

Cordelia sighed and Isabelle rolled her eyes, too, whilst Samantha looked at Akiko with admiration. However, though they felt different about Akiko`s enthusiasm, they sat in a circle and began to talk about different stratagems.

***

Tied into a ball, thoroughly gagged and stuffed into a suitcase that was currently transported over some bumpy road, Michiko suffered. The ropes that tied her were tied and her shoulders were aflame from the way her elbows were tied together. Her naked breasts were chaffed by the ropes on every breath she took and the slightest movement of her arms had consequences on the double strand of ropes that bisected her crotch. All she could do was wriggle her fingers and toes.

»Uuuhhmmm!«

Michiko hardly heard the faint moan she produced. Her pantyhose still tasted vile, but she had meanwhile sucked every drop of saliva from it and her mouth felt parched. Being hooded and with a cloth tied over her mouth and nose, the girl had to breathe through two layers of cloth and she knew that if she panicked, she would suffocate inside the tiny suitcase. The air had already become stale and musty and Michiko feared that she would faint, though she at least got some air since her nose was close to the zipper.

However, the enforced calmness allowed her to think about her kidnapping and her kidnappers some more. Who were they and what was their plan? If they wanted to get a ransom from her father, why hadn`t they taken a photo from her or forced her to speak to him? And why were they so keen on getting Akiko, too? Their father would pay all the money he had for one daughter as well!

She also wondered about the four men who had abducted her. Obviously, the two Maltese were some criminals the Yakuza had just hired for the job. Not the most notorious criminals, given the fact that Akiko had been able not only to escape them, but also to inflict some damage on them.

Hitoshi and his silent colleague, however, were different. Michiko was afraid of Hitoshi who had taken almost all of her clothes, who had tied her up and gagged her and who had also spanked and humiliated her. But what was the other man`s secret? He was Japanese, but why did he never speak, instead of some whispered conversation with Hitoshi? Michiko assumed from their behavior that Hitoshi was the boss, but why did his colleague never speak? Was it because they knew each other?

She wracked her brain, but didn`t see a resemblance between her acquaintances and the mysterious silent man. However, perhaps, the key to the meaning of her kidnapping lay in this man`s hidden identity.

***

When the phone rang, Marc looked on the display – and suddenly almost jumped up, despite him and the Vietnamese woman he just knew as Tao sitting at a café near the beach with lots of people around.

»I-it`s my cousin, Johnny!«

Tao frowned when Marc answered the phone. Said Johnny was the owner of the beverage shop where she and Marc had met – and where they had left the two snoops who had considered her to be Linh. Marc had promised her that Johnny would not be at his shop or the adjacent warehouse before tomorrow morning. After all, that was why they had left the two bound and gagged women there!

The conversation was in Maltese, but Tao recognized that Marc`s initial nervousness ceased during the talk and when Marc ended the call, he smiled at her, albeit a bit fake.

»Johnny has just been in the warehouse and asked me if I had played some kinky games there. Obviously, he found some ripped tape!«

Marc continued by telling her that Johnny hadn`t found anything else and that there had also been no Police or anything unusual at the warehouse. Improvising a white lie, Marc had »confessed« to his cousin that he had stored some Marihuana at his warehouse and therefore had been a bit nervous. Johnny, who knew that Marc was involved in some petty crimes (he obviously didn`t know the full truth) had scolded him, but promised to keep everything to himself.

»So, they have escaped before they were found by Johnny! Anyway, they have no idea where we are or who we are!«

Angrily, Tao shook her head.

»I have changed my mind about these two. They know something about Linh. Obviously, it isn`t that much, since they thought I was her, but I want to know what their part in Linh`s story is. Maybe, she`s more alive than it seems!«

Marc was about to answer when again his phone rang. This time, it was a man he had only spoke to once. A Japanese who had only given him the name Hitoshi.

»Mr. Smith? I wanted to ask about my boat. Have you fixed the railing?«

It was the code he and Hitoshi had agreed upon and so, he answered:

»I replaced the mahogany with teak. It looks less pompous, but it will be more stable.«

Now knowing that Marc indeed was Marc, Hitoshi immediately came to the point of his call:

»You promised me your best men, but the two you sent me failed miserably! If they were really your best, we have a serious problem! After all, I paid in advance!«

A born Maltese, Marc was used to the heat, but suddenly, he felt sweat built upon his forehead. He had only spoken to Hitoshi once, but he had noticed the tattoo on his hand and the missing phalanx of his finger. Of course, the Yakuza wasn`t very present at Malta, but at least, one of their members was here currently – and he was angry at him!

»Listen, I will talk to the two and see what I can do for you! You will get my answer before midnight! I promise!«, he added, though he knew it made him sound pathetic.

»Good!«, Hitoshi said in a voice that implied that nothing would be good for Marc if he or his employees failed again. He looked at Tao and said:

»Business problems! Look, I have to-«

Tao raised an eyebrow.

»I thought I am your business partner – and currently, I have a problem, too!«

Marc cringed. Tao had paid in advance, too, and though she was far less threatening than the Yakuza, she also had an attitude that it would be no good idea to play with her.

»Please, just let me off the hook for this evening! If I fail this business, I am dead meat and then, I would be of no use for you! From tomorrow morning on, I am all yours!«

With a sigh, Tao told him to go. She took another sip from her Coke and looked at the sea. There, somewhere in the North, maybe Linh was still well and alive. Tao finished her drink and left the café. She had changed clothes and hidden her hair under a cap. Together with the dark sunglasses, she was sure that she wouldn`t be recognized just by accident.

One point wasn`t going out of her mind: if the two women had gotten free, then why hadn`t they called the Police? And if they had decided not to do so: how had they managed to leave Mdina in just their bra and panties without raising any attention?

»My problems with Linh were just big enough! But now, it seems that these two escape artists have just increased them!«

***

Isabelle had to admit that Akiko`s plan was daring, but nevertheless reasonable. Her only problem was that she would have felt better with some dozen of Policemen to execute it.

Since the kidnappers had been behind her, too, Akiko had decided to act as bait. She would show herself in public to provoke a second abduction attempt. And since the others would be in the hiding close to her, the trap would snap once they tried.

Of course, all three had insisted that this was too dangerous, but Akiko had persuaded them:

»They want me alive and therefore, they have to get close. And as I have proven today, I am no easy target. So, I think if we choose the right places where you can hide and help me as soon as they try anything, the risk is calculable!«

As if to prove her point, Akiko had then left the room, only to reappear a few minutes later. She carried a wooden box she handed to Isabelle. It contained a Japanese Nambu pistol, together with two boxes of cartridges.

»It belonged to my great-grandfather – and he was one of the few Japanese soldiers who survived the Battle of Okinawa. Maybe, that`s a good omen!«

Isabelle checked the weapon. It looked a bit strange, but she was sure that she would be able to use it. Suddenly, she felt a little better.

»Hey, what will I get?«, Samantha complained. »It`s my birthday, after all – and if I am with you, I am in danger, too!«

Isabelle looked at her sister with concern, since she had outspoken her greatest sorrow. Akiko, who obviously had buried her own fears deep inside her, answered:

»Well, I thought of giving you my great-granddad`s Katana, but maybe, you better do as you did in Nice last year!«

»Wha-what happened in Nice?«

So far, Isabelle only knew that Samantha and Akiko had spent a few days there, paid by the latter`s father. Akiko suddenly giggled:

»Well, she distracted a group of boys by flashing her boobs!«

Samantha put her hands on her hips, upset and amused at the same time.

»Crêpe, you bitch! It was you! You unclasped my bikini!«

»And it distracted them!«, Akiko replied triumphantly. Isabelle couldn`t help laughing and after a few seconds, Cordelia fell in, too. Perhaps, the Japanese didn`t get how serious the situation was, but her hilarious mode was addicting and it felt good after all the worries and fears of the previous days and weeks. So, they started to work out a stratagem of how to minimize the danger for Akiko and Samantha and to maximize their chance to get at least one of the kidnappers.

***

»The Japanese is very angry about you. And what is worse, he`s angry about me, too! Call me old-fashioned, but I prefer living my life with my head on my shoulders!«

Marc had found Hank and Aaron and they had more or less confirmed what he already knew from Hitoshi. At least, they had the courtesy to be ashamed. He sighed and added:

»We better take care he gets happy again – the sooner, the better!«

***