Sisters 14

»Fuck!«

The woman and her three male companions looked at the discarded ropes and other leftovers of the two women they had left bound and gagged in the room.

Once they had found that Caine had vanished into thin air, Tao had made the decision that she had to think practically: with Cordelia somewhere, she needed the redhead back in her clutches; if Cordelia managed to escape Caine, she would need insurance that Isabelle didn`t go to the Police. And since Marc had told her that the two Marceau sisters had been left nicely trussed up at Michiko`s apartment, they had made it back to the boat and had headed back to Malta. Driving as fast as the streets allowed, they had reached the flat at 7:30 am – only to find that the two girls had freed themselves.

Marc wanted to brush through his hair, but stopped on the way. After the sewage shower Caine had left for him, he had provisionally washed his face and changed into one of Caine`s T-Shirts, but his hair still was messy. Hank and Aaron obviously doubted his leadership qualities, as they looked expectantly at Tao. The Vietnamese still sported only Marc`s oversized football shirt covering her bra and panties, but she managed to keep control:

»Marc, ask your informants about whether someone has informed the cops. Aaron, Hank: you know at which hotel these two are residing. Get there and see if you can get them! At least, try to keep on their tracks! We will meet at my hotel at noon!«

The two goons seemed happy that someone gave them clear orders and Marc also left to do as he had been told; at least, he could say to himself that Tao had given the exact orders he would have given to his men, too.

Once they had left, Tao took off the scratchy football shirt. She had stayed behind not only to find some rest to recover, but also to see if she could find some fresh clothes.

So, she went for Michiko`s room and rummaged through her large cupboard. This cupboard had mirrors attached to its doors and now, with the doors open, Tao could not see what was happening in the living room right behind her.

Both Isabelle and Samantha had just showered, had some of Michiko`s appalling instant coffee and then had also get dressed when Samantha had looked out of the window and nearly had dropped her mug. She had recognized Marc and the two men in his entourage also didn`t look like nice guys. Isabelle also looked at the approaching group and recognized the Asian woman as the one who looked like Linh.

With nowhere to run, Isabelle had hidden behind the couch, arming herself with a heavy cat sculpture from one of the sideboards, whilst Samantha had simply slid behind the curtain. So, they had overheard the short powwow of the thugs and then, all but the woman had left.

Now, they were standing to both sides of the sleeping room door, peeping at Tao who, having turned her back towards them, was rummaging through Michiko`s clothes. Samantha made a silent gesture towards Isabelle, indicating that she should attack and smash the sculpture on the woman`s head.

Isabelle shook her head. The sculpture was made of bronze and they couldn`t risk causing severe damage, since they had to interrogate the woman. Samantha suddenly sneaked towards the corridor.

»Great, Coeur de Soeur, leave me alone!«

Isabelle was all concentration. She had had Martial Arts training at the Police Academy and so, this woman should be no match, given she had the element of surprise. So, she put down the sculpture and jumped forward.

Tao heard a sound behind her and spun around, but at that very moment, Isabelle landed upon her and the two smashed into the cupboard. The impact made the stick to which the clothes could be hanged break and so, the two combatants were covered with dresses, smart suits and coats.

It was a brawl without any grace, as both were entangled in numerous clothes and so, they were busier in getting their heads free than to actually harm the opponent. Tao finally managed to get her upper body out of the cupboard and tried to pull herself free whilst Isabelle had tackled her legs.

»Freeze!«

Tao looked up at an almost surreal sight. Above her, illuminated by the light coming through the open door, she saw a redhead girl, sporting a pair of black tight hot pants, the ones the Japanese called »Bloomers«, and a T-Shirt with some Pokemon on it that was at least one size too small for her. In her hands, she wielded a large Katana.

»One false move and I will chop your head!«

The French accent made the scene seem even more surreal, but now, Isabelle had fought herself free from the clothes and slung her arm around Tao`s neck from behind. Samantha, the Katana still pointing at Tao, stepped back one step so they could leave the cupboard.

»Well done, Partner!«, she said towards Samantha who couldn`t help smiling proudly. »Now, let`s secure this woman, for I have a few questions!«

Isabelle tightened her grip on Tao`s throat and hissed:

»And you better have some answers, if you know what is good for you!«

***

After having punished them, Hitoshi had retied both sisters in the same way, just cuffing their ankles and then their wrists to their fronts. Like that, he directed them towards the kitchen.

Akiko, who had only been hurt in her dignity, saw that Hitoshi had not been joking when he had been punishing Michiko either. The sight of her sister`s reddened buttocks made her anger for her assisting in tickling her cease a bit and she even granted her that the Yakuza placed a pillow on Michiko`s chair whilst she had to sit on the hard plastic. However, she felt a bit of contempt for the grateful look her sister had for Hitoshi.

It was then that the man realized he had not been wearing his mask for some time now. However, he shrugged it off with a smile.

»It doesn`t matter anymore, I think. When your father has paid, I don`t think we will see each other anymore.«

He stepped behind Akiko and began to unbuckle her gag. To her surprise, Michiko held a paper handkerchief to her. Akiko frowned, but understood when the ball left her mouth and she felt drool run down her chin.

»Thanks!«, she whispered unwillingly.

When Michiko was ungagged, too, they had breakfast and whilst Akiko only drank some tea, she noticed that her sister showed considerable appetite. Of course, she had had two more days to adjust to be a criminal`s captive, but Akiko presumed that there was more to it: Michiko had always been used to be living by the rules – and here, she had rules. It were harsh rules, made up by criminals who had kidnapped them and also intended to destroy the life work of their father, but nevertheless, it were clear and simple rules. And in addition, the fact that Hitoshi had more or less implied that they would survive the ordeal had helped her to relax, too.

Akiko forced herself to have at least one sandwich, too. If their kidnappers did not want to kill them, then, there would perhaps be a better chance for an escape and therefore, she would need all her strength!

After the breakfast, he made them do the dishes.

»You must like this – two obedient women doing the household chores!«

»Definitely!«, Hitoshi replied, grinning so blatantly that even Akiko had nothing more to say.

To their surprise, they were spared the gag masks as they were each given five minutes in the bathroom. However, he reminded them:

»As I said – behave and in a few days or weeks, this will be nothing more than a bad memory. But try anything stupid and I will have to – react!«

Somehow, Hitoshi sounded as if he would not hurt or kill any of them with joy, but he sounded as if his loyalty to the Yakuza was stronger than any possible concerns. And so, when she was alone in the bathroom, Akiko neither screamed nor tried to open the window. However, after she had finished her business, she looked around for anything helpful in an escape attempt, but there was nothing but a few towels and a bottle of liquid soap.

When it was Michiko`s turn, Akiko suddenly looked at Hitoshi:

»It actually has three eyes.«

»Eh?«

»The snake tattoo on your chest. In the original lore, it has three eyes – but obviously, your tattoo artist only knew the anime version.«

Hitoshi looked at her with disbelief, but after a few seconds, he chuckled.

»Once this is over, I will have it corrected from my share of the money, promised!«

In his eyes, Akiko now read a glimpse of respect and she oppressed the urge to slam her bound hands into his stomach and try to hop for the door until he had recovered. However, she was sure that she wouldn`t have been able to knock him out long enough. So, she just smiled and cocked her head.

»Perhaps, I will make you a list of Manga books that depict our culture right. As a member of the yakuza, you should really take more interest in Japanese traditions!«

Again, he smiled and let his eyes wander over her nude body.

»As if you`d care much«, he said, looking at her belly piercing. Akiko dropped a curtsey as gracious as her bonds allowed.

»Well, Michiko and I were raised by the same father!«

Her smile vanished as she remembered her father who currently sure was mad with fear about his daughters and who also was faced with either sacrificing their lives or everything else in life he had ever lived and worked for. Luckily, the sound of Michiko flushing the toilet broke that awkward moment.

Hitoshi told her to remain in the bathroom and grabbed a bag before he directed Akiko in, too. Then, he told them to get into the bathtub. With their ankles cuffed, they could only do so by sitting on the edge and then swing their legs inside. Hitoshi told them to stand face to face and Akiko frowned. The moment of mutual understanding between her and her kidnapper did not include that she wanted to be washed by him.

However, Hitoshi ordered Michiko to put her arms around her sister. Michiko`s wrists were still cuffed in front of her and so, she raise her arms and brought them over Akiko`s head and shoulders. The position forced the two sisters closer together and both felt uneasy as the tops of their naked breasts touched. Both also thrust out their butts to avoid that their pubic areas came in contact with each other.

»Now, Akiko-chan, hug your sister, too!«

Akiko noticed that he had used the more intimate suffix on her now, too. With her hands being bound in front of her, she had to work them along Michiko`s front to do what she was told. For a second, he fingers brushed over Michiko`s pubic hair and it took some more wriggling until she could get her arms free and put them over her sister`s upper body. Now, Michiko`s arms were trapped under hers and their breasts were pressed more against each other.

Hitoshi now rummaged through his bag and produced a variety of leather belts. For a second, Akiko feared that he had gotten the taste for real whipping when he had spanked them both. But instead, he chose one long belt and slung it around both girls` waists before buckling it tight. Now, their tummies were pressed against each other and they felt the other`s pubic hair grind against their own.

»He!«, Akiko protested, »I never intended to have the second lesbian experience in my life would be with my own sister!«

Michiko gasped and Hitoshi also frowned, but then, he smiled at her cheekiness. Then, he made the contact of their loins even closer by buckling a second belt around their legs, just above the knees. Hitoshi then removed their ankle cuffs and held their arms as they had to get down to their knees. Tied as they were, getting down was quite embarrassing, but finally, they were kneeling face to face.

»Wait a minute!«

He left the bathroom and Michiko looked at her sister.

»Second lesbian experience?«

»Really, Onee-san? That`s what you are worrying about?«

Michiko opened her mouth to say something, but Akiko continued:

»I mean, you may have arranged with the situation, but-«

»That`s unfair!«, Michiko blurted.

»You assisted him in torturing me!«

»If I hadn`t, he would have hurt you even more – Imouto!«

The expression on Michiko`s face and the use of the pet name for her younger sister made Akiko`s rage cease. She forced herself to keep up an angry look and pouted:

»I almost peed in the bed!«

»Well, it`s his bed, not yours!«, Michiko replied and after a moment, both girls exchanged an insecure smile. Now, Hitoshi returned.

»Sorry to interrupt your sisterly gossip, but I have to leave for a few hours!«

Akiko rolled her eyes as she saw he was holding one of Michiko`s panties in his hand.

»Wild Irish Rose my ass!«, she whispered towards her sister, but winked to soften the blow of the insult. Michiko did what Akiko had expected the least. The corners of her mouth slightly went upwards and she replied:

»It`s rather my ass!«

Perplexed by the first pun Michiko had used in years – and maybe the first including a bad word ever! – Akiko didn`t put up resistance as Hitoshi used her braid to pull her head back and then thoroughly stuffed the panties into her mouth. Akiko retched as they touched the back of her throat and she also noticed that they tasted slightly different: obviously, Hitoshi had chosen the ones that had gagged Michiko previously.

He then produced another wad that was black and white and Akiko noticed it were the second pair of Michiko, but with her own thong draped around them. She helplessly watched as the slightly bigger wadding was forced into Michiko`s mouth. Hitoshi then took two silk scarves and tied them between their lips to keep the packing in place. Each cloth had a triple knot in its center that pushed the panties even deeper into their mouths and he knotted the ends very tightly at their napes. Then, he reached for two narrow straps with buckles.

»Mph!«, Michiko protested as he buckled one of these straps between her lips, right above the cleave gag and pulling it very tight. Akiko was sure that the scarf was meant for padding – and she realized that he had placed the other belt under the first before tightening it and now, it dangled from her sister`s mouth.

The reason for that, Akiko understood immediately as Hitoshi now forced them both to press their lips onto each other`s,  even making them cock their heads to get real close contact. When he buckled the second belt at Akiko`s nape, pulling it tight as well, the connected straps meant that the sisters would have to keep up their involuntary kiss as long as someone released them.

»Uuuhhmmm!«, Michiko commented their predicament.

»Ghhmmph!«, Akiko agreed.

Hitoshi again rummaged through his bag and then, Akiko saw him bent down behind Michiko`s back. She couldn`t see what he was doing, but after a while, she felt something pull on the chain of her wrist cuffs, pulling them downwards. Then, her sister suddenly let out some high pitched muffled screams and twitched whilst there were several pulls on the twine connected to Akiko`s handcuffs.

She soon realized what he had done when she felt him tie some thin rope around her big toes, tying them together and cinching the bonds before tying it off to Michiko`s handcuffs. Then, he grabbed one of her ankles.

»Oh, no! No! No!«, Akiko thought and tried to get free, but Hitoshi brushed over her soles with his other hand. She helplessly thrashed in her bonds and screamed through her gag, sending vibrations into Michiko`s mouth.

»Can you guess the word I am writing?«, he asked and his index finger went over her sole.

»Hhrrrmmmmmm!«

»Actually, it was ›cat‹!«, he chuckled and let her go. Then, his face appeared in front of the panting Akiko`s eyes.

»Sorry, couldn`t resist!«

He kissed each sister`s forehead and then, he left the two naked, bound and gagged girls alone in the bathtub and left the house.

***

Isabelle looked down on Tao, scratching her head. They had tied her to one of the armchairs with her wrists behind the backrest and had also fixed her ankles to the front feet before starting the interrogation. She had to keep her sister from threateningly wielding the Katana; Samantha went for Akiko`s room and reappeared with nun chucks little later. However, when she had hit her own fingers, she stopped playing around with these.

To Isabelle`s surprise, Tao had not only given her her first name, but also told her deliberately that she had ordered Cordelia`s kidnapping, but only to prevent Isabelle to go to the Police. She had admitted that Marc was also involved in the kidnapping of Akiko and Michiko, but that she hadn`t been involved in that case.

»So, what is this all about? Is it about Linh?«

Now, the identical twin of said woman looked alert.

»Linh is dead«, she said cautiously. Indeed, the last message from Vinh had said that he had met someone who also doubted that Linh had died. However, before she could read any further message, she had been overpowered by Caine who had stolen her cell phone as well.

Isabelle hesitated. Mike`s last message had at least implied that he had news about the Asian.

»Let`s, for a moment, assume she isn`t dead. What would you do then?«

»Do you know who Linh is? What she does – or has done?«, Tao answered with a counter question. Isabelle nodded.

»Better than you might imagine.«

»Well«, Tao continued, »then, you might imagine that I want her to stop doing that – once and for all!«

»You mean – killing her?«, Samantha blurted and Isabelle wasn`t sure if her younger sister`s voice was trembling with horror or blood thirst. Tao shook her head.

»She`s my sister and in Vietnam, family matters a lot, even if some branches of the tree are rotten. But me and my – someone else want to keep her behind bars for the rest of her life – or until she has changed, but I doubt that will ever happen.«

Somehow, it seemed that Tao was relieved she could talk to someone. She told the Marceau sisters that her accomplice was at Grenoble, investigating Linh`s assumed death, but she hadn`t heard from him since she had lost her phone. Isabelle pricked up ears when she mentioned that her accomplice had met someone on the same track.

»Mike!«, she thought.

»Anyway, when you and Cordelia suddenly confronted me about Linh, even thought I was her, I somehow – overreacted. I hope you can forgive me.«

Isabelle looked down on the Asian who was just clad in her tiny white panties and a matching bra.

»I will think about it if we have found the answer to an even more important question: where is Cordelia?«

***

Cordelia was still in the barn where Mike had brought her and though he had left some half an hour ago, she wasn`t any closer to escape or getting rescued. In fact, she even would have to fear any potential rescuers.

Having shaved her, Caine had freed her legs from the table, but only to tie them with pieces of rope, at her ankles, below and above her knees and at her thighs. Finally, he had even tied her big toes with some twine, letting long ends dangle.

With equal meticulousness, he then had turned to her arms, starting at her wrists he had tied palm to palm. He had then forced her elbows together, tying them above and below the joints. Then, Cordelia had to sit up and he had prepared another rope, doubling it and slinging it around her waist.

»A crotch rope«, she had thought despondently when he had threaded the ends through the noose, all too aware of the previous night. In addition, she knew that getting it applied with her legs tied together would mean getting touched by him in a way that made her shudder by the mere thought.

Caine now tied some dozen of knots into the ends and then, he went for the Nivea box again. He not only creamed the rope itself, but also her middle. Then, her eyes widened as he also put some Nivea on her cleft. When he then put the ropes between her legs, the cream made it go easier, but Cordelia nevertheless blushed from the humiliation and when he pulled, the way the knots slid inside her and she felt them embedded between her buttocks made her cringe, though at least, it didn`t hurt.

Caine secured the crotch rope with a slip knot before he turned Cordelia on her belly, placing her on the cushion in a way her thrust out breasts were off the pillow and her nipples touched the table`s surface. Then, he pushed the table until it was placed under the ceiling hook.

She groaned and looked anxiously over her shoulder as he then put a long rope over the hook and tied it around her wrists. Then, he pulled until her arms were pulled upwards in a way it was straining, but not yet painful.

»Uuhhmmph! Nnnngggg!«

Cordelia protested through her multiple gags as Caine now tied the rope`s other end to one of the dangling ends of her crotch rope whilst keeping the other one secured by a simple knot. Still, it wasn`t painfully tight, but now, every movement of her arms would have consequences on her most intimate areas and suddenly, Cordelia was very aware of the rough hemp and the knots tied into her crotch rope.

The man wasn`t finished. Caine now tied another rope to her ankles, put that over the hook, too and secured the other end to the remaining end of her crotch rope. Now, Cordelia had to remain lying on her belly, with no chance of even rolling to her side, and each twitch of either her arms or legs would massage her crotch. She moaned, but Caine now produced something that looked like a bra with one cup, but was made of black leather.

The cup, he pressed over her gagged mouth and her chin; then, he buckled the various straps to keep it in place. When he forced her to arch her head back, she realized that there was a small ring attached to one of the straps, now positioned at the top of her head. To her horror, he now took the ends of the twine tied around her big toes, pulled the slack out and forced her to stretch her feet before tying the twine off to the ring in her head harness. Now, her whole body was strained from her head to her toes and even slightly turning her head had become quite difficult.

»I have to go out for a few hours«, Caine now announced, causing Cordelia to groan. How could he expect her to stay like this even for a few minutes?

Now, he took one of the chairs and positioned it opposite to her head, some two yards away. Cordelia`s eyes widened when he then showed her what he had kept hidden under a burlap sack: it was a crossbow.

»Nnngg! Mmhhmph!«

Caine used several pieces of rope to fix the crossbow to the chair, so it aimed at her exposed throat. Even though it was neither cocked nor loaded with a bolt, she felt shivers run down her spine and squirmed the little she could, only to find out that she couldn`t get out of the line of fire.

»Call me a bit selfish, but I don`t want anyone to play with you who doesn`t know the secret entrance to this barn – which, by the way, only I know!«

»Hhrrrrrmmmm!«

She screamed with sheer horror as he now connected the door handle to the crossbow`s trigger. The rope wasn`t so tight it would go off accidentally, but the door opened to the outside and if someone opened it, not knowing about the contraption-

Caine now cocked the crossbow and placed a bolt on it, even controlling it really aimed at her throat before he playfully slapped her butt.

»Just try to distract yourself – after all, I left you with something to play with!«

He tugged on the ropes that tied her arms and legs to the crotch rope, causing Cordelia to helplessly squirm on the table. Then, laughing eerily, he left her alone.

***

»Napoli 22 kilometers«

Vinh read the sign at the highway and knew it would soon be time to wake up Mike. His companion had put the backrest of the passenger seat as far back as it was possible and slept, his head embedded on a pillow he had bought at one of their refueling stops.

A bit nervously, Vinh looked at the rear mirror. He only could see the cover of the load and the radio drowned any sound the two captives could have made, but he was all too aware that there were two bound and gagged women less than two yards away from him. Of course, kidnapping Linh had always been a part of his plans somehow, but he never had really thought it out. And now, there was this other woman that somehow was related to Mike, too.

»And he even knew that I was heading for Malta!«

He had explained to Mike why of all places they had chosen the small Mediterranean island as their base: from his time in the UK, Vinh still had a permanent work and travel permit that also included his wife and so would allow them to travel within the Commonwealth without passport issues. In addition, Malta was a member of the European Community and thus, it would be no problem to get there from France or Italy, the obvious stages for him if Linh was still in or around Grenoble.

There were, however, a few things he hadn`t explained to Mike: for example, that he not only knew Linh because she was his sister in law. He had only partially been joking when he had mentioned »Linh and Vinh«.

It had been six years ago, when he had just come together with Tao. Tao had been willing to get engaged to him, but since she was quite traditional, there hadn`t been more than just some kissing, though Vinh had of course hoped for more. Then, one night, he had been visited by Tao and she had pretended that she could not wait for their marriage either.

It hadn`t taken her more than just dropping her sarong to persuade him and if he had thought anything during the next minutes, it had been that his future wife was anything but shy. Then, when she still had been sitting astride him, she had bent down and whispered:

»What would my dear sister say if she knew you betrayed her – with her own sister?«

An ice bucket poured over his crotch wouldn`t have worked better and Linh had already left the bed and put her sarong back on before he even could croak something. Giggling, she had said:

»You may tell Tao if you like – but if you don`t want her to know about us, you should better keep me silent!«

Linh`s silence had cost him some 40.000 Dollars, all the money he could give her without raising too much attention by Tao and her family. Sometimes, when Linh had become a wanted criminal, he had thought that maybe he had financed the start of her career.

Though his marriage had been based on a lie, it had been a good marriage and quite often, he hadn`t even thought of that night. But now, this memory had come back like a punch and with it, one terrible realization:

Though he really loved his wife – Linh had been better in bed.

***

Samantha had reminded Isabelle that the cleaning lady would arrive during the next hour and so, though she still doubted if she could trust her, she had freed Tao from her bonds. Then, they had quickly looked through the pile of Michiko`s dresses to find something the Asian could wear. However, it turned out that Akiko`s clothes would fit her better. Finally, Tao decided for a blue T-Shirt with the »Superman«-logo on it and a pair of bloomers, matching those of Samantha. Isabelle, who still wore her own summer dress, let her eyes wander over the tight pants that barely covered anything of the legs.

»Are you sure?«

»I am intending to kick some asses!«, Tao replied. »And I don`t want anyone to peep under my skirt when I do!«

Isabelle shrugged. She could persuade Samantha that taking the Katana with them wasn`t a good idea and so, she chose the shorter Wakizashi and put it into her handbag. Isabelle saw that Michiko`s safe still was open and took the cash money from it. Then, she counted 100 € from it and put them onto the table in the living room.

»The cleaning lady definitely has earned some extra money for the mess we are leaving behind!«

The three girls left the apartment, without a real plan where to start their search, but determined to free their friends.

***