Lockhart Ch. 5

[btl-special]

Quick update:
So I haven’t posted anything on USB in a long time since I went back to work. I usually have a lot of difficulty writing regardless of free-time and I have even more difficulty motivating myself.

This was compounded by the fact that I’ve been struggling with a few different paths I might take this story. Chapters 5 and 6 have been on my computer and nearly finished since last summer but I wasn’t satisfied with their quality and how they’ll sort of ‘lock in’ the plot for later chapters.

Rather than sit idle with my indecisiveness I decided to finish what I had and put it out. I’m not sure when I’ll get around to the rest (whole story should be about 9-10 chapters) as those are much more poorly outlined at this point.

A little disclaimer:
There’s a brief mention of a teenaged character. Obviously, she’s over 18 per guidelines although it isn’t explicitly stated.

Plot synopsis: Lexi's enemies in Japan close in

Contains: uniform stealing, nonlethal take downs, bondage themes, and some sexually suggestive content


Lockhart
Chapter 5
Family Ties Part 2

One week earlier

Sacro Flights was a private airline service that catered to clients seeking absolute discretion. They only operated on privately owned airfields located around the world. Most of their trips were not logged or they were logged as transportation of goods for sale. There was usually no manifest or paper trail to provide information regarding their passengers. They often used carefully charted routes to avoid unwanted detection.

When the pilot boarded the ultra long-range business jet, he immediately noticed the flight attendant crew had once again been swapped on him at the last minute. Not that he was complaining, the three ladies that greeted him looked like they could easily moonlight as models. They were slender and looked to be in their early twenties at most. They wore Sacro’s pastel orange uniforms, a double breasted jacket and stylishly short skirt accompanied by a classic pillbox cap. Each flight attendant was required to wear a scarf but were free to choose patterns and colors of their choice.

The co-pilot showed up shortly after and then their four passengers an hour later; a ‘businessman’ named Galloway, his wife, and two daughters.

It was a twelve-hour flight leaving from California with no stops. Galloway’s wife popped an Ambien right before they took off and would be out for most of the flight. One of his daughters had managed to take a nap the natural way while the other had on headphones, her eyes riveted on whatever was on her tablet.

The youngest had just finished high school and the other would be entering her senior year of college soon. He wanted to take them to Japan on a little vacation. Truthfully, he needed to be out of the country while some DEA agents were snooping around the office. He'd never been to Japan and decided he'd stay there on a whim. Italy and Spain had begun to grow stale on him and he wanted something different this time.

He winced at the taste of the poorly mixed cocktail. He'd asked the stewardess to make it three times already so he just let it go. He hated sleeping on planes and he had been pleasantly surprised when he saw the eye candy awaiting him in the form of some very attractive flight attendants.

"Fucking asshole," Gianna loudly fixed herself her own drink in the closed off back section of the plane. She made a mocking, whiny voice. "This doesn't taste right...then make it yourself, dick."

"Calm down." Isabel was on her phone. She sat in a padded chair next to one of the original flight attendants, an unconscious woman in her forties wearing only her underwear. Isabel had her heels off and rested her stocking-covered legs in the lap of another unconscious flight attendant in the seat across from her.

"Is this flight really twelve hours?"

"Yes, now shut up and sit, Gianna," Katrina said. She was sitting next to a third flight attendant, a blonde woman in her thirties. One more down was the woman Isabel was resting her feet on, a pretty girl in her twenties. All were gagged with their wrists and ankles tied.

The back section of the plane had a door leading to the area where the flight attendants prepared food and had comfort items stored. Another door led to a section even further back with flight seats and cargo compartments. This was where the real flight attendants were being kept out of sight.

Gianna grumbled to herself and took a seat on a compact recliner. "If we're staying under the radar why couldn't we just pay one of these planes to fly us as passengers?"

"I told you already," Katrina said. "Miyamoto and his ilk can easily have the flight attendants or pilots bribed. If we were identified they could put us to sleep on the plane or tip off Miyamoto’s people when we land.”

Gianna rolled her eyes. "Can't we, like, use a Blue Ocean helicopter or something?"

"Across the Pacific? Are you fucking dense?"

Isabel snorted and Gianna glared at her. The woman next to Isabel began to stir and mumble dreamily in her gag.

Isabel checked her watch. "I need another syringe."

"We don't have enough for all three of them for the whole flight. Save them," Katrina said. "We'll do it in two more hours. We’ll just have to deal with their whining a little.”

Isabel groaned out loud. She’d have to sit next to these panicked attendants the whole flight.

"Excuse me. Do I need to remind you who didn't bring enough sedatives when I specifically said to grab extra kits?"

This again. Isabel hissed back at her, "I did bring extras."

"Twenty sedation dosages, effective for an hour each, for three women on a twelve-hour flight; do you not see how that might not be enough?"

Honestly, Katrina had suggested just offing the flight attendants but Crowe had instructed ‘no fatalities’ while on their trip to keep a lower profile.

The service request light flashed with a chime. Gianna shook her head. "This fucker again."

"Go see what he wants," Katrina said.

"I'm not going."

"I'm not going either," Isabel said.

Katrina stared at Isabel like she was trying to melt her with her eyes.

"What? I'm watching this bitch. She's about to wake up."

"Fine. I'll check on him. The next time your dad tells you to come along with me on one of these trips, both of you do me a favor and tell him you're busy." Katrina left the room, shutting the partition behind her.

"I hate her so much," Gianna said.

"Such a bitch," Isabel agreed.

Galloway was a bit dismayed when he saw the flight attendant approach from the back of the plane. It was not one of the other two, the girls that looked like one another and had infectious smiles. It was the colder of the three, a taller girl with the stony demeanor of a Parisian runway model. She merely gave a half-hearted grin when she greeted him, "Is there anything you need, sir?"

"Can I get another pillow?"

"Of course, sir."

Galloway brushed Katrina's thigh and gently pinched her skirt as she was walking away. "Hey, what's wrong? You've looked kind of down all day. You want to talk about it?"

Katrina looked at the snoozing Mrs. Galloway and politely smiled. "I don't think that would be such a good idea."

"She's going to be out until we land. Don't worry about her.” He nodded towards the back area of the plane. “Do you guys have a bed or something back there?”

“That area is for flight staff only, sir.” Katrina forced a smile. “I’m going to get that pillow for you."

Galloway sighed with disappointment.

***

Katrina threw a side kick so fast it looked like she had teleported. It hit Galloway across the jaw with a loud crack and his body dropped like a sack of rocks on the restroom floor.

“Damn, that felt good,” Katrina said.

"Holy SHIT," Gianna beamed with her mouth agape.

"Is he dead?" Isabel asked, giggling.

"No, but he's going to feel that when he wakes up. Asshole." Katrina bent down and began zip-tying the man's hands and feet.

The Galloway father had gone to check what was taking the Galloway women so long in the little rest stop and lounge located off the runway of the private airstrip. He entered the unisex bathroom to find his family unconscious on the floor and the flight attendants standing half-dressed beside them. Katrina had put him out before he even said a word.

They’d stolen the rolling carry-ons from the flight attendants and loaded them with their own luggage. Katrina distributed zip ties and duct tape to the others.

Isabel worked on the younger daughter, a girl with a skinny build and modest breasts. Isabel easily slipped a casual, yellow sun dress with a floral print off the teen’s body by pulling it up over her torso and raised arms. She wore black ballet flats and Isabel removed those last, leaving the teen in a plain bra and striped panties.

Gianna had the older sister, A taller girl with a sort of ‘punk rock’ vibe to her. Her hair was dyed black and she was taller than her sister with fuller breasts and more feminine hips and legs. Gianna sat her up to take her leather jacket and cropped t-shirt. She stole the girl’s sneakers and socks next before finally taking her skinny, frayed jeans off.

“Should we do a panty swap?” Gianna asked when she saw the older sister’s black briefs.

“Hell yeah.” Isabel agreed.

Gianna tossed Isabel the older sister’s underwear. Isabel stripped the teen of her striped panties and handed them to Gianna. They stuffed the swapped garments into the sisters’ mouths, insuring the girls would wake up to a little surprise. They taped the girls’ mouths shut when they were done.

Katrina just stared at the Crowe sisters who were clearly happy with their immature prank and chuckling to themselves. She rolled her eyes. “You two are idiots.”

From the mother, Katrina removed a tan business jacket and black sheath dress. The mother was a golden-haired beauty with sun-tanned skin, evident by the pale outline of where she had worn a bikini top. The tan lines were painted on very full, round breasts. She only wore a white thong after Katrina relieved her of her Jimmy Choo heels.

The family was bound with simple restraints on their wrists and heels. They didn’t bother sedating them. No one would find them for a while and they’d be long gone by then. All four were placed in the larger handicap bathroom stall.

Katrina checked her watch. “When that plane finishes refueling, the pilot is probably going to notice the flight attendants when he gets back. We need to be out of the area in an hour.”

They took Galloway’s rental keys and made their getaway smoothly. Their next stop: Tokyo.

***

Present Day

The Las Vegas strip was vibrant as it could be late on a Saturday night. The streets were alive with a sea of pedestrians. The strip, a kaleidoscope of color and bright animated signs, was home to the seemingly boring Julius Hotel. The Julius was an upscale establishment. At just ten years old, it was a baby in comparison to its historically famous neighbors. It quietly thrived over the years but the Julius had a secret. The top five of its thirty floors were VIP-only. Judith Tress ran her business here.

It was a high-end gentlemen’s club with a very pricey entry fee. On any given night there no less than fifty young women on staff. They worked as escorts, waitresses, strippers, bartenders, or simply prostitutes. On the 26th floor and up, those roles were often interchangeable or blurred.

Every girl working the floor wore a collar with their name on it that came in one of three colors. Black was for girls who were part of the food, drink, and entertainment staff. Only ‘light’ touching was allowed and customers were not allowed to bring these employees into any of the private rooms. Red was for dancers, entertainers, and ‘massage’ specialists, touching was allowed but not intercourse, this was loosely enforced. Women with pink collars, no matter what department they were working in, had no restrictions and could be easily commissioned by any customer for any service at any time as long as they weren’t already with another customer.

Tessa slapped away the hand of a drunk man who had groped her crotch by jamming his hand under her mini skirt as she served drinks to his friends. “Hey! Don’t do that, asshole!”

“I’m a paying customer. What’s your problem, bitch?”

Tessa pointed at her black collar, “I don’t get paid for that shit. What’s wrong with you?”

Tessa was suddenly grabbed by the wrist by a statuesque raven-haired woman wearing a suit and sunglasses. She lead Tessa away but first apologized to the table. “I’m so sorry, gentlemen. We’ll find you another server at once.”

“Find us one that’s not a cunt!” One of the drunken gang shouted.

“Tessa, I am not going to talk to you again about this. This is your second warning. Your third will be your last.” Portia Rainier squeezed Tessa’s wrist tight for emphasis.

The nineteen-year-old’s voice cracked as she tried to explain, “I told Judith I wanted a black collar so I wouldn’t have to put up with this kind of thing. No one talks to the customers when they break the rules.”

“If you have a problem with a customer you come get me or one of the supervisors. Customer service is first here before anything else. Judith knows this policy and she believes in it. If you have a problem with that we can go see her right now.”

“Portia — ”

“For a girl with a drug problem and an arrest warrant on her head, I’d say we pay you well. Very well. If you ever assault one of our customers again, I will personally turn your coke-sniffing ass into the police myself and they’ll charge you for manslaughter, driving while under the influence, and evading arrest. I’d like to see how well you deal with that on your own.”

“Go easy on her, Portia, she’s still new,” one of the other girls working the bar said.

Portia turned to face the other woman. “Stop defending her, Shonna. You’ve been on thin ice for a long time. Keep testing me and see what happens.”

Shonna yielded with her hands raised. Tessa wiped her eyes with her free hand and tried to compose herself.

Portia let go of the teenager’s wrist in disgust. “Go wash your face, grow the fuck up, and switch tables with Lyla.”

“I’m sorry, Portia,” Tessa said.

“Go.”

At 28, Portia was not only one of Judith longest-serving bodyguards but she also doubled as one a manager for Judith’s gentlemen’s club. Her no-nonsense demeanor was perfect for keeping the employees in line. Portia was reliable, hard-working, and she understood the business Judith ran.

Portia worked for Coldwell, a high-end security firm catering to VIPs. Judith requested their services and they provided Portia as a consultant to train Judith’s existing bodyguard staff of thugs and ex-cons. Portia was 20 then. She did such a good job that she became Judith’s head of security in a month. Coldwell loaned her to Judith under a long-term contract and Portia collected bonuses from Judith under the table for her ‘managerial’ work.

When she was done with her rounds, Portia stopped by Judith’s luxurious office on the top floor. Judith was at her desk finishing up an email. Portia fixed herself a drink at the minibar in the corner. “That new girl is giving customers attitude again.”

“I told you to get rid of her.”

“She’s got one more chance.”

“You’re getting soft, Portia. Can you fix me one of those?”

On a first glance, Portia looked like the complete opposite of a ‘blue-collar’ woman in the security business. She looked like she belonged at a country club, nursing a glass of chardonnay with a cardigan tied around her shoulders after a round of tennis. Technically, that wasn’t far from the truth.

She hailed from a renowned sorority of all-female bodyguards who were hand-picked out of high school by Coldwell. They scouted prestigious private schools around the world for candidates that matched the look, athleticism, and discipline they craved. And while ‘professional bodyguard’ wasn’t the first thing that came to the minds of most high school girls, Coldwell offered highly attractive pay after completing training and for good reason.

“Crowe is going to get us all killed or arrested,” Judith grumbled as Portia handed her a drink.

“If it wasn’t for the Killer Queen, he’d have no real power. She trains all of his operatives. We could’ve cut ties with him a long time ago.” Portia was almost never without her sunglasses. Few people had actually ever seen her without them. She took them off as she sat herself in a leather armchair.

Judith sneered, “Did you hear how that smug bitch talked to me? How much business have I brought in for Crowe and Blue Ocean at this point? How many new clients? He just lets Katrina do whatever she wants.”

“It makes you wonder who really has the power over there.”

“And his daughters? They’re all over social media whoring it up for horny teenagers and posting videos of their makeup tutorials. Aliases or not, it’s stupid and reckless.”

“Don’t get me started on that,” Portia said. “When you have that much money you start getting cocky. They get it from their dad.”

“He’s keeping the authorities off our trail. I swear if it wasn’t for that…”

Portia rattled the ice around in her empty glass. “Some news came in from Japan. Apparently, one of Crowe’s data centers were broken into.”

“Where did you hear this?”

“I have some contacts that work in security over there. A bunch of their people got snatched as well.”

“Why didn’t Crowe tell me about this?”

“That’s a good question.”

“The CIA was poking around in India Adams’ business before she got hit. We don’t know what leaked in that data breach. They’re the last people we want on our tail.”

***

April groaned. Everything was blurry. She could move her arms slightly and just barely lift her legs. Her eyes felt heavy and she simply let herself fall back to sleep. An hour later, she woke again with the same symptoms but much less severe.

Everything was bathed in the red light of a neon lamp in the corner. It was some kind of bedroom. Her vision was better but still foggy. The room stunk of urine and sweat. It was muggy. April shifted her arms and legs, making more and more progress as the minutes passed until finally she was able to sit up. She felt light-headed. Where were her clothes?

The last thing she could remember was pulling up the restaurant to meet Yoshi. There was a bottle of water next to her on the bed; an uncomfortable, stained mattress with no sheets. She opened the bottle and chugged the whole thing in one go. Some clothes had been laid out at the foot of the bed along with an old flip phone and a note reading ‘call me.’ She opened the phone and found it had only ‘call’ and ‘end’ buttons. Hitting the call button connected her automatically.

“Hello, Ms. Grant. I’m glad you’re awake.” A woman’s voice, probably American.

“Where am I? What did you do to me?”

“You’ll notice a little surgical scar about the size of a kidney on your back.”

“What?” April yelled and felt her skin.

“Just kidding. You’ve been drugged, that’s all. My associates and I took your things. Think of this as a warning. You were on a sleep agent overnight so you should have some short-term memory loss and be a little groggy. You’ll feel as good as new in less than an hour.”

“What do you want?”

“Put those clothes on.”

April took a look at the clothing that had been left on the bed. “I’m not putting this on.”

“Step outside naked if you want.”

April began to move for the door to call out for help but the woman continued. “Before you try anything I should let you know where you are.”

April froze. The idea of a booby-trapped door suddenly came to mind. “Where am I?”

“You’re in a brothel owned by the Yakuza just outside of Tokyo. You can try to sprint out of there naked and ask for help, which might work, but I won’t tell you where your things are, or you can play along and you’ll get your clothes, car keys, and phone back.”

“Who are you?”

“You’ve been looking into the disappearance of some CIA personnel and their informants. You’re looking at the wrong people.”

“Sorry if I sound untrustworthy but I don’t think I’m about to take any hot tips from you.”

“That’s ok. I have a package you can take a look at stashed with your stuff that will be more convincing. You have fifteen minutes to get to the intersection two blocks down from where you are or the person holding the package will leave. If you leave from the front entrance it’s a right turn and then straight. There should be a convenience store on the corner next to a tailor shop. We’re watching you so don’t deviate from my instructions.”

“You’ve got to be fucking joking. They make clothes for babies that would fit me better.”

“That’s actually the largest adult size they had. Hurry up and head for that intersection, Ms. Grant. Call me when you get there.”

The call disconnected.

April eyed the uniform laid out for her on the bed. It was a Japanese school girl outfit only the size and style was extremely fetishized and obviously intended for mature entertainment. There was also some underwear printed with tiny hearts.

There wasn’t a much better plan other than to stick her head out the door and frantically call for help until she could flag someone down with a phone and suitable clothing. Even then, she still needed her stuff back.

She slipped on the underwear first. They had a very low rise, and although it wasn’t exactly a thong, it poorly covered April’s ass. She pulled on the fabric to get it closer to her thighs but that just exposed the top of her crack more. The blue pleated skirt mitigated that somewhat, but that too was hemmed so short that she had to wear it past her hips to cover her crotch. At that level, it just barely covered the waistband of the already very low panties. The slightest shift in posture exposed April on one side or the other. The white blouse at a glance was standard with short sleeves and a neckerchief sewn in. However, it was hemmed scantily so that the bottom curves of her breasts peeked out. Finally, she rolled on some knee-high silk socks and red high heels, the most modest items of the whole outfit.

There was a small mirror on the wall and she looked downright obscene in the reflection. Only now did she notice her hair had been styled into pigtails. April muttered, “Shit.”

Cautiously, April poked her head out of the room. It was a long corridor of doors with a set of stairs at the end. The air was thick with muffled moaning and groaning. Sexily dressed women were hanging about and men April could only assume were clients were coming and going from the other rooms.

She sighed and wobbled her way down the hall in the uncomfortably high heels, trying to blend in. It was a wasted effort. She managed to get the attention of every man she passed and some of the women too. She was taller than the average Japanese woman and the heels made it more obvious. Even by prostitute standards, she looked extreme. She could hear some titters behind her as she left down a narrow staircase.

A younger, overweight man was at a small desk by the door. He saw April and gave her a big, lecherous smile. He greeted her in Japanese.

“Hey, baby, where are you rushing off to?”

“I’ll be back soon. You stay right there.” April was fluent and her tone had no friendly implication.

Outside, April rushed down the sidewalk as fast as her outfit would allow her. It was just past noon and the streets were packed. She was constantly tugging at her blouse and skirt hem. They shifted out of place rather easily and she felt like an idiot in them. She didn’t know what was worse, the lewd stares back in the club or the looks of shock and disgust she faced on the street from pedestrians. People cleared the sidewalk or moved in the opposite direction as soon as they saw her.

She reached the intersection and hit the call button on her phone. “I’m here, now what?”

“Thanks, Ms. Grant. I’m so happy you followed through. Do you see an old woman working at a food cart? She’ll know what to do.”

The old woman at the food cart stared at April like a ghost was coming towards her. April didn’t need to say a word. The woman quickly reached down and presented April with a gym bag. April opened the bag, went straight for her wool coat, threw it on, and buttoned it up completely.

“If I ever find you, I’m going to make sure they lock you up somewhere that doesn’t show up on a map,” April growled into the phone.

The mystery woman giggled. “I can find you whenever I want, April. Take a look at the flash drive I left in the bag. If you are serious about who’s been killing the CIA’s informants, I think that’s going to point you in the right direction. Don’t be mad. I just wanted to make sure I made a memorable impression.”

“Fuck you.”

Lexi hung up the phone. She sat with Nigel in the nondescript Honda a block down from the food cart. They could see April in the distance making another phone call now that she had her own phone back.

“That was a little cruel don’t you think?” Nigel asked.

“Was that too much?”

Nigel frowned. “I stopped trying to figure out what passes as normal behavior with you a while ago.”

“She’s a pro. She’ll be fine.”

“She sounded angry.”

“I just wanted to send her a message: We’re in control and we can reach her whenever we want.”

“I hope it worked. We don’t need anymore enemies.”

“It’s not like I threatened her, or her family, or anything like that. I just embarrassed her a little.”

“A lot of the evidence on that drive is irrefutable. She may not stop investigating Miyamoto but she’ll certainly start looking into Crowe and Blue Ocean. Delivering that to her might have been enough without the theatrics.”

“I needed to scare her to make ourselves look bigger than we are. It might help if we need to use her later. Plus, we don’t plan on staying in Japan much longer.”

“Playing chess now?”

“I learned that from you.” Lexi looked at the time on her phone. “I want to see what we pulled out of the datacenter.”

“Is there any chance we can bring along your new friend, Sakura? She might be able to elaborate on some details.”

“I won’t be able to reach her until tomorrow morning. They’ve got something going on tonight so her and the team are radio silent until then.”

***

After finishing up with Lexi and getting some rest, Sakura met with her team at the temple the following afternoon. They were in casual clothing and reading through a recon brief Yumi provided them. The Miyamoto captain had assembled a slightly different team for this meeting. She kept veteran members like Ingrid, Janette, and Sakura but rotated others out into other assignments. This kept them from getting complacent and allowed them to build chemistry with other members they might not work with as much.

“The Crowe sisters have been going to several different bars and hotspots every night, but if their social media is correct, it looks like they always end the night at the same club, the Shooting Star,” Ingrid said. “It’s in Katori Clan territory.”

The Katori Clan was one of Miyamoto’s oldest allies. They were far from the height of their power in the 80s and 90s but still kicking and happy to assist Miyamoto whenever he needed it.

“Janette is going inside with Ingrid,” Yumi said. She pointed at Janette. “You’ll both be blending in with evening wear. The club is very popular with foreigners so that won’t be a problem.”

Janette smiled at Ingrid. “We haven’t been out to the club in ages. Finally, some fun.”

“Seniority has its perks,” Ingrid agreed.

“The sisters travel with an armed security detail in between clubs so we want to avoid that at all costs. This is the best place to grab them since the employees are on Katori’s payroll.” Yumi said. She shifted her attention. “Sakura and two others will be behind the club to make sure no one leaves from the back. The building there is under construction so you won’t need to worry about civilians wandering around. I’ll watch the front of the club from the rooftop across the street.”

“Are the sisters here alone?” Sakura wondered.

“They usually work alone. We can assume they’re not just here for pleasure. They might be on a job.”

Yumi turned back to Janette and Ingrid. “Make sure they’re isolated and then make your move. If possible, lure them towards the back of the club and Sakura can assist with exfiltration. We don’t have authorization to have a full out fight on their territory so if anything goes wrong we abort.”

***

The Shooting Star was located in a very busy part of the city. It was previously a gym and the large club was surrounded by office buildings and restaurants. Street parking was completely filled and most people came from the nearby rail station. An active night crowd milled about the sidewalks.

It was after 11 PM when Janette and Ingrid were dropped off by a VIP taxi service. Above, Yumi was in her catsuit, creeping across rooftops in the moonlight like a predator. Her sword was on her back and she used a pair of binoculars to observe the street.

Janette wore a red Saint Laurent cocktail dress with a deep, v-shaped neckline that stopped just short of her belly button and showed off her impressive natural breasts. It was complemented by a three-tiered gold necklace and white, open-toed Louboutin heels. Ingrid wore a Versace form-fitting mini-tube dress in black with matching strappy heels by Tom Ford. She topped that with a statement necklace textured in large diamonds and matching earrings. Their wardrobe was undoubtedly extravagant and pricey but the girls didn’t go out often so they reveled in the occasion and the attire was on par with the usual patrons of the Shooting Star were dressed in.

Janette’s hair was pulled into a tight ponytail where her curly hair bushed out into a brilliant fan. Ingrid had her hair down, hiding her earpiece. She’d take care of communications for the both of them.

Right away, things had not gone as planned. Recent renovations in the club created signal problems for Ingrid’s earpiece. If the noise inside wasn’t bad enough, she now had to step outside in fifteen minute intervals to check in. The Crowe sisters were also not on their usual schedule and were starting to look like no-shows.

“You have anything, Sakura?” Yumi asked.

Sakura was with her small team, spread out in the construction site of a partially completed office complex behind the club as planned. “Nothing back here.”

“Maybe we missed our shot,” Ingrid said.

“We’ll hang around for another hour. Stay focused,” Yumi said.

Inside, the club was washed in flashing neon lights. A typical throng of dancers packed the center. The perimeter was elevated several feet and featured tables, booths, and the bar area. Visibility wasn’t ideal but Janette had a feeling Isabel and Gianna would not be difficult to spot.

Ingrid rejoined Janette at the bar following her fourth check-in outside.

“Anything?” Janette asked.

Ingrid sipped her drink and replied dryly, “Nope. We show up fashionably late and they still are nowhere to be seen.”

“Well, on the upside, I’ve been fighting off swarms of eager gentlemen alone while you were outside.”

“Oh, really? Maybe we can attract a couple of the better looking ones. We might not leave here empty handed.”

“Sure and you can run that by Yumi and see what she says.”

The conversation came to a stop when a waitress tapped Janette on the shoulder. She pointed to an employees’ door near the bar. “Your guests have entered from the VIP area. It’s through the door and down the hall.”

Janette nodded and the waitress walked off. She looked at Ingrid. How did the sisters enter the club without their knowledge?

“Careful,” Ingrid warned Janette.

Both women headed over together. Ingrid kept her clutch close to her. A sub compact .32 pistol was hidden inside. Janette had one as well. Slowly, Janette opened the door with Ingrid a few paces behind. They peeked down a dim hall with a set of double doors at the end and could hear separate music thumping. They pushed the doors open carefully and stepped inside.

The VIP lounge had a small DJ area in the corner, a bar along one wall, a large television across from it, and several tables set up with booth-style seating. Rainbow-colored disco lights strobed and loud dance music was pulsing but there wasn’t a single person in the room. It was empty.

Ingrid and Janette’s minds clicked at once. They looked at each other with the same realization before both were grabbed from behind. The chokeholds were tight. There was no chance of slipping or countering them. Their assailants made sure to knock the clutches out of Ingrid and Janette’s hands, separating them from their concealed weapons.

They could only scrape at the arms of their attackers or throw blind elbows. They had mere seconds to save themselves. Both women kicked their legs wildly and bucked their hips, trying anything to throw their attackers off balance and possibly earn a chance at escape.

It was useless. Ingrid gave one last look at Janette, her eyes already rolled back and her body twitching with the last signs of consciousness. One breast had crudely slipped out of her dress during the struggle. Ingrid made a final moan went to sleep a moment after.

Isabel pulled her balaclava off and exhaled deeply. She shook her long hair out and looked over at her sister who was doing the same.

“I can’t stand those masks,” Gianna said.

“That was easier than I thought it would be.”

“For real.”

“I thought all these ninjas were Japanese.”

“Katrina said they recruited internationally.”

Isabel and Gianna had arrived at the club much earlier than they had the previous nights and this time in disguise. A tip from one of Miyamoto’s rival clans had luckily been correct. It seemed that Miyamoto’s people had been planning an ambush at the Shooting Star. The security there was weak and infiltrating it in advance and paying off the wait staff had been too easy. Their father had provided dossiers on the known members of Miyamoto Clan. Janette and Ingrid had been spotted quickly.

Examining their prisoners more closely, the sisters were delighted to find that the two undercover club-goers had excellent evening wear and accessories to offer. They had obviously been primped for a night out on the town with their nails and hair done.

Isabel turned Janette’s head left and right. “She’s hot. I love this dress. Her makeup is trash though.”

“Mine’s is OK,” Gianna reported a little disappointed.

“She’s cute,” Isabel offered.

“You’re just trying to be nice because you know you got the better one.” Gianna slid the mini dress down Ingrid’s braless body. She had adequate C-cups that were clearly natural. Gianna admitted, “At least her tits are pretty.”

“Really? Bring her here.”

Isabel easily tugged the deep v-neck of Janette’s dress open to put her breasts on full display against Ingrid’s.

Gianna dragged Ingrid over by the arms and positioned her next to Janette. Janette was clearly at least a size bigger, also natural, with prominent dark nipples. Gianna backpedaled on her previous statement, “Ugh, her boobs aren’t even bigger.”

“Huh? You just said they were nice,” Isabel said mockingly, unable to hide the satisfaction of winning their little game.

They proceeded to remove the pricey evening dresses and jewelry, leaving the girls in their panties and heels. Janette had on a skimpy red thong and Ingrid wore low-cut lace black panties. The Crowe sisters had no need for the sexy undergarments as nice as they were.

“Panty swap?” Isabel offered.

“Do you need to even ask at this point?”

Isabel relieved Janette of the thong and handed it to Gianna. The black number Ingrid was wearing was promptly removed and traded. Both women had neatly trimmed crotches while Janette interestingly had her genitalia pierced.

“We’ve been on a roll since we got to Japan. It should be, like, our trademark or something,” Isabel said while she sealed the black underwear into Janette’s mouth with tape.

“I love that!” Gianna replied, stuffing Janette’s thong into Ingrid’s mouth.

They finished by rolling the girls facedown and zip-tying their wrists and ankles and then rolling them on their sides and securing the prisoners back to back. The sisters then stripped down and changed into their new evening wear. A large section of the nearby wall was mirrored, allowing them to fix their hair and admire their reflections.

The smaller, tighter fit of the Versace mini-tube was not made for Gianna’s enhanced chest and curvier ass. She was seductively spilling out of the thing. Isabel filled out Janette’s Saint Laurent more suitably. She adjusted her makeup and posed with her sister a moment.

“Where are those clutches?” Isabel asked.

Gianna retrieved them and they went through the Miyamoto Girls’ things. Beside the usual personal items, both were carry small pistols. They discarded these in the waste bin and turned their attention to their prisoners who were beginning to stir.

“Heeeey!” Isabel teased. She patronizingly petted Janette’s head. Janette made angry, muffled noises and struggled uselessly with Ingrid.

“The night’s over early for you, ladies. Sorry!” Gianna said. She bent down and began relieving Ingrid of her Tom Ford heels. Isabel did the same with Janette’s white ones.

Isabel did a final check and the mirror with her sister and waved at the bound prisoners. “We’ve got to run but we’ll be right back.”

***

“Sakura, I haven’t heard from Ingrid in over five minutes.” Yumi said.

“I’ve got nothing back here.”

Yumi was scanning the street below, focusing on the entrance of the club. She saw two women come out. “Hold on.”

What Yumi saw in her binoculars made her face flush with anger. She gritted her teeth, unable to look away as if she hoped this was an illusion. The Crowe sisters were waving up at her from the street. They were dressed in the clothing Janette and Ingrid had been wearing. They couldn’t see Yumi in the darkness but they obviously knew where she was as they waved mockingly from the street.

Before she could give the abort mission order, Yumi felt something hard press on the back of her head. A woman’s voice said, “Stand up. Get rid of your radio.”

Yumi removed her earpiece, stood up, and turned around. The woman wore a Katori Clan outfit with the mask and hood on. “Your Miyamoto’s captain, Yumi, right? I always wanted to see what all the fuss was about. Draw your katana.”

Yumi stood stoically without a word. The other woman peeled her hood off. Yumi recognized her instantly: Katrina Reinhardt.

Katrina aimed her gun intently and said again, “Draw your sword, Yumi.”

Yumi obliged and Katrina holstered her pistol and took out her own blade to match the Miyamoto girl. Katrina didn’t waste her time with formalities. She came in striking with a speed Yumi had not seen before. Shuffling backwards, Yumi had to dodge the incoming slashes that had taken her by surprise. She nearly ran off the roof edge before she rolled away to the side. An overhead strike came swinging down at her head. Yumi raised her sword just in time to block it. Their blades rang out against one another and Katrina advanced again with a series of shorter, faster strikes. Yumi worked in overdrive, curving her sword around her body to block as fast as she could.

There was no break in Katrina’s attacks. Yumi was overwhelmed, trying to track every movement of the blonde’s weapon and her arms began to wear down. Katrina gave one powerful horizontal swing and Yumi’s sword went flying. In the same move, Katrina spun and delivered an arcing kick that caught Yumi across the jaw. The Miyamoto captain was thrown to the ground.

Katrina laughed softly to herself and put her sword away. She circled the dazed woman, hoping Yumi had some power left. Yumi was crawling for her sword. Her arms were wobbly and it was clear she was on the verge of going under from the knockout kick. Katrina took out a blue syringe. With a casual sigh, she grabbed Yumi by the hair and pulled the woman up into a kneeling position. She watched gleefully as Yumi weakly tried to escape.

She tilted Yumi’s head back and spat in her face. “Disappointing.”

Katrina pricked Yumi’s neck and carelessly let the limp body drop. Yumi was on the most-wanted list of many of Blue Ocean’s operatives and allies. She had a big list of conquests under her belt including most recently Heidi Konig. Now, she was Katrina’s latest trophy.

The Miyamoto captain’s catsuit was a coveted item amongst the clans, regardless of the owner. Katrina couldn’t wait to strip it off of Yumi’s body and try it on. It would make an excellent addition to her collection. She straddled Yumi’s body. The Japanese girl was a little taller than average with broad shoulders. Katrina unzipped Yumi’s suit and peeled it down to the waist. Yumi’s modest but perky breasts were revealed as well as a Miyamoto clan logo on her hip in red ink. Shimmying the suit down further, Katrina found no underwear, a cropped patch of pubic hair, and toned legs to match Yumi’s strong arms. She was certainly a gym addict while maintaining a feminine build.

Katrina hastily removed the Katori outfit. It was plain, cheap-feeling on the skin, and a poor fit. She slipped Yumi’s on and pulled it up to the waist. Immediately, she could tell it was made of a nicer material. After getting the rest on and zipping it up, she ran her hands over her breasts and hips. She smiled. The suit had a life of its own, adapting to her frame perfectly despite having a different build than Yumi. She retrieved the Miyamoto captain’s sword. It also was high-quality and would be added to the rack of katanas Katrina had at home.

She cocked her head when she heard a noise on the ground. Yumi’s discarded earpiece was going off with another voice. Katrina grinned.

***

“Yumi, Ingrid, is anyone there?” Sakura asked.

“Maybe it’s interference from the club,” Chiya, one of the newer Miyamoto members, said.

“No, Yumi was transmitting fine. There shouldn’t be any interference outside of the club.” Sakura got back on the radio. “Everyone, abort. Pull out and head for the rendezvous.”

“What about Yumi and the others?” Chiya asked.

“I’ll check it out. You go to the rendezvous with the rest of the team. If I’m not there in ten minutes, leave without me.”

Sakura put on a black trench coat she had brought to conceal her catsuit and headed into the back entrance of the club. The guard there let her through after she flashed her VIP bracelet. A quick stroll through the packed club and past the bar revealed Janette and Ingrid to be nowhere in sight. She exited out the front of the club and looked around.

“Yumi, are you there?” Sakura tried again. Nothing.

Sensing a growing feeling of unease, Sakura fell back to the alley on the side of the club to catch up with the others at the construction site.

“I’m heading back.” Sakura said. More silence. “Chiya, are you at the rendezvous?”

Sakura began jogging. There was something ahead. As she approached, she slowed down, afraid of what she might see even though part of her already knew. Partially lit from the distant glow of street lights, two nude women had been laid out in the center of the construction yard. She did not need to inspect them closer to know they were her friends.

A masked Katori Clan woman in full uniform stepped out from the shadows to block her from coming closer. Sakura turned and saw Katrina Reinhardt blocking the other direction. She was wearing Yumi’s catsuit. Katrina just smirked and gave a polite wave.

The other masked woman wagged her finger and said, “Nowhere to run for you.”

That voice is familiar, Sakura thought. There was no time to dwell on it. The woman stepped forward and spun, her heel flew by as Sakura just managed to dodge a spinning kick. She returned one of her own and caught the attacker in the ribs.

Katrina watched silently. The sound of the punches and kicks hitting flesh echoed in the construction yard, punctuated by the occasional grunt of pain.

It didn’t take long for Sakura to guess who her opponent was. The fighting style was etched into her brain from countless sparring sessions. Sakura ran forward for a desperate final volley of strikes. They were dodged and blocked with ease. The woman struck the back of one of Sakura’s legs and Sakura fell to her knees. Her opponent was now behind her and Sakura immediately felt the pressure of a chokehold.

Exhausted, Sakura’s hands pulled weakly against her attacker’s arms. There was no urgency to the choke. The woman slowly drained Sakura’s consciousness and let the futile escape attempt continue as long as possible. As Sakura became light-headed and her vision blurred, Katrina came into view.

“So this is Sakura?” Katrina asked.

“Uh-huh,” Sakura’s opponent replied while applying the final bit of pressure needed to put Sakura out.

Sakura gagged for a moment, spasmed, and her eyes rolled back. She was gently laid down and the Katori woman removed her mask to reveal Rei’s face. She sighed in satisfaction and fixed her hair. “Just like old times.”

A van pulled up with a couple of Blue Ocean members. Katrina pointed at the nude Miyamoto women on the ground. “Load them up. We don’t want to hang out here any longer.”

The nude bodies of Janette, Ingrid, and Yumi had already been loaded in the back of the van. Yumi was out while the other two bucked their hips uselessly and protested in their gags. Katrina handed the van crew some blue syringes so they could put them to sleep properly.

Katrina went for Sakura next.

Rei blocked her. “Crowe said she’s mine.”

“I don’t care what Crowe told you. We’re taking everyone. You don’t get to play favorites.”

Rei’s katana was out and pressed on Katrina’s neck before she barely finished the last word.

“I’ll cut those pretty blue eyes out and turn them into earrings,” Rei said calmly. “Sakura leaves with me.”

Katrina sighed. The shorter girl might have looked cute and petite but Katrina knew not to test her. “Fine. Have it your way. If Crowe has an issue with it, that will be your problem.”

“I’m doing this as a professional courtesy to Crowe. I don’t work for him.”

“You love reminding us.”

“Get out of here.”

The van rolled out of the construction yard and Rei was left alone with her prize. She unzipped Sakura’s catsuit and with an ungloved hand and slipped it inside to grab a handful of Sakura’s breast. It was by no means ‘large’ but it was very full and soft compared to Rei’s and she was filled with nostalgic feelings. Those quickly turned to jealously and she dug her nails into Sakura’s breast and torqued the flesh. Sakura gasped slightly in her unconscious state.

“We’re going to have fun, Sakura,” Rei assured. She took a syringe out and put Sakura into a deeper sleep.

Rei walked over and pulled the tarp off her hidden vehicle, a yellow Nissan 370Z. It was a 2-door sports car with a sleek, compact profile. She packed Sakura tightly into the small trunk before getting in the driver’s seat and peeled off into the night.


***

While the room Lexi was using at the temple had quickly become covered in her belongings, Nigel’s room at the motel looked like it had never been used. The coffee table had his two laptops and several stacks of papers but everything else had been kept extremely neat as if he were about to leave at a moment’s notice.

Everything pulled from the raid had been compacted in small summaries and reports. Like the data Nigel had salvaged from Lexi’s father’s years ago, he had to only focus on what immediately pertained to Lexi’s family, Crowe, and anyone else involved.

Lexi’s father had dozens of other employees and loyalist that were hunted down by Crowe and his people. Unfortunately, they did not have the time or resources to seek justice for all of them. The line needed to be drawn somewhere. Plus, an endeavor like that would require more than Lexi and Nigel could handle. So whenever Nigel came across excess information in his research, he stored all of it off to the side.

“We have Judith Tress and Portia Rainier in Las Vegas. That should be our next stop,” Nigel said.

“What did they have to do with my father?”

“Very little, actually, but Judith became Crowe’s business manager after Crowe went independent just like Crowe was your father’s business manager. She can be a treasure trove of information. Portia, on the other hand, was part of your mother’s security detail when she was younger. We should talk to her.”

“Cool-cool.”

“The key here is Katrina and Rei,” Nigel slid a stack of papers to Lexi. “According to these texts and emails, Rei was close to your father as early as when Lucy was killed and up until your father’s death years later. Both of them seemed to coordinate a meeting with your father the night of his death. Rei is conveniently in Japan, so it looks like we have one more trip to make before we head back to the states.”

Lexi rubbed the bridge of her nose. “That’s going to be a little bit of a problem.”

“Why’s that?” Nigel asked. Lexi had mentioned something about Rei before but hadn’t gone into detail.

“Miyamoto has some kind of interest in her. She was working for him at one point. I might need to talk to Sakura and him first.”

“What if this Rei girl is off limits?”

“I’ll talk to him,” Lexi assured. “If I can’t get to him, Sakura might be able to help.”

Nigel checked his watch. “What time is their business done?”

“She said she’d call as soon as they were finished.”

***

Rei hadn’t worn a Miyamoto catsuit in years. Sakura’s didn’t fit perfectly but it still looked good on Rei. She examined herself in the full=length mirror in Sakura’s apartment, twisting to look over her shoulder as she admired her ass in the form-fitting material.

It has been about an hour since they left the construction yard and the toxin effects were wearing off. Sakura was laid out on the floor with her bound wrists pulled above her head and secured to a table leg. Her feet were also bound and she only wore a hadajuban, a thin, robe with a short hem that was worn like an undershirt underneath a kimono. Rei knelt with her knees at Sakura’s hips and leaned her face close to her old friend’s. She meticulously brushed some lint from Sakura’s cheek. Sakura blinked her eyes and came to her senses.

“I hope you don’t mind if I keep your suit. It’s a nice souvenir,” Rei said.

Sakura was still groggy. “Rei?”

“Did you miss me?”

“Where’s Yumi and the others?”

“They’re with the Killer Queen,” she said Katrina’s nickname with disdain.

“You have to stop her.”

“I couldn’t if I wanted to, Crowe’s decision. I told her you belonged to me though. You’re off limits.”

“Why?”

“You were my best friend. I do have a sentimental side. I still have that old stuffed Totoro doll I used to sleep with, remember that? If anyone is going to hurt you, it will be me.”

“Rei, listen to me. I can help you. Miyamoto will talk to you. I can bring you back in.”

Rei laughed long and hard. She had to sit up and hold her side for a moment. She caught her breath and wiped a tear from her eye.

“I like being on my own.” Rei slipped her hands in the collar of Sakura’s juban and pulled the fabric wide, exposing Sakura’s bare breasts. She had no underwear. Her crotch was adorned by a tiny triangular tuft of hair shaved to a buzz. “I can do whatever I want. I don’t have to follow Miyamoto’s stupid rules.”

Rei grabbed something she had on the floor nearby. It looked like an ornate wooden scroll with a glossy red varnish. It was about ten inches in length and as thick as a sword handle. An intricate, serpentine dragon was carved into the wood, coiling around the column. Its every scale and ridge had been finely carved as well. Rei pulled it apart at the center, revealing a blade. She put the sheath half aside.

“Do you remember this? You gave it to me for my 13th birthday.”

Sakura recognized the aikuchi-style tanto knife. She writhed uncomfortably. “What are you doing…”

“You were always Miyamoto’s favorite.” Rei placed the tip of the knife under Sakura’s collarbone and followed an imaginary line south. “Everyone thought you were prettier than me.”

“I was always nice to you. I treated you like a sister.”

The knife traveled up the arch of Sakura’s breast and gently circled one of Sakura’s areola. Rei pointed the knife against the tip of Sakura’s nipple. “You always were nice to everyone. You’re so fucking desperate for everyone to like you. You’re such a fake, two-faced, little bitch.”

Rei slowly applied pressure with the knife.

“No!” Sakura wailed.

Rei lifted the blade with a giggle. She pinched the nipple and rubbed it to make sure she hadn’t drawn blood. “Sakura, I forgot how much fun you were! So, who’s your new friend? The skinny American girl.”

Sakura knew lying would only get her in deeper trouble with the unpredictable Red Rabbit. “You know I can’t tell you.”

“I know…” Rei intertwined her fingers in one of Sakura’s hands. “How about I cut these lovely fingers off one by one until you change your mind?”

Sakura was breathing hard, her chest rising and falling rapidly. She kept her jaw tight in defiance even though her eyes were full of fear.

Rei looked over her shoulder at Sakura’s feet. “Maybe I should cut off your cute little toes first.”

Sakura remained stoic.

Disappointed, Rei sighed. She would be happy to just make threats and watch Sakura sweat and squirm for hours. Unfortunately, she was on the clock. From her belt, she opened a leather cased filled with long, thin needles similar to the kind used in acupuncture. Sakura knew what they were and her eyes grew big.

The needles were generally non-lethal if used in moderation. They were too thin to cause any damage, barely drawing blood, but they were tipped with a strong poison that caused intense pain. Their sole purpose was torture and interrogation, especially when used on sensitive parts of the body.

“I’d never scar that adorable face or your pristine body,” Rei admitted. She held one of the needles out daintily. “These are more fun, anyway”

“Rei, please…” Sakura began to shudder. “Don’t!”

***

Lexi was taking a nap on the couch while Nigel was busy on his laptop at the small motel desk. She was awoken when her phone rang. It was Sakura’s number.

“Sakura?”

“Lexi?” Not Sakura.

“Who is this?”

“I’m an old friend of Sakura’s. I used to work with Miyamoto, It’s funny that you’re doing errands for him now. What a small world.”

“Rei.”

“So you’ve heard of me?”

“Just the best parts.”

“I don’t want to keep you so I’ll get to the point. Miyamoto is causing problems for some business partners of mine. His employees tried something very foolish earlier tonight and they’ll be fittingly punished for it.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You’ll find out, but for now, I’m going to need you to break ties with Miyamoto and leave Japan. If you continue doing what you been doing, like this business with India and Constance, I’ll be forced to take much more…severe actions.”

“Sure, let’s meet somewhere and talk about it like big girls. I wasn’t planning on staying in Japan much longer, anyway. I’m starting to get homesick.”

Rei giggled. “No, Lexi. If we ever meet it will be on my terms and you won’t know when or where until I’m right next to you. I would, however, check on Sakura. I gave her a shot of purple toxin ten minutes ago at her apartment. So I’d say you have an hour to get over there if you want to revive her.”

Rei hung up and Lexi checked her watch. She looked at Nigel who had been listening in. “We need to go now. I’ll explain on the way.”

The pair raced down the city streets as much as traffic would allow, running red lights wherever they could. Nigel was leaned forward in the driver seat with intense focus. Lexi was on the phone.

“George, Rei called me. She says something is going down tonight. I think your team is in trouble. She’s already got Sakura.”

“I know. I have some people en route. Be careful.”

“What the hell happened?” Nigel asked after Lexi hung up.

“I’m not sure. Miyamoto mentioned something about Crowe’s daughters being in town. They must’ve made a move on them.”

It took them almost thirty minutes to reach Sakura’s place. Nigel pulled up in the street with parking being the last thing on his mind. Lexi had brought India Adams’ custom .45 and she leapt out the passenger side running before the car had completely stopped. “Stay out here, Nigel.”

“Take it slow,” Nigel shouted after her. “You don’t know who’s up there.”

Lexi bounded up the steps three at a time and burst through the unlocked door of the apartment with her gun raised. She nearly dropped it in shock when she saw Sakura displayed in the center of the room.

Two tall poles and a horizontal cross bar had been set up. Sakura hung upside down from with her wrists behind her back and her legs posed in a perfect 180-degree split. She was completely stripped except for a rope harness wrapped on her torso. Strange, tiny needles were placed over her breasts and her vagina where some sort of phallic object had also been inserted.

“Sakura…” Lexi ran over and removed the object from between Sakura’s legs. It was some kind of fancy wooden stick with a glossy red finish.

Lexi had a knife on her hip. She used it to begin cutting the ropes starting with the ones on Sakura’s ankles. Lexi wrapped an arm around Sakura’s waist as she cut the main support rope attached to the harness. Carefully, she set Sakura down. Lexi checked for a pulse. Sakura was still there.

A green syringe had been left on the floor but Lexi decided against using anything Rei had left for her. She pulled her own injector out, double checked she had the right antitoxin capsule, and fired it into Sakura’s neck. Sakura gurgled and her eyes blinked slightly but she did not have the usual sudden shock to consciousness Lexi had observed when people were revived. Something wasn’t right.

“Lexi?” Sakura croaked, barely audible.

“I’m here. You’re going to be ok.”

“The others?”

Lexi began pulling the strange thin needles out from Sakura’s breasts and crotch. There were nearly two dozen of them in total. There was no blood, just tiny bumps where the needles had been like mosquito bites. Sakura groaned uncomfortably.

“How do you feel? Are you ok?”

“Lexi?” Sakura asked again, confused.

She dialed Miyamoto. “George, I’m at Sakura’s. Something wrong with her I need help.”

“My people are two minutes away.”

“Sakura, stay awake,” Lexi said.

“Where is everybody?”

“Don’t worry about that. Just hold on.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
End of Chapter.
Next Chapter: Family Ties Part 3

[esercito sconfitto]

hey btl-special

yes you

read my lips

don't dare to stop the story


...and thanks for being

[joel1103]

I like this story, too. Stories with some nudity are more interesting from my point of view.

[rufusluciusivan]

I know I said that in my opinion a story with uniform stealings works better when it has a slightly wacky/offbeat tone, but your stories are among the exceptions that confirm the rule. Their more mature tone when it comes to the language, the violence, the nudity, the interactions or the 'sexual themes' definitively set them apart from the other ongoing series, and I think it's their strength. I'm going to be honest and say that this isn't my favorite kind of atmosphere, but I think you shouldn't try to change it to make it lighter, as it makes this series rather unique.

This part was more villain-centric, a good way to build up the suspense and the stakes for the upcoming climax/confrontation of this part of the story. Plus, having the villains score a victory from time to time is a good way to highlight their threat. I especially appreciated the first part, the flashback in the plane. Gianna and Isabel were certainly itching to give some payback to Galloway...

Once again, Lexi was more in the background during this part, but since the point was to feature (or introduce) characters and plot-points that will be important later, I guess it was inevitable. Given the number of conflicting sides (Lexi's, Crowe's, April's, Rei who's more a feeelance character...), I'm wondering how the conflict will be solved. Plus, that cliffhanger ending... Way to make the reader want to read the next part.

“It’s not like I threatened her, or her family, or anything like that. I just embarrassed her a little.”

Well, her and a lot of innocent women who didn't ask anything in the previous story...