“A little lost, are we?”

“Mmmmpppggghh!” Kate Bremen screamed into the hand clamped over her mouth, squirming helplessly in the grip of Councilman Solkan. Sneaking into the office of the city’s most powerful and ruthless elected official was certainly a risk, especially given how many times she’d provoked his ire in the past, but the award-winning reporter had done far more in search of the truth. She certainly had her reasons. The continued disappearance of young women from across the city had everyone on edge, and after three weeks of solid investigation, every detail led her to believe that the Councilman was connected in some fashion; his previous encounters with six of the lost women, his newfound ownership over a local trucking company, meetings with real estate magnate Roland Clearwater—circumstantial evidence, admittedly, but enough to pique her interest and risk trespassing changes to sneak into his office.

Unfortunately for her, Solkan was there and waiting for her. “Should have expected you’d come snooping around, woman,” she growled, the feel of his dark eyes lingering over her body making her skin crawl. “In fact, I was count on it. You’ve stood in my way too many times, Miss Bremen, and now you will pay for it.”

“Mmppggghh?” the ashen-blonde woman demanded.

A file folder was placed on his desk, and Kate’s blue eyes widened in horror at the sight of the photos stuffed inside. It was the missing women, over a dozen in total, each of them left shackled, ball-gagged and naked in what looked like some sort of industrial warehouse, their eyes universally glazed over, suggesting they’d been drugged. “The economy being what it is, I thought I’d branch out into the slave trade to line my nest egg. After all, there are so many beautiful women in this city, no one will notice if a few are lost here and there.” His free hand began to undone her white silk blouse, and Kate moaned in fear, squirming beneath his touch. “Such as yourself…”

“MMMPPPGGGHHH! MMMPPPGGGHHHH!”

Then came a sharp, sudden prick against her neck, and immediately, the beautiful reporter felt her legs go weak, consciousness becoming lost to darkness within moments. “Just lie back and relax, my dear. You wanted to learn what had happened to those lost women, didn’t you? Now you’ll get to experience it firsthand…”